One day, Confucius stood at the shore of the ocean filled with disappointment. Gazing at the incessant ebb and flow of the rushing waves, he sighed, “Oh! This water rushes back and forth with such speed, and it does so day and night, it comes and goes in never-ending motion.” Confucius might have been referring to his current dejected state, with no opportunity to apply his wisdom, not having met with anyone who could appreciate his talents, and thus expressing his melancholy. But for a practitioner who knows how to cherish and not waste a single moment, there is a deep sense of unease witnessing such callous passage of time!
I certainly often feel that there are not enough hours in the day, and so on a day-to-day basis, I work around the clock on a variety of matters, and this is not at all because I don’t like to rest, but rather because I treasure my time, and won’t allow it to be carelessly squandered. I also frequently tell others that they must constantly reflect upon their own self-nature, to find their ego. Do not allow a single instant or even in the space between instants to escape you. Many people feel that to relax and space out, to lose themselves in diversions is helpful in finding temporary release from suffering, but once the flights of fancy have passed, yet another delusive thought will arise and the suffering continues to persist. So it must be understood that everything comes from the mind, all things come from our consciousness, and seeing as the master of all things is one’s own mind, then why not guard well the thoughts of one’s original mind? Human life is bitterly short, transient as the morning dew in autumn, fleeting as the bubbles floating upon the rolling waves. The best way to love and cherish yourself, and to avoid wasting your time and your life, is to start immediately to get along really well with this very moment in your life.
From Shang Longrik Gyatso Rinpoche
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