16 October 2011

Helping yourself, helping another

Just as a doctor must study and train before he can go out and help others, a practitioner, however well intentioned he may be to want to help those around him, must train and deepen his understanding and practice of the ways of the world before he can truly help others.

Sitting there and meditating may seem selfish, as you're focusing on training your own mind and learning to see the world as it really is. But before you train your mind, before you train and learn to master your own emotions, how do you expect to be a support to others and to help others who need comfort and compassion?

There was a story of a man trapped in a well crying out for help. A passerby hears the cries and well intentioned though without thinking  he jumped into the well. Now two people are stuck in a well...

If you does not attempt to liberate yourself from suffering, how can you liberate another from his or her pain and suffering? If you are not able to step back and stop yourself becoming caught up in confusion and chaos, how do you expect to free another from the same?

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