Reflections: Oct 13th, 2017

Listen to Swami Tadatmananda’s lectures on Moksha Parva. Reflections for the day.

( Bheeshma to Yudhishthira’s question) How do you grieve? When one encounter sorrow, one certainly say to oneself — Alas, this is a great sorrow ! — But, one should, by the aid of Reflection, seek to kill that sorrow.

(Looking at deeply sad King Senajit, his Minister uttered) Why art thou stupefied ? Thou art without any intelligence ! Thyself an object of grief, why dost thou grieve (for others)? A few days hence others will grieve for thee, and in their turn they will be grieved for by others still ! Thyself, myself, and others who wait upon thee, O king, shall all go to that place whence all of us have come !

I do not regard anything belonging to me, the world outside and this body/mind. Grief cannot approach me in consequence of this thought. Having acquired such an understanding, I do not yield to joy or to grief.

As two pieces of wood floating on the ocean come together at one time and are gain separated, even such is the union of creatures in this world.

Never feel sticky with children, grandchildren, kinsmen, relatives. One should never feel the affection (stickiness) for them, for separation from them is certain.

You son came from the invisible and goes back to the invisible, manifest for a very short period of time. You do not know him and he does not know you. For whom are you grieving for?

The joys and sorrows of human being are revolving on a wheel. No one suffers forever and no one enjoys happiness forever. While joy and sorrow are alternating, it is usually a small arc of joy followed by a long arc of sorrow.

In love there is only “giving”, in attachment there is also “taking”.

In sadness, there is still “hope”, in depression, there is “total loss of hope”.

In the presence of the sun, one can witness the thunderstorm. In the presence of the Consciousness, one witness the mental storm.

Whatever you are “evident of”, you are not. If it does not belong to you, it’s problem also does not belong to you.

Friends are not the cause of one’s happiness. Foes are not the cause of one’s misery. Wisdom is not competent to bring an accession of wealth, nor wealth is competent to bring an accession of happiness. Intelligence is not the cause of wealth, nor stupidity is the cause of penury. He only that is possessed of wisdom, and none else, understands the order of this world.

Is it possible to stop blaming others for my suffering? Yes, it is indeed possible.