`Happiness and God's Grace'

Nearly all mankind is more or less unhappy
because nearly all do not know the true Self.
Real happiness abides in Self-knowledge alone.
All else is fleeting.
To know one's Self
is to be blissful always.


...Bliss is not something to be got.
On the other hand you are always Bliss.
This desire [for Bliss] is born of the sense of incompleteness.
To whom is this sense of incompleteness?
Enquire. In deep sleep you were blissful.
Now you are not so.
What has interposed between that Bliss and this non-bliss?
It is the ego.
Seek its source and find you are Bliss.



Wanting to reform the world without discovering one's true self is like trying to cover the world with leather to avoid the pain of walking on stones and thorns. It is much simpler to wear shoes.

From `Happiness and God's Grace'
by Ramana Maharshi



We loosely talk of Self-realization, for lack of a better term. But how can one realize or make real that which alone is real? All we need to do is to give up our habit of regarding as real that which is unreal. All religious practices are meant solely to help us do this. When we stop regarding the unreal as real, then reality alone will remain, and we will be that.



Nobody doubts that he exists, though he may doubt the existence of God. If he finds out the truth about himself and discovers his own source, this is all that is required.



'That inner Self, as the primeval Spirit,
Eternal, ever effulgent, full and infinite Bliss,
Single, indivisible, whole and living,
Shines in everyone as the witnessing awareness.
That self in its splendour, shining in the cavity of the heart
This self is neither born nor dies,
Neither grows nor decays,
Nor does it suffer any change.
When a pot is broken, the space within it is not,
And similarly, when the body dies the Self in it remains eternal.


Every living being longs always to be happy, untainted by sorrow; and everyone has the greatest love for himself, which is solely due to the fact that happiness is his real nature. Hence, in order to realize that inherent and untainted happiness, which indeed he daily experiences when the mind is subdued in deep sleep, it is essential that he should know himself. For obtaining such knowledge the inquiry 'Who am I?' in quest of the Self is the best means."

-The Collected Works of Sri Ramana Maharshi
(Page 39, Samuel Weiser Edition 1977)




Reality is simply the loss of ego. Destroy the ego by seeking its identity. Because the ego is no entity it will automatically vanish and reality will shine forth by itself.

-'Be As You Are',
The Teachings of Sri Ramana Maharshi
Edited by David Godman




"God dwells in you, as you, and you don't have to 'do' anything to be God-realized or Self-realized, it is already your true and natural state." Just drop all seeking, turn your attention inward, and sacrifice your mind to the One Self radiating in the Heart of your very being. For this to be your own presently lived experience, Self-Inquiry is the one direct and immediate way."



It is false to speak of realisation. What is there to realise?
The real is as it is always. We are not creating anything new or
achieving something which we did not have before. The illustration
given in books is this. We dig a well and create a huge pit. The
space in the pit or well has not been created by us. We have just
removed the earth which was filling the space there. The space
was there then and is also there now. Similarly we have simply
to throw out all the age-long samskaras [innate tendencies] which
are inside us. When all of them have been given up, the Self will
shine alone.

-"Be As You Are"
The Teachings of Sri Ramana Maharshi
Edited by David Godman



There is no greater mystery than this, that we keep
seeking reality though in fact we are reality. We
think that there is something hiding reality and that
this must be destroyed before reality is gained.
How ridiculous! A day will dawn when you will laugh
at all your past efforts. That which will be the day
you laugh is also here and now.



Relative knowledge pertains to the mind and not to the Self. It is therefore illusory and not permanent. Take a scientist, for instance. He formulates a theory that the Earth is round and goes on to prove it on an incontrovertible basis. When he falls asleep the whole idea vanishes; his mind is left a blank. What does it matter whether the world remains round or flat when he is asleep? So you see the futility of all such relative knowledge. One should go beyond relative knowledge and abide in the Self. Real knowledge is such experience, and not apprehension by the mind.

-"Talks with Ramana Maharshi"




'I exist' is the only permanent self-evident experience of everyone. Nothing else is so self-evident as 'I am'. What people call self-evident, that is, the experience they get through the senses, is far from self-evident. The Self alone is that. So to do self-enquiry and be that 'I am' is the only thing to do. 'I am' is reality. I am this or that is unreal. 'I am' is truth, another name for Self.

-"Be As You Are"
The Teachings of Sri Ramana Maharshi
Edited by David Godman




"Heart" is merely another name for the Supreme Spirit,
because He is in all hearts.

The entire Universe is condensed in the body,
and the entire body in the Heart.

Thus the Heart is the nucleus of the whole Universe.



Your own Self-Realization
is the greatest service you can
render the world.



You and I are the same.
What I have done is surely possible for all.
You are the Self
now and can never be anything else.
Throw your worries to the wind,
turn within and find Peace.

Kako da se sudbina izbriše ili da se bude nezavistan od nje

Kada uvidite da je jedan od glavnih čimbenika našega 'sebe' upravo vezanost i kada uvidite do čega ta vezanost dovodi na ovome svijetu, te kako se odražava u vašem odnosu prema drugome, kao prepirke, razdvojenost, kao sva ružnoća međusobnih odnosa - ako sagledate istinu o vezanosti, tada se i oslobađate vezanosti. Oslobađa vas vaš vlastiti opažaj.
(Jiddu Krishnamurthi)

Onoliko koliko smo uvereni da smo mi onaj koji djeluje, utoliko ćemo i podnositi plodove toga
djelovanja. Ako ispitivanjem ko čini djela, čovjek spozna neuslovljeno Sopstvo, osjećaj da on nešto
čini nestaje, a s njim i sva karma. Ovo je bezvremeno oslobođenje.
P: Da li je sve predodređeno? Ima li neke koristi od molitve ili bilo kakvih težnji, kada će se
ionako dogoditi ono što je određeno da se dogodi? Treba li da ostanemo pasivni?
Bg: Postoje samo dva načina: da se sudbina izbriše ili da se bude nezavistan od nje. Prvi je da se
ispitivanjem kome je namijenjena ova sudbina otkrije da je jedino Ja uslovljeno sudbinom, a ne
Sopstvo, i da Ja ne postoji u stvarnosti. Drugi način je da se potpunom predajom Gospodu poništi
Ja spoznajom bespomoćnosti u stavu "Ne ja, već Ti, o, Gospode". Potpuno napuštajući osjećaj "ja"
i "moje", prepusti Gospodu da čini sa tobom šta želi. Da bi se pobijedila sudbina, neophodno je
potpuno brisanje Ja-iskustva, bilo da se to postiže samoistraživanjem, bilo putem predanosti. (Učenje Ramane Maharshija)

Predaj se jednom zauvjek i pusti želju! Dok postoji osjećaj identiteta "ja sam onaj koji djeluje",
postoji i želja. Tako Ja-uvjerenje nastavlja da postoji. Ali, ako se sa tim prestane, tada Sopstvo
zrači neskrivenim sjajem stvarnosti. Uvjerenje "Ja djelujem" je okov, a ne djelovanje u stvarnosti.
„Budi miran i znaj da sam Ja Bog". Mir je potpuna predanost u kojoj više nema nikakve individualnosti.
To je mir kada nema aktivnosti uma, jer jedino u aktivnosti uma nastaju sve želje i osjećaj
identiteta „Ja djelujem". Ako se sa svim tim prestane, nastaje mir. U njemu se otvara znanje koje
odražava Sopstvo. To više nije uslovljeno "znanje" u podvojenosti onoga koji zna, saznanja i onoga što se zna.
(Učenje Ramane Maharshija)

Bg: Milost Boga ili Gurua je uvjek prisutna. Ti samo zamišljaš da je ona negdje visoko iznad i da
mora da se spusti do tebe. Ali ona je stvarnost koja počiva u tvom srcu, i čim ti pođe za rukom
nadilaženje ili otapanje uma sagledavanjem njegove stvarnosti, svejedno kojom metodom, milost
će izbiti iz tebe kao iz izvora.


Bg: Uvjerenje "Ja radim" je prepreka. Osvjesti sebe pitanjem "Ko radi?". Otkrij ko si ti u stalnoj
svjesnosti. Tada te rad neće vezivati, spontano ćeš biti slobodan od njega. Ne čini napor niti kad
radiš, niti kada se opuštaš od rada, tvoj napor te vezuje za um. Šta treba da se desi, desiće se.
Ako ti je određeno da radiš, biće ti nemoguće da to izbegneš. Prepusti to sve, dakle, višoj sili. To
zaista nije tvoj izbor, da li da se odrekneš ili da nastaviš sa radom.
Žene koje nose krčag vode na glavi zastanu da razgovaraju, ali ostaju pribrane i zadržavaju
svoju pažnju na krčag. Slično je i kada mudrac obavlja neki rad: njegov um ostaje u svom Sopstvu i aktivnost ga ne odvraća od toga.
(Učenje Ramane Maharshija)

Traganje za nevezanoću dovelo me do učenja Ramane Maharshija a to znači da ja ne djelujem
već ono-Biće-Bog-Sopstvo.
Također ja nisam djelovao kad sam spoznao kako kopirati tekst iz Adobe Reader-a.

"Who am I?"

Sri Ramana's teachings about self-enquiry
Self-enquiry
Self-enquiry is a practice of meditation designed to rapidly bring about Self-realization, Self awareness, spiritual liberation or Moksha, and is most commonly associated with its most famous modern advocate, Sri Ramana Maharshi...., the practice he is most widely associated with, have been classified as the Path of Knowledge (Jnana marga) among the Indian schools of thought. Though his teaching is consistent with and generally associated with Hinduism
Hinduism
'Hinduism' is the predominant religion of the Indian subcontinent. Hinduism is often referred to as , a Sanskrit phrase meaning "the eternal dharma", by its practitioners...., the Upanishads and Advaita Vedanta, there are some differences with the traditional Advaitic school, and Sri Ramana gave his approval to a variety of paths and practices from various religions.His earliest teachings are documented in the book Nan Yar?(Who am I?), first written in Tamil
Tamil language
Tamil is a Dravidian language spoken predominantly by Tamil people of the Indian subcontinent. It has Official language in India, Sri Lanka and Singapore..... The original book was published by Sri Pillai, although the essay version of the book (Sri Ramana Nutrirattu) prepared by Sri Ramana is considered definitive as unlike the original it had the benefit of his revision and review. A careful translation with notes is available in English as 'The Path of Sri Ramana, Part One' by Sri Sadhu Om, one of the direct disciples of Sri Ramana. Selections from this definitive version follow:
As all living beings desire to be happy always, without misery, as in the case of everyone there is observed supreme love for one's self, and as happiness alone is the cause for love, in order to gain that happiness which is one's nature and which is experienced in the state of deep sleep where there is no mind, one should know one's self. For that, the path of knowledge, the inquiry of the form "Who am I?", is the principal means.
Knowledge itself is 'I'. The nature of (this) knowledge is existence-consciousness-bliss.
What is called mind is a wondrous power existing in Self. It projects all thoughts. If we set aside all thoughts and see, there will be no such thing as mind remaining separate; therefore, thought itself is the form of the mind. Other than thoughts, there is no such thing as the world.
Of all the thoughts that rise in the mind, the thought 'I' is the first thought.
That which rises in this body as 'I' is the mind. If one enquires 'In which place in the body does the thought 'I' rise first?', it will be known to be in the heart [spiritual heart is 'two digits to the right from the centre of the chest']. Even if one incessantly thinks 'I', 'I', it will lead to that place (Self)'
The mind will subside only by means of the enquiry 'Who am I?'. The thought 'Who am I?', destroying all other thoughts, will itself finally be destroyed like the stick used for stirring the funeral pyre.
If other thoughts rise, one should, without attempting to complete them, enquire, 'To whom did they arise?', it will be known 'To me'. If one then enquires 'Who am I?', the mind (power of attention) will turn back to its source. By repeatedly practising thus, the power of the mind to abide in its source increases.
The place where even the slightest trace of the 'I' does not exist, alone is Self.
Self itself is the world; Self itself is 'I'; Self itself is God; all is the Supreme Self (siva swarupam)
Sri Ramana warned against considering self-enquiry as an intellectual exercise. Properly done, it involves fixing the attention firmly and intensely on the feeling of 'I', without thinking. It is perhaps more helpful to see it as 'Self-attention' or 'Self-abiding' (cf. Sri Sadhu Om - The Path of Sri Ramana Part I). The clue to this is in Sri Ramana's own death experience when he was 16. After raising the question 'Who am I?' he "turned his attention very keenly towards himself" (cf. description above). Attention must be fixed on the 'I' until the feeling of duality disappears.Although he advocated self-enquiry as the fastest means to realization, he was also known to have advised the practice of bhakti
Bhakti
Bhakti is a word of Sanskrit origin meaning devotion. Within Vaishnavism bhakti is only used in conjunction with Vishnu, Krishna or of the associated avatar, who are the source of attractiveness.... and self-surrender (to one's Deity or Guru) either concurrently or as an adequate alternative, which would ultimately converge with the path of self-enquiry.
Sri Ramana's teachings and Advaita
Sri Ramana's teachings and the traditional Advaitic school of thought pioneered by Sri Sankaracharya have many things in common. Sri Ramana often mentioned and is known to have encouraged study of the following classical works: Ashtavakra Gita
Ashtavakra Gita
The Ashtavakra Gita or the Song of Ashtavakra, also known as Ashtavakra Samhita is an Advaita Vedanta scripture which documents a dialogue between the Perfect Master Ashtavakra and Janaka, the King of Mithila...., Ribhu Gita and Essence of Ribhu Gita, Yoga Vasista Sara, Tripura Rahasya[], Kaivalya Navaneetam, Advaita Bodha Deepika, and Ellam Ondre. However, there are some practical differences with the traditional Advaitic school, which recommends a negationist neti, neti (Sanskrit
Sanskrit
Sanskrit is a historical Indo-Aryan language, one of the liturgical languages of Hinduism and Buddhism, and one of the 22 official languages of India...., "not this", "not this") path, or mental affirmations that the Self was the only reality, such as "I am Brahman" or "I am He", while Sri Ramana advocates the enquiry "Nan Yar" (Tamil
Tamil language
Tamil is a Dravidian language spoken predominantly by Tamil people of the Indian subcontinent. It has Official language in India, Sri Lanka and Singapore...., "Who am I"). Furthermore, unlike the traditional Advaitic school, Sri Ramana strongly discouraged most who came to him from adopting a renunciate lifestyle.To elaborate:
The traditional Advaitic (non-dualistic) school advocates "elimination of all that is non-self (the five sheaths) until only the Self remains". The five kosas, or sheaths, that hide the true Self are: Material, Vital, Mental, Knowledge, and Blissful.

Sri Ramana says "enquiry in the form 'Who am I' alone is the principal means. To make the mind subside, there is no adequate means other than self-enquiry. If controlled by other means, mind will remain as if subsided, but will rise again"

Teachers in his tradition
He considered his own guru to be the Self, in the form of the sacred mountain Arunachala
Arunachala
Arunachala refers to the holy hill at Thiruvannamalai in Tamil Nadu, where the Arunachaleswara Temple, a temple of Lord Shiva is located. Every year in the Tamil calendar month of Karthigai , the Karthigai Deepam is lit atop the hill..... Sri Ramana did not publicize himself as a guru, never claimed to have disciples, and never appointed any successors. While a few who came to see him are said to have become enlightened through association, and there are accounts of private acknowledgements, he did not publicly acknowledge any living person as liberated other than his mother at death. Sri Ramana declared himself an atiasrama(beyond all caste and religious restrictions, not attached to anything in life), and did not belong to or promote any lineage. Despite his non-affiliations, there are numerous contemporary teachers who publicly associate themselves with Sri Ramana, and some who assert being in his lineage.His method of teaching was characterized by the following:
1. He urged people who came to him to practice self-enquiry;
2. He directed people to look inward rather than seeking outside themselves for Realization. ("The true Bhagavan resides in your Heart as your true Self. This is who I truly am.");
3. He viewed all who came to him as the Self rather than as lesser beings. ("The jnani sees no one as an ajnani. All are only jnanis in his sight.");
4. He charged no money, and was adamant that no one ever ask for money (or anything else) in his name;
5. He never promoted or called attention to himself. Instead, Sri Ramana remained in one place for 54 years, offering spiritual guidance to anyone of any background who came to him, and asking nothing in return;
6. He considered humility to be the highest quality;
7. He said the deep sense of peace one felt around a jnani was the surest indicator of their spiritual state, that equality towards all was a true sign of liberation, and that what a true jnani did was always for others, not themselves.

U predstavi nitko ne pati

Dopuštam svemu da se dešava! Sve što se dešava je dobro!

Živim samo sada jer je postalo preteško nositi teret prošlosti i razmišljanje o budućnosti!

Prošlost i budućnost ne postoje oni su samo patnja!

Misao nije stvarnost!

Mi patimo zbog misli a ne zbog stvarnosti!

Sve što nastane mora i da nestane i zbog toga nije stvarno!

Napuštam sve ideje o sebi jer ništa neznam i jednostavno jesam!

Životna sila kada se pojavi u obliku misli i rječi, postaje um,
tako da je ova energija uma, životna sila uma, ta koja je princip
djelovanja. Biće, svjest je Bog koji svjedoči životnoj sili i
djelovanju uma. On se ne mješa, on samo svjedoči. Razlog
tvoje nesreće je u tome što misliš da ti išta radiš.
(Sri Nisargadatta Maharaj)

Znati da si ništa je pravo oslobođenje!

Tvoje visoko mišljenje o meni je samo tvoje mišljenje. Svakog trenutka možeš da ga promjeniš. Zašto bi ti pridavao važnost mišljenju, čak i svom vlastitom?
(Sri Nisargadatta Maharaj)

Slušaj, zapamti i razumi – um je glumac i scena. Sve je to od uma, a ti nisi um. Um se rađa uvjek iznova, ne ti. On stvara svijet i sve njegove veličanstvene raznolikosti. Kao u dobroj predstavi gdje postoje sve vrste uloga i situacija – treba ti od svega po malo da stvoriš svijet.
(Sri Nisargadatta Maharaj)

U predstavi nitko ne pati.
Osim ako se ne indentificiraš. Ne poistovjećuj se sa svijetom i nećeš patiti.
(Sri Nisargadatta Maharaj)



Ako pogledaš izbliza u proces života, naći ćeš surovost svuda, život se hrani životom. To je činjenica koja ne treba da te čini krivim što si živ. Ti počinješ da živiš zadajući svojoj majci beskrajne teškoće. Do zadnjeg dana života takmičiti ćeš se za hranu, odjeću, skrovište za svoje tjelo; boreći se za njegove potrebe, želeći da budeš siguran, u svjetu nesigurnosti i smrti. Sa točke životinje biti ubijen nije najgori način da se umre; sigurno lakše od bolesti i staračkog raspadanja. Surovost leži u motivu, ne u djelu. Ubijanje povrjeđuje ubicu, a ne ubijenog. (Sri Nisargadatta Maharaj)

"How will the mind become quiescent?"

"How will the mind become quiescent?" Sri Ramana Maharshi replies: "By the inquiry 'Who am I?'. The thought 'Who am I?' will destroy all other thoughts, and like the stick used for stirring the burning pyre, it will itself in the end get destroyed. Then, there will arise Self-Realization." The questioner asks: "What is the means for constantly holding on to the thought 'Who am I?'"
Sri Ramana Maharshi replies: "When other thoughts arise, one should not pursue them, but should inquire: 'To whom do they arise?' It does not matter how many thoughts arise. As each thought arises, one should inquire with diligence, 'To whom has this thought arisen?'. The answer that would emerge would be 'To me". Thereupon if one inquires 'Who am I?', the mind will go back to its source; and the thought that arose will become quiescent. With repeated practice in this manner, the mind will develop skill to stay in its source." The questioner asks:"Are there no other means for making the mind quiescent?" Sri Ramana Maharshi replies: "Other than inquiry, there are no adequate means. If through other means it is sought to control the mind, the mind will appear to be controlled, but will again go forth." The questioner asks:"How long should inquiry be practised?" Sri Ramana Maharshi replies: "As long as there are impressions of objects in the mind, so long the inquiry 'Who am I?' is required. As thoughts arise they should be destroyed then and there in the very place of their origin, through inquiry. As long as there are enemies within the fortress, they will continue to sally forth; if they are destroyed as they emerge, the fortress will fall into our hands." The questioner asks: "Is it not possible for God and the Guru to effect the release of a soul?" Sri Ramana Maharshi replies: "God and Guru will only show the way to release; they will not by themselves take the soul to the state of release. Each one should by his own effort pursue the path shown by God or Guru and gain release." The questioner asks: "Is it any use reading books for those who long for release?" Sri Ramana Maharshi answers: "In order to quiet the mind one has only to inquire within oneself what one's Self is; how could this search be done in books? The Self is within the five sheaths; but books are outside them. Since the Self has to be inquired into by discarding the five sheaths, it is futile to search for it in books." The questioner asks: "What is release?" Sri Ramana Maharshi answers: "Inquiring into the nature of one's self that is in bondage, and realizing one's true nature is release." The questioner asks: "If 'I' also be an illusion, who then casts off the illusion?" Sri Ramana Maharshi replies: "The 'I' casts off the illusion of 'I' and yet remains as 'I'. Such is the paradox f Self-Realization. The realized do not see any contradiction in it. You give up this and that of 'my' possessions. If you give up 'I' and 'Mine' instead, all are given up at a stroke. The very seed of possession is lost. Thus the evil is nipped in the bud or crushed in the germ itself. Dispassion (vairagya) must be very strong to do this. Eagerness to do it must be equal to that of a man kept under water trying to rise to the surface for his life." The questioner asked: "Cannot this trouble and difficulty be lessened with the aid of a Master or God chosen for worship? (Ishta Devata) Cannot they give the power to see our Self as it is to change us into themselves and take us to Self-Realization?" Sri Ramana Maharshi replies: "Ishta Devata and Guru are aids very powerful aids on this path. But an aid to be effective requires your effort also. Your effort is sine qua non (an indispensable or essential condition, element, or factor). It is you who should see the sun. Can spectacles and the sun see for you?

Istina

Istina poznata na Istoku već prije tisuću godina:

Ako želiš državu dovesti u red,
moraš dovesti red u pokrajine.

Ako želiš dovesti u red pokraine,
moraš dovesti u red gradove.

Ako želiš gradove dovesti u red,
moraš dovesti u red porodice.

Ako porodice želiš dovesti u red,
moraš svoju vlastitu porodicu dovesti u red.

Ako želiš vlastitu porodicu dovesti u red,
moraš sebe dovesti u red.

Toliko jednostavno je to. A očito je ipak tako teško.

Zbog toga naši političari nikad neće moći riješiti naše probleme.

Rene Egli OTLA - PRINCIP

Where there is design, there must be a designer

In other words, we would not be able to create that which does not exist.
That's it. That's the ontological argument. The second is the cosmological argument that says that in a universe of endless causes there has to be a first cause, which is a-causal. And the third is the so-called teleological argument that says that where there is design, there must be a designer.
But, I think most people who are reasonably scientific would agree that if you define God, you limit God. If you have an image of God, that image conforms to your level of awareness or your projection.
And yet, we can't go beyond what we think.
In stage seven we can.
Can we get to stage seven and then rest?
Yeah. But you'll never forget the experience. It will always draw you back. If you've been to the breach, then you know where it is. April 2001
Linda L. Richards is the editor of January Magazine. Her fourth novel, Death was the Other Woman, is published by St. Martin's Minotaur/Thomas Dunne Books.

Imetak je samo imetak, dug život je samo dug život

A kada pomislimo na uzvišenog Budu, koliko istine je izrekao, tada osjetimo i koliko je vrijedan poštovanja i predanosti. Kad god vidimo istinu nečega, tad vidimo i njegovo učenje, čak i ako nikada zapravo nismo prakticirali Dhammu. No, ako i posjedujemo znanje o tom učenju, ako smo ga proučavali i prakticirali, a nismo uvidjeli njegovu istinu, tada smo još uvek beskućnici.
Zato razumi da će svi ljudi, sva stvorenja, jednom otići. Kad bića prožive svoje vrijeme, ona odlaze svojim putem. Bogati, siromašni, mladi, stari, sva bića moraju doživjeti tu promjenu.
Kad shvatiš da je to ono kakav je ovaj svijet, osjetiti ćeš da je to jedno tegobno mjesto. Kada uvidiš da nema ničeg stabilnog ili suštinskog u što bi se pouzdala, osjećaš se mučno i otrežnjeno. To što si otrežnjena ne znači da si i puna odbojnosti. Um je čist. Vidi da ne postoji način da se takvo stanje stvari promjeni, svijet je jednostavno takav. Znajući to, u stanju si da se oslobodiš vezanosti, oslobodiš sa umom koji je ni sretan ni tužan, već u miru sa sankharama, tako što sa mudrošću promatra njihovu promjenljivu prirodu.
Anicca vata sankhara -- sve sankhare su prolazne. Jednostavno rečeno: prolaznost jeste Buda. Ako nešto što je prolazno vidimo zaista jasno, vidjet ćemo da je ono trajno, trajno u smislu da je njegova podložnost promjeni nepromjenljiva. To je trajnost koju posjeduju živa bića. Neprekidna transformacija se odvija, od djetinjstva, preko mladosti, do starosti i upravo ta prolaznost, ta priroda promjene, je trajna i fiksirana. Ako na to pogledaš na ovaj način, tvoje srce osjetiti će olakšanje. Nisi samo ti koja kroz sve to prolaziš, već svatko od nas.
Kada o stvarima tako razmišljaš, vidjeti ćeš ih kao mučne i iz toga se rađa otrežnjenje. Tvoja opčinjenost svijetom čulnih užitaka će nestati. Uvidjeti ćeš da ukoliko imaš mnogo stvari, tada moraš mnogo toga da ostaviš za sobom; ako ih imaš tek nekoliko, tada ćeš ih ostaviti tek nekoliko. Imetak je samo imetak, dug život je samo dug život, nema u tome ničeg posebnog.
Ono što je bitno je da radimo onako kako je poštovani Buda podučavao i izgradimo vlastit dom, da ga izgradimo na način koji sam ti opisao. Podigni svoj dom. Napuštaj. Napuštaj sve dok um ne dosegne mir, u kojem nema napredovanja, nema povlačenja i nema zaustavljanja. Zadovoljstvo nije naš dom, bol nije naš dom. I zadovoljstvo i bol se mjenjaju i prolaze.
Veliki učitelj je uvidio da su sve sankhare prolazne i zato nas je savjetovao da napustimo svoju vezanost za njih. Kada stignemo na kraj života, i tako nećemo imati izbora, nećemo moći da bilo što ponesemo sa sobom.. Zato, nije li bolje da te stvari odložimo i prije toga? One su tek preteški teret koji treba tegliti; zašto ne bi odbacila taj teret odmah? Čemu trud da ga nosiš unaokolo? Napusti ih, opusti se i pusti neka se tvoja porodica pobrine o tebi.
Onaj tko se stara o bolesnima raste u dobroti i vrlini. Onaj tko je bolestan i daje takvu priliku drugima, ne bi trebalo da im otežava. Ako osjetiš neki bol ili drugi problem, kaži im to i održavaj um u povoljnom stanju. Onaj ko se stara o svojim roditeljima, treba um da ispuni toplinom i blagošću, ne da bude uhvaćen u odbojnost. To je trenutak kada možeš da otplatiš dug koji prema njima imaš. Od kad si se rodila, pa kroz djetinjstvo i sve dok nisi odrasla, zavisila si od svojih roditelja. To što smo danas ovdje moguće je zato što su nam naše majke i očevi pomogli na toliko mnogo načina. Dugujemo im neizmjerno mnogo zahvalnosti.
Zato danas, kad su se okupila tvoja djeca i rođaci, neka uvide kako su njihovi roditelji postali njihova djeca. Ranije, vi ste bili njihova djeca; sada su oni postali vaša. Starili su sve dok nisu opet postali djeca. Memorija im je popustila, oči im slabo vide, a uši ne čuju; ponekad izgovaraju neke besmislene riječi. Neka vas to ne uznemirava. Svi vi koji njegujete bolesnika morate znati kako da te stvari napustite. Kad je malo djete neposlušno, roditelji mu nekad puste na volju samo da bi bilo mirno, da ga usreće. Sada su vaši roditelji poput djeteta. Njihova sjećanja i opažanja su zbrkana. Nekad se zabune oko vašeg imena ili ih zamolite da vam daju šalicu, a oni donesu tanjur. To je normalno, ne uzbuđujte se zbog toga.
Neka se pacijent sjeća ljubavi onih koji ga njeguju i strpljivo podnosi bolne osjećaje. Potrudi se, neka ti um ne postane rastrojen i uznemiren, ne otežavaj onima koji se o tebi staraju. I neka oni koji njeguju bolesnika ispune um vrlinom i blagošću. Neka vas ne odbija onaj neprivlačni dio tog posla, čišćenje mokraće ili izmeta. Dajte sve od sebe. Neka svatko u porodici napravi ponešto.
To su vaši jedini roditelji. Dali su vam život, bili su vaši učitelji, vaše bolničarke i doktori – bili su vam sve. To što su vas podigli, djelili sa vama sve što imaju i ostavili vam to u nasljedstvo, to je velika zasluga roditelja. Otuda je Buda podučavao vrline kataññu i katavedi, znanja da dugujemo zahvalnosti i pokušavanje da odužimo taj dug. Te dvije vrline se međusobno dopunjuju. Ako su nam roditelji u nevolji, ako su bolesni i imaju drugih problema, tada dajemo sve od sebe da im pomognemo. To je kataññu i katavedi, to je vrlina koja održava ovaj svijet. Ona doprinosi da se porodice ne raspadnu, ona ih čini stabilnim i harmoničnim.
Danas sam ti donio Dhammu kao poklon u ovo vrijme bolesti. nemam materijalnih stvari koje bih ti dao; izgleda da ih u kući ionako ima dovoljno i zato ti dajem Dhammu, nešto čija vrijednost traje, nešto što nikada nećeš biti u stanju da potrošiš. Pošto si je primila od mene, možeš je podijeliti sa koliko god hoćeš drugih ljudi i nikada je neće ponestati. Takva je Istina. Srećan sam što sam mogao da ti poklonim dar Dhamme i nadam se da će ti pružiti snagu da se nosiš sa svojim bolom.

Naš pravi dom
(Govor održan nezarjeđenoj sljedbenici kraj samrtne postelje)
Ajahn Chah
Prijevod Branislav Kovačević Samo za besplatnu distribuciju, kao dar Dhamme