Thursday, June 10, 2010

Mind is a Monkey or Monkey in the mind?

We would have seen some people taking a nap in the busy crowded compartment while we travel in a train. Also we would have seen people who will not get sleep even though they have the very nicest cot with good mattress as they may prefer to switch off all lights and even the light of a small candle or the noise of the fan will disturb their sleep. The calmness or disturbances are there in their mind only and not in the surroundings.  

There once was a king who offered a prize to the artist who would paint the best picture of peace. Many artists tried. The king looked at all the pictures. But there were only two he really liked, and he had to choose between them. 
One picture was of a calm lake. The lake was a perfect mirror for peacefully towering mountains all around it. Overhead was a blue sky with fluffy white clouds. All who saw this picture thought that it was a perfect picture of peace. 
The other picture had mountains, too. But these were rugged and bare.  Above was an angry sky, from which rain fell and in which lightning played. Down the side of the mountain tumbled a foaming waterfall. This did not look peaceful at all. But when the king looked closely, he saw behind the waterfall a tiny bush growing in a crack in the rock. In the bush a mother bird had built her nest. There, in the midst of the rush of angry water, sat the mother bird on the nest - in perfect peace. Which picture do you think won the prize? The king chose the second picture. Do you know why?

"Because," explained the king, "peace does not mean to be in a place where there is no noise, trouble, or hard work. Peace means to be in the midst of all those things and still be calm in your heart. That is the real meaning of peace."

Lord Krishna says in the Bhagavad-gita (5.10):

One who is engaged in consciousness is then beyond contamination by sinful reactions, exactly as the lotus leaf, though remaining in the water, is not wet.

1 comment:

  1. A man can be considered in peace if can go to sleep at will. Once lie down on abed if you sleep in seconds you are in peace of mind.ARJUNA had this capacity.
    Despite living in an environ that that torments you, can you be in peace? Yes it is possible. We have to cultivate this by drawing inside by simply being a witness in any place.You will enjoy inner calmness and serenity

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