HUMILITY

June 25, 2008

Dear Members

Reproducing something very interesting I came across.

Humility is a very noble trait. Lord Hanuman who had immeasurable strength

and siddhis was very humble. I remember a story once told by my mother during my childhood days. We had C. R. Rajagopalchari's "Ramayana" and

"Mahabharata" in English which made very interesting reading and all of us were

pretty thorough in these epics. This story is not however very common and you

are unlikely to find it in these epics.

Sage Narada was a accomplished musician on the musical instrument (Veena?)which he always carried with him. He got into an argument with another great

musician and both of them appointed Lord Hanuman as the judge. Lord

Hanuman protested saying that he knew nothing about music. But both

of them persisted. Eventually Lord Hanuman agreed.

After they had displayed their prowess, they offered an instrument to Lord

Hanuman and insisted that he play for them. Lord Hanuman obliged..

The raga was so melodious that all the animals and birds listened spellbound.

Both the contestants then acknowledged that Lord Hanuman was superior

to them.

I am reproducing something I saw on the net which is another lesson

in humility. I hope everyone enjoys reading it.

QUOTE

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Guru is Guru he is just like a flower which has lots to offer and we are always like a honey bee searching for nectar. It is irrelevant that he is great or average or he might mislead we should get the best out from him and move to another. If we don't like we can move to some other flower (Guru). Guru (Teacher) is very important in any one's life. It reminds me of a story and if you have time read it, its based on a mantraSanskrit form "Om Mani Padma Hum" mantra of Avalokiteshvara Tibetan form "Om Mani Peme Hung" mantra of Chenrezig____________ _________ _________ _________ _

The True Sound of Truth

An old story speaks about a similar problem. A devoted meditator, after years concentrating on a particular mantra, had attained enough insight to begin teaching. The student's humility was far from perfect, but the teachers at the monastery were not worried.

A few years of successful teaching left the meditator with no thoughts about learning from anyone; but upon hearing about a famous hermit living nearby, the opportunity was too exciting to be passed up.

The hermit lived alone on an island at the middle of a lake, so the meditator hired a man with a boat to row across to the island. The meditator was very respectful of the old hermit. As they shared some tea made with herbs the meditator asked him about his spiritual practice. The old man said he had no spiritual practice, except for a mantra which he repeated all the time to himself. The meditator was pleased: the hermit was using the same mantra he used himself -- but when the hermit spoke the mantra aloud, the meditator was horrified! "What's wrong?" asked the hermit. "I don't know what to say. I'm afraid you've wasted your whole life! You are pronouncing the mantra incorrectly! Oh, Dear! That is terrible. How should I say it?" The meditator gave the correct pronunciation and the old hermit was very grateful,

asking to be left alone so he could get started right away. On the way back across the lake the meditator, now confirmed as an accomplished teacher, was pondering the sad fate of the hermit.

"It's so fortunate that I came along. At least he will have a little time to practice correctly before he dies." Just then, the meditator noticed that the boatman was looking quite shocked, and turned to see the hermit standing respectfully on the water, next to the boat. "Excuse me, please. I hate to bother you, but I've forgotten the correct pronunciation again. Would you please repeat it for me?You obviously don't need it," stammered the meditator; but the old man persisted in his polite request until the meditator relented and told him again the way he thought the mantra should be pronounced. The old hermit was saying the mantra very carefully, slowly, over and over, as he walked across the surface of the water back to the island.

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