Sometimes, there are things, situations, a job, or a person we must let go of, lay down, and walk away from, because to carry the ego burden any further is to choose the fork of the path called “Self-Suffering.” To lay this “weight” down is a momentous decision in rendering the tricks of the “ego” or “conditioned mind” ineffectual. Whatever the particular form of “attachment” was, when we release it, it no longer has any perceived power “over” us. In loving compassion for myself, I lay it down, Sometimes, there are moments when we have to choose between the letter of the law and the spirit of the law. If we choose empathy and helpfulness over some rigid rule, is this not a choice of the heart, rather than blindly following a stricture of the mind? It’s a contrast between the mind of the matter and the heart of the matter. The mind would react with its usual resistance, “No, this gesture is against the rules and propriety.” The heart would respond with its characteristic, accepting attitude, “Yes, I gladly want to be of kindly service to this person in need.” There are always daily opportunities to look upon life from the perspective of Oneness—I am you, and you are me. Conversely, we can view life from what appears to be “twoness.” “I am me, and you are you. I fend for and am responsible for myself. You do the same. I pass you by and go my way. We are separate beings.” Yet another possible response is, “Here, let us cross the river as though we are one body, assisting one another as the need arises.” The following is a well-known Buddhist story of two monks that highlights the dilemmas, attitudes, and choices of each monk. There are no right choices or wrong choices. Depending on our choice, the result is “the” suffering, as the Buddha would call it, or the absence of “personal” suffering and its freedom. There is simply the outer effect that demonstrates the degree of the inward flowering of our consciousness or the current “bud stage” of our consciousness with its smaller glimmer of spiritual light. We all eventually walk this same path toward illumined Consciousness. Consider, which monk are you?
Other Spiritual Offerings: • The Wesak Festival of Lord Buddha • Choose Your Fork Of The Path Endnote: 1. Rose Elliot. 2015. I Met a Monk: 8 weeks to happiness, freedom and peace. Watkins.
Text © by Zane Maser, 2017. River photo from UK Geograph project, attributed to Derek Harper. All 2009-2017 rights of Zane Maser and SunnyCat Astrology reserved worldwide. My editorial master and technological wizard is Chris Maser, my stupendous husband.
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Posted by: Zane Maser | April 14, 2017
BUDDHIST STORY OF TWO MONKS, TWO CHOICES
Posted in Joy of Living, Moving Forward in Life, Power of Thought, Spiritual Growth | Tags: acceptance, Buddhist story, Buddhist story of two monks, choice of the fork on the path, compassion, conditioned mind, consciousness, ego, letter of the law, letting go, oneness of life, outer effects, personal suffering, resistance, spirit of the law
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