Tâm chúng ta bé nhỏ bé như đứa trẻ hư
Buddha says: “Whoever is older than you, see them as father or mother. Respect them. Whoever is your age (or younger), see them as brothers or sisters. Respect and care for them.” This is how we should see others. We should see others like this: very close to ourselves, so that we’re able to respect them. This is very important, because when we’re able to establish this kind of view towards people, then we do not have reasons to be very aggressive or keep very distant. Instead, we should be very sweet to each other, and very close to each other. That is the best way to be respectful, to bring happiness and freedom to people. Because often we are too aggressive, too mean to people, and they are not happy, not free to talk, to discuss, to share things with us. When we are being very respectful to each other, we are really creating freedom for us and others, we are creating positive things, a vast space for others. Thus, it is also a condition for everyone to get benefit from others, to get help, to get support, to get praise by others, and it is a very positive thing. Buddhism requires this from everyone all the time. There is no reason [for anyone] to be disrespectful to [others]. When people are in good mood, they try to be respectful, nice and kind to others. But very often, people lose their temper, loose their patience, people get upset. Then, they are not able to be respectful and sweet to each other. It is not good. Buddha says: “Be patient, so that you are able to be respectful to everyone all the time.” This is important, but our problem is that we get upset very easily, for little things. That is not so good. Because our mind is very narrow. We look like a child, very spoiled one. Therefore, we need to change our mind. We need to train our mind. We need to grow up mentally. Physically, we are too old, for many people maybe “too old”. But mentally we are still like children. Therefore, it’s not good being this way all the time. So, we need to understand things differently and we have to establish a new wisdom, a new understanding of life.
