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Nondual
Highlights Issue #2165 Sunday, June 5, 2005
Pundit and Peasant
Once during a visit to the Ashram in the 1940s I was sitting
outside the Old Hall with many devotees, facing Sri Bhagavan who
was reclining on a couch. A group of learned pundits were
discussing certain passages from the Upanishads with great
enthusiasm and profundity.
All, including Bhagavan, appeared to be attentively listening to
this interesting discussion when, all of a sudden, Bhagavan rose
from his couch, walked thirty meters to the north, and stood
before a villager who was standing there looking lowly with palms
joined.
Immediately the discussion stopped and all eyes were turned to
Bhagavan and the villager standing at a distance.
They appeared to be conversing, but at such a distance no one
could tell about what. Soon Bhagavan returned to his couch and
the discussion resumed.
I was curious about this villager and why Bhagavan had gone out
of his way to meet him.
So, while the discussion continued I slipped away and caught up
with him before he left the Ashram. I asked the villager what he
and Bhagavan had talked about. He said that Bhagavan had asked
him why he was standing there so far away. "I told Bhagavan,
'I am only an ignorant, poor villager. How am I to approach you
who are God incarnate?'"
"What did the Maharshi say then?" I asked.
"He asked me my name, what village I was from, what work I
did and how many children I had, etc."
"Did you ask Him anything?"
"I asked Him how I could be saved and how I could earn His
blessings."
"What did He tell you?"
"He asked me if there was a temple in my village. I told him
there was. He wanted to know the name of the deity of that
temple. I told Him the name. He then said that I should go on
repeating the name of that deity and I would receive all the
blessings needed."
I came back to Bhagavan's presence and sat among the devotees
listening to the learned discussion, in which I had now lost all
interest, realizing that the simple humility and devotion of this
peasant had evoked a far greater response from our Master than
any amount of learning. I then decided that, though a scholar by
profession, I should always remain a humble, ignorant peasant at
heart, and pray, like that villager, for Bhagavan's grace and
blessings.
- Professor K. Swaminathan from "The Maharshi", posted
to MillionPaths
The fish trap exists because of the fish. Once you've gotten the
fish you can forget the trap. The rabbit snare exists because of
the rabbit. Once you've gotten the rabbit, you can forget the
snare. Words exist because of meaning. Once you've gotten the
meaning, you can forget the words. Where can I find a man who has
forgotten words so I can talk with him?
- Chuang Tzu
What you are describing is not awareness at all, but only
thinking about the experience. True awareness is a state of pure
witnessing, without the least attempt to do anything about the
event witnessed. Your thoughts and feelings, words and actions
may also be a part of the event; you watch all unconcerned in the
full light of clarity and understanding. You understand precisely
what is going on, because it does not affect you. It may seem to
be an attitude of cold aloofness, but it is not really so. Once
you are in it, you will find that you love what you see, whatever
may be its nature. This choiceless love is the touchstone of
awareness. If it is not there, you are merely interested -- for
some personal reasons.
- Nisargadatta Maharaj, from I Am That, posted to JustThis
What is my essential teaching? How to become easeful, peaceful
and useful. Make your life easeful. Whenever you disturb your
ease you say that you are dis-eased. You had ease before, you
disturbed it, you are dis-eased. Remove the disturbance and get
back to ease. So physically, become easeful. Mentally become
peaceful. You make yourself easeful and peaceful. Only then can
you be useful. Your goal should be, `I make myself easeful and
peaceful so that I can be useful to others.' Remember these three
words: easeful, peaceful and useful. That's the goal of all
religions. Even the fellow that doesn't have any religion wants
to be easeful, peaceful and useful.
God bless you. Om Shanthi, Shanthi, Shanthi.
- Swami Satchidananda, posted to meditationsocietyofamerica
Buddhism is transmitted from warm hand to warm hand.
- Shunryu Suzuki
The perspective of Love doesn't leave anybody out. Until your
vision and compassion is big enough to include those who oppose
you, you are simply contributing to the continuation of
destructiveness. The end of separation is the salvation for all.
- Adyashanti