“Fore-run by mind are mental states,
Ruled by mind, made of mind.
If you speak or act
With clear mind,
Happiness follows you,
Like a shadow that does not depart.”
- The Buddha
“How do you feel when you lie to a loved one, cheat on a test, or wish harm on someone else? Do you feel instantly guilty? Disheartened by your behavior? Repelled by your thoughts? When you think, speak, or act in impure ways — regardless of whether you experience immediate consequences — you aren’t able to maintain a happy state. You become uneasy and restless. Your conscience follows you around like a shadow on a sunny day.
“So if we want happiness, if we want well-being, we need to think, speak, and act, as the Buddha says, ‘with clear mind’ — having awareness of our intentions, discernment of judgment, control of our emotions, and compassion for others. This is how we create a shadow that we’re happy to have following us. Since our mind leads the way for everything we do, we must work from there first.
“Want to be accompanied by a shadow you’re happy with? Work on developing clarity of mind.”
