Re-evaluate & Relearn How to Work with Nature

Nature is all you have; it's your home, and you need to learn to live peacefully at home. Every encounter you have with nature, you need to ask what you need from nature. And you are served exactly what you ask for!   

So, the next time, you are unhappy with what you receive from nature, try re-evaluating your ask. Reassess whether your ask is fair, would have a lasting impact, and more importantly, whether it will truly make you happy. Relearn to be in tandem with nature. Stay tuned for more such insights. 

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Transcript

SPEAKER_00 0:07

Welcome to the Art of Being Happy, Buddha's Guide to Modern Living from Jaitavanarama Buddhist Monastery, Sri Lanka. This intriguing talk series brings timeless Buddhist wisdom to help you navigate life's challenges through simple practical insights. Each episode offers gentle guidance for finding peace and joy in everyday moments. Join us on this journey toward lasting happiness and inner peace. Brought to you by Sanatana, the voice eternal.

SPEAKER_01 0:47

The universe doesn't punish you. The universe just gives you back whatever you asked for. And how do you ask? For something? By giving it. You sent it? Self-addressed. Have you ever done that? You know, just for the kicks? Posted a letter to yourself. Put your own address and see what happens to it. You know, just for fun. Perhaps when you were a kid, you might have done something like that, just to see what happens. The magic of the poster system. I remember at school they got us to do that when I was younger. But then every encounter we have, every dealing we have with nature, is an opportunity for us to ask nature what we need from it. We've got to re-assess, re-evaluate, relearn how to work with nature. Nature is all we have, isn't it? It's your home. You really need to actually try to have to learn how to live at home, how to live in peace at home. This is what the Dhamma teaches us. Every encounter you have with nature is an opportunity for you to ask of nature what you want from it. Do you not accept my words? Is that not the truth? Every encounter you have with nature is such. A man comes in, gives you something, a gift. You say thank you. Wholeheartedly you say thank you. You appreciate them for having given you some thought, having thought about you. So you appreciate them for it. This is an encounter with nature. So nature has decided to give you something. This is an encounter with nature, and at that moment you have an opportunity to ask what you need from nature. Be appreciative at that moment, and appreciation will come back to you. Be thankful at that moment, have gratitude at that moment, and gratitude and thankfulness will come back to you. On another occasion, someone comes in, tells you off, mocks you, laughs at you. If on that occasion you decide that now it is your turn to retaliate, an eye for an eye, they say it makes the whole world go blind. So if on that occasion you retaliate, this again is an encounter that you have with nature, but if you forget that it is an opportunity for you to ask what you need for, then you will make that request. And for nature, it's always she's always out there listening to you, saying, Okay, what do you want? Just remember that. Whenever you open your mouth, remember nature is there, having already asked you the question, what do you need? You call someone a donkey, you call someone a fool, not with compassion, you do it with anger, if you do it with resentment, if you do it intentionally to harm, hurt them. So nature's listening to you, and whatever it is you asked for, nature writes it down. So imagine you're at the restaurant, and the waiters come to you. What would you like to have, sir? So whatever you say, they take it down. And then in a moment they say, I'll be right back with you. Please be patient. So they walk away, they go into the kitchen. So the kitchen is where your karma matures. This is where your karma matures. And so once the food is cooked, in other words, your karma has matured, then what is the way to do? It brings it back and serves it to you. Your dish is whatever you'd ordered. And you know the best thing is they never get it wrong. At this restaurant, they never get it wrong. I'm not even going to say they hardly get it wrong. They never get it wrong. Sometimes you think, how could I have ordered something like this? Look at how ugly it is, how distasteful it is. I would never have ordered something like this. A person of my stature. A person of my caliber, I would never have ordered something like this. You just don't remember that it was it's been a while since you place the order. It took a while to cook it. But you have only ever been served whatever it is you had ordered. You were never served someone else's order. This is the way nature works, ladies and gentlemen. We've got to accept that. The sooner you understand the workings of nature, the sooner you will be at peace with it. Buddhist teaching is to help you be at peace with whatever comes at you. It is not to change the world out there, it is to change the way you respond to the world out there. In your response, you will feel peace. In your response, you will feel war. This is where war and peace live. It's your response. There are some people, the slightest thing makes them annoyed, agitated, it aggravates them. The slightest thing. You may have seen people like that. If you haven't, uh ask the people you share a house with, a home with, they will have if you haven't. The slightest thing annoys them. They're always on edge. So you have to be very careful when you deal with people like that. It's like walking on eggshells all the time. They're always annoyed because they feel that the world is out to get them. That's why they feel annoyed. They don't understand that it is they who place this order. They don't understand that. Kama Sukata Samadhitti. You have to start there. It's one of the Dasa Samadhitti. Dasavastuka Samaditti. That there is such a thing called Karman Vipaka. If you deny that, that there is no such thing called Karman Vipaka, then actually hardly any of Buddhist teaching would make sense to you. Because why must you be good? For what reason? If it's simply for the purpose of being good, fair enough. You know, I'm good just because, okay. But once you understand that there are consequences for your actions, that's an incentive. It becomes a real incentive. Then there are others who are so cool, so composed, it takes a lot to agitate them. I mean, there are then others who would it takes a lot to agitate them, but when they're annoyed, that's like a volcano. Like they don't erupt every day, but once it does, it causes a great lot. It's a catastrophe. Even the cat says so. You know, when your pets know that you're annoyed, like that's a problem at home, isn't it? If only the humans annoy at home, then fair enough. But when your pets get to know that you're annoyed, then you're just being irrational. You know, you're kicking the dog, throwing things at the cat. That's just being irrational. And that's just being annoyed on another level. You know, we're all we all go get there sometimes, but you know, we've all been there. I'm sure we all have been there at some point in our lives, if not this one in previous lives. So this is a journey for all of us. Absolutely. You know, there's no no secrets about that. It's all a journey for all of us. So there's no shame, per se, in being who you are. The shame is if you don't recognize that there's a change that needs to happen within you and that it's possible. If you deny your weakness, that is your shame. That is an embarrassment. If you deny your flaws, if you deny your shortcomings, your shortfalls, that is the embarrassment, not to accept them. In fact, the Buddha says, one who has acknowledged their own weaknesses, by virtue of that, they are an honorable man. Simply by virtue of that. They've not started to make a change, but to accept the problem is half of its all, isn't it? Just to accept the problem? To accept that there is a problem. Can I ask you a question? Do you not know individuals, people to whom you cannot go walk up and tell them that or point out their weaknesses? Don't you know people like that? It's blaringly obvious that they have many weaknesses, but you don't feel confident enough to walk up to them. Maybe you tried it once and then you got your fingers burnt. So now it's once bitten twice, you're not gonna bother trying again. And even when you've had the courage to walk up to them and tell them, others said, Trust me, don't. There are others who told you that. They warned you, trust me, don't. Because it has been tried before, and when it did, they got the sack. Or when they did, they got demoted. Or when they did, they got a real telling off. You may have had experiences where you walk up to people and just, you know, very politely, very respectfully, sometimes you try your best to do, you're doing this because you want to do good by them, and you say, you know, I think there's something I would like to tell you because there's a little slight problem in the way that you handle that particular situation. Sometimes at the end of that, you hear these words, who are you? So you heard this, right? What is it? Who are you to tell me what to do and what not to do? Ah, you know the mantra. That's good. We live on the same planet then. There's another expression that goes very closely related to that. Who do you think? Huh? I am. Yeah, who do you think you are, or who do you think I am? Have you heard this or not? There you go. And they call themselves intelligent human beings. Once again I repeat this. It's nothing to be embarrassed that you have weaknesses, flaws, shortcomings, shortfalls, that you get angry. Right? It's not, it's not, that is not the embarrassment. It's hardly the embarrassment that. But then to deny that, or even to think that this is the way I am, others have to have have to understand that this is how I am and this is how I come. I'm not gonna change. If you want, you change. I was born like this, I shall live like this and I shall die like this. Live with it. So when you come across people like that, how do you feel about them? Do you like them? Maybe you like them, but do you like that kind of attitude? You don't like? You don't like it? Of course not. No one likes that kind of person. But people are very forgiving and understanding of people who have false because everyone has false. I don't think there's a single individual in this, there's not a single soul in this room that's going to put their hand up and say, No, Swami Nasa, I came perfect. I'm perfect. And I'm here to check that you are perfect. That's why I came here. So, you know, there's not a single human being who believes that they are perfect. So to accept that another man, another woman, another person has flaws, weaknesses, faults is very it's very human. It's very acceptable. That's why most times, you know, when someone does something wrong, all they have to say is, I'm sorry. Think about the times when you were on the receiving end of that wrongdoing. Right? The moment they said, I'm sorry, what was your reaction after that? Did you continue to go have have a go at them? Did you continue to try and convince them that they were wrong? No. Then your tone changed from an accusatory tone to a very sympathetic tone, didn't it? I'm talking about your own experience. Even if you're trying to tell a child off for something that they have done, the moment they say, Anayam sorry, Yama, what happens then? Then you cool down. Your tone changes, your approach changes, and then after that you stop accusing them. You say, okay, you know, it happens to everyone. Now you try to soothe them. You say, it's okay, Putta. You know, it happens to everyone. What's great is the fact that you have accepted that you have done something wrong. What a great characteristic that is, what a great quality that is that you have. You are willing to accept that you're so humble to accept that. Then we'll work on that together. But no matter who it is, if they hold their stance and they say no, even when they sometimes they know they're wrong. And you try to argue with them, and then if it's come to a point where you've kind of checkmated them, but they're still not prepared to accept that they were wrong because they have such big an ego that to accept that they have done something wrong is akin to having their heads chopped off. So they will not accept that they are wrong, but they will continue to hold their stance and say, very irrationally, no, I was right. And then they start turning the conversation not from the fault to the person accusing. It may become personal after that. The objective becomes subjective. Who do you think you are? These things start coming after that. Why do you think like that about me? People are very quick to personalize problems. So you've dealt with people like that, so you know what it feels like to work with individuals like that. You have spent them at the workplace, right? You have met them amongst friends, you there are you have them at home, they're everywhere. So if you've experienced what it is like to be the individual who has to face off to individuals like that, then my first ask of you is not to be that person, not to be like that. There's no shame in accepting a fault, a flaw, a weakness. There's absolutely no shame in that. And please understand, ladies and gentlemen, that everyone makes mistakes and everyone is understands that mistakes can be made by a human being. People know that. People know that they are not perfect, although sometimes they pretend to be, but they know that they're not. Therefore, don't let your pride get in the way. It's usually that pride that gets in the way of solving a problem that can be solved so easily that when you get let pride get in the way, ego get in the way, then it escalates into something very ugly. You will live long enough to experience what I'm talking to you about. These things happen at home mostly, then sometimes even at the workplace, these are this is very common in your homes. Husbands and wives, and you know, parents, children, siblings, friends. At the workplace, sometimes you're a bit careful about what you say, because uh the the ramifications can be quite severe. Therefore, you're very careful about what you do. But then at home we take things a lot more for granted, don't we? Because, you know, the people at home, it's okay to hurt them because they're yours for good. But at the workplace, it's not so. You feel more insecure at the workplace because you don't know what might happen. You have been appointed, you have been employed, you have been given a position there, so the person who gave it to you might take it away from you. Therefore, there's always that insecurity. But at home, not so much. But you forget then that marriage is also a deal. That's a contract. Just like your employment contract. This is called a marriage contract. Usually they're more forgiving. Usually, sometimes your boss is more tolerating of you than you are. That is also possible. But as Mahatma Gandhi once said, you know, if you want to change the world, start with yourself. Please remember then that whenever you have these encounters with nature, right? Nature is all of you. Nature is all of you, and each and every one of you. That is nature. Nature is the clouds that rain on you, it's the sun that shines on you, it's the wind that blows and blows a breeze against you. All of this is nature. It's the man who's going to honk at you on the street. It's the three wheel driver that's going to just cut in front of you. It's the man who's going to take your parking spot. Just as you drive into it. It's that person. That's nature. Don't forget that that was an order that you placed. Most of you will have experienced on the roads as you drive here and there. Yeah. People cut in front of you. Sometimes people tailgate you. Other people will drive in front of you. They'll they'll they'll deliberately try and slow, drive slowly just to try and hold you back for some reason. Sometimes you wonder why they're doing that. These are all orders that you placed. So never ask why them, ask why me. Not as in why me, why not the other person? Why did I? Why did I? If something seems irrational to you, it's because you had done something back then it seemed rational to you, but now it seems irrational. This is the foundation to start cultivating the Dhamma. You have to start here. Otherwise, we always point our fingers outwards. Always have that compass, a moral check. Try and live in a way that you're always reminded, you know, it in a flash of a second, you are reminded this is something that I had given. This is my own doing. But sort of keep that at the back of your head. Always going, this is something that I had given. This is my own doing. This is my own doing. This is my own doing. You see, when someone wins the lottery, or when someone gets something nice, something they they like, something they enjoy, when something good happens to them, then people are like, you know, someone like me, of course, deserves this. A good person like me, someone as good as me, someone as holy as I. Someone who looks after my parents like I do, someone who does my job so honestly as I do. Someone who's such a good citizen as myself must of course deserve something. I'm so generous, I'm so kind to people. How many hungry people must I have fed? How many beggars must I have given things to? How many poor people must I have after? So you very easily you're able to rationalize the good things that happen to you. The reason for that is because at that time your mind is in a state of prasadha, it's in a pleasant state. So it's easy to see things as they are. Then you say, of course, things like this happen to me because I'm a good person. Good things happen to good people, you will say. But when it switches, when you get the other end of the stick, when bad things happen to you, when the so-called bad things happen to you, there's no such thing called a good thing or a bad thing. But when the things that you don't like happen to you, that's when you say it's a bad thing. When such things happen to you, it's very difficult, is it not, to remind yourself that this is also your own doing? Catch yourself when this happens.

SPEAKER_00 21:25

Thank you for joining us on the Art of Being Happy from Caitavanarama Buddhist Monastery. May today's wisdom bring you peace and joy in your daily life. We'd love to hear how these talks have touched your life. Share your experiences with us on plus 91 6361 803371. Until next time, may you find happiness in each present moment. Brought to you by Sanatinavani, the Voice Eternal.