A Buddhist reader of SikhSpectrum.com would like to share these words of wisdom. --Editor

Dhamma is eternal, universal, the path and the law of nature. It is eternal, because it is applicable to all times. It is universal because it is applicable to sufferings of all beings irrespective of caste, religion, nation and gender. It is the law of nature, which existed always, whether Buddhas are there or not. The Buddhas arise in the universe just to discover the Path and show to all beings out of compassion. The explanation may differ according to Buddhas, but path is the same. To walk on the path the first step is training the mind to remove impurities and cultivate purities. If mind is filed with impurities than we cannot realize the True Path.

According to Dr. B. R. Ambedkar, "Man is what mind makes him. The training of the mind to seek the good, is the first step in the path of righteousness. This is the main teaching in Buddhist way of life. Without training and purifying our mind, we cannot practice, understand and practice True Dhamma. If we want to spread Dhamma, we have to ourselves establish in Dhamma. Without doing good, avoiding evils and purifying our mind we cannot ask others to follow true Dhamma. The following passage from Buddha and his Dhamma is by Dr. B.R. Ambedkar:

On Man, Mind and Impurities

1. Man is what his mind makes him.

2. The training of the mind to seek the good, is the first step in the path of Righteousness.

3. This is the main teaching in the Buddhist Way of Life.

4. In everything the primal element is mind. Mind is pre-eminent.

5. If a man speaks or does evil suffering follows him, close as the wheel of the hoof of the beast that draws the cart.

6. If a man speaks or acts from uprightness of mind, happiness follows him, close like his never-departing shadow.

7. This fickle, unsteady mind, difficult to guard, difficult to guide- the wise man makes it straight as the fletcher makes straight the arrow.

8. As quivers and throbs the water-dwelling fish, when thrown up out of the water on to the land, so quivers and throbs the mind forsaking the realm of Mara.

9. Hard to control, unstable is this mind, ever in quest of delight. Good is it to subdue the mind. A mind subdued brings happiness.

10. Make thyself an island, work hard, when thy impurities are blown away, and thou art free from guilt, thou wilt enter into the heavenly world of the elect.

11. Let a wise man blow off the impurities of himself, as a smith blows off the impurities of silver, one by one, little by little, and from time to time.

12. As the impurity which springs from the iron, when it springs from it, destroys it; thus to a transgressor's own works lead him to the evil path.

13. But there is a taint worse than all taints. Ignorance is the greatest taint. O ! mendicants, throw off that taint, and become taintless.

14. Life is easy to live for a man who is without shame, a crow here, a mischief maker, an insulting, bold and wretched fellow.

15. But life is hard to live of a modest man, who always looks for what is pure, who is disinterested, quiet, spotless and intelligent.

16. He who destroys life, who speaks untruth, who in the world takes what is not given him, who goes to another man's wife.

17. And the man who gives himself to drinking intoxicating liquors, he even in this world, digs up his own grave.

18. O man, know this, that the unrestrained are in a bad state; take care that greediness and vice do not bring thee to grief for a long time.

19. The world gives according to its faith or according to its pleasure; if a man frets about the food and the drink given to others, he will find no rest either by day or by night.

20. He in whom that feeling is destroyed, and taken out with the very root, finds rest by day and by night.

21. There is no fire like passion, there is no torrent like greed.

22. The fault of others is easily perceived, but that of oneself is difficult to perceive; a man winnows his neighbout's faults like chaff but his own faults he hides, as a cheat hides the bad dice from the player.

23. If a man looks after the faults of others, and is always inclined to be offended, his own passions will grow, and he is far from the destruction of passions.

24. Refrain from all evil; cultivate the good; cleanse your own thoughts; this is the teaching of the Buddha.