Everybody wishes to have a good life. But do you know how to create one? Here are seven things that will build a good life:
I. Good Health
There is a saying, “Health is wealth”. It’s a great asset to have a healthy body to help you struggle successfully and enjoy your life. If you want to have a healthy body, besides paying attention to diet and exercise, you also need get into a good groove.
II. Good Heart
This means to have good intentions. Have compassion and try to eradicate suffering in others. Help them have a peaceful life.
III. Good concepts
Concepts come from your mind. Buddha said, ”All of Dharmadhatu comes from our mind.” Samsara (hell) and Nirvana (heaven) are reflections of our mind. The nature of consciousness is our mind from non-beginnings until now. Your consciousness forms concepts. Your concepts will affect your decisions. Your decisions will influence your behavior. Then your behavior affects your outcomes. That cycles back to affecting your consciousness.
IV. Good temper
Anger pollutes life. Not only does anger damage relationships, but it also damages health. There is a Chinese saying that goes like this, “Temper will attack the heart” Through scientific study we know temper is not good for our heart’s health. Chinese medicine believes that anger is related to liver so if you get angry too often then it will damage your liver too.
V. Good expression.
The Chinese say, “When you want to go out you have to look at the sky’s face, when you want to go in you have to look at the person’s face.” People like to see blue sky and they like to see good facial expressions too. Chinese believe that “facial features appear from you heart.” So if you would like to have a good expression, you must store compassion & good thoughts in a well-intentioned heart.
VI. Good words.
Words are the same as a knife. Words hurt. Words exchanged between people shouldn’t be long-winded, full of mutual disrespect or irritability because this can’t solve problems. But don’t use lying smooth talk either. Good words are meaningful and constructive.
VII. Good behavior.
Buddhists say, “Bodhisattvas fear cause, worldly people fear effect”. Cause and effect are always tie together. We should often evaluate our own behavior. By doing good things/deeds we can bring ourselves and other people happiness.
Life has four stages: birth, old-age, illness and death. The way you can transition smoothly from birth to old age with dignity, reduce incidences of disease and died peacefully depends on how you identify the value of your live. Spending more time operating by these guidelines will increase your wisdom. A good life depends on yourself, not others.