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44 : Universal Goodness Who are we? What sort of prisoners are we? All of us are death row prisoners who are waiting for the day of our execution. But we have no idea when that day will come. It is a fact that we are prisoners, and the world we live in is our prison. Moreover, death does not mean the end. For as long as our mind is still steeped in defilements, the round of rebirth must continue. All of us have been reborn on earth countless times. In the old days, our forefathers used to chant and practice meditation very earnestly. As a result, they were able to keep their mind quiet and still. When the mind became so quiet and still that it expanded beyond the house, the temple, the village, the country and the world, they realized how the world was a gargantuan prison and all of its inhabitants its prisoners. They realized that if one was still contaminated by defilements in the forms of greed, anger and ignorance, one would never be able to leave this prison. One would continue to experience the suffering of life inherent in the round of rebirth. Since our survival depends on the four necessities of life, we need to learn how to exercise moderation regarding them. It is also necessary that we learn to choose what to acquire, to take good care of our body, to pay close attention to personal hygiene and the overall cleanliness of our belongings and our environment. Otherwise, we will meet with many problems.