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A cow tethered to a post with a rope is grazing near a field. At first it is not well aware of its proper range. So from time to time it tries to reach out to the luscious corn in the nearby field. But then the rope at its neck reminds it of its tether. With the warning keep off. Pulled back by the rope at every unmindful attempt to outreach, the cow at last comes to know the ambit of its tether. Then it goes on grazing peacefully in its proper pasture unhampered. Once it has had its fill, it comes to rest near the post and starts chewing its honest cud with closed eyes.
Even like the cow, the meditator is tethered to the post of his meditation subject with the rope of mindfulness. In the early stages of his practice. he is not fully aware of his proper range. He may sometimes forget all about the fact that he is a meditator. He may do things which defeats his purpose, which are not conducive to his progress, which fall outside the scope of his meditation subject and which lead to a deluded state of mind. Worldly temptations are so alluring that the rope of mindfulness will have a hard time warning, ‘keep off’! However by dint of effort, the meditator grows wiser as to his proper range and learns to be fully aware of his ‘post’ and the ‘rope’ at all times. Then he is feeding himself in his proper field and having had his fill he comes to sit peacefully with his eyes closed to chew his honest cud. |