KNOWING A BETTER WAY TO LIVE

I heard these words of the Buddha one time when the Lord was staying at the monastery in the Jeta Grove, in the town of Sravasti. He called all the monks to him and instructed them, "Monks!" And the monks replied, "We are here." The Blessed One taught, "I will teach you what is meant by 'knowing the better way to live alone.' Monks, please listen carefully." "Blessed One, we are listening." The Buddha taught: "Do not pursue the past. Do not lose yourself in the future. The past no longer is. The future has not yet come. Looking deeply at life as it is in the very here and now, the practitioner dwells in stability and freedom. We must be diligent today. To wait until tomorrow is too late. Death comes unexpectedly. How can we bargain with it? The sage calls a person who knows how to dwell in mindfulness night and day 'one who knows the better way to live alone.'"