In the past week, there has been a lot of gossip that seems to have led to a variety of negative consequences within our community. Gossip, being a negative karmic action is very harmful to a community, the exorcism of gossip allows for a harmonious, generous, truthful community. Gossip has even been attributed to demonic forces that are extremely unwanted within a community.
Looking back, it would have been a good idea to get the rare protective amulet that was being sold before the hail storm. It was very devastating for almost all of the community members because I have heard that the majority did not buy the amulets needed. Loosing food, building and other resources means the lack of ability to help rebuild the village after the destruction caused. The anitya of our existence is very evident in this incident. It really shows you the impermanence that exists and the constant suffering of our world. There will be many repercussions of the hail storm that will lead to more duhkha.
After the storm, we found out that it had wrecked the bridge that leads into our village. The bridge is very important to our community. We need it in order for trading to continue in our village. I do not know a lot about trading as I am not skilled in it, but without a path into the village we cannot bring in fabrics for clothing or other materials essential to our village. As well the bridge is necessary for being able to access the next village to help them with the sickness that is in their community. It is important that many of us donate our gold in order to help repair this bridge. Following our doctrine, our actions have karmic effects, and this karma determines the way we exist in samsara. Generosity is very important as a positive karmic action. So we must have generosity when it comes to helping the traders and other community members that need the bridge. I have been wondering if the collapse of the bridge was due to the communities past negative karmic actions. In order to elevate our karmic potential we should really consider helping. Also, this will help those who are sick in the next village because I, along with other healers and ritualists, will be able to help them. Since I have no building resources, I have decided to donate 10 gold to the bridge repairs. I hope that many others do so as well. The builders of the community need to work together to gather up enough resources to fix it so that we are able to help others and our community will not fail due to the collapse of trading.
I heard of the naga illnesses when I was a little girl. My father had warned me about the spirits that reside in different places in the village that may cause sickness if disturbed. He told me they are harmful. The naga spirits are serpent spirits that should not be disturbed, there was a story of two men that went to bathe in water inhabited by naga spirits, and it is said by ritualists and doctors that they cause skin illnesses. When I heard that the next village had the illness I knew that we needed to help. A medicine is necessary to help these people in treating this sickness; the medicine will be helpful along with a ritual treatment. I and other doctors can supply some resources that will aid in this sickness and then the ritualists will be able to make the medicine more effective. This is why both doctors and ritualists need to make the journey to the next village. Perhaps in donating resources to these people and helping them, these people will have more positive karma due to their generosity. Adopting the right view and protecting the lives of those who need help will help their karmic potential.
