Submitted by: Jeff Brown(4,343) Jeff Brown Inner Projection Log in to become a member of Jeff Brown's Fan Club!
The Buddhist believes that all are selfish at birth. It is only natural, for the infant sees barely two feet into the distance. If you are his mother standing still by the couch three feet away, you are a lamp. Lamps very rarely get much consideration in anyone's life.
But there is progression. As one grows, lamps become parents, siblings noticed next, then peers, and as age gathers with experience, a town is discovered, towns, and as one's gaze continues to grow, a state, states, country, countries, the world. Yet for many, this is where vision stops. For inner vision, belief in things not seen, must take over. Here science can not help. Movement ethereal and celestial can not be observed with the senses. To explain, let us return to our infant.
He grows into a child, and he along with most children of 2, 5, 10, 15, and even more years often see only that which is in front of them. Their lamp has become their needs. But unlike the infant, the child's focus remains clearly and only on the lamp. For the child, the parent receeds into the hazy background, for its social muscle demands flexing.
However, if you, the adult, remain in similar need, the child within may require light shed to see beyond its self-fixated gaze. But not to worry if you have not aged too greatly in years. For the Buddhist believes that these selfish desires are normal, acceptable. These selfish desires are seen as toys along the path of life. And a child without toys is sad. Yet sadder still is an adult fixated at this same level. And here lies the crux of life's bane.
Many remain as a child, unknowing, unseeing, forever fixated on their lamp of insufficient light. And many stay here because great difficulties are avoided--not seen for their educational value--which results in poor thinking, incomplete understanding, wasted temporal-years, our spit in the cosmic bucket of time frittered away on transient gain. Look beyond the conventional, the accepted norm to the conundrums that begin to stretch your mind, for here lies answers of merit or great import.
What is the sound of one hand clapping?
If a tree falls in the woods and no one is there to observe, does it make a sound?
As you begin to stretch your mind, to shed your mental limitations, you will see the eternities. Looking beyond the world you will see the answers you've always sought, locked away within, taken with you to this journey's labratory: life. Seek the answers.
Learn of your self. Limitations. Weaknesses.
Learn of your humility. Passions. Eternal wealth.
For in the greatest of substance lies answers you've always known. Only put away now for your edification to aid in building your strength of passion, understanding, patience, and desire to aid all those who come into your world. To turn their lamps to that of the Great Sunlight that now lights your limitless life.
Buddha Speaks:
The greater the possessions the greater the possessor's revealed insignificance.
Take into account that great love and great achievements involve great risk.
When you lose, don't lose the lesson.
Follow the three Rs: Respect for self; Respect for others; Responsibility for all your actions.
Remember that not getting what you want is sometimes a wonderful stroke of luck.
Learn the rules so you know how to break them properly.
Don't let a little dispute injure a great friendship.
When you realize you've made a mistake, take immediate steps to correct it.
Spend some time alone every day.
Open your arms to change, but don't let go of your values.
Remember that silence is sometimes the best answer.
Live a good, honorable life. Then when you get older and think back, you'll be able to enjoy it a second time.
A loving atmosphere in your home is the foundation for your life.
In disagreements with loved ones, deal only with the current situation. Don't bring up the past.
Share your knowledge. It's a way to achieve immortality.
Be gentle with the earth, it too has a spirit.
Once a year, go someplace you've never been before.
Remember that the best relationship is one in which your love for each other exceeds your need for each other.
Judge your success by what you had to give up in order to get it.
Approach love and cooking with reckless abandon.
Jeff is a Self-Realization expert and can be found at SelfGrowth.com. He has written 100's of essays and articles;over 50 poems; and several books: At Amazon.com, you can find Black Body Radiation and the Ultraviolet Catastrophe, a novel to inspire young adults and the young at heart. For more inspiration, get his collection of poems, To Die at the Age of Man at Lulu dot com. Coming soon: Give and Grow Yourself Rich (July, 2008); Education is a Waste of Time, (late 2008); and a children's novella The Search for Adriana (late 2008). Currently, he teaches writing and owns Inner Projection, a self-improvement business.
Hi Jeff, you had me at "motivational quotes." :) I enjoyed article and the quotes chosen to share with us. Hoping all is well. Blessings! Avis Respond to this comment
I noticed the article was poorly edited. It should read much smoother, if you'd like to revisit. Do so often. Great to be inspired. Greater to inspire. Peace!
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