Our world today consists of many countries; each country consists of many families; and each family consists of many individuals. Therefore every individual and all of humanity are intimately connected. If people had minds that were pure rather than tainted, this world would definitely be a peaceful one. Conversely, if people had minds that were tainted, the world would also degenerate. Everyone understands this idea, but cannot put it to practice. It is really sad to do it on purpose when we know the consequences.

Goodness begins with the mind. Degeneration also begins with the mind. The world has now reached a point where it cannot ensure of its survival at the end of the day! This is because the earth is about to explode; it has become an extremely dangerous place. Why would the earth explode? It is because of the pressure from a buildup of violence related to the three poisons: greed, hatred and delusion. If earth were to destruct, obviously the human race would not exist either. If people continue to deny this reality and spend all their time drunk and dreaming, letting time slip through their fingers and never realizing the tremendous dangers here, they will only focus on the problems before them rather than those in the future. The human race will have more and more to worry about: no food, no clothes, no housing, and no energy. We may think these are serious problems, but these are minor problems that will resolve on their own. The biggest issue is birth and death. We exist at this moment, but do not in another. The pain of separation at birth and death arrives in a matter of an instant, but people are actually calm over this grim issue. It is as if they are dreaming. How does birth occur? How does death occur? They have no idea at all. And so what if they understand? The only solution is to change our unwholesomeness to wholesomeness. Change ourselves so that we are not selfish or self-interested. Be compassionate, do everything for all beings. Emulate the Bodhisattvas.

Every individual's thoughts determine his or her behavior, which leads to becoming born in one of the ten dharma realms. By the power of one thought of goodness, one can become born in the heavens; by the power of one thought of evil, one can fall into the hells. As it is said, "In one thought of enlightenment, one is a Buddha; in one thought of confusion, one is an average being." Simply put, one thought of helping others makes one a Bodhisattva; one thought of helping oneself makes one an average person; one thought of reflection and searching within makes one an arhat or pratyakabuddha. You choose. Coming together with dust and turning away from enlightenment makes one an ordinary person; coming together with enlightenment and turning away from dust makes one a sage. The choice is as easy as the turning of your palm.

Whether the world is good or bad depends on one thought. When people's minds are wholesome, the world lives on forever; when people's minds are evil, the world will destruct. This is inevitable. Buddhism encourages people to be good, understand cause and effect, develop more merit and virtue, which is to avoid contention, greed, seeking, selfishness, self-interest, and lies. In this way, the world will naturally change from one of danger to one of safety. "Everything is made from the mind alone." The mind can create the world, so it can destroy it too. The mind can create heaven, so it can create hell too.

Families are made by people and people are made by false thoughts. If we can change evil false thinking into wholesome false thinking, then we are good people; if we turn wholesome false thinking into evil false thinking, then we are bad people. This is the key difference between good people and bad people. Cultivators diligently cultivate precept, samadhi and wisdom, quell greed, hatred, and delusion. These are the basic requisites. People studying the Buddhadharma ought to first avoid every evil then do all good. These are the basic requisites too. If everyone can carry this out, the world will improve and there will be more auspiciousness.