Amazing Thai
28 januari, 2005 · Print dit artikel
A poster for a Thai restaurant in Amsterdam reminded me of a story by swami Rama:
“I once met a swami who could produce fire from his mouth. The flame would shoot out several feet. I tested him to see if the phenomenon was authentic. I asked him to wash out his mouth, to be sure he was not secreting something like phosphorus in it. I also had my friends examine him. He seemed genuine, so I concluded, “This man must be definitely more advanced than my master.”
This swami said to me, “You are wasting your time and energy staying with your master. Follow me and I will give you some real wisdom. I will show you how to produce fire.”
I was so swayed by him that I decided to leave my master. I went to my master and said, “I have met someone more advanced than you, and have decided to become his disciple.” He said, “I am delighted go ahead, I want you to be happy. What does he do? I replied, “He produces fire from his mouth. He’s a very powerful swami.” My master requested, “please take me to him.”
The next morning we went. The swami was staying twenty three miles away in the mountains and it took us two days to get there. When we arrived the swami bowed before my master! I was surprised and asked my master, “Do you know him?” He replied “Of course he was staying in our monastery some time ago. Now I know where he has been hiding.”
My master asked him, “What have you been doing here?? He said, “Sir I have learned to produce fire from my mouth.” When my master saw the flame come from his mouth he laughed gently. He instructed me, “Ask him how many years it has taken to learn this.” The swami was proud of his accomplishment. He bragged, “I have practiced twenty years to master this.” Then my master said to me, “A match will produce fire in a second; if you wish to spend twenty years to produce fire from your mouth, you are a fool. My child that is not wisdom. If you really want to meet masters, I?ll give you directions to where they are staying. Go and have the experiences.”
Later I realized that all such siddhis are but mere signs on the path. These powers have nothing to do with spirituality. I later found out, after experiencing and examining, that these psychic powers have little value. To the contrary they can create serious obstacles on the path. Sometimes psychic powers develop: you start telling the fortune of others, you start knowing things. These are all distractions. Do not allow them to obstruct your path. Too many people, including swamis, have wasted time and energy on such distractions. Anyone who wants to develop siddhis can do so and can demonstrate certain supernatural feats; but enlightenment is an entirely different matter.
Words by Swami Rama
Amazing Thai picture originally uploaded by langenberg.
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