Venerable Nagasena

“I am going to pose a question,” King Milinda said to Venerable Nagasena, “can you answer?”

Nagasena said, “Please ask your question.”

The king said, “I have already asked.”

Nagasena said, “I have already answered.”

The king said, “What did you answer?”

Nagasena said, “What did you ask?”

The king said, “I asked nothing.”

Nagasena said, “I answered nothing.”

Become Your Own Light

While reading the story when King said – I have already asked – look inside of you and be honest with yourself and answer those who felt that he has not asked any question. And still he says that – I have already asked – this is the difference between a wise man and us. We immediately like to answer without giving thought to where we are putting our energy.

When we think that he has not asked the question we are putting our energy into arguments and right, wrong. We are driven by our ego.

People who are driven by ego, they become aggressive and not receptive. This is a small thing but you become alert then instead of ego using you you will be able to use your ego. Don’t be in the trap of your ego. It will create circumstances in which only stress and misery is possible.

Understand why you are miserable. Misery is nothing but when you were unconscious and your ego started using you so you have created misery. Never blame the circumstances or the people but take charge of yourself. Look at Nagasena, how calm he was when the king said that – I have already asked – he had not put his energy for any argument and proved that the king had not asked. Instead of that he replied – I have already answered – there was not a ripple of eagerness in his voice. He was calm and just responding to the king. Even if the question was asked by the king he was not mesmerised with the king.

Look into your own life how many times whenever some authority will come in front of you and ask or request you what your emotions are and how hyper you become. If you can catch yourself in that particular moment immediately you will be able to drop your ego. You will calm down. Your circumstances will have a new fragrance of playfulness. You will become wise like Nagasena.

It is very easy to mesmerise by anyone but if we can become in that moment alert towards ourselves, instead of mesmerise by any authority, that will change everything. Our alertness towards ourselves will make all the difference. There is only light which can direct us and that is inside us.

Become aware of the light which is already there inside of you.

There are darknesses in life and there are lights, and you are one of the lights, the light of all lights.

Learning from the story Venerable Nagasena: Become Your Own Light

Experience Learning

Nothing can dim the light that shines from within.

Many of us have this question – Exactly how does one “go inside” oneself?

When you know exactly what it means to go inside, many riddles about personal growth begin to clear up. Actually, everyone is already going inside. If someone asks you how you feel or what you think or if you remembered to lock the back door, you automatically go inward for the answer. Your attention is no longer on the outside world but the inside world.

What do you find when you go inside? A rich world, streaming with thoughts, feelings, sensations, memories, hopes, wishes, dreams and fears. No one is immune to the allure of this world. We experience ourselves in here and everything we can possibly imagine. But for every experience that’s pleasurable, there’s another that is painful.

Here is the starting point of spiritual growth because human beings, seeing that their pain was centered inside—through painful thoughts, memories, foreboding and guilt – wanted a way out. Is it possible to go inside and not experience pain? Even when you feel happy and your day is going well, the shadow of bad things to come cannot be denied. So the level of thinking isn’t where the cure for pain exists. No one can control painful thoughts.

Therefore, all the great spiritual guides have taught that there is another level of the mind where silence dominates. If you can experience this silence, your mind begins to shift. Instead of being dominated by fear, guilt and other forms of inner pain, it is dominated by a quiet, steady state. From this state blossoms a sense of well-being and a feeling that you are safe. If you remain on the path and keep experiencing inner silence, peace dawns and then joy and bliss.

This is the unfoldment of the true self. It’s the whole meaning of “going inside.”

The inward journey is about finding your own fullness, something that no one else can take away.

You must learn to get in touch with the innermost essence of your being. This true essence is beyond the ego. It is fearless, it is free, it is immune to criticism, it does not fear challenge. It is beneath no one, superior to no one, and full of magic, mystery, and enchantment.

Life gives you plenty of time to do whatever you want to do if you stay in the present moment.