Understanding the Eternal Punishment of Life and the Role of Educators : หน้า 15/47

In this prison there is punishment. It is not normal punishment like whipping or torture, which comes to an end; the punishment in this prison goes on forever and ever. Ageing, sickness, death and birth go on forever, with no exceptions. No one is born laughing; we all arrive in this world kicking and screaming. This is one of the punishments and cruel torture methods of the prison. There seems to be no way to escape it. More importantly, we don’t even know that we are being punished. We just think this is the way things are, not knowing that there is anything other than this. The punishment is inflicted throughout life. We feel hungry or thirsty, hot or cold, we urinate and defecate. We don’t see the one who is inflicting the whipping, but for every moment of life we are open to these tortures. To understand our situation and how best to deal with it requires mindful learning and teaching, teaching and learning and so on, each cycle a step along the path to freedom from suffering. To learn we need to have good teachers and trainers who are equipped and correctly educated in all aspects of creating good self-kamma whilst practicing the creation of good self-kamma diligently and continuously themselves on a daily basis. QUlTIES OF AN IDEAL TRAINER Let us begin by defining the qualities and abilities that are required to be a good educator or trainer, requirements that set the teacher apart from the general community and qualify that person to be entrusted with imparting knowledge and guidance to others. For some the basic requirements are part of their inherent personality and it is these inherent qualities that guide them to exercise their talents in the field of empowering others with the benefits of their instinctive and acquired knowledge. For others it may be their own wisdom and academic achievements that cause others to seek their tuition as mentors or sources of knowledge in the required field or subject. Firstly, we must acknowledge that the teacher is a human being and must from birth learn the skills required to interact and compete with other human beings throughout their lives. People who choose to be engineers will need to train in the disciplines and science required for such a profession and the same is true for those who choose a teaching career except that the degree of respect they achieve in their profession, and from pupils, will not only be measured practical and material achievements to do with their subject but also for the moral example they set in their day-to-day lives. In some ways a teacher must command the same moral standing in the community as a doctor or spiritual mentor, respected as one who can be trusted with the lives of others. It is no light undertaking to enter into such a profession without understanding the commitment that must be made to be a excellent in such a crucial role in society. Now, the question is: what are the morals and qualities that the trainers should have? The answer is that not only the knowledge about making a living is important but also the ability to differentiate between good and bad, right and wrong, and what should or should not enhance one’s ability to make the right decision and become a set of principles for a whole life. A good trainer must be equipped with these abilities and demonstrate or walk-the-talk to their pupils. It is important to note that knowledge is not the most important thing but, rather, the ability to utilize that knowledge. The same knowledge of chemistry can make either the bomb or medicine. It depends on the person who