Digest Number 318

[Guest guest]

Someone posted to me a question regarding "life,

samsara, and the analogy to the ocean, and so on and

so forth..." asking me if I had any views on this

analogy. Here is the difference as I see it...

 

There are two kinds of people: those who can swim, and

those who can't.

 

Those who cannot swim when they are helplessly tossed

into the water, they flutter around, cause havoc, and

ultimately drown because they are immersed in the

water and do not know how to control their mind/body

in such a way as to swim. Their movements are

inefficient and inappropriate, and furthermore, they

are so scared and concentrating on trying to breathe

that they don't realize that simply by relaxing and

letting go of their desire to cling onto things (like

life rafts, boats, or other people!), they can float

and breathe quite easily. They are so attached to

their life that they drown themselves.

 

Those who CAN swim, calmly flutter about on the

surface of the water, occassionally dipping into the

water to gain speed, and coming out again for air.

They can be in the water, but not be IMMERSED by the

water. The water no longer controls their thoughts, or

actions. They are truly free. They help others who are

drowning in the water in two ways: first they help

them float, second they teach them to swim.

 

We are like the drowning people in the ocean of life;

Swamiji is like the expert Swimmer trying to save you

from your own misguided actions that lead to your own

drowning. If only you knew how to swim!

 

The breath is like the prana or life force, and is

controlled only by those who know how to swim, the

rest of us have to fight to breathe. The breath is

like the lord, sought by all, but only gained by those

who have given up or surrendered to the will of the

lord. The secret to swimming as well as bhakti seems

to be one and the same -- learn to surrender.

 

May we all learn to swim!

 

Hope that made sense.

 

jai guru datta,

pradyumna

 

 

 

> JGD...

>

> How are you?...Satsang Q.: Where to leads the

> bridge across the ocean of life?

>

> Another person with whom i had the pleasure of

> Satsang said that this ocean represents the dual

> state and: "Moksa does not mean we no longer live

> in the ocean." What do you think of this last

> statement?

>

> I think this bridge leads to becoming one with

> the purified moving spirit.

>

 

 

 

 

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[Guest guest]

Jai Guru Datta,

 

Dear Pradyumna,

 

Tanx very much for answering my Satsang Q. ..your

illustrative discussion was perfect. Indeed: "To

cross this, the grace of Guru alone is the

solution."(Verse 22 Sri Guru Gita)

 

Tanx again for participating in the very

neccesary Satsang!

 

J a i G u r u D a t t a !

Win.

 

 

 

 

Verse 22

Yatpaada paamsavah samtah Kepi samsaara vaaridheh

/Setubamdhaaya kalpamte Deshikam tam upaasmahe

//

 

Obeisance to Sadguru, the particles of whose

feet are of utmost importance for building the

bridge across the ocean of life.

 

What is building a bridge across the ocean of

life? This life is a very fearful one. It is a

big ocean. It is indeed more fearful than the

ocean. There is no shore on the other side of

this life. Its depth is unfathomable. To cross

this, the grace of Guru alone is the solution.

He alone can make us pass.

 

 

 

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