Bell of Peace

Hungry for peace, that's the characteristic of contemporary life everywhere. Many people are such hungry for peace, some even pay very expensive price travelling around the world simply to find peace. Once they return back home, peace simply disappear.

Outer Bell

Learning from experience like this, inner travellers learn to rely less on outer sources of peace, then spending more energy on peace that’s rooted within. All signs outside such as beautiful scenery, good food, other's praise are only bells which are used as reminder that the true peace is within.

Blooming beautiful flowers, the singing birds, warm sunrise are all mirrors which disclosing the true peace within. For that reason, whatever the daily experiences (good or bad, pleasant or unpleasant) learn to use it as a reminder that the root of peace is within.

On the path of deep meditation, whatever the blessing of this moment learn to be in one. Let's take work as an example. While most people work to achieve result, in this path work is work. Work is peace, peace is work. Any inner travellers who are one with all calling of this moment break the first seal of peace which is called karma mudra (the seal of action). In this stage, the subject (person who work) is one with the object (work). Do not be surprised if one can find perfection simply by working for the sake of working.

Inner Bell

Once practitioners grow deep enough within, then they reduce any dependence on external bells, and begin to listen the bells of peace inside. Body, senses, mind are part of the bells inside. In deep meditation, it is called inner textures. For example, when the taste of food is ordinary then a person tends to eat at a normal pace. But once the taste is very delicious, then the speed of eating tend to be quicker. That's one example of inner texture.

Through deep meditation, one by one the inner textures are recognized. The form, the pattern, the time of emergence are all recognized. Every time the inner textures appear, they are all bells reminding to get back to the roots of peace within. It is certainly not easy, it takes a long time to be able to hear the inner bells. Most people are drowned and swept away by the current inside without having any chance to recognize it.

In this path of peace, the inner bells are used to illuminate the inner darkness. A kind of transformation from unconsciousness into consciousness. By following this approach, a person learns to free him/herself from two seals of peace at once which is jhnana mudra (seal of knowledge) and samaya mudra (seal of time). The result of deeply listen to the inner bells, one is totally absorbed within. Consequently, the grip of knowledge is loosening, at the same time the past and the future are no longer threatening.

Life as Bell

When the bell outside is one with the bell inside, then the wider door of peace is opened. In the beginning of meditation, practitioner only aware of an object like breath. After that meditator learn to recognize the object and the subject. At the end, both object and subject dissolve into pure awareness.

At this level, life itself is peace. Inner travellers are already resemble the sky. Whatever appear in life are clouds that are impermanent. A practitioner has been similar to the screen. Each event of life are only pictures that come and go. And the screen is untouched and unaffected. This is the state that is free from the final seal of peace which is called mahamudra (great seal). As soon as one arrived here, a person has an awesome love intelligence. Love is no longer constrained by knowledge, time, and any kind of discrimination. People call it unconditional love.

In the language of a spiritual friend: "unless you are total with yourself, love will never glow". Only when someone is total with each present moment, then love can glow beautifully. While the ordinary people struggle to love, in this level of peace, life itself is love. Love is as natural as water which is wet, as natural as honey which is sweet. This is the ultimate peace, the peace that give birth to love, kindness and compassion.