Floating objects and the ocean of ignorance and suffering

Why is that all kinds of worldly egoistic cultural/spiritual/religious/communal/political/national/commercial ideas, beliefs, values, practices, and rituals are neither good nor bad, even if they are the by-products deriving from egoism and that empowering egoism, that give rise to many unnecessary hurtful destructive actions/reactions/activities/affairs in the world of many diversities that doesn't belong to anyone or anything, which is the opposite of the thinning-out and elimination of egoism, that leads towards the realization of the truth of selflessness and non-self, that gives rise to peace from within that also illuminate into the surrounding environment?

There is nothing wrong, or bad, or negative, or inferiority in the presence of the veil of ignorance in the mind. It is a natural manifestation due to the nature of the selfless impermanent limited and conditional function/modification/mechanism of the conscious perceptive cognitive intellectual emotional thinking and acting faculty of the living organisms.

The natural manifestation or formation of the veil of ignorance (the idea of 'I'/the ego/self acknowledgement, egoism, impurities, and restlessness under the presence of conscious awareness) upon the selfless initiation/activation of the selfless impermanent limited and conditional function/modification/mechanism of the mind under the selfless support and influence of the supportive influential energy and elements/conditions, is not the fault or responsibility of anyone or anything, for the mind being what it is (egoistic, impure, and restless - violent, destructive, and hurtful).

It is not bad karma, it is not sin, it is not punishable, or it is not punishment/condemn/shame/humiliation deserving, even if the presence of the veil of ignorance gives rise to many unpleasant destructive hurtful side-effects/behaviors inflicting unto oneself and all and everything in the surrounding environment.

All minds (except the minds that had attained direct realization towards the truth of selflessness and non-self), are functioning under the influence of the veil of ignorance (the ego/the idea of 'I', egoism, impurities, restlessness, and the by-products of all that - all kinds of evitable suffering, desperation, unrest, disturbance, and violent destructive hurtful behavior/action/reaction/activity/affair inflicting unto oneself and others and the surrounding environment), and hence, there is the initial need of seeking any kind of momentary and/or lasting refuge, or comfort, or relief, or escape, or rest, or hope, or direction, or guidance, or motivation, or encouragement, or praise and compliment, or friendship and companionship, or love and attention, or acknowledgement and recognition, or agreement and support, and so on, from someone or something for anything and everything.

The physical body needs some rest in between ceaseless physical activities under a shelter that is sheltered from harsh weather and predators, so that it doesn't get to the point of over-exhaustion or suffered from unnecessary irreversible illness or injury. Similarly, the mind also needs some rest in between restless mental activities under a mental shelter/refuge/resting point amid all kinds of ignorance and disturbance or suffering, so that it doesn't get to the point of over-exhaustion or suffered from unnecessary irreversible illness or injury.

All kinds of worldly egoistic ideas, beliefs, values, practices, and rituals served such purposes like a floating object for the mind to hold onto while drifting on the ocean of ignorance and suffering in searching for a shore to land on, and not to be drowned in the ocean due to extreme exhaustion from trying to stay afloat, before the mind sees and reaches the shore where the mind can get out from the ocean of ignorance and suffering while leaving the ocean and the floating object behind, and let all the others that are still drifting and/or drowning in the ocean of ignorance and suffering, that are also in need of a floating object for them to hang onto to stay afloat in the ocean until they reach a shore to land on. It is needless to be continuously carrying the floating object that served a particular momentary purpose, after getting out of the ocean and standing on the dry land.

One shows gratitude to the floating object, and let it go.

It is like the stepping stones that form a path for anyone to walk away from where one is that is full of unpleasant 'rubbish' and painful 'diseases', in order to reach somewhere that is devoid of 'rubbish' or 'diseases'. Upon walking, not to say, upon reaching the destination, one doesn't keep picking up every stone that one walked on, and keeps accumulating and carrying all the stones with oneself throughout the journey in searching for a space that is devoid of 'rubbish' and 'disease', not to say, after reaching such space, but one leaves all the stones where they are (non-grasping/non-attachment/non-identification/non-possessiveness/non-clinging).

All the stepping stones, are all kinds of pleasant and unpleasant, agreeable and disagreeable, desirable and undesirable, or enjoyable and painful experiences/conditions/situations/affairs/relationships/ties and connections/gain and loss/success and failure/happiness and unhappiness/achievement and non-achievement, and etc, that reflect the truth of selflessness, impermanence, limitation, conditional, and non-self, as it is, where they all are the teachers, the teachings, the practices, and the realization.

One shows gratitude to the stones, and let them go.

However, due to ignorance, there are many minds misused the floating objects for certain destructive hurtful purposes or activities. Similarly, there are many minds misused the stepping stones for certain destructive hurtful purposes or activities. It is not the fault or responsibility of the floating objects on the ocean or the stepping stones on the path. Just as a knife served certain purposes, and it doesn't have the intention to be constructive or destructive, but it depends on the user of the knife using the knife under what type of intention and understanding.

More importantly, the floating object itself doesn't bring the mind to any shore, and the existing current (existing intentionless conditions) might move the floating object away from any shore. But, it depends on the continuous effort of the mind, to make use of the floating object (momentary refuge) to stay afloat as much as possible, and more importantly, to use something or anything that is available that can maneuver the floating object that carries oneself towards the direction of a shore (self-contemplation/self-reflection/self-introspection/self-investigation/self-control/self-discipline), or even abandoning the floating object that is seriously broken/faulty, to just make use of one's own body, arms, and legs to swim towards the shore (renunciation, dispassion, solitude, seclusion, purification, meditation, self-inquiry, and self-realization), even if it is going against the existing current (all kinds of internal conscious and unconscious conditional thinking and behavior pattern/genetic inherited conditions, and external obstacles and distractions), that ceaselessly pull the floating object that the mind hanging onto (or one's own body without hanging onto any floating object) towards the middle of the ocean of ignorance and suffering.

The existence of 'the floating object' is selfless, impermanent, limited, and conditional, and doesn't belong to anyone or anything, and it doesn't has the intention to be what it is, as it is.

The existence of 'the one that is drifting on the ocean', and the existence of 'the ocean and the shore', are all selfless, impermanent, limited, and conditional.

Beyond all THAT that are selfless, impermanent, limited, and conditional, that exists momentarily for a short duration, there is neither the existence of 'the ocean, the floating object, and the shore' nor the existence of 'the one that is drifting on the ocean, hanging onto a floating object, and getting out from the ocean and landing on a shore'.

Upon the direct realization towards the truth of selflessness, impermanence, limitation, conditional, and non-self in all and everything, the selfless perceptive cognitive intellectual emotional thinking and acting mind is devoid of doubt or any kind of impurities, unrest, disturbance, or suffering.

The mind that is devoid of doubt and impurities, unrest, disturbance, or suffering, there is needless to seek refuge, or comfort, or relief, or escape, or rest, or hope, or direction, or guidance, or motivation, or encouragement, or praise and compliment, or friendship and companionship, or love and attention, or acknowledgement and recognition, or agreement and support, and so on, from anyone or anything for anything.

The ocean, the floating objects, and the shore ceased existing, upon the ego (the one that is drifting on the ocean) ceased existing, or upon the annihilation of the veil of ignorance.

The mind that embarks on the journey towards the truth of everything, doesn't go anywhere. It is always where it is. It is merely a selfless impermanent limited and conditional momentary journey within the mind.

The journey begins and ends in the mind.

The destination is in the mind itself.

The ignorance, the doubts, the corruptions, the problems, the hardships, the suffering, are all in the mind itself.

The realization, the knowledge, the truth, the answers, the liberation, the peace, are all in the mind itself.

All the different realms (the different states of mind) are all within the mind itself. The realms are not something or somewhere existing without/outside the mind. All realms ceased manifesting/existing upon Silence/Samadhi, or the annihilation/cessation of the restless modification of the mind.

And above all, this mind is selfless, impermanent, limited, conditional, and non-self, only existing and functioning momentarily for a fleeting duration.

Inquire the truth of everything, and be free.

It is absolutely possible to be free.

May all be free, be peaceful, be happy.

Inquire towards public servant and public service

Many minds that are functioning under the influence of the veil of ignorance would interpret 'public servant' and 'public service' as the public servants are the servants that are obliged to serve the public that 'deserve' all kinds of public services, and hence, the public can take the public servants and the public services for granted without showing respect or gratitude.

No doubt that public servants are holding the 'job' or 'duty' to be 'providing all kinds of public services to the public', and there shouldn't be any sense of superiority, but there also shouldn't be any sense of inferiority as well for being 'the public servants' that 'provide all kinds of public services to the public'.

Just as there is neither superiority nor inferiority in those who show kindness to others and those who receive kindness from others.

Just as none are obligated to be kind to one another, while none are obligated to be 'public servant' to 'provide public service' to anyone.

One can be kind to one another, out of freewill, generosity, and correct understanding, similarly, one can be engaging in a 'job' or 'duty' as a 'public servant' to provide 'public service' to the public, out of freewill, generosity, and correct understanding.

Any kind of action, that is being performed either for oneself or for others, regardless of whether the others are one's family and friends or not one's family and friends, and regardless of whether the others are from one's particular community or from the vast diverse communities, regardless of locally or globally, and regardless of it's doing a job being employed by some others or it's running a business that employs some others, or it's a charitable volunteer work for humanity/animals/environment/underprivileged community/discriminated community/exploited community/oppressed community/ill-treated community and so on, all actions are being performed out of one's own freewill, generosity, and correct understanding. There is neither superiority nor inferiority. There is neither more priority nor less priority. There is neither deserving nor non-deserving. There is neither personal nor non-personal.

By looking after the over-all well-being of oneself and performing one's personal duty and responsibility independently and effectively, is also simultaneously contributing and promoting conducive condition/peace and harmony into the surrounding environment that will benefit all and everyone and everything naturally or intentionlessly, and vice versa.

It is not about the public 'deserves' to be receiving 'public service' from anyone.

It is not about, "These are the 'public servants' that 'provide public services' to the public, and hence, they are more superior, and they deserved respect and gratitude from the public."

And it is definitely not about, "They are the 'public servants' that provide 'public services' to the public, and hence, they are merely some inferior 'servants' of the public to 'serve' the public, where the 'public servants' work for the public, where the public pay tax to employ the 'public servants' to provide 'public services' to 'serve' the public, and it is their obligated 'job' or 'duty' to serve the public, and hence, they don't deserve any respect or gratitude for performing their 'job' or 'duty'. They are 'obligated' to 'serve' the public, and the public is their boss/employer, and hence, the public is more superior than the public servants."

That is common incorrect interpretation or understanding deriving from ignorance, particularly due to the wording of 'public servant and public service' instead of 'public facilitator and public facilitation'.

Out of the conscious freewill, generosity, and correct understanding of oneself, each and everyone respect one another as they are indiscriminately and unconditionally, and are being grateful and thankful that there are some people are willingly to serve the community by taking up the job or duty to be 'the public servants' that perform or carryout the job/responsibility of 'facilitating all kinds of public services and conveniences to the public', regardless of with or without taking fixed amount of salary or fees.

Above all, the public service administration from the top managements to the many different departments and operations need to be free from the influence of ignorance and the by-products of ignorance ('corrupted public servants' and 'all kinds of corruptions'), to be supporting and facilitating constructive activities and progress in the world of many diversities that doesn't belong to anyone or anything.

Inquire the truth of everything, and be free.

Gratitude and peace amidst global pandemic

Being able to have a home/room to practice social distancing/physical isolation, have access to clean water and soap to wash hand and/or body, have home toilet/bathroom, have access to get enough grocery and daily needs once every few weeks, have a kitchen and gas access to be cooking (even just for having instant noodles or a cup of hot drink), have electricity to be storing food for weeks/months in a fridge/freezer and enjoying all sorts of comforts, conveniences and entertainments at home, have internet access to be continuing mentally/emotionally (socially) active, have enough physical/mental space to be continuing physically/mentally active, have access to face mask and sanitizer, have 'the sense of humour' to entertain and/or uplift oneself and others, being able to breathe effortlessly, being able to continue generate income by working at home or have enough savings for surviving a few more months, and etc, are inaccessible 'luxury' for many others around the world.

Need not be disappointed/upset towards travelling restriction, favorite food items or beauty products or entertainments non-available, accessibility to clean eating and specific food trend is disrupted, personal/family/business/social/cultural/religious/spiritual/leisure meetings, gatherings, events, festivals and celebrations or favorite outdoor interactive/non-interactive activities are cancelled or non-available for a period of time, and etc.

Wishing everyone peace during this time being.

Yoga students, yoga teacher and yoga asana practice

When the students express gratitude to the teacher, as they are now able to perform the yoga poses that they couldn't do before, thinking that it was because of the teacher's teachings, effort and encouragement that allowed them to be able to perform the asana poses, but it was actually the students themselves allowing themselves to let go of mental blockage, and thus able to perform the yoga poses. The teacher didn't do anything. It was the students own effort and determination, that allowed themselves to keep practice disregards how many attempts until they were able to perform the yoga poses, without judgment, comparison and expectation.

Same as when the students couldn't let go of mental blockage, and were not able to perform certain yoga poses even though their body is ready and is capable to perform these yoga poses, it was not because of the teacher's teaching was not good enough, nor because of the teacher didn't put effort into teaching the students, nor because of the teacher didn't give any encouragements.

And thus, thank yourself and keep practice, without judgment, comparison and expectation. Allow the result of your practice to be what it is.

Om shanti.

Happy Mother's Day!

For me, 'mother' is not just limited to the woman who gave birth to us, feeds us, protects us, guides us, supports us and loves us, but all the women who are endowed with unconditional love towards all beings without discrimination, without possessiveness, without hatred, without asking anything in return... As well as the nature which provides and supports all beings to be exist, unconditionally.

Love ourselves and have peace in ourselves, as well as accept and love our parents as they are, is the greatest gift to our parents to show our love and gratitude to them.

To all women, whether they have children, or yet to have children or not, Happy Mother's Day!