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Throughout their lives, people have a lot of interest in themselves. Amongst the interest which they have in themselves, the thing which they are most interested in is their destiny.
In human society the saying, 'Once a destiny has been decided it cannot be changed' has been handed down. However, it still hasn't been explained properly how a destiny is made or what kind of effect destiny has on people. So it's a fact that people don't have a correct understanding of destiny.
What, in fact, is destiny?
How is destiny made?
How can we change our destiny?
When we look at and learn about what is in the world, the thing which we are most fearful of is Karma. The more we understand this Karma, about how great a cause it carries, the more fearful we become. This is because this Karma is the source which causes the destiny of the human world to exist.
By accepting, without realising it, thousands, tens of thousands, of things which have happened to you and which you have done, you make Karma. This Karma makes the destiny which controls you.
No matter how much we try to make people with big Karma do something good, it is impossible. This is because the consciousness of a human is influenced by the Karma which exists inside him.
The nature of a sip of water changes depending on who drinks it. If a venomous snake drinks it, it becomes poison. If a deer drinks it, it becomes antlers. If you give a snake water and tell it to make antlers, it is impossible.
All substances and forms of life which exist in the world, all carry their own individual Karma. For example, a piece of metal or a plant, they all have their karma individually. Because of this fact, they are maintaining their own unique selves.
Karma means that what happened to you accumulates inside you. It appears from inside you when it becomes active, even though you don't want it to.
Among Karma, the thing we have to be most careful of is attachment. Whatever you do, it makes Karma inside you. If in this way you come to have attachment to material things or attachment to people, that will be something which makes big Karma for you.
If people have big attachment or grudge they can't re-incarnate. In serious cases, they might fall into a terrible situation where they abandon being born as a human.
Karma occurs due to your behaviour. Especially, if you make karma through attachment or grudge it is the same thing as tying yourself with your hands. It means that you can't move yourself on your own and make yourself be fixed to the place where you have once lived.
The world exists according to the single formula. It means that all the world's phenomena exist according to the single principle. This principle means that problems of what happens make results according what happens. The world has already existed for thousands of billions of years through the principle, and it will also exist through this principle in the future as well. This principle exists through the activities of what is.
Now let's examine how a human soul is made and what activities it performs when it is born again, while observing the process in which vegetation produces seed.
They process in which plant life or people produce their result is exactly the same. In other words, the fact that they accept the single principle is the same. For plant life, the ground is called its foundation and the seed its basic nature. This basic nature and foundation must be sound for it to bear good fruit. Any body could confirm this as an undeniable fact if they were to try farming.
The seed(basic nature) performs the activities of life and is influenced according to whether the ground(foundation) is good or bad, fertile or infertile. And according to the ground's environment, the seed itself can perish or become better.
It's a universal fact that an individual life forms can obtain a good fruit or lose it according to its foundation and environment.
The human soul is also exactly the same as this. Humans don't bear fruit, they make the consciousness which is inside them. In other words, they bear their soul. And when this soul dies it is revived and appears as life again.
At the essence of this soul lie the things which were in ones life, just as they are. And when this soul is revived the nature inside one or what has happened to him again continues its activities.
A soul makes itself be revived by combining with a special relationship which exists in its foundation and repeats the same activities as had made itself exist.
Therefore, the essence of destiny is the activity which has existed in ones basic nature when he is revived through the connection between his basic nature and a special relationship in his foundation. This activity in his basic nature is made by what has happened to him and becomes the origin of all the activities of consciousness which makes him accept, reject, judge, or think of things.
When people do something wrong once, why do they continue to make that mistake? The thing which is put into their consciousness once, would try to make them repeat the same thing. So, if they fall into a mistake once, the strength of that mistake will force them to do wrong things. Like this, the influence of what is inside you brings forth the result which makes your basic nature weak or strong. In this way, the basic nature of your destiny is decided. The essence of destiny is determined by what exists inside you.
Because of the above fact, we should explain to people who always fail and do something wrong about this principle and enlighten them about it, and make them realise wrong things which come out of themselves. If they notice the fact once, they can lead themselves to the right direction, see what is, and try to follow good people's destiny by not accepting wrong things and taking them into practice. If things change in that way their destiny will change and become better.
Destiny is made by the things inside each individual's relationships. This destiny controls each individual's life and, furthermore, it can control society and further still, it can control a nation.
According to whose thoughts become powerful, the destiny of a society or a country can be different.
If people with bad destinies run a country, the country will be ruined, and if those kinds of people become influential on a society, that society will have more and more difficulties. When someone with a bad destiny tries to live they always make themselves have difficulties.
Then, when a person is born with a bad destiny, can't they help living desperately? Not necessarily.
With the numbers in mathematics, you can make an enormous amount of problems. In the same way you can make many problems with what is in the world.
In math, 5+5=10 and 5+12=17. Because the questions of 5+5 and 5+12 are different, we know that the answers are also different. Once we can understand this, people can change their problems by making problems which they need and changed answers can come out of the changed problems.
How can we change destiny?
First, we have to know how to make problems. Just like you have to know how to pose problems in mathematics. Then, how are these problems made? First you have to know the numbers and then you have to understand the formula.
In mathematics, the problem is the source of the answer.
In the world, the whole of the world of phenomena exists according to the matters concerned in what is.
In the world of phenomena we can see good things and bad things and good things and bad things happen according to a problem.
When it comes to changing ones consciousness, once someone knows what is and comes to realize what is in their own consciousness, anyone can change themselves easily.
Therefore, no matter how much of a bad destiny someone has if they understand correctly what is, they won't do things depending on their thought, but what is. If so, they can be free from their bad destiny. If they come to fully understand about their destiny and realise, "Doing this isn't right. If I do this I'll be harmed", they don't want to do anything to harm themselves.
Changing one's destiny is possible by knowing exactly what is, and through being Enlightened about what is. Through Enlightenment one doesn't accept one's destiny and one makes a new destiny.
Destiny can be changed by anyone, easily. However without Enlightenment and without being able to recognise what is, changing ones destiny is impossible.
No matter how much somebody is eager to change their thoughts, if they don't understand properly what is and they just go around relying on their own thoughts they can never change their thoughts.
In this way, people with a good destiny live a good life and through that life they make a good destiny inside themselves and can live endless happy lives in the future, but we have to understand the fact that people with a bad destiny, through mistakes in their life, can even destroy their basic nature and foundation whose good parts are less at that.
Everything in the world is decided according to the principle of relationship. The relationship inside you, the relationship arises when you meet the world, etc. A good relationship or a bad relationship remains dormant in the consciousness at the same time and according to the activities of these clandestine things in the consciousness, you make yourself ignorant, you make yourself fail, you make yourself enlightened, you make yourself an outstanding man or you make yourself a successful man.
Anyone can change their destiny if they know the truth of the phenomena which exist.
Why should we live?
The purpose of our living is that the very life is the source that makes us exist. Because we are doing the things that will make us exist in the future through this life, through this life we live to the base of destiny which will influence endless future lives as well as the present life
Then, how is this base made? It's made according to our judgement, actions, and effort.
The things inside us themselves become the source of our consciousness. And this source of the consciousness exerts an influence on us through endlessly.
Destiny is the fact that what has happened to oneself accumulates in oneself again and again and becomes karma and the karma controls you.
When one substance joins with another substance, a new nature appears. When you put something inside yourself through a certain relationship that nature which has entered you appears whenever you act. This nature inside you will make all kinds of phenomena.
Why do some people fail and others succeed, even though they do the same thing? It is because the destiny that they have is different.
If the destiny is different, how is it different? The things which people have inside them from the past, are different in each individual. Because the things which exist inside them are different, their thought, judgement, choice, and behaviour are all different.
When someone does something, if they have lots of Karma their judgement isn't correct, they don't have much concern about the choices they take, and their behaviour isn't obvious. That's why they always fail. However, people with small Karma do things very well because they think highly of what is.
During our lives, when we do something and it doesn't work out, the question of why it doesn't work out demands the most immediate attention. However most people don't understand this matter well and don't consider this matter to be important as well.
As matter of fact, the thoughts of humans aren't much different. And because we learn similar things through education, the more alike our thinking becomes. However, if we go to Europe or Japan who live well and meet people there we shall find the fact that they aren't more handsome or beautiful, speak much better, and have behaviour than us.
However, because there hasn't existed a proper teaching in our society that the way of thinking of our societies people has been developed in a dark way. Especially, the way of thinking in Confucianism has been seen uniquely in our society. In the teaching of Confucianism, there are no problems only answers.
Sam-Kang and O-Ryun. "The lieges should be loyal to the King." "Children should be dutiful to ones parents." "There should be faith between friends." These are words we all need. However, there aren't any important elements. It means that there aren't any problems. There isn't the way how those who have such qualities can be made but answers are only enumerated. In the end, the most essential solutions given in Confucian teaching have, in actuality, caused people to do only useless things. If you take this and examine history, you will be able to see many wrong things.
Those who have only answers, are aware of nothing but giving orders. People who receive that kind of education think that everything will be fine if the orders only are given. So it's only giving the instruction, 'Go and make the result'. But when a more intelligent man hears it he agonizes and thinks, "I was told to make the result but since there isn't the way we can make it, where can I go and get the result, can't I?. And finally he reports that it is impossible to get the result within the time limit. But the person who gave the order will say "This is a bad man who disobeys and defies the command." He was given disadvantage or was killed in the end.
We can confirm this kind of thing a lot in history. If weak people looked at this kind of thing once they felt very fearful of and couldn't disobey it and while trembling, far from defying it, didn't hesitate to do anything in order to remain alive. After all, when we observe the fact that the process of this land of education has become the cause for so many good people to be killed and for society to become dark, it cannot help making our skin crawl. The influence of this kind of education and thought still exists with us now.
When we start a movement which is needed in a society, we first have to establish its purpose. It means that we definitely have to show problems. Secondly, we have to have the solutions to fulfill the purpose. Thirdly, a basic law i.e. a method of construction for a design drawing, must be presented. We should have a guide as to why we should have this movement and how the result is achieved. Fourthly, the people should be chosen. We have to have people who are able to run the movement. Suppose we started a movement for society in the situation where we are without these important points, it would just be a useless waste of effort.
We have had a citizen's movement called 'New Community Movement' for a long time, but it couldn't fulfill these 4 points properly. Because the purpose wasn't first made clear, the problems which were taught to people weren't given in. Therefore, the solutions for the problems weren't needed. Accordingly, because there was no guide which would fulfill the solution the important teaching was left out. And the people who taught the guide and who could run the movement weren't decided. So in practice, when the Korean New Community Movement is compared to the enormous cost to the country of investment and spending, it has only achieved quite worthless things.
The fact that roads were paved with cement and farm roads were widened wasn't enough. Because there was someone who provided money and bought cement and there were people who provided land, roads have been extended and widened, but those things weren't made by hanging New Community banners. Those things were achieved by money and effort. The government spent on maintaining the banners of the New Community Movement more money and man power than on making roads and it's a fact that in the end the New Community Movement hasn't been any help to in providing realistic work for solving the people's social or spiritual problems. This sort of thing makes society wrong.
Confucian ideas. Teaching that have answers but no problems, in the end, makes this kind of reality.
Suppose there is a situation where we are not enlightened and, furthermore, we don't have any interest in what is, we wouldn't think that the problems were important. When we get to know why we don't think that what is, is important, we see that it's because there is Karma. We have to remember that this kind of reality occurs because of the influence of Karma.
What moves your thought? This is because your thought exists in the situation where what is inside you continuously acts inside you and exerts an influence. This thought can make you a person who thinks that what is, is important and it can make you a person who doesn't think that what is, is important. This fact makes the very destiny.
The cause of goodness, badness, fortune, and misfortune lies in what is. It wouldn't be a difficult thing for us to escape from this dangerous reality and create a hopeful country in the future. It would be possible through solving the problems that we have properly even one by one. From the moment we solve them, the country's destiny changes, society's destiny changes and our destiny changes. But because most people ignore what is and don't think that the problems we have are important it's hard to do the things which make the country's destiny good.
What practical use is wisdom in this country* ? It is common things that people are standing by with a bag of money in front of a person in power but people around the enlightened being turn away from him.
We cannot get an answer without a problem. This is because the problem is the source of the answer.
Suppose a situation simply had an answer and we didn't have a problem it would be very dangerous. This is because an answer without a problem cannot exist. Answers without problems always make us do useless things. So there is not need to listen to what people say if they don't have problems.
The teaching that what kind of influence a certain thing has on us, is the best teaching.
In the world, certain problems can be made by humans. Good problems make good answers. But in today's society there aren't any people who want to make good problems.
In the end as a consequence of solutions without problems people will be forced to continue to suffer great pain in the future and I want to point out that this is the cause which makes miserable things that make people live their lives in darkness.
Our society has become the nation of degree certificates and become the country where competition for entering universities is the most extreme. A Doctorate or a degree is a short cut to success, the way to make yourself live richly in the harsh realities, so people tried to study with all their might to get degrees. Although they were made to study, the importance of the problems has not been taught properly, so, in the end, people who can't see or know about problems live like a blind man.
If you look at what is, the answer is there. But people don't want to know this. People always see things through their thinking and try to get the result. Because people don't try to get the answer after finding the problem, and instead look to heaven for a miracle or hope that someone will come and solve things, our society today has become gloomy.
Because the mass media keep announcing that the credit rating is rising and that there are prospects that the economy will soon recover. It's like small comfort for foolish minds. An important thing is that no problems are visible. The fact has made the circumstances where we can't help avoiding a big calamity. Nonexistence of problems has made everything ambiguous.
They say that they have made new jobs but if the people don't work very hard, it can't be of much hope for the country. The people become the basis of the nation. When the people work hard with a wholesome way of thinking the country goes well.
The government's 'Movement of Second Founding of Nation' is demolishing run down tumbledown houses and build new ones. However, as long as the people who are doing this important work don't establish the purpose, plan, guide and people to manage the movement but hold the event only shouting slogans with banners hung, I can't help worrying that they will once again put our society into confusion and uncertainty and that it will be dangerous and a waste of financial resources.
How can a social problem be solved? If we already have the number 5 and the answer 77, in the problem, 5 + X = 77, in order to get the answer 77, we should find the solution of adding 72.
When we do something we should research and investigate through what problems can fulfill the purpose of it. However, in our society we hasn't reached the stage yet. If we make the answer but ignore the problem, how can we be solving it? When we demand an answer, we should look for problems which are correct for the society's environment, but in our society, it's something we aren't able to do.
People say this kind of thing. "You think you are so good, why don't you try and fix it." But that sort of thing is impossible. When you want to change something you need power. Unless all the people in the world try to make the world better respectively, it cannot be sure when the good world will come. If we don't try and if we don't act to get something good, we can't promise when the good thing will exist in the world.
The thing that we have to consider important while we are alive in the world, is how we carry out the tasks given to us.
Not only individual destiny but also society's and the nation's destiny are all made according to the relationships between of what is, in the society or country. The basis of society is people and also the basis of the country is the people of that society.
We shouldn't forget that when we do something wrong, it not only damages ourselves but also causes big damage to society and the nation and further still the world.
I said that destiny and consciousness are made from what is. And once something comes to exist inside you, it continues its activities. Society makes many people who have wrong thought appear through the wrong things that the society does. And those people continue to act with the wrong thought.
What is the cause of this? This is decided by what is inside people. Even if in a past life you chose wrong things, and you have come to have the wrong kind of destiny, if you can really understand and be enlightened about this destiny in the present life, you can make your good destiny in never ending future lives. From that point of view, it will be a very important opportunity to understand about our destiny properly.
*Talking about His home country South Korea.
(c) Enlightenment Of Tathagata
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What is destiny ? How can I change my destiny ? How can we change our destiny ?
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