Cattāri Brahmavihārā

In this charmed life of mine (written without sarcasm) I still find plenty of opportunities to suffer. And, despite knowing better, I still feel compelled to respond in kind when barbed words of reproach are thrown my way. There is suffering but it is mine as my birthright and rightful inheritance. There is no option to turn back, no possibility of retreat.

In the heat of the moment I have at lea been able to recall that the fruition of this kamma couldn’t come at a better time. Better I harvest the bitter fruits of my party unskilled conduct while I yet enjoy the previous circumstances of a life lived during the time of a Buddha’s sasana than in a world devoid of wisdom or in the animal or hell realms. At least here there is the possibility of patiently enduring and using the arsenal of the Dhamma to fend off kilesas that would only have me compound my suffering.

So, yet again, I reaffirm my commitment to use this life to learn the lessons of khanti and metta parami. May I not seek to change my outward situation until I have transformed my heart for doing so would be to beat a retreat out of the battle and into an ambush.