A True Master

We are who we are through the innumerable interactions we have with other living beings. Our response to the present (mostly) determine our future. Our response is mostly determined by the our mind conditioned by the entirety of our life events, including people we met, conversations we had, books we read, films and shows we watch. Other people can influence us not only through direct contacts but also indirectly through their teachings. 

The saying,"the teacher will appear when the disciple is ready", is very true for me. Many books and conversations that had put me to sleep at one point in my life had really connected with me at another phase of my life. The Power of Now by Eckhart Tolle is one such example. I came in contact with the teaching of Zen master Tich Hat Nhan at one of the most challenging times of my life. I am happy that I "met" him at that time. He was one of the teach that "appeared" in my life when I needed one. He taught me that one cannot be truly happy if there were no suffering. It is through the misery, mistakes, sufferings and pain,we become who we are. Failures and loses are much more effective teachers that successes and gains. We have a choice to watch and learn from all these life lessons and become a beautiful being. As he often says "No mud... no lotus".

A true master is someone who is deeply compassionate, loving and fearless. True compassion arise when we can the world through other peoples eyes. The true love emerge when we are are not afraid to give expecting nothing back. We overcome fear when not scared of the total dissolution of our ego, the idea of "me". By reading and listening to Thay, I know that he is realized master. His way of life has deeply impressed me. 

Tich Hat Nhan, passed away yesterday. Although I know him only through his teachings, I felt a deep sense of sadness. He was one of the person, I wanted to meet and spend some time in his presence. What would I have asked if I had a chance to meet him. I do not know. Probably nothing. Sometimes we can learn much more deeply through silence, than through talking.  

As Thay has said:

This body is not me. I am not limited by this body.
I am life without boundaries.
I have never been born,
And I have never died.

He will live through all of us, as have been all beings who ever existed.

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