The Clay and Gold In Our Life

Jan 7, 2022 | awareness | 1 comment

A friend recently shared the history behind the enormous Buddha in a temple in Thailand’s ancient capital Sukhothai. The clay statue had withstood violent storms, invasions, and changes of government, having been cared for over 500 years, and was revered for its longevity. At one point the monks who tended the temple noticed cracks developing and realised it would need repair.

After a particularly hot and dry spell, one of the cracks became wide enough for one monk to peer inside with a flashlight. What shone back at him was a flash of brilliant gold! The statue is one of the largest gold images of Buddha ever created, and the monks believed the clay was used to protect it from periods of unrest and conflict. The clay nonetheless covered the gold, and over time, the residents forgot about the gold beneath. We can truly transform ourselves if we reflect long enough on this historic event.

In life, we too go through conflicts, challenges, and stress, and before we know it, we start covering ourselves with emotions of fear, anger, ego, jealousy, resentment, and attachment. If we allow the negativity to stick long enough, we will forget our true identity and the luminous essential nature that we truly are.

Negativity, like clay, will easily stick. If we are to allow our true self to shine through, we need to cleanse our inner mental space every day through our disciplined review, reflection, and quiet time.

No matter how strong the light, clay will not reflect it. Our ability to reflect the goodness within will only happen when we shed the layers of emotions covering it.

The golden statue looks majestic and attracts many. When we allow others to see us for our true self, not only do we build strong relationships, we inspire others to relook and drop the clay in their life as well.

The goodness and purity of our inner self exist, there is no doubt about it. Even as we build a better life for ourselves and succeed in our endeavours, the true glitter in life will not come from the gold we acquire. It will come from shedding the clay and discovering our true luminous essential nature.

(Picture-Golden Budhha)

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1 Comment

  1. Dear Vivek, This one is right On Target !
    Quiet a masterpiece!
    Personally too for me its timing as always is perfect, which is quite a miracle in itself. Thank you!🌹

    Reply

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