Two-Trains Running
By Michael Erlewine
Sorry about my “End of the World” street-corner approach. It is just the effect of my worry about our Samsaric existence, if you will.
A good friend died and he, as far as I can tell, just went along with the process, whatever that may be. I pray that he went against the samsaric grain and did not bend to Samsara’s habits.
A careful study of Samsara reveals that few have ever pushed back against Samsara’s habit of habituating us to its will, not just for this lifetime, but according to the teachings for innumerable lifetimes and eons of time.
Of course, the closest I am to understanding all this was my major stroke which stripped me of what I called my Self for days, weeks, and almost months.
And this was sealed by my root teacher, Khenpo Karthar Rinpoche, explaining to me that as hard as the stroke was for me to negotiate, this was a good experience for me BECAUSE, so he said, this is exactly what I will experience when I die and enter the bardo, something I am almost totally unprepared for.
I have heard all kinds of things from dharma students, that at death we will be guided, that our main guru will appear and show us the way. Why do I doubt this?
I had questions before my stroke, and these people’s thoughts fly in the face of what Rinpoche said to me personally, that we best had better bone-up and prepare for death and the bardo experience. During that stroke I realized very clearly that I am NOT prepared, not even close.
And so, how much do I want to stop my normal samsaric busyness and distractions to take a look at what happens at the time of our death. It’s up to me.
And that is why you find me standing on the corner of Facebook, Substack, and Medium trying to flag you down and put the above question to you directly, one on one, in an attempt to talk about it.
And yes, it is not all that different from others before me, if not pointing out what Rinpoche said to me, then asking you if you are ready to meet your maker.
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I don’t know what that is, ‘meeting your maker’, yet I do know my own experience which tells me what I laid out above, that there are two trains running here.
The train we are used to is our life here in Samsara, but the other train is what happens when we die and enter the bardo.
Just to not get too serious, here is a fun tune.
“TWO TRAINS RUNNING”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZhxTX7qZUAY
“Two Trains Running” that my band “The Prime Movers Blues Band” did back in the 1960s.
That’s me singing and at the very end playing some harmonica during the credits, and a lot of photos of my brother Dan, our lead guitar, and some shots of Iggy Pop, our drummer at the time.
[Midjourney AI graphic prompted by me.]
EMAIL Michael@Erlewine.net Note: If you would like to have access to other free books, articles, and videos on these topics, here are the links: SpiritGrooves.com.
As Bodhicitta is so precious,
May those without it now create it,
May those who have it not destroy it,
And may it ever grow and flourish.
