Comments on: Mary Oliver – The Buddha’s Last Instruction http://www.poetry-chaikhana.com/blog/2013/02/20/mary-oliver-the-buddhas-last-instruction/ Sacred Poetry from Around the World Tue, 21 May 2013 18:51:12 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.1.3 By: Rena Navon http://www.poetry-chaikhana.com/blog/2013/02/20/mary-oliver-the-buddhas-last-instruction/#comment-102437 Rena Navon Mon, 25 Feb 2013 19:30:22 +0000 http://www.poetry-chaikhana.com/blog/?p=2440#comment-102437 "clearly I’m not needed, yet I feel myself turning into something of inexplicable value." This paradox rings true to me in some mysterious sense I would love to realize as well as believe. A spirit of wonder, Mary Oliver never ceases to marvel at the endless surprises streaming through her physical world and being shared by her senses. I am always humbled by her infinite flow of energy and enthusiasm. She is superwoman in nature. “clearly I’m not needed,
yet I feel myself turning
into something of inexplicable value.”

This paradox rings true to me in some mysterious sense I would love to realize as well as believe. A spirit of wonder, Mary Oliver never ceases to marvel at the endless surprises streaming through her physical world and being shared by her senses. I am always humbled by her infinite flow of energy and enthusiasm. She is superwoman in nature.

]]> By: Therese Monaghan O.P. http://www.poetry-chaikhana.com/blog/2013/02/20/mary-oliver-the-buddhas-last-instruction/#comment-102191 Therese Monaghan O.P. Sun, 24 Feb 2013 15:27:16 +0000 http://www.poetry-chaikhana.com/blog/?p=2440#comment-102191 Thank you, Ivan, for your choice and commentary. So simple and profound. I will use the mantra "make of yourself the light." throughout the day. And thanks to those who comment. You teach me too. Blessings Therese Monaghan Thank you, Ivan, for your choice and commentary. So simple and profound. I will use the mantra “make of yourself the light.” throughout the day. And thanks to those who comment. You teach me too.
Blessings Therese Monaghan

]]> By: Jim http://www.poetry-chaikhana.com/blog/2013/02/20/mary-oliver-the-buddhas-last-instruction/#comment-101527 Jim Thu, 21 Feb 2013 18:32:54 +0000 http://www.poetry-chaikhana.com/blog/?p=2440#comment-101527 Thank you Ivan The beauty of your insight is breathtaking. Jim Thank you Ivan
The beauty of your insight is breathtaking.
Jim

]]> By: Peg http://www.poetry-chaikhana.com/blog/2013/02/20/mary-oliver-the-buddhas-last-instruction/#comment-101486 Peg Thu, 21 Feb 2013 14:56:10 +0000 http://www.poetry-chaikhana.com/blog/?p=2440#comment-101486 Oliver's lyrical poem works within duality and this 3D life. In the past, this would have worked for me without me questioning what she is saying. I love the tempo, phrasing, the story, and the unsuspecting change at the end. It is a beautiful fiction story and I enjoy it. However, it is obvious that Oliver has not reached and does not understand the true workings of spirit, kundalini, how after all the new brain workings and connections are complete that the head is fully encapsulated within the liquid light fountain of ever flowing new life. No lie, falseness could have been spoken. At this stage everything is healed within the body; all past and current physical, mental and emotional pain is no longer in the body. The ego is gone and life is all about love, all words and actions resonate in truth as service to oneness. All energy and movement would have been expended within onesness with God, source, or however you choose to name. Therefore, there would have been no exertion, no exhaustion. Budda at the moment of his transition to his full lightbody would have recognized his greatness within the greatness of the whole/oneness, which is God/source. There is an expansion not a movement to smallness. Smallness relates to ego and when a student is trying to get the ego under control in order to make spiritual progress towards enlightenment. The fear in the crowd could be from the light that would have shown around Budda when he transitioned from his physical body to his full lightbody. Interestingly enough, Oliver does allude to this through most of the poem--the light. The crowd's fear could be their fear of the loss of Budda or that in the face of ultimate truth, they each have to face their own fear. The first time I looked at my fear, the deep down dark black ball of goo, it was scarey. After doing so, though, all that gunk was so trivial and minor, a mountain that is blown away by a gentle wind. I was not afraid of dying. I was most definately afraid of physical pain. Death just didn't make sense to me at some level that I could never put words to. Now, I know that I do not and will not die, I will take a breath into my lightbody. Happy Birthday Ellen and thank you so much for your comments. Much love and blessings to all, Peg Oliver’s lyrical poem works within duality and this 3D life. In the past, this would have worked for me without me questioning what she is saying. I love the tempo, phrasing, the story, and the unsuspecting change at the end. It is a beautiful fiction story and I enjoy it. However, it is obvious that Oliver has not reached and does not understand the true workings of spirit, kundalini, how after all the new brain workings and connections are complete that the head is fully encapsulated within the liquid light fountain of ever flowing new life. No lie, falseness could have been spoken.

At this stage everything is healed within the body; all past and current physical, mental and emotional pain is no longer in the body. The ego is gone and life is all about love, all words and actions resonate in truth as service to oneness. All energy and movement would have been expended within onesness with God, source, or however you choose to name. Therefore, there would have been no exertion, no exhaustion.

Budda at the moment of his transition to his full lightbody would have recognized his greatness within the greatness of the whole/oneness, which is God/source. There is an expansion not a movement to smallness. Smallness relates to ego and when a student is trying to get the ego under control in order to make spiritual progress towards enlightenment.

The fear in the crowd could be from the light that would have shown around Budda when he transitioned from his physical body to his full lightbody. Interestingly enough, Oliver does allude to this through most of the poem–the light. The crowd’s fear could be their fear of the loss of Budda or that in the face of ultimate truth, they each have to face their own fear. The first time I looked at my fear, the deep down dark black ball of goo, it was scarey. After doing so, though, all that gunk was so trivial and minor, a mountain that is blown away by a gentle wind.

I was not afraid of dying. I was most definately afraid of physical pain. Death just didn’t make sense to me at some level that I could never put words to. Now, I know that I do not and will not die, I will take a breath into my lightbody.

Happy Birthday Ellen and thank you so much for your comments. Much love and blessings to all, Peg

]]> By: bharati http://www.poetry-chaikhana.com/blog/2013/02/20/mary-oliver-the-buddhas-last-instruction/#comment-101428 bharati Thu, 21 Feb 2013 09:13:20 +0000 http://www.poetry-chaikhana.com/blog/?p=2440#comment-101428 When i think of my death i see my body diminishing and the life force concentrating as a brightening flame/heart. So if i imagine Buddha's death or that of any other realised person, that is the end i would imagine. When i read Talks with personages like Ramana or Nisargadatta i read the question posed to them and shut the book and give my own answer. Then i read the response they gave. The two are generally very different, yet both seem valid. This long note is to express that Mary's poem is valid, as are historical records. The two do not exclude each other. They add dimensions to the flat narrative (of a multidimensional event) which is all we in this age can access. When i think of my death i see my body diminishing and the life force concentrating as a brightening flame/heart. So if i imagine Buddha’s death or that of any other realised person, that is the end i would imagine.
When i read Talks with personages like Ramana or Nisargadatta i read the question posed to them and shut the book and give my own answer. Then i read the response they gave. The two are generally very different, yet both seem valid.
This long note is to express that Mary’s poem is valid, as are historical records. The two do not exclude each other. They add dimensions to the flat narrative (of a multidimensional event) which is all we in this age can access.

]]> By: Madathil Nair http://www.poetry-chaikhana.com/blog/2013/02/20/mary-oliver-the-buddhas-last-instruction/#comment-101408 Madathil Nair Thu, 21 Feb 2013 07:30:09 +0000 http://www.poetry-chaikhana.com/blog/?p=2440#comment-101408 Buddha didn’t die. He is said to have attained nirvana and these were his last words: "And now, O monks, I take my leave of you; all composite things are transitory; strive onward diligently." Ref: http://www.as.miami.edu/phi/bio/Buddha/death.htm Buddha didn’t die. He is said to have attained nirvana and these were his last words:
“And now, O monks, I take my leave of you; all composite things are transitory; strive onward diligently.”
Ref: http://www.as.miami.edu/phi/bio/Buddha/death.htm

]]> By: ellen http://www.poetry-chaikhana.com/blog/2013/02/20/mary-oliver-the-buddhas-last-instruction/#comment-101288 ellen Wed, 20 Feb 2013 22:36:02 +0000 http://www.poetry-chaikhana.com/blog/?p=2440#comment-101288 it's my birthday today so I am so grateful for this poem, i love Buddha and Mary it’s my birthday today so I am so grateful for this poem,
i love Buddha and Mary

]]> By: ellen http://www.poetry-chaikhana.com/blog/2013/02/20/mary-oliver-the-buddhas-last-instruction/#comment-101287 ellen Wed, 20 Feb 2013 22:33:54 +0000 http://www.poetry-chaikhana.com/blog/?p=2440#comment-101287 Ivan, thanks for your comments on the poem. I myself didn't realize the sun and make of yourself a light. were kind of intertwined. i always love the poem whether I "get" it or not. I guess i think or thought it to mean make of yourself a light to brings light to yourself and others. sometimes when there is death, it does feel like some great light is around some light that feels different than regular everyday light. alot of time i don't really understand alot of poems. i am so wrapped up in "me" and my aging self and my aches and pains and i forget about love and kindness and the other dimentions around us. anyway thank-you. i am a poet even though i don't always understand poetry. -ellen Ivan, thanks for your comments on the poem. I myself didn’t realize the sun and make of yourself a light. were kind of intertwined.
i always love the poem whether I “get” it or not. I guess i think or thought it to mean make of yourself a light to brings light to yourself and others.
sometimes when there is death, it does feel like some great light is around some light that feels different than regular everyday light.

alot of time i don’t really understand alot of poems. i am so wrapped up in “me” and my aging self and my aches and pains and i forget about love and kindness and the other dimentions around us.

anyway thank-you. i am a poet even though i don’t always understand poetry.
-ellen

]]> By: Aravinda http://www.poetry-chaikhana.com/blog/2013/02/20/mary-oliver-the-buddhas-last-instruction/#comment-101265 Aravinda Wed, 20 Feb 2013 20:40:21 +0000 http://www.poetry-chaikhana.com/blog/?p=2440#comment-101265 What a poem! It is one of my favourite poems. I go back to it every once in a while. Thank you for sharing it, Ivan, and thanks for introducing me to this poem in particular. What a poem! It is one of my favourite poems. I go back to it every once in a while. Thank you for sharing it, Ivan, and thanks for introducing me to this poem in particular.

]]>