The Dharma is Understanding Mara Activity (Evil)

“Better the devil you know than the devil you don’t.”

Conventional suggests that “Better the devil you know” is something we can put up with it. That is not the meaning here. “Better the devil you know” means that we are prepared.)

If we cannot recognise Mara activity – “Trust me” – we are just a rudderless ship of fools. Mara lies in ambush at every moment when we are absent-minded or distracted. It is active when we cling to ideas and the senses for satisfaction.

When people profess to be ‘good’ and say that we should trust them, this is Mara activity. Good people have theoretical compassion for those afar, but never have time or the ability to connect with whatever’s in front of them. On the other hand, Mara does, by making us competitive.

Mara exaggerates everything. We encounter this every day, and we join in, becoming captivated. Evil can be trusted as it cannot stop itself, and it’s therefore predictable. It’s more difficult to trust ‘good’ people as they put on an act until they are enlightened.

“Better the devil you know than the devil you don’t.”
😀

We can have empathy for those who suffer,
and compassion for those who are ‘happy’.
🙂