Phra Archariya Sakda today will share with us a Dhamma on good deeds and bad deeds.
Those whom are interested to read the Tipitaka version Lonaphala Sutta: The Salt Crystal. Courtesy of Bro. Alex Kwan. Thank you very much for your sharing and contribution.
Imagine if your life is like a cup (300ml) is filled with 150ml of salt and the other half with water. If salt is likened to bad deeds and water is good deeds, then we all then knew that the current amount of water will not be able to dissolve all the salt. This will render the water in your cup too salty or even bitter to drink.
This brings forth the popular question that was asked most of the time, “Can the good deeds that we do wash away the bad deeds done thereby improving our karma?”
Now if we were to transfer your 300ml cup of salty water into a 1500ml jar of water, without adding anymore salt to it. Still the amount of salt remains the same but the amount of water has increased many folds. However now the water isn’t as salty as before BUT the same amount of salt still remains. Please note that the increased amount of water will not reduced the amount of salt previously but it effectively reduced the saltiness of the said water. Imagine if you were to transfer the said water into an even larger container or river, one whom taste the water now, may even said it is now not salty at all BUT the fact is salt is still in the water.
Therefore Phra Archan said scared not of the bad karmic retributions that comes from your bad deeds but choose to cultivate more wholesome good deeds. Even though bad karmic retributions will still happen but the fact that by cultivating good wholesome deeds, it can help to reduce the magnitude of the outcome from heavy to light. HOWEVER IT DOES NOT CANCELS OUT YOUR BAD DEEDS.
These days alot of things are superficial even in Buddhism. Now more than before we have to really digest and understand the basics, when all is in doubt go back to the basics. However we must also not forget that these days everything is money, even when temples are not profit making organizations yet they are being taxed in Thailand (because some Sanghas from reputable temples are being caught of money launderings), therefore to maintain a temple is not an easy task in current days too. We encourage all of you to travel more and see more, open your eyes and ears in this circle and perhaps…perhaps you may see in life it could be a matter of choice.
Last but not least, I hope to have the opportunity to talk about PRET, a kinda of ghost called PRET. In Southern Thailand, Thais even have a specific occasion where they make prayers and offerings to Pret. Thais believe if one whom is always craving for materials and greed and especially if they get themselves involved in temple, if they are careless. They shall be born as Pret in temples.
I am fortunate to have learn much from the elder Thais especially our SaengThai Founder, all this are practical lessons and advise on our conduct especially when we are dealing with temple. Lessons where Non-Thais are seldom interested because it may sound silly or like folktales but yet PRETS are haunting temples till this very day.