I am heading out on a holiday for the next couple of weeks, and I thought “why leave all of you to have fun and rest, when I can give y’all some homework to do!”
So, here’s my holiday quiz for all you active treasure hunters!
During the ‘middle’ phase of the journey, it is useful to keep rolling over a clue in your mind all the time. It helps chip away at all the maps you have accumulated. Who knows, you might see the flower as it really is! Anytime! So, be alert!
Okie..I have listed in this post, 10 clues to keep your treasure hunt on track, while I am away.
If you have been a serious treasure hunter, following all the clues, you will enjoy facing off to them. I have given a few hints to help you along.
One small request – do share your answers to these puzzles on the facebook page or on the site or by sending me an e-mail. I’d really love to hear your insights. Your answers will guide me on future clues I can give you.
Okie…sleeves all rolled up. Here we go!
1. Take a look at this guy. He seems to be unaffected by all the gold coins around him. He’s not reaching out to grab them. Nor is he looking at them with interest. On the contrary, he is grinning as if he knows something and is challenging us to know it as well. So, what does he know?
2. You may have heard of Zen koans…they are puzzles that monks practice with to achieve a breakthrough in their understanding. Here’s a version of a popular koan. Give it a go!
If a tree falls in a forest
Will it still make a sound
if there is no one around to hear it?
(Hint: There is no mystery here!)
3. Two people were arguing in the outdoors. “What is moving? The flag or the wind?”. Hui-Neng answered “Neither”. So, what is moving?
4. You are probably in a job…and I hope you are happy with it. By the way, did you find the job or did the job find you?
(Hint: Think back to how you got the job – and how one moment led to another.)
5. Is the sky blue? Really?
(Hint: A simple google search can get you started!)
6. Which chamber were you in, before you were born?
(Hint: That is where your original face is!)
7. When you touch another person
Does body touch body?
Does mind touch body?
Does mind touch mind?
(Hint: You’ll figure this out once you practice relaxed attention!)
8. Have you solved the riddle of ‘Big Ben’ and the sage yet?
(Hint: Check out the April fool’s day joke)
9. You pursue a number of desires throughout your life
You pursue all these desires,
in order to fulfill your deepest desire.
What then, is your deepest desire?
10. A young man does not grow old
Because when he is old, he is no longer the young man
But, an old man doesn’t grow old either
Because he is already an old man!
So, who changed over time? Who remained the same?
Phew. I know that sounds like a lot to do as homework, but am sure you will enjoy working with them. You may come up with more than one answer, and some of them may be cranky – but that’s ok by me. Just post them or e-mail them to me; would love to hear from you.
After I am back, our climb will get steeper. So, keep your oxygen tanks ready.
Meanwhile, I am off prancing in the Himalayas. See you in a couple of weeks!
Take care and be well.
The Urban Monk diaries 
The old monk is satisfied and self contained.He is smiling due to two reasons:
1)He has found eternal wealth and is totally immersed in his internal treasure.Having found his permanent treasure trove he now is free from desire thus being eternally happy.
2)The other reason of his smile is that having known his real treasure he understands the fictional and transient nature of external wealth and thus the smile on his face is that like on the face of a child who knows of the prank being played on him.
@Shoonyata: very thoughtful answers. i can imagine the effort you put in to this. thanks. I am sure many others will be inspired by it as well.
You would have noticed while attempting this, that the answers we come up with vary wildly, depending on our emotional mood at that time and the thoughts occupying our mind at that time.
As we calm the mind-body, we see the question-answer appear clearer and clearer, as flashes of insight.
You can keep going with this all the way: till you directly touch the 1 common answer to all these questions.
Good luck!
Just want to say what a great blog you got here!
I’ve been around for quite a lot of time, but finally decided to show my appreciation of your work!
Thumbs up, and keep it going!
Cheers
Christian, Satellite Direct Tv
Dear Urbanmonk,
I don’t profess to be a student of philosophy, and don’t get enough time to read about such interesting subjects, although I would like to. Here is my humble attempt at responding to your “quiz”. Hope you enjoy your trek in the Himalayas.
Quiz & Responses :
1. Take a look at this guy. He seems to be unaffected by all the gold coins around him. He’s not reaching out to grab them. Nor is he looking at them with interest. On the contrary, he is grinning as if he knows something and is challenging us to know it as well. So, what does he know?
Response : He knows that he doesn’t “own” the gold coins, so he doesn’t let them take control of his mind. He has sublimated from the need to cling to material possessions, knowing that the “Truth” lies elsewhere.
2. You may have heard of Zen koans…they are puzzles that monks practice with to achieve a breakthrough in their understanding. Here’s a version of a popular koan. Give it a go!
If a tree falls in a forest
Will it still make a sound
if there is no one around to hear it?
Response : To produce sound, there has to be a source, a medium and a receiver. In the absence of any one of these factors, sound is not produced.
3. Two people were arguing in the outdoors. “What is moving? The flag or the wind?”. Hui-Neng answered “Neither”. So, what is moving?
Response : The mind.
4. You are probably in a job…and I hope you are happy with it. By the way, did you find the job or did the job find you?
Response : The job found me. Conditions existed that made it happen; people transpired, situations presented themselves, and the marked dominoes fell at the right time.
5. Is the sky blue? Really?
Response : It is our perception that makes it appear to be “blue”, due to the reflection / selective absorption of light reflecting off particles in the atmosphere. The colours change depending on the frequency of the light / refraction, and the distance it has to penetrate through the atmospheric layers.
6. Which chamber were you in, before you were born?
Response : Before we are born, we must exist in every chamber, but do in none. For there is no definitive form to that “face”, there is only free energy – which exists everywhere, but not as the “face” we are accustomed to think we are.
7. When you touch another person
Does body touch body?
Does mind touch body?
Does mind touch mind?
(Hint: You’ll figure this out once you practice relaxed attention!)
Response : At a superficial level, this is subject to interpretations :
• If “when you touch another person” here means the act of making physical contact with another body, it is “body touching body”.
• If another person is “touched” at an emotional level, and responds with a physical gesture – that could be interpreted as “mind touching body”.
• The obvious interpretation is that “mind touches mind”.
For the enlightened one all that exists is nothing but the Self.
8. Have you solved the riddle of ‘Big Ben’ and the sage yet?
Response : Scarcity is a result of limitations that we impose upon ourselves. This is similar to a Charlie Brown strip when he builds a wall around himself with building blocks, and then screams out for help. Scarcity (much like the “fear” that Charlie created for himself) is a situation created by egos, mismanagement, inequality, malpractices, greed, power and corruption. In the fullness of time (pun intended) this will resolve itself, as per the Laws of Nature.
Fullness is everywhere.
9. You pursue a number of desires throughout your life
You pursue all these desires,
in order to fulfill your deepest desire.
What then, is your deepest desire?
Response : To know the Truth.
10. A young man does not grow old
Because when he is old, he is no longer the young man
But, an old man doesn’t grow old either
Because he is already an old man!
So, who changed over time? Who remained the same?
Response : “Young” and “Old” are dimensions on opposing ends of a timescale, which is relative to the physical position of the person at a particular instant, in comparison to his physical position at another. While ageing occurs of the physical body, the spirit is eternal, and undergoes no change along this dimension.