Deep Commentary

Good and evil are opposing forces, both originating from the mind. According to Buddhist psychology, the unwholesome mental factors in an ordinary person often outnumber the wholesome ones. Consequently, human society frequently experiences conflict and instability. Actions are driven by the mind, which tends to calculate self-interest, easily leaning toward unwholesome thoughts that dictate harmful physical and verbal actions. Doing good is as arduous as climbing a steep mountain, while doing evil is as effortless as sliding down. Because wholesome actions require immense effort, the Buddha urges us to hasten to do good. When the mind is left idle, it easily drifts toward negative thoughts—as the universal saying goes, 'idle hands are the devil's workshop.' Keeping the mind engaged in wholesome activities or mindfulness prevents evil from arising. Furthermore, doing good should be a source of joy. True volunteers serve with a pure, expansive heart, unbothered by ego or the reactions of others. Even small acts of kindness, accumulated over time, can fill the world with compassion, just as drops of water eventually fill a vessel. If humanity continually cultivates this joyful, selfless goodness, the suffering in the world will drastically diminish.