Something to Think About

“This happened because that happened.”

That’s what the Buddha is said to have said.

It permeates the thousands of pages

Of Buddhist writings that can be read.

 

Of course, people will probably say,

"That is neither profound nor sublime."

Ah, but the words are really both

Complex and simple at the same time.

 

It sounds as though we're talking about

Chain reactions or cause and effect.

The words can make a great deal of sense

When we view things in retrospect.

 

All the interconnected events

That brought us to this moment can be

Overwhelming, to say the least,

For there is so much that we cannot see.

 

Although we might not notice it,

Simple reactions occur this way:

You offer someone a genuine smile,

And maybe you made that person's day.

 

When we look at history

And how religions arose and grew,

Interconnections are much more complex

But clearly are at work there, too.

 

Viewing historical events

In depth can help us understand

Why things are the way they are

And how ideas get out of hand;

 

How the human ego works

And how human behavior evolved;

Why so many conflicts exist

And why so many remain unresolved.

 

The process of deeply examining

Ourselves and our world can open our eyes

To why we think in a certain fashion

And how to see through falsehoods and lies.

 

“This happened because that happened.”

Although we cannot erase the past,

We can alter the way we think

And then make positive changes that last.

-by Bob B (2-3-24)