Yu Dan writes in her "Confucius from the Heart", Pan Books, Confucius said, "If I am understood at all it is perhaps by heaven." How very true. Only God understands us. Only the heavenly father understands us for he only sees our soul while all others see our actions and determine us as good or bad. Confucius does not blame Heaven nor man unlike us who take a quick swat at him and are quick to blame God and spite him for his silence when we are confronted with problems, trouble, misery, and sufferings. But we hardly acknowledge his presence and blessing in providing for us and keeping us alive moment to moment. All it needs is a thank you note to him.
I was shocked at the behavior of fellow travelers and seekers on the path of the Siddhas while in the midst of searching and seeking knowledge about the Siddhas. I was judgemental and at times despised their actions and words, preferring to stay away from them. Yu Dan teaches me that I was wrong to do that.
I was shocked at the behavior of fellow travelers and seekers on the path of the Siddhas while in the midst of searching and seeking knowledge about the Siddhas. I was judgemental and at times despised their actions and words, preferring to stay away from them. Yu Dan teaches me that I was wrong to do that.
When we see others way of life through our own value system we may be shocked but if we know what brought that person to the place where they are today, then perhaps we can be a bit more understanding.
How true. Agathiyar apprehended a devout devotee for asking him in meditation why a cheat was showered with fame and fortune and placed in a high and respectful position. Agathiyar shut her up telling her never to judge another and question the divine will. Saying thus the most compassionate father went on to explain that he only saw the soul and that that soul had been a great devotee of his in the past and he was reaping the benefits of his good merits now. But Agathiyar also said that he would have to pay for all the wrong he did in this birth when he exhausts the store of merits that came with him giving a reminder to us to be careful too in what we do.
Respecting others, understanding them and their views, placing ourselves in their shoes, giving an ear to them, and grieving for the other brings understanding and tolerance says Yu Dan. Yu Dan says "You must come to terms with whatever fate has in store for you." This will hasten the process of reaching the heavens. We need to stop the blame game.
Respecting others, understanding them and their views, placing ourselves in their shoes, giving an ear to them, and grieving for the other brings understanding and tolerance says Yu Dan. Yu Dan says "You must come to terms with whatever fate has in store for you." This will hasten the process of reaching the heavens. We need to stop the blame game.
When people praise and flatter us there is an immediate surge of strength that makes us want to give or deliver more. On the other hand, when people condemn our noble acts and hurt us with their words, we feel downhearted, sulk, and refrain or even stop whatever good deeds we are doing. One has to rise beyond both these dualities and remain in harmony and equilibrium and remain unswayed and just carry on the given tasks. Agathiyar too has told us to just carry on what was told. Tavayogi too had forewarned us about praises and brickbats hurled at us asking us to face "glory and disgrace" as Yu Dan terms it. Remaining indifferent to situations or external things is the way of the gnani. The Buddha consoles us when he answers the granite steps that questioned him, in a wonderful story shared by Yu Dan. As the Buddha's statue was made from the same granite that now formed the steps to his temple, they become discontented that he received all the attention while they received none. Buddha's reply to the granite slabs was, "That's because it only took four blows of the knife to make you what you are today but I had suffered ten thousand cuts and blows before I could become a Buddha."
We are asked to rise above the mundane and petty. Yu Dan writes "Confucious says the junzi gets through to what is above; the petty get through to what is down below." Here Confucius describes junzi as the ideal person that all of us have the potential to become. Just as a child leaves behind the toys that he/she had cherished and held close to his/her chest, that was once the whole world to him/her as he/she grows up, we too need to shed the need for tools and toys given to us on the path as we progress. Step on the stone that lifts us higher but never pick it up and carry it with us. It will only burden us, slowing us down and tiring us. Leave it where we found it for others to step and rise too. Yu Dan tells the beautiful and meaningful tale of a young swordsman. In the beginning, he is taught to sharpen his blade and yield it in the face of danger. But with dedication and practice when he has acquired the skills, inner wisdom, and experience, he bothers to sharpen it no more. The reason being the sharpness of the blade is no more important for he has been enriched in many other ways. Gaining fame as a famous master swordsman now he begins to combat his enemy having no sword but with only a stick or anything available at that time. Moving on, through years of deep study, he need carry no weapon now. He can create the essence of the sword by merely stretching his hands out, says Yu Dan beautifully. He has gained mastery over the art. Rather than keep on sharpening the tool or going back to the blacksmith's fire for another fresh blade, Yu Dan says "after taking in all knowledge and being forged in the refiner's fire, all our study and hard work will bring us to genuine mastery of our knowledge."
We are asked to rise above the mundane and petty. Yu Dan writes "Confucious says the junzi gets through to what is above; the petty get through to what is down below." Here Confucius describes junzi as the ideal person that all of us have the potential to become. Just as a child leaves behind the toys that he/she had cherished and held close to his/her chest, that was once the whole world to him/her as he/she grows up, we too need to shed the need for tools and toys given to us on the path as we progress. Step on the stone that lifts us higher but never pick it up and carry it with us. It will only burden us, slowing us down and tiring us. Leave it where we found it for others to step and rise too. Yu Dan tells the beautiful and meaningful tale of a young swordsman. In the beginning, he is taught to sharpen his blade and yield it in the face of danger. But with dedication and practice when he has acquired the skills, inner wisdom, and experience, he bothers to sharpen it no more. The reason being the sharpness of the blade is no more important for he has been enriched in many other ways. Gaining fame as a famous master swordsman now he begins to combat his enemy having no sword but with only a stick or anything available at that time. Moving on, through years of deep study, he need carry no weapon now. He can create the essence of the sword by merely stretching his hands out, says Yu Dan beautifully. He has gained mastery over the art. Rather than keep on sharpening the tool or going back to the blacksmith's fire for another fresh blade, Yu Dan says "after taking in all knowledge and being forged in the refiner's fire, all our study and hard work will bring us to genuine mastery of our knowledge."
As Yu Dan wrote of Confucius, we see a similarity with the teachings of the Siddhas too. Confucius had said that, "A man has no way of becoming a junzi unless he understands destiny; he has no way of taking his stand unless he understands the rites; he has no way of judging men unless he understands words." This is applied in reverse. First comes the need to understand words be it the spoken or written, by taking apprenticeship under a master or reading sacred texts. Confucius then says that understanding words itself is not enough. There is a need to understand ceremony and ritual where respect is shown for fellow humans, our ancestors, and the divine. Finally the need to understand our destiny and our purpose. "These bring us to", as in Yu Dan's words, "a self-contained system of values for ourselves that brings calm and strength that in turn brings an inner firmness of purpose." We too have been through these phases. From carrying our personal desires and fulfilling the wants of others, we came to fulfill the will of the divine or Heaven as we understand from Confucius. This is where we applied the 5 tenets of Agathiyar in life.
Yu Dan explains how Confucius dealt with all his different students fitting each lesson to suit the pupil by giving us a wonderful example of an old saying about the clouds, "Two clouds can only come together to produce rain when they meet at the same height." This reminds me of the old sayings "பாத்திரம் பார்த்து அளந்து போடு", "ஆற்றில் போட்டாலும் அளந்து போடு", "பாத்திரம் அறிந்து பிச்சையிடு", which we thought to mean as giving alms according to the size of the vessel. A beggar who needs to sustain only himself would carry a small vessel while one who needs to feed a family might carry a large one. Man's greed for all things never ends except when it comes to taking food that he stops once he is full. When Tavayogi came along he enlightened us on the actual meaning of it telling us to only share the knowledge with only those who are willing to listen, absorb, and assimilate its inner teachings. When the student is ready the guru dispenses his knowledge.
The following observation of Yu Dan is too good not to be told. I pray that she allows me to quote her.
The study of "The Analects of Confucious" or any of the great classics and of all the experiences of the ancient sages and wise men ultimately has only one essential purpose, to make our lives more meaningful under the radiance of their wisdom; to shorten the road we have traveled; to make us start to feel and think as early as possible like a junzi .. and to be able to stand up with pride ... I believe that the most important thing about the sages is the way in which they describe the great journey of human life in simple language and the way their children, grandchildren and remote descendants put it into practice, generation after generation whether in ignorance or with intent, painfully or joyfully. In this way the soul of a nation was formed."
The truth is not for the elite and learned alone but also the common ordinary man. One just has to ask. One only has to knock. When Confucius said that he was thinking about giving up speech his disciples asked how are they to learn then? He replied pointing to the Heavens. They do not speak. Their language is nature and its laws that keep on going about earnestly doing its duty without fear or favor and without ever taking a break. Although Heaven doesn't say anything, yet life goes on and we learn from it in many ways. There comes a time when words are not necessary. The heart begins to connect. The heart speaks. The soul connects. The soul speaks. Understanding happens. All is known, unadulterated, without retouching, alteration, or photoshop-ped, without being misconstrued, you just know it.
Maybe its time for me to give up speech too.