One day, a monk decides to meditate alone, away from his monastery. He takes his boat out to the middle of the lake, moors it there, closes his eyes, breathes normally and begins his meditation. After a few hours of undisturbed silence and in a deep meditative state, he suddenly feels the bump of another boat colliding with his own pretty hard. With his eyes still closed, he senses his anger rising and his face turns almost red with fury. By the time he opens his eyes, he is ready to scream at the boatman who dared disturb his meditation.
But when he opens his eyes, he sees it’s an empty boat that had probably got untethered and floated to the middle of the lake not knowing whether there was another boat floating by. At that moment, the monk achieves self-realization and understands that the anger is within him, it merely needs the bumps of an external object to provoke it out of him.
From then on, whenever he comes across someone who irritates him or provokes him to anger, he reminds himself, ‘The other person is merely an empty boat. The anger is within me. It is not outside. I have to understand from where my anger is coming.’ Take time for introspection and search for your answers within yourself. Learn from your mistakes and be kind and gentle to whomever you come across in your life. Empty boat is simply a famous and fabulous metaphor. Its value lies in its implementation.
Every aspect of our lives needs to be reflected and contemplated through the lens of Timeless Wisdom. Being content and grateful are the keys to living a life free from anger and bitterness. Be a Light unto Yourself.
Live Life fully, Enjoy in the being of Life and Look Fab…………………
Really well put! 🙂
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Thanks for the beautiful comment
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Most welcome! 🙂
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Thanks.
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Much needed wisdom ✌ victorious attitude.
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Yes and what a great attitude that we all r empty boats then why be angry. Thanks for the beautiful comment.
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True… good moral here 😁 learned.. thank you too.
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Welcome Liavi and these stories are eye openers in themselves and speak the truth.
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Indeed the truth and an eye opener 🙏 hope it reaches out to the world.
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Yes hope so that people today realize what with our anger our beautiful world is turning out to be. Thanks once again Liavi.
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😊 pleasure is mine.
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Thanks dear
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Beautiful Story Kamal. I hope I get the realization of an empty boat, the next time I get angry 🙂
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Yes absolutely true Deepika but we r humans though we can try and cut down on our anger. These stories are eye openers for all of us. Thanks for the beautiful comment.
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“Being content and grateful are the keys to living a life free from anger and bitterness.”- well said!
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A good read indeed.
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Thanks Pradhan
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Thanks Indira for your great comments and yes these qualities will take us away from anger.
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Wonderful realization for me too! 🙂 I’ll remember this when I get angry, thank you.
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Thanks Megala and yes why not cause there is no one but us so who r we getting angry at.
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Reblogged this on in sacred Presence and commented:
To understand from where our anger is coming…
God bless you Kamal, and all Precious Ones 💜🙏
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Thanks dear Leon for rebloggin and yes so true that our anger comes from within us there is no one outside of us. God bless to u too.
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great lesson!
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Thanks Jodi
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Reblogged this on bodyandsoulnourishmentblog and commented:
What a great lesson to make us reflect and introspect into the nature of our emotions!!! Thank you dear Kamal ! Sending light and joy your way, Amira 🙂
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I completely agree with you, Amira and such a beautiful inspiring story that there is no one outside of us then who are we getting angry on. There is only emptiness everywhere. Thanks so much for your reblogging my work. I feel so happy that these stories reach out to so many wonderful people. Love and light to you too dear.
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Love this story Kamal. A good lesson. 💕
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Thanks Karen and yes absolutely true. There is no one outside of us but we so who are we getting angry with but an empty emptiness.
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A wonderful post and moral shared!! The post was as if truly meant for as recently experienced my anger and after effects the feelings and consequences of that anger
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Yes Tanvir I so agree with your words totally even sometimes same thing happens with me too but when we remember these true stories then we come to realise who are we angry with, there is no one but us. Thanks dear so much for your comments.
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So beautiful! Thank you, Kamal! ~Anita
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Thanks so much for your beautiful words, Anita.
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It is my pleasure, Kamal! 😊❤️
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Thanks dear Anita
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Of course…this post is very introspective…that’s why I like it…keep it up!
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Thanks dear Zaza for these beautiful words.
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Thank you for sharing this interesting Zen story. It inspires me to compose this run of haiku in response:
serenity stirred
anger arises within
aware of feeling
shutting eyes and mind
oblivious of world around
bump is wake up call
own boat crushed and leaked
crossed over to empty boat
towed boats back to shore
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Awesome haiku composed and it was amazing. That sure is an Empty Boat and we are all empty without any anger. Thanks so much for the beautiful feedback. Have a wonderful day.
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Thank you. I share published this in my blog so others may share the boat story.
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Welcome for your kind gesture and yes so nice that so many people come to know the story about the Empty Boat.
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Kamal, this a live lesson story, for all of us human beings. Thank you from the bottom of my awareness for sharing it.
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Thank you dear Cornelia for these wonderful words and yes these stories are eye openers for all of us and how when we are angry or having negative thoughts about someone this story will definitely come before us cause there is no one but us in this whole gamut. Love and hugs to you dear.
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Agreed, thank you Kamal
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Welcome dear Cornelia.
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A great lesson and a great post! Thank you for sharing!
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Welcome and thanks for your lovely words.
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Absolutely lovely story Kamal … all emotions only come from within, know them in order to quiet them 🙂
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Yes so true and agree with your comments, Kate. Nothing is outside of us everything is within so why not go and search into ourselves and this story is an eye opener for us.
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indeed it is, thanks for sharing your wisdom 🙂
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Welcome dear Kate, have a lovely day.
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thanks K
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Welcome.
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Very well written 👏👏
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Thanks Sanskriti.
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Again a wonderful post with eyes opening lesson.👌 We can’t control everyone or every circumstances but we can always control the way we react to them. Disturbing Anger or eternal peace , both lies in us.
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Yes Lavanya I so agree totally with your words. Everything is in us there is no one outside of us, everyone and everything in creation is an empty boat so why then do we get angry. Thanks for these superb words.
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Wow…what a great way to think about anger. I really needed that. Thank you for sharing!
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Thanks for the beautiful comment and yes sometimes we all require these stories for our own good.
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Very interesting and meaningful post.
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Thanks dear Rekha.
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Beautifully written, so wise and true words expressed through the lovely metaphor of an empty boat.
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Thanks dear for your great comments and yes such a great story and to know that there is no one out there but u.
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This is really thought-provoking! Loved it 🙂
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Thanks for the beautiful comment Neha.
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My pleasure 🙂
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Welcome dear
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🙂
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Thanks.
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Wow!! 👏👏
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Thanks so much Deshi
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Beautiful, Kamal! Thank you for this!
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Welcome dear Kunal.
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Dear KamaL: I have nominated you with love for this challenge. (Participation Is totally optional). Here is the link: https://amiracarluccio.com/2018/08/04/the-three-day-lyrical-challenge-day-1-2/
Sending light and love your way, Amira
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Thanks for the kind gesture Amira will try my best to take this challenge.
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You gave such a beautiful message👌
Thanks for sharing
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Welcome and thanks for the beautiful comment Bhawu. These stories are eye openers in themselves and speak the truth.
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Spreading messages indeed.
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Welcome Moushmi
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Every time we get angry it is better we keep some thing handy to touch to make us remember that the anger has come within of us.
Good One Kamal
Shiva
👌
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Yes this analogy is a good handy instrument to remind us of this story when we get angry. Thanks for the beautiful comment Shiva
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Great post. So true
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Thanks dear for your great comments.
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Beautiful! Beautiful! Beautiful!
Best wishes
Amrita 💕
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Thanks so much for your superb words Amrita.
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Anger! An emotion that can kill relationships and break bridges.
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Yes for sure and anger is an emotion that kills any relationship in life. This story is so apt. Thanks dear.
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Superb story..nd anger is our great enemy
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Thanks for the response and yes anger our greatest destroyer.
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