aakhah(i) gopee tai govind. The Gopis and Krishna speak.
aakhah(i) eesar aakhah(i) sidh. Shiva speaks, the Siddhas speak.
aakheh kaytay keetay budh. The many created Buddhas speak.
aakhah(i) daanav aakhah(i) dayv. The demons speak, the demi-gods speak.
aakhah(i) sur nar mun jan sayv. The spiritual warriors, the heavenly beings, the silent sages, the humble and serviceful speak.
kaytay aakhah(i) aakhaṉ paah(i). Many speak and try to describe God.
kaytay kah(i) kah(i) uṯh uṯh jaah(i). Many have spoken of God over and over again, and have then arisen and departed.
aytay keetay hor karayh(i). If God were to create as many again as there already are,
taa aakh na sakah(i) kay-ee kay-i. even then, they could not describe God.
jayvaḏ bhaavai tayvaḏ ho-i. God is as Great as God wishes to be.
naanak jaaṉai saachaa so-i. O Naanak, the True Lord knows.
jay ko aakhai boluvigaaṟ. If anyone presumes to describe God,
taa likee-ai sir gaavaaraa gaavaa he shall be known as the greatest fool of fools
* * *
A student asked why self-centeredness is so hard to overcome. Suzuki [Roshi] said, "Because you try to get rid of it."
*David Chadwick, Ed. Zen Is Right Now: More Teaching Stories and Anecdotes of Shunryu Suzuki.
Ego bashing is mis-bashing - like someone trying to hit air - Ego bashing ego... how weird! Nothing wrong with ego. 'i' surrenders to 'I.' 'i' does not fight 'i.' Then ego, not ego-centricity. How? Not by self. Self trying to vanquish self-centeredness... that is self-centeredness.
This may sound odd, even contradictory, but transformation of ego-centeredness, or selfishness, arises through accepting it. Self welcomes its selfishness.
The grace for this acceptance to continue arises from something, not the ego. The ego is a face of this something: the 'i' a face of 'I.'
In time, we are surprised to discover there never was an ego. Yet, there is an ego. Again, how odd. Your shadow may not be you; however, your shadow is a shadow of you. "i" is like a dream; yet, a dream is a dream.
Self is the moment of self-reflecting on yourself. Obsessed with self... that is ego-centricity. When grace turns your heart from looking at yourself, love arises. When 'i' is turned by love to serve, 'i' serves 'I.' When 'I' serves one or many, 'I' serves 'I.'
In the absence of thought of self, the non-existent ego is not. Self is a thought, but it can carry tremendous energy to direct you into self-absorption and away from compassion. This self kneeling at the Thou altar is the way of blessing. This is the way of salvation from the 'I' lost in 'i.' Such Self-forgetfulness gives way to awakening, such darkness to enlightenment.
In the Silence, we work with the arising of ego-centricity. We do not take that too seriously. If we do, we energize it. By relaxing the ego, there is a diminishment of the self-thought. With the diminishment of 'i,' 'I' becomes progressively more the expression of consciousness and life.
Time spent meditating removes the mental plaque that accumulates on our psyche—the layers of ego thinking that cover over our miracle impulses and make access to the higher mind impossible. ... Simply sitting, reading inspirational or scriptural material, following a serious prayer or meditation practice, we allow our mind to be in a receptive mode to something higher than ourselves. It transforms our experience of life.
*Marianne Williamson. The Mystic Jesus: The Mind of Love.
Self steps out of the cocoon of self. We enjoy sky nature. Self is free and spacious. The body feels lighter. Clarity arises. Life shines; we shine. Love arises spontaneously. Smiling and laughter happen naturally - tears of joy, too. Amazement at the beauty we are... praises to the Light!
* * *
*(C) Brian K. Wilcox, 2024. Permission is given to use photographs and writings with credit given to the copyright owner.
*Brian is a lay Buddhist of the Plum Village lineage and practitioner in Open Heart Sangha North, Bath, Maine. He is a Buddhist, interspiritual chaplain, specializing in facilitating groups in correctional facilities and remote spiritual care.
*Brian's book is An Ache for Union: Poems on Oneness with God through Love. The book is a collection of poems Brian wrote based on wisdom traditions, predominantly Christian, Buddhist, and Sufi, with extensive notes on the poetry's teachings and imagery.
*For lyrics to "Amur," https://www.snatamkaur.com/post/2018/02/23/protected-feel-the-priceless-love-of-the-divine-with-amul .
