Living a simple life

When one strives to live a simple and unpretentious life. Only then can one begin to see the many illusions that has managed to cling to one’s existence….only then is it possible for one proceed to discard them one by one.

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‘Life can indeed be very simple and wonderful….but the moment one complicates it with frivolous yearnings and desires. It can only become very complicated…for example, when we EXPECT others to respect us. The moment someone disrespects us. Suddenly we feel the pain of being slighted and anger comes into our midst.

When we EXPECT others to treat us fairly, but they are abusive….again we feel the pain of being marginalized…and again anger comes into life.

So learn to expect nothing from others.

After all if you are walking down a street and you step on a banana skin only to loose your footing and slip and fall….you wouldn’t get angry at all. You might feel slightly embarrassed or even remind yourself to be mindful when you walk. But you wouldn’t get angry…but if you were walking and someone bumped into you and should you lose your balance and fall – you would probably be furiously.

That is because when you slipped on that banana skin – there was only you!

You were alone….you assumed all responsibility for the act of walking so there was no EXPECTATION on others…but when someone bumped into you…you harbored an EXPECTATION – the person should at least have been more careful not to bump into you….in other words – you EXPECT this other person to bear the burden of responsibility to walk without bumping into you!

So it is our EXPECTATION of others that usually complicates our life – when life is very simple…there can be no EXPECTATION.

There cannot be…it is impossible, as that is the first lesson living a simple life teaches one. Never EXPECT anything from others. You have no right to EXPECT anything from anyone….when you can do just this and this alone…suddenly your life will become very uncluttered and simple.’