Transformation of the Self

A man visited the old Zen monastery to seek counseling from the Zen master. He was very rich, indulged in all the worldly pleasures. He was fed with wine and all the worldly things. Indulging in all those things gave him pleasure only for a short duration of time. He was in a search of a permanent state of happiness. He wanted to get rid of all the sufferings. He wanted to know who he is? What was his purpose? He came to Zen master to find the answer to all these questions.

He was waiting for the Zen master in one of the rooms of the monastery. Zen master came and as he was about to speak, The man interrupted him by saying that, "Master, I am very indecisive. I can't stick to anything for a long period of time. If you gave me any technique, I will do it for a few days and then I'll forget it."

Master replied, "It is a very arduous task, Whatever you did to yourself you need a long time to regain your freshness and childlike innocence." Are you involved in anything by doing which you forgot the concept of time? asked the master to the man. I forgot the concept of time while playing chess, replied the man. I stick to this game for a very long time.

Master called a monk who was staying in the same monastery. He was doing meditation for the last twelve years. The master taught him the basic rules of chess. He asked one of his attendants to bring the board of Chess. Master instructed the Monk and man to play the game of Chess. Whosoever loses, he will be beheaded.

Master told the monk, you have become pure by doing meditation. If you lose, you will go to heaven through my grace. Then he turned towards the man and told him, you have been committing sins for a very long time. If you lose, you will go the hell. The man was dumbstruck by listening to the reply of the master! He wanted to escape but he was from a Samurai family. It was a shame for him if he escaped from the game by looking at his imminent death.

The contest started. The man was trembling with fear like a leaf in a storm. He was shivering and perspiring. The opposite phenomenon was happening with a monk. He looked so calm and serene while playing. He accepted the command of his master without any resistance. There is a truth in the statement, "The calmer you are, the more clearly you think."

In the beginning, Monk was winning because he was in a state of deep surrender. An egoless person is always in a state of deep surrender. He became passive and non-resistant. On the other side, the man was worried about his death. Zen master created the condition of emergency for him. Thoughts stopped during an emergency. Thoughts arise only during leisure time. They need some time and space.

Master created the do-or-die situation for him. Thoughts stopped flowing. He even forgot about life and death. He was totally immersed at the moment. He became calm and peaceful. Perspiration helped him to achieve weightlessness. His face became innocent. His eyes were glittering like a diamond. Godliness descended over him. He started radiating positive vibes. He had tasted the honey of meditation.

The calmness of his mind helped him to think ahead of five moves. He started making brilliant moves. Initially, the monk was winning. Now, he was winning. Suddenly, he became aware of his opponent. He looked at his innocent face. Purity is reflected from his face. His divine eyes looked so beautiful. He became aware of the fact that if I will die, nothing will be lost but if this pure, handsome, and innocent monk will die then the tremendous beauty will be vanished from here.

The man started making wrong moves consciously to save the life of a monk. The master was watching the entire game and interrupted them to stop the game. You both have won, asked the master. The master told the monk, "You have been practicing austerity for the last twelve years. You are already on your way to attain Godliness." The master told the man, "while playing the game you have attained the state of no-mind (no thoughts). You got a glimpse of Samadhi. You became compassionate. Compassion is the ultimate flowering of meditation."

The man replied, "Master, I am completely transformed. I am overflowing with joy. My being is dancing like a flower dances in the rain. I am no longer the same person who was here before the contest." You have achieved this state in an emergency condition. You will lose it after some time. I will give you a technique that will help you to remain in a blissful state for the rest of your life.

More smiling, less worrying. More compassion, less judgment. More blessed, less stressed. More love, less hate. Roy T. Bennett

Technique is,

The Zen monk used to start every day by saying aloud to himself, "Master, Are you here?" and he would answer, "Yes sir, I am."

Then he would say, "Better Sober up."

And he would reply, "Yes Sir, I'll do that."

Then he would say, "Look out now, don't let them fool you."

And he would answer, "Oh no Sir, I won't, I won't." The Bird on the Wing

This is a very beautiful technique. It makes you alert. It is not a conversation between two persons rather it is a conversation between you and your inner being.

The monk said aloud to himself, "Master, Are you there?"

The inner being is the master here. It is a reminder for him to be aware of the fact that he is a divine soul. The body is a vehicle that is carrying the divine being. You can verify by yourself that your body is getting older but there is something within you that remains the same as you were a child.

And the voice came, "Yes Sir, I am."

There is constant chatter going on within the mind. The above statement is enough to break the mechanical flow of thoughts. When you become aware of your inner being, you are immediately aware of the present moment. Don't sleepwalk through life, it is not just to pass. The meaning of life is to reach somewhere deep within you. Penetrate at your inner center. Bliss happens only at the inner center. Use life as an opportunity to gain roots and to reach the divine.

Then he would say, "Better Sober up."

and he would reply, "Yes Sir, I'll do that."

Then he would say, "Look out now, don't let them fool you."

And he would say, "Oh no Sir, I won't, I won't."

A gap exists between the thoughts and the one who is observing them. The monk is instructing the observer, "Don't get intoxicated and fooled by the thoughts." In fact, observe your thoughts. Raise your awareness to a level that you are no longer controlled by your thoughts. Cultivate the capacity to accept or reject your thoughts. "Oh no Sir, I won't, I won't", is the acknowledgment given by the observer to the monk.

Meditation is a dynamic phenomenon. It is not a fragmentary thing. It is a continuous effort to remain vigilant about the thoughts. By and by, you become aware of deathless within you. You become peaceful, silent, and blissful. Bliss is not a commodity. It is a quality of a living and the consequence of an alert life. Compassion is the flowering of meditation.

“Silence is a source of Great Strength.” Lao Tsu

In compassion, the other becomes more valuable than you. Love is when you sacrifice yourself for the other. In love, you become the means and the other becomes the end. In lust, the other becomes mean and you become the end. Love is compassionate and lust is cruel.

Meditation gives you the roots on the Earth and wings in the sky. You will achieve the ultimate bliss through it. It creates the possibility of silence around you. When silence happens, laughter will come into your life. A vital celebration happens all around you. Be festive and silent. Never force the inner to be silent. Sacrifice the outer for the inner. Create more and more possibilities around you so that the inner silence can flower in it.

Lips are necessary to sing a beautiful song. Likewise, your existence is necessary to sing the melody of the divine. Silence descends over you when you take refuge in your inner fortress. In that silence, you become the God which is the ultimate experience of bliss.

Photo by Amanda Flavell on Unsplash