I am therefore I think

I am therefore I think

I think therefore I am not

------

All things are ...

conditioned impermanent and made of many parts

Where each part is in itself ...

conditioned impermanent and made of many parts

------

So where do I fit in  ... to all of this then ?

And what should I do ?

------

According to a saying
attributed to Laozi (Old Master)

If you are depressed you are living in the past
If you are anxious you are living in the future
If you are at peace you are living in the present

But I say this ...

Be anxious for the past
depressed about the future
and in the present
make eternal war
against the enemy
and strengthen
always in your heart
the will to keep fighting

------

See now what I become

How I have shamed myself

My craven selfishness is now become
an object of blame in this world

The foremost object of blame
and the subject of endless
remorseless regret

No one else
do I take to be
more to blame than myself

For this horrible existence

In which I lurch uncontrollably
from relish to despair

In one vile act after another

Without a moment's thought

For the harmful effect
my actions have on those around me

And the consequences
which will inevitably arise
in my own mental continuum

As a result
of what I do now

Causing me
great suffering
in the three times
past present and future

Wherever I may find myself to be
in all the ten directions

May I never lose sight of this sense
of abject failure and culpability

And may I never more become a slave
to the daughters of Mara appearing
in the aspect of the Rudra

------

What other dreadful
things do you
think you'll
find buried
long ago
which will
one day
come back
to haunt you ?

Can you remember
everything you did once
upon a time and could
you then or can you
even now know
for certain
what the
consequence
will be ?

Who can say ?

Who will be the judge
to make the final statement
and pronounce the verdict
and sentence on
the actions of
your past ?

------

Where shall we place the silver bowls ?

Seven set in line upon the altar
consecrated to your memory

They should be used to catch and collect
the tears of grieving mothers

Hungry ghosts and orphaned children
and offered to the spirits

Who would otherwise be shrieking and
torment us in the night

By rights expecting recompense
demanding payment for the
sins we have committed
and rejoiced in

Harming others and ourselves
every moment an atrocity

Perpetrated willfully
against our better nature

From our birth until our death

And on into the bardo
where peace cannot be found

We alone
must take the blame

And expect one day
to be judged by what we do