Dhamma Video Conference Talk and Q & A with Ajahn Anan – January 5th, 2018
L uang Por Anan:
Video:
Today I have one story to share to you. This is about a video clip that is currently being shared a lot in Hong Kong, Taiwan and Thailand. This video has more than 7 million people who have viewed it.
These days, it’s like there is a large torch that shines into every corner of the world. And there is no corner of the world that is hidden from sight anymore. But this sight may be in line with the truth, or it may be fake. It is up to the person who watches, whether they contemplate what they see and hear and reflect on it.
Like this video clip titled ‘Jeddah breaks the market’. We should not judge people too quickly, this may ruin someone’s life. Maybe Jeddah’s life was ruined by this video. See, the online world of today is like this. So, whatever we see or share around to others, we need to think and reflect on it first. In this new year may we be determined that we will reflect on the way we look at other people. Don’t look at people with prejudice.
Make an effort to see others in a positive way, with metta, or lovingkindness.
The more we multiply our positive view the better. Use a lot of wisdom and a lot of metta, loving kindness in viewing others.
In the past, when we looked at things, we did so in a positive way. But these days it’s not enough due to the internet. We need to multiply that positive view. Multiplying many times over. Help others see things positively, too. This is because the internet world is very quick. It’s like a torch that shines and reaches everywhere. If someone views something wrongly, it can make one person and their family fall into a state of hell.
False speech and divisive speech that would harm others’ hearts is breaking the 5 moral precepts. But now if we say or share something that isn’t true, without understanding the whole story, it harms that person and can bring down that person. So, we need to have all the facts of the story. We need to have mindfulness and see with wisdom to views things in a positive way.
These days with world of internet, we need to see things with a much greater positive view, multiplying it many times. This is due to the greater amount of people it can reach, whether it is 1000 times more people, 10,000 times, or even more than this. Our heart needs to have more metta and more compassion than before. If it’s not like this then we may do harm like to Jeddah in this video.
In this video, we watch and what do we think of Jeddah’s character? If we look just from the outside, she is someone who talks loudly, her speech is not beautiful, she talks and points at people, and she talks harshly. But her good intentions are full in the heart of this Jeddah. If you see only from outer appearances, you won’t see this. But her heart is good and beautiful.
Maybe also we have people that from the exterior they are ones who speak well, they look good from outer appearances, they have a good job, they have high status in society, but maybe their hearts are not so good. On the outside they look good, but their heart is no good. Where ever these people are, they cause suffering to others.
The Buddha has given a very short teaching where he gave the simile of one dog who has mange, a skin infection caused by mites. If it sleeps in the field it isn’t comfortable, if it sleeps under the tree it isn’t comfortable, whatever posture it’s in, whether its standing, sitting, walking or lying down, the dog is in suffering. Wherever it is, the dog is in suffering. Because it’s a dog that has mange. The people who have an unskilful mind, they like to cheat and harm others, whether in the government or staff in different shops.
These types of people who cheat and do bad actions and have unskilful thoughts, they build bad karma, and they aren’t any different from the dog with mange. Whether they are standing, sitting, walking or lying down, they aren’t happy, and they only have suffering and worry in their hearts constantly. There are many people in the world like this.
So, this year I give this for your contemplation, may you try to practice according to the Buddha’s teachings. Because we are children and disciples of the Buddha, so we should look at people with mindfulness, lovingkindness, and see them with wisdom. The Buddha has taught us already not to believe things right away. After hearing, don’t believe yet. Only when we see clearly, that it really is like that, then can we believe. Use the brightness of wisdom to see clearly.
Like Jeddah, people didn’t know that she was one who loved her tenants, and was very detailed in what she saw. So, in truth she was one who had good intentions and good wishes. So, don’t decide too quickly based on the exterior form and actions that you see and don’t go and take video and send and share it to others. It may destroy and damage that person.
Questions and Answers:
Luang Por Anan: 100 years ago how did people communicate? This is something to contemplate.
Q: It seems like we should not make snap judgements. Is this right?
Luang Por Anan: Yes. Have mindfulness, wisdom and lovingkindness. Have lots of these qualities – this is especially important in the present day.
Q: Sometimes I’m not sure if news is fake or real. What should I do?
Luang Por Anan: Have “Buddho”, have mindfulness, this is the safe way.
Q: How do we know if we will succeed or not in something?
Luang Por Anan: Build the causes for success in the present moment. Do what you are doing with enjoyment and effort, determine to succeed, and use mindfulness and wisdom.