The Importance of Dhamma in Family Life : หน้า 172/207

By studying Dhamma every day, our ancestors were always reminded of the Lord Buddha’s teaching about never failing to make merit. Because everyone will die someday, the only things that we can bring with us to our next existence are merit (wholesome) and sin (unwholesome). In one’s life, if one can accumulate more good deeds, problems can be reduced, and happiness will result. Conversely, if a person accumulates more evil deeds, he would not only have much trouble in life but also unhappiness. By teaching Dhamma to their families every day, our ancestors were able to review the moral principles. When their children were taught morality, they became attached to Dhamma. They also enjoyed spending time with their grandparents because of reminders to do good deeds. In turn, the grandparents became respected by the children as the “perfect ones” in the family. Practicing meditation every night was equivalent to mindfulness training. When they practiced meditation on a daily basis, their minds became acquainted with peacefulness and clarity, and rarely became sullen. When their minds were always peaceful, they were not easily trapped by the channels of the five sensual desires. They could resist all kinds of temptations or unwholesome deeds. For this reason, they were constantly mindful and did not indulge. They were clever and understood other people and their defilements, knowing how to get rid of them. They were a source of wisdom to their family. Anyone who wished to gain the same knowledge was never disappointed; they had to approach their grandparents to talk with them. In conclusion, our ancestors were able to create the very best for themselves by eliminating greed, anger, and ignorance, and by practicing generosity, observing the precepts, and practicing meditation. Because they followed the Lord Buddha’s teachings, they became respectful, affectionate, and good role models for their families. Having learned how our ancestors trained themselves to develop the very best for themselves, we can be assured that they were never neglected but were worthy of respect in their family, as the “perfect ones.” **How does the very best in oneself make a blessing holy?** When we approach elderly people of virtue and they give us a blessing, we may wonder why we feel a sense of sacredness. We ask ourselves, “What does a blessing’s sacredness have to do with the very best qualities of the person who gives the blessing?”