Buddhadasa was a very famous Thai Buddhist monk who lived between 1906 and 1993. He was known as an innovative interpreter of Buddhism as well as Thay folk beliefs. Even as an ordained monk, he developed a personal view that considered all faiths as one.
In these words of wisdom from Buddhadasa, we learn how to avoid destruction of life through no ego and no selfishness. It is these two factors, plus greed, ignorance, and delusion, that keep our industrial leaders and politicians with their heads in the sand about global warming, climate change, fossil fuel shortage, fresh water supply, and destruction of our rain forests.
If your goal is to serve others, it is important to avoid selfishness and to minimize ego. Otherwise it becomes service with a hidden agenda. I think that most industrial leaders and politicians have big egos about what they have accomplished. They want to stay in office as long as they can.
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Inner and Outer Nature | April 20, 2014 When there is no ego or selfishness, there is nothing that will destroy nature, nothing that will exploit and abuse nature. Then the external, physical aspect of nature will be able to conserve itself automatically. —Buddhadasa, “Conserving the Inner Ecology”
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In my view, selfishness and ego are stumbling blocks for most people, including myself. I am very generous with my family and causes I support, but I can be selfish when it comes to volunteering for work, except when I am able to let go of my ego and recognize the good I can do by pitching in. Of course, all of this falls away when it comes to my children 🙂 !
What are your thoughts about selfishness and ego? Are you able to let them go and work for the greater good?
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