For a seeker on the spiritual path, conditioning of mind is a must. A master can only show the way but it is for the seeker to realise the goal with steadfast, unflinching practice. It is for the sincere seeker to minimise thoughts in his mind to reach almost to the point of emptiness. I admire a Buddhist story so much that I always like to share with as many practising seekers as possible, for the reason that this story brings out beautifully the contrast between the emptiness of mind in one and the mind with futile weight of thoughts in another.
Two bikkus ( Buddhist monks) used to set out for their alms to the neighbouring village a little far from their ashram. They had to cross a small river with shallow waters before entering the village. One day as they were returning from the village after fetching alms, they saw a woman crying loudly near the river bank. One of the bikkus asked her the reason for crying. She told him that leaving her little child on the other side of the river she had crossed the shallow waters for her work on this side of the river. But due to unexpected rains in the upstream of the river, water level had increased making her difficult to cross back. She begged him to carry her to the other side of the river to reach for her child crying for her milk. Without second thought the monk who spoke to her asked her to cling on to his back and crossed the river. She thanked him for saving the child's life who would have died due to lack of milk if not being helped by him in time.
The bikkus proceeded to their ashram. As they were about to reach the ashram the second bikkum who was silent till then, opened his mouth and asked the first one, ' My friend, the Code of Conduct of our Ashram prohibits us from contemplating about women even in a dream. And we are not expected to see , talk, or touch them. Whereas you have not only looked at her but talked to her, and even touched her. Don't you think you have done a great sin by flouting the Code of Conduct of our Ashram.' The first one replied, ' My friend, I had left the woman at the riverside but you are still carrying her.!
This story thus brings out how one simply responds with heart to save a life in dire situation and forgets about the matter then and there keeping his mind free of thoughts and the other one's mind in contrast bogged down with weight of futile thoughts. It's writing on the wall that, the first one should be the sincere seekers' inspiration !
Two bikkus ( Buddhist monks) used to set out for their alms to the neighbouring village a little far from their ashram. They had to cross a small river with shallow waters before entering the village. One day as they were returning from the village after fetching alms, they saw a woman crying loudly near the river bank. One of the bikkus asked her the reason for crying. She told him that leaving her little child on the other side of the river she had crossed the shallow waters for her work on this side of the river. But due to unexpected rains in the upstream of the river, water level had increased making her difficult to cross back. She begged him to carry her to the other side of the river to reach for her child crying for her milk. Without second thought the monk who spoke to her asked her to cling on to his back and crossed the river. She thanked him for saving the child's life who would have died due to lack of milk if not being helped by him in time.
The bikkus proceeded to their ashram. As they were about to reach the ashram the second bikkum who was silent till then, opened his mouth and asked the first one, ' My friend, the Code of Conduct of our Ashram prohibits us from contemplating about women even in a dream. And we are not expected to see , talk, or touch them. Whereas you have not only looked at her but talked to her, and even touched her. Don't you think you have done a great sin by flouting the Code of Conduct of our Ashram.' The first one replied, ' My friend, I had left the woman at the riverside but you are still carrying her.!
This story thus brings out how one simply responds with heart to save a life in dire situation and forgets about the matter then and there keeping his mind free of thoughts and the other one's mind in contrast bogged down with weight of futile thoughts. It's writing on the wall that, the first one should be the sincere seekers' inspiration !
Om Shanti !
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