Not Fair.

Sometimes life can feel frustrating. We look around the world and see cruelty, suffering and pain and feel helpless. We don't know what to do.

No matter how much we try, even with the best intentions we cannot convince others to be kind, compassionate, honest and caring and a little voice in the head shouts, 'it's not fair. '

And that voice is right, it's not fair, but fairness is a human concept and does not exist outside the human mind. Life itself is impersonal and only an endless stream of conditions, one creating the environment for the next. An endless flow of impersonal moments continuing into infinity. 

So, as disciples of Dhamma, what is our place in the moment when we feel overwhelmed by a feeling of impotence and struggle to make a fair world?

Actually the answer is unpleasantly simple. 

It is the recognition that no matter how noble how pure and how loving we feel our intentions to be, the only being we can actually take responsibility for is ourselves. We can tell stories, show pictures and argue facts but in the end Dhamma is heard or not.

We can't make others understand we can only live a loving caring compassionate life without intention for ourselves. We take responsibility for our own personal conduct and allow the world to go outs own way. Even if we don't approve, even if we are frustrated by it, even if it's painful.

This does not mean ever, that we should simply stand by and allow injustice and any form of cruelty and abuse to take place, but to remember that beings are the way they are, and so act accordingly. However, you are the way that you are and you need to reflect, 'what is my contribution to the world? More anger, more frustration, more confusion, more shouting that it's not fair, or a loving embrace of reality and then a wise response?'

Dhamma is about love, first for ourselves and then outwards to all beings, without exception. When we live from this unconditional acceptance of reality we are already free, free to accept the behaviour of the un-awakened world, free to be above its cruel and unjust influence and free to respond as our heart determines.

 

May all beings be happy.