Always alone.

At one time I was travelling through India by train when I found myself in conversation with a lovely Indian woman. The subject turned towards meditation and she began to tell me about herself and her guru.

‘My guru,’ she began, ‘has a special form of meditation that he discovered by himself.’

She then explained the first part of his instruction to her, but it was a type of practice already familar to me.

‘I know this style of meditation,’ I said.

‘Ah yes, but this is not his unique style.’ She explained then the second part of the practice. This too was a familiar meditation practice, and so I told her that I knew this also.

‘Ah yes,’ she said, ‘but it is the third part that is unique and known only to our guru and his disciples. When the first two parts of the practice are completed, the spirit of our guru enters the minds of his disciples and cleans them of all impurities. This is his special and unique practice.’

I was silent for a moment and then asked, ‘Does the disciple need any special qualities to do this practice ?’

‘Only faith,’ she said.

Understanding Dhamma means to understand self-responsibility, and that the world we experience is the one that we create for ourselves. We, in every moment, are responsible for ourselves and everything we do, good or bad, wise or foolish, loving or cruel.

Our Vipassana and Loving Kindness way is to let go of the things that take us into suffering and unhappiness and be free. As we do this more and more the heart opens and we are in peace, accepting now the reality of things without struggle.

With wisdom, difficulties are seen only as difficulties, people are seen only as people, life is seen only as life. No problem, just reality.

Sometimes pleasant, sometimes unpleasant, but always ‘just like this!’

This is a beautiful way to meet our life and is available to everyone who wants it? However, the work that needs to be done we have to do for ourselves.

No-one can do it for us!

No-one can take away our foolishness or our pain and suffering, and no-one can give us happiness. The world that we experience begins and ends with us. We alone empower the conditions of this world and no-one has the power to purify it or change it, except ourselves.

If the Buddha could have enlightened others simply by touching them or purifying their mind, I feel sure that he would have done it.

If I could take away your pain and confusion with a magic formula I too would do that.

One time when my eldest son was very small, I had to take him to the dentist. He was very nervous and I, as his caring, loving father, tried to reassure him and take away those anxieties. I couldn’t do it. He was locked in his own small world of fear, and I was left standing outside.

We can support, love and help. We can talk, soothe and caress, but ultimately, we cannot enter the world of another.

Because of this reality our whole training is established upon awareness and love. Awareness to see the reality and love to accept this reality. With the resulting wisdom we can respond to life without being a victim to religious, spiritual or social programming.

No-one can be aware for us. No-one can be loving for us. No-one can purify our mind for us.

If we want to see the results of practice we have to do this practice for ourselves. This, in the end, is the most important teaching.

Purity and impurity are personal concerns,

no-one can purify another.

(Dhammapada: verse 165)

May all beings be happy.