A person who lacks responsibility — wherever they stand, walk, sit, lie down, pick up, or make use of anything — leaves that place and those things in a state of disorder and uncleanliness. Wherever uncleanliness takes hold, things in that place deteriorate, age, and fall into disrepair with ease. And whoever dwells in such an environment becomes prone to agitation and ill temper.
The Lord Buddha Himself gave warning: whoever is easily agitated will find that creative thought and clear understanding in accordance with reality cannot arise.
He taught thus: when water is murky and clouded, even though shrimps, shellfish, crabs, and fish fill the sea, none of them can be seen. In the same way, when the mind is clouded — when one is in a state of agitation and ill temper — one loses the ability to distinguish one’s own benefit from that of others. One can no longer discern what is good from what is evil, nor what is right from what is wrong.
When such discernment is lost, one becomes ready to commit wrongdoing, ready to seize the benefit belonging to others for oneself. Conflict then inevitably arises, and the world is thrown into disorder — all stemming from those who lack responsibility and whose minds remain perpetually clouded.
October 30th, 2015
