Me, My Guru – Hiss, but don’t bite

 

Me, My Guru – Hiss, but don’t bite

Today, we arrived a bit earlier than usual. We used that time to share our woes. Some just listened. Some gave advice. Some shared their experiences similar to ours.

“How can we raise our kids without shouting at them or beating them? Guru asks us to not get angry. But, when we don’t get angry, children take us for a ride. They are not afraid of us. They don’t listen to us. They don’t respect us. How can being soft work with our kids?” lamented Vidya. We all agreed with her. She did have a point. We all shared our sob stories.

Our Guru entered, sat in her seat and went into meditation. A few minutes later, she opened her eyes and said “In a certain village Buddha gave his discourse for a fortnight. He emphasized the importance of developing qualities of non-violence, forgiveness, patience, forbearance and other such qualities. He also explained how hurting and harming others – knowingly or unknowingly affected our karma – negatively. One cobra, a snake was also listening to this discourse daily. On the final day as Buddha was leaving the village, this cobra came to meet Buddha. It bowed to Buddha and said, “Master, I’ve been listening to your discourse every single day. I am impressed. I wish to walk the path towards Enlightenment. Please accept me as your shishya”.

Buddha looking at the very huge, fat cobra willing to walk this path smiled and said “So be it!”

Now our cobra – let’s call him Nagaraj had been living on the paths leading to and from the village. He would be waiting for its victims to come on its path. It would raise its hood as high as a man’s shoulders and bite its victims.  

Many people died due to its poison. It was dreaded in that village and in the neighbouring villages too.

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# me my Guru series, Buddha and the snake, hiss but not bite, be firm but gentle, anger, calm, disturbed mind, balanced person, 

also read suggested on this topic https://kantipadam.blogspot.com/search?q=angulimaan

Strength of character!

 

Strength of character!

                                   

Sometimes, we just have to get used to the fact that people are not true to what they say. They are just not as consistent as you would want them to be – that’s all!

Being true to one’s word and being consistent on that takes lots of character strength. And that is the main thing missing in most. And that exactly is the reason they can’t live up to their commitments. They fail themselves again and again.

What can you do when you meet them?

Explain them importance of building one’s character through various techniques if they want to strengthen themselves.

Some, just want to be weak and miserable. They love complaining and seeking pity. They want to go on guilt ride again and again and yet not want to hear the answer to get out of that ride. We can feel bad that we are not able to help them but that’s the most we can do. Don’t judge them. Don’t be angry with them. Because, they are happy being miserable. It’s you who loses his energy being angry at them and with them.

# strength of character, being truthful to word, weakness of character, not living up to our word, 

also read suggested : https://kantipadam.blogspot.com/search?q=Angulimaan%2C+the+Saint 

Angulimaan, the Saint

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Angulimaan, the Saint

This is a good story. A story of reality, possibilities and hope!

Every Saint has a past.

Every sinner has a possibility of a saint!

When this was told, a student said “and that’s why I don’t prostrate to you and we both are same!” and the Guru smiled.

But the fact remains that the Saint is greater than sinner – always. Because in sinner sainthood is just a possibility – it may or may not happen. But Saint is one who though has a past has worked through it and become “His highest Possibility” already. He’s arrived! He can’t go back now.

But sinner still has to decide, work and then…may be then….

Salutations to every Guru whose worked on his past and gone beyond the point of no-return – towards Godliness!

Which part of the story are you part of? From here, where do you plan to go and how?

Whatever be the decision, don’t justify where are, how you are with statements as lame as “I know I am Angulimaan, but where is Buddha in my life?”

“If only I had Buddha in my life, even I would’ve become Angulimaan – the Saint”

“This is Kaliyuga with only Angulimaans and no Buddha’s. So the possibility of Angulimaan the Saint looks bleak!”

Every adversity carries within it; it’s equal or greater opportunity. World may be filled with only Angulimaan’s but the question is, are you working on your Buddha hood or not?

And to sum up what all did you learn from this inspiring story?

Concluded…

also read: https://kantipadam.blogspot.com/search?q=fool

Angulimaan, the Saint

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Angulimaan, the Saint

So in the world which is conducive enough to create and perpetuate the presence of Angulimaan's, Buddha comes as a hope and the answer for all problems. He talks of a need for ‘such Buddha's’  who are loving, balanced, forgiving and peaceful enough to look beyond the past of Angulimaan and work towards his possibility.

Every decision of ours sculpts us in being either Angulimaan the sinner or the Angulimaan the Saint. You can also choose to work towards ‘the Buddha hood’ in you. Circumstances are there for one and all! You decide how to use them to express yourself, change yourself and cut the path that determine your destination of Being. All through you are the one chiseling your destiny and before you know you've written your fate!

So what’s your ‘written word’ for yourself today!

Har raath Gabriel aake mujhse hai pooche “bol, kal ki teri razaa kya hai?’

Every night Gabriel comes and asks me “Tell me, for your tomorrow how do I write your fate?”

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also read: https://kantipadam.blogspot.com/search?q=destination

Angulimaan, the Saint

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Angulimaan, the Saint

Yes, Angulimaan’s over the years with increased sadhan, single minded concentration and meditation techniques facing all the hardships as the way to repent and without remorse or resentment on the people who meted it attained “Enlightenment” eventually! He became great healer and thousands of people over time started flocking around him to get healed. Just visualize the graph of his growth. He was Devil Incarnate as a high way murderer and from there he goes on to become one of the greatest healers and an Enlightened Masters as per Buddhist Sutras. People who rebuked him, insulted and stoned him fell at his feet at a later day in dozens and scores to seek his blessings, healings and knowledge.

What better way to come around than this? Yes, the path is tough, long, lonely and painful. But, just look at the fruits and benefits at the end of it. But remember, if you are in sadhan so that the people who have resentment for or who have hurt you will come and fall at your feet, then my dear, you are not going to reach that station of your expectations at all. This is the major reason why people choose spirituality, to feel respected and having people fall at their feet. Sorry, this doesn’t work. No doubt, there are less people with right knowledge and right spiritual experience to fall back on and to function as right Guru.  

Is there an easier path? Certainly so! One filled with hatred, revenge and killing or hurting the person who demeans us, hurts us or insults us. But is there growth for us or are we walking towards our downfall? Choice is yours. You are smart and intelligent enough to make ‘right choice’ for yourself. After all, you are answerable to none and you are the one facing consequences of your every choice!

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Angulimaan, the Saint

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Angulimaan, the Saint

Now, if we look into Angulimaan’s life, his fellow students’ envy brought about his downfall. Such people are part of our life at every juncture of our life. The trick is to recognize them and not get played by them. Be in regular sadhan and the process itself will protect you even if you can’t see it. (Just drawing symbols for buses or saying gratitude doesn’t count as Sadhan).

So wrong company and wrong Guru can be instrumental in our downfall if we listen and trust them, their words and their suggestions. As long as you don’t try to please wrong people, chances of you going hay wire are less. Here Angulimaan decided to fulfill his Guru’s wish of getting 1000 fingers. On the face of it, he could’ve recognized as senseless and left. He didn’t. Atleast the suffering of dead could jolt him to senses. It didn’t. So, though circumstances look responsible for his downfall, it was wholly him who let them affect him in such a way. 

This is not just a story of wrong choices but also of right choices. The world is full of Angulimaan’s – people who have taken to bitterness, being hurtful, mean, manipulative, less trustful and loving, hateful in short being all but with noble qualities what with such people and circumstances in their life. If he can take to healing and mending his ways, mind and nature, overcoming his habits built over years and go on to become one of the greatest saints, then, each person has that potential in him.

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also read : https://kantipadam.blogspot.com/search?q=circumstances+don%27t+make+or+break+you

https://kantipadam.blogspot.com/search?q=tough+situations

Angulimaan, the Saint

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Angulimaan, the Saint

When the Guru is with you, you are pardoned even for the sins that deserve you ‘gruesome punishments’ as seen in the Angulimaan’s case. See it correctly. The major punishment – the capital punishment is done with for his acts. But he had to bear smaller ones by way of rebukes, taunts and rejection which were nothing when compared to the amount of pain induced by him. On the contrary, this pain was the necessary evil in transforming him, healing him from a heartless murderer to a selfless mendicant. Bless such Guru’s who take away the major pains in your life and give you enough to bring out the best in you.

In contrast are such Guru’s who believed few students who were jealous of Angulimaan and directed his hatred on him. What is a Guru if he can’t see through his disciples? Even if in his innocence and trust wasn’t able to, still he shouldn’t have put such a terrifying demand as to get 1000 human fingers! This one demand completely changed the course of Angulimaan’s character and life. If and only if he hadn’t taken the wrong person as his Guru!

Similar is the case with all who end up at the gates of ‘wrong Guru’. That Guru may have large number of students, ashram, name, fame and even knowledge that he flaunts. But if his intent is not good, your destiny goes for a toss following such a Guru. In today’s world Guru may not ask for ‘little fingers’ and instead can be as simple and straight as money – yet your destiny goes downhill when you are enticed by such a Guru. So beware! You don’t know the intent and the way of working of Guru’s who may even dress up as babas to fulfill their purpose. So I repeat beware! Not necessarily all wrong Guru’s get exposed. The one with whom you say ‘good vibes and energies’ can be a wrong one. Till you develop your clarity of thought, it’s difficult to distinguish the right from wrong. They all seem same; in fact the wrong looks more enticing than the right. The best way to avoid this problem is simply avoid going to all and sundry. Preferably stick with just one.

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read posts : https://kantipadam.blogspot.com/search?q=wrong+guru

Angulimaan, the Saint

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Angulimaan, the Saint

Once, King Pasenadi of that country set out to kill Angulimaan having heard about the atrocities meted by him on his subjects. En route he stopped at Buddha's ashram to have his ‘darsham’. Whatsapp, FB and such sites and newschannel being absent news did not travel this fast as of today. So, when King expressed his motive and purpose of visit, Buddha simply took him to show Angulimaan in the robe of an ascetic sitting under a tree mediating and said “There is the Angulimaan that you wish to capture”.

King was taken aback. Later composing himself, he asked Buddha’s permission to arrest him. To which Buddha said “what actually is the reason and purpose of arresting a criminal? Is it not to stop him from committing more harm/crime in the society and transform him as a good citizen? Then, see for yourself for Angulimaan has transformed himself. Now is this not the change you wish to see in every criminal?” Hearing this, the king left satisfied.

In modern culture, Angulimaan still plays an important role. In 1985, the British-born monk Ajahn Chemadhammo founded Angulimaan, a Buddhist Prison Chaplaincy organization in the UK. It has been recognized by the British government as

the official representative of the Buddhist religion in all matters concerning the British prison system, and provides chaplains, counseling services, and instruction in Buddhism and meditation to prisoners throughout England, Wales, and Scotland. The name of the organization refers to the power of transformation illustrated by Angulimaan’s story. According to the website of the organization, "The story of Angulimaan teaches us that the possibility of Enlightenment may be awakened in the most extreme of circumstances, that people can and do change and that people are best influenced by persuasion and above all, example".

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also read: https://kantipadam.blogspot.com/search?q=changed+person

Angulimaan, the Saint

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Angulimaan, the Saint

Angulimaan was rebuked by all for his previous act and nature. He didn’t justify himself or his acts. He didn’t hold others responsible for his behaviour. He simply went on with his life.

People would abuse him when he went asking for alms (as that was one of the rules that had to be followed by the Buddhist bhikshu – monk). He did not get angry. He did not fight them. He bore those insults as a way to cleanse himself.

People whose family members were killed by him came in large numbers to kill him and Buddha gave his word to them on his behalf about his changed character. Angulimaan did not run away afraid of the harm that can befall him by those angry people. He was even ready to receive their punishment and went on with his daily routine.

His fellow students weren’t all that cordial on trusting him. Yet, he went on with his healing proceures.

He was facing insults, threats, dislike, hatred, distrust, loneliness and rebukes. He put on with them and kept up with his healing procedures, daily routine and meditation.

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previous posts worth going through again: https://kantipadam.blogspot.com/search?q=ill+treat

https://kantipadam.blogspot.com/search?q=oblivious

Angulimaan, the Saint

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Angulimaan, the Saint

Even Rama after killing Ravana had to go through cleansing process to have his sins condoned. No deity who had requested him to take a birth and kill Ravana took his sin away. His Guru either Sage Vishwamitra or Sage Vashista did not heal the sin themselves. He did it on his own.

At Buddha’s ashram Angulimaan went through the healing process sincerely and with one pointed concentration of being healed of all his sins. It wasn’t an easy task. Buddha didn’t promise him that it would be an easy one too! Guru can be with you guiding you as you go through your painful yet “must” healing process. He doesn’t judge you for your sins or he pains/ sufferings that you undergo in this process. In fact he is the ONLY ONE who understands your pain in this journey and yet stands by you encouraging you to never give up.

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also read: https://kantipadam.blogspot.com/search?q=repentance

Angulimaan, the Saint

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Angulimaan, the Saint

Not wanting to kill his mother as he had an option now, he ran towards Buddha like a mad man. Buddha was walking at leisure pace and Angulimaaan was running and yet when he neared Buddha, he found the distance grow between them. In frustration he called to Buddha “hey you, stop!” and Buddha smiled and replied “I’ve stopped long ago but do you stop too?” Angulimaan was taken aback with this reply. He asked Buddha to explain that (remember Angulimaan was a brilliant student and was good at grasping things). Later when Buddha explained his statement, he told Buddha that he wanted to kill him, to which Buddha replied ‘Fine but first cut that branch of this tree’. Laughing haughtily Angulimaan did it with one stroke of his knife. And Buddha then said “NOW join it back on the tree”. Angulimaan was dumb folded. He couldn’t, nobody could and to that Buddha replied “when you can’t give life to one, you don’t have right to take one’s life too”. (This is the answer to all who want to kill their family, boss, colleague who had been mean to them). Angulimaan stood there perplexed, vexed and confused. Then Buddha said “If you follow me, I’ll teach you to redeem yourself of your sins. I know to attach the branch again onto the tree. I’ll teach you that too!” Having said this, he started walking and Angulimaan dropped his garland of fingers, knife and with head bent followed him silently.

Buddha brought him to his ashram and taught him techniques of meditation to cleanse him of his sins. Guru gives you the path; you’ve to walk the path. People say “Guru is one who takes ours sins”. So you are saying, you want to enjoy doing your sins and someone else should pay the price of it and you’ll be generous enough to tag him as your Guru! How wonderful of you! Wake up! This doesn’t happen in real. The true Guru would never say ‘no need to do anything and I’ll redeem your sins, just sing my name, do my pooja, do salutations to me etc’. Real Guru is one who lets you go through your cleansing process because that brings out the Real you ultimately.

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suggested reads : https://kantipadam.blogspot.com/search?q=healing+techniques

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Angulimaan, the Saint

Guru is always aware of your movements, needs and you. He comes at the required time.

Buddha went into the forest fully aware of the danger that awaited him. Guru can only make you aware of your follies, short-comings, setbacks and yourself but it ONLY up to you to decide whether to work on it or not. Buddha was doing his duty as a Guru. He couldn’t decide the outcome of it. It could’ve gone other way too! Guru plays his part of being there for you, telling you, addressing you and showing your true self to you. But YOU decided whether to be his student or not. You decide to follow him or not. You may choose to let go off a Guru in search of Guru in other persons, there by taking wrongs decisions at wrong time which could affect you for life times to come. So I say at the point of being repetitive, beware of changing your Guru!

Angulimaan saw his mother coming towards him and decided to kill her anyhow to complete his oath. See to what levels we get clouded by our ‘vrittis’ or nature! And then use all our intelligence and energy in justifying our actions but to what use? Good that Destiny decided otherwise and he saw Buddha walking on the path.

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suggested reads: https://kantipadam.blogspot.com/search?q=fake+gurus

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Angulimaan, the Saint

People when they do talk or advice do so from the perspective of it being beneficial or harmful. They are result oriented which is for the person they intent to. But a Guru is not one who thinks of himself when he takes a decision or an action. He puts the benefit of the other before himself when he takes a decision. At times such decision can harm the Guru on various fronts but Guru still goes ahead and takes it. Not because he wants to benefit out of it (which is the usual reason why people make decisions) but he wants to save the other from further sin.

Guru sees beyond normal vision and hence his words and actions are based on that knowledge (and here I would like to add that many times I find you using this for wrong person and treat them as Guru and justify their actions based on these sayings of mine. Pity you don’t want to see the facts for what they stand. If your ego is so large that you end up painting the wrong image of Guru on a person who is not then don’t question me at a later date (if and when your clarity hits you) If you can’t see through someone’s good acting skills, sorry boss, then the loss is entirely yours to bear). When you can’t understand your Guru’s decision (which should be more often, because if you can see through his actions may be something’s not right about him being Guru) then instead of criticizing or judging him, simply stand by him. If your bhakthi is pure, you’ll know eventually the greater cause for which your Guru had taken decision. If your Guru can’t come to your aid when you are going to the point of precipice (of turmoil) then maybe he isn’t a Guru at all or if he is the real one you have lost him when you chose a fake one over him. Remember, one who kneels in front of Satan can’t expect grace of the God!

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suggested reads: https://kantipadam.blogspot.com/search?q=you++see+what+you+want+to+see

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Angulimaan, the Saint

But, putting aside his past life and horoscope, what exactly do you think were the circumstantial causes that brought about the change in him – that of a meek, humble and soft Brahmin boy into a heartless, dangerous and notorious killer and at such magnitude? Or in other words, who and what exactly were the causes of his change? Please go through the story again and get this answer.

He had killed 999 people already and was waiting eagerly for his 1000^th victim. That was the time his mother could no more hear evil and bad about him and decided to go in search of him and bring about the transformation in him. When his mother decided to go and meet her son, Lord Buddha saw in his vision the same and realized that if his mother went to meet him, then he would certainly kill her to complete his count and that would be a no-return point for him from his sins as matricide is considered as one of the unforgivable and heinous sins with immediate and irreversible result. That means he would be sent to lowest of hells. He couldn’t let that happen.

With his faculty of remembering his and others’ past lives he saw that Ahimsaka had been part of and close to Buddha in his previous lives. So, when he saw their lives crossing paths again, he couldn’t stop himself from trying to bring greater good in his life. So, instead he decided to reach the forest before her. Many advised him against it. They gave gory description of Angulimaan’s character and way of killing people. But Buddha didn’t let any of that change his decision. All these people out of love and respect for Buddha were doing ‘the right thing’ by trying to stop him from going into that dreaded forest. Their feelings and intentions were right. But Buddha didn’t follow their advice inspite of it being ‘right’.

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also read : https://kantipadam.blogspot.com/search?q=sins

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Angulimaan, the Saint

Then what is his past that has such devilish samskaras? Tradition tells that in one of his former lives he had been a powerful spirit, a so-called yaksha, who used his superhuman strength to hurt and kill living beings to satisfy his appetite for human flesh. In all his past experiences that are reported in the Jatakas, two traits are prominent in him: his physical strength and his lack of compassion. This was the dark heritage of his past which broke into his present life, submerging the good qualities of his early years. (No – don’t ask ‘maam do you know my past life? Or use it in wrong place and say ‘so, me wanting to hurt him is actually because of my past samskaras and I am not at fault?’ Please don’t right law in wrong place to get away with your acts and thoughts. You can with people but karma will catch up with you at right time….)

So, in his final response to his teacher's demand, he did not even think of the alternative, to gather the fingers from corpses thrown into India's open charnel grounds. Instead he started living in dense forest attacking people who crossed the forest. He found that when he kept fingers cut on tree tops, the birds would peck them and hence to do away with their nuisance and to safe-guard the fingers that he collected with so much of hard-work, he started wearing them strung together as a garland around his neck and hence came to be known a ‘Angulimaan’ – ‘anguli’ means little finger – a man wearing a garland strung of little fingers. His notoriety spread far and wide and people started avoiding that path. By repeatedly killing people without remorse, he became ‘devil incarnate’ by nature. There seemed no streak of Brahmin quality of mercy, compassion, pity, sensitivity, love for the other, non-violence and such noble qualities left in him.

Does this mean ‘we are governed only by our samskaras and we do as per our destiny? Read the related posts on ‘destiny, fate, choices’ and if you still don’t get it, ask and I’ll try explaining again.

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also read: https://kantipadam.blogspot.com/search?q=past+lives

https://kantipadam.blogspot.com/search?q=samskaras

Angulimaan, the Saint

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Angulimaan, the Saint

Here, we can see the character of his father shine when he

religiously told the king about the doom his son could bring about as per his horoscope (Now don’t sit to ask the question, does horoscope predictions come true and all). That much high was the character of people in general and especially of the father of Ahimsaka who thought of the benefit and good of the nation before their own kith and kin. That’s why it was ‘Golden Era’. And look at the

character of the king! Inspite of knowing that he could be a threat to the kingdom, he did not kill the infant out of fear for self or blindly believing the horoscope. He thought of an alternative and believed in ‘raising the child properly and educating it so would mould his character. He was not wrong in thinking so and doing so too! Every circumstance brings with it ‘a decision’ to be

taken. What does the person taking the decision base his decision on – Dharma or emotions? General good or selfish motive? These decide and mould the character of the individual accordingly and thus he writes his ‘destiny’. No one can predict the future. You can only act out of Dharma and right and wrong based on present circumstances.

We can only assume few facts based on the story. Like the teacher probably expected that Ahimsaka, in his attempt to complete that deed, would be killed himself or, being caught by the king's men, would suffer the highest penalty of execution.  One of Ahimsaka’s motivations may have been that an unquestioning obedience to the guru appeared to him as the

first duty of a pupil, this being an echo from his earlier way of life that was governed by higher principles. But the stronger factor in his decision will probably have been that his hidden dispositions had actually emerged in his mind when vistas of violence were evoked by his teacher's words. He may have felt attracted by a life of violent adventure as a challenge to his manly prowess. These is what is called as ‘samskaras’ (psychic impressions from out past – which loosely is called karma too!).

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also read : https://kantipadam.blogspot.com/search?q=horoscope