What matters is not who we are
The comforts we enjoy, where we live, those we love and care about, the position we hold in our work—they all occur mainly due to our karmas from past lifetimes.
Consider the last item, one’s job. Those who are outstanding in a prestigious profession and enjoying their fame and rewards can get carried away with themselves. But fame and position are transitory, and dependent on our continued good fortune. We use up our good fortune as we personally enjoy it, but selfish acts will decimate it.
Since nothing is permanent, our status from our work is likewise transitory and thus not what should matter to us.
How we behave. What we are.
Our actions are important because they are not only reflections of past actions but also come about due to our current choices. Choices we are confronted with countless times a day. On how to behave or how we choose to think. Which leads to what we are today and will become tomorrow.
Article originally appeared on a buddhist perspective (http://www.abuddhistperspective.org/).
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