Advice from a 126-year old Monk
February 15, 2016 • Insights on Life, Learn
Swami Bua was a dear friend of mine. I was first introduced to him when I lived as a monk at Kauai’s Hindu Monastery in Hawaii. My guru had known Swami Bua for years now and had invited him to spend a week or so with us at the monastery to celebrate a yearly festival. Swami Bua accepted and spent the week with the monks at the monastery.
I was one of his hosts and had the great pleasure and blessing to have had many conversations with him during his few visits to the monastery over the course of a few years.
I recently came across this conversation which I had with him in the monastery and had written down in my monastic journal.
28th June 2004
Dandapani: “Swami Bua, what is the best advice you can give for someone who is practicing yoga?” *
Swami Bua: “Some insects have only 2 senses. Some 3. Animals have 4 senses. But man has 6 senses. The sixth being intuition. Intuition to discriminate. Discrimination is the key. Discriminating between what is right and wrong.”
* Yoga here refers to the entire 8-step practice and not what the modern day world refers to as postures (asana).
Swami Bua and I having a conversation at Kauai’s Hindu Monastery in Hawaii. Circa 2004.
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