Saturday, May 24, 2014

A consciousness of lack increases until a vacuum fills the human mind

An impassioned student seeking the Truth once went to India to study the ways of the Far East under a famous teacher who was believed to know the Truth.
Having accepted that poverty and asceticism go hand in hand with spirituality, the student had taken the vow of poverty. He was horrified to find the Master, not sitting in a loincloth under a tree, but living in comfort in a marble palace, surrounded by treasures. In addition, the Master was beautifully dressed in Oriental fashion and wore magnificent jewels.

The student was unable to comprehend what he was and spoke at length on the uselessness of material possessions. The Master sat quietly, listening until the student had finished his tirade against riches, luxury and worldly possessions. And then he spoke:
“It is not the possession of things, but the possession by them of you that counts. I have no interest in things for their material value, but for the beauty and comfort they give me".

The Teacher just sat quietly. The student rushed over to him: "Get up and help - all these beautiful things are being destroyed". The Teacher sat quietly and smiled. Finally, in exasperation and exhausted from his efforts, the student once more begged the Master: "For the love of God, do something to save all this stuff". The Teacher answered, "I am not concerned at all. I possess it now and can always replace it. This 'wealth' has no value to me. But you, who come half way across the world to tell me how to renounce wealth, are in a terrible state over the destruction of what I have repeatedly told you was nothing".
Then, as the astonished student looked about him, the fire receded and there was no trace of damage.

This did not appease the student who argued that if the Master had no interest in material possessions, he should then renounce them all. He was still speaking when a fire alarm was heard in the palace. He looked up and saw the flames devouring all the precious works of art. As the Master seemed unperturbed, the student jumped into action, shouting orders to the servants as to how to save the furnishings and treasures.