The Vachak

Narrate Reality

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[thevachak]

It's my 4 year anniversary on Tumblr 🥳

[thevachak]

Happy Dusherra and Durga Puja to all who are celebrating these auspicious days. Here are some valuable insights on these festivals.

“You cannot count on the physical proximity of someone you love, all the time. A seed that sprouts at the foot of its parent tree remains stunted until it is transplanted. Rama will be in my care, and he will be quite well. But ultimately, he will leave me too. Every human being, when the time comes, has to depart to seek his fulfilment in his own way.” ― Valmiki, The Ramayana

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And THE GODDESS SPOKE:

I imagine into being the whole world, moving and unmoving, through the power of my Maya,

Yet that same Maya is not separate from me; this is the highest truth,

In me this whole world is moven in all directions, 0 Mountain.

I am the Lord and the Cosmic Soul; I am myself the Cosmic Body.

I am Brahma, Vishnu, and Rudra, as well as Gauri, Brahmi, and Vaishnavi.

I am the sun and the stars and I am the Lord of the stars.

I am the various species of beasts and birds; I am also the outcaste and thief.

I am the evil doer and the wicked deed; I am the righteous person and the virtuous deed.

I am certainly female and male, and asexual as well.

And whatever thing, anywhere, you see or hear,

That entire thing I pervade, ever abiding inside it and outside.

There is nothing at all, moving or unmoving, that is devoid of me;

For if it were, it would be a nonentity, like the son of a barren woman.

Just as a single rope may appear variously as a serpent or wreath,

So also I may appear in the form of the Lord and the like; there is no doubt in this matter.

The world cannot appear without an underlying basis.

Accordingly, the world comes to be only through my own being and in no other way.

- The Devi Gita, Song of Goddess.

Glories to Shri Ram. Glories to Maa Durga. That is the Achintyam: the inconceivable and the unknowable reality.

[thevachak]

Word of Wisdom from The Panchatantra - A 2000-year-old book written by Indian Rishi, Shri Vishnu Sharma.

The book follows the fables and realities of the human world using animals to depict the human psyche.

The book guides us on living a life compatible with society and safeguarding our interests using wisdom relatable to all. The 2000-year-old book stands the test of time.

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All are under the "Veil of Maya". We can only hope to see the light. I firmly believe "The Achintyam" when wants to be discovered, it can be done even by a mute, blind, deaf, poorest among poor people. A moment one needs!

My naman to Shiva. My naman to maa Durga

[thevachak]

The Three Hermits

A beautiful story by Leo Tolstoy.

The archbishop of the old Orthodox Church of Russia became very much worried when many people from his congregation started going towards a lake. There were three villagers on a small island in the lake who sat under a tree, with thousands of people who thought they were saints.

Finally he decided to go and see who these people were. So he took a motorboat and went to the island. And those three villagers... they were uneducated, simple people, utterly innocent, and the archbishop was a powerful man; next to the czar he was the most powerful man in Russia. He was very angry at those three villagers and told them, ”Who made you saints?” They looked at each other. They said, ”Nobody. And we don’t think we are saints, we are poor people.”

”But why are so many people coming here?”

They said, ”You have to ask them.”

He said, ”Do you know the orthodox prayer of the church?”

They said, ”We are uneducated and the prayer is too long, we cannot remember it.”

”So what prayer do you say?”

They all looked at each other. ”You tell him,” said one.

”You tell him,” said another. They were feeling embarrassed.

But the archbishop became more and more arrogant, seeing that these were absolute idiots, ”They don’t even know the prayer. How can they be saints?” So he said, ”Anybody can tell me. Just say it!” They said, ”We are feeling very embarrassed because we have made our own prayer, not knowing the authorized prayer of the church. We have made our own prayer, very simple it is. Please forgive us that we did not ask your permission, but we were feeling so embarrassed we did not come.

”Our prayer is – God is three and we are also three, so we have made a prayer – ‘You are three and we are three, have mercy on us.’ This is our prayer.”

The archbishop was very angry: ”This is no prayer. I have never heard this kind of thing.” He started laughing.

Those poor fellows said, ”You teach us what the real prayer is. We thought it was perfectly alright: God is three, we are three, and what more is needed? Just have mercy on us.”

So he told them the orthodox prayer, which was a long prayer. By the time he ended, they said, ”We have forgotten the beginning.” So he told the beginning again. Then they said, ”We have forgotten the end.”

The archbishop was getting angry and irritated. He said, ”What kind of people are you? Can’t you remember a simple prayer?”

They said, ”It is too long and we are uneducated, and such big words. We cannot... You just be patient with us. If you repeat it two or three times perhaps we will get the knack of it.” So he repeated it three times. They said, ”Okay, we will try, but we are afraid that it may not be the complete prayer... some things may be missing... but we will try.”

The arrogant archbishop was very much satisfied that he had finished these three saints and he could tell his people, ”They are idiots. Why are you going there?” And he left in the boat. Suddenly he saw that behind his boat those three people were running on the water, coming after him. He could not believe his eyes; he rubbed his eyes. By that time they had reached the side of his boat, standing on the water. And they said, ”Just one time more, we forgot.”

But seeing the situation: ”These people are walking on water and I am going in the motorboat,” he said, ”You continue your prayer. Don’t bother about what I have said to you. Just forgive me, I was arrogant. Your simpleness, your innocence is your prayer. You just go. You don’t need any certificate.”

But they insisted, ”You have come so far. Just one time more... We know we might forget it, but one time more so we can remember it.”

But the archbishop said, ”I have been repeating that prayer my whole life, and it has not been heard. And you are walking on water, and we have heard only in the miracles of Jesus that he used to walk on water. This is the first time I have seen the miracle. You just go back. Your prayer is perfectly alright!”

The prayer was not the thing because there is nobody to hear it, but their utter innocence and trust transformed them into totally new beings, so fresh, so childlike, just like roseflowers opening in the early morning sun in all their beauty.

Now that the arrogance was dropped, the archbishop could see their faces, their innocence, their grace, their blissfulness. They returned back on the water, running hand in hand, and reached their tree. -- OSHO 

[thevachak]

May Adi Shakti bless us and guide us to the light.

Mother Durga. Rider on the lion, giver of all strength, Mother, beloved of Shiva! We, born from thy parts of Power, we the youth of India, are seated here in thy temple. Listen, O Mother, descend upon earth, make thyself manifest in this land of India. - Sri Aurobindo

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The Achintyam

That is The Achintyam: The Unthinkable, The Unknowable, The Unimaginable, The Inconceivable, The Unthinkable. 🕉️

[thevachak]

Bodhidharma & The Fourth Disciple

After nine years, when Bodhidharma came back to India, thousands of people had become his disciples. He had chosen four of them for the final fire-test, because out of those four, one would be chosen as his successor to continue his work in China.

There was great silence, although thousands of disciples were sitting there. They knew that those four people were worthy of it, but it was very difficult to tell who was the most worthy….

Bodhidharma asked the first man, ”Tell me the essence of wisdom.”

And the man said, ”The essence of wisdom is that the kingdom of God is within you.”

Bodhidharma said, ”You have my flesh, but the flesh is not very deep. You are not chosen to be my successor. What you have said has a faraway echo of truth in it, but it is too faraway an echo.”

He asked the second disciple, ”You tell me – what is the essence of wisdom?”

And he said, ”The essence of wisdom is meditation, being absolutely silent.”

Bodhidharma said, ”You have my bones, but you don’t have me. You cannot be my successor.”

And he turned to the third man and asked the same question, ”What is the essence of wisdom?”

The third person said, ”The essence of wisdom is to bring your potential to its ultimate actuality, to blossom, to bring flowers to your being.”

Bodhidharma said, ”You have my marrow, but still you are not yet capable of being my successor. You are very close, but even closeness is a distance.”

He turned to the fourth man, and he asked the same question. And the fourth man had tears in his eyes and he collapsed at Bodhidharma’s feet, not saying a single word.

Bodhidharma said, ”I understand your silence. But these thousands of people will not understand it. You have to bring your experience into words. Say it!”

And the man with tears said, ”I don’t know.”

And Bodhidharma said, ”You are going to be my successor, because the person who can say ‘I do not know’ has already reached to the door of the temple of wisdom, he is already standing at the door. His innocence, his not-knowing, is the beginning of knowing.”

A true master is going to be condemned by the whole world, for the simple reason that he does not give anything to you – on the contrary, he goes on taking things away from you. He leaves you utterly naked, in a state of innocence like a child. Only from there your real growth starts. Only from there is the true beginning.

What is greater than wisdom? Innocence is greater than wisdom, because wisdom is only a collection of empty words.

Innocence is a transformation of your whole being, as if you are cleaned of all dust – you have just taken a shower. 

[thevachak]

Happy Krishna Janmashtami... May Krishna guide us through samsara and be the charioteer of our lives.

[thevachak]

Bodhidharma & The Fourth Disciple

After nine years, when Bodhidharma came back to India, thousands of people had become his disciples. He had chosen four of them for the final fire-test, because out of those four, one would be chosen as his successor to continue his work in China.

There was great silence, although thousands of disciples were sitting there. They knew that those four people were worthy of it, but it was very difficult to tell who was the most worthy….

Bodhidharma asked the first man, ”Tell me the essence of wisdom.”

And the man said, ”The essence of wisdom is that the kingdom of God is within you.”

Bodhidharma said, ”You have my flesh, but the flesh is not very deep. You are not chosen to be my successor. What you have said has a faraway echo of truth in it, but it is too faraway an echo.”

He asked the second disciple, ”You tell me – what is the essence of wisdom?”

And he said, ”The essence of wisdom is meditation, being absolutely silent.”

Bodhidharma said, ”You have my bones, but you don’t have me. You cannot be my successor.”

And he turned to the third man and asked the same question, ”What is the essence of wisdom?”

The third person said, ”The essence of wisdom is to bring your potential to its ultimate actuality, to blossom, to bring flowers to your being.”

Bodhidharma said, ”You have my marrow, but still you are not yet capable of being my successor. You are very close, but even closeness is a distance.”

He turned to the fourth man, and he asked the same question. And the fourth man had tears in his eyes and he collapsed at Bodhidharma’s feet, not saying a single word.

Bodhidharma said, ”I understand your silence. But these thousands of people will not understand it. You have to bring your experience into words. Say it!”

And the man with tears said, ”I don’t know.”

And Bodhidharma said, ”You are going to be my successor, because the person who can say ‘I do not know’ has already reached to the door of the temple of wisdom, he is already standing at the door. His innocence, his not-knowing, is the beginning of knowing.”

A true master is going to be condemned by the whole world, for the simple reason that he does not give anything to you – on the contrary, he goes on taking things away from you. He leaves you utterly naked, in a state of innocence like a child. Only from there your real growth starts. Only from there is the true beginning.

What is greater than wisdom? Innocence is greater than wisdom, because wisdom is only a collection of empty words.

Innocence is a transformation of your whole being, as if you are cleaned of all dust – you have just taken a shower. 

[thevachak]

Two Beggars

Two beggars live in a forest, near a city. Naturally they are enemies, because they are in the same profession and in competition. One is blind and one is lame. And they are always quarreling about their clients. You don’t know what beggars say about you. They have their clients, they have their territories.

Beggars are continuously fighting. There is great struggle and competition. And those two beggars had been enemies for years. But one day the forest caught fire. The blind man was perfectly able to walk and run, but it was dangerous. He could not see whether he was going in the right direction, where there was no fire, or whether he was running through the fire towards more.

The lame man could not run on his own. And the fire was spreading so fast and the winds were so strong, but he could see that there was still a possibility to get out. There were a few places where the fire had not reached yet. But soon it would be reaching there. Soon, they would be covered by fire from all over the place. They both forgot all their antagonism, competition. This was not the time to fight, this was a time to unite.

And the blind man took upon his shoulders the lame man, and they became one personality. Now they had eyes and they had legs, both. The lame man could see, and direct where they had to run, and fast – and which directions had to be avoided. And the blind man was strong enough to run, carrying the lame man on his shoulders. They came out of the forest without being injured.

This ancient story is about your mind and your heart. Your heart can see, but cannot say. Your mind can say, but cannot see. If you are capable of bringing your heart and mind closer, your love and logic closer, your experience and expression closer, perhaps mind can also say something significant. It may not be complete, it may not be an entire expression, but it may be an indication in the right direction. It may be a finger pointing to the moon. It may not be the moon, but it can indicate towards the moon.

[thevachak]

Rinzai - A Great Zen Master

A great Zen Master, Rinzai, was sitting. A man came. He pushed the door very hard – he must have been angry – he slammed the door. He was not in a good mood. Then he threw his shoes, and came in. Rinzai said 'Wait. Don't come in. First go and ask forgiveness from the door and from your shoes.' The man said 'What are you talking about? I have heard that these Zen people are mad, but it seems true. I was thinking it was just rumour. What nonsense you are talking! Why should I ask forgiveness from the door? And it looks so embarrassing... those shoes are mine!' Then Rinzai said 'You get out! Never come here again! If you can be angry at the shoes, why can't you ask their forgiveness? When you were angry, you never thought that it was so foolish to be angry with the shoes. If you can relate with anger, then why not with love? Relationship is relationship. Anger is a relationship. When you slammed the door with such anger, you related to the door; you behaved wrongly, immorally. And the door has not done anything to you. First go, otherwise you don't come in.' Under the impact of Rinzai's silence, and the people sitting there, and that presence... like a flash, the man understood. He understood the logic of it, it was so clear. 'If you can be angry, then why can't you be loving? You go.' And he went. Maybe in his whole life that was the first time. He touched the door and tears started flowing from his eyes. He could not hold back those tears. And when he bowed down to his own shoes, a great change happened in him. The moment he turned and came towards Rinzai, Rinzai took him in his arms and embraced him.

This is reconciliation. How can you pray if you are unreconciled? How can you come to a Master if you are unreconciled with existence?

[thevachak]

Nyagrodh Tree

From the Chhandogya Upanishad.

“Fetch me from a fruit of the nyagrodh tree,” asked the father, the great sage Uddalak, to his son.

“Here is one, sir,” said Svetaketu.

“Break it.”

“It is broken, sir.”

“What do you see there?”

“These seeds, almost infinitesimal.” “Break one of them.”

“It is broken, sir.”

“What do you see?”

“Nothing, sir. Absolutely nothing.”

The father said, “My son, that subtle essence which you do not perceive there, of that very essence this great nyagrodh tree exists. Believe it, my son, that there is the subtle essence in that all things have existence. That is the truth. That is the self. And that, Svetaketu, that art thou — tatvamasi, Svetaketu.”

The nyagrodh tree, a big tree. The father asks for a fruit; Svetaketu brings it. Fruit is vaikhari — the thing has flowered, fruition has happened. Fruit is the most peripheral thing, absolutely manifested. The father says, “Break it.” Svetaketu breaks it — millions of seeds. The father says, “Choose one seed. Break it also.” He breaks that seed also. Now there is nothing in hand. Now inside the seed there is nothing.

Uddalak says, “Out of this nothingness comes the seed. Out of the seed comes the tree. Out of the tree comes the fruit. But the basis is nothingness, the silence, the space, the formless, the unmanifest, the beyond, the transcendental.”

[thevachak]

One day a young man came to the Buddha, very upset. ‘What happened?’ asked the Buddha. The young man said: ‘Sir, yesterday my father died. I have come to you with a special request. Please do something for my dead father. When ordinary priests perform some rites or rituals, he gains access to heaven. Sir, if a great man like you performs any rites or rituals for my father, he will gain not only entry but a permanent residence in heaven.

Please sir, do something for my father!’ He was so unbalanced, so emotional. The Buddha knew that any kind of rational argument would have no effect at this stage but he had his own way of explaining things. He asked the young man to go to the market and buy two earthen pots. The young man happily went and bought them, thinking that this was to prepare for some ritual. The Buddha asked him to fill one with butter and the other with stones and pebbles. He did all this.

The Buddha told him to close and seal them properly, and put them both in a nearby pond. He did so and both the pots sank to the bottom. The Buddha now told him to bring a stout stick, strike at them, and break them open. He did so, thinking that now the Buddha would perform a wonderful ritual for his father.India is a vast and ancient land, full of diversities and extremes. There are people who have attained full enlightenment like the Buddha, and on the other hand, there are people in deep ignorance, immersed in blind faiths, beliefs, and dogmas. One belief is that when a parent dies, the son must take the corpse, put it on the funeral pyre and burn it; when it is half burned, he must take a strong stick, and break open the skull. The belief is that, as the skull is broken on earth, so the gateway of heaven is broken above, and the parent enters heaven. The young man thought that, as his father was already dead and cremated yesterday, the Buddha was asking him to break open these earthen pots as a substitute.

As he did so, the butter escaped from the first and floated to the surface; the pebbles escaped from the second pot and settled at the bottom. ‘Now,’ said the Buddha, ‘this much I have done. Now call all your priests. Let them come here and pray: ‘Oh pebbles, rise to the surface! Oh butter, sink to the bottom!’’ ‘Are you joking, sir? How is this possible? It is against the law of nature, sir. The pebbles are heavier than water; they are bound to stay down, they can’t float. Butter is lighter than water, it is bound to float; it cannot go down.’ ‘Young man, you know so much about the law of nature, and yet you do not want to understand the law that is applicable to one and all. If your father kept performing actions like pebbles and stones, he was bound to go down.

Who can pull him up? If he kept performing actions which are light like butter, he is bound to go up. Who can push him down?’ Our difficulty is that we think that some invisible power will somehow favor us, even though we do nothing to change our own behaviour patterns, and our own actions. When we understand this eternal law of nature—that the fruits depend on our actions—we will be careful about our actions. This discourse was given by the Buddha to Mahānāma the Sakyan.

[thevachak]

Hotei - A Zen Master

One day he was passing through a village. On his shoulders he always carried a very big bag full of many toys, chocolates and sweets for children.

Somebody asked him, ”Hotei, we have heard that you are just playing a role, acting. We have heard that you are a Zen master, so why do you go on wasting your time just giving toys to children? And if you are really a Zen master then show us what Zen is.” Zen means the real spirit of religion.

Hotei dropped his bag, immediately he dropped his bag. They couldn’t follow, so they said, ”What do you mean?” He said, ”This is all. If you drop the burden, this is all.”

They asked, ”Okay, then what is the next step?” So he put his bag again on his shoulders and started walking.

”This is the next step. But now I am not carrying. I know now that the burden is not me. Now the whole burden has become just toys for children and they will enjoy it.”