Human beings have invented machines like car, computer, aeroplane and so much more. They all function in a defined way and fulfil the needs of man. In the same way, life manifested itself in so many forms on this beautiful earth, and one among them is the human being. The machines created by man are to fulfil his own needs and for his comfort, but the manifestation of life which involves you and I, has been done with great care, affection, love and without any self-interest.
Thursday, July 12, 2018
Tuesday, July 10, 2018
which one do you feed?
An old Cherokee is teaching his grandson about life. “A fight is going on inside me,” he said to the boy.
“It is a terrible fight and it is between two wolves. One is evil – he is anger, envy, sorrow, regret, greed, arrogance, self-pity, guilt, resentment, inferiority, lies, false pride, superiority, and ego.” He continued, “The other is good – he is joy, peace, love, hope, serenity, humility, kindness, benevolence, empathy, generosity, truth, compassion, and faith. The same fight is going on inside you – and inside every other person, too.”
The grandson thought about it for a minute and then asked his grandfather, “Which wolf will win?”
The old Cherokee simply replied, “The one you feed.”
“It is a terrible fight and it is between two wolves. One is evil – he is anger, envy, sorrow, regret, greed, arrogance, self-pity, guilt, resentment, inferiority, lies, false pride, superiority, and ego.” He continued, “The other is good – he is joy, peace, love, hope, serenity, humility, kindness, benevolence, empathy, generosity, truth, compassion, and faith. The same fight is going on inside you – and inside every other person, too.”
The grandson thought about it for a minute and then asked his grandfather, “Which wolf will win?”
The old Cherokee simply replied, “The one you feed.”
Friday, July 6, 2018
Devil and His Friend
You may remember the story of how the devil and a friend of
his, were walking down the street. Right head, they saw a man
stooping down to pick up something from the ground, look at
it, and put it away in his pocket. The friend said to the devil,
“What did that man pick up?”
“He picked up a piece of the truth,” said the devil.
“That is a very bad business for you, then,” said his friend.
“Oh, not at all,” the devil replied, “I am going to help
him organize it.”
Most or all of our inward chattering is about organizing what is.
his, were walking down the street. Right head, they saw a man
stooping down to pick up something from the ground, look at
it, and put it away in his pocket. The friend said to the devil,
“What did that man pick up?”
“He picked up a piece of the truth,” said the devil.
“That is a very bad business for you, then,” said his friend.
“Oh, not at all,” the devil replied, “I am going to help
him organize it.”
Most or all of our inward chattering is about organizing what is.
Thursday, July 5, 2018
Kisa Gotami
Kisa Gotami was the wife of a wealthy man of Savatthi. She
had only one child. When her son was old enough to start
running about, he caught a disease and died. Kisa Gotami
was greatly saddened. Unable to accept that her son was dead
and could not be brought back to life again, she took him in
her arms and went about asking for medicine to cure him.
Everyone she encountered thought that she had lost her mind.
Finally, an old man told her that if there was anyone who could
help her, it would be the Buddha.
In her distress, Kisa Gotami brought the body of her son
to the Buddha and asked him for a medicine that would bring
back his life. The Buddha answered, “I shall cure him if you
can bring me some white mustard seeds from a house where no
one has died.” Carrying her dead son, she went from door to
door, asking at each house. At each house the reply was always
that someone had died there. At last the truth struck her, “No
house is free from death.” She laid the body of her child in the
woods and returned to the Buddha, who comforted her and
preached to her the truth. She was awakened and entered the
first stage of arhatship (attainment of religious goals according
to Buddhism and Jainism). Eventually, she became an arhat.
had only one child. When her son was old enough to start
running about, he caught a disease and died. Kisa Gotami
was greatly saddened. Unable to accept that her son was dead
and could not be brought back to life again, she took him in
her arms and went about asking for medicine to cure him.
Everyone she encountered thought that she had lost her mind.
Finally, an old man told her that if there was anyone who could
help her, it would be the Buddha.
In her distress, Kisa Gotami brought the body of her son
to the Buddha and asked him for a medicine that would bring
back his life. The Buddha answered, “I shall cure him if you
can bring me some white mustard seeds from a house where no
one has died.” Carrying her dead son, she went from door to
door, asking at each house. At each house the reply was always
that someone had died there. At last the truth struck her, “No
house is free from death.” She laid the body of her child in the
woods and returned to the Buddha, who comforted her and
preached to her the truth. She was awakened and entered the
first stage of arhatship (attainment of religious goals according
to Buddhism and Jainism). Eventually, she became an arhat.
Wednesday, July 4, 2018
Peace of mind
Once, Buddha was walking from one town to another with a
few of his followers. This was during his initial days. While they
were traveling, they happened to pass a lake. They stopped
there, and Buddha told one of his disciples, “I am thirsty. Do
get me some water from that lake there.” The disciple walked
up to the lake. When he reached it, he noticed that some people
were washing clothes in the water and, right at that moment, a
bullock cart started crossing through the lake. As a result, the
water became very muddy and turbid.
The disciple thought, “How can I give this muddy water to Buddha to drink!” So he came back and told Buddha, “The water in there is very
muddy. I don’t think it is fit to drink.” After about half an
hour, Buddha again asked the same disciple to go back to the
lake and get him some water to drink. The disciple obediently
went back to the lake. This time he found that the lake had
absolutely clear water in it. The mud had settled down and
the water above it looked fit to be had. So he collected some
water in a pot and brought it to Buddha. Buddha looked at the
water, and then looking up at the disciple, he said, “See what
you did to make the water clean. You let it be and the mud
settled down on its own, giving you clear water. Your mind is
also like that. When it is disturbed, just let it be. Give it a little
time. It will settle down on its own. You don’t have to put in
any effort to calm it down. It will happen. It is effortless.
Once the mind calms down, it can see things clearly and out of that
seeing, action emerges, leaving no place for conflict or pain in
that action.”
few of his followers. This was during his initial days. While they
were traveling, they happened to pass a lake. They stopped
there, and Buddha told one of his disciples, “I am thirsty. Do
get me some water from that lake there.” The disciple walked
up to the lake. When he reached it, he noticed that some people
were washing clothes in the water and, right at that moment, a
bullock cart started crossing through the lake. As a result, the
water became very muddy and turbid.
The disciple thought, “How can I give this muddy water to Buddha to drink!” So he came back and told Buddha, “The water in there is very
muddy. I don’t think it is fit to drink.” After about half an
hour, Buddha again asked the same disciple to go back to the
lake and get him some water to drink. The disciple obediently
went back to the lake. This time he found that the lake had
absolutely clear water in it. The mud had settled down and
the water above it looked fit to be had. So he collected some
water in a pot and brought it to Buddha. Buddha looked at the
water, and then looking up at the disciple, he said, “See what
you did to make the water clean. You let it be and the mud
settled down on its own, giving you clear water. Your mind is
also like that. When it is disturbed, just let it be. Give it a little
time. It will settle down on its own. You don’t have to put in
any effort to calm it down. It will happen. It is effortless.
Once the mind calms down, it can see things clearly and out of that
seeing, action emerges, leaving no place for conflict or pain in
that action.”
Tuesday, July 3, 2018
Burdens of the past
A senior monk and a junior monk were traveling together. At
one point, they came to a river with a strong current. As the
monks were preparing to cross the river, they saw a very young
and beautiful woman also attempting to cross. The young
woman asked if they could help her. The senior monk carried
this woman on his shoulder, forded the river and let her down
on the other bank. The junior monk was very upset, but said
nothing.
As they both were walking, the senior monk noticed that
his junior was suddenly silent and enquired, “Is something the
matter, you seem very upset?” The junior monk replied, “As
monks, we are not permitted to touch a woman, how could
you then carry that woman on your shoulders? The senior
monk replied, “I left the woman a long time ago at the bank,
however, you seem to be carrying her still.”
Children live with a similar state of mind as that of the
senior monk. Psychologically, past is always a burden. In the
present, all of us or most of us are conditioned by our past.
We all want to live with a fresh mind, without any burdens
of the past. Rarely do we find the traits of the senior monk
in us. To be in a calm, balanced and peaceful state of mind,
depth of knowledge about our psyche is mandatory. We have a
superficial knowledge about our psyche, and this is the reason
why there is no balance in our mind. Only silence can penetrate
into the nature and structure of the psyche, a chattering mind
cannot dwell deep. We all want to live in the present attentively,
but we fail to do so. Through this book, I want to explore the
same. So, let us examine together, the different aspects of our
psyche in the coming chapters.
Note: Feel deeply the state of mind of that senior monk.
one point, they came to a river with a strong current. As the
monks were preparing to cross the river, they saw a very young
and beautiful woman also attempting to cross. The young
woman asked if they could help her. The senior monk carried
this woman on his shoulder, forded the river and let her down
on the other bank. The junior monk was very upset, but said
nothing.
As they both were walking, the senior monk noticed that
his junior was suddenly silent and enquired, “Is something the
matter, you seem very upset?” The junior monk replied, “As
monks, we are not permitted to touch a woman, how could
you then carry that woman on your shoulders? The senior
monk replied, “I left the woman a long time ago at the bank,
however, you seem to be carrying her still.”
Children live with a similar state of mind as that of the
senior monk. Psychologically, past is always a burden. In the
present, all of us or most of us are conditioned by our past.
We all want to live with a fresh mind, without any burdens
of the past. Rarely do we find the traits of the senior monk
in us. To be in a calm, balanced and peaceful state of mind,
depth of knowledge about our psyche is mandatory. We have a
superficial knowledge about our psyche, and this is the reason
why there is no balance in our mind. Only silence can penetrate
into the nature and structure of the psyche, a chattering mind
cannot dwell deep. We all want to live in the present attentively,
but we fail to do so. Through this book, I want to explore the
same. So, let us examine together, the different aspects of our
psyche in the coming chapters.
Note: Feel deeply the state of mind of that senior monk.
Monday, July 2, 2018
The story of watermelons
The story of watermelons by Manohar Parrikar:
"I am from the village of Parra in Goa, hence we are called Parrikars. My village is famous for its watermelons. When I was a child, the farmers would organise a watermelon-eating contest at the end of the harvest season in May. All the kids would be invited to eat as many watermelons as they wanted. Years later, I went to IIT Mumbai to study engineering. I went back to my village after 6.5 years.
I went to the market looking for watermelons. They were all gone. The ones that were there were so small.
I went to see the farmer who hosted the watermelon-eating contest. His son had taken over. He would host the contest but there was a difference.
When the older farmer gave us watermelons to eat he would ask us to spit out the seeds into a bowl. We were told not to bite into the seeds.
He was collecting the seeds for his next crop. We were unpaid child labourers, actually. He kept his best watermelons for the contest and he got the best seeds which would yield even bigger watermelons the next year.
His son, when he took over, realised that the larger watermelons would fetch more money in the market so he sold the larger ones and kept the smaller ones for the contest.
The next year, the watermelons were smaller, the year later even small. In watermelons the generation is one year. In seven years, Parra's best watermelons were finished. In humans, generations change after 25 years. It will take us 200 years to figure what we were doing wrong while educating our children."
Without employing the passionate teachers, how can we train the next generation?
"I am from the village of Parra in Goa, hence we are called Parrikars. My village is famous for its watermelons. When I was a child, the farmers would organise a watermelon-eating contest at the end of the harvest season in May. All the kids would be invited to eat as many watermelons as they wanted. Years later, I went to IIT Mumbai to study engineering. I went back to my village after 6.5 years.
I went to the market looking for watermelons. They were all gone. The ones that were there were so small.
I went to see the farmer who hosted the watermelon-eating contest. His son had taken over. He would host the contest but there was a difference.
When the older farmer gave us watermelons to eat he would ask us to spit out the seeds into a bowl. We were told not to bite into the seeds.
He was collecting the seeds for his next crop. We were unpaid child labourers, actually. He kept his best watermelons for the contest and he got the best seeds which would yield even bigger watermelons the next year.
His son, when he took over, realised that the larger watermelons would fetch more money in the market so he sold the larger ones and kept the smaller ones for the contest.
The next year, the watermelons were smaller, the year later even small. In watermelons the generation is one year. In seven years, Parra's best watermelons were finished. In humans, generations change after 25 years. It will take us 200 years to figure what we were doing wrong while educating our children."
Without employing the passionate teachers, how can we train the next generation?
Sunday, July 1, 2018
Unparallelled Donor
Once Krishna and Arjuna were walking towards a village. Arjuna was pestering Krishna, asking him why Karna should be considered an unparallelled Donor & not him ?
Krishna, turned two mountains into gold.
Then said, "Arjuna, distribute these two gold mountains among villagers, but you must donate every bit of it ".
Arjuna went into the village, and proclaimed he was going to donate gold to every villager, and asked them to gather near the mountain. The villagers sang his praises and Arjuna walked towards the mountains with a huffed up chest.
For two days and two nights Arjuna shovelled gold from the mountain and donated to each villager. The mountains did not diminish in the slightest.
Most villagers came back and stood in queue within minutes. Now Arjuna was exhausted, but not ready to let go of his Ego, told Krishna he couldn't go on any longer without rest.
Then Krishna called Karna and told him to donate every bit of the two gold mountains.
Karna called the villagers, and said "Those two Gold mountains are yours. " and walked away.
Arjuna sat dumbfounded. Why hadn't this thought occurred to him?
Krishna smiled mischievously and told him "Arjuna, subconsciously, you were attracted to the gold, you regretfully gave it away to each villager, giving them what you thought was a generous amount. Thus the size of your donation to each villager depended only on your imagination.
Karna holds no such reservations. Look at him walking away after giving away a fortune, he doesn't expect people to sing his NM praises, he doesn't even care if people talk good or bad about him behind his back. That is the sign of a man already on the path of enlightenment".
Giving with an Expectation of a Return in the form of a Compliment or Thanks is not a Gift, then it becomes a Trade.
Do we really know what is love? Is not the love in our relationships a form of trade?
Krishna, turned two mountains into gold.
Then said, "Arjuna, distribute these two gold mountains among villagers, but you must donate every bit of it ".
Arjuna went into the village, and proclaimed he was going to donate gold to every villager, and asked them to gather near the mountain. The villagers sang his praises and Arjuna walked towards the mountains with a huffed up chest.
For two days and two nights Arjuna shovelled gold from the mountain and donated to each villager. The mountains did not diminish in the slightest.
Most villagers came back and stood in queue within minutes. Now Arjuna was exhausted, but not ready to let go of his Ego, told Krishna he couldn't go on any longer without rest.
Then Krishna called Karna and told him to donate every bit of the two gold mountains.
Karna called the villagers, and said "Those two Gold mountains are yours. " and walked away.
Arjuna sat dumbfounded. Why hadn't this thought occurred to him?
Krishna smiled mischievously and told him "Arjuna, subconsciously, you were attracted to the gold, you regretfully gave it away to each villager, giving them what you thought was a generous amount. Thus the size of your donation to each villager depended only on your imagination.
Karna holds no such reservations. Look at him walking away after giving away a fortune, he doesn't expect people to sing his NM praises, he doesn't even care if people talk good or bad about him behind his back. That is the sign of a man already on the path of enlightenment".
Giving with an Expectation of a Return in the form of a Compliment or Thanks is not a Gift, then it becomes a Trade.
Do we really know what is love? Is not the love in our relationships a form of trade?
Zen dialogue
Zen teachers train their young pupils to express themselves. Two Zen temples each had a child protegé. One child, going to obtain vegetables each morning, would meet the other on the way.
Where are you going? asked the one. I am going wherever my feet go, the other responded.
This reply puzzled the first child who went to his teacher for help. Tomorrow morning, the teacher told him, when you meet that little fellow, ask him the same question. He will give you the same answer, and then you ask him: 'Suppose you have no feet, then where are you going?' That will fix him.
The children met again the following morning. Where are you going? asked the first child.
I am going wherever the wind blows, answered the other. This again nonplussed the youngster, who took his defeat to his teacher.
Ask him where he is going if there is no wind, suggested the teacher.
The next day the children met a third time.
Where are you going? asked the first child.
I am going to the market to buy vegetables, the other replied.
Is not our minds restless like the first child?
Where are you going? asked the one. I am going wherever my feet go, the other responded.
This reply puzzled the first child who went to his teacher for help. Tomorrow morning, the teacher told him, when you meet that little fellow, ask him the same question. He will give you the same answer, and then you ask him: 'Suppose you have no feet, then where are you going?' That will fix him.
The children met again the following morning. Where are you going? asked the first child.
I am going wherever the wind blows, answered the other. This again nonplussed the youngster, who took his defeat to his teacher.
Ask him where he is going if there is no wind, suggested the teacher.
The next day the children met a third time.
Where are you going? asked the first child.
I am going to the market to buy vegetables, the other replied.
Is not our minds restless like the first child?
The other side
One day a young Buddhist on his journey home came to the banks of a wide river. Staring hopelessly at the great obstacle in front of him, he pondered for hours on just how to cross such a wide barrier. Just as he was about to give up his pursuit to continue his journey he saw a great teacher on the other side of the river. The young Buddhist yells over to the teacher, "Oh wise one, can you tell me how to get to the other side of this river"? The teacher ponders for a moment looks up and down the river and yells back, "My son, you are on the other side".
Why don't we approach great obstacles in life with a simple & silent mind? Why we always desire for an end result from the beginning? why don't we stay with the problem, so that it can reveal itself?
Why don't we approach great obstacles in life with a simple & silent mind? Why we always desire for an end result from the beginning? why don't we stay with the problem, so that it can reveal itself?
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The Catalyst Launch
LINKS TO MY NEW BOOK "THE CATALYST" ------------------------------------------------------ LINK TO : KINDLE EBOOK LINK TO : KI...
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LINKS TO MY NEW BOOK "THE CATALYST" ------------------------------------------------------ LINK TO : KINDLE EBOOK LINK TO : KI...
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Once two Zen monks were walking down the road. It was a breezy day. One of them said to the other: "Look, the flag is flapping in the b...
