What an enemy may do to an enemy,
or a hater to a hater,
a misdirected mind can do to oneself—even worse.
What a mother, a father,
or other relatives cannot do,
a well-directed mind can do for oneself—even better.
(Dhammapada)
The world is full of kindness and peace, but it is also filled with harmful intentions. Countless emotions arise continuously, constantly affecting one another. However, whether we show kindness to others or direct anger toward them, the person most affected by that emotion is no one other than ourselves. Hatred, resentment, and anger always pass through us before reaching anyone else, hurting our own hearts far more deeply than they could ever hurt others. We can never be certain if those feelings will even reach the other person, but they are guaranteed to affect us. In the same way, kindness and love heal us with their warmth far more deeply than they reach anyone else.
Here, however, I would like to take this thought one step further. What did the Buddha really mean by a “misdirected mind” and a “well-directed mind”? These concepts are likely not just about good or evil toward others. They refer to the state of our own minds toward ourselves. In other words, a “misdirected mind” is one bound by attachment and driven by desire, while a “well-directed mind” is one free from attachment and unswayed by desire.
The world around us is in constant turmoil. If we drop our guard, we can easily get swept up in the emotions of those around us and pulled in the wrong direction. That is why we must carefully observe our own minds, calm our inner turmoil, and keep our minds steady and upright. I believe this is how we protect and save ourselves—and, in turn, how we bring a little more peace to the world around us.