Dharma Practice – The Premium Life Management

Making offerings to the Three Jewels and inviting monastic sanghas home for meals are common in Thailand, a Buddhist majority country. Why is it beneficial to make offerings to monastic sanghas? It is because they are the emissaries of the Buddha to carry out his activities, which are to provide sanctuary, felicity, and proper mindfulness for sentient beings. Thus, it is extremely fortunate to have encountered Three Jewels and study them.

What are the Three Jewels? On a simple level of understanding, Buddha is the enlightened teacher; Dharma is Buddha’s teachings recorded in sutras; and Sanghas are the monastics. These three are the most precious because they can lead us on the path towards the supreme enlightenment and right mindfulness. With the proper motivation, we would not create any conflicts with others. Instead, we can transform many relationships into positive connections and our field of merit. One’s connection with others is not limited in one but countless lifetimes. We have each other in our karmic memories. This is what the Buddha called, the Karma of Three Times, or “genecology” in modern language.

The karmic memories are based on causes and effect. Any rebirth is determined by the memories. That being said, we should strive for creating good memories, be appreciative of any causes and conditions – turn them into virtues devoid of the Five Poisons: greed, aversion, ignorance, pride, and jealousy. The mixing of these poisons takes effect to create “karmic debts”. Therefore, one should seize the opportunity to further your study when coming across Buddhadharma in this life.

“Refrain from nonvirtues and engage in all virtues.”

Refrain from inflicting harms and killing because these are self-destructive behavior that also harm others.
Our karmic memory drive can entice sentient beings worldwide. That collective interplay becomes samsara. Every corner in this world is a place of our rebirth whereas every sentient being is associated with us. All beings are our living network. Be compassionate and loving to each individual so our interconnection is beautiful. This is the Buddhist approach to take.

We should work hard on creating positive karmic memories for this life. Dharma practice is to develop the wisdom of living. Our mind should be working on how to managing life wisely. All the individuals we meet today are the connections made from former lives. Continue the cultivation and sowing of positive seeds for our continual lifetimes until enlightenment. This is the practice of Buddhism.