Reflections
Captain Elmo Jayawardena
A few days ago I received a book by post. No name of the sender, no
indication as to why I was a recipient or no idea why it was posted. It
was obvious someone was trying to reach people with a message.
The book was called 'Reflections'.
I do not think it is available in bookstores; I did call, tried and
failed.
The little book is a collection of verses by the renowned monk from
Thailand, Ajahn Char, whose simple wisdom filled the pages with magical
words and metaphor.
At the beginning there was a picture of a little boy, maybe two or
three years old, smiling, wide and winsome, a smile that reached his
little eyes. It was a face that had a kind of beauty that I am unable to
describe.
Stranger though he maybe to me, I kept turning to that page, there
was something totally captivating in the expression that came to me from
the photograph.
His name was Janek and it was said in the book that the publication
was to invoke merit on him.
Then there were these lines written by his Podi Ammi, it was obvious
she had published the book.
"Everytime I am ignorant or vain, all I have to do is look at you.
You remind me of the truth. The truth of impermanence, attachment,
suffering and death, instead of the truth of peace, happiness and
freedom. Thank you for teaching me that knowing is not understanding and
that no-one and nothing can free us but our own understanding."
The words moved me to write these few lines. They are words of
sadness that had come from someone who made her best attempts to accept
terms with a tragedy.
This little book may not win literary awards and may not even hold a
thin place in a shelf in a book store. It had no publisher's name or an
ISBN. But it is a beautiful book of reflections hoarded inside a leaf
green cover with a simple lamp flame for motif.
Yes, it was simply from Podi Ammi to Janek, and whoever you are, I am
deeply grateful for including me in your mailing list.
I shall treasure this wonderful book, I know it would have taken a
very different kind of courage to publish this gift to people unknown
and pass a message that is so thought provoking.
I just want to share it with whoever cares to read my lines. Some
things in life have deeper meanings than what we can comprehend.
Such things need to be shared, even though spread in abstract.
[email protected] |
