2008/10/24

Find The Three Gateways Of Wisdom

FIND THE THREE GATEWAYS OF WISDOM A wise King got a brave, skillful, bright and intelligent son. To perfect his son's knowledge and maturity, the King sent him to a wise ascetic. As a wise king, he knew that power and glory would not be the ultimate goal of any individual or that of anything else in the world. With talents and experience only, the maturity of self would be difficult to attain and be formed. The only way to comprehend lessons, someone should experience it in person with total comprehension in such a way that involves all of someone's body and soul potentials as well. Then, what will be achieved would be what should be achieved. It was this point where he made a conscious decision to send his son to the Ascetic, who had been the King's best friend. Having given brief but concise advice, he let his son go to meet the Ascetic. In short, the Prince arrived at the Ascetic's place and finally met him, the Prince impatiently asked, "Give me an enlightenment for my Way of Life." Looking to the eyes of the Prince, the Ascetic answered him wisely, calmly, charismaticly and meaningfully: "My words will fade away like your foot prints on the sand". Then he continued, "I will give you a clue, along your Way of Life you will find 3 (Three) gates". " Read the words written on each of the three gates and follow what your heart tells you". "Now leave!", the Ascetic disappeared and the Prince continued his journey. At first he felt somewhat hesitant, but soon he recalled what the Ascetic said and he proceeded, following what his heart guided him. Soon he found a Gate with some words written on it, saying "CHANGE THE WORLD". "This is what I absolutely want" the Prince thought. "Since there are a lot of things I like and I dislike in the world."" I will change them to make it consistent to my wish," his heart told him confidently. Just then he started his first struggle, changing the world. His ambitions, aspirations and strength helped his efforts to conquer the world to make it in agreement with his desires and wishes. He got a lot of excitements and contentments in his struggle, but he could not experience a peaceful feeling and felt restless. While he was successful in changing some, the others were against him and even remained unchanged. That was the reality he faced. However, the Prince kept struggling and never got discouraged. He even worked harder in his efforts. Years went by. One day, unexpectedly, he met the Ascetic again. "What have you learned from "your Way" so far?", the Ascetic asked. "I learned a lot of how to separate things I can do with my power and things which are beyond my capacity, things that are dependent of me and things that are independent of me. ""I also learned which I can do and which I should leave as they are." the Prince answered confidently. "Good....! Use your power within your capacity", "Do it appropriately and accordingly to what you can do". "Forget about those beyond your capacity, things you cannot change", and the Ascetic disappeared. Soon after the Ascetic left, the Prince continued his journey enthousiasticly. Before too long, to his surprise he saw the Second Gate with words on it, saying "CHANGE YOUR FELLOWS ". How happy he was. "This is what I do really want " He thought. "It cannot be wrong, this is exactly what I have been looking for and becoming my dream for so long!". "People around me are the source of joy, contentment and happiness, but they are also source of suffering, misery, bitterness, confusions and frustration." "It cannot be wrong that my fellows have to be changed". "In fact, they must be changed". "It is not me that must be changed, but they must change and be changed." Confronted by that fact, he tried to change all people he disliked, people who kept him busy, who bothered his life. He tried to change their characters and traits and remove their flaws. This became his second struggle so dynamic and complicated. This time the Prince was really busy with his fight and struggle of: "How to change his fellows". "They have to change". "Anyhow and anyway!". "My fellow must change and be changed!". Years went by. One day, unexpectedly, he met the Ascetic again. "Hey...., how are you doing...?", the Ascetic greeted. "What did you learn this time?", the Asceting asked again. "I learned, that They are neither the source of either my happiness nor my sorrow", "They are not the source of my success or even my failures either and they do not determine the maturity of myself and personality." They merely provide the opportunities for them to occur and become real. It is not them...but in fact...it is me ...me indeed." "It is me from which they are rooted". I am the root for everything and it is not them, my fellows!", "Correct .... You're correct " said the Ascetic. "Actually, what they generate from you is in fact to introduce you to yourself". "It is because of them you have are introduced to yourself"."You become familiar with yourself because of your very fellows" "Be grateful to those who make you feel content and happy and be grateful too to those who cause you sufferings, miseries, confusions, bitterness and frustrations. ". "Because it is through them, Life tells you what you need to master and the path you should take". And the Ascetic disappeared again. Time went by and now the Prince arrived at the Third Gate with words on it saying, "CHANGE YOURSELF". "If it is me who is the source of the whole things, then it is from this point I should change and I must do it soon", he talked to himself. "This is what should be!." He began his third struggle from that point. He tried to change his character, his traits, behaviors and habits to counter his imperfectness, to remove his shortcomings, to change things he did not like about himself and which were inconsistent with his ideal image. "He was simply determined to make every effort to totally change himself and never give up." What happened? After several years, in the middle of his struggle to conquer himself, be became aware of something: "He felt that some were succesful, but some failed and hampered with obstacles." Meanwhile in the middle of his energy consuming and long lasting struggle, he met with the Ascetic again. "Now, what did you learn?", the Ascetic asked. "I learned that there are things I possess that may be improved and there are things that are simply unchangeable" the Prince replied. "That's good " the Ascetic said. "Yes, indeed." the Prince continued, "but I begin to feel tired to fight the world, to fight all the people and to fight myself. Isn't there the end of all these? ". "There was not any day off or even any second off for me...!""When can I feel composed?"" I think it is right..., I want to stop and terminate this struggle, I want to give up and I want to leave the whole things!" "It is too hard to experience and undergo all of them," the Prince looked a little blue and tired while saying it. "Ha ha ha....That's your next lesson ," said the Ascetic with all his wisdom and tenderness. "But prior to that, ... turn your back around ... and see what you have reached so far ". And he disappeared. The Prince did not immediately follow the Ascetic's advice since he was busy with something he was thinking and musing. But when he eventually turned his head back and looked to the path he previously took, he was surprised what he saw. A little bit vague but clear enough to read. Looking at the Third Gate from a distance, focusing his vision he saw a couple of words written on its back side saying "ACCEPT YOURSELF". The Prince was startled since he did not notice that when he passed through the door. He shook and then nodded his head and said to himself: "It is true that when someone starts a struggle, he will be blind.""...it is his heart that is blind....and not his eyes!" He became more surprised when he approached and looked around, especially at the ground around him. In front of his eyes, "spreaded on the ground, were all the things he had thrown away, his shortcomings, his flaws, his images, his fears, his anxieties, his worries, his hesitations, his frustrations and everything he had thought to remove from himself. "Everything is there!" Meanwhile he started to realize how to recognize them, to accept them and to love them just the way they are. He had no idea why it happened and existed, and he did not want to find out the answer!". Everything he accepted as they are and faithfully, and at the same time he learned to love himself and not to compare himself with others anymore, not to judge and reprimand himself. "The Prince could accept himself just they way he was". While thinking and musing what he was experiencing, the Ascetic suddenly appeared in front of him. Being aware of his presence, he spontaneously said to the Ascetic. "I learned that hating and denying parts of me means cursing and never making peace with myself". "I really learnt to accept my whole self, totally and unconditionally "."That is actually what I really am". "I accept my self just the way it is" "Great, that's the First Gate of Wisdom," the Ascetic said. "Now, you may go back to the Second Gate ". Did not want to wait, he rushed to the Second Gate, with words written in its back side, saying "ACCEPT YOUR FELLOWS ". Again, he was surprised and amazed. To his surprise, He could see people around him clearly, "Those he had liked and loved and those he had hated."" Those who had been supportive to him and those who had been against him." "Those who had scorned him and those who had praised him" "Those who have been pro and con were completely there!" But what surprised him, "This time he could not see their imperfections and their flaws anymore", things that previously "made him feel uncomfortable, embarassed, inappropriate and disagreeing,Things that previously "did not wanted to listen to and trust and even insulted him." "And therefore they did not need to be accepted, listened, respected, taken into consideration." "They previously always represented themselves in front of people and thought that they could do no wrong."Things he made every efforts to change"."It's strange...Why could not he see any imperfectness, shortcomings, and flaws in them this time?"That was what he asked himself. Shortly after that the Ascetic came to him. "This would be your time to confirm and establish something in your heart" he talked to himself. Then he said, "I learnt...!", "Learning to make peace with myself. "by making peace with myself, I will have nothing to be blamed on others, there will be nothing to be feared from them"."There is no reason, even the most trivial one, that I can use to blame others". "Deep, sincere love has tremendous influence and energy on self and everything else "."I learnt to accept and love them just the way they are". "That's the Second Gate of Wisdom " the Ascetic said, "Now, go back to the First Gate ". What happened to the Prince this time? Arriving at the back side of the "First Gate" he saw a saying written on it "ACCEPT THE WORLD" "How strange " the Prince said to himself "Why didn't I see it?" I passed it before, didn't I?!" He looked around and became speechless. He was even intrigued to observe the things thoroughly and carefully. "Right...!", he said to himself "Right... this is exactly the world I passed and recognized!" He looked around and recognized the world he had tried to conquer and change before. Now... this time.... he was spellbound and amazed..., "How bright and beautiful it is". "It is really enjoyable and made him feel comfortable". "How perfect it is with Its harmony and perfection". But this is exactly the same world. The world that did not change and was just the same as the one he passed!" Is it the world or is it the perspective of world that has changed?". "..., or is it me who has changed?". After enjoying those things, then the Prince met the Ascetic again, and the Ascetic asked, "What did you learn this time?". With a happy smile on his face, the Prince answered, "I learnt that actually the world is the reflection of my soul." and my-Soul does not see the world but sees itself in the world.". "When my soul is happy, the world becomes enjoyable and makes me happy." "When my soul is gloomy, the world becomes gloomy and me blue as well." "When my soul is disturbed and tangled, the world seems to be disturbing and tangling". "When my soul is free and liberated, the world seems to be free and liberated as well". "I realize ... that actually the world itself is neither enjoyable, happy, sad, gloomy, tangling, free, liberated nor calm". "It 'EXISTS' ..., that's all". The world becomes positive or negative depends on the meaning we give it according to the faith and the beliefs we have. It is not the world that bothers me but the ideas and my images about the world as I see. Any people who fill it and whatever they are, the world would remain the same, I would be ready to accept them just the way they are. I learnt to accept it, without judging or put some value on it, really accepting it as it is, unconditionally. "That's correct ...., that is the Third Gate of Wisdom ." The Ascetic said. "Now you have made peace with yourself, with your fellows and the world where you live and make a living" and "Be grateful of what has not happened, of what is happening, and what will happen to you", "Enjoy all. " and the Ascetic disappeared. The Prince felt across his body and blood a cooling wave of peace, tranquility and happiness flowing into every single cell and cavity in him. Nothing bothered his mind and heart. He got a feeling of silence and peace. He did not look but he did see, he did not listen but he did hear, he did not sense but he did feel, he did not sniff but he did smell, he uncovered nothing but things were revealed to him, he protected nothing but he was protected, he prepared nothing but he was provided with everything, he needed nothing but everything was available abundantly. Everything was there and all was up to him. The prince disappeared as the Ascetic did. He was present but he was not there, he was not present but he was there. Wisdom is there and it is always present as a discreet wisdom. Everything is there and in abundance. Is it true that the keys are: "The key to change and to improve oneself to make him/her happy, cool hearted and cool minded, is at least: "LOVE oneself SINCERELY and UNCONDITIONALLY", "The key to change the people around oneself is to LOVE them SINCERELY and UNCONDITIONALLY", "The key to change the world where one lives and makes a living is to LOVE the whole things in the world SINCERELY and UNCONDITIONALLY". He he he he he...... "'It is not True that the Keys' are what have been concluded above!". Then what? Find them by yourself..... afterall it has been explained, hasn't it? Don't make them merely as knowledge and something to remember by heart!" Or even say: "Oh, I have already read it.' Nothing is imprinted in your heart!" "Will you let the trace be printed in your mind ,in your head?". "Hi hi hi hi hi....." It would not only be a new 'Mental block" but a "Mental Black Out." One thing may be necessary to introduce (Cokronagoro, May-2007): ""Give your whole heart to The Creator of the Universe (Jagad yang gumelar ini), and be grateful to the Creator who has opened the Way and provides all of the blessings for you". "Start with love from the deepest part of your heart and take a positive look to the future of things". "The future will be determined by the present based on what the past time was for the future.". Nojomtien, Sattahip, Thayland 20 May 2008 (Cokronagoro)

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