Considering Monkeys
by Swami Mantrananda
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Many modern people have seen the wonders of all the monkeys of the world. Here are some of their pictures. If we see these pictures, then we must save all the monkeys and rain forest, according to some Gaia People and Forest Rangers, and many Politicians and Ecologists. What about Yogis? Are they supposed to save the world and the animals. Many people now believe we can do everything.
There are stories in Hinduism that I actually do not approve of. Here is an example of one such story. There was a student of meditation in India that went to a Guru to learn how to meditate and the teacher told him to find a quiet place for meditation which was serene and then he should take a deep breath and exhale, then closing his eyes just take in the peace and beauty of sitting there. This was all that the person should do, "and by the way," said the Guru, "do not think of monkeys when you meditate."
The student was excited to receive this most profound method and went to his own selected meditation place, he found peace of mind quick and after a time wondered why he should not think about monkeys. But he would not think about them, but more thoughts about monkeys came to his mind, so his meditation was beginning to be disturbed. He tried for many times to sit in peace but even the words, don’t think about monkeys were on his mind. So he thought about monkeys and became unhappy.
A modern student of Meditation probably does not worry about monkeys and is not worried about such stories about how to meditate. However, the enlightened Guru would probably like to take time to save all of Forest Creatures. The monkeys on this page have been considered by many people as fellow inhabitants of this planet and we must respect their space. The great people of the world seem to have decided that Mankind probably must make an attempt to save all the animals.
Perhaps the Guru, as a teacher of meditation, would like the student to learn meditation in his lifetime. This may take time. The student of meditation does not have to save the world. The monkeys on this page are part of a larger task. Mankind as a whole, must save the environment and the world, this includes the monkeys on this page. Also Mankind as a whole must have some understanding that a Meditating Person is not running away from the monkeys on this page.
As a student of meditation, how much of your life are you going to give to saving the animals of the forest?
Question: As a student of Meditation, how much of your life are you going to give to saving the animals of the forest? Perhaps we yogis have to remember that often Gurus will give meditation instruction to meditate in peace, and not think about monkeys. However, some people are wealthy and may be able to save animal species. Most people must search and search to understand this question at all.
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