Questions from life - Spiritual answers

Sir professor, people say that the world will end soon. So, why to keep doing my homework?
- Son, you are right. No need to keep doing them; You must finish them soon, before the end of the world finds you with unfinished homework. Come on lazy, go chop wood.

Domnule profesor, oamenii spus ca lumea se va sfarsi curand. Asa ca, pentru ce sa-mi mai fac temele?
- Fiule, ai dreptate. Nu trebuie sa continui sa le faci; trebuie sa le termini curand, inainte ca sfarsitul lumii sa te gaseasca cu teme de facut. Hai lenesule, mergi sa tai lemne.

Master yesterday in the bus a woman was coming dancing and she was squirming in her seat to the beat of the music. She seems crazy and everyone watched without saying anything. Is it that she has no shame?
- Son, you would have to be ashamed for your observation and question. From what you tell me, that woman was the only happy being in that bus; all the others were pale, dry, concerned about their little things and what the others will say.

Maestre, ieri in autobuz venea o femeie dansand si se zbantuia pe scaun in ritmul muzicii. Parea o nebuna si toti priveam fara sa spunem nimic. Se poate sa nu aibe rusine?
- Fiule, tie ar trebuie sa-ti fie rusine pentru observatia si intrebarea ta. Din ce imi spui, acea femeie era unica fiinta fericita in acel autobuz; toti ceilalti erau pali, seci, preocupati de micile lor lucruri si de ce vor spune altii.

Sir professor, what is the main responsibility of the human being? To be good and fair with his fellows? To pay homage and respect to the gods? To do good without judgment? To create riches for the benefit of all the people in this world?
- Son, there are two main responsibilities: to love himself and to be happy.

Domnule profesor, care este principala responsabilitate a fiintei umane? Sa fie bun si corect cu semenii lui? Sa aduca omagiu si respect pentru zei? Sa faca bine fara sa judece? Sa creeze bogatii pentru folosul tuturor persoanelor din aceasta lume?
- Fiule, sunt doua principale responsabilitati: sa se iubeasca si sa fie fericit.

Master, I do all the exercises; I tried even yoga. I read all the sacred writings. I recite all the mantras. I try everything, and it is useless, I can not bend my ego.
- My son, do you do all that to annular your ego?
- Yes.
- Why do you want to do that?
- Because I was told that the ego is the enemy.
- Oh yeah? And do you feel it's that so?
- Well, the truth is, no.
- There's the problem; You do not even know what the ego is and you already want to bend it. Better go to cut wood instead of reciting prayers.

Maestre, fac toate exercitiile, am incercat pana si yoga. Citesc toate scrierile sacre. Recit toate mantrele. Incerc totul, si degeaba, nu pot sa-mi supun Egoul.
- Fiul meu, faci toate astea pentru a-ti anula Egoul?
- Da.
- De ce vrei sa faci asta?
- Fiindca mi s-a spus ca egoul e inamicul.
- Da? Si simti ca e asa?
- Pai, adevarul e ca nu.
- Aici e problema; nici macar nu stii ce este egoul si deja vrei sa-l supui. Mai bine mergi si taie lemne in loc sa reciti rugaciuni.

Master, living in the Here and the Now makes me nervous because I do not know what to do. I hope for something to happen, and nothing happens. I try to see what's next, and nothing comes. How is it that it's the epitome of the happiness?
- Son, it makes you nervous because you expect something, and expecting is living in the future; as the future does not exist, you are among the waters and you can not swim. That is why you drown. Living the Here and the Now it is to not expect anything, be happy with what it is and you feel.

Maestre, a trai Aici si Acum ma tulbura fiindca nu stiu ce sa fac. Sper sa se intample ceva, si nu se intampla nimic. Incerc sa vad ce urmeaza, si nu urmeaza nimic. Cum de e asta esenta fericirii?
- Fiule, te face nervos fiindca astepti ceva, si asteptarea e a trai in viitor; cum viitorul nu exista, esti printre ape si nu stii sa inoti. De aceea te ineci. A trai Aici si Acum e sa nu astepti nimic, fii fericit cu ceea ce e si simti.

Master, why there is so much hatred, anger, contempt from one to others; if we could live in peace?
- Son, those emotions do not exist from one to others, but from one to himself. Everything that happens in your reality you create it, sometimes for doing something and other times for not doing. It's not because other offends you, but because you discredit yourself. When the man realizes this, there will be no hate and anger.

Maestre, de ce exista atata ura, furie, dispret de la unii la altii; daca am putea trai in pace?
- Fiule, acele emotii nu exista de la unii la altii, doar de la unu la el insusi. Tot ce se intampla in realitatea ta o creezi tu insuti, cateodata fiindca faci ceva si alte dati fiindca nu faci. Nu e ca celalalt te ofenseaza, ci fiindca tu te discreditezi. Cand omul o sa constientizeze asta, nu va mai exista ura si furie.

Sir professor, is it good to read and follow the advices of self-help books?
- Son, it is good if you not forget that following them is no more that another mask we put to live day by day. While we are awake we put masks such as: of winners, mystics, of pacifists, victims; self-help is just another mask, of positives. Just as it is good to feel yourself a winner, so it is feeling positive. But do not forget that this is not you.

Domnule profesor, e bine sa citesti si sa urmezi sfaturile din cartile de auto-ajutor?
- Fiule, este bine daca nu uiti ca a le urma nu e altceva decat o alta masca pe care ne-o punem pentru a trai zi dupa zi. Cat suntem treji ne punem masti precum: de castigatori, de mistici, de pacifisti, de victime; auto-ajutorul e doar o alta masca, cea de pozitivi. Asa cum e bine sa te simti castigator, asa e si sa te simti pozitiv. Dar sa nu uiti ca asta nu esti tu.

Master, lots of people talk and talk about love, goodness, brotherhood. Are not there other topics?
- Son, the topics abound in this world but one does not talk about what he has, but what he lacks. Perhaps when you're hungry, don't you say it and so you look for food? Do you talk about your shoes when you are wearing them? Do not listen to what people say; hear what they keep quiet.

Maestre, o multime de oameni vorbesc si vorbesc de iubire, bunatate, fraternitate. Nu sunt si alte subiecte?
- Fiule, subiectele abunda in aceasta lume, dar unul nu vorbeste despre ce are, ci despre ceea ce ii lipseste. Oare atunci cand ti-e foame, nu o spui si asa cauti de mancare? Vorbesti despre pantofii tai cand ii porti? Nu asculta ce spun oamenii; auzi ceea ce tac.

Master, how can you know if a person feels true love for another, for humanity, or even for something?
- Son, there is a good indicator for what you are asking; When they do not talk to others about what they feel. Love is something intimate, it is not something to be spreading or talking about it rather than with the beloved one. If you see that they talk or write about love, it is because they don't feel it and they want to feel it.

Maestre, cum se poate sti daca o persoana simte iubire adevarata pentru alta, pentru umanitate, sau pentru ceva anume?
- Fiule, exista un bun indicator pentru ceea ce intrebi; cand ei nu vorbesc cu altii despre ceea ce simt. Iubirea e ceva intim, nu e ceva care sa raspandesti sau despre care sa vorbesti cu altcineva decat cu persoana iubita. Daca vezi ca ei vorbesc sau scriu despre iubire, e fiindca nu o simt si vor sa o simta.

Master, my son likes my work and I have decided that he will take care of my business, and for that I will enroll him at university in the College of Business. Do you think my decision is wise?
- Son, did you need university to raise your empire?
- No.
- Then, way do you want to sacrifice your son? If you want him to do business, leave intact his intelligence. If you want him as workforce, send him to university.

Maestre, fiului meu ii place munca mea, si am decis ca el se va ocupa de afacerea mea, si pentru aceasta il voi inscrie la universitate, la Scoala de Afaceri. Crezi ca decizia mea e inteleapta?
- Fiule, ai avut nevoie de universitate pentru a-ti ridica imperiul?
- Nu.
- Atunci, pentru ce vrei sa-ti sacrifici fiul? Daca vrei sa faca afaceri, lasa-i intacta inteligenta. Daca-l vrei ca mana de lucru, trimite-l la universitate.

Master, when are we ourselves?
- Son, all the time we seem as a duality, bipolares. But there is an occasion when we are ourselves: when we sleep, when we enter in the no-thing (No-I). In that instance we are as we are. While awake, we pretend to be, we use masks; but sleeping we manifest ourselves as we are.

Maestre, cand suntem noi insine?
- Fiule, tot timpul parem ca o dualitate, bipolari. Dar exista o ocazie in care suntem noi insine: cand dormim, cand intram in "nici-nimic" (Ne-Eu). In acel moment suntem asa cum suntem. In timp ce stam treji, pretindem ca suntem, folosim masti; dar dormind ne manifestam asa cum suntem.

Sir professor, it worries me the state of deterioration of human values and violence. Whay all this situation?
- It's because people like you concern about what they should not, instead of caring about what they should. If everyone do what they have to do, and do it well, there would be no violence, and would be strong values. But now, everyone wants to be chief.

Domnule profesor, ma ingrijoreaza starea de deteriorare a valorilor umane si violenta. De ce e toata situatia asta?
- E din cauza ca persoane ca tine se preocupa de ce nu ar trebui, in loc sa se preocupe de ceea ce trebuie. Daca fiecare ar face ceea ce trebuie sa faca, si l-ar face bine, nu ar exista violenta, si ar fi valori puternice. Dar acum, fiecare vrea sa fie sef.

Professor, Why a person who can not swim sinks, and who can, fleets? Is that the knowing gives flotation? Does it make us lighter?
- No son, you not fleet because you know, but because you trust. It is the trust from what you know that makes you float, not the technique itself. If you knew but you have not confidence in the river nor in what you know, you will sink. If you do not know but you will trust, you will not sink.

Profesore, de ce o persoana care nu stie sa inoate se scufunda, iar cea care stie, pluteste? Cumva a sti da plutire? Ne face mai usori?
- Nu fiule, nu plutesti fiindca stii, ci fiindca ai incredere. E increderea din ceea ce stii, aceea te face sa plutesti; nu tehnica insasi. Daca ai sti dar nu ai incredere in rau nici in ce stii, te vei scufunda. Daca nu stii dar vei avea incredere, nu te vei scufunda.

Master, what does Zen preach?
- Son, do not preach nothing but awareness; That we must not be dominated by anything. We must cancel the need for possessions, to cancel the beliefs and prejudices, do not cling to relationships and to the idea of having what we have not, do not consider neither the past nor the future, and think that all we need we already have. It not preaches poverty nor indifference.

Maestre, ce predica Zen-ul?
- Fiule, nu predica nimic, decat constientizarea; Ca nu trebuie sa fim dominati de nimic. Trebuie sa anulam necesitatea pentru posesiuni, sa anulam credintele si prejudecatile, sa nu ne agatam de relatii si de ideea de a avea ceea ce nu avem, sa nu luam in considerare nici trecutul nici viitorul, si sa ne gandim ca tot ce avem nevoie deja avem. Nu predica saracia nici indiferenta.

Master, I notice that my individualistic attitude creates problems for me, the group refuses to accept me. What can I do?
- Son, it all depends on the place where you want to fly. The condors fly alone and turkeys in flock, but the turkeys go from tree to tree while condors from mountain to mountain. Your problem isn't that the group do not accept you, but as condor you're hanging out with turkeys. Look for your tribe and you'll be happy.

Maestre, observ ca atitudinea mea individualista imi creeaza probleme, grupul refuza sa ma accepte. Ce pot sa fac?
- Fiule, totul depinde de locul unde vrei sa zbori. Condorii zbor singuri iar curcanii in card (stol), dar curcanii merg din copac in copac pe cand condorii din munte in munte. Problema ta nu este faptul ca grupul nu te accepta ci ca si condor te unesti cu curcani. Cautati tribul și vei fi fericit.

Master, I notice you are silent and thoughtfully lately. Are you reaching to any conclusion in your reflections?
- Yes son, I'm concluding that it is not worth reflecting because what it is, it is. What will be, it is in this moment. Better talk for a minute with a thief than with a holy man, and more relaxing is to watch the sky than meditate. I lost my time and I also made you wasting it. The key is in BEING.

Maestre, te observ ca esti tacut si ganditor in ultimul timp. Ajungi la vreo concluzie in reflectarile tale?
- Da fiule, concluzionez ca nu se merita sa reflectezi fiindca ceea ce este, este. Ce va fi e in acest moment. Mai mult se merita sa conversezi un minut cu un hot decat cu un om sfant, si mai relaxant e sa privesti cerul decat sa meditezi. Mi-am pierdut timpul si te-am facut si pe tine sa-l irosesti. Cheia este in FINTA (sau fintare).

Master, the desire brings unhappiness. But what is the desire?
- Son, the desire is to get away from reality, is to fall into a dream, it is to get out of Here and Now and moving away in the future.
- Does that include the desire to reach Enlightenment?
- Yes. If you understand that the happiness you have it just being, you not need wishing to be, you not need reach Enlightenment. That is why I always say: To Be not to seek.

Maestre, dorinta aduce nefericire. Dar ce e dorinta?
- Fiule, dorinta e sa scapi de realitate, e sa cazi intr-un vis, e sa iesi din Aici si Acum si sa te indepartezi in viitor.
- Asta include si dorinta de a ajunge la Iluminare?
- Da. Daca intelegi ca fericirea o ai doar fiind, nu ai nevoie sa doresti ca sa fii, nu ai nevoie sa ajungi la Iluminare. De aceea mereu spun: Sa Fii, nu sa cauti.

Professor, my friends tell me that it's okay living concerned, pressed, because that encourages me to do things, to look for solutions, to build. You tell me that it is not so. How is it, after all?
- Son, the argument of your friends is equivalent to say it's good to chase you a rhino because it motivates you to move. Better build your life with a quiet mind, and without fear nor pressures.

Profesore, prietenii imi spun ca e bine sa traiesti preocupat, presionat, deoarece asta ma incurajeaza sa fac lucruri, sa caut solutii, sa construiesc. Tu imi spui ca nu e asa. Cum e, la urma urmei?
- Fiule, argumentul prietenilor tai echivaleaza cu a spune ca e bine sa te urmareasca un rinocer deoarece te motiveaza sa te misti. Mai bine construiesteti viata cu mintea linistita, fara frica si nici presiuni.