Thursday, November 11, 2010

Up to you

To him who asks, give. Do not turn away the beggar. Give freely as you have been given freely. Then you will find that no matter how much you give, there will always be a need. No matter how much you sacrifice, there will always be more asked of you. No matter what you do, it may not be returned. For to him who is asked, more will be asked. To him who sacrifices, more will be demanded. To him who surrenders all, even more will be taken away. No one said it would be easy. No one said it would be just. Human notions of justice are the last refuge of those who have not fully committed. How fortunate the ones who have not done so, for they may live their lives in self satisfying comfort, never fully risking anything and always able to stand on their own accomplishments.
Lincoln freed the slaves, and for it he was shot dead.
Moses brought his people out of bondage, and for it they rebelled.
Jesus accepted all the brokenness of the world, and for it died like a criminal.
How fortunate the man who gives nothing. And so enjoy your lives of comfort. Enjoy your world of positions and objects. Enjoy the people you have, just stop trying to own them. You have your reward. You have your time.
For those who ask for more the path is narrow and the gate is hidden. Some say it looks like submission and obedience. But doesn’t everyone know about that? Doesn’t everyone feel guilt? At east those who take the path of vanity have some enjoyment with their guilt before they die.
The other path is much harder to find even though it is all around us. It is much harder to follow even though it is always calling us. It calls us to give up far more than our earthly pleasures. It asks for far more than our worldly positions. It calls us to give up even our identities. But to those who have done this you already know that all I have said is only a riddle and an illusion. Dust and shadows. That is what all you have amounts to. I’m looking for something far more real. I am looking forward to never passing away. I’m looking into eternity.
I don’t look for detachment. I don’t want to escape samsara. My Dharma is to continue on. The wheel keeps turning and I turn with it. But a Light shines on my course and I cannot turn away. Follow this Light and remember the darkness no more. This leads to the world beyond illusions.
The comforts and pleasures of this world are their own reward, but look beyond them to something that will never pass. Then you know that regardless of what sacrifice you are to make, what offering you are to give and what blessing becomes a curse, you have the choice to let your actions stop here, or echo in eternity.

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