Jain Study Center NC Raleigh 1997 11 YJA Regional Convention

Author(s): Jain Study Center NC Raleigh
Publisher: USA Jain Study Center NC Raleigh

Page 88

Enlighten-Up: "This too shall pass."
By - Balbhadra
For some of us our life may be very good with few worries and sufficient happiness. For some of us our life may not be so good with lots of worries and very little happiness. Some of us may be somewhere in between with experiences of happiness at one time and then at another time there is the experience of unhappiness. Adding to the complexity of human experience there may be times when happiness and unhappiness are combined and occurring together (that mysterious state of 'mixed emotions'). All of us are located somewhere along this good, happy life - not so good, unhappy life continuum.
What follows is a nice, valuable story that will be helpful to remember no matter where you are situated on the continuum and what you are experiencing. As well, this nice, valuable story is guaranteed to bring vitality back into your life during those times when life does not appear to offer that much happiness.
There was a king. He was very powerful, rich and peace loving. His kingdom was also very prosperous and he ruled it justly and fairly. In his royal court of advisors there was one very wise Jain sage. The sage, in his wisdom, realized the futility of trying to find long-term happiness in worldly pleasures. Thus he wanted to renounce the world and become a monk. By becoming a monk he could meditate on his soul and find the long-term happiness that lies and awaits therein.
One day the king and his court were enjoying kingly pleasures. At the king's command a lavish feast was going on, much wealth and riches were being displayed, artists were playing enchanting music and beautiful dancers were performing. Just at that moment the sage could resist no longer his intense inner urge for renunciation. He expressed his desire to become a monk to the king and requested permission to leave his court. The king was very much upset as he depended on the sage's insightful advice. Initially he refused the sage's request. However, when the sage held firm the king eventually granted permission on the condition that the sage give him one great and wise insight; one upon which he could depend to make decisions that would bring happiness to his life.
The sage agreed but stated that as the request was made by the king, the advice should be whispered only in the king's ear. Upon agreement the sage leaned close to the king and whispered softly yet firmly one great statement into the king's ear. The sage whispered, "This too shall pass". Immediately thereafter the sage left the court, renounced the world and became a monk.
Some years went by and circumstances for the king began to change. One nearby rival king became greedy and to expand his territory declared war against the peaceful king and his kingdom. To defend his people the king gathered an army and began to engage in defensive battle.
77
Jain Education Intemational