Part 6 - If the inhabitants of this earth practice, there will be great benefit

Karma-collecting beings who have been born as inhabitants of this earth, Jambuling, have established a portion of goodness. But if, having become human beings, they do not train in that goodness, here is what is said:

There is no one who has a mind that is more foolish
Than those becoming human who do not live in goodness.
Like coming back empty-handed from a land of jewels,
They fruitlessly waste the freedom and favor of their lives.
So let us always practice the Dharma which leads to peace.

Though we may have attained these freedoms, if we do not practice the holy Dharma, then even though we have come to an land of precious jewels, we take none of them. Returning empty-handed, we are fools. The Bodhicharyavatara says:

If, even having attained the leisure of these freedoms,
I do not train in what is wholesome and what is good,
There is no seduction that is greater than this.
There can be no greater fool than such a one.

After doing some insignificant bit of good, we shall not have complete attainment. But by exerting ourselves in the true goodness of Dharma alone, there will be the attainment of an abundance of many good qualities. The Precious Garland (Ratnaavali, rin chen phreng ba) says:

Thus it is that if we always practice the Dharma,
We shall be the masters of all within the world.
Whoever changes what is noxious into goodness,
In a little while, will surely reach the peak.

Because the good of Dharma will wake us from our sleep,
When we awake to goodness, we shall be purified.
Because our inner nature is one that has no faults,
Even in dreams, we shall see what is virtuous and wholesome.

If we have respectful devotion to our parents,
Attending on the principal persons of our family,
Committing ourselves with patience to virtuous behavior,
Speaking soft words of truth without any calumny,

By such discipline over a single lifetime,
The powers of a god have actually been attained.
Once again at this time, we shall produce those powers.
We gradually will establish the state of buddhahood.

After that:

Therefore regarding such karma and fruition,
In order that you may act in accord with what you know,
Always act performing benefits for beings.
Those very beings will be of benefit to you.

While we do so, there will be the wholesome merits of Dharma for oneself and others.