Harmoniously Without Disputes

Monks, wherever Monks are residing in calmness, harmoniously, without disputes, blending like milk and water, viewing each other with eyes of affection, I am at ease about going there, let alone about directing my attention there. I conclude: Surely, those Venerable Ones have abandoned three things and cultivated three (other) things.

What are the three things they have abandoned?

(1) Sensual thoughts,

(2) thoughts of ill will,

(3) thoughts of harming.

These are the three things they have abandoned.

What are the three things they have cultivated?

(1) Thoughts of renunciation (letting go),

(2) thoughts of good will,

(3) thoughts of harmlessness.

These are the three things they have cultivated.

Wherever Monks are residing in calmness, harmoniously, without disputes, blending like milk and water, viewing each other with eyes of affection, I am at ease about going there, let alone about directing my attention there. I conclude: Surely, those Venerable Ones have abandoned these three things and cultivated these three (other) things.

(Reference: AN 3.124)

In this Teaching from Gotama Buddha, he shares insight into what creates harmony among a population of people.

Through the abandoning of sensual thoughts (i.e. sensual desire), thoughts of ill will, and thoughts of harming, a population of people will be able to reside without disputes and in harmony. People will be interested in visiting and residing among a population of people who are without disputes living in harmony.

Through cultivating and practicing Right Intention from The Eight Fold Path, one is practicing renunciation (letting go), good will, and harmlessness.

For a population of people who are practicing Right Intention, The Buddha explains that they are without disputes, living harmoniously, much like that of milk and water.

Rather than humans viewing each other as having ill intentions with resentment, jealousy, harshness and judgment, a population of people can “view each other with eyes of affection”, thus, creating a peaceful and harmonious community in which to exist.

It is through viewing others with negative perceptions that the mind attributes negative unwholesome qualities to others finding it difficult and a struggle to exist peacefully with all beings.

Instead, The Buddha provides guidance that one should eliminate the constant seeking of pleasure through “sensual thoughts” or having “sensual desires”. Through elimination of the unEnlightened mind’s tendency to chase after pleasant feelings training the mind to let go of chasing pleasant feelings, one can then apply effort to reside with others peacefully.

Through the elimination of ill will practicing good will or loving-kindness, a Practitioner can have a genuine interest in seeing all beings be well. Through elimination of the unEnlightened mind’s tendency to have anger, hatred, and ill will, one can then apply effort to reside with others peacefully.

Through the elimination of thoughts of harming practicing harmlessness, a Practitioner can look for ways to motivate, encourage, and support others in their daily activities. Through elimination of the unEnlightened mind’s tendency to have an interest in seeing harm come to others, one can then apply effort to reside with others peacefully.

A Practitioner needs to develop Right Intention as part of The Eight Fold Path and practice this daily through their own inner dialogue and interactions with others. Training the mind to “let go” of sensual thoughts, ill will, and harming, a Practitioner will find harmony without arguments with others.

This work needs to be applied within one’s own mind and then practiced within their household and professional environment. Through training your own mind to function in this way, you can then practice Right Intentions within all relationships and all interactions on a daily basis. Each individual doing this work for themselves will benefit their personal and professional relationships resulting in increased amounts of peacefulness and harmony throughout the world.

Detailed explanation of The Eight Fold Path is available in this same book series found in Chapter 5 of the book “Developing a Life Practice: The Path That Leads to Enlightenment” (Volume 1).