May 6, 2020

Notes by Arjun Mahes

Lesson

Difference between rabbit and pooh (Last Week Plus Point)

• Rabbit always wants to be clever (tries to jump ahead and boast) and is not quiet and mindful. On the other hand pooh, is simple, accepts what he does and has which makes him quiet and mindful. He knows to not waste time in complexity.
• Rabbit tries to put a square pole into circle slot (complex)
• Pooh puts circle pole into circle slot (simple)

Story: Tao of Pooh clip

• There once was a stonecutter who always desired for more. So one day he was pondering about how good life would be if he was a rich merchant. The second he pondered he became the merchant. Then he saw an official who was higher in position compared to him he pondered about how good life would be if he was an official. The second he pondered he became an official. These are all the people he desires to be next in chronological order…
• Sun (shines above all)
• Clouds (blocks sun’s light)
• Wind (pushes clouds around)
• Stone (wind can’t push stone)

After becoming a stone he sees a stonecutter, like his old self cutting stone.

Moral: People desire to be more (everything but themselves) and they feel like ‘grass is always green on the other side’. But they don’t understand that ‘grass is green where you water it’ (happiness is inside not outside).

Being Engaged (Lila)

• The opposite of being engaged is being bored. If engaged people are happy then bored people are unhappy.
• Engaged people make dull interesting
• Ex. Vyasa playing with a broken crane in a sandbox for 45 minutes.
• You choose what is interesting and what is not. If you make life interesting you will be engaged if not you will be bored.

Being Careful (Sumarga)

• Better than being careful for your wishes and desires is to be careful for all.
• Be careful of your stuff
• Be careful of what you speak, think, hear and act
• Be careful of circumstance (don’t drop things)

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Notes by Ira Mehta

• Value 50 is Sumarga- to be careful
• Value 51 is Lila- to be engaged
• The Chinese story about the stonecutter.
• Being careful with all is better than only being careful or what you wish for
• The opposite of being engaged is being bored
• You choose what is interesting and what is not interesting
• Whatever you do, find a way to be interested

PRACTICE

Riddles-

1)A girl is siting in a house with no lights, yet she is reading. How?

Answer: She was reading in Brail.

2)You walk across a bridge and you see a boa full of people, yet not a single person is on board. How?

Answer: They’re all married.

3)I have keys but no doors, space but no room, and I allow you to enter but never leave. What am I?

Answer: A keyboard

If you’re careful with language, then these riddles become easy.