From a satsang with Pt. Dr. Umesh Persad, Spiritual Leader, Shiv Shakti Mandir of Marion Oaks, Florida
On a tranquil journey of the Buddha with his disciples, a profound teaching unfolded on the banks of a calm lake. A disciple ventured to fetch water for the Buddha, only to find the once pristine lake stirred by the passage of a cart, its waters clouded and muddied.
Upon his return, the disciple hesitated, mindful of the impurity of the water. Yet, urged again by the Buddha, he revisited the lake, only to encounter the persistence of murky waters. It was only upon the third attempt that the disciple beheld the water, now calm and clear, ready to quench the Buddha’s thirst.
In this simple yet profound narrative, the Buddha imparted an eternal truth, unveiling the essence of the human mind. The murky waters symbolised the tumult of thoughts that cloud the clarity of the mind, while the serene clarity mirrored the tranquil state of a mind liberated from the turmoil of incessant thinking.
The Buddha’s teachings transcend the temporal, offering insights into the nature of the mind itself. Like guests in a house, thoughts may come and go, but the sage advises against indulging them with undue attention. Separating oneself from the ceaseless chatter of the mind, one can observe thoughts without becoming entangled in their transient allure.
Echoing the wisdom of ancient scriptures, the Buddha illuminates the path to liberation, emphasising the mastery of the intellect in discerning which thoughts to heed and which to let pass. By recognising the ephemeral nature of life’s vicissitudes, one can relinquish the grip of attachment and embrace the divine play of existence.
The Amrita Bindu Upanishad echoes the eternal truth, proclaiming the mind as both the shackles of bondage and the gateway to liberation. When entangled in worldly pursuits, the mind becomes the cause of bondage, yet when freed from attachment, it becomes the harbinger of true liberation.
In the dance of life’s divine drama, the liberated soul transcends the unremitting desires that ensnare the mind, attaining a state of detachment. Through the clarity of the mind and the discernment of the intellect, one can navigate the labyrinth of existence, recognising the eternal truth that lies beyond the transient fluctuations of thought.
