Heaven and Hell

heres a good ol zen story about Heaven and Hell. One day there was a man who was permitted to see heaven and hell by the gods. In hell, he saw people sitting around a round table.  they sat 7 feet apart, 7 feet across. they were on stools 7 feet high and ate with chopsticks 7 feet long. they couldn't place the food into their mouths (and the food was really a feast!) because their arms are, of course, not long enough (who has 7 ft long arms!?) The people in hell were miserable. it was torture to be so close and yet so far to a sumptuous meal. (they could never leave the stools) The man was very sad when he saw this. After that, the gods took him to heaven. In heaven, the man saw that it was exactly the same situation - except everyone was happy and well fed. how could this be?

The answer to the riddle is that in HEAVEN, people fed each other. :) 

I think this is the best illustration I could ever find about heaven. Sometimes Hell can be a place we're in because we just can't see the way out. That place of fire and brimstone, maybe that isn't something to be taken literally (I sure hope not!). without compassion, how can we ever find understanding? I think thats the worst thing. When your own perspective is just limited to your own motives. "I only wish to know you, so that I can use you" Isn't it a hell in itself to see people that way? it seems like something that can trap you. how will you know when to stop? You'll feel hopeless that things never go your way. You'll keep trying, but its a pointless struggle. Dont you ever feel like you just need to let go? who ever said that your way was the only way to go through with it? this was a hard lesson for me to learn, but I feel like you really grow once you do. 

I think when we empty ourselves of things like the desire for position, the desire to prove something, the desire to be the first and only, I think thats when you can really start to see the beautiful things in life. Sometimes we (myself included) can really lose our way. We always see what we want to happen for ourselves, instead of considering the needs of others.



I have a favorite line from Plato about this:

"Be kind, for everyone you meet is fighting a hard battle"

I love this line because its simple and yet so true. humbling in every sense. We all have needs, dreams and hopes. We all hurt and experience hardships, maybe of different kinds, but human suffering is universal. We all bleed, we all feel. We were all children once.

like a forest who's trees connect through the roots underground: there is a bigger picture. Hell can be us when we focus on ourselves, and how we'll never be enough (I mean with the shallow standards of society, who is enough nowadays?) and it will be a pointless cycle of struggle. Plus when you dont understand, you hurt others as well. You cause suffering, which in my juvenile experience will only come back to you.

Understanding breeds inner-peace. You dont need to keep yakking on your high chair. people putting people in boxes, giving each other labels; sometimes all that another person needs is for someone to listen. after all, Dont we all have our own story to tell? it sucks when someone just places you as either black or white. Ive been at the wrong side before. who hasn't? who am i to judge you?

pandas are both black and white. yehey! 

 people can't be categorized like socks. what a way to undermine the beauty of humanity @-) when you really look into it, its a wonderful thing to just empathize with another person. To just shut up and understand. Like the people from the story, heaven is a place where people know how to share. share kindness and understanding :) have another dumpling from my 7ft. long chopstick, I know youve been huuuuuuuuungry! 

its just a happy thought today. I dont even know if this completely makes sense :))  anywho I hope you get to find that little piece of heaven!