Re: The Cart Horse & The Donkey

[Guest guest]

While death is the truth of life, we still live in a materialistic

world, raising kids, and fulfilling our Dharmas - as wife, as mother

as daughter, sister and daughter-in-law. I have thought about " this

thinking " several times and have refrained myself from thinking this

way because I am still in my youth. I cannot look at my husband and

my children and think this way every morning. I can adopt this only

when I have reached a stage in life when I have fulfilled at least

75% of my duties. There are 4 stages in life - childhood

(Balatvam) , youth (yauvanam), married life(Grihastvam), Old age

(sanyasam). Only during sanyasam, can we start thinking like this.

Reflect upon what you said and did through out the day. Do this for

5 minutes everynight when you go to bed and try not to hurt anyone.

If you did, think of how you can avoid it and try to reflect upon if

all that arguing and fighting was worth anything - does it

contribute to the betterment of your life. Foremost " EGO " is the

cause of all fights. Put EGO aside and think. Most of the times,

disputes occur when we think about having our way. When you let go

of EGO, people dealing with will do the same eventually.

Please excuse if anyone finds this absurd.

>

>

>

> The Cart Horse & The Donkey

> Once upon a time there were two cart-horses. They worked

> together for many years, pulling the cart of a peasant. Over the

> years, they often argued with each other, complaining that the

other

> was not keeping to its side, or was going just a little too

quickly

> or just a little too slow.

>

> One day, one of the two horses suddenly died.The remaining

horse

> was very upset about this.It realized that in all the time that

they

> had worked together, it had not once told the other horse how much

> it valued its company and its faithful help in pulling the cart.

Now

> the chance was gone forever. The horse also reflected on all the

> squabbles they had had. It suddenly understood that it need not

have

> taken offence as easily as it had done, that it need not have

borne

> as many grudges, that it could have been less arrogant, in short,

it

> realized that it had wasted all the energy that had been available

> for friendship and kindness on unworthy and unnecessary thoughts

and

> emotions.

> The horse was ashamed and resolved to lead a different life in

> future. Whoever its new partner was going to be, things were going

> to be different.

>

> But time passed, and the horse forgot. One day, it caught

itself

> in exactly the same kind of behavior that it had sworn never to

> engage in again.

>

> The horse could

> not understand why it had returned to its old ways. That evening,

in

> the stable, the horse decided to seek out the peasant's donkey,

> which had a reputation for wisdom among the animals.

>

> The donkey listened to the horse's story. Eventually, it

> replied. " It is good that you have noticed what has happened. If

you

> truly want to change, this is possible; but it will, for a long

> time, cost you your peace of mind. Are you prepared to accept

this? "

> The horse replied that it definitely did not want to return to

its

> old ways. Anything was better than that.

>

> So the donkey continued, " There is one very simple, and at the

> same time very hard thing that you have to do. Remember every day

> that one day, perhaps today, perhaps many years from now, you will

> die. Remember every day that the horse next to you will die.

> Remember every day that every other creature you will see, will

one

> day die. Remember that all animals alive today are part of a wave,

> which will soon break and be lost on the beach forever, to be

> followed by a new wave, and another, and another. No wave is

> permanent. The only thing that is permanent is the ocean. "

> There were tears in the horse's eyes.

>

> The donkey continued, " Only if you remember death will you

become

> strong-willed and alert enough not to postpone love. This is my

> advice to you, and in following it, perhaps one day you may come

to

> know that which is deathless. "

>

[Guest guest]

HI..

THANX FOR SUCH NICE MESSAGES ...

On Thu, 06 Sep 2007 Anu Ikkurti wrote :

>

>While death is the truth of life, we still live in a materialistic

>world, raising kids, and fulfilling our Dharmas - as wife, as mother

>as daughter, sister and daughter-in-law. I have thought about " this

>thinking " several times and have refrained myself from thinking this

>way because I am still in my youth. I cannot look at my husband and

>my children and think this way every morning. I can adopt this only

>when I have reached a stage in life when I have fulfilled at least

>75% of my duties. There are 4 stages in life - childhood

>(Balatvam) , youth (yauvanam), married life(Grihastvam), Old age

>(sanyasam). Only during sanyasam, can we start thinking like this.

>

>Reflect upon what you said and did through out the day. Do this for

>5 minutes everynight when you go to bed and try not to hurt anyone.

>If you did, think of how you can avoid it and try to reflect upon if

>all that arguing and fighting was worth anything - does it

>contribute to the betterment of your life. Foremost " EGO " is the

>cause of all fights. Put EGO aside and think. Most of the times,

>disputes occur when we think about having our way. When you let go

>of EGO, people dealing with will do the same eventually.

>

>Please excuse if anyone finds this absurd.

>

>

>

>

>

> >

> >

> >

> > The Cart Horse & The Donkey

> > Once upon a time there were two cart-horses. They worked

> > together for many years, pulling the cart of a peasant. Over the

> > years, they often argued with each other, complaining that the

>other

> > was not keeping to its side, or was going just a little too

>quickly

> > or just a little too slow.

> >

> > One day, one of the two horses suddenly died.The remaining

>horse

> > was very upset about this.It realized that in all the time that

>they

> > had worked together, it had not once told the other horse how much

> > it valued its company and its faithful help in pulling the cart.

>Now

> > the chance was gone forever. The horse also reflected on all the

> > squabbles they had had. It suddenly understood that it need not

>have

> > taken offence as easily as it had done, that it need not have

>borne

> > as many grudges, that it could have been less arrogant, in short,

>it

> > realized that it had wasted all the energy that had been available

> > for friendship and kindness on unworthy and unnecessary thoughts

>and

> > emotions.

> > The horse was ashamed and resolved to lead a different life in

> > future. Whoever its new partner was going to be, things were going

> > to be different.

> >

> > But time passed, and the horse forgot. One day, it caught

>itself

> > in exactly the same kind of behavior that it had sworn never to

> > engage in again.

> >

> > The horse could

> > not understand why it had returned to its old ways. That evening,

>in

> > the stable, the horse decided to seek out the peasant's donkey,

> > which had a reputation for wisdom among the animals.

> >

> > The donkey listened to the horse's story. Eventually, it

> > replied. " It is good that you have noticed what has happened. If

>you

> > truly want to change, this is possible; but it will, for a long

> > time, cost you your peace of mind. Are you prepared to accept

>this? "

> > The horse replied that it definitely did not want to return to

>its

> > old ways. Anything was better than that.

> >

> > So the donkey continued, " There is one very simple, and at the

> > same time very hard thing that you have to do. Remember every day

> > that one day, perhaps today, perhaps many years from now, you will

> > die. Remember every day that the horse next to you will die.

> > Remember every day that every other creature you will see, will

>one

> > day die. Remember that all animals alive today are part of a wave,

> > which will soon break and be lost on the beach forever, to be

> > followed by a new wave, and another, and another. No wave is

> > permanent. The only thing that is permanent is the ocean. "

> > There were tears in the horse's eyes.

> >

> > The donkey continued, " Only if you remember death will you

>become

> > strong-willed and alert enough not to postpone love. This is my

> > advice to you, and in following it, perhaps one day you may come

>to

> > know that which is deathless. "

> >

>

>

shefali chandra

[Guest guest]

I do agree with your point that one tends to start thinking about death when he/she has reached an old age.But,reading this story at least reminded everyone that we should learn to remember death at all times.Yes false EGO is the root cause of all the problems .However,arguing,fighting,complaining etc also emanate from Jealousy,Fear,Insecurity,anger,Impatience,untuthfullness,Eack of control,Dishonesty etc.These factors also need to be thoroughly discussed.

http://mukulchaudhri.blogspot.com

Re: The Cart Horse & The Donkey

While death is the truth of life, we still live in a materialistic world, raising kids, and fulfilling our Dharmas - as wife, as mother as daughter, sister and daughter-in-law. I have thought about "this thinking" several times and have refrained myself from thinking this way because I am still in my youth. I cannot look at my husband and my children and think this way every morning. I can adopt this only when I have reached a stage in life when I have fulfilled at least 75% of my duties. There are 4 stages in life - childhood (Balatvam) , youth (yauvanam), married life(Grihastvam), Old age (sanyasam). Only during sanyasam, can we start thinking like this. Reflect upon what you said and did through out the day. Do this for 5 minutes everynight when you go to bed and try not to hurt anyone. If you did, think of how you can avoid it and try to reflect upon if all that arguing and fighting was worth anything - does it contribute to the betterment of your life. Foremost "EGO" is the cause of all fights. Put EGO aside and think. Most of the times, disputes occur when we think about having our way. When you let go of EGO, people dealing with will do the same eventually. Please excuse if anyone finds this absurd. >> > > The Cart Horse & The Donkey> Once upon a time there were two cart-horses. They worked > together for many years, pulling the cart of a peasant. Over the > years, they often argued with each other, complaining that the other > was not keeping to its side, or was going just a little too quickly > or just a little too slow. > > One day, one of the two horses suddenly died.The remaining horse > was very upset about this.It realized that in all the time that they > had worked together, it had not once told the other horse how much > it valued its company and its faithful help in pulling the cart. Now > the chance was gone forever. The horse also reflected on all the > squabbles they had had. It suddenly understood that it need not have > taken offence as easily as it had done, that it need not have borne > as many grudges, that it could have been less arrogant, in short, it > realized that it had wasted all the energy that had been available > for friendship and kindness on unworthy and unnecessary thoughts and > emotions. > The horse was ashamed and resolved to lead a different life in > future. Whoever its new partner was going to be, things were going > to be different.> > But time passed, and the horse forgot. One day, it caught itself > in exactly the same kind of behavior that it had sworn never to > engage in again. > > The horse could > not understand why it had returned to its old ways. That evening, in > the stable, the horse decided to seek out the peasant's donkey, > which had a reputation for wisdom among the animals.> > The donkey listened to the horse's story. Eventually, it > replied. "It is good that you have noticed what has happened. If you > truly want to change, this is possible; but it will, for a long > time, cost you your peace of mind. Are you prepared to accept this?" > The horse replied that it definitely did not want to return to its > old ways. Anything was better than that.> > So the donkey continued, "There is one very simple, and at the > same time very hard thing that you have to do. Remember every day > that one day, perhaps today, perhaps many years from now, you will > die. Remember every day that the horse next to you will die. > Remember every day that every other creature you will see, will one > day die. Remember that all animals alive today are part of a wave, > which will soon break and be lost on the beach forever, to be > followed by a new wave, and another, and another. No wave is > permanent. The only thing that is permanent is the ocean." > There were tears in the horse's eyes.> > The donkey continued, "Only if you remember death will you become > strong-willed and alert enough not to postpone love. This is my > advice to you, and in following it, perhaps one day you may come to > know that which is deathless.">

[Guest guest]

First, let me thank you Mukul for providing us such wonderful

stories and articles which are very thought provoking and sometimes

even lifechanging for a person who really wants to change for the

better. Next, on the day I read the story, I reacted just like the

Donkey - with tears in my eyes and could not come to terms with the

ultimate truth. But as days have passed by, this fact is at the back

of my mind and yes I do not think everymorning about the inevitable

end but, the story has definitely influenced my reaction to people

and everyday incidences for the better.

As far as EGO is concerned, I still believe that when one gets rid

of of EGO (thought about self, self victory), anger, lust,

fights ... all these emancipate from a strong desire to satisfy

one's own ego. Here again, I think this formula works for me as EGO

is my greatest weakness and when I am able to get rid of it, I am

able to control everything else. I also agree there is so much that

I don't know about life and truth that this may be entirely

incorrect.

Thanks!

> >

> >

> >

> > The Cart Horse & The Donkey

> > Once upon a time there were two cart-horses. They worked

> > together for many years, pulling the cart of a peasant. Over

the

> > years, they often argued with each other, complaining that the

> other

> > was not keeping to its side, or was going just a little too

> quickly

> > or just a little too slow.

> >

> > One day, one of the two horses suddenly died.The remaining

> horse

> > was very upset about this.It realized that in all the time

that

> they

> > had worked together, it had not once told the other horse how

much

> > it valued its company and its faithful help in pulling the

cart.

> Now

> > the chance was gone forever. The horse also reflected on all

the

> > squabbles they had had. It suddenly understood that it need

not

> have

> > taken offence as easily as it had done, that it need not have

> borne

> > as many grudges, that it could have been less arrogant, in

short,

> it

> > realized that it had wasted all the energy that had been

available

> > for friendship and kindness on unworthy and unnecessary

thoughts

> and

> > emotions.

> > The horse was ashamed and resolved to lead a different life in

> > future. Whoever its new partner was going to be, things were

going

> > to be different.

> >

> > But time passed, and the horse forgot. One day, it caught

> itself

> > in exactly the same kind of behavior that it had sworn never

to

> > engage in again.

> >

> > The horse could

> > not understand why it had returned to its old ways. That

evening,

> in

> > the stable, the horse decided to seek out the peasant's

donkey,

> > which had a reputation for wisdom among the animals.

> >

> > The donkey listened to the horse's story. Eventually, it

> > replied. " It is good that you have noticed what has happened.

If

> you

> > truly want to change, this is possible; but it will, for a

long

> > time, cost you your peace of mind. Are you prepared to accept

> this? "

> > The horse replied that it definitely did not want to return to

> its

> > old ways. Anything was better than that.

> >

> > So the donkey continued, " There is one very simple, and at the

> > same time very hard thing that you have to do. Remember every

day

> > that one day, perhaps today, perhaps many years from now, you

will

> > die. Remember every day that the horse next to you will die.

> > Remember every day that every other creature you will see,

will

> one

> > day die. Remember that all animals alive today are part of a

wave,

> > which will soon break and be lost on the beach forever, to be

> > followed by a new wave, and another, and another. No wave is

> > permanent. The only thing that is permanent is the ocean. "

> > There were tears in the horse's eyes.

> >

> > The donkey continued, " Only if you remember death will you

> become

> > strong-willed and alert enough not to postpone love. This is

my

> > advice to you, and in following it, perhaps one day you may

come

> to

> > know that which is deathless. "

> >

>