How to get good fortune
The Greatest fortune
According to Lord Buddha, the greatest fortunes are the following
Not consorting with fools,
consorting with the wise,
paying homage to those worthy of homage:
This is the highest fortune.
Living in a civilized land,
having made merit in the past,
directing oneself rightly:
This is the highest fortune.
Broad knowledge, skill,
well-mastered discipline,
well-spoken words:
This is the highest fortune
Support for one's parents,
assistance to one's family and children,
consistency in one's work:
This is the highest fortune.
Generosity, living in rectitude,
assistance to one's relatives,
deeds that are blameless:
This is the highest fortune.
Avoiding, abstaining from evil;
refraining from intoxicants,
being heedful of the qualities of the mind:
This is the highest fortune.
Respect, humility,
contentment, gratitude,
hearing the Dhamma on timely occasions:
This is the highest fortune.
Patience, composure,
seeing contemplatives,
discussing the Dhamma on timely occasions:
This is the highest fortune.
Austerity, celibacy,
seeing the Noble Truths,
realizing Unbinding:
This is the highest fortune.
A mind that, when touched
by the ways of the world,
is unshaken, sorrow-less, dustless, at rest:
This is the highest fortune.
Everywhere undefeated
when acting in this way,
people go everywhere in well being:
This is their highest fortune.
{Maha Mangala (The Great Fortune) Sutta}
I was crying for a pair of better shoes,
until the day I saw him with no legs..
And I was lamenting for the fact, that I could not afford to buy cosmetics to
decorate my eyelashes, until the day I saw him who had lost both of his
eyes..
Good Fortune
Since the day I started this site as a hobby, people from many parts of the world on number of occasions had asked me about the way to find good fortune. Whenever I try to answer that question, the first thing which comes to my mind is the singer Nanda Malanie's Sinhalese song with the above meaning.
It is truly a amazing fact that, many of us, we do not know how lucky are we. And many who lament about their un fortune, had never seen the real misery nor the real misfortune or have not opened their hearts and minds to see it around them.
Now, helping somebody in need had become so rare, it was a worthy of news item for the Sunday Paper. http://www.divaina.com/2003/02/23/featur01.html |
While others had walked past, this young couple had
stopped to help an old man. And unknowingly got caught in the eye of a
news camera.
|
Have you seen the unfortunate:
I first saw the real misfortune of an other person, in 1994 when my 8 months old son got badly burnet from a fallen hot water kettle. He was admitted to the Kandy General hospital. The fear that his beautiful little face will be scarred for the rest of life was immense at that moment and even today, after 9 years I still feel it while writing about it. Though, I was terribly upset at that time, I did my best to get the best medicine available as everything has to be purchased from Pharmacies out side and be given to the doctors or nurses for the treatment of the child.
(I know that some readers from countries like UK, USA, or Australia may find it hard to believe, rarely the hospital wards in countries like Sri Lanka and India have good drugs available at hand to treat patients in emergencies)
My heart sank when I saw an another father who's son is admitted to the same ward with a similar sort of accident, pleading the pharmacist asking for pain killers for the son and an ointment called "Fucidine". He had very little money with him. Being really poor he was unable to borrow as nobody was willing to lend him money. Because at that time I was in the same situation as him, I knew of his pain, there is no difference whether you are rich or poor, all the mothers and all the fathers may feel the same misery and the real misfortune in an incident like this (I know that there are some real scum bags out there, it is not about them I am talking). While doing whatever I can do for him at that hour of my own personnel trauma, I also understood that how fortunate I am for being at least be able to borrow some money from the friends to meet the needs of the situation.
My second experience:
Second incident happened when my son was about 2 years old, this time he had developed a very bad case of diarrhea and had to be admitted to the Paradiniya Teaching Hospital. Though the hospital was new and clean, there was nothing in the wards. Mattresses were bare, there were no mackintoshes supplied to the ward, hence was a thick soiled area visible in every mattress as there were no or a few clean bed sheets. No need to say that, there was the usual scarcity of medicine, this time even the most basic things such as needles nor the salt solution called "Jeewani" for treating the dehydration of diarrhea seems to be not available at the moment. Only consolation was, the doctor in charge at that time was a relative of our family which was worth to me more than anything else at that time.
Poverty with misery that is so intense which knocks you down:
I saw the second real misfortune in the form of a mother of the child in the bed next to our son on that day in the hospital. Though the nurses and doctors were trying their best, again, the child next bed seems to be receiving less treatment than mine, the reason was obvious, his parents had to bring medicine from outside. The mother of that child was very poor, and according to my wife, she even had no pieces of clothes left to clean the child, talking about disposable nappies here is a fairy tale fantasy, whenever the child was having a loose motion, she was trying in vain to use old news papers to clean the child Imagine how heard it could have been for the soft skin of a baby, she had not eaten for two days, but she kept on feeding child since it was the only source of nourishment for that child.
The situations like above were the real misfortunes. Of seeing which brought tears to my eyes, desperation and helplessness I felt, as a normal person with no worth while resources at command to make some difference to the situation is over powering.
Soon my son got better and when my son was discharged from the hospital, I told the doctor "Malee (Brother), you know that I am not a rich person, but tell me at least what I can do to help the present situation in your ward, tell me about some inexpensive but essential items which I can donate". Then he showed me a box of very large size needles and told me this is the only size of needles he was supplied of, and asked me, how can I give injections or saline for 2 -3 year olds with those huge needles, the needle itself is bigger than their veins, please get me some needles or some flavored salt solutions for treating the dehydration in diarrhea as very young children do not like the unflavored salt taste of the normal one, but they willingly drink the flavored solution.
So, I purchased 200 flavored salt sachets, a box of needles and a large sheet of upholstery raisin fabric to be cut in to small pieces and used as mackintosh in the beds costing 3000 Rupees for all (which was about a half of my monthly wage at that time). Even today, I do wonder how many lives of children I had saved by doing that single act of mercy, perhaps one or two, or perhaps 100 lives, I really do not know. But I know in my heart, it is the best 3000 rupees I ever spent in my life. Because it was the money I spent solely out of compassion, and not in search of any gratitude, thanks, nor returned benefits, nothing I ever spent on any other thing or occasion, will never even come closer to it, when the final moment comes to me for closing my accounts in this world.
Those two personally traumatic incidents with my child and the subsequent real world experiences, had completely changed my outlook towards life. A way, it is a disguised blessing which made me a far more better person than I was before. At that time, I was working at Peradaniya Vet. Research Institute and some of my work mates who are both academics and non academic staff were shocked to hear from me, that such desperation is present so close to us and a few of them had expressed their willingness to pool some money from their each months salary for an arrangement with a near by pharmacy to supply some of the essential items for people in dire need if they come with a latter from a doctor certifying that the person is genuine worthy cause of support. Subsequently I migrated to Australia leaving Vet. Research Institute. But my work mates even now remembers the good things we had done and I believe, that they still try to do what ever possible under the difficult circumstances.
Mega riches with misery that is so intense which knocks you down:
It is amazing to see that how some really rich people waste money. Last week there was a TV documentary about Micheal Jackson in Australian TV. Where Micheal goes to one shop and buys some furniture and items amounting to 2 or 3 million dollars at one single shopping trip. I truly felt sorry about him, he is a good person but totally misguided, suffocated by vast riches, surrounded and hunted by media, he had no opportunity to see the real world. With his limited knowledge, he tried his best to do something for children by creating a fantasy world costing him millions, but had he experienced what I had gone through in the real world, I think he would have spent it much more wisely and and far more beneficially for the children in true need, saving their lives thus giving the most precious of all to their mothers and fathers.
What is good fortune
Since, this is an astrological web site, you might be impatient to find out what is my prescription which may bring you good fortune. Yes, there are a few remedies known to give you some relief from bad planetary influences. But is there a universal remedy to gain and ensure good fortune ?.
Before telling you about it, I think the most important good fortune a person can have, is learning to appreciate what he/she already have in possession. May be it looks insignificant on others eyes. May be some of your friends may have better, but what you have is unique, because it is yours and perhaps thousands or millions may even not have what you have got, so do not treat cheaply what you do have, appreciate and be thankful about it.
Many bad things happen to us not because we are unfortunate nor we are bad, but because we are fortunate and good, the way you look at the happenings of life makes the difference. As you are the person who classify those under the category of fortune or in the lot of misfortunes.
If you realize the fact that many bad things happen because it is one of the ways of nature, to make you better than the previous, then you will have the courage to take good and bad in the same unchanged attitude without rejoice or without sorrow.
About an year ago Adam, a 16 year old child from Endeavor Hills, Victoria, got killed by a tragic fireworks accident. I knew the family from the time they were living in Sri Lanka. Adam was such a good, well behaved, nice child, the dream child of every parent and he was the only child of that family. So if you ask for a real misfortune, then the loss of Adam (for his parents and for all those others who knew the family) was a real misfortune. According to my knowledge, there was no one, except two people, who did not cry at the funeral in Springvale cemetery, that includes whole of the school and teachers, neighbors the church crowd etc. those two who did not cry were, the father and the mother of the child, though I knew both of them very well, I start to wonder how cruel they are to not cry in the face of such a disaster in their life.
At the funeral service in chapel, the father said that "He is not blaming any body for the accident, and he is happy and thankful for not only having an opportunity to be a father but also for being able to be a good father to a wonderful child like Adam and told that he was fortunate for the fact that he was able to spend a lot of good time with the child such as visiting places, playing cricket etc. and expressed his willingness to create a memorial fund in the view of educating other children about he dangers of fireworks, so that the tragic loss of Adam will serve a greater purpose in saving the lives of many other kids."
When I listened to that talk, being a father myself, I knew very well it is not an easy thing to say. What ever is the religion, these are the whole marks of truly great souls. To hold the head high and face the disaster in such a graceful manner, requires something very special which not every body can easily processes. I realized how fortunate I am, for being able and intelligent enough to recognize this shining moment of a truly great character, which came in to light under the greatest of imaginable disaster in the family of this ordinary Australian/Sri Lankan dad.
So the lesson here is, learn to appreciate and be thankful of your fortune, how ever hopeless can be the situation you are in nor how ever it looks insignificant on others eyes.
The sure fire method of getting good fortune
You must be now tired of reading all the above, trying to find out yet not disclosed my advice for getting good fortune. I wrote all the above to show and bring you in to one point. That is to disclose the hidden golden rule of the misfortune: It is that bad things happen to make you better, to open your heart and mind to the difficulties of others, or to prepare you for the next stage of the advancement of your soul.
If you are intelligent enough to understand it and react in benign way then that stroke of bad luck will carry you to greater heights, if you ignore the lesson and react in harmful manner to self and others, and let the wave of misfortune to carry you down to the dark abysses, then you have done the greatest disservice to your self.
Then how can we stop bad things happening ? By eliminating the purpose behind bad things happening, like eliminating the root of a tree.
How to stop the purpose of bad things happening ? It is through opening your heart to the others misery and sorrow, by doing that, you cut the root cause.
Your change makes the whole reason behind having a bad time to be collapsed, as everything that happens in nature has a reason and nothing happens if there is no reason. Apart from that, what is the point of teaching a lesson to the one who has already learned. Gradually you will find that ups and downs of life will not shake you as much as it used to be. You have already lifted your self up from the normal crowd.
The after effects
Then people will start to notice your change and some would even try to remark, that you have become cold hearted as they may see that you are not effected from good or bad fortune, not overjoyed with the good times nor over powered under the bad circumstances.
Cold heartedness is indifference to others in misfortune, while your heart melts on others misfortune, if you can keep cool and calm about your own bad luck, then it is not cold heartedness. I am not a Christian, but I think that was the main lesson lord Jesus wanted to convey to the people by suffering and sacrificing himself on the cross and lord Buddha too did it by leaving his new born son, in the quest for the search of the truth.
Are they fortunate or unfortunate
If I divide my adult life in to two parts, I have spent roughly a half in the continents of first world, such as Australia and Europe. The other half of my adult life in third world country of Sri Lanka. I have traveled well and seen many countries. Therefore I am well qualified to say the following.
People living in countries like Sri Lanka and India are: Unfortunate~fortunate.
People living in countries like Australia and USA are: Fortunate~unfortunate.
Unfortunate~fortunate, I say because, having to live under the difficult circumstances of poverty is unfortunate, but they are fortunate for having an opportunity for helping others in need ,and thus having a rare indeed a chance of doing some good for their own souls. But very few seems to realize it, seeing so much misery had made many people there oblivious to it and making them unfortunate~unfortunate people.
Fortunate~unfortunate are those living in countries like Australia and USA who are fortunate to live under not so harsh conditions but unfortunate for not getting a chance to help or serve others, except for a rare few who are fortunate~fortunate.
I am not a priest or a pastor nor a man with a religious fever, since you will mistake me for a very religious case, I thought better not to talk about going to heaven and things like that, I am just a ordinary 46 year old man, a bit educated I may say, If I could understand this much, then I think any normal person living in any where in the world could understand what I was trying to say so far.
Which is: If you ever see an opportunity to help an other person in a truly worthy cause of need, then run for it, grab it as you hang on it for your own dear life, do what is humanly possible to help under the circumstances you are in, but never look the other way. If you look the other way, then know that you have lost a great fortune in the long run.
From now on, I will try to publish any worthy cause of help and support, which I think is genuine and deserves being giving a helping hand. Therefore, this page will keep growing, if anybody who read this thinks that someday he/she would like to help some one then book mark this page to visit this occasionally.
Patient Mrs. W.M.S. Weerasinghe, (mother of two young children) underwent the 1st Kidney transplant operation at Colombo Jayawardanapura Hospital. To prevent rejection of her new kidney, daily medication is required costing about 10000 Rs (100$) per month, If you wish to supply medication, please contact: M.B.S. Gunarathna at Vet. Research Institute, Gannoruwa, Sri Lanka (+94 8 388462 and 388463).
2. An Orphanage at Ambilipitiya, Sri Lanka,
For more information pl. refer to the following article in news paper (Sinhalese Lang.) http://www.divaina.com/2002/08/28/provincial.html
3 HELP SOUGHT FOR HEARING IMPAIRED CHILD
For more information pl. refer to the following article in news paper (English Lang.)
http://www.divaina.com/2003/02/27/help.htm
This dwelling was a palace for them when their parents were alive. But the nature was cruel to these children. Both parents of these kids died when a bolt of lightning hit the Kithulankanda Village , Welivariya, Gampaha District. Now some people had promised to build a new house for them. But can a new house or even a kingly mansion replace the love of even the poorest of poor parents ?
Source http://www.divaina.com/2003/05/11/featur08.html Pub Date 11/5/2003
An another truly deserving Case:
A child admitted to hospital for a minor surgery was unconscious for 4 years recently he had gained the consciousness but having a range of problems including blindness and the parents need help for medical treatments. Hatton National Bank , Colombo Appolo Hospital branch Acc No.002 - 057 157 8SA
Source http://www.lakbima.lk/archives/last_11_05_03/articles/rid_4.htm Pub. Date 11/5/2003
This child has heart problems requiring a surgery to be carried out in Madras Medical Mission Hospital and Rs.500,000 needed for that. Bank of Ceylon , Parliament Branch acc. No 0644·21·2000939·4
Source http://www.divaina.com/2003/05/14/provinci04.html Pub. Date 14/5/2003
This 18 year old boy has lung cancer requiring Rs. 350,000 for treatments. For more information an address and a phone no is mentioned in the article, No. 51, Waliamuna Cross road, Handala, Wattala, Phone 930048, Area Code not mentioned but could be 01
Source: as same as above
These families require some help
Source: http://www.divaina.com/2003/08/14/provincial.html Pub Date 14/08/2003
An another one
