are you stuck in the past memories and regretting about what you have done in the past well today we are going to talk about how to deal with miserable and painful past memories n buddhaya welcome to yet another episode in inner guide Q&A program today we are going to talk about how to deal with past memories they are the memories that holding us back and destroying our present moment and our future so how can we deal with these past memories first of all I will tell you a nice story in the Buddhist time there was
a murderer now he wasn't just a murderer he was a serial killer he he killed thousands and thousands of people and do you know what he did to those dead people he cut a finger from each one of them and he he made a Garland out of that fingers and he put and he wore that Garland around his neck so his name was angulimala the person who wears the Garland of fingers with the help of the great Supreme Buddha he became an innocent person again before becoming a serial killer he was just an innocent boy
but with the bad companionship he was he became a serial killer so with the Buddha's help he became an innocent person again and he became a monk after that he realized the teachings of the Buddha and he became enlightened the reason for his Enlightenment was he did not let his past to Define who he is right he did not regret about what he has done in the past instead he focused on the present moment the Buddha advised angulimala after becoming a monk think of yourself as a newly born person a new person and do not
let your past to Define who you are so he did meditations and he practiced the path of the Buddha and he became enlightened so that was the little story so what do we can take from this little story if you're holding onto the past and if you're letting your past to Define who you are right you will never be the person that who you want to be so remember mistakes Can Happen by anyone we make mistakes that is why we are known as humans okay so mistakes can happen even the good people make mistakes that
doesn't mean that they need to suffer and they need to uh regret about the things for the whole life right we make mistakes and what we have to do we have to focus on the present moment think of yourself now I have done a mistake in the past but now what should I do to become a good person when you think of that you're focusing on the present moment that is what you have to do every time you're regretting about the past Memories the things that has happened in the past you are touching the wound
of yourself you know the miserable moments that has happened in the past is like a wound it takes times to heal so if you keep on touching into that wound it will never be healed so what do you have to do should you forget the past of course not you should not forget the past and you cannot forget the past remember the more you try to forget the past the more it will haunt your memories again and again so what you have to do you have to let your miserable and painful past memories to just
fade away from your life right so to do that you should not give much attention to the Past miserable painful memories right when we are not giving any attention to something chances are very high for it to fade away from our memories so what you have to do just do not give any attention to those past memories okay and that is why our great teacher Supreme Buddha taught us [Music] in do not dwell on the past do not Dre dream too much on the [Music] future the past has gone now it is over and the
future hasn't yet come and Buddha said you have to focus on the present moment and do what is right right here right now so do not let the past to Define who you are and focus on the present moment and think what can I do to become a better person now admit your faults learn from your past do not make it a wound and a painful situation just learn from it right and then you can think what should I do to become a pres a better a person right here right now right when you do
the good things and when you do the right thing in the present moment your past will be a good one and your future will be also a good one so what you have to do you only own this present moment always keep it in your mind right the moment that you only own is this moment right in the past what has happened in the past you cannot control it what is going to happen in the future you have no control about that what you have in your hand is this present moment so focus on the
present moment do the good things be a good person and your future will be a better one your past will be a better one also so practice the Buddhist teachings and stay in the present moment Nam [Music]
