It’s almost four months since I shifted from the higher ground of cooler Dhamdara community. My quarter was so small and I was wondering why even the ceilings were higher than usual and the kitchen and latrine had no ventilation. Nobody would guess it right if someone who lived there before did not tell. The place had two advantages that befitted healthy living as it was cooler and tranquil. The quarter had been the car garage! Car garage converted to an uncomfortable residence! More over it was a difficult place to park my car, especially when I am an amateur driver myself.
My present residence is king size in comparison to Dhamdara garage. We were happy and comfortable at the present residence; the water was 24 hours service, there was spacious and secure parking lot. Three months passed and everything seemed to fall into Gross National Happiness decorum. September end, the owner began to excavate adjacent to the building to construct another one. Trucks brought in iron rods and other things. Our parking lot was accumulated with materials and our cars were driven out then. Even otherwise we could not squeeze in since the steep road was destroyed and muddied. The gates remained closed sadly. There was lot of other vehicles outside and parking was a big problem. October 15th morning I was shocked to see that my driver side rear mirror was broken to pieces, and this was that second time.
Who do I blame? My annoyance reeled me with headache throughout the day. I wanted to track down the culprits somehow. I can’t go to the police because their interrogations will be harsher than the broken mirror. When have the police considered such miniscule matter important? Unless one finds ones’ dear belongings gone one never feels the pinch. On one occasion I even thought I should break the mirrors, in the dead of night, of those cars parked in my place. I had reasons to doubt any others then. I have a strong suspicion to the chowkidar of the forest office. I have been informed by someone that this man had an infamous reputation of doing such things if cars are parked in the area of his jurisdiction.
By evening I got my mirror repaired and was cooler. I recalled my sinful thoughts and repented for the dark ambitions. After all as a Buddhist I knew that it is ones’ karma coming back ripe. I could not blame any one then. Anyone who has done that has removed me from the shackles of my unmeritorious thought and I am now so much grateful to him or her.
Our thoughts are guided by the circumstances, if circumstances are good, good thoughts arise if bad circumstances affect us our thoughts are then bad. This is why we are still within this samsara. Buddhas are those whose thoughts are not guided by the circumstances…and I wish I was a Buddha…I have sinned now because I have demonstrated bad thoughts.
