Twin Verses: The Dhammapada

"Our life is shaped by our mind; we become what we think.
Suffering follows an evil thought,
as the wheels of a cart follow the oxen  that draw it.

Our life is shaped by our mind; we become what we think.
Joy follows a pure thought,
like a shadow that never leaves.

"He was angry with me, he attacked me,  he defeated me, he robbed me" -
those who dwell on such thoughts will never be free from hatred.

"He was angry with me, he attacked me, he defeated me, he robbed me" - 
those who do not dwell on such thoughts will surely be freed from hatred.

For hatred can never put an end to hatred;
Love alone can. This is an unalterable law.

People forget that their lives will end soon. 
For those who remember, quarrels come to an end."

-Chapter One, 1-6, Twin Verses, The Dhammapada, commentary by Eknath Easwaran

One of the joys of Buddha's teachings, at least for me, is that it's always easy to see the merit in what  is being shared. 'We are what we think' is both simplistic and powerful, let us be aware of what we fill our minds with. Let us cultivate positive thinking, train our mind's eye to see the beauty in all situations, and to find gratitude, even in life's challenges. Let us cultivate a razor sharp will and train our minds to be useful tools that better ourselves and others.
The Buddha describes the untrained mind in such metaphors like "The untrained mind is like a fish thrashing on the banks of the shore" or , "An intoxicated monkey who's being stung by bees."
I am sure we have had moments where we can relate.
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We see in the next verses, two choices are again presented. The one who holds onto grudges and hostilities, ruminating and stagnating in their negativity and hatred; this person remains trapped in a cage, with the key on the floor.
The latter, is the one who chooses to let those experiences pass, much like wind through the branches of a mighty tree.  He remains free from hatred, his heart light and available to the moment at hand.

Verses, 5 and 6, touch on the universal power of love and kindness.
We can change the world by changing ourselves. The only way to spread peace is by being peaceful yourself, in the same way, love alone can put an end to hatred, anger, jealousy, and violence.
In the words of Swami Satchidanada, "Pouring love on hate is like pouring water on fire."

Verse 6 touches on our mortality, and again is profoundly simple, life is too short to be spent in anger or bitterness. We all have challenging moments in life,  and are especially tested when we begin to connect with spiritual values and virtues. This is natural and to be expected along the way. The Buddha advises us to remember that life is short, and while we may not be able to escape quarrels all together, we have the choice of how we react to them. Forgiveness and Love will always uplift you and keep you moving forward, remember this and that Love Alone is one of your greatest tools on this journey of awakening.

May you be happy, healthy and full of light,
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Om Shanthi
Bryan Josiah