With our lifestyle becoming more complex and advance, we tend to be concerned about what we see outside of us and forget to reflect on our mind. 2,500 years ago, Shakyamuni Buddha taught, “To enjoy good health, to bring true happiness to one’s family, to bring peace to all, one must first discipline and control one’s own mind. If a man can control his mind he can find the way to Enlightenment, and all wisdom and virtue will naturally come to him.” This truth remains the same even now at this present age.
Shakyamuni Buddha went through spiritual discipline and attained enlightenment when he realized that his attachment to his wife and son back at home was actually the cause of his suffering and pain. He discovered that when our mind becomes too focused and fixed on one thought, it loses freedom and purity, which gives rise to pain. So, we should let our mind flow freely and not let it cling to anything. Our mind needs to be free, open, rich, and peaceful. It is when we achieve this calm state of mind that we are able to control our mind.
How can we let our mind be free of attachment? First, we need to become aware of our attachments. What are the thoughts that you keep thinking about over and over everyday? Are there any negative events from the past that keep coming back to you? Answers to these questions may show you what your attachments are.
We can only let go of our attachments when we understand the spiritual truth—that this world is a place for our soul to grow and that we will eventually return to the spirit world, the world we originally came from. When we awaken to this spiritual truth, we can abandon our attachments, letting our mind be at ease and in peace.
After all, all we can bring back with us to the other world is our mind. We are given 100% freedom on what we think and how to control our mind. Those who can master how to control their mind and let go of their attachments while living on Earth will be able to live peacefully not only in this world but also in the afterworld. This is what true happiness is: happiness on Earth that continues into the afterlife.
Related: Inner Peace and Happiness
Would you like to know more about how Shakyamuni Buddha’s life and how he achieved inner peace, wisdom, and spiritual happiness? Read The Essence of Buddha available online at Amazon.com, Barnes & Noble, and bookstores nationwide!
The Essence of Buddha
The essence of Shakyamuni Buddha's original teachings of the mind are explained in simple language: how to attain inner happiness, the wisdom to conquer ego, and the path to enlightenment for people in today's world. It is a way of life that anyone can practice to achieve lifelong self-growth.
