Tagged: common good
The nature of living and dying for the common good
The master was at the beach with his disciple observing Nature without a reason or purpose in mind.
As they were looking, a bird similar to an eagle appeared flying from behind them. It was quite big and descended quickly like a rocket into the sea, to catch a fish with its claws. It was a successful catch. The bird took the fish to a near electric pole and devoured it.
The disciple exclaimed: “Poor fish!” The master smiled and took a moment to respond: “ To put yourself in the shoes of another ’s fate is empathy, that is laudable. The human world has lost contact with the laws of Nature and thus, perceptions are contradictory. In Nature, the hunter and the prey are merely fulfilling a harmonious order, a balance in Nature. Death is part of Living. The population of birds, fish and other animals and plants are in balance and can fulfill their purpose, their roles of living without being extinguished. That holds true for every species except humans.”
The disciple said: “Then it was right for that bird to kill that fish to survive?”
The master said: “ Let us not think in terms of right or wrong. In Nature, things happen without ultimate reason but the common good. The bird did not act in an evil way despite killing. The fish wasn’t a victim despite being killed. There was an ultimate balance, for there wasn’t a purpose other than the common good.”
The disciple said: “ I don’t understand your lack of empathy for the fish.”
The master said: “Observe. It is not about my empathy or yours. When you judge Nature based on human morality there will be contradiction and misunderstanding. Nature cannot be understood through the mind made reality of written moral standards. Harmonious balance for the common good is the song in Nature not a written paragraph. We cannot judge Nature’s methods.”
The disciple tried to understand but had a puzzled look in his face. The master then continued: “In the human world there is an ultimate purpose. It is called profit, gain. That is not for the common good but for the perceived benefit of few above the rest. That is why their killing or any other action behind that purpose is ugly. Look at how people succumb to Nature. That is what is labeled as natural disasters. Balance is the ultimate purpose and humans are in that as well as any other beings on Earth. We are all one. There is no will for profit there. Observe how humans kill each other or other defenseless beings for a reason which only fit their own interests. Remember this: Your intention behind your action is the most important ingredient for the type of Life that you will experience. If your intention is service for the common good, how wonderful your life would be. Life itself will be with you. Knowing that, you wouldn’t live without serving others. You may need to go beyond good and evil to observe a different reality.”
Then the master sighed and continued: “What I said may be misunderstood for our human conditioning and beliefs are very strong. Just remember this: I am not here to change your beliefs. What you need to understand will come to you naturally without effort, without struggle.”
Question: No “effort” to make a living?
” Dear Ahnanda
somewhere you have mentioned that we are like small leaf in this river and leaf cant decide where to go and this river will take the leaf to particular place or to its destiny. We don’t need to make any effort .
Can you please explain this is in professional life scenario. For ex if i am working in office and need to plan and finish few task proactively as I think that is the only way to survive in this competitive world, Can i just rely on my destiny for that to happen and just doing minimal work? Doesn’t that make us laidback or not taking up things proactively.”
Thank you for your question for the common good.
Ahnanda also mentions about the importance of experiencing, not as to generalize the experience and make that the “truth” for everyone to follow, or even as an unchanged dogmatic “truth” for ourselves, but merely as a reference point to share, to assimilate and to grow.
Forsake the explanations and just try it. Experience it for yourself.
Want “proof”?
Read the “Autobiography of a Yogi” by Yogananda. The “mother” will provide he used to say, and the “mother” provided even though rational individuals doubted him. Yogananda went to College without studying. He just crammed near the exam days and “destiny” unexpectedly helped him out by providing the right connections, the right pages to read, the right timing.
Don’t want to experience because it is too risky and you may lose your job in such a “competitive” world? 🙂
Then keep reading…
Ahnanda has also mentioned that the “office world” is not Life, but it is what we, humans have made up as Life. There is a huge difference.
The way we perceive the “office world” to be, is ingrained in our understanding of Life, Nature.
Nevertheless, it was shared as well, that it is not a matter of rejection of the “office world,” but to embrace it as another perception, another part of Life.
When we are not observing, we cannot realize that the job that we currently have wasn’t dependent on our will to happen, but the circumstances, the settings… Life itself is offering that experience or “work opportunity” (as it is called in the office world) to “us.” Nevertheless we say: “I found a job.” 🙂
Dear reader, you still believe/experience that Life is separated from “you.” You still believe that your destiny is separated from “you.”
“You” are life itself. “You” are destiny itself, nevertheless; your consciousness will not be able to perceive that due to the shortcomings of labeling, logic and reasoning.
Basically, “You” are too “smart” to intellectually understand a different consciousness. 🙂
A person who is entrenched into the “office world” has a mind capable to understand the logic and reasoning of Aristotle or Descartes or even Mr. Spock… but, none of that could perceive the “reality” of Life.
Want something more “reasonable”?
Do your plans and finish your tasks proactively, but enjoy those. It is a sorry state of being to “do” things just to survive in this “competitive” world. It is in that mentality how your destiny will be manifested. You are calling for it.
It does not matter what you do, but your perception of what you do is important.
If your job is giving you the money to survive, don’t “make effort,” just do what you are supposed to. Enjoy it. Be like the leaf in the river, and float, flow with it. There are no guarantees. The ride could finish at any time. Enjoy it while it last without the obsessive thought: “It will finish soon… I must enjoy it.” That kills the enjoyment. Thinking kills the “fun.”
Your question: “Can I just rely on my destiny for that to happen and just doing minimal work? Doesn’t that make us laidback or not taking up things proactively.”
Who do you want to rely on?
“You”?
It was shared above that there is no difference between what you perceive to be “you” and “your” destiny. It is the same thing, but in your consciousness you perceive those things as being separated, therefore you look for a solution. “You” must “make effort.”
“I must fight to get what I need for it is competitive out there.”
It is evident that you are viewing destiny as predestination in opposition to “free will” or choice. Those “concepts” are just that, “concepts.”
Let me assure you that none of those “concepts” exist as “reality,” unless you believe in them.
When you are “laid back” nothing can “make you” that … you are.
To try to change what you are by taking up a behavior to “make you better” is just a belief.
It is like trying to change wintertime into summer by dressing beach clothing… and then we wonder: “But how come do I still feel cold?”
First we acknowledge wintertime, we learn to appreciate wintertime, and to be at peace with it and when that happens …summer time appears all by itself. No effort involved.
All the best.
The Common good is yourself
When we discover the paradoxical aspect of life, the Universe, the Cosmos, Nature, etc. We could understand that to use logic and analysis to make sense of life may not be desirable.
On the other hand, beliefs are more suitable for logical “entertainment” of the mind.
Here is one statement that I have discovered to be true to myself, but that could be a belief for “others.”
If your aim or purpose is the common good, “you” will be included in that as well.”You” are the common good. If your “purpose” is “you” then that separation with all will be your own decline.”
Let us change the utilization of the word “purpose.”
It is not about “myself.” It is about the “common good.”
It is not about my group. It is about the “common good.”
It is not about God. It is about the “common good.”
Consciousness is the world. Without enjoying consciousness, perception is not possible.
That consciousness manifests through different beings. The Totality of consciousness fragments itself to be expressed through the diversity of beings.
When we see this, it is impossible to separate “myself” from everything else… unless “I” create a personality.
What are the consequences of perceiving the separation of “me” and everything else?
Rather than seeing that “I” am the whole, I will see that “I” am part of it or separated from it.
In that consciousness, my belief will be that I am a “ spirit, a soul an individual” completely separated from everything else, when consciousness is rather ONE but manifested in different ways.
It is in that separation when “I” cannot grasp the immortality of consciousness. At that point, “I” will be looking for “salvation.”
It is “I” who wishes to be saved. It is “I” who wishes to be “someone” and to remain “alive,” in the “afterlife.” 🙂
Please see the absurdity of that. Consciousness is already eternal.
Thus, my search for meaning could end up in a search for a “creator,” for the “big boss” who can do the miracle of granting me “eternal life.”
Please see that this search is merely a consequence of my own state of consciousness.
Therefore, that journey is very important. It is very “healthy.”
That “true” search will be compensated, (cause and effect) as searching for meaning in life is not something that everyone is conscious of.
God will appear in one way or another. In one experience or another, just as when we were kids and “searched” for Santa. There was always someone who could take that role for us, someone who could dress like him, someone who I can take pictures with.
We are not alone.
That “God” could take the name of Buddha, of Jesus or be a guru or defined as something else. Every religion has its own beliefs.
When the student is ready, the teacher appears. That is the bottom line of that search for meaning.
Please see that this step is necessary for many in their development to experience a different consciousness.
Obviously, some may want to be like “Peter Pan” (he wanted to be a kid forever) and stay in that consciousness, when sooner or later things will change for that is the nature of life itself.
We separate from ourselves just to be ourselves again, just like the phases of the Moon.
This may be the journey and there are many paths for that.
Every path will express that “they are the true path,” but now we could recognize that a “true path” is in intimate relationship with our state of consciousness.
We may just need to learn to trust, for everything has benefit. Every experience has a beneficial unseen motive behind. That is not just for “some” selected ones but for everyone.
We are Consciousness expressed in different levels. None better than another for everything is necessary as it is.
Everything starts when we search for meaning.
Again, the search is not for God, but for meaning. God may be there to fulfill a meaning but everything comes back to us, the “creator” of that search for meaning.
That search starts with a child mentality.
“I don’t think I want to speak with him, because he is too shallow and bad karma could get me.”
A childish view, but everyone starts someplace.
We could grow out of that childhood only when we ourselves, realize that we are no longer little children; otherwise, life will provide for “protectors” that could keep Peter Pan safe from its own mischief.
Beliefs are important in that child like consciousness. Thus, beliefs are not “bad,” they are necessary for the growth of some.
To understand and to embrace the existence of different levels of consciousness is to be mindful of the common good.
When that little child realizes that it is the same consciousness which is keeping us together despite the illusion that we are separated, that is when things start to change because it is no longer about “ME” and my desires, but the common good. The starting point of that common good is not “me” but everything, which includes “me” and paradoxically… is totally “Me.” 🙂
The above does not mean that “I” have to deny myself for the benefit of others first, as religions may teach.
Change does not start when we exhibit a different behavior. That is artificial.
Change starts when our feelings, our attitude have a natural change based on our own realization.
That will come. It will happen. How soon?
That totally depends on us.
There is a level of sensibility to beauty, which could be experienced by being in touch with Nature, life, the Universe. The problem of separation started when we separated. The problem could be solved as we are willing to integrate again.
Place “yourself” last to be in the front.
That is only possible, when there is no “I” and that is how “my goals” are achieved.
Paradoxically, that is why; there is nothing to achieve.
No purpose in mind.
So, enjoy life… 🙂
Exploring the Depth of Living 