You Are Not Bound ~ Amma

[Guest guest]

"There was a cowherd boy who took the cows to the meadows every

morning and brought them back to the cow shed in the evening. Before

he left for the night, he made sure that all the cows were properly

tied to their posts. One evening, he found that one of the cows was

missing its rope. The boy was in a fix. He couldn't leave the cow

untied as she would probably run away and get lost, and as it was

already dark, it was too late to go and buy a new rope. The boy went

to the monk who was in charge of the place, and sought his advice. The

monk said to him, "It is nothing to worry about. Just go back to the

cow, stand next to her and pretend that you are tying her. Make sure

that the cow sees you doing it, and that will be enough. The cow will

stay where she is.'

 

"The boy went back to the cow shed and did as the monk had told him.

He pretended that he was tying the cow to the post. When the boy

returned the next morning, he found to his amazement that the cow had

remained absolutely still throughout the night. The boy untied all the

cows as usual and was about to go to the meadows, when he noticed that

the cow with the missing rope was still lying down next to the post.

He tried to coax her back to the herd, but she wouldn't budge. The boy

was perplexed. He once again went to seek the monk's advice. The monk

listened to the boy and smiled. `Look, my child,' he said, `the cow

still thinks that she is bound to the post. Yesterday when the rope

was missing, you pretended that you were tying her. This morning you

untied all the cows except this particular one. You thought it wasn't

necessary as she wasn't actually tied up. But because of your little

act last night, the cow still believes that she is tied to the post.

So now you have to go back and pretend that you are setting her free.'

The boy returned to the cow and pretended to untie her. The cow

immediately got up and ran off to join the herd.

 

"Due to our ignorance, we believe that we are bound just like the cow,

when, in fact, we are completely free. As long as there is a feeling

of bondage, we need the help of a perfect Master who can show us the

way and say to us, `Look, you are not bound at all. You are the

all-powerful Atman, the Self. Come out of the illusion and soar up

through the skies of Supreme Consciousness.'

 

"The Master pretends that he is untying the rope that binds you to the

post of worldly objects and pleasures. Once the illusion is removed,

you realize that you were always in that Consciousness, that you have

never, ever strayed from it.

 

"A perfect Master's guidance and his presence is the light that

illumines your path. His presence helps you to see the self-created

wall of the ego. By understanding the illusory nature of your bondage,

it can easily be removed. Your wrong understanding about your

relationship with people, with the world, and the objects of the

world, creates the bondage."

 

"You Are Not Bound" ~ Amma