Written Messages

Paris

Jan. 6, 2008

A group of alumni, highly established in their careers, were talking at a reunion and decided to visit their old university professor, now retired. During their visit the conversation soon turned into complaints about stress in their work and lives.

Offering his guests coffee, the professor went to the kitchen and returned with a large pot of coffee and an assortment of cups --- porcelain, plastic, glass, crystal, some expensive, some exquisite, telling them to help themselves to the coffee.

When all the alumni had a cup of coffee in hand, the professor said: “Notice that all of the nice looking, expensive cups were taken up leaving behind the plain and the cheap ones. While it is normal for you (mind) to want only the best for yourself, please be aware that it is the source of your problems and stress. The cup itself adds no quality to the coffee. It is just more expensive and thus more glorifying or gratifying.

Life is the coffee, your job, money and position in society are the cups. They are just tools to hold and contain life. The type of cup one has does not define, nor change the quality of Life a person lives. Enjoyment of coffee (living quality of life) is lost by comparing the cups (mischiefs of mind). Freedom from mind is the fullness of Life. Can the attention be so completely awake that there is no movement of mind at all? That is, there is no movement of vanity or comparison at all? Then there is life or love, care or compassion! Non-action of “I-ness” (mind) is the greatest action of integration, intelligence, comprehension, harmony and peace. Spurious separative process in human consciousness due to mental pollutions such as greed, envy, fear, psychological dependencies on certain images and everlasting anxiety to become “someone” is the source of all stress and strain destroying the sanctity and serenity of life. Be none and thus be whole humanity. This is to be in Peace and in bliss of Divinity.

Jai Understanding