run rampant, causing a never-ending cycle of destruction.“With his acute wisdom, the Lord Buddha realized the indis-
putable harm caused by anger. He saw the value of loving
kindness as a gentle force that can spontaneously join all
living beings in a sense of mutual harmony and goodwill,
for all share a common desire for happiness and a common
dislike of pain. For this reason, he taught that love and
kindness were powerful means of maintaining peace and
security in the world. So long as living beings still have
loving kindness in their hearts, there’s every chance that
their desire for happiness will be fulfilled. But should their
hearts become estranged from thoughts of loving kindness,
then even with all the material comforts, their lives will still
be devoid of genuine peace and happiness. Angry, hateful
people tend to encounter only trouble, feeling resentful and
annoyed wherever they go.“Once we know with certainty that Dhamma is something
truly beneficial to us, we can clearly see that a heart full of
brutality is like a blazing fire gradually destroying every-
thing in its path. We must then urgently strive to overcome
these dangers as best we can. You may never again get such
a good opportunity; so, take advantage of it now and avoid
regrets in the future. The world is in a constant state of
change and that changing world is situated right here in
the bodies and minds of us all.”Such was the essence of the ‘victory formula’ that Ãcariya Mun