There is a very beautiful story about power in Jain mythology. In ancient times, a king who has conquered the entire world is known as Chakravarti. A king sent the chariot with the flag of his kingdom surmounted on it. Obstruction to the chariot by any kingdom ensue the war between two kingdoms. Allowance of the chariot through their territory means the king of the other kingdom gave an endorsement of his defeat. It was very difficult to become a Chakravarti because some kingdoms won't allow the chariot to pass through their kingdom. A king became a Chakravarti once in a thousand years. Kings always wanted to rule over the entire world. It gave a lot of nourishment to their ego. It was assumed that a king who became a Chakravarti will be welcomed in heaven and his name will be engraved on the Sumeru hills.
Sumeru hills are like the Himalayan hills. Instead of snow, they are covered with gold, diamonds, and emeralds. It was a feeling of great pride to have one's name written on the Sumeru hills. Once there was a king who became a Chakravarti. He staked everything to become a Chakravarti. He felt very powerful and special by conquering the entire world. When he died, his wife and his intimate friends also committed suicide. They thought him special because of his status and they didn't want to live without him.
He was welcomed into heaven by the beautiful angels. The king wanted to take his wife and intimate friends to the Sumeru hills so that they can also see how his name will be engraved on them. God permitted him to take his wife and intimate friends to the Sumeru hills. When the king was about to enter inside the heaven, Gatekeeper said silently in his ears, "Oh! mighty king, Please don't take your wife and intimate friends over there." The king was startled by his comment because the gatekeeper won't gain anything by preventing his wife and intimate friends from going over there. The family of the gatekeeper was in this profession for a very long time.
The king was in dilemma. The gatekeeper sensed his trouble and gave one more piece of advice, "Oh! Mighty King, Please go inside and see the situation there and if you think it is worth taking your wife and friends over there then come back and take them. But if you take them right now and by seeing the situation you want to change your mind then there is no going back." The king thought this was wise advice. I will go first and see the situation and after that, I will take them. When the king entered inside, his being was exploding with joy by seeing the bright light emitting from the thousands of suns. The beauty of the Sumeru hills enthralled him. When he observed the Sumeru hills, he found that there was no space left to write his name.
He thought himself special but there is no specialty in becoming a Chakravarti because time has no beginning and no end. Millions of kings became Chakravarti before him and millions will become after him. Anxiously, he came back and told the entire scenario to the gatekeeper. The gatekeeper told him, "Go inside and erase some names to create some space. After that take your wife and friends there." The king thought even that was not the complete list of Chakravarti. Some names would have been erased by others. He told the Gatekeeper, "I don't want to write my name on Sumeru hills because anybody will come in future and write his name over my name." By hearing this, "The gatekeeper started laughing." The king told him, "Why are you laughing?" The gatekeeper replied, "I have heard the same answer from so many Chakravarti." The king understood there were still more Chakravarti who left this place without writing their names. He thought I have wasted my entire life chasing something that is not worth chasing.
The same is happening in our lives. We are running after name, wealth, fame, status which are not worthing chasing. If you want to chase, chase which is worthwhile. Something which is beyond death. Even death is powerless in front of it. In the end, only that remains which you had bought in the beginning.
What have you bought here when you were born?
You are born in this beautiful galaxy with a divine soul. You can attain it through longing. In the east, humans are portrayed as hollow bamboo( a flute) and a divine is singing his melodious song through you. Empty yourself through all the lust and stale ideas and become a hollow bamboo. Divine is expressing himself through the beautiful rose. He is also expressing himself through you. Your existence is very important so that he can express himself through you.
Imagine a planet without humans, animals, plants, rivers, and mountains. How dull the life appears. There exists an interdependent relationship between you and him. You can't exist without him and he also depends on you so that he can express himself. A singer can't sing without a flute and a flute is worthless without a singer. The divine song appears when you went inside yourself so that his lips can touch the flute. Rejoice in the joy that you exist and dance in ecstasy that the divine has chosen you to express himself. Know your worth and always feel blessed that you exist.
Just like a flower, you are a creation of unique beauty from the one essence of life. Sharon Kirstin
Let's understand the difference between desire and longing. Desire means something is missing in my life. Unless it gets fulfilled I will remain unhappy. Desire is a form of disturbance and discontentment. Longing means the search for something that is intrinsically within us. I am fully content with my life and when my longing is fulfilled I feel even more contentment. Longing is a form of contentment and the acceptance of life as it is.
Desires are self-generating. When one gets fulfilled then ten more will arise. The person remains discontent for the rest of his life. When longing gets fulfilled no more will arise because you have found your inner core which gives the ultimate meaning to your life. Desire means the pull towards the outer like wealth, name, status, etc. Longing means the pull towards the inner. Letting go of the circumference like mind and body and taking refuge in the divine soul.
The technique that is given by Mabel Collin for understanding the real meaning of power.
Long power ardently. And that power which the disciple shall covet is that which shall make him appear as nothing in the eyes of men.
Let's understand this technique. Long power ardently.
Power is of two types i.e Inner power as well as Outer power. People extract outer power from their wealth, status, etc. Actually, it's not a power. Power doesn't lie within them. Deep down they feel impotent. A wealthy man is called powerful by the people but the moment his wealth is destroyed he becomes impotent. The real power lies in wealth, not within him. If power comes from external sources (that are outside of the body) then it is pseudo power. The same is the case with status. Whenever a man retires from his high-status job, again he becomes impotent. Now he is in very deep anguish. When he is not in power, he doesn't know what power means. But now he has tasted the joy of power. He felt deep pain when it is taken away from him.
The power that comes from the deepest core of the being is known as inner power. No one can take it from you because it is inherently within you. The only challenge is to dig within yourself to find its source. We are evolved in such a way that our senses take our attention towards the outer world. No senses give us a view of the inner world. The most arduous thing is to bring our attention to the inner being. Mabel Collin wants us to long for that power. It is independent.
Humans become powerful when they are not dependent on anybody for peace, bliss, and silence. Peace, Bliss, and Silence are the inherent qualities of our being. When we came in contact with our inner core then we become one with the qualities of our being.
And that power which the disciple shall covet is that which shall make him appear nothing in the eyes of men.
It is very easy to recognize a wealthy man. But it is very difficult to recognize a Buddha. A wealthy man can easily be recognized by his outward appearance but a Buddha derives his power from the innermost self. We don't have the eyes to look at the innermost being of the other person. The power that lies inside can't be seen by others. It can only be experienced by those who have experienced their own innermost self.
Everybody wants to become somebody. No one wants to remain ordinary. It is only through the ordinary, one becomes extraordinary. When one completely empties himself and dissolved his ego then he becomes one with the innermost self. When the power is derived from the innermost self then you will appear nothing to others because they don't have the eyes to see the inner flowering of your being. When someone is prepared to be nothing, in his state of being nothing, a seed sprout, and flowers within you. Only then do you become powerful. Long for that power.
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