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Brief Eternity

by a devotee

'The Mountain Path'

 Oct 1965, pg.165

Suddenly I was not. Seeing remained,
Not any one who saw. Thoughts still appeared..
No one to think. And all this was not new,
No change of state, for I not only was not
But never had been ; only through some spell - 
Ignorance - suffering - sin - what name you will[1]
Imagined that I was.

Or just as well
It could be said that suddenly I was,
For Being, Self, whatever name you give,
Just was, and I was That, no other self.

It is a simple thing - no mystery.
The wisdom of the Sages all comes down
To simple being.

Again this state was lost.
Sisyphus-like, the heavy stone rolled down.
Again was need to tear my love from others,
Alone through the night, with much toil to strive
To the lost homeland, to the Self I am.

Though a world appear, yet will I not cling to i t ;
Though thoughts arise, yet will I cherish them not.
More deep the mischief of the imposter me
That sees himself and them - or thinks he sees,
He who complains he has not yet achieved.
Who is it that achieves ? Or who aspires ?
What is there to achieve, when being is
And nothing else beside, no second self ?

[1] Ignorance in the Hindu interpretation, suffering in the Buddhist, original sin in the Christian.