Q:
Master, just now when I was meditating on the sound, my whole body
vibrated vigorously. (And then?) I was sitting on this rock; I toppled
and fell down, and then woke up. (Do you feel comfortable?) I'm
feeling very comfortable. I had a headache yesterday, but now it
has gone.
M:
Sometimes, the vibration is stronger than we are, so we cannot get
used to it. The moment we get used to it, we become stronger than
it. Then we will feel very natural. It is as though a person has
been starving for a long time, not having enough to eat, and suffering
from malnutrition. If he is suddenly given a lot of food, he may
swallow too fast, resulting in indigestion. That is why we have
to meditate seriously and regularly. When we have gotten used to
meditating for a longer time, it will become a very ordinary practice;
and we won't even be aware that we are meditating.
Why
does a baby cry when he is born? In the mother's womb, he was immersed
in water like a fish. When he suddenly emerges into our world, his
skin gets in touch with the air for the first time and he has to
begin breathing with his lungs. Therefore, it hurts and is very
uncomfortable all over; that's why he cries. As he cries, he has
to use his lungs, and then he will get used to our world. He now
understands that there is no more water, that it has been replaced
by air. He will get used to it slowly.
Our
spiritual practice is similar to the situation of the baby. As we
practice more diligently, we will get used to the higher vibrations.
These vibrations are much higher than ours and that is why we are
unaccustomed to them. A newborn baby also cannot get used to our
comfortable and free living environment; instead, he is accustomed
to the dark and confined environment in his mother's womb. Therefore,
when he is just born, he feels scared and unsafe, as if he has lost
everything.
Similarly,
it is not difficult for us to be liberated; the only problem is
that we have to get used to the free and liberated state. When we
eventually get accustomed to it, we will not want to come back to
this bodily prison again. Sometimes in meditation, we enter deep
samadhi and go to very high dimensions; we feel absolutely free
and unrestricted. However, because of our unpaid karma and unfulfilled
obligations, and the fact that we still have lessons to learn in
this world, we have to come back to this physical body. The moment
we are drawn back, we feel extremely frustrated and agonized; the
feeling is so bad that we may cry.
There
are difficult moments on our spiritual path. When karmic hindrances
come, we really have to exert our greatest effort to overcome them.
Suppose a baby refuses to go out because he has lingering feelings
for the safety of his mother's womb. Would it be good for him? Though
the environment is more familiar, safe, comfortable and warm, he
cannot grow in there! He will only make trouble for himself and
his mother. Therefore, he had better go out when it is time to be
born.
During
the process of delivery, the baby has to squeeze through the narrow
and bony places in his mother's body, which can be quite painful.
It is as though his head has to squeeze through two stone gates
and is going to split open; it is really difficult. So you see,
even such a tiny baby must make the breakthrough when the time comes.
Originally, he lives like a fish in his mother's womb where there
is no air, no sunshine and no material contact. After he is born,
he has to live in a totally different world where everything is
just the opposite! Anyway, it is good for him to force the exit;
it may be uncomfortable outside, but it is still better than hiding
inside indefinitely, because it is not his permanent abode in there.
In
spiritual practice, we may sometimes encounter obstacles; we may
feel very exhausted and want to quit. There are also times when
we are battered hard by our karmic hindrances. However, we ought
to stand up again, because we are human beings! We ought to be brave,
and act like a hero! We just cannot lower our heads and surrender
to the situation every time or give in to our insignificant obstacles.
Yesterday
I read you the story "The Journey to the West". The first part of
the book describes a group of monkeys, some old, some young, some
very clever and so on. However, none of them dared to go beyond
the waterfall just because they dreaded getting wet. What they didn't
know was that there was a paradise behind the waterfall - a very
beautiful cave. Whoever went in could live in that brilliant and
comfortable cave. Being adults, if we fail to constantly think about
making breakthroughs, then we are weaker than babies! Where can
we put our pride then? Therefore, remember that we must not lose
to the babies, as they are also very brave!