Articles

Articles

Second Hand Nature

Disliking second hand goods, information, life style,… is quite common amongst many of us. But, it is really funny to see if at all there is any thing that is first hand! Right from birth, we learn everything from someone – mother, father, teacher, brother, sister, book, school, college, work,…. We buy goods made by someone, we eat food made by someone, we use money created by someone,… list goes on crossing every minute of our lives – relentlessly.

Is there any thing we learn on our own – which is first hand? Real earned value?? Might be true for a few aspects of life. Especially, when we understand meaning of things in our own way – without borrowing any philosophy or ideology!! How far is this true?

Met this individual in Shimla on a trek. It seems he is living on borrowed food, clothes, shelter, medicine, books, money…. for his entire life of 70 yrs!! He is a teacher by profession, writer by hobby and a master by nature! He seems to have answers for anything, surprisingly in any language! It seems he never asks anyone, but gets everything he wants. He says it is simple to live alone = all in one! than lonely! Amazing perspective.

I think OSHO mentioned the same again and again. But here is a guy who is living by the spirit of being second hand! You can’t deny his charming smile and a fatherly hug – so simple and clean!!! He refused a photo and asked us to carry him in our hearts!!! This is not simple!

hIdden tReasure!

A miser hid his gold at the foot of a tree in his garden. Every week he would dig it up and look at it for hours. One day a thief dug up the gold and made off with it. When the miser next came to gaze upon the treasure all he found was an empty hole.

The man began to howl with grief so his neighbors came running to find out what the trouble was. When they found out, one of them asked, “Did you use any of the gold?”

“No,” said the miser. “I only looked at it every week.”

“Well, then,” said the neighbor, “for all the good the gold did you, you might just as well come every week and gaze upon the hole.”

 

It is not by our money

but by our capacity for enjoyment

that we are rich or poor.

To strive for wealth

and have no capacity for enjoyment

is to be like the bald man

who struggles to collect combs

Divisions!

A Shepherd was gazing his sheep when a passer-by said, “That’s a fine flock of sheep you have. Could I ask you something about them?” “Of course”, said the shepherd. Said the man, “How much would you say your sheep walk each day?” “Which ones, the white ones or the black ones?” “The white ones.” “Well, the white ones walk about four miles a day.”  “And the black ones?” “The black ones too.”

“And how much grass would you say they eat each day?” “Which ones, the white or the black?” “The white ones.” “Well, the white ones eat about four pounds of grass each day.” “And the black ones?” “The black ones too.” “And how much wool would you say they give each year?” “Which ones, the white or black?” “The white ones.” “Well, I’d say the white ones give some six pounds of wool each year at shearing time.” “And the black ones?” The black ones too.”

The passer-by was intrigued. “May I ask you why you have the strange habit of dividing your sheep into white and black each time you answer one of my questions?” “Well,” said the shepherd, “that’s only natural. The white ones are mine, you see.” “Ah! And the black ones?” “The black ones too,” said the shepherd.

The human mind makes foolish divisions in what Love sees as One.

(~Anthony de Mello)