I have written many times that faith, deep faith, in the teachings of the Buddha is the core, the fountain, from which being able to implement all aspects of the Buddha dharma flows.
While meditating this morning, I realized that there is a biblical source for this life lesson. You may or may not be familiar with the story in the Bible about the Israelites wandering in the desert after the exodus from Egypt before entering the Holy Land. The story is that they wandered in the desert, guided by Moses and the pillar of fire that was God, for 40 years.
Why did they wander for 40 years before God showed them the way to the Promised Land, the Land of Milk and Honey? Because God wouldn't allow them into the land until their faith in Him was deep and constant. Until they were ready.
What meaning does this story have for us today?
People often ask why they have to wait so long for what they desire, even if they feel guided. The answer is that they aren't ready spiritually for what they desire, This is true in two related ways.
First, until your faith is deep - whether it be in God, god, the universe, Buddha, whatever - a large part of your desire is coming from your ego-mind and that creates craving and anxiety, and so you suffer. And that prevents you from moving forward. Only when your faith is deep and you are impervious to the guidance of your ego-mind will you be able to achieve what you desire and also experience what you truly desire - which is peace, happiness, and security.
Which brings me to the second, related, point. If you do not have deep faith, you can be surrounded by all that you desire, and still not have any peace or security. Just watch documentaries or read stories of the rich and famous and you will see time and time again how, even though these people have achieved the facade of what they wanted in life, it is just a facade. They are not at peace and happy, and often very insecure.
The obvious question regarding what I've just said is, what about all the people who obtain fame, wealth, and power but who not only do not have deep faith but indeed have a disregard or disdain for the concept of faith in god. How were they able to obtain these things? The answer, not politically correct, is that there are 2 paths to obtaining what you desire - the Devil or God.
If you are driven and willing to do anything to get what you want, regardless whether others are hurt - which is to say that you are guided by the Devil - you can achieve wealth and fame. But those things will never bring you peace and happiness, or any real sense of security. Because things are not a source of peace, happiness, or security.
If you are being guided by God, god, the universe, or your true Buddha self, and your faith is deep, you will not just achieve these things, but you will also experience the peace, happiness, and security that you seek because you are free of the emotions and perceptions of your mind, free of its guidance and control. You have truly implemented, "Your will, not my mind's."
Bottom line, you will not experience "milk and honey" regardless whether you are surrounded by it, unless you have found deep faith in a higher power, given yourself over to it, radiate light, and thus have become impervious to the guidance of your ego-mind.
While meditating this morning, I realized that there is a biblical source for this life lesson. You may or may not be familiar with the story in the Bible about the Israelites wandering in the desert after the exodus from Egypt before entering the Holy Land. The story is that they wandered in the desert, guided by Moses and the pillar of fire that was God, for 40 years.
Why did they wander for 40 years before God showed them the way to the Promised Land, the Land of Milk and Honey? Because God wouldn't allow them into the land until their faith in Him was deep and constant. Until they were ready.
What meaning does this story have for us today?
People often ask why they have to wait so long for what they desire, even if they feel guided. The answer is that they aren't ready spiritually for what they desire, This is true in two related ways.
First, until your faith is deep - whether it be in God, god, the universe, Buddha, whatever - a large part of your desire is coming from your ego-mind and that creates craving and anxiety, and so you suffer. And that prevents you from moving forward. Only when your faith is deep and you are impervious to the guidance of your ego-mind will you be able to achieve what you desire and also experience what you truly desire - which is peace, happiness, and security.
Which brings me to the second, related, point. If you do not have deep faith, you can be surrounded by all that you desire, and still not have any peace or security. Just watch documentaries or read stories of the rich and famous and you will see time and time again how, even though these people have achieved the facade of what they wanted in life, it is just a facade. They are not at peace and happy, and often very insecure.
The obvious question regarding what I've just said is, what about all the people who obtain fame, wealth, and power but who not only do not have deep faith but indeed have a disregard or disdain for the concept of faith in god. How were they able to obtain these things? The answer, not politically correct, is that there are 2 paths to obtaining what you desire - the Devil or God.
If you are driven and willing to do anything to get what you want, regardless whether others are hurt - which is to say that you are guided by the Devil - you can achieve wealth and fame. But those things will never bring you peace and happiness, or any real sense of security. Because things are not a source of peace, happiness, or security.
If you are being guided by God, god, the universe, or your true Buddha self, and your faith is deep, you will not just achieve these things, but you will also experience the peace, happiness, and security that you seek because you are free of the emotions and perceptions of your mind, free of its guidance and control. You have truly implemented, "Your will, not my mind's."
Bottom line, you will not experience "milk and honey" regardless whether you are surrounded by it, unless you have found deep faith in a higher power, given yourself over to it, radiate light, and thus have become impervious to the guidance of your ego-mind.
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