Reflection of Mind

One day a famous government officer met a highly respected elderly master. Being conceited, he wanted to prove that he was the superior person. As their conversation drew on, he asked the master, “Old monk, do you know what I think of you and the things you said?”

The master replied, “I don’t care what you think of me. You are entitled to have your own opinion.”

The officer snorted, “Well, I will tell you what I think anyway. In my eyes, you are just like a pile of dry shit!”

The master simply smiled and stayed quiet.

Seeing that his insult had fallen into deaf ears, he asked curiously, “And what do you think of me?”

The master said, “In my eyes, you are just like the Buddha.”

Hearing this remark, the officer left happily and bragged to his wife about the incident.

His wife said to him, “You conceited fool! When a person has a heart like a pile of dry shit, he sees everyone in that light. The elderly master has a heart like that of the Buddha, and that is why in his eyes, everyone, including you, is like the Buddha!”

Motherhood means concern for the whole creation

Here comes a touching story of motherliness from the animal world. This story is told by a devotee who visited a temple in the midst of a forest near Wynad, Kerala. After his temple visit when he came out he spotted a tiny squirrel sealed on the top of a lintel,  which was squeaking with fear. Its mother obviously was away and a snake was making its way to the little squirrel and was about to catch it. 

At that moment from a nearby tree, a big owl flew in, pushed aside the snake and saved the little squirrel. The owl went back to its perch, but its attention was riveted on the helpless little squirrel. The devotee was fascinated by the timely action of the owl. After some time there came the snake again to snatch the squirrel. Lo! there flew in the owl again to save the helpless squirrel.  The snake retreated and the squirrel was saved. But the snake was not in a mood to give up. It came again after a brief interval. The owl got really angry and this time flew in with the intention of doing away with the snake and saving the squirrel from its cruel fate.

The devotee was overwhelmed seeing this expression of universal motherliness between two animals, even though the squirrel was the natural prey of the owl. The danger to the little squirrel in the absence of its mother touched a deep chord in the heart of the owl and it responded to it in the most touching way. The devotee could not help comparing it with what we find among humans, these days.

If only we keep our eyes open to the natural relationships and concern ever prevalent all around us, our minds can also expand and when it is filled with love and concern for all in the universe it raises us to the level of a Universal Being and we become entitled for the blessings of the Universe.