What would you do?

[Positive Change]

At the crossroads, which of the following would YOU chose:

1. Continuing along a similar path we were, knowing full well from past, it has not served us well. But it is the path that we know so well and is comfortable with so much so we think merely because of this, it is actually a case of "better the devil you know!"

OR

2. We challenge ourselves on a whole new path where everything is new and possibly uncomfortable/difficult even, but yet there is this possibility it may well work because it is a path not yet trodden on? Would we actually bite the bullet and pursue this chance?

[Big Uncle]

Hmmm, your crossroad is very general. In general, I think people would pick a choice based upon their priorities in life and upon habituation. There would be very few people who would always pick the road to be challenged. Hence, there are so few leaders and so many followers.

In the Dharma, it is especially hard to take the tougher path when we have to face so many obstacles and challenges including a fighting a whole materialistic and selfish modern culture that is evident in today's society. I would love to say I thrive on being challenged and I am a Milarepa or a Naropa wannabe. The truth of the matter, I am naturally inclined towards comfort and the easier way out and the only reason why I am still taking the harder path at crucial moments is because I know better and I do my best not to kid myself that the easier way is the solution to my problems.

Hence, I salute all those brave Dorje Shugden Lamas and practitioners who brave the ban and persecution for the sake of the truth simply because they know the truth and is willing to sacrifice happily for it.

[DSFriend]

At the crossroads, which of the following would YOU chose:

1. Continuing along a similar path we were, knowing full well from past, it has not served us well. But it is the path that we know so well and is comfortable with so much so we think merely because of this, it is actually a case of "better the devil you know!"

in general, ppl do not go along a similar path which they know have not served them. I do believe ppl make changes and look to others for a different path...but the problem lies in the fact that all the paths in samsara, be it similar or different all leads to the same cycle. We then spend our whole lives making adjustments based on ignorance.

OR

2. We challenge ourselves on a whole new path where everything is new and possibly uncomfortable/difficult even, but yet there is this possibility it may well work because it is a path not yet trodden on? Would we actually bite the bullet and pursue this chance?

I wouldn't take on a path if it has not been trodden and I'd say i'm not bright enough to make one up. Thus, it is important to know whoelse have been on this path and where it has led them. I'd look around my circle of friends to see what qualities they have which i like and find out from them how they have developed it. perhaps there is something in that path for me too.

[Reena Searl]

To me, I used to choose the easy comfortable way because of laziness and habitual, not listening and most importantly FEAR, Fear of failure so dare not take risk and challenge.

These days, I came across dharma and do want to choose path 2. Path 2 will lead me to long lasting happiness, definitely not an easy journey, but definitely worth

[vajrastorm]

I would define my choice as between two Paths, both leading to happiness. One leads to the happiness of this life and the other leads to ultimate happiness and total liberation from suffering. The former is a path of this life with its goals that are attained in this life. - these are goals like a successful career and a happy marriage and family, with a dream house and a lifestyle of luxury and great comfort. The latter is attainable only after a few or many life-times. The former is a more tangible Path. One can achieve the goals within this lifetime even if it takes three quarters of our life to achieve them. The latter is harder to realize and harder to envision.

Nonetheless, I will choose the second Path because it is the fulfillment of all my hopes and dreams - a happiness and peace that's forever, and an end to all suffering. The first brings happiness but of a temporary nature. As long as the favorable causes and conditions are in place, our happiness stays. but when the causes and conditions, that gave rise to our temporal happiness, disappears, so too will that  happiness and set of  dreams end.

The second Path is much much more difficult and fraught with tremendous obstacles. It require much from us that we find almost impossible at times to summon up - like giving up our pride and ego and strong attachments and hatred, like working on our habituated  delusions and overcoming them, like transforming our minds to minds of great love and compassion. Yet it  is the path revealed by Buddha and it is the Path that we can tread with confidence and conviction with our  kind and compassionate Spiritual Teacher as our Guide. The Buddhas and great masters have tread this Path to ultimate happiness, total liberation from suffering and full Buddhahood. THey are here in the form of our Spiritual Teacher and Guide to show us the way. All we need do is practice sincere and true Guru Devotion, and have full conviction that our Spiritual Teacher is a Buddha. Past Masters. like Milarepa, show us the way and the Path with Guru Devotion as its root.
.   

[WoselTenzin]

In the Dharma, it is especially hard to take the tougher path when we have to face so many obstacles and challenges including a fighting a whole materialistic and selfish modern culture that is evident in today's society. I would love to say I thrive on being challenged and I am a Milarepa or a Naropa wannabe. The truth of the matter, I am naturally inclined towards comfort and the easier way out and the only reason why I am still taking the harder path at crucial moments is because I know better and I do my best not to kid myself that the easier way is the solution to my problems.

Hence, I salute all those brave Dorje Shugden Lamas and practitioners who brave the ban and persecution for the sake of the truth simply because they know the truth and is willing to sacrifice happily for it.

Sometimes it is difficult to know which is the right path especially when we are faced with challenges that convince us that maybe a certain path may not be meant for us. Sometimes it doesn't make sense why we need to take the tougher path when there is no sign of the light at the end of the tunnel.  For myself personally, faith in my teacher is what keeps me going when the going gets tough.  Without it, I think I will find it difficult to see hope in the tougher path. 

[Big Uncle]

In the Dharma, it is especially hard to take the tougher path when we have to face so many obstacles and challenges including a fighting a whole materialistic and selfish modern culture that is evident in today's society. I would love to say I thrive on being challenged and I am a Milarepa or a Naropa wannabe. The truth of the matter, I am naturally inclined towards comfort and the easier way out and the only reason why I am still taking the harder path at crucial moments is because I know better and I do my best not to kid myself that the easier way is the solution to my problems.

Hence, I salute all those brave Dorje Shugden Lamas and practitioners who brave the ban and persecution for the sake of the truth simply because they know the truth and is willing to sacrifice happily for it.

Sometimes it is difficult to know which is the right path especially when we are faced with challenges that convince us that maybe a certain path may not be meant for us. Sometimes it doesn't make sense why we need to take the tougher path when there is no sign of the light at the end of the tunnel.  For myself personally, faith in my teacher is what keeps me going when the going gets tough.  Without it, I think I will find it difficult to see hope in the tougher path. 

Dear WoselTenzin,

The very fact that you are considering the two paths shows that you already intellectually know which is the right path. Deliberation shows that we already have the information we need to decide but we are deliberating because we are emotionally distracted due to a variety of reasons. If we are used to taking the easy way out, taking the right path becomes very, very difficult.

If we are used to thinking of others and working hard, taking the right path is difficult but we have already made up our mind and we will do it for other's sake. However, if we place our efforts on what's difficult, even the difficult can become easy over time. In that way, we can eventually do more and eventually accomplish more in time. To be honest, I feel it ironic for me to say this as I have not completely done what I have said here but talking about it serves as an excellent reminder for me.

[pgdharma]

At the crossroads, which of the following would YOU chose:

1. Continuing along a similar path we were, knowing full well from past, it has not served us well. But it is the path that we know so well and is comfortable with so much so we think merely because of this, it is actually a case of "better the devil you know!"

Knowing  full well it will not serve us well, I would not choose  this path as  it will not bear results.  Even though if it bears results, the results will only be temporal. 

OR

2. We challenge ourselves on a whole new path where everything is new and possibly uncomfortable/difficult even, but yet there is this possibility it may well work because it is a path not yet trodden on? Would we actually bite the bullet and pursue this chance?

This path is difficult but I will not hesitate to choose this path as the result will not be temporal happiness but ultimate happiness. If the similar  and comfortable path does not work for us before, why not change a different path. Though it may  look challenging in the  beginning, through perseverance  and  faith in Dorje Shugden, the challenges will become easier and  easier. This is the path worth taking.

[kris]

It is so easy to fall for option 1 because it is comfortable, and I don't need to do anything. Also, without the correct view, I would never thought about future lives, and therefore, I would want to enjoy as much as possible now.

Option 2 is not easy and a lot of hard work, but the path can be made easier if we are doing it together with our Dharma brothers and sisters.

It is said that when we practice Dharma in our daily lives, Dharma protector will bring forward our bad karma so that we can consume/experience it so that we don't need to experience them in the future. As such, a lot of "difficult situations" may arise. When we have Dharma brothers and sisters, it will help us get through easier.

An analogy is as such: We are have the karma to experience cold (bad karma), then having blanket (Dharma bro/sis) can get us through the cold easier.

[pgdharma]

It is so easy to fall for option 1 because it is comfortable, and I don't need to do anything. Also, without the correct view, I would never thought about future lives, and therefore, I would want to enjoy as much as possible now.

Option 2 is not easy and a lot of hard work, but the path can be made easier if we are doing it together with our Dharma brothers and sisters.

It is said that when we practice Dharma in our daily lives, Dharma protector will bring forward our bad karma so that we can consume/experience it so that we don't need to experience them in the future. As such, a lot of "difficult situations" may arise. When we have Dharma brothers and sisters, it will help us get through easier.

An analogy is as such: We are have the karma to experience cold (bad karma), then having blanket (Dharma bro/sis) can get us through the cold easier.

I agree with your analogy, kris.  It is always good to have moral support from dharma brothers and sisters as the difficult situations will something pull us down or make us want to give up.

[Klein]

At the crossroads, which of the following would YOU chose:

1. Continuing along a similar path we were, knowing full well from past, it has not served us well. But it is the path that we know so well and is comfortable with so much so we think merely because of this, it is actually a case of "better the devil you know!"

OR

2. We challenge ourselves on a whole new path where everything is new and possibly uncomfortable/difficult even, but yet there is this possibility it may well work because it is a path not yet trodden on? Would we actually bite the bullet and pursue this chance?

Since my old path has not served me, I would take a whole new path and another one and another one until I get the results that I want. Because the focus is on the results, how difficult or uncomfortable the path may be would be secondary.

[Barzin]

Actually it sounds like something very simple but many of us fell for the trick again or again, why?  simply because we always think that we can make the situation better by having second attempt.  We all like to "try our best", but what is really our best anyway?  So we will return back to the situation again and again wanting to win, wanting a conclusion that favours our perception.  So we go round and round.

If we choose another path, we get insecure, not knowing, no confident because it completely goes beyond our usual comfort zone.  Things might not turn out like what we expected, then we begin to blame, complain, get depressed, we hate...  That is actually how we holding wrong views and go round and round in samsara. Because of wrong views.

It is vital for us to learn up dharma, so we at least know how to handle situation better and make a better choice in life.  May many meet the dharma!

[hope rainbow]

Actually it sounds like something very simple but many of us fell for the trick again or again, why?  simply because we always think that we can make the situation better by having second attempt.  We all like to "try our best", but what is really our best anyway?  So we will return back to the situation again and again wanting to win, wanting a conclusion that favours our perception.  So we go round and round.

If we choose another path, we get insecure, not knowing, no confident because it completely goes beyond our usual comfort zone.  Things might not turn out like what we expected, then we begin to blame, complain, get depressed, we hate...  That is actually how we holding wrong views and go round and round in samsara. Because of wrong views.

It is vital for us to learn up dharma, so we at least know how to handle situation better and make a better choice in life.  May many meet the dharma!

Dear Barzin, I so agree with your post. It reflects my personal journey.
And you know, sometimes we don't want to jump in the deep side of the pool for so many reasons, and maybe we don't jump but when catastrophe strikes and it is time to swim -and we can't, we would only have regret for not having trained at it and we drown... with regrets.

[diamond girl]

At the crossroads, which of the following would YOU chose:

1. Continuing along a similar path we were, knowing full well from past, it has not served us well. But it is the path that we know so well and is comfortable with so much so we think merely because of this, it is actually a case of "better the devil you know!"

in general, ppl do not go along a similar path which they know have not served them. I do believe ppl make changes and look to others for a different path...but the problem lies in the fact that all the paths in samsara, be it similar or different all leads to the same cycle. We then spend our whole lives making adjustments based on ignorance.

OR

2. We challenge ourselves on a whole new path where everything is new and possibly uncomfortable/difficult even, but yet there is this possibility it may well work because it is a path not yet trodden on? Would we actually bite the bullet and pursue this chance?

I wouldn't take on a path if it has not been trodden and I'd say i'm not bright enough to make one up. Thus, it is important to know whoelse have been on this path and where it has led them. I'd look around my circle of friends to see what qualities they have which i like and find out from them how they have developed it. perhaps there is something in that path for me too.

Positive Change,
DSFriend's reply puts well what I wanted to say. Thank you DSFriend.

Actually, with no disrespect, it is common sense not to go down the same path which you know does not serve you. If you want new results/changes in life, why go down the same old path? Plus, what have you to lose trying a new path? It is always hard when starting something new, in sports, diet, relationships, jobs, etc. Think of the bigger objective, what is it you want? And if what you want is important, but not simple, why not give it your best shot?

We only live once, try something different...more, better, different. In dharma, by taking it on even when in doubt, we can create positive change...and even a better next life.

[kurava]

At the crossroads, which of the following would YOU chose:

1. Continuing along a similar path we were, knowing full well from past, it has not served us well. But it is the path that we know so well and is comfortable with so much so we think merely because of this, it is actually a case of "better the devil you know!"

OR

2. We challenge ourselves on a whole new path where everything is new and possibly uncomfortable/difficult even, but yet there is this possibility it may well work because it is a path not yet trodden on? Would we actually bite the bullet and pursue this chance?

I will not choose Option 1 because it will only result in perpetuating the cyclic rebirth.

I will not choose Option 2 because it is a "path not yet trodden on".

I would bite the bullet for a path that has been proven to work with someone that had done it to guide me along. Yes, you guess it - Buddha's way is the way