An ancient Indian legend

There was once a time when all human beings were Gods, but they so abused their divinity that Brahma, the chief God, decided to take it away from them and hide it.

But where? Brahma called a council of the Gods to help him decide.

“Let’s bury it deep in the earth,” said the Gods.

But Brahma answered, “No, that will not do because humans will dig into the earth and find it.”

Then the Gods said, “Let’s sink it in the deepest ocean.”

But Brahma said, “No, not there, for they will learn to dive into the ocean and will find it.”

Then the Gods said, “Let’s take it to the top of the highest mountain and hide it there.”

But once again Brahma replied, “No, that will not do either, because they will eventually climb every mountain.”

Then the Gods gave up and said, “We do not know where to hide it, because it seems that there is no place in existence that humans will not eventually reach.”

Brahma thought for a long time and then said, “Here is what we will do. We will hide their divinity deep in the center of their own being, for humans will never think to look for it there.”

All the Gods agreed that this was the perfect hiding place, and the deed was done. And since that time humans have been going up and down the earth, digging, diving, climbing, and exploring – searching for something already within themselves.

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If you’re prepared to stop searching in the wrong places, you will finally rediscover your own inner divinity in YOURSELF

Throwing things out... and I'm an expert!

Last Week I threw out Worrying,
it was getting old and in the way.
It kept me from being me;
I couldn't do things my way.

I threw out those Inhibitions;
they were just crowding me out.
Made room for my New Growth,
got rid of my old dreams and doubts.

I threw out a book on MY PAST
(didn't have time to read it anyway).
Replaced it with New Goals,
started reading it today.

I threw out childhood toys
(remember how I treasured them so)?
Got me a NEW PHILOSOPHY too,
threw out the one from long ago.

Bought in some new books too,
called I CAN, I WILL, and I MUST.
Threw out I might, I think and I ought.
WOW, You should've seen the dust.

I ran across an OLD FRIEND,
haven't seen him in a while.
I believe his name is GOD,
Yes, I really like His style.

He helped me to do some cleaning
and added some thing's Himself.
Like PRAYER, HOPE and FAITH,
Yes I placed them right on the shelf.

I picked up this special thing
and placed it at the front door.
I FOUND IT - its called PEACE.
Nothing gets me down anymore.

Yes, I've got my house looking nice.
Looks good around the place.
For things like Worry and Trouble
there just isn't any place.

Its good to do a little house cleaning,
get rid of the old things on the shelf.
It sure makes things brighter;
maybe you should TRY IT YOURSELF.

The Container and the Content

By Ajahn Brahm 

A local journalist called and asked me “ What would you do, Ajahn Brahm, if someone took a Buddhist Holy Book and flushed it down the toilet?” 

Without hesitation I answered “Sir, if someone took a Buddhist Holy Book and flushed it down the toilet, the first thing I would do is call a plumber!” 

When the journalist finished laughing, he confided in me that that was the most sensible answer he had heard. 

Then I went further. I explained that someone may blow up many statues of the Buddha, burn down Buddhist temples or kill Buddhist monks and nuns; they may destroy all of this but I will never allow them to destroy Buddhism. 

You may flush a Holy Book down a toilet, but you will never flush forgiveness, peace and compassion down a toilet. 

The book is not the religion, nor the statue, the building or the priest. These are only “containers.” 

What does the book teach us? What does the statue represent? What qualities are the priests supposed to embody? This is the “content”.

 When we recognize the difference between the container and the contents, then we will preserve the contents even when the container is being destroyed. 

We can print more books, build more temples and statues and even train more monks and nuns, but when we lose our love and respect for others and ourselves and replace it with violence, then the whole religion has gone down the toilet.

 Extract from Ajahn Brahm’s upcoming book. “Good? Bad? Who Knows?”

Why?

Why do we feel sleepy in Prayer,


But stay awake through a 3 hour movie?

Why are we so bored when we look at the HOLY BOOK,

But find it easy to read other books?

Why is it so easy to ignore a message about God,

Yet we forward the nasty ones?

Why are Prayers getting smaller,

But bars and clubs are expanding?

Why is it so easy to worship a celebrity,

But very difficult to engage with God?

A conversation with God

Man: God, can I ask You a question?

God: Sure.

Man: Promise You won't get mad …

God: I promise.

Man: Why did You let so much stuff happen to me today?

God: What do you mean?

Man: Well, I woke up late.

God: Yes.

Man: My car took forever to start.

God: Okay.

Man: At lunch they made my sandwich wrong & I had to wait.

God: Huummm...

Man: On the way home, my phone went DEAD, just as I picked up a call.

God: All right.

Man: And on top of it all off, when I got home, I just want to soak my feet in my new foot massager & relax. BUT it wouldn't work!!! Nothing
went right today! Why did You do that?

God: Let me see, the death angel was at your bed this morning & I had to send one of My Angels to battle him for your life. I let you sleep
through that.

Man (humbled): OH!

GOD: I didn't let your car start because there was a drunk driver on your route that would have hit you if you were on the road.

Man: (ashamed)

God: The first person who made your sandwich today was sick & I didn't want you to catch what they have, I knew you couldn't afford to miss work.

Man (embarrassed): Okay.

God: Your phone went dead because the person that was calling was going to give false witness about what you said on that call, I didn't even let you talk to them so you would be covered.

Man (softly): I see God.

God: Oh and that foot massager, it had a shortage that was going to throw out all of the power in your house tonight. I didn't think you
wanted to be in the dark.

Man: I'm Sorry God

God: Don't be sorry, just learn to Trust Me… in All things , the Good & the bad.

Man: I will trust You.

God: And don't doubt that My plan for your day is Always Better than your plan.

Man: I won't God. And let me just tell you God, Thank You for Everything today.

God: You're welcome child. It was just another day being your God and I Love looking after My Children.

What if God ...

God couldn't take the time to bless us today because
we could not take the time to thank Him yesterday...

What If...?
God decided to stop leading us tomorrow because we didn't follow Him today...

What If...?
God didn't walk with us today because we failed to recognize it as His day...

What If...?
We never saw another flower bloom because we grumbled when God sent the rain...

What If...?
God stopped loving and caring for us because we failed to love and care for others...

What If...
God took away the Bible tomorrow, because we would not read it today...

What If...
God took away His message because we failed to listen to His messenger...

What if...?
God didn't send His only begotten Son because He wanted us to be prepared to pay the price of sin...

What If...?
The door to the church was closed because we did not open the door of our hearts...

What If...?
God would not hear us today because we would not listen to Him yesterday...

What If...?
God answered our prayers the way we answer His call to service...

What If...?
God met our needs the way we give Him our lives...

What If...?
We failed to pass this message on....

God KNOWS

God knows
When you are tired and discouraged from fruitless efforts...
God knows how hard you have tried.

When you've cried so long and your heart is in anguish...
God has counted your tears.

If you feel that your life is on hold and time has passed you by...
God is waiting with you.

When you're lonely and your friends are too busy even for a phone call...
God is by your side.

When you think you've tried everything and don't know where to turn...
God has a solution.

When nothing makes sense and you are confused or frustrated...
God has the answer.

If suddenly your outlook is brighter and you find traces of hope...
God has whispered to you.

When things are going well and you have much to be thankful for...
God has blessed you.

When something joyful happens and you are filled with awe...
God has smiled upon you.

When you have a purpose to fulfill and a dream to follow...
God has opened your eyes and called you by name.

Remember that wherever you are or whatever you 're facing...
GOD KNOWS!!

Spare a prayer

Whether you pray to Allah, Buddha, Jesus or Shiva, I ask you to spare a prayer for my wife, who will be undergoing a CT scan.
I pray that the scan will show a positive result.

Where is He?

There was a little boy,
On the week's first day,
Coming home from Sunday School
And wandering on the way.

He scuffed his shoes into the grass
And found a caterpillar.
He found a fluffy milkweed pod
And blew out all the filler.

A bird's nest in a tree above,
So wisely placed on high,
Was just another wonder
That caught his eager eye.

A neighbor watched his crooked course
And hailed him from the lawn.
He asked him where he'd been that day
And what was going on.

"I've been to Sunday School," he said
As he turned a piece of sod,
And picking up a worm, he smiled,
"I've learned a lot from God!"

"That's a fine way," the neighbor said,
"For a boy to spend his time.
"Now if you can tell me where God is,
I'll give you a brand new dime."

Quick as a flash the answer came,
The boy said without complaint,
"I'll give you a dollar, Mister,
If you can tell me where God ain't!"

Prayers

A voyaging ship was wrecked during a storm at sea and only two of the men on it were able to swim to a small, desert like island. The two survivors, not knowing what else to do, agree that they had no other recourse but to pray to God. However, to find out whose prayer was more powerful, they agreed to divide the territory between them and stay on opposite sides of the island.

The first thing they prayed for was food. The next morning, the first man saw a fruit-bearing tree on his side of the land and he was able to eat it's fruit. The other man's parcel of land remained barren!

After a week, the first man was lonely and he decided to pray for a wife. The next day, there was a woman who swam to his side of the land. On the other side of the island, again there was nothing!

Soon the first man prayed for a house, clothes, more food. The next day, like magic, all of these were given to him. However, the second man still had nothing!

Finally, the first man prayed for a ship, so that he and his wife could leave the island. In the morning, he found a ship docked at his side of the island. The first man boarded the ship with his wife and decided to leave the second man on the island. He considered the other man unworthy to receive God's blessings, since none of his prayers had been answered.

As the ship was about to leave, the first man heard a voice from heaven booming, "Why are you leaving your companion on the island?"

"My blessings are mine alone, since I was the one who prayed for them," the first man answered. "His prayers were all unanswered and so he does not deserve anything."

"You are mistaken!" the voice rebuked him. "He had only one prayer, which I answered. If not for that, you would not have received any of my blessings."

"Tell me, O God," the first man asked the voice, "What did he pray for that I should owe him anything?"

"He prayed that all your prayers be answered."

For all we know, our blessings are not the fruits of our prayers alone, but those of others praying for us also.

"What you do for others is more important than what you do for yourself"