Nowadays, in current degenerated times, our values and standards of evaluation are getting more and more confused so that it becomes difficult to know what to adopt and what to reject, on the Path to Awakening.

Be a good disciple is sometimes confused with doing a lot of practices driven by competitiveness. One then is focused on outer achievements and develop the bad habit to ignore the inner transformation process if not the goal itself.

From progressing on the Path to achieve enlightenment, we are moving a dangerous path leading to phobic attachment to the extreme views of eternalism and nihilism.

So, it’s said that the Buddha delivered this sermon to the members of his community, and they felt very uplifted by it.

“This is what should be done by one who is skilled in goodness and who knows the path of peace:

Let them be:

• Able and upright;
• Straightforward and gentle of speech;
• Humble and not conceited;
• Contented and easily satisfied;
• Unburdened by duties and frugal in their ways;
• Calm, wise, and skilful.

Let them not:

• Be proud or demanding in nature;
• Do the slightest thing that the wise would later reprove.

Wishing in gladness and in safety, may all beings be at ease, whatever living beings there may be; whether they are weak or strong, omitting none: 

• The great or the mighty, 
• The medium, short, or small, 
• The seen and the unseen, 
• Those living near or far away, 
• Those born and to be born.

May all beings be at ease.

Let none deceive another or despise any being in any state that none, through anger or ill will, wish harm upon another. 

Even as a mother protects the life of her only child, so with a boundless heart should we cherish all living beings. 

Radiating kindness over the entire world, spreading upward to the skies, downward to the depths, outward and unbounded, free from hatred and ill will. 

Whether standing or walking, seated or lying down, free from drowsiness one should sustain this recollection.

This is said to be the sublime abiding. By not holding to fixed views the pure hearted one, having clarity of vision, being freed from all sense desires, is not born again into this world.”

As commented by His Holiness Karmapa, Orgyen Trinley Dorje:

“The Dharma or ordinary Dharma refers to developing human values required to be a good human being and the common wisdom required to interact with our environment and other beings in the world.

Before thinking of becoming Buddha and without necessarily being Buddhist, one needs to first be a good human being living a serene, harmonious and positive life.  

Then only, based on the ordinary Dharma, one will be able to grow spiritually and become a genuine practitioner of the Sacred Dharma, the Dharma that brings us to enlightenment for the benefit of all sentient beings.”

by Lama Sangyay Tendzin