When our world falls apart, when we suffer loss, when it seems everyone is turning against us, we have to understand karma to know why we are having such bad experiences and conditions. Blaming others for our misfortune will only increase our problems and bitterness. Blaming God will not resolve our problems, but can make us even more unhappy and frustrated.

Karma is one aspect of the Law of Causality according to which all our actions are its causes and our experiences its results. Karma operates along definitive principles. Actions which are virtuous will yield happy or positive results. Results of non-virtuous actions will be states of misery and unhappiness.

With this knowledge, we should make a firm determination to abandon or refrain from committing actions which are harmful to ourselves and others. We alone are the inheritors of our own karmic actions committed in the past and present. There is no one we can blame nor can we avoid experiencing the results now and in future, if we do nothing about it and continue with our old habits.

Understanding karma gives us consolation, hope, patience and moral courage to face the trials and tribulations which are consequences of our past deeds. A firm belief in karma is a vote for living ethically by taking personal responsibility. We can definitely fulfil our wishes to have better quality of life and happiness by creating the right causes now.

The future is in our hands by working with karma. Karma is infallible, so said the Buddha who has never been known to lie nor have any reason to lie. With it we can get a guaranteed ticket to happiness or misery. Now that we know, it is our choice to make.

Even if we are generally happy or contented with our good fortune, we should still practise charity as it will enrich our lives and we will experience higher qualities of happiness and freedom from fear of loss.

Giving can be done in many ways. If we have money, we can give to the poor and destitute. If we have limited resources, we can give hope, encouragement, empathy or love. We can be generous with our time and serve others in hospitals, old folks’ homes, religious centres and other community and charitable organisations. We can always pray for others.

Giving is about making others happy and reducing our self-cherishing attitudes. When we focus our attention on others’ needs, seeing others important over and above ourselves, effectively we are creating the cause for happiness and an end to suffering.

If we continue to indulge in our good fortune, taking without giving, even though we may grow in material possessions we will suffer the poverty of virtue. We should consider ourselves very blessed to be in a situation whereby we have resources to help many.

Understanding that the good fortune we are presently enjoying is the result of the practice of generosity in the past, we should continue to do so to ensure we will continue to enjoy such good fortune in our future lives and having the privilege to benefit so many.

This is not a David Copperfield trick. When we encounter problems and difficulties in our lives, we usually focus too much on the immediate negative feelings of rejection, anger, etc. It prevents us from finding a solution or finding ways to go round it. Focusing on our negative feelings has the effect of making small problems appear bigger than they are, and even medium problems seem insurmountable.

We need to learn how to think out of the box. To do this, we must have knowledge. More knowledge means more options to deal with any situation. For example, if we think our existence begins with birth and ends in death, that the problem is impossible, and that we cannot – then we cannot see beyond the wall. These limitations prevent and stop us from exploring for other possibilities and opportunities.

When a problem arises, we have to accept that it has arisen. We should not let our anxieties and disappointments drag us down. As it had been said, “If a problem can be solved, there is no need to worry. If it cannot be solved, what is the point of worrying?” However, our tendency is to worry as soon as a problem arises.

Worrying is almost like wishing for bad things to happen. Yes, we have to stop thinking about the wall in front of us, and look at the space behind the wall which is more promising. A broken pot is not a problem; we can always buy another. Losing a job is not a problem; we can find another.

Loneliness is not a problem; we can always make new friendships. It is a problem however, if we wallow in self-pity or blame the world for our losses. The wall is our stubborn, closed mind solidified by our afflictive emotions. Open our minds up and problems will disappear.

Life in the context of Buddhism means past, present and future lives. Remembering life means learning from the past in order to improve the future. This makes our present life a more meaningful and happier one.

For those who believe in only one life, thinking that life ends after 100 or so years, we close the door to finding true happiness. Such a wrong view leads us to negative and bad attitudes which bring on suffering.

If we believe we only have such a short time to live, it will make us impatient to get what we want. It will be quite natural for us to be reckless and vengeful, with little concern for others’ welfare and long-term consequences. We will get jealous when others get what we cannot get. How can we not get anxious and competitive when we have so little time to do what we want to do and enjoy what we wish?

How can we not get anxious and competitive when we have so little time to do what we want to do and enjoy what we wish?

How can we not worry and feel frustrated without the certainty of seeing the fruits or continuity of our efforts when time runs out on us, sometimes abruptly? What about the wrongs and mistakes we have committed? For most of us, we will die regretting making these mistakes and not being able to make amends.

We need to develop a strong belief in future lives, that there is continuity of life after death. Our physical form may change but we live on with the same mental continuum as the current one. Our present condition is the result of what we did in the past. Knowing this, we can accept adversity and difficulties better, and not make our situation worse by blaming others.

There is purpose and hope because we can create causes to have better conditions for our future lives. Negative and competitive attitudes are reduced because whatever we do not get now, we can have in future lives by creating the right causes. We can also create causes to attain temporary and permanent happiness and freedom from all suffering. This is what makes our life so precious.

Such an understanding gives meaning and purpose to our present life, as there is real hope to work with. If we think there is only one life, there is no hope, only depression.

Buddha taught the Middle Way philosophy to protect us from falling into extremes. The trials and tribulations of living need not be so unbearable if we have balance in our lives. When we are happy we should not go overboard with our feelings and emotions. The greater the pleasure, the greater will be our disappointment when it ends.

The real danger is when we develop attachment to sense pleasures. The more time we indulge in such experiences, the stronger will be our attachment. Eventually, even the thought of being away from the objects we desire becomes our constant fear and nightmare. This is because we forget about eventual death, or we are in denial of death.

We need to be mindful that although death is certain, the time of death is uncertain. Death can be just a breath away. If we have not trained our mind to prepare for such an eventuality, we will die fearful and filled with regrets.

We will die in fear because we have no protection from the dangers of the lower realms of rebirth. We will die regretting we did nothing to ensure our future lives will be happy ones and that we had wasted our entire life chasing after things, chasing after relationships, being preoccupied with our looks, etc., all of which we will have to part with at time of death.

If we factor in the reality of death in our daily lives, we will want to learn methods which we will enable us to have good rebirths. In the process, our lives become more meaningful. Our happiness will be less of a roller-coaster ride; we begin to experience a more stable, higher quality of happiness called inner peace. The Mara of Death can have our body for supper but we can still die with a smile…that would really be super!

The Buddha said that nothing is permanent. All things, good and bad, beautiful or ugly, are appearances to our mind and have no true existence. When we understand their true nature, there will be no basis for us to devote all our time and energy to get them or to get rid of them.

We should enjoy things in this world the way we enjoy a sunset or a rainbow; that is, we do not chase after them. Thus being unattached, we will enjoy the freedom to experience more, and to appreciate more. Moving on does not reduce our happiness. Long after the encounter with something pleasurable is gone, the experience of it will glow in our memory for a long time. Being unattached, we are ready for new and fresh experiences and discoveries.

When we reach a comfort zone in our lives, we should not rest in it. To do so would be limiting our capacity to learn more and to benefit more. Moving on means progressing in our spiritual journey by building upon our previous experiences.

Getting absorbed means thinking about ourselves all the time. Such a self-cherishing mind leaves no space for others. It is a mind that centres around ‘I’, ‘ME’, ‘MINE’ all the time. It is the root cause of all our problems and difficulties in relationships, work, social interaction and family. In pursuing the objects of our wants and desires, we disregard the welfare and happiness of others. In the process, so much energy is focused into getting what we want; so many bad thoughts are directed at those who are in our way and so much pain / frustration is caused to ourselves in trying to keep those things.

Material growth means spiritual decline. Life becomes a struggle, filled with anxieties and negative energies. In the end, it is all futile. When we die, we will lose everything. We will regret we did not use some of our energy to train in methods which will help us at the time of our death and in our future lives.

Once we become used to living or thinking in a particular pattern, we have established our comfort zone. The problem is with having a comfort zone is that it leads to complacency. Such a feel-good factor prevents us from being adventurous and striving to do more, or prevents us from realising our fullest potential.

Our spiritual path does not end until we are fully enlightened. Until then, it is a constant endeavour of study, contemplation, practice and application. It is like climbing a ladder – once we reach a step, we have to let go in order to ascend to the next. When climbing the ladder, much like our spiritual path, we also do not want to stay at one level for too long so that our momentum will not be lost. Such an attitude makes for a much smoother climb.

The object of our desires are not really the problem. It is our attachment to them. This afflictive emotion has the ability to exaggerate the desirability or attractiveness of an object beyond what it really is. From initial interest, this energy develops into a powerful force which makes us direct all our attention to the object until we think, “I must possess it”. Once that happens, we have created the recipe for disaster. We will develop hatred against anyone or anything which stands between us and the object of our desire.

Until we have some control of this desirous energy, it makes sense to resist temptations and as a temporary solution, avoid such objects. However, a better way would be to offer it to others, and dedicating it for the benefit of all living beings and our enlightenment. In doing so, we collect vast merits which will help us along our spiritual journey.

When we are faced with problems or difficulties, the first thought in our mind is to avoid them. This aversion and resistance builds up when the problems do not go away or they recur. This is the beginning of our frustration and unhappiness which characterises much of our lives.

Buddhism does not make problems go away. The Buddha gave us knowledge and taught us methods to deal with them and to eventually overcome them. Therefore problems are not the real problem; pretending problems are not there or living in denial is the actual problem. By side-stepping our problems, we create more problems for ourselves instead of resolving them.

A common response when we experience difficulties is to blame others for our woes. However, blaming is not an effective solution. Instead, blaming diverts our energy elsewhere, which could be better put towards finding a solution for our problems. When we blame others, effectively we shift the responsibility to others. By passing it on to others, we lose control of our own well-being.

The only things we should ignore are our concerns, worries and anxieties. These sap our energy to deal with problems, so we are unable to exert effort to find and apply the cure.

There are three types of knowledge which we can draw upon to improve our situation.

• Personal knowledge is very limiting due to our narrow sphere of learning and experiences. Our personal knowledge is good for minor problems
• Worldly / common knowledge is broader in scope and drawn from others who are specialists or experts in their fields. This includes the whole spectrum of scientific knowledge and modern philosophies of our time. Worldly knowledge is very useful in improving the quality of our life, if we can accept they only provide temporary relief from our problems. That is their forte
• Spiritual knowledge is the most potent because it addresses our problems and their causes directly. How spiritual one is depends on how much we want to face the truth or see the true nature of things. Following the path of the Buddha is a good starting point to develop spirituality. When we understand that the source of problems lies within our mind, we are stepping onto the spiritual path. With sustained practice, our mind becomes less confused, clearer, more stable, increasing in strength and positivity. Such progress will equip us with the confidence, patience and courage to face problems. It will also helps us to apply correct remedies to reduce and eradicate our problems. When we face up to our problems like this, we do not roll away or allow our clouded ‘why me’ thoughts to drag us down. We face them steadfastly knowing where their weakest points lie, and where their source lies. We welcome problems as opportunity to train our mind. We see them as challenges, not fearing them as heavy burdens.

Most of us have heard the phrase ‘ignorance is bliss’. Well, not according to Rinpoche. The terms ‘ignorance’ or ‘ignorant’ are derived from the word ‘ignore’. Therefore, the terms refer to the act of disregarding something. Usually, we ignore problems or situations which are unpleasant, thinking that it is the easy way out. Buddhists however, do not ignore problems but face them in order to get to the root of the problem. In fact, disregarding problems does not make them go away, and may only lead to a delay or temporary relief. Oftentimes, the effort to avoid or ignore a problem can create even more problems.

The bliss of ignorance is a deception. In reality, what is merely a temporary reduction or postponement of one’s suffering, we take to be happiness. Rinpoche however, has said that it is wiser to undergo short-term pain to get long-term happiness, than to choose short-term happiness which leads to long-term suffering.

There are two kinds of ignorance:

Intellectual

This type of ignorance is also called not knowing. This type of ignorance can be rectified by acquiring more knowledge. Take, for example, the case of a child playing with fire and getting burned, as he did not know about the dangers of fire. The experience of pain, and subsequent caution and explanation by his parents will ensure that he does not repeat the act. The child now knows why he should not touch fire.

Innate

This type of ignorance is what is often termed unknowing. This alludes to thinking we know something when there is nothing to be known. If we are to examine carefully, we are not really sure if things exist just because they appear to our mind. A good example? That of someone in a dark room, mistaking a coil of rope to be a snake. We are also not sure if anything really exists in the way they appear to exist. An example of this would be a rainbow – a rainbow looks real enough for people to chase after it.

The whole point of understanding the above is to lessen our grip and assumption that the things in our lives are solid and independently existing…to the point we have become deceived into thinking they have a reality of their own.

With this ignorance, we create our personality and identification with ‘I’, ‘me’ and ‘mine’ which leads to a self-cherishing mind. From such a mind, all our other delusions like attachment, greed, anger, jealousy and competitiveness arise.

If we do not obtain a special wisdom which can break through this self-grasping ignorance, we will be at risk of bringing upon ourselves more and more suffering in whatever we do, even if our intention is a good one.

There are many ways to understand impermanence. The gross or obvious kinds are those in relation to what we can see or experience with our sense faculties like our ears, our nose, etc. When we see someone lose an arm, their belongings, or when we see a tree being chopped down or a burning house, we have no issues about accepting the impermanence of those objects.

The more subtle form of impermanence is the change that takes place slowly, moment by moment, almost imperceptibly within us and all other objects. The biggest problem with failing to realise that all phenomena is subject to this form of impermanence, is that it deceives us into thinking that things are substantial and lasting.

Such a wrong view gives rise to desire and attachment for the object. We spend an enormous amount of energy trying to make sure objects stay the way they are, because we actually believe that they can be preserved in the form they existed when we first set eyes on them. Do we not try to do something about our face every time we look in the mirror? When we can no longer cover up the process of ageing, some of us resort to costly and painful surgical procedures. Reflect on the number of trial and tribulations we have been through as a result of our desire for things to remain permanent – reputation, status, relationships, wealth, etc.

When we go against reality (in this case, the truth that nothing is permanent), we are headed for frustrations, suffering and disappointments.

A little direct, but it gets the message across!

When we accept this truth, we will not be so fixated with objects of desire. This allows us to enjoy them in the same way we enjoy the transcient beauty of a rainbow or a sunset; when it disappears, we do not chase after it. This is a higher form of pleasure that is without attachment or hatred.

Buddha advised that we should live our life seeing all things and experiences like a dream. It will allow us to enjoy our fleeting, temporary existence on earth without being stuck on any object; it frees us to enjoy everything that our human form and environment can provide.

Most importantly, such a correct view will increase our motivation to help others. Since our existence and material possessions are only temporary phenomena, we should not waste our time and energy on meaningless pursuits, to want more and more, to argue over petty issues or to always want to win.

At the time of death, only merits or good seeds from our virtuous actions can help us ensure good rebirths. It is the only path to lasting happiness for our present and future lives.