It is a great credit to the youth of BCA, and our delegation from Hawaii that we are interested enough in broadening our horizons to participate in, and to think about Buddhism. It is a credit to our youth for taking the initiative to challenge ourselves into exploring what Buddhism has to offer. I can only hope that the youth are not discouraged and that with the piece by piece knowledge we gain each day that we come one step closer to being fully aware. Often we say that he or she died of cancer, heart attack, stroke, or other illness. However, the buddhardharma teaches that the real cause of death is birth itself.
Illness is only a condition.
From these words of wisdom, we must realize that what is important is how to live one's life between birth and death. When a candle is manufactured, it can be said that the candle was born. But until it is brought out from storage and used, it is packed in the box and stored somewhere-it is not living. Only when it is placed in the candle holder and a flame is lit, can we say that the candle has started to live as a candle should. Each of us is born as a human being in this world.