The mind is very hard to perceive, extremely subtle and wanders at will. Let the wise person guard it; a guarded mind is conducive to happiness.
Dhammapada – The Mind Verse 36
The mind is like a garden. All throughout our lives we had no other choice but to allow and trust our parents or guardians to plant seeds into our own garden. In time the seeds were sprouted and produced into many kinds of plants. In these plants you can find attributes, characteristics, beliefs, religion, politics, likes, dislikes, opinions, way of speech, way of dressing, way of thinking etc.. These plants usually constitute who we become and ultimately who we think we are. Some parents or guardians even push there child to a certain profession, and do not allow the child to pick and choose his or her own occupation, passion or goal. Not only are the plants of the parents or guardian planted or growing, but also whatever the child hears or sees through friends, family members, strangers, TV, Radio anything that produces or transmit opinions, ideas, doctrines, beliefs or thoughts. These plants are really not our own plants and not all plants are not necessarily bad plants. The problem is that the the child needs to grow his own plants, but the garden can be filled with so many plants that he or she have no other choice but to accept the plants that were already planted because there is no room for his or her very own plants. By having all these many plants planted in the child’s garden (mind), will prevent the child from fully flourishing and experiencing his or her life as it was destined. As parents or guardians, we do not want to create a carbon copy of who we are, because that is just not fair for these unique little individuals who just entered this world. As the child grows up and if he or she decides to question the already planted ideas, opinions etc.. that are already planted, he or she will have difficulty understanding and might raise confusion. A child should be able to receive a limited amount of plants into their garden as a started kit from the parent orguardian, and then the parent or guardian should teach the child how to plant his or her own garden. What are the things the child need to look for when and what to avoid when planting (morals). And these teaches cannot not be bias, it must be universal and bipartisan.
What a parent or guardian need to do is only implement the principles or morals, not doctrines, dogmas, partisan opinions, ignorant notions that are set up to divide, but only things that will unite, spread love and peace amongst himself or herself in this life and in this society.
What the child needs to learn is to guard his or her garden (mind) from people, TV, Radio or anything that produces or transmit opinions, ideas, doctrines, beliefs or thoughts; that is what makes a good gardener.
Realizing that this body is (as fragile) as a jar, establishing this mind (as firm) as a (fortified) city, he should attack Mara (negative thoughts) with the weapon of wisdom. He or she should guard his conquest and be without attachment.
Dhammapada – The Mind Verse 40
Sometimes in order to guard your garden (mind) from people planting seeds of their opinions, ideas and doctrines, you have to flee from their conversations or presence, leave the room or change the subject. Matthew: 2:13 “An angel appeared to Joseph in a dream, saying to “Arise, and take the young child and his mother, and flee into Egypt, and stay there until I bring you a word: for Herod will seek the young child to destroy him.” You need to flee, avoid, protect your garden, from anything trying to destroy your seeds. Always be open minded to everybody’s thoughts, but retain a filter and guard or block any fanatical, radical, divisive conversation, belief, doctrine, political view and flee, avoid and protect your mind from people that try to destroy your love, peace, and understanding. The main principle and doctrine is to love and respect God with all your heart, mind, body and soul to love, respect and help all God’s creation like you would want someone to do to you.
