Zen Story: Questions within

Once a Zen Master invited questions from his students.

A student asked, "What future rewards can be expected by those who strive diligently with their lessons?"  The Master replied, "Ask a question close to home."

A second student wanted to know, "How can I prevent my past sins from rising up & affecting me?" The Master repeated, "Ask a question close to home."

Then a third student raised his hand & said, "Sir, we do not understand what is meant by 'asking a question close to home'."  The Master said, "To see far away, first you should learn to see nearby. Be mindful of the present moment, for it contains the answers for the future and the past. Ask yourself, ‘What thought has just crossed my mind? Am I relaxed or tensed? Am I fully attentive to the present situation and the people?’ Come close to home by asking questions such as these. Close questions lead to distant answers ....!"

Moral of the Story :

Friends, this is the yoga attitude towards life. Yoga is not meta-physical. Don't bother about the distant or faraway questions, such as the questions about our past lives, future lives, heaven and hell, God and Evil, etc. Please remain concerned with the questions ‘close at home’. If one can ask the question closest to his self, there is every possibility that just by asking the question will be solved. Once the closest question is solved, one has already taken the first step. The pilgrimage has started. The r

eal journey can begin only from 'where one is'. Never ask intellectual or metaphysical questions of the beyond. One should ask the questions of the within.

Unless one understands the subject, which is one’s own nature, closest to oneself, how can one understand the object? If one doesn’t know himself, everything that one knows is bound to be erroneous, because the base is missing. Thus, one will operate only from faulty ground.

If one is not enlightened within, then whatsoever light one carries without, is not going to help. And when one carries the light within then there is no fear, because even if there is darkness outside, the light within will be enough. It will enlighten one’s path.

Have a Great Day Friends !!

Sangeeta