by Ma Muktananda | Mar 14, 2021 | Short Stories
A king wanted to be completely happy. A great sage told him,
— “Look, if you want to be happy, you must fit in the shoes of a happy man.”
The king commanded his soldiers to go throughout the kingdom and search everywhere.
As they met with a resident they asked him,
—“Are you happy?”
— “Almost happy, if I find a bride I will be happy”.
— “Then something is missing; you are not happy,” argued the soldiers.
Then they went to another one who was already married and asked him:
—“ Are you happy?”
—“Almost happy; if I have a son I will be happy.”
They found another and asked him:
—“Are you happy, but really happy?”
—“Happy… happy… happy will I be, when I change my old horse and carriage for a new one; then I will be completely happy….”
Everyone whom they met was almost, almost happy…
—“When I buy a house”, “After the next million”; everyone was almost happy…
—“Yes” – one answered.
—“Is there anything missing?”
—“No, nothing.”
—“You don’t want a cigarette, a coffee?”
— “No”- he answered.
— “You don’t want beer, champagne, something to eat, some sensual satisfaction?”
— “No”.
—“You don’t want a family?”
— “No”.
—“You don’t want anything? You don’t need anything?”
—“No”.
—“Then, you are totally happy?”
—“Yes! I am totally happy!”
— “Then, give us your shoes!”
—“I cannot, because I don’t have any shoes, answered the truly happy man.
by Ma Muktananda | Mar 14, 2021 | Short Stories
A young disciple approached his spiritual master and offered his humble reverences. After some moments of respectful silence, he said,
— “Beloved Master, I practice japa, I attend the pujas, I study and meditate daily, but nothing happens. I would like to know what I need to realize God.
The elderly man told him,
—“Follow me and I will show you what you need to realize God…”
Both of them went to a nearby river. The master entered into the water and then he called his disciple saying:
— “Come, I will show you what you need to realize God…”
The young disciple entered into the water full of expectations. When he reached a certain depth, the master pushed down on the younger man’s shoulders, submerging him in the water. The disciple tried to free himself of the master, who was holding him very strongly under the water. After a few moments, which seemed like eternity to the young disciple, the master freed him. When the disciple regained his breath, the master asked him:
—“When you were under the water, what was your main desire?”
Without hesitating, the young disciple replied:
—“Only one thing: to breathe. I only wanted air…”
The guru asked:
—“In those moments, wouldn’t you have preferred money, fame, a family, wealth, power, pleasures, sweets, ice cream, cakes or comfort?”
The disciple answered sharply,
—“No, I only needed to breathe, I only wanted air and nothing else…”
Then the spiritual master said,
—“This is exactly what you need for enlightenment. The day you desire God with the same intensity that you desired air in those moments under the water, the day that God will be your only aspiration, day and night, then you will undoubtedly realize him.”
by Ma Muktananda | Mar 14, 2021 | Short Stories
A group of blind men used to go for a daily walk in the care of a guide. One day, the guide suggested they all go to the zoo, and the group enthusiastically agreed. The guide asked the blind men if they wanted to know what an elephant was, to which they assented joyfully. However, since the blind men could only learn about an elephant by touch, they were allowed to enter into a space where they could be with the elephant. Because it was very tame, they all began to feel the elephant. In the process, a huge discussion arose among the blind men, which soon turned into an argument. One of the blind men said:
—”An elephant is like a large hose…”
Another remarked:
—”Noooo! An elephant is like the trunk of a tree…..
A third said:
—”You are completely wrong; an elephant is like a large fan….”
Then the guide, who could see the elephant with his own eyes, interrupted them, and said,
—”Enough of this argument, there is no reason to fight, you are all right. What is happening is that each of you has grasped the elephant from a different angle. The one who said that the elephant is like a hose, grasped his trunk, the one who said it appeared to be like the trunk of a tree, grasped a leg, the one who said it was like a fan, grasped his ear. All of you are correct, and there is no reason to quarrel. Your differences are only due to your blindness.”
by Ma Muktananda | Mar 14, 2021 | Short Stories
On the banks of the Ganges in Rishikesh, a class on jñana-yoga was taking place. The master was explaining that the essence of every one of us is divine. In other words, we are God.
One of the disciples asked,
— “How is it possible that every one of us is God? We are limited beings, while God is infinite. Our knowledge is limited, while God is omniscient. We can only be in one place, whereas God is omnipresent.”
The Guru asked him to take a cup and bring water from the river Ganges.
The disciple did what his master had asked, approaching him with the cup filled with water…
The master then asked,
— “Is this water the Ganges?”
And the disciple responded,
— “Yes, master.”
At which the Guru asked,
— “How is it possible? The Ganges is immense, and contains a great quantity of fish; in the Ganges there are many tortoises, boats are passing and many people enter to bathe. However, this cup of water is small and limited, without fish, without boats… How can it be the water of the Ganges? “
His disciple answered,
— “Of course it is the water of the Ganges, but in a small quantity it obviously cannot contain fish, tortoises, boats or people who enter to bathe.”
— “I completely agree”,
Said the Guru,
— “Now return this water to the river.”
The disciple did what his teacher had asked, and when he returned, the Guru said to him,
— “You are like the water of the Ganges held in a cup. Despite being divine, it appears different, due to its limited form. In returning the water from the cup back to the river, it is returned to its immensity, to once again contain fishes, tortoises, boats and devotees. In each small drop lies the entire ocean.”
by Ma Muktananda | Mar 14, 2021 | Short Stories
The disciple approached a saintly yogi who was completely awakened, to inquire about some aspects of enlightenment and about those who have been fortunate enough to experience it. The disciple asked the Guru:
— “Beloved Master, how is it possible that a jivan-mukta, one enlightened in life, can remain serene and in peace while humanity is suffering and enduring so much tragedy?
The master remained silent for a few moments, and then he replied:
— “Imagine yourself dreaming that you are traveling by ship at night and all the passengers are sleeping. Suddenly, you are walking on the deck and you realize that the ship has begun to sink, which produces enough fear that it awakens you. Now that you are awake, you realize that you were dreaming. And I ask you, now, will you quickly try to fall back to sleep again with the intention of warning the passengers that the ship is sinking, so they can save their lives?”
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