The greater the dharma, the greater the obstacle. That might just be self-soothing for when things get rough. On the other hand, there is a deep truth here, verified many times by tumultuous and disruptive incdidents during meaningful teachings, events and plans. And so it goes…
The 17-hour flight to Bangkok was unremarkable. I had an empty seat beside me and sleep at least 8 fitful hours during the trip.
It was routine: arrival formalities, baggage pick-up, change money, get my Thai cell phone SIM card charged up, and head out to the taxi stand kiosk. There was no line up, so I was soon paired up with a driver. He was a sullen, stoop-shouldered and middle-aged Thai man, with a dark and brooding demaner. As I followed him, wheeling my cart ful of heavy luggage, I was hoping for the shiny new (like most Bnagkok cars) green and yellow cab. Instead, we entered the one beside it, a fairly borken down bright red mitsubishi.
My trudging driver was wearing a huge Buddha medallion, the kind that Thais love to spend money on, and there were three other large ones dangling from his rearview mirror, while his ceiling was plastered with pictures of the king and queen, some meditating sages..the full paraphenalia.
As we pulled out, he said “cost 500 Bhatt.” As a veteran Asian traveller, I know that, at the worse of times, it is 300 Bhatt from the Sivanabhumi airport to the Sukhumvitt area. Not fond of being literally “taken for a ride,” I called him on it, telling him I pay by the meter and am a very good tipper, as long as the driver is not trying to rip me off. What followed was in unpleasant exchange; I told him to stop and let me off right there. He didn’t, though I should have insisted. What followed was a 40 minutes nightmare along the Thai expressway, at speeds approaching 100 mph, weaving in and out of traffic, the old cab carrening wildly and its enging whining at top speed. His eyes, seen in the rear view mirror, were yellow and blearing, slanted and filled with such rage and despair, furtively scanning back and forth across the lanes. The skin of the back of his ear seemed leathery, shiny and repulsive. No amounts of threats of reporting him, the police or any other strategy was able to slow him down. I eventually decided to just sit back and chill. He was on a deathrace. I thought that this would be an odd way to end my life, but continued to do Vajrakilaya mantras and fill the cab with the blue light of that great Protector.
Miraculously arrivng at my hotel unscatched, the fare was 239. I generously gave him 300, too exhausted from the plane flight and cab ordeal for more emotional tirades. Sure, I may contact cab company, police, maybe even the embassy! But what are the lessons learned here, where death and demons arose to challenge me in my first bright and humid Thai morning?
For me, the human mind comes in four modes and five flavors. The four modes are Power, Excess, Loss and Shadow. What I saw, more clearly than ever, is that it is a very dangerous game to call Shadow out—especially in these times of planetary shake-out. What Shadow fears most is exposure, for Shadow is always based on Loss, on a sense of deficiency and disconnect from one’s real clarity, wisdom and power. The shame and self-hatred of Shadow is such that it will do anything—lie, steal, even kill—to cover up the dark secret of their impoverished being and dark compensations.
Funny, both movies I saw on the plane were about corrupt police officers who were tryig to hide their crimes, their after-hours drug-dealing, illegal murders, executions and so on. My dealings with the Demon Driver of Bangkok were not skillful on my part. I was arrogant in trying to “school” him, to take the moral high road and call him on his thievery, on his hypocrisy. It was like prodding a rabid dog with a stick. Not effective and not compassionate.
Secondly, uprisings and demonic energy can—and does—manifest anywhere. This man covered himself with the exterior of a devout Buddhist, but demonstrated a psychopathic personality and soul of torment. Vigilence, always.
Staying in the quiet, Wisdom Mind, not reacting so quickly Aires, things can be seen as they are, and skillful means is possible. I hope his pain can be transformed and the horrific fear state that possesses him, somehow ameliorated. As told by so many great Tibetan sages, the Demon is our greatest ally, our greatest teacher. I know I will not have long to wait for another opportune meeting, not just in meditation, but in the waking dream we call life.
March 26, 2009 at 7:36 pm |
Lama,
It’s strange how Taxi experiences in Asia seem to be so terrifying. Your learning in that experience is interesting. I’ve always done what you did, schooled the driver in the fair price, threatened to report to the police at the slightest sign of insulate behavior. I even threatened to turn one guy into Shiva at the nearest Hindu temple. When we are in their cab, we are at the mercy of their decisions and demons.
My good friend had a different approach than me. She always gave them what they asked for. She knew they were poorer people, had more wants and desires than us. That they felt smaller than us already and it was the least we could do to share our wealth with them. I always thought this was simply propagating corruption and a sad cycle of entitlement.
Though in retrospect, Lama Wangdu would always do this too. In a pure and compassionate way. I wonder what I would do now, if I found myself in that situation?
November 13, 2009 at 9:49 pm |
Nice story,Same sort of thing happened to me but in Indonesia,I just got back from a homeopathic volunteer trip (oct 2009)
My laptop was stolen(3 days into my trip),At first I was angry,then I thought about why this happened,The average Indonesia is so poor they must of needed this to sell
-perhaps food for their family was needed. Karma will take care of it,not me-I let it go.
Often We dont know why people act so violent(like your taxi driver),so angry,so negative,its not up to us to judge.Just let it roll off your shoulders and move on……….