An old Master and his disciple were about to cross a river, when they see a woman sobbing nearby. The disciple out of curiosity asked the woman as what was troubling her. She explained, “I have to cross the river but there are no boats to take me across. The river is too deep and I don’t know how to swim.”
The Master, who was silently listening to her woes came forward and offered his help. He asked her to sit on his shoulders while he crossed the river. The disciple was shocked at the blasphemous behavior of his respectful teacher. He thought how could a monk observing strict monastic vows, commit such an act of sacrilege. Yet he chose to keep silent and wait for the opportune moment to question his Master.
They all crossed the river and the women profusely thanked the Master and went her way. The Master too kept walking as if nothing had happened. The disciple was seething with disgust at his teacher’s nonchalant attitude. He rushed to the master and asked, “How could you possibly carry a woman on your shoulders and yet pretend as if nothing happened.”
The Master, unmoved by the disciple’s rage calmly said, “I have left behind the woman a long time back; however you seem to be carrying her even now.”
What an eye opener? Aren’t we too, like the disciple, carrying our past baggage on our mind, heart and shoulders? We love to hold on to the past with so much tenacity that it becomes impossible to differentiate it from the present. Complications arise when we fail to see things as they really are. We use our past as a looking glass to see into the future and ruin our momentous present.
The secret of happiness is very simple. Learn to let go. Let go of your past mistakes, past hurt and unfulfilling experiences. Do you not regularly dispose unwanted clutter from your house? Then why do you hold on to century’s worth of past clutter in your heart and mind. Dispose them from time to time and you will be living happily in the present. That is true mindfulness.
Let us choose to look back in gratefulness rather in hate. Let us focus on the living rather than the dead. Let us live happily in the present moment for this is the only moment of truth. Breathe deeply and let it go once and for all. How long do you intend to hold on to the stale air in your lungs (mind & heart too)?
Let the words of the Buddha always ring true - “Just let it be.”
The Master, who was silently listening to her woes came forward and offered his help. He asked her to sit on his shoulders while he crossed the river. The disciple was shocked at the blasphemous behavior of his respectful teacher. He thought how could a monk observing strict monastic vows, commit such an act of sacrilege. Yet he chose to keep silent and wait for the opportune moment to question his Master.
They all crossed the river and the women profusely thanked the Master and went her way. The Master too kept walking as if nothing had happened. The disciple was seething with disgust at his teacher’s nonchalant attitude. He rushed to the master and asked, “How could you possibly carry a woman on your shoulders and yet pretend as if nothing happened.”
The Master, unmoved by the disciple’s rage calmly said, “I have left behind the woman a long time back; however you seem to be carrying her even now.”
What an eye opener? Aren’t we too, like the disciple, carrying our past baggage on our mind, heart and shoulders? We love to hold on to the past with so much tenacity that it becomes impossible to differentiate it from the present. Complications arise when we fail to see things as they really are. We use our past as a looking glass to see into the future and ruin our momentous present.
The secret of happiness is very simple. Learn to let go. Let go of your past mistakes, past hurt and unfulfilling experiences. Do you not regularly dispose unwanted clutter from your house? Then why do you hold on to century’s worth of past clutter in your heart and mind. Dispose them from time to time and you will be living happily in the present. That is true mindfulness.
Let us choose to look back in gratefulness rather in hate. Let us focus on the living rather than the dead. Let us live happily in the present moment for this is the only moment of truth. Breathe deeply and let it go once and for all. How long do you intend to hold on to the stale air in your lungs (mind & heart too)?
Let the words of the Buddha always ring true - “Just let it be.”
Peace in oneself; peace in the world.
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