Basic Nature

I came across a wonderful story, which I quote below(Quote 1), and would also try to suggest a practical way of making use of it.
Another friend of mine had sent me a brief article, which was equally inspiring.
I find that also to be worth quoting here (quote 2).

We all have something called tolerance levels. At times, we mistake our sustaining levels to be our tolerance levels, and that is where we are likely to run into trouble.

Being too overcautious, we try to suppress our basic nature, to avoid over-exploitation by others, and thereby deprive ourselves the joy that would have been all ours, if we manifest our basic nature. This suppression too causes needless suffocation. That might eventually even make our life seem hollow, purposeless, empty or futile! And if this realization dawns too late, at the age of retirement or so, it would be really sad!

I have my own personal experience, to put forth as a reasonable base, to be able to suggest this ‘via-media’. Many a times, at my work place, a few of my colleagues used to suggest not to ‘show’ too much of output or productivity, or else, there would be people to ‘exploit’. I know they were quite sincere about this suggestion. It does work. That is why we hear of so many motivational programs, incentive plans etc at work places, churned out by those ‘brilliant’ HRD people! I did listen and hear to all those suggestions, looking at it ‘afresh’ each time, even with a sense of gratitude, and then decided upon my own ‘via-media’, using my ‘tolerance’ levels as a yardstick. (It is altogether a different matter, that I happened to benefit ‘quite incidentally’ when my tolerance levels increased along with the sustaining levels, as also my grasp on the true understanding about my own limits, as a consequence of my spiritual pursuit! Spirituality, or that pathless path, also happens to allow us to have a shift even in our “basic nature”… a transformation of sorts! ). A time did come, when I felt that enough is enough. And then, I could joyously retire, not waiting for that stipulated age of superannuation. Spittoons are provided at posh railway stations, airports and such public places. They are for ‘convenience’. We need not really insist on spitting into each and every bin, with the idea of making “full” use of these provisions, just because they are ‘freebies”! It is this clarity, which affords us, which enables us, empowers us, or makes us eligible, to enjoy yet better things in life.

I hope you would at least enjoy the story, and the other quote, if not my suggestion.
What works for me, need not work for others too! I am reminded of a brief cartoon story. A Zen story it was. When a blind man was leaving his friend’s house, the friend handed him a lantern to take on his way.
Blind man : “I don’t need a lantern. It is all the same to me, whether it is dark or light.
Friend: “I know, but if you don’t have a light with you, someone might accidentally run into you”
Blind man: “Oh! Alright”.
He took the light, and proceeded. On his way somebody did bump into him.
Blind man : “Can’t you see a light right in front of your face?”
That somebody: “Hey buddy, your light was already out!”
(Using another person’s ideas to enlighten other people, is like the blind man carrying a lantern – the light may go out along the way, and you’ll never know!)


Psn(25th September, 2010)


Quote-1:
The saint and the scorpion

One day a sadhu went to the river to bathe. There he noticed a scorpion struggling in the water. Scorpions cannot swim and the sadhu knew that if he did not save the scorpion, it would drown...

Therefore, carefully picking up the scorpion, the monk rescued it from drowning and was just about to set it down gently on land when the scorpion stung his finger. In pain, the sadhu instinctively flung his hand and the scorpion went flying, back into the river. As soon as the sadhu regained his composure from the sting, he again lifted the scorpion out of the water. Again, before he could set the scorpion safely on land, the creature stung him. This drama went on for several minutes as the sadhu continued to try to save the life of the drowning scorpion and the scorpion continued to sting his saviour's hand before reaching the freedom of the riverbank.

A hunter watched as the saint carefully and gingerly lifted the creature out of the water, only to fling it back in as he convulsed in pain from each fresh sting.

Finally, the hunter said to the sadhu, "Forgive me for my frankness, but it is clear that the scorpion is simply going to continue to sting you each and every time you try to carry it to safety. Why don't you give up and just let it drown?"

The sadhu replied: "My dear child, the scorpion is not stinging me out of malice or evil intent. Just as it is the water's nature to make me wet, so it is the scorpion's nature to sting. He doesn't realise that I am carrying him to safety. That is a level of conscious comprehension greater than what his brain can achieve. But, just as it is the scorpion's nature to sting, so it is my nature to save. Just as he is not leaving his nature, why should I leave my nature? My dharma is to help any creature of any kind, human or animal. Why should I let a small scorpion rob me of the divine nature which I have cultivated through years of sadhana?"

In our lives we encounter people who harm us, insult us, plot against us, whose actions seem calculated to thwart the successful achievement of our goals. Sometimes these are obvious acts, such as a co-worker who continually steals our ideas or speaks badly of us to our boss. Sometimes these acts are subtle, a friend, relative or colleague who unexpectedly betrays us or who we find has been surreptitiously speaking negatively about us behind our back.

Slowly we find that our own actions, words and thoughts become driven by anger and pain. We find ourselves engaged in cunning thoughts of revenge. Before we realise it, we are injuring ourselves by allowing negative emotions dominate us. They insulted us or plotted against us or sabotaged a well-deserved achievement at work. But we injure ourselves more deeply and more gravely by allowing our hearts and minds to darken.

Our dharma is to be kind, pure, honest, giving, sharing and caring. Others, due to ignorance, lack of understanding or due to the way in which their own karmic drama is unfolding, may act with malice, deceit, selfishness and indifference. But we must not let their actions or their ignorance deprive us of fulfilling our dharma. We must not allow ourselves to be lowered by their ignorance, their habits or their greed. The darkness in their heart should not be allowed to penetrate into the lightness of our hearts.

Quote 2:
Who or What is causing your problems?

When people fail, they often blame someone else for their failure. People blame others when they do poorly at work. Blame is also used to justify personal problems.

When you blame someone or something else, you actually make yourself weak and ineffective. You make yourself "effect" instead of being the "cause" of the situation. You give power to the person or thing you blame.

"Blaming something else makes that something else cause; and as that cause takes on power, the individual in the same act loses control and becomes effect."

For example, you lost a business contract and you blame your assistant. You are making your assistant more powerful than you. You might say, "My assistant messed up the appointment, "which is just another way of saying, "My assistant determines if I succeed or fail in keeping an appointment."

If you take responsibility, you would say, "I need to train my assistant so he doesn't make mistakes".

As another example, you might blame someone’s behavior for your stress and anxiety. This makes that person behavior responsible for your feelings. If you say, "That person ruined my mood," you are actually saying, "That person is so powerful that he can control my emotions.

"If you wish to succeed in life, you have to end the blame game and accept responsibility for yourself. You only get ahead when you become "cause" over the situation and not the “effect”.