BUDDHIST THEORY: Karma 4

I could not think of what words I should have said and there was no time to plan them. I therefore chose the wrong option, walking past, as if I had not seen the situation. Hiding in the excuse of it being a cold day, and that I might not even have noticed the situation - nobody else had.

I knew I should have assisted in some manner, but had let my thoughts prevent me from actually doing so. Whereas the lady did not have a serious problem, merely being delayed by finding the branch in her path by her stick-guide, I should have assisted to make her journey easier. Not doing so, I allowed an inconvenience and delay to occur. This may sound as if I am overreacting, as if it is nothing serious to walk past such a situation. However, that natural arising of the thought to assist should not have been pushed aside or ignored.

Karmicly, not assisting to prevent a delay or inconvenience to someone's journey backfired into my own life. Within the next two weeks, I began to experience delays, inconveniences, and suchlike in my own life. I could see where they were coming from. I had not assisted when I should have, and although I had caused no serious harm, I had caused no goodness either. Not helping solve a problem when I knew I should have, whatever excuses I made, had led to problems arising for me.

I then began to analyze the situation. What should I have done? Something, yes; but what? Would it have been best to simply have removed the stick, only speaking if need arose to explain my presence in front of her? Should I have battled within my mind to have found the right words to say, removing the stick as or after I explained my presence?

As no words naturally arose in my head to be said, I assume I should simply have trusted my naturally arising thought and moved the branch, trusting that the right words would come to me if needed. Now, I have to be aware of the mistake I made and concentrate on banishing unnecessary thought if such situation occurs again. Next time, I must act on my natural thought and shut my think-mind up.

As I live through the karmic residue of inconveniences and delays that I allowed to arise by my omission, I need to learn to trust my inner wisdom and act upon it, and to banish excess thought. If I had acted on my natural thought, my karma would now be helping me in like manner - preventing inconveniences and delays, rather than creating them for me. I put the wrong vibe into my life and it offers the fruit of the seed sown.