What does Buddhism say if you have done something bad in the past?

What does Buddhism say if you have done something bad in the past? Good question! Let’s ask and find out!

Seeker: Hi, Buddhism?
Buddhism: Yes?
Seeker: I have a question for you.
Buddhism: I see.
Seeker: I did something bad in the past.
Buddhism: I see.
Seeker: I … I punched a bunny.
Buddhism: I see.
Seeker: Well?
Buddhism: Is there a question in there somewhere?
Seeker: Um… what do you have to say about that?
Buddhism: You say you punched a bunny in the past?
Seeker: Yes.
Buddhism: What do you mean by “past”?
Seeker: What?
Buddhism: I don’t understand this whole “past” concept. What does it mean?
Seeker: Well, I’m not punching bunnies right now. But I did before.
Buddhism: Still not getting it. Can you show me?
Seeker: No, that’s what “past” means, that it doesn’t currently exist.
Buddhism: So you’re asking me to comment on something that doesn’t exist? Sorry, I only discuss things that are real. Talking about the imaginary isn’t very interesting.
Seeker: So I’m OK?
Buddhism: I didn’t say that. You’re filled with suffering.
Seeker: What does that mean? I’m feeling pretty good at the moment.
Buddhism: Uh huh.  Remember last week when you learned you weren’t going to get that promotion because somebody had been badmouthing you to your boss?  How did you feel then?
Seeker: Wait a minute.  How did you know about that?
Buddhism: Never mind that, it’s my job to know.  How did you feel then?
Seeker: Well, pretty crappy to be honest.  I was heartbroken because I really wanted that job, and I was furious with that person for talking about me behind my back and furious with my boss for believing it.  I nearly quit my job, which would have been a disaster had I followed through.
Buddhism: And that’s what you call “pretty good,” is it?  You can’t judge your current state of mind by what you feel at this moment.  Take your highest highs and your lowest lows, and that’s existence as you know it.  You can’t avoid the lows in your current state of mind – they’re a part of who you are.  And what you fail to take into account is what you call “happy”, I call a severe hangover.  There is happiness and ecstasy beyond your ability to comprehend.
Seeker: OK, you’ve sold me.  I’d appreciate being in a higher state of mind.  How do I do that?
Buddhism: In order to understand that, you need to understand why you’re in your current state of mind.
Seeker: Fine.  Why is it that I’m in my current state of mind?
Buddhism: Because you’re a bunny puncher.
Seeker: Huh? I thought you just said that the past doesn’t exist. Why am I affected by something that doesn’t exist?
Buddhism: You’re not. I’m saying that you, right now, are a bunny puncher. Your mind is filled with thoughts and intentions that make you want to punch bunnies.
Seeker: So if I stop punching bunnies, then I’ll be happier?
Buddhism: Not at all. Punching bunnies has nothing to do with this.
Seeker: But you just said I’m unhappy because I’m a bunny puncher.
Buddhism: That’s right.
Seeker: What’s the difference?
Buddhism: Punching bunnies is what you do. Being a bunny puncher is who you are. Just because there are no bunnies nearby for you to punch, that doesn’t mean you’re not a bunny puncher. That just means you don’t have the opportunity to express your innate tendencies.
Seeker: So if I’m a bunny puncher, what can I do? How can a bunny puncher become truly happy?
Buddhism: He can’t. As a bunny puncher, you’re stuck in a limited and somewhat painful state of mind forever.
Seeker: That sounds depressing.
Buddhism: Tell me about it.
Seeker: So there’s really nothing I can do?
Buddhism: I didn’t say that.
Seeker: Huh? You just said that a bunny puncher can never be happy.
Buddhism: That’s right.
Seeker: So what do I do?
Buddhism: Stop being a bunny puncher.
Seeker: But you said that it wouldn’t help to stop punching bunnies.
Buddhism: That’s right.
Seeker: Did you know that you’re completely infuriating?
Buddhism: Yes.
Seeker: So what do I do?
Buddhism: You have to change the essence of who you are. You have to completely dissolve your personality, and become somebody completely different. Preferably somebody who is not a bunny puncher.
Seeker: How do I do that?
Buddhism: Meditation. You need to still your thoughts and become absolutely quiet. This will probably take a lot of time and practice. In the beginning, you’ll just become a little more aware of your thoughts, and they’ll slow down just a little. Even this will make you feel a little better. It will be a little easier to make small shifts in your life. But eventually, if you can make your mind completely still and quiet, you can completely go away, and become somebody new.
Seeker: That sounds like a lot of work. But still, if I do all that, then I’ll be completely happy?
Buddhism: Wow, you’re impatient. No, you’ll be a new person who still has a lot of problems. But if you do this right, it will be a much happier person than you are today.
Seeker: Well, that’s a start, I guess. You said “if I do this right”. How can I help ensure I do this right?
Buddhism: Oh, look over there! I see a bunny! He looks hurt. Maybe you should care for him.
Seeker: Is this punishment because I punched him?
Buddhism: No, it’s because he’s in pain and needs help.
Seeker: So why should I be the one to help him?
Buddhism: Because you’re in pain, and need help. You don’t need to be “punished”. But you do need to reinforce behaviors that are not bunny punching. That will help make sure that when you dissolve your personality, the new person won’t just be another bunny puncher. It seems to me that you and that bunny both need each other right now.
Seeker: Why didn’t you just say “Meditate and help bunnies” in the first place?
Buddhism: I answered the questions you asked. If you want better answers, ask better questions. If I try answering questions you don’t ask, those answers will sail right over your head. If I answer the silly questions you do ask, it will come out as nonsense, but will hopefully lead you in the right direction eventually.
Seeker: I think you just like being snarky and giving me a hard time.
Buddhism: That too. Just because I’m completely dedicated to helping all sentient beings, it doesn’t mean I can’t have fun with the process.

Making Friends with the End of the World

The end of the world has a long and fascinating history.  It has been predicted countless times throughout the centuries by all sorts of religions and philosophies.  My personal favorite was when Harold Camping made a widely publicized prediction for the end of the world on May 21, 2011.  Many of his followers divested themselves of their assets in preparation for this event, and were understandably disappointed when utter calamity and destruction did not ensue.

Suffice it to say that while predicting the end of the world may be a lucrative trade, winning any bets being right about it is a far dicier proposition.  (Even if not for the consistent failure of people to win in this scenario - how would you collect?)  So all in all, it's safe to say that I'm not really an "end of the world" kind of guy.

But if I were that kind of guy, 2020 would certainly seem to qualify as having the right omens and portents for signaling the end of the world.  Seriously, a global pandemic that's killed 1.3 million people so far? That's more than Moses was supposed to have lead out of Egypt. Or if you prefer, let's look at a poisonous political atmosphere in which rule of civility and precedence have gone right out the window, in which each side is thoroughly convinced that the other is attempting to destroy the nation in one way or another.

Hindus and Buddhists have a name for this time period: the Kali Yuga, which is a time of strife and discord, in which engaging is spiritual practice is extremely difficult.  Some say it began thousands of years ago, but there's definitely an argument that it's picking up speed.  How on earth is one supposed to to embrace universal compassion when the universe is filled with people who have professed their hatred for you and is irrevocably convinced that you hate them?

How indeed.

“I never said it would be easy, I only said it would be worth it.” - Mae West

A wise man once explained to me the secret of doing anything that's really difficult: make friends with it.  Don't do something in spite of the difficulty.  Do it because of it.  The difficulty is what makes it fun.  If you need a frame of reference, imaging being forced to play a video game over and over on the easiest setting.  It would rapidly get exceedingly tedious.  It gets fun when you keep ramping up the difficulty level so that you always have to work at it.  Why should life or one's spiritual practice be any different?

So stop getting frustrated at how ugly the political situation is, or how hard it is to meditate, or your complete inability to get through the day without being stressed at work.  Lean in.  Embrace the challenge, and don't worry about whether you succeed or fail.  It doesn't matter how many push-ups you do.  What matters is you push yourself as hard as you can.

The effort is enough.