Page 48 - NAMAH-Jan-2020

Namah Vol. 27, Issue 4, 15th January 2020

unpleasant to be with. The years dragged of karma is to come and go, when that dirty
on and he was invited to less parties and good karma came to an end, the pain began,
social affairs, and so he drank even more, and did not stop until it killed him.
alienating even those closest to him with
his surly, patronising and bullying ways. My parents showed me by example that
He had given enormous sums of money to one must be especially kind to those who
many while he was prosperous, but now are in bad straits, no matter whether we have
very few bothered to offer him their help, conflicts and disagreements with them. If we
although they had benefitted hugely from turn away from those in need simply because,
him in the past and now had the means to at some point in time, they had pointed out
return the favour. Eventually he died, a bitter our flaws, then we are revealing our own
and broken man, and it was excruciating to lack of calibre. When Ramana Maharshi was
watch him fade away into the nothingness beaten by thieves in the early days of his
from which he had emerged. Ashram life, he refused to complain to the
police. Instead he offered the thieves food and
Now that he was dead, everyone started anything else they wanted. This is one reason
praising him again. Oh, what a magnificent why he is considered a sage, because his ego
and sparkling character he was, they said, had merged back with the radiant and blissful
their eyes filling with crocodile tears. And Self that sees no difference between one and
such a generous host! Remember those fabulous another. As he would say when people came
parties he used to throw? My, my, the food was to complain to him, there are no others.
spectacular and the music superb. Can’t believe
he’s gone, such a tragedy. Oh, and you know I have learned the hard way that Gautama
what? I heard he drank himself to death. The Buddha was speaking true when he said:
streets around his home were clogged by all “Dwell, you are the Light itself.” Yes, I have
manner of vehicles for his final viewing, and been deceived and betrayed time and time
many who had not known him when he was again, but fortunately I have the ancient
alive murmured, oh, that must have been teachings that keep me going towards the
some guy to be getting all this attention. blazing light. Nor was I myself a saint, but
at least in my case it was a lack of higher
All of us know people to whom this sort of wisdom rather than an egoic intention to
tragedy has happened. Or we have read inflict hurt that made me behave as foolishly
about them. One of my gurus would have as I did. It is said that karma is 99% intention,
muttered that, had this man only realised and I can honestly say that I cannot recall
that all his life he had only served his ego, ever wanting to inflict suffering on another.
and that his bitter end was the sorry result Life can make you bitter or better and I choose
of burning the candle at both ends, he might better. But, on the practical level, if someone
have found the right highway to real peace has betrayed you over and over again, vowed
and joy. If he had accrued any good karma, eternal love and loyalty to you but turned tail
it would have been ‘dirty good karma’ — the when things did not go his or her way, you
karma that gives us fleeting results only in are a fool to continue to associate with them.
relative reality (samsara). And since the nature There is a tale of a guru who picked up a

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