I wish neither to possess,
Nor to be possessed.
I no longer covet paradise,
More important, I no longer fear hell.The medicine for my suffering
I had within me from the very beginning,
But I did not take it.
My ailment came from within myself,
But I did not observe it
Until this moment.Now I see that I will never find the light
Unless, like the candle, I am my own fuel,
Consuming myself.
– Bruce Lee
To you who say that your body, just as it is, is already Buddha
When you, inseparable from Buddha, put Buddha’s activity into practice – only then are you a Buddha. And when you act like a fool, then you’re a fool.
It’s only in your approach to life that Buddha appears.
A person who puts a buddha’s actions into practice is called a Buddha.
Any buddha that humans have thought up isn’t a Buddha.
When we say Buddha is unlimited, it means that he’s beyond any fixed form. It isn’t a measurement of his size.
Buddha is sharp-witted, cheerful, and free of attachment. Nevertheless, lots of people these days think that Buddha is dreary and unlucky.
– Kodo Sawaki, ’To You’
I want to let you in on a little secret. There are no problems. There never were any problems, there are no problems today, and there will never be any problems. The reality in back of the universe is Pure Awareness. It has no problems. And you are That.
It’s in the silence that your problems just dissolve. Try it. It really works.
When you sit in the silence, it will come to you. You will see how the body came to be, and how the body goes, and a new body comes to be, and a new body goes. But you are alive. The real You persists. Nothing can ever destroy it. Water cannot drown it. Fire cannot burn it. Whatever happens to the body in this world cannot eliminate the ’I am’. It has nothing to do with your age, or whether you’re well or sick, or rich or poor. It is the Self. It has always been and it will always be. It is YOU.
Always remember deep in your heart that all is well and everything is unfolding as it should. There are no mistakes anywhere, at any time. What appears to be wrong is simply your own false imagination. That’s all.
~ Robert Adams
If there is want of discrimination and dispassion in the mind, scriptures or books are of no avail. Those who have the thirst for knowledge alone can be benefitted by these.
The condition of many is like that of a poor and mean beggar.
Whatever little he gets gives him satisfaction. In the hundred different kinds of distress of this samsara, a little enjoyment of pleasure makes him content. Having the birthright of limitless bliss, he is content with such a little – what delusion!When one desire becomes strong, the minor desires are forsaken. When the gaze is fixed in one direction, other directions are not seen. All other desires are checked when it is understood by dint of discrimination and dispassion that Atma is the only reality and to realize it becomes strong.
– The Life and Teachings of Brahmajna Ma, p. 36
The Guru is powerful. His work is not external. It is internal. He works directly in the minds of his disciples. In front of a Guru, the desires of the disciples become weak and disappear. Mind becomes quiet. The mind which was wandering till now, settles automatically on the Soul. So he gets enlightened. A disciple need not do anything in the presence of a Guru. The disciples shall execute all the works assigned by the Guru without fail and without any delay
Note: We shall be gifted to get such Guru. Generally Guru seeks the disciple who is ready for the teaching or he attracts the disciple towards him. For those who are not blessed with a Guru, our Soul directly guides us. There is not even a single moment where we are left unguided. All out thoughts, words and actions are monitored continuously and we are corrected to be on the right course.
The Testament of Sri Ramana Maharshi
(by V. Kadal Amutham)
”Q: ”What is the easiest way and most effective way to do atma-vichara, self-inquiry?”
Ramana Maharshi:”To always be aware consciously in all situations of the ”I Am”. No matter what you’re doing, where you are, be aware of the ”I Am” in your heart. This is the most effective practice.”
– Sri Ramana Maharshi
Become conscious of being conscious. Say or think “I am”, and add nothing to it. Be aware of the stillness that follows the “I am”. Sense your presence, the naked unveiled, unclothed beingness. It is untouched by young or old, rich or poor, good or bad, or any other attributes. It is the spacious womb of all creation, all form.
– Ramana Maharshi
”You will fall sick, experience pain, and encounter many adverse circumstances. At such times do not think, ‘Although I am practicing the Dharma, I have nothing but trouble. The Dharma cannot be so great. I have followed a teacher and done so much practice, and yet hard times still befall me.’
Such thoughts are wrong views. You should realize that through the blessing and power of the practice, by experiencing sickness and other difficulties now, you are purifying and ridding yourself of negative actions.
By purifying them while you have the chance, you will later go from bliss to bliss. So do not think, ‘I don’t deserve this illness, these obstacles, these negative influences.’ Experience your difficulties as blessings. When you do experience such difficulties, you should be very happy and avoid having adverse thoughts like, ‘Why are such terrible things happening to me?’”
– Dilgo Khyentse Rinpoche
My situation in life was like the phrase, “No knowledge, no strength in arms, no money to spend.” I felt I could not serve Baba in any way. In spite of this I was the recipient of his endless grace. He gave me everything when I was not able to offer anything in return. Not only am I indebted to him, but so is my whole family, particularly my mother, my wife, and my two sons. One day Baba came to our house at 150 Allenganj in Allahabad. After puja and a meal, he sat silently for some time. Suddenly he said to me, “Don’t worry.” I told him I did not worry, but the worries came to me and did not leave no matter how hard I tried. Baba said again very forcefully, “I say don’t worry.” Helplessly, I submitted to what he said, as it was no use
arguing further. Many years after this incident, I came to know the reality of his utterance. The purpose of his command was, as it is said in the Ramayana, “Friend, leave your worry and rely on me. I shall do all your work.”
In time he took away all my worries. The circumstances changed by themselves, and my nature to worry also improved. Even now if I worry about something, as is my basic nature, I have found the work automatically and appropriately done. I remember what Baba told me and feel ashamed of myself. Baba took care of me and he still does.
– Ravi Prakash Pande (The Divine Reality – Sri Neem Karoli Baba Ji Maharaj)
