It is Martin Luther King Jr Day today in USA.
15th January is his birthday and this year his birthday falls on the third Monday of January, which is the day celebrated every year in his memory.
Dr King based a lot of his methods of non violent resistance on the teachings of Gandhi.
Here are some words from Dr King which are more relevant than ever before today:-
“Through our scientific genius, we made of the world a neighbourhood, and now through our moral and ethical commitment, we must make of it a brotherhood.
We must all learn to live together as brothers or we will all perish together as fools. This is what we must learn.
It simply means that every nation must be concerned about every other nation; every individual must be concerned about every other individual.”
Start today by being more caring towards all the people all around you.
Related posts:
{ 3 comments… read them below or add one }
Arvind,
It is in fact critical for us to appreciate that not only must we be concerned about the implications our actions have on every other individual on this planet, but that we are directly responsible for anything else that this planet experiences.
Our thoughts, words and actions determine the effects that resonate to the farthest reaches of this globe, and affect each and every being even on the most basic level.
A question for anyone reading this post and this comment right now: what if you knew that every thought, word or action that you expressed had a direct and intense effect on everything else that you know that exists? What thoughts would you choose to allow into your consciousness? What words would you allow yourself to speak. Which actions would you deliberately deliver to the world? How would you respond to anything that you experience?
Take a moment just now to recognise the violence that you and I both emit when we are unaware? Then consider how our vigilance can serve the rest of humanity.
I read the following text this morning in Chitrabhanu’s Twelve Facets of Reality, which communicates the notion of awareness incredibly well:
—
The wise person lives in the world, but not of it. He lies with complete awareness. There is a Zen story which illustrates this. Once there was a famous swordsman who was on his deathbed when his son asked him, “What is your last wish, father?”
His father answered, “Oh, Matajura, my son, I had a dream to see you become the greatest of swordsmen, but I failed.”
Matajura told him, “And I also wanted to become that, but the right teacher could not be found, and you also had no time to teach me.”
Then his father said, “This wish is so strong that I am going to live three more years to see that it is fulfilled. Though I am on my deathbed, I shall not die.”
So his son asked, “Who shall be my teacher?” His father sent him to Banzo, who was known to be the master at that time.
The boy went to Banzo and bowed and said, “I want to study with you and become a skilled swordsman. I am willing to devote myself completely to this task. How long will it take for me to master the art”
The master answered, “Twelve years.”
“Twelve years?” The boy was incredulous. “Suppose I use every moment of my day and allow for only three hours’ sleep, then how long will it take?”
“Then it may take twenty years!” The boy did not understand.
So the master explained, “One who is in haste and keeps his eye only on the result and not on the process gets no result. I teach not for result but for life. Master swordsmanship means to be vigilant, to know how not to kill and yet how to protect oneself. You must know that in the sword there is no friendly edge. If I teach only for result, you will be sliced. What for? I care more for the welfare of your life.”
Now the boy understood. He told the master, “Sir, I drop the idea of timing. I request that you accept me as your student. I will become a vessel to receive wisdom from you.”
From that day, he was accepted as the master’s student. Now that his mind was calm, he was to receive a special training in awareness. The first part of the training was to do many kinds of service for his teacher. He washed his clothes, gardened, prepared food for him kept the swords in order, and took care of many other things. In six months, he was not given a single moment to learn how to hold or use the sword, but he had patience.
One day while he was gardening, his teacher came and hit him with a wooden sword. He told him, “From today I will come unexpectedly. If you are aware, I will not hit you. If you are not aware, I will strike you. Harder blows are to come.
“Yes, sir,” the student answered. He was very serious and eager to learn. He knew, “My teacher is harsh in appearance but soft in feeling. I don’t know why he is hurting me, but he must have some good intention.”
Soon the student began to be ready for a blow to come from any direction and at any time. Before the teacher came, he would know it. In this way, he became constantly alert and prepared for anything. As soon as the master put his hand on his sheath, the student would become aware and look up at him.
After that, his teacher told him, “Now starts the second part of your training. I will come at night. If you do not awaken, I will hit you.” Each night the student would know even before the teacher appeared. Day and night he was alert. He became a body with no desires. His whole being was nothing but vigilance.
After two years, one night the master came not to hit him, but to smile at him and praise him. “Now you are the best swordsman!”
“But you have not taught me!” protested his student.
“To practice the sword is not a big thing,” the master explained. “I can teach you that in a short time, but to be aware of which direction the sword is coming from, that is the main thing. To be vigilant, that is greatness.
To overcome impulses, habits, and inertia, that is real mastery. Now go anywhere in the world. Nothing will cover you, for even deep sleep does not make you slumber. My mission to teach you is over. It was to make you aware.”
In life, events come, vibrations hit us, karmas from the past give us blows. If we are not aware, they can throw us off balance. But if we are aware, we meet them as challenges. We meet them with the infinite source of strength hidden within us. We must come to know that strength. How do we come to know it? Through awareness of life. Our awareness must be built on reverence for life. Then all actions are directed from that reverence.
Nothing fetters or binds the person who is aware. Working, sleeping, eating, communicating, you are aware of everything you do as an act of reverence and love, honoring the one within who knows and is vigilant. Then whatever you do is for your growth and freedom. You do it without becoming attached or identified with the action. You see that your motive is pure, just to be, just to evolve, just to live and help others to live. In this way, you free yourself from the spell of greed and other mass values, and you feel the power and joy of self-mastery.
– from Chitrabhanu’s Twelve Facets of Reality – http://www.twelvefacets.com/2006/07/17/facet-6-the-flame-in-the-candle/
—
I hope this is as valuable to you as much as it has been valuable to me.
With warmth,
Sol
Dear Sol,
This is just beautiful! Thank you very much for sharing your wisdom and knowledge.
Your comment is a timely reminder for me and all of us to focus on the process and not the result.
As we all strive for our goals in 2007, the growth will come in what we become rather than on what we achieve.
Love and gratitude.
Arvind
nice story
west