Yoga meets Buddhism: an important mantra to remember

I will share the mantra and story about it in the second half of the post with you. First I would like to show you what I got today into my mailbox:

Direct the six passions to God. The impulse of lust should be turned into the desire to have intercourse with Atman. Feel angry at those who stand in your way to God. Feel greedy for Him. If you must have the feeling of I and mine, then associate it with God. Say, for instance, ‘My Rama, my Krishna.’ If you must have pride, then feel like Bibhishana, who said, ‘I have touched the feet of Rama with my head; I will not bow this head before anyone else.’

You may remember I was talking about “Yoga and Hinduism: reading symbolism” (link) – have a look. – However, I have a problem with the above text – it leaves very little to imagination and could be perceived as quite aggressive/negative by many people. Here is what I mean:

• “Feel angry at those who stand in your way to God” – would sound “bad” to many people. This could even be taken as a fanaticism and doesn’t do any good – to Hindu and people who tries to teach real Yoga in particular – as phrases like these make [Western] people to be afraid, getting wrong impression.
• “I have touched the feet of Rama with my head; I will not bow this head before anyone else.” – sounds even somewhat ignorant to me. One of the most important things we learn in Yoga, in our lives in general – is to accept all and look at all as part of one, part of ourselves, and in this sense – part of Rama…
• And don’t get me wrong – I’m not saying that author of these words meant them in a bad and negative way (although he might have – I don’t know ) – what I’m saying is that for many – it may be hard to accept those words in a positive, Yogic way…

Whatever is your side in this or any other discussion, in philosophy or a householder day-to-day life situations – I think the following mantra is very important to remember.

One Buddhist monk was telling a story about his teacher…

His teacher, a venerable monk, once was giving a lecture widely advertised among general public as well. It was said that a magic mantra would be given. People like mantras, and even more people like magic mantras – you repeat it and some wonderful things appear, life becomes wonderful, etc.

So, people gathered in large numbers and were waiting for the mantra to be given to them during the lecture. And when moment came, here is what the Teacher said: “I’ll give you a mantra, which will make your lives happier, you will get rid of your quarrels with loved ones, relatives, friends and colleagues, it will decrease stress in your life dramatically, it will make you a more peaceful, nice person. Here it is… Whenever I feel that some negative emotions arise in me, or my thoughts giving me hard times… I ask myself: ‘What if I’m wrong’”…

Peace and Love! Have a nice day!