Dhammapada Handbook

Chapter 1: The Twin Verses

We are creatures captivated by our thoughts, emotions, and judgments. Reoccurring thoughts about the past and what we should have done better. Persistent thoughts about the future and the world that we want to see created where "if only" some condition was fulfilled, then we would be happy. Too often, we feel wronged, or shamed, or hurt. Petty injustices, threatened selves resulting in unhappy beings. And the cycle repeats 24 by 7.

We cannot control when and how often a thought will appear. Sometimes thoughts are so fleeting, that we are not cognizant of their arrival, departure, and power. And there are a million different types of mental formations. Silly thoughts. Song fragments. Movie scenes. Our most secret thoughts and desires. Regrets. Feelings of resistance. Feelings of hopelessness and despair. The desire to be loved and respected. And then minutes or hours later, we awake, released from their grasp. Or they keep coming back to haunt us without any immediate relief.

So, what can we do? Is any freedom possible from the mental straitjacket in this lifetime? Thankfully, the answer is yes. We can recognize the power of being held in a thought stream and say simply "no, I see what you are doing mind and I'm not playing today." Or just observe when a notion is born and quietly passes away. Only to be replaced by the next one. And in the watching, the grasping lessens, the mind gets a little quieter and less reactive. We then realize everything including our mind is subject to change and will eventually end. This makes our "thought parades" seem just a little less important. And when we realize the impermanent nature of our thoughts. In time, we learn not to get so attached to the current mind storm. Because another one is following shortly.

A moment may come where we seek a change of pace and follow a new set of rules. This could start by thinking "How may I serve others" and placing them first in our lives.

In the end, these words are nothing that you have not heard before. Maybe you had acted on them and stopped following after a few days. Or, usually we are so entranced "in my mind-only world," there is little time to pause or reflect on how to do things better. But each day, we can start with a series of small but growing number of choices to secure our unsteady raft called our lives. And with a growing sense of spaciousness and a life of less reactivity, it is a new world. There is no time like the present to begin our practice to freedom. So, take the first first steps starting now and be kind to yourself and others along the way.

Story: Contracted Mind

Sigh it is another Monday. All day. And that means spending most of it recording new content for my interplanetary video show. This is a laborious task which gives me no joy in doing every two weeks. In the previous days, my administrative assistant and staff have been busy arranging for guests to appear and be interviewed today. I could not do this gig without them. And often let them know it.

Let me take a gander at the first topics. Hmm. Will need a lot of coffee and other helpers to get me through this.

Several Hours Later

"And welcome to show #1238. Yes, my friends, time for another rendition of Tales from the Hinter Worlds. Each week, we delve into those unusual stories from the edges of the universe that you won't hear anywhere else."

"Xkbaur. A desolate planet hosting thirty-three hardy souls. Each long day there is greeted with darkness and cold. This would not be a welcome scenario for most of us. But today's guest, Mr. Del Torrance has lived there for twenty-two years and has grown a business out of his home. And not just any business. He is a mind mechanic."

"Greetings of the Day to you Del. Welcome to TftHW. How are you doing today? What is the weather like in Xkbaur?"

"Thank you, Thomas. Our weather is a little on the cold side if we were on the surface. 200 degrees Celsius below zero. Out here there is not much to do at nights. So, I watch your show and replay past episodes. You are always at the top of your game. Every episode is a masterpiece. I try to never miss it if I can."