Sunday Sermon
The Five Rules of Buddhism...

1)Free your heart from hatred.
2)Free your mind from worries.
3)Live simply.
4)Give more.
5)Expect less.

Like the best rules, these are easy to remember, cover a broad range of situations, are hard to twist, and applying them can be a lifelong pursuit.

Each of us will find that at least one of these proves very difficult for us. Perhaps you are good at loving, giving, being worry-free and living simply, but you just can't get past your expectations. Maybe it is letting go of your hatreds that holds you up. I know that many of us are worriers (with this presidential election coming up, we have good reason!). Or perhaps you are one of those lucky folk like me who find them all difficult...

Examine yourself in light of these rules, and you will have a good idea of what is lacking in your spiritual pursuit. I did it as a conversation with two sides of myself. One side is clearly a politician or spin doctor of some sort. It went like this...

How are we doing?
Absolutely fabulously.
Really? How about #1?
Our list of hatreds is greatly reduced.
But we still have hatreds?
Yeah, but not so many...
Right. Needs work. Let's look at #2.
Well, we worry a bit, but who doesn't?
Weak. So we need work on this one too?
It's possible.
How about #3, then?
Well, we do enjoy the computer a lot, but other than that we live a very simple life.
Aren't you confusing simplicity with poverty?
Quite possibly.
If we had money we'd go crazy with gadgets and toys and unnecessary crap, right?
Almost certainly.
Right then, another "needs work." How about #4?
As you mentioned above, we are poor, so we have very little to give. Hah! we are exempt.
It doesn't apply just to money. What about giving of our time? Our skills?
I'll have to look into it and get back to you.
O.K., I'll just put that one down for improvement as well. What's the status on #5?
We expect to have our expectations under control within the expected time parameters...
You just did that on purpose.
Yeah, a little bit. But our task force on expectations is still in the field...
So we fail this one too, right?
It appears that way, but if you compare-
Shut it!

Go in Peace.