வாழ்கை ஒரு வட்டம்

ஒரு ஊரில் கல் உடைக்கும் தொழிலாளி ஒருவன் இருந்தான். அவன் தன் வாழ்க்கை நிலை பற்றி அதிருப்தியும், கவலையும் அடைந்திருந்தான். ஒரு நாள் ஒரு செல்வந்தனின் வீட்டின் வழியே சென்றான். வெளியில் இருந்து பார்த்தான், செல்வந்தனின் செல்வச் செழிப்பும், அவன் வீட்டிற்கு வரும் பெரிய மனிதர்களைப் பார்க்கும் போது பேராசையும் பொறாமையும் அடைந்தான். கடவுளிடம் தன்னை செல்வந்தனாக மாற்றிவிடுமாறு வேண்டினான். கடவுளும் இசைந்து அவனை செல்வந்தனாக மாற்றினார்.
செல்வ வாழ்க்கையை அனுபவித்துக் கொண்டிருந்த அவன் வீட்டிற்கு, வருமான வரித் துறை அதிகாரி தன் சகாக்களுடன் காரில் வந்து இறங்கினான். அந்த அதிகாரியின் பேச்சைக் கேட்கும் ஊழியர்கள், அவனுக்கு இருக்கும் மரியாதை ஆகியவை செல்வந்தனாக இருந்த தொழிலாளியைக் கவர்ந்து விட்டன. உடனடியாக வருமான வரித் துறை அதிகாரியாக ஆசைப்பட்டான். கடவுளும் அவனை வருமான வரித் துறை அதிகாரியாக மாற்றினார்.
வருமான வரித் துறை அதிகாரியான அந்த கல் உடைக்கும் தொழிலாளி எல்லோர் வீட்டிற்கும் சோதனைக்குச் சென்றான். அனைவரின் வெறுப்புக்கும் ஆளானான். கோடை காலம் வந்தது. வெந்து தணிந்தது அவன் உடம்பு. சூரியனைப் பார்த்தான். யாருக்கும் பயப்படாத, எல்லோரையும் சுட்டெரிக்கும் சூரியன் போல் மாறிடத் துடித்தான்.
கடவுளும் அவனை சூரியனாக மாற்றினான். தன் கதிர்களால் பிரகாசமான வெளிச்சத்தையும், சூட்டையும் வாரித் தெளித்த சூரியனை விவசாயிகள் திட்டினர். பெரும் மேகம் ஒன்று வந்தது. சூரியனின் வெளிச்சத்தை அது மறைத்தது. இருட்டாக்கியது. மழை மேகமாய் மாற்றி விடுமாறு கடவுளை வேண்டினான்.
மழை மேகமாய் மாறி, மழையாய்ப் பொழிந்து, வெள்ளமாய் பெருக்கெடுத்து விவசாயிகளின் வயிற்றெரிச்சலைப் பெற்றான். மேகமாக மாறிய அவனை ஏதோ சக்தி மிகுந்த ஒன்று இழுத்துச் செல்வதைப் பார்த்தான். காற்று என அறிந்ததும், காற்றாகி விடுமாறு கடவுளை வேண்டினான்.
காற்றாக மாறி, சந்து பொந்துகளில் எல்லாம் புகுந்து வந்தான். கூரை வீடுகளையும், மரங்களையும் சாய்த்தான். ஆனால் தன்னால் பெரும் பாறை ஒன்றினுள் புக முடியாததை எண்ணி தன்னை பாறையாக மாற்றி விடுமாறு கடவுளை வேண்டினான்.
பாறையாக மாறிய அவன் தன்னைப் போல் சக்தி மிகுந்தது இந்த உலகில் எதுவும் இல்லை என்று பெருமிதம் அடைந்தான். உடனே தன்னை சுத்தி மற்றும் உளியால் பிளக்க வந்த தொழிலாளியைப் பார்த்த்தும், கடவுளிடம் தன்னைப் பழையபடி கல் உடைக்கும் தொழிலாளியாகவே மாற்றிவிடும் படி மன்னிப்புடன் வேண்டினான். கடவுளும் வாழ்க்கையை உணர்ந்த அவனை கல் உடைக்கும் தொழிலாளியாகவே மாற்றிவிட்டார்.
கருத்து: வாழ்க்கை என்பது முடிவும் தொடக்கமும் ஒன்றாகவே அமைந்த ஒரு வட்டம். - ஜென் கதைகள்  - Source  Boldsky Limitless Living

Peaceful Co-existence

Peaceful co-existence
- (published in “The Hindu” dated 22.03.2012)

Often we find that we are unable to get on with our parents, or siblings, or spouses. The reason is no one is without the thought of self. No one is without an ego. So there is bound to be friction when people are thrown about in each other's company for a long time. But what then is the solution? Should one shun one's relatives, in the desire to avoid friction? How much importance should we give to our independence? The refusal to make even minor adjustments to accommodate one's own family has led to members of a family not even keeping in touch with each other. Siblings who grew up together, no longer tolerate each other, when they are adults. It is sad when they can hardly bear to be in the company of their extended family for long. But we must learn the art of peaceful co-existence, Suki Sivam stressed in a discourse.

Children of the present era use the word ‘self- reliant' with abandon, thinking that human beings can be dispensed with and that life can go on merrily if one has enough money for creature comforts. But human beings are not dispensable. Nor can they be cast aside once their services are no longer needed. In fact one must realise that one cannot live in isolation, and that it is one's family that rallies round in times of need.

The need for co-operation and gregariousness has been demonstrated in the animal world. There was a time when there was an unusually cold winter, in a place where there was a colony of porcupines. To keep warm, the porcupines huddled together. Because of the bristles on their bodies, they were injuring each other, but they still kept close to each other for, if they moved away, they would die without the bodily warmth of the other porcupines. So although there was a lot of discomfort, the porcupines stayed close together and survived. Likewise, a family is not without its share of annoyances and irritations and even quarrels. But if we cite this as a reason for moving away from our kith and kin, then we will be left with no one to help us in times of need. We need each other for our very survival. So we must learn to co-exist peacefully with others, so that our life on this earth does not become difficult.

Happiness Always……..

Demolishing Anger’s Walls

When anger has no outlet it can morph into resentment and carries the potential to cause great turmoil.


http://www.dailyom.com/articles/2012/31693.html

Sitting and Watching

Post written by Leo Babauta. Have you ever felt that we are rushing through life, that we get so caught up in busy-ness that life is passing us almost without notice? I get this feeling all the time. The antidote is simple: sitting and watching. Take a minute out of your busy day to sit with me, and talk. Take a moment to imagine being in the middle of traffic — you’re driving, stressed out by the high amount of traffic, trying to get somewhere before you’re late, angry at other drivers who are rude or idiotic, completely focused on making your way through this jungle of metal on a ribbon of asphalt. Now you’ve gotten to the end, phew, you made it, wonderful, and you’re only a few minutes late … but did you notice the scenery you passed along the way? Did you talk to any of the other people along your path? Did you enjoy the ride? No, probably not. You were so caught up in getting there, in the details of navigating, in the stress of driving, that you didn’t have time to notice your surroundings, the people nearby, or the wonderful journey. This is how we are in life. Now imagine that you pulled over, and got out of the car, and found a grassy spot to sit. And you watched the other cars zoom by. And you watched the grass blown gently by the wind, and the birds making a flocking pattern overhead, and the clouds lazily watching you back. Sit and watch. We don’t do this, because it’s useless to do something that isn’t productive, that doesn’t improve our lives. But as Alan Watts wrote in The Way of Zen: “As muddy water is best cleared by leaving it alone, it could be argued that those who sit quietly and do nothing are making one of the best possible contributions to a world in turmoil.” It’s interesting, too, what we see when we sit and watch. We will notice others rushing, and worried, and angry, and in them see a mirror of ourselves. We will notice children laughing (or crying) with their parents, and remember what we’re missing when we rush to improve our lives. More interesting is what you see when you sit and watch yourself. You learn to step outside yourself, and act as an observer. You see your thoughts, and learn more about yourself than you ever could if you were rushing to take action. You see your self-doubts, and self-criticism, and wonder where they came from (a bad incident in childhood, perhaps?) and wonder if you are smart enough to let them go. You see your rationalizations, and realize that they are bullshit, and learn to let those go too. You see your fears, and realize what hold they have over you, and realize that you can make them powerless, by just sitting and watching them, not taking action on them. By sitting and watching, you come to know yourself. You learn the most valuable lessons about life, by sitting and watching. And as we know from the observer effect in physics, by watching, we change what we watch. Take a few minutes today, to sit and watch. It might change your life.  Source: ZEN HABITS

Life

I need to be grateful towards life for giving me the lesson in a way 

I understand best, rather than complaining. 

- Sanna Gosavi

A rich man was passing through the desert towards his destination. It was a new experience for him as he was without all the luxuries and comforts that he had been used to. The hot sunrays were piercing through his skin and the sand was reflecting back immense heat. The hot air ran past and slapped his body, head to toe. It was getting difficult for him to carry on as he was beginning to get dehydrated and his water reserves had depleted. As he struggled and moved ahead, his eyes fell on a small tent at a distance. Gathering all his energy he somehow managed to reach the tent. He saw an old woman inside and dropped at her feet, begging for some water. 

The old woman immediately filled a dusty cracked mud bowl with water and offered it to the man. He readily drank enough of it, thanked the old woman endlessly and when he felt a little better, carried on with his journey. The most important thing for the man at that point of time was water because only water could help him to survive and move ahead. It would have been unwise of him if at that point, owing to his status, he cribbed about the condition of the mud bowl and blamed the old woman. Interestingly he thanked her for her help, without bothering to complain about the bowl. 

"Every event that happens in my life - whether favourable or unfavourable, is only a vessel carrying a lesson for me."

And that lesson is necessary for me at that point of time. The condition of the vessel is not important then. Understanding is that wisdom is in taking the learning along and leaving behind the vessel with all gratitude for it had served me. At times the experience may be something I enjoy: at times it may be something that is totally opposite to my expectation. It may cause pain, it may cause hurt, it may shake me up, but ultimately it has come to teach me a lesson of life and help me evolve to the next level. 

My responsibility is to find out the lesson I got to learn from a particular event. If I learn fast, I go to the next stage faster; if I don't, then I will manage to overcome this experience. But similar experiences will continue to happen to me until I eventually learn out of them. 

It is as simple as I will not be promoted to class six until I clear the examination of class five, no matter in how many attempts. Just as the man was thankful to the old woman, I need to be grateful towards life for giving me the lesson in a way I understand best, rather than complaining. 

If that's with life, then how can I even blame my fellow beings for anything? They are simply playing their part in this whole play and I need to be grateful to them too.  

- Frozen Thoughts October 2011 - Page 58

Best Teacher I Ever Had by David Owen

Extracted from Reader's Digest (Asian Edition), April 1991, pp. 47-48.

Mr. Whitson taught sixth-grade science. On the first day of class, he gave us a lecture about a creature called the cattywampus, an ill-adapted nocturnal animal that was wiped out during the Ice Age. He passed around a skull as he talked. We all took notes and later had a quiz.
When he returned my paper, I was shocked. There was a big red X through each of my answers. I had failed. There had to be some mistake! I had written down exactly what Mr. Whitson said. Then I realized that everyone in the class had failed. What had happened?
Very simple, Mr. Whitson explained. He had made up all the stuff about the cattywampus. There had never been any such animal. The information in our notes was, therefore, incorrect. Did we expect credit for incorrect answers?
Needless to say, we were outraged. What kind of test was this? And what kind of teacher?
We should have figured it out, Mr. Whitson said. After all, at the every moment he was passing around the cattywampus skull (in truth, a cat's), hadn't he been telling us that no trace of the animal remained? He had described its amazing night vision, the color of its fur and any number of other facts he couldn't have known. He had given the animal a ridiculous name, and we still hadn't been suspicious. The zeroes on our papers would be recorded in his grade book, he said. And they were.
Mr. Whitson said he hoped we would learn something from this experience. Teachers and textbooks are not infallable. In fact, no one is. He told us not to let our minds go to sleep, and to speak up if we ever thought he or the textbook was wrong.
Every class was an adventure with Mr. Whitson. I can still remember some science periods almost from beginning to end. On day he told us that his Volkswagon was a living organism. It took us two full days to put together a refutation he would accept. He didn't let us off the hook until we had proved not only that we knew what an organism was but also that we had the fortitude to stand up for the truth.
We carried our brand-new skepticism into all our classes. This caused problems for the other teachers, who weren't used to being challenged. Our history teacher would be lecturing about something, and then there would be clearings of the throat and someone would say 'cattywampus.'
If I'm ever asked to propose a solution to the problems in our schools, it will be Mr. Whitson. I haven't made any great scientific discoveries, but Mr. Whitson's class gave me and my classmates something just as important: the courage to look people in the eye and tell them they are wrong. He also showed us that you can fun doing it.
Not everyone sees the value in this. I once told an elementary school teacher about Mr. Whitson. The teacher was appalled. "He shouldn't have tricked you like that," he said. I looked that teacher right in the eye and told him that he was wrong.

Why is no one Happy??

Got the following as a forward mail from one of my friend..Mr. Shanmuganathan. Thought to put it in the blog for others to read it.

Yesterday, I was driving, and the FM radio went off for few seconds. I thought, I should have an iPod. Then suddenly I realized that I have not used my iPod in last 6 months. And then, more things, Handy cam in last 2 years, Digital Camera in last 2 months, DVD player in last 1 month and many more. Now I can say that I bought that Handy cam just out of impulse, I have used it twice only in last 4 years.
 
So, what's wrong and where? When I look at myself or my friends I can see it everywhere. We are not happy with what we have but all are stressed and not happy for the things we don't have. You have a Santro, but you want City; You have a City, but you want Skoda. Just after buying a new phone, we need another one. Better laptop, bigger TV, faster car, bigger house, more money, .I mean, these examples are endless. The point is, does it actually worth? Do we ever think if we actually need those things before we want them?
 
After this, I was forced to think what I need and what I don't. May be I didn't need this Handy cam or the iPod or that DVD player. When I see my father back at home. He has a simple BPL colour TV, he doesn't need 32" Sony LCD wall mount. He has a cell phone worth Rs 2,500. Whenever I ask him to change the phone, he always says, "Its a phone, I need this just for calls."
 
And believe me; he is much happier in life than me with those limited resources and simple gadgets. The very basic reason why he is happy with so little is that he doesn't want things in life to make it luxurious, but he wants only those things which are making his life easier. It's a very fine line between these two, but after looking my father's life style closely, I got the point. He needs a cell phone but not the iPhone. He needs a TV but not the 32" plasma. He needs a car but not an expensive one.
 
Initially I had lot of questions.
 
I am earning good, still I am not happy,...why ?
 
I have all luxuries, still I am stressed.... ....... why ?
 
I had a great weekend, still I am feeling tired...... why? 
I met lot of people, I thought over it again and again, I still don't know if I got the answers, but certainly figured out few things. I realize that one thing which is keeping me stressed is the "stay connected" syndrome. I realized that, at home also I am logged in on messengers, checking mails, using social networks, and on the top of that, the windows mobile is not letting me disconnected. On the weekend itself, trying to avoid unwanted calls, and that is keeping my mind always full of stress. I realized that I am spending far lesser money than what I earn, even then I am always worried about money and more money. I realized that I am saving enough money I would ever need, whenever needed. Still I am stressed about job and salary and spends.
 
May be, many people will call this approach "not progressive attitude", but I want my life back. Ultimately it's a single life, a day gone is a day gone. I believe if I am not happy tonight, I'll never be happy tomorrow morning. I finally realized that meeting friends, spending quality time with your loved one's; spending time with yourself is the most important thing.
 
If on Sunday you are alone and you don't have anybody to talk with, then all that luxuries life, all that money is wasted. May be cutting down your requirements, re-calculating your future goal in the light of today's happiness is a worthwhile thing to do. May be selling off your Santro and buying Honda City on EMIs is not a good idea. I believe putting your happiness ahead of money is the choice we need to make.
 
I think, a lot can be said and done but what we need the most is re-evaluation of the value of happiness and time we are giving to our life and people associated with it.
 
Think about it.