Silence within…
Lead the mind…
By the mind…
bring it to silence…
In the quiet…
state of mind…
when all the sound..
ripples cease…
The job is done…
( location: Eravikulam National Park , Kerala, South India )
(Words : Adapted from an article by Bramachari Chaitanya )
Happiness…
On a cloudy day, the clouds hide the sun,
but the sun is always there in
the sky…
Like the sun, happiness is often hidden by
the clouds of thoughts & worries…
You have to scatter &dissolve the clouds to
experience it…
All you have to do is calm down your mind &
feelings, because when there is a quiet mind
& inner peace, happiness emerges
from within you…
You don’t have to create happiness, because though
you may not believe it, it is a part of your
essence , but is just hidden…
…happiness is there within you.
just calm your mind & stay relaxed...
…what you need to do is strive not to allow
your feelings get upset by
your memories...
Inner peace & happiness are inter connected.
you want more happiness ?
Learn to calm your mind make
it less restless…
It is an inseparable part of your consciousness,
of your essence, & comes out
where your mind
is free from disturbing &
constant thinking…
...when the mind gets quiet you experience the
happiness in you…
...the treasure is there , whether you see it
or not. so is happiness.
…it is always here , only hidden by
constant thinking
& worries…
Do not let worries
hide
your
Happiness…
Location : Samanar Hills ( Jain hills) keelakuilkudi, Near Madurai, Tamil Nadu. India (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Samanar_Hills)
Words: adapted from an article by Remez Sasson
Too Busy…
You should sit in meditation for
twenty minutes every
day – unless you’re too busy;
then you should sit for an hour.
~ ` ~ Zen
The Moment…
The moment in between what you once were,
and who you are becoming
is where the
dance of life
really begins.
~ ` ~ Barbara Deangelis
Mind seeing…
I shut my eyes in order to see…
The poet, the painter, or the photographer who is locked into only the visual phenomena
may miss the heart of what was actually being experienced…
Internationalization closes
many doors…
Do not go where the path may lead,
go instead where there is no path and leave a trail
~~ Ralph Waldo Emerson
Enjoy the mystery .
All the good stuff is hidden in the dark corners.
It’s what gives life a sense of vitality…
The brush paints by itself,
the dance dances itself,
the poem writes itself.
There is no longer a gap between artist, subject,
audience, and life…
Just see, just hear, just taste,
just touch, just smell,
just see a thought without the need to give it a name or identity.
This way of perceiving will then begin to translate
into the way you express yourself through your art…
Only that day dawns to which we are awake
~`Henry David Thoreau
Develop the ability to experience things directly, without evaluation.
You will be able to see, hear fell taste, smell…
As your attentiveness and awareness increase with practice….
you will begin to notice little things that you have been seeing everyday
but barely noticed in passing…
Only that day dawns
to which we are awake
~`Henry David Thoreau
Each one of us is n artist
Whether we realize it or not…
When you learn to trust yourself implicitly,
you no longer need to prove something
through your art…
If the energy is really flowing freely,
the brush paints by itself. the camera pictographs,…
.the sculpture forms…the words write…
To be nothing…to want nothing…
to do nothing…
it has to be experienced…
( Words: zen arts, Minor white, Ryoken, Zen creativity…)
Wishing you all a blessed and peaceful new year…:-)
Muddy…
check your mind
Be on your guard
Pull yourself out
as an Elephant from mud…
~~ Buddha
If the mud ain’t flying
You ain’t trying…
Go through the mud
They said
It isn’t deep
they said…
Dontcha
wish your daddy
could mud
like mine ??
The world is
Mud luscious
&
puddle wonderful…
If you pray
for rain
be prepared for
some mud…
make mud
not war…
(words: internet posters…)
Living rocks -Jain hill – Aritapati
Silence and Self-control is non-violence.
~~~ Lord Mahavira
Half a mile to the north west of the village of Arittapatti is a hillock called Kalinjamalai
( Arittapatti village is Near Madurai, Tamil Nadu, In India )
Arittapatti was to be a flourishing Jaina centre until the
Ninth century…
This is confirmed by the period rock carving of a seated Tirthankara, canopied by a triple umbrella over his head;
Non-injury to all living beings is the only religion.” (first truth of Jainism) “In happiness and suffering, in joy and grief, we should regard all creatures as we regard our own self, and should therefore refrain from inflicting upon others such injury as would appear undesirable to us if inflicted upon ourselves.”
“This is the quintessence of wisdom; not to kill anything. All breathing, existing, living sentient creatures should not be slain, nor treated with violence, nor abused, nor tormented, nor driven away. This is the pure unchangeable Law. Therefore, cease to injure living things.”
“All living things love their life, desire pleasure and do not like pain; they dislike any injury to themselves; everybody is desirous of life and to every being, his life is very dear.”
Yogashastra (Jain Scripture) (c. 500 BC)”
On the eastern face of the hill is a cavern with a drip-ledge cut into the outer face of the rock.
On the brow of the cave is found a Bramhi inscription which has been dated to between the second and first century B.C.
The inscription, engraved as a single line with 33 letters and running for 3.10 metres, reads as follows: ilanjiy vel mapparavan makan emayavan nalmuzhaukai kotupithavan.
It means, “Emayavan, son of Mapparavan, chief of Ilanji, has caused the carving of this auspicious cave.”
“Mahavira proclaimed in India that religion is a reality and not a mere social convention.
It is really true that salvation can not be had by merely observing external ceremonies.
Religion cannot make any difference between man and man.”
~~~Rabindranath Tagore
Jain Thirthankara sculpture is carved out with engravings below.
“We learn from scriptures (Sashtras) and commentaries that Jainism is existing from beginningless time.
This fact is indisputable and free from difference of opinion.
There is much historical evidence on this point.”
‑‑ Lokamanya Bala Gangadhar Tilak
The beautiful rock formations was what which drew me to this place…
do take a look at my post Balance... here
These rocks hide some deep meaning ..
only our eyes need to see them…
These rocks give you a Religious sense of Awe…
The silence is very real….
You can feel it..
Seemingly close enough to reach out
and touch…
They don’t talk..
and that’s what I like about them…
But..
each rock has a story to tell…
( Source: Jain heritage site; The Hindu )
Balance…
” What I dream of is
an art of balance…”
~~ Henri Matisse
Life is Balance….
Everything that you see as life…
Everything that you see as yourself is
beautiful…
only when it is in
Balance..
Your body,
Your thoughts….
Your emotions…
Everything is beautiful…
only if it is Balance…
Balance IS
Beautiful….
~~ Miyoko ohno
(words : jaggi Vasudev )
Living rocks -Jain hill – Keelakuyilkudi
Climbing over the zenith of the Rocky Mountains,
I caught my first glimpse of this bass relief,
which is arguably the most beautiful of its kind, in southern India.
And right then, right there, I was hooked…..Actually I had fallen in love with the rock formations around Madurai
you can see some of the photos here..
https://sriramjanak.wordpress.com/2012/06/02/speaking-rocks/
I live in madurai , a city ,in the state of Tamil nadu , in the south of India.
It is famously known as the temple city or the Athens of the east.
Madurai is surrounded by several mountains. Madurai city has 3 hills as its city boundary.
Yanaimalai, Nagamalai, Pasumalai named after Elephant, Snake and Cow respectively.
Many stone statues and other artifacts are present in these hill
I have been exploring these hills alone and with friends for the past year or so.
I will share photos of these beautiful statues , inscriptions and the rock formations on these hills in the series
“ Living rocks“…
I will start this series with…
Jain hill at Keelakuyilkudi
An 8 feet high Theerthangarar figure with an inscription at its foot is seen
at the cave known as in the southern part of the hillock.
(Jain scriptures define the term tirthankara as follows: the contrivance which help to cross the great ocean of worldly life is called Tirtha and the person who makes that tirtha is known as tirthankara )
The most beautiful bas-relief of the Tirthankara in Madurai ( if not in Tamil nadu )
A Jain temple prospered here from 1st century to 10th century with large number of students.
It remained as a worship place for Jains during 8th century.
Tamil-Brahmi (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tamil-Brahmi ) script on a boulder on the hill’s terrace.
The script is engraved on the boulder in which a drip-ledge has been cut and
beds excavated on the rock floor for the Jain monks to rest .
Also Theerthangarar figures are seen near the spring at
the cave at the top of hillock.
Ancient inscriptions are seen below these figures.
Central Archaeological department preserves this hill.
Archaeologists consider that once a Theerthangarar temple should have been present at the top of this hillock.
Kings, landlords and village heads had supported this Jain temple.
Speaking rocks….
you just need to touch them…
in the southern part of the hillock. Inside the cave there
are 3 Theerthangarar and 2 Iyyakki Bas -relief figures
Baby & I…
Dear Friends…
It’s exactly one year since I started my blog
Living with a damaged skull
I started with my first post.”unconditional love” .(.https://sriramjanak.wordpress.com/2012/05/24/babys-day-out/)..about elephants babies…
And I thought It would be appropriate to celebrate this I st anniversary with another post about them …
My thanks to all my blogger friends who have supported me through out…..taken time to be here with me and also like /comment on my posts..
The past one year has been a great learning experience for me and I also did damage my skull ( literally ).. 🙂 .which I hope makes me better in the coming years… :-).
This post is for you my friends…
Take care
Sriram Janak
A wee bit of heaven
Drifted down from above—
A handful of happiness,A heart full of love…
The mystery of life,
So sacred and sweet—
The giver of joy,
So deep & complete.
Precious & priceless,
So lovable, too –
The world‘s sweetest miracle,
Baby, is YOU..
~~ Helen Steiner Rice
Mommy says
I am cute….
If you think
I am cute….
You should see my
Butt….
I may be small..
But I am the Boss…
Babies are the link
Between angels & man
~~ unknown
A baby is god’s opinion that
the world should go on…
~~ Carl Sandburg
Sometimes the smallest bundles bring
The greatest joy…
~~ Unknown
Every baby needs
A lap…
~~ Henry Robin
Sometimes the smallest things shine
brightest in our lives…
~~ unknown
Some times It’s the smallest things that
take up the most room in our
Heart…
~~ Winnie the pooh
soul…
If they breath they live….
If they live they feel….
If they feel they love….
If they love they are aware…
If they are aware ..
They have a SOUL….
( words : Anthony Douglas Williams )
Memories…
Learn to be in the present,
withdraw your energy from
the past . Don’t waste your
time in Memories , what is
gone is gone__say goodbye
to it & close the chapter.
~~~ Osho
Do no dwell in the past,
do not dream of the future,
concentrate the mind on
the present moment..
~~~~ Buddha
Don’t let yesterday use up too much
of today.
~~~ Cherokee Indian Proverb
In the carriages of the past
you can’t go anywhere..
~~~ Maxim Gorky
The living moment
is everything
~~ D. H . Lawrence
Its not what if…
It’s what now
~~~ unknown
what you are is what you have been.
What you’ll be is what you do now.
~~~ Buddha
Hands…
Moving away from Nature …
I am presenting something different..
There is no special teaching:
The most ordinary things in our daily
Life hide some deep meaning that is yet
Most plain and explicit; only our eyes
Need to see where there is a meaning…
There is nothing to achieve, nor to go
just let life flow.
“The silence has its language:
knows to be understood.”
-Buddha
Don’t look for anything
Life is now
Time passes.
Without rejecting,
or obtain
only in deep contemplation.
Here and now!
Not knowing
It is the most
intimate.
Zen is live everyday life
enjoy this moment without attachment.
This time is the only thing that exists
Silence is something that comes from your heart,
not from the outside. Does not mean not to mention,
means that nothing disturbs you inside you,
there is no internal conversation…
The practice consists of finding silence in everything you do…
“The hatred with non-violence, beat”
defeat the evil with goodness,
conquer the miser with a gift
“and a liar with truth” Buddha
All we need is love &heart
There is no hurry
Every place is here
all times
It is now.
Not he meditates to get something
He meditates to get rid of everything.
I support you;
you I lean.
I am in this world to offer you peace;
you are in this world to bring me joy.
“being happy is simple how difficult is to be simple”….
Darkness…
From silence emerges
Everything,
and everything returns
To silence…..
Just like …
everything emerges ..
and goes …
Back to darkness….
Walk away…
Don’t turn round
‘Cause you’re gonna see my heart
Breaking
Don’t turn around I don’t want you see me cry
Just walk away….
It’s tearing me apart you are
Leaving……
(words : Ace Of Base )
Inner peace…
” Do not let the behavior of others
destroy your inner peace. ”
~~ Dalai lama
My wishes for a beautiful & peaceful New year…
Trust…
Every child is born with trust.
You came with trust
trust was there ,
trust is there,
trust will be there…..
You are trust…
Shadow…
You think the shadow is the substance:
so to you the substance has become a cheap toy.
Wait until the day when that substance
freely unfolds its wings.
Then you will see the mountains become as soft as wool,
and this earth of heat and ice b
you will see neither the sky nor the stars,
Angel…
E very blade of grass has its angel
that bends over it and whispers,
“grow , Grow “
~~ The Talmud
Tales…
” Until lions have their historians ,
tales of the hunt shall always glorify the humans.”
~~ African Proverb
Path…
To follow the path
Look to the master
Follow the master
Walk with the master
See through the master
Become the master
~~ zen
Whisper a wish…
As the Indian Legend goes;
Whisper a wish to a butterfly,
since a butterfly can make no sound,
the butterfly cannot reveal….
The wish to anyone but the great spirit.
In gratitude for giving the beautiful butterfly its freedom,
The great spirit always grants the wish…
So , according to legend, by making a wish & giving
The butterfly its freedom…
The wish will be taken to the heavens
and
Be Granted…..
Inner sun…
As I walked on my way, I realized that it is not only the sun
which can make a day much brighter.
How is it that we deny ourselves an inner sun, shinning through the silent words of
Nature?
Even your inner colors change as the patterns of
your inner self dance to a new rhythm in life.
This must now be part of your daily movement: to recognize, greet, and
listen to all forms of nature, from the lowly moss to the greatest tree.
All share in he one life , all dance to tha same rhythm , all blend
their notes in the song of the universe.
We rejoice, our brother, for soon that song will blend into your pattern of color ,
and the doors of a new and deeper sharing will be thrown wide open…
You listen to the silent song of my
Voice….
( words : Michael J . Roads )
Heaven’s gate…
-
- There is a place, or so I’m told,
- With Landscapes lovelier than gold,
- And all who enter will never grow old–
- Again
- There’s only one door to this land so fair,
- Enter with a true heart, a dream and a prayer,
- And only love can bring you there —
- For love is the only key.
( Poem : by Christine B. 1966 )
Mystery…
” Every art has its mystery
its Spiritual rhythm”
~~ D.T Suzuki
“Mystery
is usually associated with the darker side of life….
In religion & art , mystery is light itself …its the life blood that pumps through true religion & artistic practice…….”
“…Mystery is the itch that you can’t Scratch ,
the driving force of spiritual & creative
journeys…”
” Mystery is the seed of
discovery…..
Mystery…
” having a spiritual meaning that is neither apparent to
the senses nor obvious to the intellect .
It is direct subjective communication with ultimate reality…”
( words : John Daido Loori )
Mother’s love…
“God could not be everywhere & therefore he made mothers “
~ A Jewish proverb
There is nothing like mother’s love
and animal kingdom are no exception…
..
I was blessed to see this beautiful lioness‘s love for her cubs…..
Mother loins lick their cubs clean,
an essential step in the bonding process…
mama don’t mess up my mane !
MOMS know that keeping babies clean can be a full time job.
” All mothers are working mothers “
Whether you are an only child or a triplet….
there is no one like MOM…
” A moment in my tummy…
A lifetime in my Heart..”
MOM snuggles her baby….
.
” youth fades ; love droops, the leaves of friendship fall;
A mother’s secret hope outlives them all “
~~ Oliver Holmes
” My mother had a great deal of trouble with me
but I think she enjoyed it “
~~ Mark Twain
Always with MOM….
‘ The best medicine in the whole world
is a Mother’s Kiss….”
” when you were small & just a touch away,
I covered you with blankets, against the cold night air,
but now that you are tall & out of reach ,
I fold my hands & cover you
with Prayer..”
~~ Dona Maddux Cooper
We love you Mom…
” sweater & garment worn by child when
it’s mother is feeling chilly “
~~ Ambrose Bierce
” who ran to help me when
I fell , or Kissed the place to make it Well “
~~ Ann Taylor
” A mother understands
what a child does not Say…”
~~ A Jewish Proverb
Sharing…
Sharing your blissfulness is the only charity.
Sharing your joy is the only gratitude.
Existence has given you too much, share it.
The more you share the more you will have it
The less you share the less you will have it.
If you don’t share it you won’t have it at all.
~~Osho
No ripples…
The pond stood still
No ripples
To grow lilies
We must leave it dirty
The water invites the frogs
Croaking singing now every night
To grow lilies in the still pond
We must create an entire world
Create a
universe…
is this how it all began ?
to grow lilies
( words : Divyam Surabhi )
Not the flower but the Fragrance…
You ask me ,
” can you tell us what is the purpose of creation ? ”
The world has never been created.
It has always been here ,
it is eternal.
There is no creator of the world :
God is not the creator of the world …
god is the
very creative energy of existence —
creativity rather than a creator.
He is not the poet but
the poetry…
Not the dancer
but the dance….
not the flower but
the fragrance…
~~~~~The Dhammapada
( the way of Buddha )
Speaking rocks…
The R O C K S …..They are visible ..but invisible…
This happens .only when you put your whole energy into it…
You start looking into the inside of things….then a rock is not ..just a rock
When I saw this rock, the first thing that stuck me was they that they were friends…brothers ?…probably
S O U L M A T E S …
May be it was one rock …which became three… over the years…
You can feel they are Breathing.…& that it is
looking at you…
I touched it and I could feel it was
Breathing…
I touched it and could feel its
warmth…
I touched it …could feel it was
responding…
There is a great deal …it does not
speak …
There is life here …ready to be
released…
The words comes from the very heart of it…
It comes from its very
Being…
The moment you start listening to
wordless….
You will hear what is being said more importantly
unsaid…
There are no use of words….but
Gaps in between…
When you have become fully alert & there is no
Mind anymore….
‘ Hearing is possible for everybody ; listening is possible
only for those who are silent…”
osho
Living with a damaged skull 
