Problem solving 2

These days we follow in the media the swine flu virus spreading over the planet. It is fantastic that we have the technical means to identify and follow the virus. It can not be seen with the eye, and if you saw it it would probably look much the same as all the other viruses.
The virus causes some problems, obviously. People get the flu and stay at home and rest for a few days. Some people even die. So it is a nuisance.
However, if we would compare this nuisance, to the constant nuisance and suffering made by human beings, the swine flue problems are very small.
So if we were rational, we would follow the spread of human evil over the globe with the same interest as we follow the swine flu virus. But we do no. One reason is that we can not see human evil.
But human evil has a physical reality, as it rests as bagchags in the minds of people. Bagchags are active memories and thus potential thoughts.
If we have difficult experiences - from torture, threat of death and destruction and the like - bagchags are formed. If they are not attended to they will mature into evil actions later. These evil actions - torture, threat of death and the like - will create new bagchags in new generations.
These bagchags can not be seen and measured by science, but they are all important. A few decades ago, science could not see and measure virus, but they were all important nevertheless.

Sour mind 2

The situation in our mind and the situation in the external world are very different. They follow different natural laws. We probably know more about the external laws than the internal.
Mind reacts with suffering when something is wrong in mind. But if suffering seems unavoidable, we learn to accept suffering rather than seek a remedy.
Often we misinterpret the suffering as caused by external factors, while the real causes are in mind. The real causes might be clinging and anger. Clinging and anger might be our most cherished reactions. We cling to the good and fight the bad.
Of course, we should seek the good and avoid the bad. But if we hold on too hard we destroy it, and if we fight too hard we destroy ourselves.

Cause and effect 2

In order to experience suffering, a double set of causes must be present. First we must have the potential for suffering. This potential is made long ago. Secondly there must be something triggering this potential. If we have a huge potential for suffering, even a small disturbance can release immense suffering. If we have almost no potential, a strong provocation will give almost no suffering.
The potential for suffering we get from our way of treating others. If we give suffering to others, we will get a great potential for suffering ourselves.
This is a trap. If we treat others badly, we normally feel we can do it without repercussions. And often there is no immediate after effect. The effect will come much later, as a sad surprise.
Often we give the triggering factor major importance. We blame our suffering on the person who triggered the experience. This is unfounded.
So if we want to avoid suffering, we should treat others nicely. It works in the long run. If we by some strange twist of mind would try to impose suffering on others, we should know it will hit ourselves later.