Teeth Don't Kill

[Guest guest]

I was ravenous, I couldn't it eat fast

enough.

 

We had been fasting for five days.

The rice we ate had aged in a pot

for five days. Although, the cook

mixed in a little water before serving

it, it wasn't warm. It tasted a bit odd,

but it wasn't bad.

 

I tried to eat slowly, more mindfully.

I looked at the rice, and saw a grain

moving. " I'm hallucinating " I thought.

But no, tiny grubs crawled in the rice.

I felt queasy (a little nauseous,

but, also, full of doubts). Should I go

on eating? Was it right to kill those

grubs to feed me? I kept staring at

the bowl as if hypnotized.

 

" What's wrong? You lost your appetite? "

asked the Roshi.

 

" Grubs are crawling in my rice. "

 

" So? They add flavor, and nutrients. "

 

" It's wrong to kill. "

 

" Your teeth don't know the difference

between dead or alive. Only the mind

kills. No mind, no killing. "

 

I started eating again very carefully,

avoiding the grubs.

 

My teacher bowed to me, " Very kind

of you! I suppose, you're going to

take those grubs outside? I thank you

for feeding the birds. " He chuckled.

 

I forced myself to eat. I Placed the

empty bowl on the mat, bowed, and

rushed outside to throw up.

 

Pete

[Guest guest]

Nisargadatta , Pete S <pedsie5 wrote:

>

> I was ravenous, I couldn't it eat fast

> enough.

>

> We had been fasting for five days.

> The rice we ate had aged in a pot

> for five days. Although, the cook

> mixed in a little water before serving

> it, it wasn't warm. It tasted a bit odd,

> but it wasn't bad.

>

> I tried to eat slowly, more mindfully.

> I looked at the rice, and saw a grain

> moving. " I'm hallucinating " I thought.

> But no, tiny grubs crawled in the rice.

> I felt queasy (a little nauseous,

> but, also, full of doubts). Should I go

> on eating? Was it right to kill those

> grubs to feed me? I kept staring at

> the bowl as if hypnotized.

>

> " What's wrong? You lost your appetite? "

> asked the Roshi.

>

> " Grubs are crawling in my rice. "

>

> " So? They add flavor, and nutrients. "

>

> " It's wrong to kill. "

>

> " Your teeth don't know the difference

> between dead or alive. Only the mind

> kills. No mind, no killing. "

>

> I started eating again very carefully,

> avoiding the grubs.

>

> My teacher bowed to me, " Very kind

> of you! I suppose, you're going to

> take those grubs outside? I thank you

> for feeding the birds. " He chuckled.

>

> I forced myself to eat. I Placed the

> empty bowl on the mat, bowed, and

> rushed outside to throw up.

>

> Pete

>

 

 

I was given a listing for 90 days. Overpriced

in even a regular market. Especially in a Seller's

market. Surprise, an offer had come in. I explained

to the seller that quite possibly this might be the

best offer. She wouldn't budge.

 

I digress. She phoned me, as she has no answering machine,

I kept

trying to return her calls. Yesterday she called my manager

angry, take the sign and I want it out of my yard by tonight.

I said I was pretty much done with the seller, as it was anyway.

 

Well, I finally got through after 2 days of trying last night

at 9:30, I explained that I had been trying to reach her and I'll

be there to take the sign away. She said " I wanted to talk to you

about extending the listing " . So I did, today she gave me even more

time to sell her 'damned' home. I mentioned that her home is blessed

and needs another owner to live in her blessed home. (There's

enough damnation goiing around without vocalizing it in our hearts

and to oneanother, no?)

 

Neither one of us mentioned her earlier behaviour/actions. I

sometimes need to relearn that things are not exactly as they seem.

 

Anna