Don’t be a rudderless ship cast adrift upon a vast ocean: Bhikkhu Sanghasena

                      

By Bhikkhu Sanghasena: In our relentless pursuit of worldly pleasures and material comfort, we, human beings, have forgotten the real meaning and purpose of life. We have lost our direction in life, and have become like a rudderless ship cast adrift upon a vast ocean. We dwell as if in a darkened house where the lights have all been switched off. And yet, we can regain our seemingly befuddled memory, we can rediscover our true direction, and we can relight our hope and aspirations for a life of real meaning and purpose.

To re-orientate ourselves, to rediscover a life of meaning and purpose, we must turn our attention inward, rather than searching outside ourselves, and meditation is the skilful means by which we can re-establish ourselves on the correct course to peace and happiness.

How sad then that so many seekers of peace and happiness continue to look outside of themselves for that which is to only be found within!

Humanity's foolishness is like the story of the lost key:

Seeing his neighbour frantically searching his garden for something, the friend came out of his house and asked, “It seems you are searching for something?” 

To which the neighbour replied, “Yes, friend, I have lost my key.” 

“Oh, I am very sorry to hear that, can I join you in your search?” said the friend. 

“Yes, please, thank you”, replied the neighbour.

Together they searched for the lost key, and after some considerable time they agreed it could not be found anywhere in the garden.

The friend then asked his neighbour, “Do you remember where exactly you lost your key?” 

“Oh yes, I remember quite well, I lost the key inside my house”, replied the neighbour.

“What ?” exclaimed his friend. “If you remember that you lost your key inside the house, what on the earth are you doing searching for it out here in the garden?”

What to do, friend, there is not enough light inside the house to see it, while there is plenty of light in the garden, which is why I am looking for the missing key out here.”

So, this is how it tends to be, people searching for the meaning and purpose of life, seeking happiness, in all the wrong places!

No matter how bright the light is outside the house, you will never find the key if you have lost it inside the house. No matter how dark it is inside the house, to find the key you will have to arrange to light its interior. And the technique for illuminating our inner world – the true dwelling place of meaning, purpose and happiness in life – is to cultivate the light of Bhavana (in Pali) or meditation (in English).