DHARMA IN EVERYDAY LIFE

By Nhat Quan

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Everyone has dreams and ambitions, big or small. There are dreams formed when you are very young, and life will be shaped by nurturing your dreams and working hard to realize your dreams. Perhaps it is because of recognizing the value of dreams for good in everyone's life, there is an opinion that if someone does not have a dream, their life becomes meaningless.

Scientists and scholars have great ambitions for the future. Perhaps before, you never thought that one-day humanity could set foot on other planets, and the achievement of space conquest of the astrophysic sciences as you have seen. It all started with the dreams of scientists, the dreams of humanity's development.

For cultivators, there are very simple dreams. It's so that people love each other, don't hurt anyone, and don't rely on power to bully anyone. A simple dream, which in the past Prince Siddhartha went to find a way and then opened a new era, and very practical for mankind today. Looking in the same direction, each achievement of scientists and sages who have gone before is imprinted with and comes from dreams and aspirations to conquer the natural world or alleviate suffering human pain.

Therefore, dreams are normal needs in daily life. But it is also the long-term plan, the upward aspirations for yourself. Dreams are an important starting point, and can also be considered as the basis for each individual to rise and fly high. But a dream is only a dream if it is not accompanied by the necessary preparation to realize that dream. Cultivators are often associated with faith, enthusiasm, ambition, love to do good deeds, and a bearing on other people's sufferings and difficulties.

Dreams belong to the future and cultivators live for the future, so you must live and strive for your dreams. Becoming a Buddha, a Bodhisattva, or a sage all starts with thinking and daring to dream. You dare to dream, dare to think new discoveries that benefit others, and go beyond the limitations of your current living situation to fulfill your aspirations. Dreams are like rockets that are about to take off, but if not ignited with a belief, will, and effort, they will forever lie on the ground.

In order for your dreams to come true, feel your dreams within yourself and learn how to nurture them. First of all, you have to find yourself an ambition, and a passion, and ask yourself whether you dare to give up everything to fulfill that dream or not. For example, if a cultivator's dream is to become a Buddha or a Bodhisattva, you must first practice being a teacher or a nun, and the path to turning dreams into reality must go through three stages:

- The first and most important thing is to nurture in yourself a dream: Out there, humanity is still suffering and waiting for you ...., That's a reason to live to motivate you to practice, strive and rise up.

- Next, you always have plans to gradually concretize and realize your dreams. To do that, each of you needs to equip yourself with practical knowledge and a solid educational foundation, through which you must study and practice seriously.

- Finally, you must know perseverance, and patience and make every effort to overcome difficulties and challenges.

While fulfilling your dreams, happiness is not in the destination but in the path you take to the destination. Dreams can be ordinary, simple needs. So keep dreaming because dreams are not taxed. Dreams are not jostled, do not cheat, compete, envy, or harm anyone, and always belong to the world hidden deep within you. Every day watered with faith, the dream will rise to health and success. Just like a small pine tree when it first grows, it will one day become big and strong branches.

You all have your own life to follow your own dreams, to weave beautiful dreams, and you all have the power to make dreams come true, as long as you keep the faith,

Dream what you want and go where you want to go. Do what you want to do, because you only have one life and one chance to do what you want.

To survive and rise up in life, each of you, everyone strives to move forward. You are in control of your own destiny, in control of your own life. Sometimes you seem to have firmly grasped the opportunity in your hand and confidently move forward. But sometimes, everything seems so far away from you and it only exists in dreams. Each of you has also experienced joys and sorrows before failure or success in life. Those are the lessons learned from past mistakes, which will be the experiences to forge a stronger and more steadfast will in the future. A dream no matter how big or small, being cherished, nurtured, and realized is a process with self-will and firm steps, absolutely not to be despised.

In the Samyutta Nikaya, Chapter 3, the Buddha taught: There are four types of youth that should not be despised and should not be taken lightly because they are young. The four types of youth are:

- The young prince,

- A baby snake,

- A small fire and

- A young monk.

These four types of youth are like dreams that should not be despised and should not be taken lightly because they are young. Likewise, you should not belittle because dreams are in the future or in imagination. That proves, the Buddha determined that the power and capacity of dreams should be respected, not only because of the potential later, but the role of youth also needs to be recognized. Similarly, your dreams need to be conscious not to be trivial. Because youth can do things that sometimes adults can't do and youth can also shoulder the work of adults once they have all the qualities of an adult. Likewise, when a practitioner's dream becomes a reality, merit cannot be measured.

Thus, your life is in your own hands. Even if you lose everything, never lose faith in life. Even if others think your dreams, ambitions, and goals are useless, you should never give up. If you give it up, your life will have no meaning. And faith is still hope, as long as you have hope, you will dare to challenge with difficulties to reach the goal of success. Only when you really give up will failure really come to you!

No matter how big or small the dream, how beautiful it is, it must be associated with reality. Dreams or ambitions are important starting points like the first basis for each individual. You become great by dreams. All great men are dreamers. They see things as a spring day, or in the glow of a long winter night. Indeed, if in the past your Buddha did not see the sufferings when walking through the four gates of the city, the will to seek the way would not become fierce.

So for a cultivator, if you already have an upward-oriented mind towards good, try to nurture and protect, try to take care of the bad days, until they bring sunshine and light. That is what always comes to those who sincerely hope that those dreams will come true. Don't let go of your dreams or aspirations.

As a cultivator who dreams of one day becoming a Buddha, live your dream today to whatever extent you can. Practice following your heart. Be honest with yourself and ask yourself often what you want and should do at this time. Passion is the starting point of all dreams. As a motivation for you to be enthusiastic, focus your strength to move forward. The road to your dreams isn't easy, and this difficulty can kill your dreams when you think you've reached your limit. Your passion for your dreams will inspire you to overcome adversity. Focus on what's important and let the fire of enthusiasm in your soul burn forever.

Are you willing to pay the price for your dream?

If you're ready, then really give it all up for your dreams. But is the price each person has to trade:

- May be a safe passage, easy for many people to walk,

- Or the road you don't know, even if it's difficult, you still have to keep going.

Once you are ready like that, you know how to create for yourself a belief in the future so that when suddenly there are moments of weakness or stumbling blocks in this life will not slow you down. Nothing can stop you from reaching your own dream of a better future. There is nothing stopping you from becoming a Buddha or a Bodhisattva. The true value of the dream of becoming a Buddha or a Bodhisattva is a constant effort to change lives. Never drown in dreams because only knowing dreams is not enough, but work hard for your dreams to go, and create your own path in life.

Live for your dreams. Live the life you want, be the person you want to be right now. Be courageous to decide and act without hesitation. You may fall, but get up again. Even if you have fallen dozens, or hundreds of times, at least you will not regret having the courage to challenge. At least you lived your life to the fullest, trying your best to fulfill your dream.

In everyone's heart, there is a lighted fire, that fire is the desire to become a Buddha, a Bodhisattva, a holy person in the future. It is your responsibility to keep it lit. Each of you only lives once. Life is so short.

Do not be foolish to let people who lack faith, or discouragement extinguish the fire of your dreams. You have to try to get what you want, go where you like, act on your intuition, and bravely face difficulties. Every day a little more try. When you look back, you'll see you've come a long way.

Remember, being yourself is both your best friend and your biggest enemy. Regardless of the praises and criticisms of people, at the end of the day, when you stand alone in front of the mirror and look at it, the image you see in the mirror is who you really are.

Learn to accept all your strengths and weaknesses. so as not to be disappointed or regretful about the past. And picture the person you want to be and do your best to be the role model you set yourself.

The purpose of a cultivator is to serve sentient beings, so before you become a Buddha, a Bodhisattva, or something, you live in this real world to help each other. When you do something good for someone else, you are also giving that good thing to yourself.

Before you become a Buddha, bodhisattva, or sage, look around to see if there's anything you can do for someone. To make their life less sad and have a few more happy minutes. Here is a sample story that makes sense:

On Christmas Day, the crowds on the busy streets have become less frequent. Thank God, business is going well today. The Smiths said after seeing off their last customer to their shoe store. Through the neon lights, the excitement and joy of Mr. and Mrs. Smith can be clearly seen.

Mr. Smith walked to the door and was about to put away the morning sign, when, looking through a glass cabinet full of shoes, he suddenly stopped before the eyes of a child. Mrs. Smith, who was cleaning the shop, also came out at the same time, she looked at the child for a moment, then pulled her husband away and said:

- That child is so pitiful, or do we agree to his request?

But Mr. Smith shook his head in disagreement, saying:

- No, the boy doesn't need a pair of shoes, honey, bring your best socks and bring a basin of warm water.

Mrs. Smith walked out with a puzzled look on her face, not understanding what was going on.

Mr. Smith walked up to the boy and said:

- Congratulations son, I have conveyed your wishes to God and got an answer immediately.

The boy's face began to show a smile.

The water was brought in, Mr. Smith brought a small chair for the boy to sit on, and then removing the boy's thick dirty shoes, he placed the boy's cold, bruised feet in a basin of warm, light water gently scrub it clean and say to the boy:

- Son, I'm sorry, I wanted a pair of shoes for you, God did not accept, He said he could not give you a pair of shoes but should give you a pair of socks.

The boy's smile suddenly disappeared, his eyes filled with disappointment.

Mr. Smith hastily added:

- Don't worry, son, listen to me clearly. Each of us is always praying to God. But He cannot give us already good things, like a man who has a treasure store. However, God can only give them a shovel or a treasure map, in order to get to the real treasure each person must find it for themselves. Believe in yourself, then you will definitely have a bright future.

When I was a child I prayed to God to give me a shoe shop, but God only gave me a shoe shine kit, but I always believed that I was holding a toolkit and making good use of it. Twenty years have passed, and I have worked in many professions, from shoe boy, apprentice, shoe repairman, shoe designer ... and now, I have not only one shoe shop in this most luxurious street but also a beautiful wife and a happy family.

Son, you too, as long as you wear these socks to find your dream shoes, never give up, you will surely succeed. Besides, God told me to tell you:

- The God who gave you something more beautiful than anyone, as long as you are not afraid to fail, not afraid to give.

With his feet washed, the boy carefully accepted from Mr. and Mrs. Smith the stockings God had given him as if holding a mission, and left the store. The boy took a few steps forward, then turned and looked at the shoe store, and Mr. and Mrs. Smith waved at the boy:

- Remember the word of God, son! You will succeed, we await your good news.

The boy nodded, his footsteps gradually disappearing into the dark night. Thirty years have passed, also on a Christmas morning, when Mr and Mrs. Smith were 70 years old, just opening the door they received a letter from a stranger, the content as follows:

Mr. / Mrs:

Do you remember Christmas more than 30 years ago, there was a poor boy collecting coal. He asked God to give him a pair of shoes, but God did not give him shoes but gave him a pair of socks more precious than gold. Those socks gave him more confidence and courage, which I think is more important than any charity's sympathy. Mr. and Mrs. Gift a pair of socks, letting itself find its dream shoes, that is the great wisdom of Mr. and Mrs.

Sincere thanks to Mr. and Mrs. honest and intelligent people. That boy had worn his grandparents' socks and found for him the most precious shoes. The boy who became the first President of the United States that was George Washington.

In short, everyone has dreams, but whatever the dream is, it's up to each person. Live for your dreams. Live the life you want, be the person you want to be, right now. Be courageous to decide and act without hesitation. Maybe if you fall and get up again. Even if you have fallen dozens, or hundreds of times, at least you will not regret having the courage to try.

Nothing can stop you from reaching your own dream of a good future, nothing can stop you from becoming a Buddha or a Bodhisattva in the future, that's for sure. Although a future time will come for sure, in real life, you have to live gratefully, learn to be content with yourself and you will feel happy.

Time is a precious asset that life gives equally to everyone. Make time for what interests you. Really live in the moment, find the passion in your life.

Remember time is priceless and it's also completely free. You can't own it, but you can make the most of it. Once you lose a moment, you can never get it back.

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