Over 12 million people have watched the video 'People power frees man trapped by Perth Train' by ABC News (Australia) on YouTube.
I first saw it on TV. It was inspiring how people automatically joined in to push the train in order to free the man. The whole scene was peaceful, and not a bit chaotic. After they helped freeing the man, people simply got on the train and moved on with their lives. It was a compelling display of people power and the innate good in man.
I read an interesting story on the Chinese newspaper about Confucius. I forgot the details of the story. Anyway, a man did a good deed or something heroic. The official wanted to give him a big reward. The man said he had simply followed his heart to do what he felt was right. He refused to accept the reward. When Confucius heard about the incident, he said, "He should have accepted the reward. In doing so, the story will spread, and more people will follow his example to do good according to their hearts." (In ancient times, stories spread by word of mouth.) Some time later, a man did something good. He proudly accepted a reward and saw himself as a hero. When Confucius heard about that, he said, "Oh, this is not good. Now people will help others or do good expecting recognition and rewards."
In a social experiment TV show, a woman played the role of a gambling addict who publicly grabbed coins from a fountain outside of a casino. She then asked people to give her money so that she could go into the casino and gamble again. Many people told her that it was wrong to steal from the fountain, and that she had a serious gambling problem. In another scene, the woman asked people to help her grab more coins from the fountain. A few people actually did as she asked. Some of us went beyond our common sense trying to be nice, and thought being nice was the same as loving unconditionally. However, it was not. A man walked by. The woman asked him for money for gambling. He gave her $50. The TV host came out and asked him why. The man said, "Isn't it always good to do a good deed."
Some people tried to do good because they wanted good to return to them. It was the Law of Cause and Effect, they thought. Since money was a tool, they gave freely to those who asked thinking they were doing good deeds. However, it was not necessary the case. For instance, a young man who was obviously an alcoholic asked for money in the street. A few people gave him money. He went into a bar for more drinks. He drove off intoxicated. His car hit a tree killing himself and a man who was taking a walk. In the Law of Cause and Effect, those who gave him money and the bartender were in part responsible for the accident.
In a story, an abbot intuitively foresaw his young student was about to die in a couple of weeks. Without saying anything, he asked the young monk to go home and visit his mother (for the last time). After a couple of weeks, the student returned safely looking more vibrant than ever. The abbot inquired if something special had happened during his trip. The student said it was a smooth trip, and nothing out of the ordinary had happened. The abbot asked him to think again. After a long while, the student recalled a minor incident on his way home. He saw some ants on the riverbank struggling to survive because of the rising water. He scooped the ants onto some leaves to save them from drowning.
What is a good deed?
Perhaps we should examine our way of thinking when we did something because we thought it was a good deed. When the young monk scooped the ants onto the leaves, he never thought of karma or receiving good in return. I recalled I read somewhere that 'true heroes never set out to be heroes; they just rose on the occasions and did what they felt they should do'.
During the Perth train incident, I believed people who helped simply allowed themselves be. On that day, people moved a train to free a fellow human being.
Be the light, love, and peace that we are. Imagine what will be if more and more of us seeing each other as one!
Peace,
Q of D
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