Quiet comtemplation

Lately i've been doing a lot of quiet contemplation on my own - just merely sitting there thinking over my daily life and letting the sounds of nature work its course. Its amazing how much lessons i can learn from just being quiet.

Somehow my room window is facing the opposite row of houses and behind these houses are tall pine trees. Each morning and evening, little swallows would fly around happily catching their meals. Such a picture of serenity. Sometimes when the wind blows, the pine trees sway in accordance with the wind. And the wind smells good.

I don't know why, but suddenly the verses of the Dhammapada came into my mind.

" Though little he recites the Sacred Texts, but acts in accordance with the teaching, forsaking lust, hatred and ignorance, truly knowing, with mind well freed, clinging to naught here and hereafter, he shares the fruits of the Holy life." 1:20 (The Pairs)

The part that got my attention was "with mind well freed, clinging to naught here and hereafter" - basically its just renouncing attachments. During the contemplation, i tried to let go of all things bothering me, all frustrations, even all feelings, and what i found was this indescribable peace and joy within me.

Often we get so tangled up in our own thoughts and emotions that we tend to act accordingly to what we feel. Maybe its due to our own selfishness. Maybe to greed. Maybe due to hatred or even stupidity. But once we let go - we'll truly find ourselves - our true nature.

"All conditioned dharmas are like a dream, an illusion, a bubble or a shadow, Like dew or like a lightning flash. Contemplate them thus."- The Buddha