Gabriel Rosenstock - The Pleasantries of Krishnamurphy: Revelations from an Irish Ashram

The Pleasantries of Krishnamurphy Revelations from an Irish ashram Gabriel Rosenstock Non-Duality Press T he P leasantries of K rishnamurphy First edition published December 2011 by N ON -D UALITY P RESS Gabriel Rosenstock 2011 Non-Duality Press 2011 Gabriel Rosenstock has asserted his right under the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act, 1988, to be identified as author of this work. All rights reserved No part of this book may be reproduced or utilized in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, without prior permission in writing from the Publisher. N ON -D UALITY P RESS | PO Box 2228 | Salisbury | SP2 2GZ United Kingdom ISBN: 978-1-908664-06-8 www. non-dualitypress.com The Forest Sages Disciple: In your wonderful discourse on the Krishnamurphy: Stop right there! No praise, please. The Muni Suffa says, Tranquil indeed the sage who steadfastly walks alone, unmoved by blame and by praise. You were about to say? Disciple: Er, in your not so wonderful discourses on the forest sages of Thailand, you mentioned Ajahn Chan.

Im just wondering, is he a relation of Jackie Chan? Krishnamurphy: Best question Ive heard this morning! (Except, of course, his name was Chah, not Chan ) Anything else? Disciple: What about reincarnation? Krishnamurphy: You mean, Chah becoming Chan? Disciple: Reincarnation in general. Krishnamurphy: We try to avoid generalities here! (And generals.) That Flemish haikuist who visited us once writes about flies flyku ! Whats his name? Disciple: Is this some kind of a koan? Krishnamurphy: Ah yes, Geert Verbeke. Doesnt believe in reincarnation. He told me, Even in a previous life, I did not believe in reincarnation. The Past Disciple: I did bad things in the past. Me. Me.

Krishnamurphy: Is the past real? Or just a bad dream? Reality is now and eternal and fully awake. You say I and me. Is this the same I and me that did bad things in the past? Wake up to the real I. We need an I-opener here! What was it Yeats said: I am looking for the face I had before the world was made Disciple: But the past still haunts me. Krishnamurphy: Does it really? Does the past actually haunt you or are you haunting the past? Wake up to the now and stop annoyin me. Disciple: How do I awake? Krishnamurphy: You wake up in the morning, dont you? Well then, every morning when you awake, simply say I - am - awake! Disciple: Will that work? Krishnamurphy: What, you want me to say it for you? Disciple: How do I say it? With joy, with reverence, nonchalantly? Krishnamurphy: Any way you like as long as you mean it.

Just keep saying it. Soon youll be saying it in your sleep! Disciple: Are you trying to convert us? Krishnamurphy: No conversion, inversion, perversion or anything else of the kind. Subversion, maybe! The lawgiver Manu suggested that conversions be outlawed. Wisdom and compassion are enough. A true teacher awakens these. But you do not have to convert to anything.

The essence of all the religions is wisdom and compassion. In fact, you do not have to have any religion at all. You can find wisdom and compassion in yourself. Have you the patience to look for them? The desire? If not, go home! Disciple: So, my sins are washed away if I awaken to wisdom and compassion? Easy as that? Krishnamurphy: What were your sins that trouble you so? Disciple: Sins with a boy Krishnamurphy: Sarmad who fell in love with a Dervish boy says in a truly remarkable poem: Forget the torment the guilt of your misdeeds: The Eye of Mercy loves the beauty of sin Krishnamurphy and the Mullah The Mullah Nasroodeen called on Krishnamurphy. I would like to have a look at your followers, he growled. (Assassins the Mullah called them). (Assassins the Mullah called them).

The Mullah whistled in astonishment, walked around, gawked at them up and down and then, gazing solemnly, in silence, a look of pity softened his weather-battered face. What a sorry lot! he sighed. Turning to their Master, he bleated: In heavens name, Krishnamurphy, what are you feeding them on? Well, you know they need to be sharp, so we dont fill our bellies here, Nasroodeen! This morning, for instance, Cook put 40 empty bowls on the table Empty bowls?! A lesson. To remind them all of nothingness also of course, the Buddhist monks simple begging bowl the bowl of the haikuist Santka, gathering hailstones and so on Rubbish! Man does not live on emptiness alone! Or hailstones for that matter! I am inviting all of them over to my place this evening for some decent nosh. OK, said Krishnamurphy, fine, I might get a little peace around here. Maybe I am finding some peace too, murmured Cook who had overheard every sour syllable.

The Mullah and his donkey disappeared in a cloudlet of dust. *** Well? said Krishnamurphy when the disciples returned later that evening. How was the grub? Grubby! It was meant to be mutton, said a disciple, but it wasnt. Ram! shouted another. Ram Ram, Gandhis last words when he was shot, mumbled Krishnamurphy to himself. The disciples seemed to be rather excited or deflated to an unusual degree, the usually taciturn ones very talkative and the good communicators empty-eyed and stuck for words.

Something strange has happened, thought Krishnamurphy. A bloody old ram! said one, not known for his outspokenness. A chorus began: Yes, the Mullahs pet ram had died of advanced arthritis And sundry other ailments Tough as old boots he was in spite of the Maha Narayan oil that the Mullah applied to his joints every night Chewing for an hour I was Got horribly sick Krishnamurphy interrupted this sad litany. Dear me! Our own Cook isnt all that bad then, is he? Cook, lurking in the shadows, nodded solemnly, hopefully. Krishnamurphy didnt wait for a reply. Did Nasroodeen not offer any sauces or condiments? Ash! I beg your pardon? Ash! said an ashen-faced disciple.

Vibhuti , sacred ash! said another. Nonsense. Nothing of the kind. Some kind of fine volcanic ash. Disgusting! said a third. Totally weird, man! exclaimed a fourth, hissing.

Hmmm murmured Krishnamurphy. How very strange. Did he at least offer some spiritual fare, some words of wisdom, perhaps? Nothing. Zilch! Just giggled. The mans insane! Yeah, inane just giggled all the time, watching us eat. Didnt touch it himself, of course.

And when we got up to go, all he said was, Better than Krishnamurphys ashram, eh? The Incandescent Self Disciple: Why is the Buddha called The Awakened One? Krishnamurphy: Because he anticipated all of you sleepy heads! What will I do with ye at all? Im moidered. As cracked as crows ye are! Disciple: How do we awake? Krishnamurphy: You are that already. What, are you asleep? Just wake up every morning and say I - am - awake! Bathe in the bliss of being. Disciple: How? Krishnamurphy: Just allow me the pleasure, the honour, to assist you in jumping out of your skin. That is all. If you want to jump back in again that is your own business.

Disciple: Could you put it another way? Krishnamurphy: A thousand ways! But what are words? What are metaphors? What is enlightenment? Disciple: If you could answer that Krishnamurphy: You are already enlightened you could not be anything else but you dont see it. You are a candle, brimful with latent enlightenment. I merely seek to light the candle. Nothing else. You do the rest. You are the rest.

Disciple: How do you, so to speak, light the candle? Krishnamurphy: A timely glance. A word. By using every trick in the book and a few of my own. Disciple: And then? Krishnamurphy: The candle burns. Its as simple as that. Disciple: To extinction? Krishnamurphy: Extinction of the form, yes, of the ego.