Sometimes, we get into the habit of comparing one to the other. We don’t have to choose between one or the other.
by Khenpo Tashi
FINDING TIME, EVEN A SHORT TIME
Work is really important. It is very important. For young people, they have to work to save for a house, a car, a family and for the future.
At the end of our work, or before working, we can do some simple Buddhist practice. We can chant a few hundreds of mantra, or chant a prayer or do some offerings. We can read a Sutra every week. Within a 20-minute period, we can always do something virtuous.
Limits of Money
From morning until evening, society, our friends, the newspapers, always tell us that money is the most important thing to have. There is more power, more respect, more ability with more money. These are partly true.
From time to time, however, we could think of the limits of money, possessions and properties. This is difficult, but we can do this.
When we or someone close to us has a close encounter with death, we don’t have anything reliable to cling on to. Our money or properties, all of these will be left aside. When death is near, even this body, this precious body, we will throw it away, even if we do not want to.
So, these are the limits of money, and our body.
In another scenario, if we or someone really does pass away, what can we bring with us? We can only bring our merit and virtue to the next birth. Other than our merit and virtue, everything will be left behind. Nothing of our worldly activities can help us.
IN SUMMARY
So, in this life, there are many things to worry about. Then, after this life, what preparation have we done? What merit or virtue have we collected? We must also remember that.
We can give time to both work and Buddhist practice.