The Cheerful Monk

Far beyond the hills, in a small hut, lived a huge Monk.
So simple was his living, emptiness was all that the hut had in it.

As the sun descended down the hills, villagers near by descended down to where He lived.
All the mornings, the hut was deserted, save the Monk.
All the evenings, the village was deserted, save none.
Hundreds of people thronged the Monk's hut every evening.
Wonder what sermons the Monk gave daily.

Speechless! The Monk never gave any speech.
Neither He uttered a single word.
The hut stayed as calm as in the mornings.

As the villagers took turn to visit Him,
He looked into their eyes and smiled.
What lied in the smile that attracted the villagers is not known.

Days and years passed, unknown to the outside world, the evening ritual continued.
All that the Monk did to the villagers is to look into their eyes and smile at them.
Never did the villagers see Him in any other colour.

One day, the orange red sun stayed unusually long in the western sky, before it descended down the hills.
The villagers reached the Monk's hut as the sun disappeared into darknness.
There the Monk, as usual, greeted them with His smile of Infinte Love.
Only that he was lying on the ground, His heart no more active.
All in His life He smiled, in death He smiled.
He knew nothing but to smile.

Surprisingly, neither grief nor sorrow was visible on the villager's face.
Cheerful, as ever, they were, lifted the Monk onto their shoulders and buried Him in His hut.

The Monk possessed nothing and left behind nothing,
A few cheerful villagers, with everlasting joy in their hearts.
Never did the villagers frown nor let their hearts drown in sorrow,
Never did they break their promise to the Monk.
The Monk has left behind a legacy, truly a great legacy.

The Journey of My Life

Awaken from a strange dream, I got out of my bed.
Alone I walked, along the street.
Walking, though without direction, my steps took a definite path.

Strange it seemed, the neighbourhood looked different than I know it.
As I crossed the streets, I lost the acquaitance of my surroundings.
All I could see around, I simply call it 'Beautiful'.

Stranger it seemed, my feet never stopped to let my mind savour the beauty around.
There was a definite pull, I felt in my feet, to what lay ahead.
Every step of my unending journey leading to a more beautiful scenery,
I walked unaware of what lay ahead.

Gasped I was, as I turned to my right,
I witnessed the destination of my journey.
There lay ahead, a wonderful water body.

Must be created by a Master who never erred.
For It transcended all human imaginations.
A beautiful Lake at the end of a beautiful journey.

Behold! The Lake had no ripples!
Neither was my reflection seen in It!
Disturbed at this, I picked up a stone.
I rose above the foolish thought and let the stone go.

I pondered over the Lake with a calm mind.
It obliged and showed my reflection in It.
I still pondered over It.
It started to grow bigger untill I found myself in the Lake.
The Lake, now, touched the horizon but yet It continued to grow.

An unknown peace descended and gripped me.
I enjoyed every moment like the evening child on the beach.
The nectar of peace, I wished, it could be mine forever.

Alas! The disturbing selfish thought brought me back to the Lake's bank.
I retreated unable to ponder over It again.
I returned the next morning.

The longer I pondered over it, the longer I stayed in It.
The more I stayed in It, the greater was my wish to stay in It.
This journey of mine continued for days unknown,
Untill I finally realised that 'It' was my Consciouness.
Oh Yes, my Consciousness, the Lake within.

The Sky and Beyond

Don't believe, Don't believe in any kind of limitations
For they are just the offshoots of our imaginations.

We being part of the unbounded Nature
Should also know 'Unboundeness' is our characteristic feature
'Infinite' is the only thing that pervades all the Nature.

The past has not seen the begining of time
Neither the future will see it's end.

Limit, like the ever receding horizon, is never encountered
All mirages dissappear when the distances are removed
And limit is a mirage.

Oh God, the greatest lover of human kind,
How will Thy Creations know any limitation!