A Precious Human Life

Here are two nice verses on a precious human life. The first one is from the Dalai Lama.

A Precious Human Life

Every day, think as you wake up:

“Today I am fortunate to have woken up.
I am alive, I have a precious human life.
I am not going to waste it.

I am going to use
all my energies to develop myself,
to expand my heart out to others,
to achieve enlightenment for
the benefit of all beings.

I am going to have
kind thoughts towards others.
I am not going to get angry,
or think badly about others.

I am going to benefit others
as much as I can.”

-Dalai Lama

The second one is a Tibetan prayer of unknown origin. Please let me know if you find out where this verse comes from.

Precious human body
Free and well favored
Difficult to obtain
Easy to lose.

Oh to wake up!
Oh to be grateful!
Oh to be useful!

These two verses help us to recognize that being born into a human body is a great gift not to be wasted. Yes, we have pain. Yes, we have suffering. Yes, we have old age, sickness and death. These factors of life are unavoidable. We all will experience them.

Nevertheless, our lives in these human bodies provide us with the opportunity to wake up and love one another. As humans, we can offer our compassion, loving kindness, joy and equanimity to those we meet. We can do this with a simple smile.

Last Thursday, I went to a class taught by Anna Halprin. Anna is still teaching at the age of 94. The class was taught in her mountain studio in the redwoods on Mount Tamalpais downhill from her home in Kentfield, California. As I was backing my car out of its parking place this lovely young lady got out of her car and gave me the gift of  her lovely smile. It made me feel great for the rest of the day as I went on to play tennis and go out to dinner with my friends.

Will you share this precious life with your family and friends? Will you share it with strangers you meet with your smile? Will you offer you gratitude for this precious human existence?

Books by Dalai Lama

The Art of Happiness, 10th Anniversary Edition: A Handbook for Living by Dalai Lama An updated edition of a beloved classic, the original book on happiness, with new material from His Holiness the Dalai Lama and Dr. Howard Cutler. Nearly every time you see him, he?s laughing, or at least smiling. And he makes everyone else around him feel like smiling. He?s the … [Read More…]