Chapter 48- Observe the body/mind/feeling
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Channa followed his orders. On the path of returning to the palace, the prince saw a monk who was sitting under a tree.

‘What is that man doing?’ the prince asked.

‘He is meditating, your honor.’

‘Meditating?’

‘Yes, he is one of the people who are desperately trying to know if there is anything beyond death. Whether they are a body that is just going to die. Or is there something within them that can withstand even death’ answered Channa.   

For the next three days Siddhartha contemplated. He did not eat or drink anything. And he also figured out that his father had forbid him from seeing death so he did not converse with anyone else. One day, after a great party, when all of the guards and soldiers were asleep, the prince escaped into the woods. There he exchanged his clothes with a beggar and started his search for the truth. A truth that can transcend death.”

“Just seeing one death in his life, he chose to abandon his kingdom for the search of the immortal?” asked Emma.

“Yes, unlike Siddhartha, we are so accustomed to death. Even if we see dozens of people dying around us all the time, we somehow always forget that we, ourselves are going to die. For someone who never has seen death and has been indulging in the pleasures of life, a single encounter with death shakes the person to their very core. But Siddhartha was perhaps, unique. He was such a sensitive, aware soul. Just a single death and it made him question everything about life.         

He has a beautiful saying. He said that as long as death exists, life is meaningless. As long as he himself does not know about a life that cannot die, everything would be pointless” said Mikhail solemnly.

“Pointless, huh” repeated Bold.

Deaths of his mother and Mei flashed within his head.

Yeah, life really is so fragile. Both Mei and my Mom. They just dived into danger not knowing that they were digging their own grave. And it is only by sheer luck that something similar didn’t happen to me.          

Mikhail continued his story:

“So in order to know if something immortal exists within him, he went from teacher to teacher, traveled all around India. He did everything the gurus, the scriptures told him to do. He did all sorts of spiritual techniques and initiations within six years. And in the process, in his extreme effort, he had completely destroyed his body.

One day he got fed up with all the techniques and meditations and gave up completely. During the nights of his extreme efforts and practices, he would have nightmares. But that night he slept deeply with no dreams and nightmares to disturb him. When he woke up during the dawn of the next day, there was no thought within his mind. He saw the stars in the sky and as the final star disappeared so did the final fragment of his ego.

Right then and there he achieved enlightenment”.

Mikhail stopped his story.

“Well, that didn’t explain what enlightenment is” said Bold.

“Exactly. It has to be that way because it can’t be explained. It is such an individual phenomenon. Something which is more subtle than any feeling and thought.  People have given different names to it in different countries. The Kingdom of God, the whole, Moksha, liberation, the ultimate. Gautama himself has named it Nirvana. But all these names are meaningless because words and names are nothing but labels.

And even if someone tried to explain it, those words will become nothing but a hindrance to your search. Because another person’s truth is nothing but a lie when it is explained to you. It is not your own experience, it is nothing but empty words.     

And Bold, I don’t know what this enlightenment is because I am not enlightened myself.

But there are historical facts about people who claim to be enlightened. Hundreds of scriptures and practices are there. And most importantly, meditation is the key to achieving it. And as someone who has been meditating, I can assure you that it works and it has lots of benefits even aside from enlightenment. But yes, with enlightenment you will know that you cannot die. You will know that you were never born and never died”

Bold clenched his hands into fists and asked:

“I-is something like that really possible? Immortality?”

“The death of this body is certain, Bold. But there is something within you that can never die…the eternal witness” said Mikhail.       

“The witness? That’s the immortal part of my body?” asked Bold.

“It is not part of your body. Because the witness can observe your body, mind and feelings. Even when your body dies the witness will persist.
    
Bold mused for a moment and said grumpily:

“You don’t know that. You said you weren’t enlightened, right?”

Mikhail blinked and giggled.

“Haha. Doubt is good thing to have. But, Bold. You won’t know unless you try meditating. Your doubting mind will still doubt everything I’m saying so long as its not your own experience. Meditation won’t harm you. The only thing you will know is that by observing your mind you will know that you are different from your mind. And that is something that happened to me.”

“Hmm. But Mikhail, I didn’t see you sitting in cross-legged posture and observing your breath.” said Bold.

“Yes, I do meditate. In fact, ever since I entered this death game I tried to be more aware and alert. But I don’t use the breath observation technique. Instead I use one of the other techniques Gautam Buddha has given out to his disciplines. The technique’s instructions goes something like this. 

First, I start observing my body. Then after getting good at observing my body, I observe my thoughts. And after I get good at that I observe my feelings. Currently I am able to observe all three. This technique can be done anywhere and anytime. If anything, its effects are fully utilized if you try to do it all day” said Mikhail.

“Really? Wouldn’t you get tired of doing it?” asked Emma.

“No. If you’re getting tired that means you are focusing. Focusing means you are concentrating your mind unto a specific point. There are meditation techniques that use concentration but this observe your body, mind, emotions technique is not that. You just have to observe it, give it a small look.

Of course, as far as learners are concerned it hard to be aware and observative without concentration. So it might be hard at first. But slowly and gradually you will learn to be aware without much effort. I’ve been using this technique constantly for the past three months. Its effects are...noticeable ”

“Mikhail, that body, mind, feeling observation technique and the breath observation technique. Will they lead to enlightenment?” asked Bold.

Mikhail nodded and spoke:

“Of course, they will. Gautam himself used the breath observation technique. His enlightenment is based on that. He used to sit under the Bodhi tree and simply observe his breath. Going in and going out. This body,mind,feeling observation technique will also let you reach the same truth as he did. You just gotta be persistent. You keep on observing and observing and someday…the observer and the observed become one” said Mikhail.                 

Bold and Emma looked at him with awe. Mikhail looked at them playfully and spoke:

“The truth is always near. Observing yourself simply means that you are gaining the eyes to see through all the lies. And when all lies disappear the truth will reveal itself. Because truth is undying and eternal. You just didn’t have the eyes to see it before.”

Saying that with a smile Mikhail turned around and walked away.      

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