THE GLASS IS, ALREADY, BROKEN!






Pic.: Sheela Krishnamony
If we closely observe, our anxieties and fear about our future come from our attachment to people, possessions and positions in our lives. So, as Jiddu Krishnamurti would, often, say, “Our fear exists only in our relationships!” Yes, our relationships with people, possessions and power..
Living in this world means living in relationship with what the world brings for us – people, possessions and positions. We can’t live in isolation... in detachment.
Detachment is easier said than done!
But, then, a deep awareness, that all things in Life are perishable, and all relationships bring with them the web of attachment, and, thereby, that perennial  fear of losing them... and worry. Yes, this understanding is of great help to maintain our poise and ability to enjoy whatever Life brings for us, everyday...
The people in my life – no matter how dear and near they are to me – will leave me, one day...
My possessions – no matter how vast in size they are – are going to perish, one day...
The positions I hold – no matter of what prominence – are not going to last long...
Look at my own body... It is, already, shrinking!
Look at my fame... It is, already, dwindling!
My money in the bank... It hardly hold any value... I will never, ever be able to protect myself against all the eventualities and uncertainties of my life...
There is this old Zen story:
Once a disciple asks his Master, “Master, this life is uncertain... Nothing in it is permanent... People leave us, we lose our possessions and power, one day. So, when so much of our effort is directed towards protecting and securing ourselves, constantly in a state of anxiety, fear and worry, how can we maintain our poise, and our ability to enjoy life?”
The Master had a glass near him. Holding it before the disciple, he said, “Someone gifted me this glass with lots of affection. Now, it is mine. When I see the water in it, it pleases my eyes... When the light glistens through it, my heart rejoices... When I drink from it, it gives me great joy... So, I have developed an attachment – a relationship – with this object called ‘glass’...”
The Master continued, “But then, I, also, know that a strong wind, or a careless passerby or just the touch of my elbow can topple this glass and it may break into pieces any moment... That’s the nature of glass... to break.”
The Master concluded, “So my dear young-disciple, if I know in my mind that this glass is already broken, that is enough for me to deal with the fear, anxiety and worry coming from the thought of losing it, protecting and securing it.”
In Life, all our ‘glasses’ are, already, broken!
So, Cheers!
GERALD D’CUNHA

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

MUTHU KODI KAWARI HADA

Image
Pic.; Ashwin Mohta M y Hindi was always bad. It still is. One reason for this was, that they introduced Hindi for us only in 6 th standard. Or, was it in 8 th ? I don’t remember… I only remember struggling to write and read… leave alone speak! But, I loved Hindi movies, and, strangely, I could understand the dialogues and the lyrics of the songs… I used to sing those songs (of course when no one was around me!) as if I was the lyricist… One of the songs was a very funny one. ‘Muthu Kodi Kawari Hada’. It was from Mehmood’s super-hit comedy – ‘Do Phool’. I was a 15-year-old high-school boy when I had heard that song (not watched the movie). I could grasp the meaning of two words – ‘Muthu Kodi’… which meant ‘Give kiss’… But, what ‘Kawari Hada’ meant, I have no clue till date! It was just like ‘Why this kolaveri di’... Yes, why ask? Simply enjoy the beats… And, the beats are great… The rest... Who cares? Really! So, whatever bit of Hi...
Read more

SELLING MIRRORS IN THE CITY OF THE BLIND

Image
“I laugh when I hear that the fish in the water is thirsty. I laugh when I hear that people go on pilgrimage to find God.” - Kabir T here is a universal human weakness – and it dates back to the days of fallen civilizations – and it is: to place people on pedestal and trying to be smothered by them, feel loved and protected in their company… worship them as mentors, heroes,  gurus, Mahagurus and Satgurus… Make these mortals larger-than-life cut-outs, worship them as flawless, pure and give one’s all… And, then, ‘take’ everything from them blindly as divine… Give everything to them blindly… Eventually, what happens is:  one more dangerous bondage… What was supposed to free you now becomes a new prison… It’s sad to see this happen! T his room, where I am writing this Post, has no image of any deity. I have no image of any Guru or Master around me… My question is: “Am I not able to feel close to Almighty God?  How ...
Read more

"HAPPILY EVER AFTER IS NOT A FAIRY-TALE... IT IS A CHOICE"

Image
“Love doesn’t just sit there, like a stone… It has to be made, like bread; remade all the time, made new.” – Ursula K. Le Guin,  The Lathe of Heaven T welve years ago, when Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie got married, the world began to hail the couple as ‘Brangelina’. It became a fashion for couples around us to call themselves so… Norbert and Teresa renamed them as ‘Noresa’…  Amol and Vishaka baptized their relationship as ‘Amoshka’… and, Salman and Nargis became ‘Salgis’! I and my wife, too, got tempted to re-christian our matrimonial relationship as ‘Germa’... That is, Gerald and Anima, to be precise! B efore I proceed any further, let me make it very clear, here… that, I have no business to judge on the break-up of Brad Pitt and Angelina’ Jolie’s marriage. I have no inclination to go into why, how, what when etc behind it… The couple ‘chose’ to split. And, it’s their choice… Only they know how good or bad… how joyful or pain...
Read more
THE WILD, WAYSIDE FLOWERS
There is, always, something extra-ordinary in the wild, wayside flowers...