Dealing with Enemies
A friend from Canada just sent me the following quote from His Holiness The XIVth Dalai Lama:
“As Shantideva says, there are many beings to whom one can make charity, but there are very few beings with respect to whom one can practice patience, and what is more rare is more valuable. An enemy is really most kind. Through cultivating patience one’s power of merit increases, and the practice of patience can only be done in dependence upon an enemy. For this reason, enemies are the main instigators of the increase of meritorious power. An enemy is not someone who prevents the practice of religion but someone who helps practice.”
This quote reminds me of a story, how Master CVV taught a disciple how to deal with enemies, from the book The Aquarian Master, Chap. 3:
“It is interesting to note as to how Master cured a disciple of his limitation of dislike. This disciple had dislike towards many persons and was always complaining. A friend advised him to meet the Master and said that He would make his life sweet.
The disciple went to Master CVV. Instantly, Master understood the disciple. So, the Master enquired the disciple: “Do you have enemies in life?” The disciple felt very happy that Master understood his problem and said “Yes Master. I have many enemies, my life is miserable”.
Master said “Don’t worry, I will take care of them” and gave him a mantra “ENEMY! BE AWARE OF YOURSELF”.
The disciple was happy that he got a mantra to get rid of his enemies and practiced. But, even after 40 days, they did not disappear. So, he went back to the Master and told Him “Master, nothing has happened to my enemies. Your mantra did not work”.
Master said, “You are not doing the mantra properly. I will help you. Please collect the pictures of all your enemies and bring them to me”.
The disciple had difficulty in getting the pictures of his enemies but Master would not budge. Finally, after great difficulty he obtained all the pictures. He had to befriend his enemies to collect their pictures. He returned in a hurry to the Master with the pictures. “Frame them well”, said the Master. The disciple had to further attend on the pictures, frame them at his cost and quickly returned to the Master. He enquired the Master: “Master! where shall I display them for you?” The disciple thought that the Master needed the pictures of the former’s enemies to do some magic on them. The Master answered “They shall be displayed for you and not for me. Keep them in your shrine room, displacing my pictures. Worship them as you worship mine”. A thunder bolt! The disciple got dismayed. “See the Master in those forms” – another thunderbolt. The disciple returned home and practiced as instructed. The disease of dislike gradually disappeared as he started looking for the one person among the many pictures. He developed friendship with the same persons, in due course of time.”
Reflection in the eyes of a cow
