Today I have only sold one copy of my book. One of the stalls on which I was displaying my books got stolen from the warden's office at the University.
As I sat waiting for customers, My miond wondered into the mistery. AMID THE multitude of conflicting opinions and theories, and caught in the strugle of existance, where shall the confused truth-seeker turn to find the path that leads to unending peace. To what refuge shall he fly from the uncertainities and sorrows of change?
I know that you may have your answers. But I am still wondering:
Shall he find peace in pleasure? Pleasure has its PLACE AND IN ITS PLACE IT IS GOOD. bUT AS AN END, AS A REFUGE, IT AFFORDS NO SHELTER. He who seeks it as such does but increase the anguish of life: for what is more fleeting than pleasure, and what is more empty than the heart that seeks satisfaction in so ephemeral a thing. I will conclude that there is no unending peace and refuge in pleasure.
So shall he find peace in wealth and worldly success. I would like to be successful and I bet you do. It is true that wealth and worldly success have their place, but they are fickle and uncertain possessions, and he who seeks them for them selves alone will be burdened with many anxieties and cares. When the storm of adversity sweeps over his glittering yet frail habitation, he will find himself helpless and exposed. I believe I would not like that. But even should one maintain such possessions throughout life, what satisifaction will they afford him in the hour of death? So I disqualify that and conclude that there is no abiding refuge in wealth and worldly success.
How about peace i n health? Health has its place, and it should not be thrown away or despised, but it belongs to the body which is destined for dissolution, and is therefore perishable. Even should health be maintained for 100 years, the time will come when physical energies will decline and decay and weakmess will overtake them. Hence the conclusion that there is no abiding peace and refuge in health.
Oh my God. Now where can I find peace? I badly need peace.
Will I then find peace and refuge in those whom I dearly love?Those whom one loves have their place in life. They afford him means of practicing unselfishness and there by arriving at truth.One should cherish them with loving care, and consider their needs before his own. But times will come when they will be separated from him and he will be left alone. There is thus no abiding peace and refuge in loved ones.
Will I find peace in the scripture? That is a definate NO. I agree that the scripture fills an important place. As a guide,it is good. But it cannot be a refuge, for one may know the scripture by heart, and yet be in sore conflict and unrest. The theories of men are subject to successive changes, and no limit can be set to the variety of textual interpretations. Hence there is no abiding refuge and peace in the scripture.
Will I then find peace and refuge in this teacher or that? THE TEACHER HAS HIS PLACE, AND AS AN INSTRUCTOR HE RENDERS GOOD SERVICE. But teachers are numerous, and their differences are many. Though one may regard his particular teacher as in possession of truth, that teacher will one day be taken from him. Thus no abiding peace and refuge in teacher.
Then how about refuge in solitude? I have always used solitude as a means of getting some refuge from others and some peace. Solitude is good and necessary in its place,but he who courts solitude as a lasting refuge will be like one perishing of thirst in a waterless desert. He will escape men and turmoil of the city, but he will not escape himself and the unrest of the heart. Hence there is no abiding rest in solitude.
If then, the truth and peace seeker cannot find peace and refuge in pleasure, in health, in loved ones, in the scripture, in the teacher, or in solitude, where shall he turn to find that sansctuary that will afford abiding peace?
I have resolved from today onwards to take refuge in righteousness. I will fly to the sanctuary of a purified heart. Let even you enter the pathway of a blameless, stainless life, and walk in meekly and patiently until it brings you to the eternal temple of truth in your own heart. He who has taken refuge in truth, even in the habitation of a wise understanding and a loving and steadfast heart, is the same whther in pleasure or pain, wealth or poverty, success or failure, health or sickness, with friends or without, in solitude or noisy haunts, and he is independent of bibles and teachers, for the spirit of truth instructs him. He percieves without fear or sorrow the change and decay which are in all living things. I HAVE FOUND PEACE, I HAVE ENTERED THE ABIDING SANCTUARY, I know the light that never go out.
That is what I also encourage you to enter into. Find the peace and the light that never goes out. Plus if you like this post, I request you to make a donation to me. Make a donation of any amount you can afford by using paypal.com secure donate buttons on the left of this page. Thanks.
My StumbleUpon Page
No comments:
Post a Comment