Turn Inwards

Once upon a time, the head monk of a Buddhist monastery had a cat which he was very fond of. The cat was a playful one and it used to jump all over him when the monk sat down to meditate. So the monk ordered his junior monks to tie up the cat every time he meditated. This became a routine. Whenever the head monk sat down to meditate, the cat would be tied up so as not to disturb him during his meditation. And so this practice went on for some time. Then one day, the head monk died and another monk took his place. Now this monk and the cat had no relationship whatsoever. But because man is a creature of habit, so it happened whenever the new head monk sat down to meditate, the junior monks would tie up the cat!

Then one day the cat died. Do you know what the junior monks did? They went and bought another cat just to tie it up so the head monk could meditate! And so this tradition went on. And that is the nature of tradition.

When these Saviours of mankind depart, however, we tend to forget or misinterpret their teachings and instead of turning inwards and seeing the Light and hearing the Sound, we take to ceremonies and rituals, which are of no help. It is only by going inside that our mind becomes bound and subdued, and releases the soul from its grip.
_{Maharaj Charan Singh, Divine Light}