The Gambling Machine
On our way back from Berlin, on a highway rest stop somewhere in Germany: We were making a pause in a restaurant. In the corner there was a man sitting in front of a gambling machine. The lights were running in circles, the man was staring at the numbers, waiting for a little luck. He stood up to get some more coins, then continued his game. He was like an icon of the pursuit of happiness – waiting for an easy fortune, but losing in the end.
Many are looking at the twinkling wheels of life, waiting for some good luck, hypnotized by the desire for wealth. A stale taste remains in the end, for the outer little joys keep on fleeting ways. The source of joy is in the inner, the treasure of silence. With the years of regular meditation this has become a growing experience.
The wisdom teachings tell us that it is o.k. to have the money for a good living but that the search for joy in the outer will remain an unsatisfying craving. The inner light is stable and fulfilling, the outer lights keep on circling round like those of the gambling machine.
