Interesting Material To Go Through.........

The Silent Retreat

Four monks decided to meditate silently without speaking for two weeks. They began with enthusiasm and no one said a word the whole day. By nightfall of the first day, the candle began to flicker and then went out.

The first monk blurted out, "Oh, no! The candle is out."

The second monk said, "Hey! We are not supposed to speak!"

The third monk said in an irritated voice, "What is this? Why did you two break the silence?"

The fourth monk smiled and said, "Wow! I'm the only one who hasn't spoken."

~~~

Reflections:

Each monk broke the silence for a different reason, each of which is a common stumbling block in our inner journey. The first monk got distracted by one aspect of his experience (the candle) and forgot what was more important - the practice of witnessing without reacting. The second monk was more worried about others following the rules than in actually practicing himself. The third monk let his anger towards the first two monks affect him. And the fourth monk lost his way because of pride.

Why did the fourth monk speak at all? He could have simply maintained his silence and he would have been successful in his endeavor. But if he had, chances are, the other three might have continued to argue and not even noticed his silence. Some people are like this. Their motto is "If I'm doing something good, but no one notices, I might as well not be doing it at all." They believe that the reward is not in the effort, but in the recognition.

There is a beautiful quote, "It is the provence of knowledge to speak; it is the privilege of wisdom to listen." As we learn to truly listen, witness and observe without impulsively reacting with distraction, judgement, anger and pride, then we understand the true meaning of silence.

 

One of the main concerns of Sadhakas is the doubt whether they are on the right track...are there any tangible symptoms of a good practice of meditation or any such sadhana?..well...the answer is ...YES...
Though these symptoms may vary from person to person, some are common as listed here...

1) Instead of feeling aloof, we may start feeling more concerned towards our commitments. There will be genuine involvement in what ever we do but we feel no attachment.

2) We will start to enjoy life much better. There will be a remarkable change in our perception and the way we start looking at the world. We will become calmer, more composed, more tolerant, more blissful. Day-to-day affairs become much more enjoyable.

3) We will become less and less irritated. There will be a remarkable change in our temper management.
Getting stuck in Peak hour Bangalore traffic may no longer make any difference.

4) It becomes easier to feel sorry or beg for forgiveness. The duration and intensity of anger becomes lesser and lesser.

5) Silence becomes more preferable. Instead of getting into arguments we may endup avoiding it altogether.

6) Urge to achieve big and become the centre of attraction will diminish. Feeling of contentment comes across quite easily.

7) The intensity of pain that comes when we lose something or somone important will become much less and tolerable. This is because of reduced sense of attachment. We may find it much easier to give away things and belongings.

8) The understanding that the divine is the guiding force and the cause of all actions will simply take away all the stress and tensions. We become fearless and carefree. Even when we get cheated or hurt we may start to experience a strange sense of calmness thinking that there could be a divine reason for it to happen like that.

9) We may start to feel more compassionate about our maids, subordinates and co workers. If someone hurt us, we may still feel bad and angry at that moment. But it will fizzle out quickly.

10) One very profound symptom could be a complete loss of fear of death....We will start experiencing death as a celebration rather than tragedy. Event of death becomes a great liberator and unifier rather than a separator.

 

You can't just sit there and wait for success to fall into your lap; once your course is set and your will is firm, you have to make a practical effort. Then you will see that whatever you require for success starts coming to you. Everything will push you in the right direction. In your divinely surcharged will power is the answer to prayer. When you use that will, you open the way through which your prayers can be answered.

- Sri Sri Paramahansa Yogananda

 

It all started one lazy Sunday afternoon in a small town near Toronto in Canada.
Two school-going friends had a crazy idea. They rounded up three goats from the neighborhood and painted the numbers 1, 2 and 4 on their sides. That night they let the goats loose inside their school building. The next morning, when the authorities entered the school, they could smell something was wrong. They soon saw goat droppings on the stairs and near the entrance and realized that some goats had entered the building. A search was immediately launched and very soon, the three goats were found. But the authorities were worried, where was goat No. 3? They spent the rest of the day looking for goat No.3. The school declared classes off for the students for the rest of the day. The teachers, helpers, guards, canteen staffs, boys were all busy looking for the goat No. 3, which, of course, was never found. Simply because ………… it did not exist.

*Those among us who, in spite of having a good life are always feeling a “lack of fulfillment” are actually looking for the elusive, missing, non-existent goat No.3. Whatever the area of complaint or dissatisfaction, relationship, job-satisfaction, finance, achievements, …… *An absence of something is always larger than the presence of many other things*

 

Radha, a poorly dressed lady with a look of defeat on her face, walked into a grocery store.
She approached the owner of the store in a most humble manner and asked if he would let her few groceries on credit.

She softly explained that her husband was very ill and unable to work, they had seven children and they needed food.

Kamsa, the grocer, scoffed at her and requested that she leave his store at once.

Visualizing the family needs, she said: 'Please, sir! I will bring you the money just as soon as I can.'

Kamsa told her he could not give her credit, since she did not have a charge account at his store.
Krishna, standing beside the counter, overheard the conversation between the two. He walked forward and told the grocer that he would stand good for whatever she needed for her family. The grocer said in a very reluctant voice, 'Do you have a grocery list?'

Radha replied, 'Yes sir.' 'O.K' he said, 'put your grocery list on the scales and whatever your grocery list weighs, I will give you that amount in groceries.'

Radha hesitated a moment with a bowed head, then she reached into her purse and took out a piece of paper and scribbled something on it. She then laid the piece of paper on the scale carefully with her head still bowed.

The eyes of the grocer showed amazement when the scales went down and stayed down..

The grocer, staring at the scales, turned slowly to the Krishna and said begrudgingly, 'I can't believe it.'

Krishna smiled and the grocer started putting the groceries on the other side of the scales. The scale did not balance so he continued to put more and more groceries on them until the scales would hold no more.

The grocer stood there in utter disgust. Finally, he grabbed the piece of paper from the scales and looked at it with greater amazement.

It was not a grocery list, it was a prayer, which said:

'Dear Krishna, you know my needs and I am leaving this in your hands.'

The grocer gave her the groceries that he had gathered and stood in stunned silence.

Radha thanked him and left the store. Krishna handed a Gold coin to the grocer and said the Creator Knows how much a prayer weighs.'

THE POWER: When you receive this, say a prayer. That's all you have to do.

So dear heart, trust God to know your very own needs., heal the sick, provide food for the hungry, clothes and shelter for those that don't have as we do.

 

The conversation between Sri Krishna and Karna from Mahabharat

Karna asks Krishna - "My mother left me the moment I was born. Is it my fault I was born an illegitimate child? I did not get education from Dhronacharya because I was considered a non Kshatriya. Parshu-Raam taught me but then gave me the curse to forget everything since I was a kshatriya. A cow was accidentally hit by my arrow & its owner cursed me for no fault of mine. I was disgraced in Draupadi's swayamvar. Even Kunti finally told me the truth only to save her other sons. Whatever I received was through Dhuryodhana's charity. So how am I wrong in taking his side?"

Krishna replies, "Karna, I was born in a jail. Death was waiting for me even before my birth. The night I was born I was separated from my birth parents.

From childhood you grew up hearing the noise of swords, chariots, horses, bow and arrows. I got only cow herd's shed, dung, and multiple attempts on my life even before I could walk!

No army, no education. I could hear people saying I am the reason for all their problems.

When all of you were being appreciated for your valour by your teachers I had not even received any education. I joined gurukula of Rishi Sandipani only at the age of 16!

You are married to a girl of your choice. I didn't get the girl I loved & rather ended up marrying those who wanted me or the ones I rescued from demons.

I had to move my whole community from the banks of Yamuna to far off Sea shore to save them from Jarasandh. I was called a coward for running away.


If Dhuryodhana wins the war you will get lot of credit. What do I get if Dharmaraja wins the war? Only the blame for the war and all related problems.

Remember one thing Karna. Everybody has challenges in life. LIFE IS NOT FAIR ON ANYBODY. Dhuryodhan also has a lot of unfairness in life and so ha Yudhhishthir.

But what is Right (Dharma) is known to your mind (conscience). No matter how much unfairness we got, how many times we were disgraced, how many times we were denied what was due to us, what is important is how you REACTED at that time. Stop whining Karna. Life's unfairness does not give you license to walk the wrong path of अधर्म.