It is just another action. Like eating, walking, sitting, or sleeping, whether the action is negative or positive depends on the motivation. When you are making a life decision, it is much clearer if you analyze on the basis of the goal of benefiting others. Then, if it is beneficial, you do it. If it’s not beneficial, then don’t. If you don’t have a clear goal for the action, then it is very confusing trying to decide.

Generally, there are only two goals to consider when making a decision: either it is for one’s own happiness or for the happiness of others.

Why do we have to think of benefiting others? Because the purpose of our life is to be useful to others, to free all other beings from all suffering. Therefore, the decision has to be made on that basis.

Other beings are so kind. Even to produce one grain of rice in Asia, people have to plant seedlings in a field, then move them to another field to grow. They have to water the plants. There’s so much work involved in growing rice. When the land is being fertilized, so many ants and other beings are killed. So much negative karma is created just to produce rice. This has continued since the moment the seedling came to be. Since so many sentient beings suffered just for one grain of rice, there is no way you can eat a grain of rice thinking only of your own happiness. So many sentient beings suffered to make an entire plate of rice. There are also many sentient beings living in the vegetables and the water. So many sentient beings suffer so we can enjoy our meal.

Each day, each hour, it is only through the kindness of others that we survive. So many sentient beings suffer so much and work so hard in the hot sun just to lay the foundations of our house. Even our clothing comes from another body, such as silk or wool. So many beings suffer to produce them. So, we must do something for others. We can’t just abandon them.