Harmlessness

Am I better than others? Of course almost everyone says no to this, but do our actions match? To try to bring someone to your side, to condemn another, to take offence, to subjigate, to preach, there are many ways we can place ourselves above another through our actions despite what we think of ourselves. I often am tempted to take offense at others beliefs thinking they are being forced on me as I work to fit in with a system I don't completely agree with anymore.

Am I harmless? To others? To Myself? I am in constant practice. Practicing accepting others opinions and experiences as valid even though they may differ from mine. Have I been successful? Well, uh, no. I AM making progress though. Why do I often feel threatened by others with different viewpoints which may be extremely fulfilling to them, though I may have had a different experience? What makes me so darn special that I should know what is best for everyone else by a perspective generated through my own personal lense? Nothing. 

So knowing this, why is it so hard? I don't think I am alone in this, the world is full of it I think, to the point of people killing each other in the most extreme extents. Is freedom of religion the freedom for everyone to be different, or is it the freedom for everyone to eventually come to the light of my unrestricted belief? I think this is the core. The understanding that what works for me may not work for you and that is fine. With this ingrained, perhaps taking offense would be easier to avoid. Perhaps I would feel less threatened by other's opinions. Perhaps I could peacefully coexist and still be different. Afterall, there is no gun to my head, there is no inquisition, there is goodwill, there is good intent even though I may at times consider it misguided. Would it be different if everyone was aware of my beliefs other than a few? I would hope not. Eventually we will see I suppose as nothing lasts forever, perhaps even time. 

Of course what others think, should not cause me anguish unless they are inflicting real harm on myself or another. Most things have exceptions after all, even if they might be extremely rare. Harmlessness is coexistence in peace with our fellow beings and ourselves. When I stop desiring others to be like me, perhaps I will be killing two birds with one stone (pardon the expression), exhibiting harmlessness to others, and in turn myself.

Right Action, Right Effort?

      Well, the topic this week was missionary work again and I think I've already gone into that.  They DID however talk about justserve.org in Sunday School.  It's a website dedicated to hooking volunteers and service opportunities up.  Hmmm.  The church is only mentioned in small letters on the bottom of the page without yellow name-tags or self promotion.  This might be something good.         Jesus was big on doing good deeds not to be known of man for them, but just because they were good in God's eyes.  I'm pretty much on board with this except I would add one should do good because we are all in this together no matter who's religion is really the right one or if they are all wrong.  I believe this is the ultimate definition of morality.
      Love and Fear are two motivator's for doing good.  Love and fear of God,  love and fear of our fellow man,  love and fear of nature, love and fear of ourselves?  What is the right motivation?  The end result of good actions are of course good but I suppose the motivation will determine if we grow or change as an individual.  Fear as a motivator I think would only help us become more deeply entrenched in our ways.  Love, depending on who it was directed at, I think is a net positive effect.  We grow personally because we see the benefit of our actions on other people because of positive feelings and not for the sole reason we were told to do it or we would burn in hell.  Karma, Hell, Buddhists and Christians both lean on the concept.  Secular Buddhists on the other hand, try to make this life as good as possible and the motivations are to seek to make the most good by means of loving kindness and a practice of helping others with hands on methods devoid of supernatural interference.
      In essence, our actions and efforts define what we physically are.  In many ways we each find our own way to the target.  There are lots of good people in the world and I would argue, done with loving kindness,   good actions and good effort are pretty universal.  One can see in most religions the pharisee type believer who only does good to be seen and not for true benefit to others and ultimately self.  This would not be right action or right effort.  They would accomplish little for the person or others, doing such practices other than to give them their own fleeting moment of fame perhaps.  Right action and right effort would be the path that would not necessarily puff one up but would develop their world around them for the benefit of all,  not just the self,  which of course,  from the Buddhist perspective,  does not exist.  :)