Before I was born who was I?
After I am born who am I?
Respect yourself, everybody will respect you.
Understand yourself, everybody will understand you.
There are mirrors all around you, strive to see and understand yourself.
Strive to have the heart of a Buddha.
Stop doing bad things, only do good.
Do whatever you can to help others.
In these ways you help yourself.
Help yourself, and you help the world.
Amituofo!
-Sifu Shi Yan Ming
As I prepare for my trip to India 30 years later I’m trying to write down some of my childhood memories. Remembering is really an active and unfolding process. It is amazing how much of our lives are retained by our body and brain. It is as if every moment leaves a mark but it takes action to bring them back to life. This short short is about a visit to the Ganges River.
My mother was leading me, by my tiny hand in half-light, through crowded and narrow streets. We were groping towards the lapping edge of the Ganges River. As I was pulled forward, my head twisted from side to side as I strained to see everything unfolding around me. In spite of my age I sensed that those beside me were gripped with purpose.
I don’t know enough about Osho to know if he was ever in love or not. I have to agree with him that many people’s experience of love is like two beggars each begging the other. It sounds like he is saying selfless but he is indeed saying selfish.
The process for getting my visa for India was really simple. I filled out an electronic form, took two passport photos at the UPS Store, got a USPS money order, and fedex’d everything to Travisa Outsourcing. Two weeks later my passport came back in the mail with the visa inside. Now I better not loose it!
I rolled on over to Hacienda Heights to visit the Hsi Lai Temple. It’s a traditional Chinese Buddhist mountain monastery. My intent was to speak with a monk about Karmacar. I wanted to make sure we wouldn’t be upsetting Buddha in any way. Some people working at the temple directed me to the tea room where I sat waiting. The monk came after a few minutes and asked what my question was. I explained Karmacar and the monk understood it in a flash and smiled. The monk said the most important thing is- for us to share the teachings of Buddha. For Karmacar to work people have to be aware or mindful of the teachings. The monk explained that the wheel was on the road, the car on the wheel, and the person on the car – the teachings are what connects the wheel to the person. The monk explained that the wheel signified the Dharma rolling on in time. With this he got up excused himself for being very busy and left. Mission accomplished- I think we’re in the clear.