The tenents of my submission:
1. God does not play dice with the universe
Nothing surpasses the holiness of those who have learnt perfect acceptance of everything that is.
In the game of cards called life one plays the had one is dealt to the best of one's ability.
Those who insist on playing, not the hand they were given but the one they insist they should have been dealt
-these are life's failures.
We are not asked if we will play. That is not an option. Play we must
The option is: how?
2. What do we know?
A Guru promised a scholar a revelation of greater consequence than anything contained in the scriptures.
When the scholar eagerly asked for it, the Guru said, “Go out into the rain and raise your head and arms heavenward. That will bring you the first revelation.”
The next day the scholar came to report: “I followed your advice and water flowed down my neck—and I felt like a perfect fool!”
“Well,” said the Guru, “for the first day that’s quite a revelation, isn’t it?”
3. All is speculation
A man got into a bus and found himself sitting next to a youngster who was obviously a hippy. He was wearing only one shoe.
"You've evidently lost a shoe, son."
"No man," came the reply, "I found one."
-it is evident to me
that does not mean it is true.
4. Progress leads to realization
The Sufi Bayazid Bistami describes his progress in the art of prayer: "The first time i visited the Kaaba at Mecca, i saw the Kaaba. The second time i saw the Lord of the Kaaba. The third time i saw neither the Kaaba nor the Lord of the Kaaba."
5. Certainty is the culprit
All the philosophers, divines, and doctors of the law were assembled in court for the trial of Mullah Nasruddin. The accusation was a serious one; he had been going from town to town saying, “Your so-called religious leaders are ignorant and confused!” So he was charged with heresy, the penalty for which was death.
“You may speak first,” said the Caliph.
The Mullah was perfectly self-possessed. “Have paper and pens brought in,” he said, “and give them to the ten wisest men in this august assembly.”
To Nasruddin’s amusement, a great squabble broke out among the holy men as to who was the wisest among them. When the contention died down and each of the chosen ten was equipped with paper and pen, the Mullah said, “Have each of them write down the answer to the following question: WHAT IS MATTER MADE OF?”
The answers were written down and handed to the Caliph who read them out. One said, “It is made of nothing.” Another said, “Molecules.” Yet another, “Energy.” Others, “Light,” “I do not know,” “Metaphysical Being” and so on.
Said Nasruddin to the Caliph, “When they come to an agreement on what matter is, they will be fit to judge questions of the spirit. Is it not strange that they cannot agree on something that they themselves are made of, yet they shall be unanimous in their verdict that I am a heretic?”
-It is not the diversity of our dogmas
but our dogmatism itself
that does the damage.
Thus, if each of us did what we are firmly persuaded
is the will of God
the result would be utter chaos.
Certainty is the culprit.
The spiritual person knows uncertainty-
A state of mind unknown to the religious fanatic.
6. Dharma
A woman in a coma was dying. She suddenly had a feeling that she was taken up to heaven and stood before the Judgment Seat.
“Who are you?” a voice said to her.
She said her name.
“I did not ask you for your name but who you are,” The voice responded.
“I’m the wife of the mayor,” she replied.
“I did not ask you whose wife you are, but who you are.”
“I’m the mother of four children.”
“I did not ask you whose mother you are, but who you are.”
“I’m a schoolteacher.”
“I did not ask what your profession is, but who you are.”
And so it went. No matter what she replied, she did not seem to give a satisfactory answer to the question, “who are you?’
“I’m a Christian.”
“I did not ask what your religion is, but who you are.”
“I’m the one who went to church every day and always helped the poor and needy.”
“I did not ask you what you did, but who you are.”
She evidently failed the examination for she was sent back to earth. When she recovered from her illness she determined to find out who she was. And that made all the difference.
-Your duty is to be. Not to be somebody, not to be nobody
For therein lies greed and ambition.
Not to be this or that (and thus become conditioned), but just to be.
7. The Self
-To know things is to be learned
-To know others is to be wise.
-To know the self is to be enlightened.
Yet you are merely your conditioning.
