[PhanKhoi]

The Drug Menace

Alcohol has been described as one of the prime causes of man's physical and moral degradation. Currently another more vicious form of abuse, that of harmful and dangerous drugs, as contained in heroin, hashish and various other forms, have shown their ugly heads, causing much more serious human and social problems to the wellbeing of humanity. This problem is now world-wide. Its repercussions are more serious and deadly than that of alcohol. Thefts, robberies, sexual crimes and swindling of vast magnitude have taken place due to the pernicious influence of the drug. Murders have been committed and families have been decimated by drug addicts.

Countless millions of hard-earned dollars have been spent by Government throughout the world to rid the addicts of their evil habits and to rehabilitate them but the maddening craze persists. It is our bounden duty, as dutiful citizens, to help in whatever manner we can, through our religious and social organisations, to eradicate this dreadful and obnoxious habit and to prevent our children from ever getting near to it. Life as a drug addict is a life of torture and hell on earth, leading to an early grave.

As human being we should be able to exercise our self-control and to distinguish between what is good and evil. Keep away from the drug menace and help others to do so. That will be the greatest service to humanity.

Live harmoniously

World history tells us that racial discrimination, colour bar, religious fanaticism and greed for political power and wealth have created enormous misfortunes, miseries and troubles in this world and have taken a heavy toll of lives in a cruel way. These issues have never contributed anything towards peace and happiness. People who are thirsty for power and wealth and intoxicated with jealously* always create troubles and often try to justify their cruel acts by talking nonsense and by offending others. We are living in a world which is physically united and mentally divided.

You create heaven and hell here

"If you want to live in this world peacefully and happily, allow others also to live peacefully and happily, so that you can make this world something which is worthy of life." Unless and until you adjust yourself to live according to these noble principles you cannot expect happiness and peace in this world. You cannot expect this happiness and peace from heaven simply by praying. If you act according to moral principles you can create your own heaven right here in this world. If not you also can see the hell-fire on this earth itself. Not knowing how to live according to this natural and cosmic law, we always grumble when troubles confront us. If each man tries to adjust himself without grumbling and criticising others we can enjoy real heavenly bliss better than the one that some people dream of existing in far beyond above. There is no need to create a heaven elsewhere to reward a virtue, or a hell to punish vice; virtue and evil have inevitable reactions in this world itself. Your faith is immaterial in this respect. This is the highest way that you can help in the welfare of your society and your country. Today, human society has developed up to this level because of this understanding and harmony of some people who have sympathy and tolerance towards the happiness and progress of others. Now you can realise why we should practice morality. On the other hand, you must understand that by helping ot hers morally, you help yourself and by helping yourself morally you help others also.

"We live and work and dream,
Each has his little scheme,
Sometimes we laugh;
Sometimes we cry;
And thus the days go by."

Happily married life

In a true marriage, man and women think more of the Partnership than they do of themselves. It is an interweaving of interests and a facing of sacrifice together for the sake of both.

A feeling of security and contentment comes from mutual efforts.

Most of the trouble and worries occuring* amongst husband and wife, parents and children, their relatives and friends are due to misunderstanding and impatience. The husband should not treat the wife as a servant. Although he is the bread-winner of the family, it is his duty whenever he is free to help his wife in the household. On the other hand the wife should not always nag or grumble at her husband whenever there is any shortage at home. She should not also be suspicious of her husband. If he really has some weakness she could correct him by talking it over with him kindly. A wife has to tolerate a lot of things without bothering her husband. A husband also has to act wisely.

Marriage is a blessing but many people turn their married life into a curse due to lack of understanding, tolerance and patience. Poverty is not the main cause of an unhappy married life. Husband and wife must learn to share the pleasure and pain of everything in their daily life. Mutual understanding is the secret of a happy family life.

Accept criticism

Sweetness is sickness, bitterness is medicine. Praise is like a sweet, excess of which cause sickness. And criticism is like a bitter pill or a painful injection which cures sickness. We must have the courage to welcome criticism and not to be afraid of it.

The ugliness we see in others Is a reflection of our own nature

A man's individual life, circumstances and world are a reflection of his own thoughts and beliefs. All men are mirrors reflecting according to their own surface. All men, looking at the world of men and things, are looking into a mirror which gives back their own reflection.

Mind your own business

How nice it is, if you can attend to your own affairs without too much of interference to with other's business. Here is the advice given by the Buddha:

One should not regard the faults of others, thing done and left undone by others, but one's own deeds of commission and omission.

Again the Buddha says: He who is observant of other's faults, and is always irritable his own defilements increase. He is far from the destruction of defilement.

Further he says: Easy to see the faults of others; but one's own is difficult to see. One winnows other's faults life chaff; but one' own hides as a crafty fowler covers himself.

The noble swerve not from the right path, let happen what may and crave no longer after worldly joys. The wise remain clam and constant in mind alike in joy and in sorrow.

No one can live in this world without being blamed and criticised by others. Buddha says:

People blame others for their silence. They blame those who talk much and those in moderation. There is therefore no one in this world who is not blamed. Further He says: There never was, nor will be, nor is there now any one who is wholly blamed or wholly praised. Not all those who criticise you are your enemies. You can make use of the opportunity to find out your own weaknesses which you yourself cannot see.

You should not give up good work just because of criticism. If you have the courage to carry out your good work is spite of criticisms, you are indeed a great man and could succeed everywhere.

Don't worry

The secret of happy, successful living lies in doing what needs to be done now, and not worrying about the past and the future. We cannot go back into the past and reshape it nor can we anticipate everything that may happen in the future. There is but one moment of time over which we have some conscious control and that is the present.

Many people just worry by thinking about their future. If they have learned to adjust themselves according to the circumstances of their daily life there is no reason for them to be worried. Whatever castles they may build in the air, whatever dreams they may have in their mind, they must always remember that they are living in this world of constant changes.

Be goodThere is no stars which we could trust,
There is no guiding light,
And we know that we must,
BE GOOD, BE JUST, BE RIGHT.

Pillars of success

Failures are but the pillars of success. To learn by our failures is to achieve success. To never have failed is never have won. Unless we experience failure and its attendant forces, we shall not be able to appreciate to the full a victory.

It becomes merely a turn in events that is of little or no interest to us. Failures not only help us to success, but to make us kind, sympathetic, understanding and rich in experience.

The real beauty

If one is born ugly, no matter how ugly his face may be, if he cultivate love, that love will give him an inward eternal charm which emanate outwardly and parade his whole being with that supernatural charm which will make him attractive because charm is the real beauty and not the shape or colour of the face.

We take the most handsome looking person. Sometimes people may not be attracted towards him or her because his or her beauty may be disfigured by the conceit or pride in his or her own beauty. Take the person who is ugly but is over flowing with boundless loving-kindness and speaks gently and politely, treats others kindly and you will see how attractive that person will be to everybody.