“Violence” - some words from the Buddha before his enlightenment

"Everyone is guilty." But not in the Catholic sense. A Buddhist takes responsibility for their own heart.

From here: http://zenjournal.tumblr.com/post/4349403030/violence-some-words-from-the-buddha-before-his

Violence gives birth to fear.
Just look at people and their quarrels.
I will speak of my dismay
And the way that I was shaken.
Seeing people thrashing about like fish in little water
And seeing them in conflict with each other,
I became afraid.

The world is completely without a core.
Everywhere things are changing.
Wanting a place of my own,
I saw nothing not already taken.
I felt discontent at seeing only conflict to the very end.
Then I saw an arrow — hard to see,
Embedded in the heart.
Pierced by this arrow, people dash about in all directions.
When the arrow is pulled out,
The do not run, and they do not sink.
-
Interpretation and elaboration:

“The radical suggestion is… that the issue is in your own heart. That’s what triggers the running around… it is obvious that many people are not willing to look at some part of themselves. They get involved in addictive behaviors, they get very busy with work, social relationships, entertainment… The fear resides in our own hearts or minds. The task in Buddhism is that it’s REALLY useful to take that arrow out, to take responsibility for what’s in here… to find the roots of our distress. Someone has to do it.
…
“We try to help the world the best we can… one of the ways we help is to have done the inner work so that we can meet the world calmly and peacefully… to support people and help people by being calm and peaceful in times of distress. If we’re running around in dismay, then we can’t really help people.”

Gil Fronsdal from a recent Zencast.org talk, “Our Attachments, given at the Insight Meditation Center.