94. Sharing.🔗

During an Ananda healing session, one person asked me, 'I am a sinner, a rude man. I was a thief till some time back. Can people like me perform the holy thing of meditation?'

I told him, 'What you ask is like a patient, who went to a doctor saying, 'My health is bad. Can persons like me take your sacred medicines?' Joy bubbled up in his eyes!

❖ All good things are not created solely for good people only. They have been created only to be shared by one and all.

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❖ 'Sharing' is a meditation technique.

❖ 'Sharing' is a technique related to living, to cut and remove the ego without any feeling of pain.

❖ Do share whatever you hold in your heart. Whatever vacuum that is created earlier, by sharing it will be duly filled up with bliss.

❖ Experiment with the above statement. The door of bliss will automatically open by itself.

❖ Distress will decrease the more and more you share. Bliss will increase the more and more you share.

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A writer was sharing an incident that happened to him when he was a young and up-coming writer.

'That was the first book I wrote. I listened to the criticism of the book by others. During some conversation, I told my neighbor, 'For writing a story, there is no necessity for intelligence.'

The reply he got was, 'Yes sir, when I read your story book, I too came to the same conclusion only.'

The writer says, 'Though I was shaken by this reply, I took that as a lesson.'

❖ Sharing is even capable of turning up and showing you new pages again and again in the lesson of your life! Sharing is a kind of growth.

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Nitty once shared a happy incident that happened in his life. Nitty's wife heard the gossip and mischievous talks of Nitty. She began to pursue Nitty playfully with a rolling pin used to make tortillas.

As Nitty was running, thinking, 'Oh! It is a long time since we played this game of running and catching', and as his wife was chasing him, Nitty entered a crowded street and ran like a serpent.

As she was interested in pursuing Nitty only, without listening to the shouts of the auto-rickshaw driver for her to move out of the way, she bumped on to the auto, and at the same time, the auto also came to a halt with a sudden brake.

Irritated by this, the auto driver shouted angrily, 'What madam! Why do you run in this haphazard manner? If you had indicated with your hand as to which direction you are going to turn, at least I could have avoided coming that way...'

Nitty's wife hastily said, 'Don't talk without understanding the situation. I cannot point out the way in which I am searching.' So saying, she again began pursuing Nitty, who was still playing the game of running and catching with her.

Like Nitty's wife, it is the nature of the mind to imagine some reason or the other and run after the worry.

Once it appears to the mind that it has had enough chasing and being caught up in a particular worry, the mind will start chasing the next worry.

It is a practical truth that only our mind is searching again and again and finding these worries. To recognize such actions of the mind, even if we bring our careful attention to it, we can find out these instances when the mind runs after an imagined worry.

One small technique to bring to a halt the mind which finds comfort in searching and finding out the worries:

Do not allow any worry to stay in your mind for more than a single day. Throw away all things. Those who think that this is not feasible, start sharing your worries.

Share all your worries with such a person who totally influences your conscious feelings.

Don't worry if you do not have such a person who understands you and respects your feelings.

Go to spiritual gatherings, service organizations and the like.

There are many people like you waiting there, who wish to respect the feelings and share with others. A new path will be born.

Sharing the worries is like making the pus come out of the boil. That is not a total solution. Go beyond this; you have to travel towards bliss.

One day Moorg Mukundan, without getting sleep, was striding up and down in the court-yard of his house.

Mukundan's wife asked him, 'Oh Mukund! What happened? Why are you looking so worried?'

Mukundan said, 'I have to give Rs.10,000/- to the opposite house Dhanraj. I have dodged him for the last two weeks. I promised to return it to him tomorrow. But I don't have even a single rupee on hand. I don't have the hope that I will repay that loan in this birth. That's why I am worried.'

'Is this all the reason for your worry?' so saying, she got up suddenly and opened up the window and shouted, 'Dhanraj, Dhanraj!'

It was night time and Mukundan got agitated and said, 'Hey! What are you doing?'

Dhanraj opened his window.

Mukundan's wife shouted saying, 'Mr. Dhanraj, forget about the ten thousand rupees, you had given to my husband. He cannot return it.'

Dhanraj anxiously asked, 'What are you saying... Why can't he return it?'

Mukundan's wife said, 'It seems he cannot repay that loan in this birth. Because...! It seems he does not have any money at all. I called you only to tell this truth', so saying she slammed the window shut.

'Mukund, you sleep peacefully tonight. Hereafter, instead of you, he will begin to worry.' She said this and she winked her eyes meaningfully and lay down to sleep.

It is the nature of a wounded mind, for the sake of a minute's joy, subjecting others to worries, like Mukundan's wife.

If anxieties are shared with such people, who do not know to respect other's feelings, grief will increase further.

If worries are shared with people of spiritual consciousness, first thing, the worry will become lessened. Later on, solution will be obtained.

Beyond all these, it will be easy to learn the paths about blissful life from those persons who possess spiritual feelings. They will also help you with their total willingness.

A pundit once asked Sakkiya Muni, 'You are always blissful... How is it? What is the difference between you and me?'

Sakkiya Muni said, 'It is nothing else. I share bliss with others. You share sorrow with others. This only is the difference.'

The action of 'sharing with others' will make us a meaningful man.

The act of sharing our worries is an expedient to relieve ourselves from worries.

❖ How to find out worry and its birth place?

❖ Why do some other feelings similar to worry attack us?

❖ One can really live blissfully without worries. This is the way.

Meditation camps are only those which teach you such above-mentioned methods scientifically and at the same time easily.

People who render such services share their bliss with you. That is why they do bliss as a service. They do service blissfully. I repeat again, worry will reduce the more and more it is shared. Bliss will increase the more and more it is shared. This is a formula for bliss.

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A meaningful incident.

In a T.V. programme on 'Elders day' a 90 year old woman was asked thus:

'Even in this age what makes you happy?' For this question she replied: 'My job'.

Surprised at this reply, the interviewer asked, 'What job is that?'

The old woman replied, 'I am looking after two women, who are older than me. When I assist them, the minutes I share with them are great. It is delightful.'

❖ Sharing is meditation. Sharing is nature. Sharing is bliss. Sharing is love.

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Meditation chisels. Chisel No.49.

As you love the face, love the other parts of the body as well.

If you are asked to take and throw away a very dirty thing...which one do you try to use first? Is it the fingers in the hand or the toes of the feet?

I am asking those persons who say, 'Mostly the toes of the feet.' Why? Are the feet of so low a state?

If you use the fingers of the hand you have a feeling of disgust felt by the whole body. You don't feel so when you use the toes on your feet.

Why? Think about it. If that is so, either the toes of the feet should have become numb in your heart, or it should be a part of the body which does not command any respect.

Our body parts, towards which we are indifferent, will begin to lose their subtly fine feelings.

Those parts which are not respected by us will slowly and steadily exclude themselves from sharing our energy. Result – knee pain, leg pain, swelling of blood vessels, boils and the like.

Sharing should first of all happen within you.

Man has learnt to be indifferent and show disrespect to different parts of the body for various reasons.

Just like the face, every part of the body should be loved and should be maintained.

Parts that are not given importance are cut off from you. These parts will become small islands, which are not able to enjoy the coolness of the sea, even though they are in the middle of the sea. They do not experience and enjoy the energy of the body.

This has to come to a halt.

Your energy must be shared throughout your body. It should be irrigated.

See whether the importance you give your face, you give to all other parts of the body.

Respect those parts which have lost their respect. Energy will flow!

95. All God's play.

When a Zen Master said, 'Even the mistakes done by him are sacred', the disciple asked, 'Who is that he?'

The Master said, 'God'.

❖ All are God's action. Because some among them, he says, are wrong, some he calls sacred. Truly, God is in between these two.

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❖ The whole universe is God's playing field. In this playing field, the movements of God appear as dance for one, as Rudra Thandavam (the cosmic dance of Lord Shiva in his anger) for another and as a loud announcement of silence for yet another. This only is Leela or play.

❖ The divine energy which does the three actions of: Creation, Destruction and Protection in a very casual manner, is only making us move about and do things.

❖ To whatever extent God has interest in the whole universe; to the same extent the divine energy has interest in each and every cell of your body.

❖ In your body, how long should a cell live? Which cell should be destroyed? When should it be destroyed? All these actions are not planned by you.

Which cell should get formed when? What event should take place in the world? When should it take place?

❖ Planning every thing and finishing them as planned with certainty is done by God. Whatever happens, according to God's plan will end in goodness only.

❖ Without remaining patient till the end, if we see in the middle, some times it will appear as though bad things only happen around us. Why! Even a doubt will arise as to, 'Is there one called God at all?'

❖ Until the truth, 'All are God's play is not understood, play will appear as an evil deed only. If understood, even evil will appear as play.'

That morning happy news was awaiting Nitty Rajar.

December 31, 2000.

'Greetings to you, Nitty. You have been promoted as assistant manager. Take it.' so saying the M.D. gave his promotion letter.

As M.D. left the room, all praised Nitty.

Nitty said, 'Good news. It is a very great thing that such an ordinary person like me got such a big promotion. It is all God's play.' He left the place happily.

In the next hour, some information came.

M.D. said, 'Sorry Nitty! The name has been wrongly typed. The one who got the promotion is Mr.Mohan Ram, it is not for you. Sorry; don't feel sad, Nitty.'

Nitty said, 'Good news. All is God's play. You have not done any thing wrong in this. Why do you say sorry?'

M.D. looked with wonder, when Nitty consolingly told the M.D. 'Don't feel sad.'

January 1, 2001. In the manager's room...

M.D. said, 'Sorry, Nitty. It is very difficult for me.'

Nitty said consolingly again, 'Have I not told you yesterday itself not to feel sad?'

M.D. said, 'Compared to yesterday's shock, today, still worse news has come. They have demoted you as an assistant to our supervisor Gopal. Sorry. I feel bad for this.'

Nitty said, 'Aha! Is it so? Is it not a grave matter that one in a thousand only will get such a demotion? This is also God's play only. Good! My joy is not affected by this. Why do you feel sad? You be peaceful, Sir.' He said this and casually went away.

January 2, 2001.

Morning 11.00 am M.D. said, 'Sorry, Nitty. I feel very, very sad...Because of the 2K problem in the computer, yesterday wrong information came saying that there is demotion.'

Nitty said, 'This is good news. My demotion has been made all right. Then why do you still feel sad?'

The M.D. said with sadness, 'Sorry, Nitty. You have been actually dismissed from service itself.'

Nitty looked up once and said, 'Sir, Even to one in a lakh, such a thing will not happen. One will not get punishment without doing any thing wrong. How can a job be lost without any reason? Impossible. It is all God's play. All is for the good only. I take leave. You need not bother unnecessarily. Be peaceful sir.' So saying, he left.

'Can this situation be handled with such equanimity as Nitty has handled it?' With wondering eyes, the M.D. was watching Nitty as he left.

January 3, 2001.

Morning 11.00 am

On the phone, M.D. said, 'Nitty, a promotion for you. It is not the mistake of the computer stating it as 'demotion'. Saying that you have been removed from service was my mistake.'

Nitty asked, 'Is it so? What do you say?'

The M.D. replied, 'The person who was laid off his job was K.Nitty Rajan and not you. You are as usual a supervisor only. In haste, I had read the initial wrongly. Sorry, Nitty.'

Nitty said, 'All is Gods' play. For the last three days, the game was superb. Is it not?' Laughing he put down the phone.

Whether we believe it or not, it is a truth that there is a divine energy. It gains access in any thing and every thing and has its play. This is the truth.

If this secret is deeply understood, we can also enjoy the game. Why, we can also play the game along with God.

On Shivarathri day.

'In God's play victory is a victory, defeat also is a victory.'

If this divine doctrine becomes our experience, there will be no dearth for laughter and bliss. - Kesava Rishi was delivering a discourse.

One pundit got up and asked, 'How is it Master? How can laughter and humour be present always around us? What is the relation between this and the divine doctrine?'

Kesava Rishi said, 'If you begin to laugh looking at yourself, that itself will continue for a long time.'

Pundit asked, 'How is it Swami?'

Kesava Rishi pointed to the disciple by his side and said, 'Look at him. He is intelligent. But he thinks he is a fool. But, because you do not know the truth about yourself, you think that you are intelligent.' When he finished saying, all those who were present there laughed.

'Swami, I am unable to understand what you say.'

'Divine doctrine is not one such thing to be heard and understood. It is one to be experienced and understood,' said Kesava Rishi.

'All is God's play' is not an ordinary statement. It is a Maha Vakya, an exalted statement or truth.

If this single truth is understood experientially, one can enjoy in this world every minute one lives with life in the body. If tried sincerely, it is possible.

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A meaningful incident.

When an atheist asked a Sufi Master, 'Where is God? How is he?' The Master said, 'God sleeps within the mountain, dreams drowsily within flowers and plants, moves within the animals, and is awake within man.'

❖ Meditate upon the above statements. Let it come true!

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Meditation chisels, Chisel No.50.

It has not been possible to prove the existence of God. It has also not been possible to prove the non-existence of God.

Even by the Big-bang theory, which says that the universe appeared in this way only, it was possible to explain up to the appearance level only.

It could not explain what made the universe appear.

God is accepted as God because He only has created every thing.

Creativity is God's secret, strength and all.

God is not a miser.

God is not selfish.

Creativity is God's blood-circulation. That blood relationship continues in man. Those who possess creativity are God's direct sons. They are HIS parts.

Due care in whatever action you do, excellence in the way in which it is done, novelty in executing it - All these mingle.

Whatever you do, that is creativity. The outcome is a new creation.

Full concentration in action, excellence, novelty - when these mix continuously, your individuality will become evident. Bliss will bud. Meditation will occur.

God is an artistic creator. If you become a creator, you approach God's proximity.

Continuously do new things. Live in this way.

Every minute you become a creator, God's blood is gushing in you like a flood.

Divinity surfaces.

Every minute creativity is expressed you become a small God. Meditation happens.

96. Permanent impermanence.

A story of ancient time.

A magician, who wanted to save a rat which was trembling after seeing a cat, changed it into a cat by his magical powers.

After it was changed into a cat, it was afraid of the dog. So he changed into a dog. Having changed its shape, the dog became afraid when it saw a hunter. So the magician changed it into a hunter.

The form changed hunter came into the forest.

When fear gripped the mind of the hunter on seeing the magician, he changed him as a magician, thinking, 'Whatever it is, let it happen.'

One bandicoot came and stood near the newly formed magician. Like some small girls crying out of fear on seeing a cockroach, the new magician cried out on seeing the big rat.

The magician cursed him saying, 'You are fit to be a rat only, so be a rat itself', he once again changed the magician into a rat.

❖ Fear, grief, mental pain which remain in the mind, are all permanent impermanence which go on shaking you, whatever be the disguise you assume.

Until these are driven out of you permanently, whatever you do, whatever you achieve, a ray of sorrow will be running in that in a subtle manner.

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❖ Bliss is permanent. Sorrow is permanent impermanence.

❖ It is only those shocks which occur in life, which are the jet vehicles that lead us to the next dimension of life.

❖ The unexpected shocks and turns that we face in our lives - are only those incidents which shake our minds, which sleep in the darkness of ignorance.

❖ To lose the impermanent sorrow and to attain the permanent bliss, we can face any shock with interest. No need to hesitate.

❖ Make the full use of the teachers called 'unexpected shocks' which teach you the lessons of life. You will see progress.

'In life, we should permanently live a trouble-free life along with property and all comforts.'

This one is such an essay, that every friend who is trying to drive the wheel of life, must read. In this impermanent world, one must have the above as the linch pin, duly watching out often for ditches, humps and pits.

❖ Oh my God! Even after five years. You look like goddess Mahalakshmi (the Goddess of wealth). I might cast my eyes on you! Beware!

❖ Very glad that even after so many years, you have not forgotten any thing. Oh! To think about that!!

❖ What life is this? Running the same way monotonously!

❖ How many other people are fine! God is testing only some people! They are always in trouble the same way! Why?

❖ He has settled comfortably in life. He owns a house! He has a good job! Now he is very comfortable.

In this manner people's conversations grow only centered on permanence.

What is permanent?

After raising this question in the mind and finding the answer, continue to read the essay.

At this minute, the air that a person breathes in Chennai (city in South India) is Chennai air. After a few minutes, if the same air reaches Kancheepuram (another town in South India), if one breathes that there, then, that is Kancheepuram air.

Calling it as Chennai air and Kancheepuram air will appear as true for that respective moment only. In truth there is no such thing as separate Kancheepuram air at all.

It is true that air is present. It goes on changing places. Today's Indian air is tomorrow's Sri Lankan air.

Man's body and mind are also changing in a similar fashion. Only the Causal Energy (Atman), which is responsible for man to be alive, is true. Permanent.

Otherwise those who go around in the world with names of Karuppusami and Govindasami are all just like the Indian air and Sri Lankan air. For that incident (true for the 50 or 60 years of life-time) only, it will appear as true.

The body is continually growing and decaying. That only is called as 'growth-decay phenomenon' by doctors.

This only is 'Dhammapada philosophy' as stated by Buddha and it states that during each breath man is born and he dies.

Mind flowers and disappears continuously.

The universal rule is that, at the same time, positive and negative things go on simultaneously.

But, as far as men are concerned, in their castle of opinions called 'castle-in-the-air' (built out of one's own thoughts and opinions), they keep within these castles some illusory and limiting ideas about the world, its people and about relationships, feeling, truth... some knowingly or unknowingly, and begin to lead a family life with them.

The actual truth is one thing and the castle of mental opinions of man is a different one.

That is why men begin to work hard and toil mainly for two things:

1. They remaining in that impermanent illusory castle built of their opinions about their life, property, comforts, wife and other people. They toil to make property, comforts, wife, relatives remain permanent.

2. They struggle to make sure that nothing goes beyond their opinion, or their expectations and desires.

Here is a beautiful incident to explain about the illusory nature of our castle of opinions.

Once a woman came to the Advaitha Master, Digambarar, grief struck.

Digambarar asked, 'What is the problem, Ma?'

The woman said, 'Sir my husband has died. Everyone told me that you know the past, present and the future of all. They told me that you possess all capabilities and have realized the truth experientially. By your divine power, somehow make my dead husband come alive. That is enough. I do not want any thing else in this world.'

Digambarar asked again, 'Which husband shall I bring back to life?'

The woman was shocked at this question Digambarar asked. The people who were around her were shocked too at this question. They expected the mystic to give a solution to the woman, no one expected that he would confuse and frighten her.

The woman said in a feeble voice, 'Master! What are you asking?'

Digambarar said, 'I have asked you correctly. Which husband should I bring back to life?

Is it the husband who lived before you got married; or the husband who lived after you got married; or the husband who lived some time after you got married; or the husband who lived after your marriage and after you got many children?

Or otherwise, is it the husband, whom you now say is dead? I should bring to life the husband who lived in which state? First you decide that, lady. Then we can bring to life that husband, who lived with you in that particular state.'

The woman now went to the peak of confusion. One thing she could understand, namely, that there was a big truth contained in the mystic's words.

Which husband? Which husband? - This question was ringing in her ears and troubling her mind very much.

He had given that woman shock treatment with his question. She had gone from the state of 'peak of sorrow' to the state of 'peak of agitation' and then by his question she was taken to the 'peak of confusion'. Finally he looked at her with a graceful smile.

Though the woman was at the peak of confusion, the belief that a solution for her problem was being obtained blossomed in some corner of her heart and the woman's face also began to slowly bloom up.

Digambarar said, 'As we think, men are not permanent'.

Boy in childhood, adolescent in youth, middle-aged man in his middle ages, and old man in old age.

Even though man lives through all these four stages, at different stages, they remain with different levels of body and mind.

If all these four stages of man are watched, they will not match with one another. It will appear as though, all the four stages are four separate individuals.

When a boy became a youth, the boy had died. There is no boy there. When the youth became middle-aged, the youth had died. No youth there. When the middle-aged man became an old man, the middle-aged man had died.

In this manner, when each stage changes into another, the previous stage dies away. Even after seeing these deaths continuously, what protects us from grieving is only our 'feeling of desire' (a false notion of 'mine').

What makes the normal one of 'my husband' as a chain of desires is the imagination beyond limits of 'my own husband'.

'Oh girl! You will understand if you think as to why you are suffering. You will know the reason for your suffering' Digambarar said.

Hearing this, the lady became silent.

Digambarar said, 'Your husband's youth had died. You did not cry this much for that. When the human body of your husband changed from middle-aged body and touched the old age, the middle-aged body died. You had not cried for that also. Now, you are crying and grieving for the old-aged husband's body dying. Does it not appear rather strange to you?'

Is your love and affection on the body? Or is it on the husband? Otherwise, is it on the claim of ownership that 'he is my own husband'' he asked.

The more and more the woman thought about it, what had to be understood was understood by her. She fell down and prostrated at the feet of the mystic.

'If really I am suffering only because my husband has died, while crossing each stage (of my husband), I should have cried for my husband's earlier body having died. But I had not cried like that. If I am crying now, surely it is because of the craving which resulted due to the right of ownership that 'he is my own husband.' The lady thought in this manner.

Once she understood this truth, the woman felt as though a big burden had been taken off her mind.

Change is the only thing that is permanent. The nature of the world is to change. To change continuously is growth.

It is enough if this truth is understood. Permanent nature of the world is to change without being permanent.

When you understand this you will continuously grow in the path of life, happily accepting the unexpected changes and unexpected turns in your individual life. The wonderful flower of experiential maturity will blossom within you.

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A meaningful incident.

In America, there was a sensational consumer court case, which was rather a strange one.

The reason is that the person who filed the case was a thief! The 'case was filed' on the house in which the theft was made!

The case: As the roof of the house to which he went to steal, broke and fell down on the thief, the thief was wounded badly!

The thief's contention: 'Punish me for stealing. But I should be compensated for the accident that occurred in that house when I went to steal there. I was badly wounded when I went there to steal because the roof of that house was not constructed properly.'

For this case, the court decided that the owner of the house should give a huge amount of money as compensation.

❖ The one that makes us face life in an angle quite unexpected by us - Permanent rule of 'impermanence'.

Prepare yourself to face it!

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Meditation chisels. Chisel No. 51.

Let body, life and soul be commanded, to surpass happiness and realize bliss.

The period in between two wars cannot be said to be peace. That period is a preparation time for the next war.

Similarly, incidents in between two big sorrows cannot be said to be 'joyous incidents'. It is only a small sorrow. The reduction in the quantum of pain cannot be said to be joy.

What all man calls as comfort and happiness are only pains which are reduced or expressed in a different way.

Until it is not felt consciously bliss cannot even be imagined.

Bliss is gapless. Sorrow is permanent impermanence. It contains some gaps. Only those gaps are happiness. This gap is the one which has to be surpassed.

Sorrow - world's nature - your mind's nature. Bliss - universal nature - Your soul's nature (Nature of Atman)

In your life, it is enough if you have experienced bliss just only once... It will remain permanently. Because it is permanent.

Consequently, if you go beyond the world nature of 'permanent impermanence', you will jump into the universal nature. The sea of attachment will be surpassed.

How much ever happiness you may have faced in your life, if you still experience sorrow then please understand that the happiness you experienced is not bliss. It is dosha (affliction). Another of sorrow!

Let this truth descend deep within you.

Surpassing happiness let your entire mind, body, life and soul all be commanded that 'Bliss must be attained. That is the one and only aim'. Let this solid truth melt and become liquid in the mind. Consciously realize these wisdom truths and meditate on it.

97. Don't worry about the future.

A 27 year old man, with a peculiar desire, met me in a meditation camp at Chennai.

He asked, 'It seems you possess special super-natural powers?' I enquired as to why he wanted to know about that.

'Super natural work is a kind of play. Because of the lack of knowledge of its subtlety and its intricacies, they give surprises to people. It is not an expression of wisdom at all. It is an ordinary magic, a jugglery.' – After these basic truths were explained to him, I asked him, 'Now tell me, for what you wish to utilize these super-natural powers?'

He said, 'You teach me the art or mantra to subjugate the eighteen-handed goddess Kali Devi. I want to get some powers from Kali.'

I told him, 'Let subjugating the eighteen handed Kali be there on one side. First of all learn how to subjugate the two handed Kali that is your wife.'

❖ Your mind will make you live in the future only by telling some reason or the other. It will make you continuously lose those people and things before you. This action is one that should be brought to an end.

❖ Future Present Past. Even though there are these three times, what is available in our hands, is the present time only.

❖ The past has gone out of our hands; the future has not yet come to our hands. Our worrying about these two, only make us unable to enjoy the present time, which is very much in our hands.

❖ Is it wise to lose the present time, which is always with us for the sake of the thoughts and worries about the past and future, which are never with us? Think...

It was time for the sun to just peep out. In the flower garden, along with one hundred new monks, Buddha began to express the rules and regulations for the monks.

He was telling the rules one by one.

One among the rules was:

'The monks during their ascetic life should not go near women. They should avoid even seeing women. As soon as you see their feet, get out of their way. Don't even look up and see...'

As Buddha continued to mention the other rules one of the new monks, Nadaneetan, rose up and asked, 'In case that girl expresses her obeisance to me, what should I do?'

Buddha said, 'Without raising you head, you can pay your obeisance. No harm.'

Nadaneetan, 'Then, do you say that one can be talking to women without raising the head; Nothing wrong!'

'What! You are making the rule up side down. Pay your obeisance and immediately move away from there.'

'If that girl asks for some help from me, or asks me directions to get to a particular place or if she wants me to lift her basket and help her then can I help her? If such help is asked what should I do?'

'Mmm... In unavoidable circumstances, when there is no other person is available nearby, when the situation is such that only you have to help, then you can help. No harm in that.'

'If that girl asks me, 'it is night time now. When I think of robbers, I feel very much afraid. I believe you. Can you please come up to my house and drop me and go?' Can I go with that girl or not?'

'How can you ask this? Serving people is also one of the jobs of the monks. Under such critical situations, considering the welfare of the society, help can be rendered. No harm in that.

But having that as a pretext, you should not talk to that girl. Do not touch the girl.'

'Right. Considering the safety, while I am going with the girl, without speaking to her or touching her, up to her house, I can go.'

'In case that girl struggles and falls in a big ditch, what to do? Then, can I touch and lift her?'

'There is no other way. You have to save her. You must hold her hand and lift her up. During such accidents, you can touch. There is nothing wrong with that. After saving and leaving her in the house, you should return immediately. Under the pretext of saving her, you should not enter the house.'

'After I leave her in the house, in case, that girl says, 'My father has not returned home yet. My brother also is not there in the house. The rowdy who bothers me often on the river side, is roaming about in this street.

As we were coming, then itself I have noticed him. Please remain in the house till my father or brother returns.' If she humbly begs me like this, what should I do?'

All the monks seated around there, on seeing Nadaneetan going on asking the questions, began to get confused.

It is difficult for ordinary people to put an end to Nadaneetan's talk.

Enlightened Masters will stump them with their apt replies and actions.

Buddha said, 'Yes. Yes. That girl's father and brother may not come at all. Therefore that night, there may be a compulsion for you to stay there.

Next day morning, news may come that her father and brother had died in an accident. Pity! The girl, who would be standing as an orphan, may ask you for refuge. You also, out of pity, give life to that girl.

Then as husband and wife you both may perhaps come to me to get my blessings.' – This way he was talking swiftly.

Seeing the stunning turn in Buddha's reply, Nadaneetan started trembling inside.

Buddha continued, 'Perhaps, when both of you come to me for getting my blessings I may even ask you, 'Oh! You, useless fool! Why asceticism for persons like you?' I am asking you this question now itself. When you have not even gone beyond ordinary imagination, why asceticism for you? Drop the ochre robes down! Remain in a vow of silence along with the ascetic preparatory committee till I tell you again.' Having said this he sent him away.

In case...

Will it be so...

If it so happens...

To think in this manner about the possibility of some bad events happening, and taking preventive measures now is certainly a wise action only.

If I fail in the exams...

In case loss occurs in my business..

If that disease comes...

To think in this manner, and after thinking, in order to keep the future clear of such mishaps, using the present time to take preventive measures and fixing loop holes is a wise act.

Without any thought about the future and without knowing the greatness of the future, merely wasting away the present, is a job done by fools.

Perhaps... perhaps...

Thinking of the future constantly and imagining some mishaps in the future all the time and being afraid that all these bad events will happen all the time is the work of people who have lost control of their minds.

J.Krishnamurthy has said these wise words about the fear of the future:-

‘Out of a hundred imaginations even one does not come true. Even if one or two come true, it is for our good only.’

Profession, relations, societal status, and position - We can apply these wise words to all our imaginary fears about the above mentioned areas.

Will it happen this way? Will it happen that way?

In this manner, out of our hundred imaginary fears about the future, the possibility of even one becoming true is very less. Even if one of it happens as we feared that is also for our growth only.

Life is a road filled with 'continuous riddles.'

Mostly it is waiting, keeping with it, riddles, which we cannot imagine. We cannot avoid that even.

Instead of saying, 'What if this happens or what if that happens', and giving importance to the future, let us be present in the present moment fully. If we begin to handle the present correctly, we need not worry about the future.

Because...

Today's present was yesterday's future. Tomorrow's future, when it is actually met, will be the present at that time.

Hence it is enough, if one knows to face the present. No need to worry about the future.

Whether you worry or not, it is only wise to prepare yourself to face the future, which has to be faced.

Begin to face the 'present'! Begin to live in the 'present'!

The time and energy which are wasted due to worries and unnecessary anxieties will be saved. Action and thought will begin to be clear.

The more and more you live with the single thought of the present only, certainly life will become more prosperous.

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A meaningful incident.

Nitty's wife who was at the peak of the mountain, asked out of fear, 'Dear, in case I fall down from here...'

The tourist guide on hearing this replied, 'Madam, in case you fall down, don't fail to enjoy the beautiful scenery on your left side.'

❖ This is not a mere joke. It is a technique. In case you are in the present, when you meet with an accident, in that minute, you will touch the source of energy which is the soul. (Energy of the Atman).

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Meditation chisels Chisel No.52.

If you do not win at this minute in which minute are you going to win?

A tiger will certainly be never born to a cat. Same way, for a man who constantly thinks he suffers bliss will not be born.

This is true till he is suffering. This cannot change. As long as the suffering is there, bliss cannot be born.

Even if a drop of rain thinks, it cannot by itself prevent it from touching the earth. Reason: Gravitational force.

When it has started to rain, it will rain and fall on to the earth only. If sorrow and grief start raining within you, you cannot block it. This is natural law of the mind.

From this minute the next minute is born. Future is delivered from the present moment!

Who is going to be born - Is it a tiger or a cat? This decision is made by nature.

Whether you are going to be blissful or not - is decided not by you, it is decided in the manner you spend your present moment. So the present moment is the mother of the future.

At this moment, how are you...? Examine yourself.

All the subsequent minutes are going to be like that.

That way only, life will be lived.

If this minute you are in bliss, all the subsequent minutes also you will be in bliss.

Even if you try to be otherwise, life in the future will be blissful and this cannot be prevented.

This only is the secret why mystics are always blissful.

Those who have tasted bliss once in their life cannot experience sorrow once again!

For you also, this is possible. During the time of meditation you will get it.

First of all, change the grieving mind. Be blissful in this minute. Be blissful! Blissful! You will continue to be blissful! This is a technique.

Impregnate bliss in the present moment. It is certainly possible by you. Win this minute and show.

98. Death.

The mystic Diogenus was standing at a place where there was a heap of human bones and he was staring at it. Alexander the Great was surprised to see this.

Alexander asked with eagerness, 'What are you examining in this heap? What are you searching for?'

The mystic Diogenus said, 'I am searching for one thing which I am unable to find?'

'Is it that hard to find?'

'Yes. I am searching to find out if there is any difference between your father's bones and the slaves' bones. So far I have not been able to find any difference' said the mystic.

❖ All the differences are seen in between birth and death. Not later than that.

When man dies, the body dies. The mind continues its story. Again birth! Again death!

Even if the body is burnt in such a way, that even ashes do not remain, the un-dead mind should die. This incident only is true death.

Only when this auspicious incident of the mind dying happens, man becomes God. A mad person becomes a man of wisdom.

As long as the mind is alive, you don't live. It is only the mind that lives through you. When the mind dies, then only for the first time, you are truly born.

-------------

❖ Man, while being born dies.

❖ Man who is born some day will die on some day - This is Maya or Illusion.

❖ Every second, birth and death are happening in the body in equal measure. -- This is a scientific truth too!

❖ If death is met with, face to face, next moment itself, enlightenment will be attained.

--------- ‘Commit murder without a knife! Die without effort! To be born in Bliss!’

A small incident to understand the depth of these meaningful Zen lines:

Kesava Rishi delivered a discourse on meditation under the title ‘Death at Perumangudi’. As the last line of the discourse, he said,

‘I repeat if you do not think about death while living, while dying, you will have to think about life and rave’, so saying he took leave.

Next morning, disciple Swaroopan got a big doubt. He went to the Master and said, ‘Master, I have thought a lot about death. I don’t understand any thing. While I am still alive, how to understand about death?’

‘You are dying while being born. Meditate on this. You will understand.’ Kesava Rishi said this and left the place.

In spite of trying the whole day, there was no use at all.

Next day, Swaroopan said, ‘Master, I don’t understand. Tell me some other way.’

Kesava Rishi said, ‘You are being born, while you are dying. You meditate on this.’ And he went away.

Again even after trying for a full day, Swaroopan could not even understand the meaning of the line that the Master had said.

‘I know about spirituality to some extent. It is enough if you help me a little. I will be enlightened.’ – These were the words Swaroopan had stated when he had joined as a disciple to Kesava Rishi. The haughtiness which was underlying these lines stated by him, now pricked deeply and painfully in the heart of Swaroopan.

‘I am unable to find out the meaning of the single line stated by the Master. Is it mere haughtiness of knowledge only that what I was thinking till today that I knew spirituality?’ – When such an understanding began, at that moment itself he was choked with the pain of grief in his throat. Though he could not understand the statement of the Master, his haughtiness did not reduce even a little for Swaroopan.

He went to the Master and stood there asking in a single line, 'Even this I don't understand. Tell me some other way.'

Kesava Rishi laughingly said, 'All right, die once and see.'

Shocked at this, he loudly said, 'How is it possible, Master?'

Kesava Rishi said, 'Swaroopa! You know every thing about spirituality! It is easy to die, my friend. Sit down calmly, without any movement and murder yourself without a knife. You will die without any effort. See all that happens when you do this and enjoy!' so saying he sent him away.

The whole of the next day, when he came to know that whatever he did or whatever he thought was effort only, he understood the depth of his ignorance and the height of his ego. His pride was reduced.

As Swaroopan was waiting for it to dawn, no sooner than Kesava Rishi came out of his hut, he cried like a little boy, saying, 'Master, please pardon me. I do not know any thing. I do not know any thing.'

Kesava Rishi embraced him and said, 'Don't cry. You have got the fitness. Hereafter, learning will be easy. Come on!' So saying he took him under the banyan tree.

Kesava Rishi asked, 'When you were born what did you do at first?'

'First, I would have breathed in. I would have drawn the breath inside.'

'When you die, what will you do last?'

'Lastly I will breathe out or exhale.'

'Are you not continuously breathing in and breathing out?'

'Yes'

'Know it! When you inhale, you are born. When you exhale, you die.'

Continuously each time when you inhale and exhale, you are dying while being born, or you are being born while dying. At this minute, the air that you let go outside does not come inside; does it not mean that you have died! If the air that you let out comes inside again, you become alive. You are born again.

Do you understand now?'

Having come out of the confusion, Swaroopan nodded his head silently.

Kesava Rishi said, 'It is enough if you sit calmly and watch your breath. It is a very big meditation. Bring your attention to the tip of the nose. Observe only the breath coming in and going out.

The more and more your awareness increases, the ego, which you are thinking as you, will automatically, leave you by itself.

The ego will die away.'

Swaroopan for his part applied himself sincerely to meditation technique and attained salvation.

Buddha, at the time of leaving his body, gives this meditation technique only to the world in the name of 'Vipassana'.

There are many who got enlightenment by doing this meditation only. There is historical evidence also for this.

You can also try and see. Why not?

'Watching the breath' is a very simple but very efficient meditation. Please try.

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Meaningful incident.

When Lord Shiva was explaining the secrets to Parvathi, he said, 'Watching the breath is very difficult only for a person who is not pure.'

The human mind has got stained to such an extent that even for ten minutes one is unable to sit calmly and watch the breath.

The stain must be removed.

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Meditation chisels. Chisel No. 53.

Man does not live only by breathing air, which is a mixture of oxygen and hydrogen.

The essence that is within the air that is breathed in only is the root cause for existence of human life.

A German Psychologist, William Rich says, 'I indicate that as 'Argon energy'.

The truth that what we inhale is only oxygen was till few years ago a guess only for even scientists. Only after it is proved man believes it to be true.

Science has guessed today to the extent to say, 'There is one thing which is the life-essence in the air we breathe. It may take a long time to be proved.'

Five thousand years back itself, our Rishis have realized consciously and said,

'Breathing air is only a boat which brings the life-essence of 'PRANA'. Your being alive is not due to the breathing. It is possible only due to the movement of PRANA.'

After watching the breath and after starting to do meditation, what comes first in your awareness is only the boat called breathing air.

As you continue to watch, the awareness will increase.

Only when the awareness increases, you will feel the 'PRANIC ENERGY' which comes into your body with inhalation. Finally, you will become the center of the universe.

Watch your breath, until you feel the pranic life energy which is the essence of the breath.

Make the times you breathe as meditation times.

Secrets will be revealed to you.

Whatever be the action you do, while doing it, watch the breath that comes and goes inside the body.

While observing the breath itself, involve yourself in the action.

While doing the action itself, watch the breath.