Wisdom of a Cherry Tree

The Wisdom: A Cherry Tree Ashram: Fruits of Enlightenment

The Puranas (Hindu religious scriptures that include mythology, tradition, etc.) teach us that we should treat trees with as much care and importance as members of our own family. In India, many trees, banyan, pipal, mango, etc., are worshipped. The writer will go further and state, “they should be revered as Sages and Saints.” The writer will now reveal why. The wisdom of a Cherry Tree. So, what is the wisdom of a Cherry Tree. I will tell you. There is an old Cherry tree that has a firm footing in the garden here in the village where the writer resides. It is the Cherry Tree Ashram (the reason for it being an Ashram will become apparent as these writings unfold). It is perhaps over 50 years old, even over a hundred years old. The writer has befriended the tree when he arrived to its Ashram. He communicates with the tree trunk, heart to heart. The Tree witnesses come wind storms or heat or ice or severe cold. The Tree has its firm footing and an unmovable stance. Even when a human being, armed with a chainsaw or hand-saw, begins by amputating its arms out of their own selfishness and fear. The writer pleads not guilty. But the Tree remains solid and unmoved even though, for sure, it feels the amputation without anesthesia. Stark! Oh, there is beautiful real-life drama that took place in Ramanashramam, Tiruvannamalai, Tamil Nadu.

Excerpted from Ramana Maharshi: His Life – A biography by Gabriele Ebert p. 142-143. The Maharshi had the same compassionate attitude towards plants as towards animals. One day workers had been deputed to gather mangoes from one of the trees. But instead of climbing up the tree and picking them one by one, they knocked them down with sticks. In this way a large number of leaves and were knocked down along with the fruit. Ramana, who was as usual sitting in the Hall, heard the beating and sent a message via his attendants that it should stop at once. When he later passed by the tree and saw the mango leaves in heaps on the floor, he cried out harshly, “In return for giving us fruit, is the tree to be beaten with sticks? Who gave you this work? Instead of beating the tree, you might as well cut it to the roots. You need not gather the fruit. Go away!” Sundaresa Iyer reports a similar incident, “One morning K. was cutting down the ripe coconuts from the trees while Bhagavan was returning from the cowshed. Bhagavan asked K. what rod he was using to pluck the coconuts, whether it had a bamboo bit attached to the end or an iron point. K. remarked that it was only an iron sickle. Bhagavan asked, ‘Will not the trees be hurt by the sharp iron? Would not a rod with a bamboo bit at the end serve the purpose?’ But he did not wait for a reply. K. went on with his work without changing his implement. He continued to use the same iron sickle every morning. A week later, at the same time as on the previous occasion, while K. was cutting down the coconuts from the trees, one fell on his forehead, striking his nose very painfully. This news was reported to Bhagavan. While expressing pity for the man, Bhagavan also remarked, ‘Now he will know what it is to be hurt, and also how much his iron sickle must have hurt the uncomplaining trees.

Let us start at the cyclic climate of Europe—allow the writer to begin just before the onset of Spring to the end of winter. Suddenly, hooray, the Cherry tree begins to come out of hibernation and the faint tiny blossoms of white colour start their destined beautiful and eventful journey. Depending not upon the weather, the blossoms start to bloom in their full glory. The Bees, wasps and winged insects wake up to the call. But few weeks before, as if to wake up the Tree, the Blackbird male begins to sing beautiful “bhajans” (songs of praise). The Cherry unselfishly shares its nectar to all nectar loving insects, for they are all welcome. Perhaps, not unselfish, but selfish or egoistic, in a sense that, in the absence of the winged insects, which cross pollinate the blooms, there would arise no fruits nor liquors nor chocolates, etc., for selfish human consumption, out of greed, of course. But the Tree is not egoistic at all, we will realize this further on. What message has the wise Tree in mind? What message is the Sage wanting to depart to others? It certainly cannot speak nor scroll its messages. They say, “only the wise know the wise.” It remains silent! Heart to Heart. Within a period of some weeks, green starts to flange those blooms. Gradually, the winds blow the pedals off onto the ground and lawn to beautifully sanctify the path of the seekers who trample it. The wise Tree, in readiness, sprouts its beautiful leaves, so it can nourish itself by basking in stronger Sunlight, as the destined Earth revolves southward, bringing much needed warmth northward. Springtime is here. Blackbird singing as the chorus of birds (bhajans) overwhelms dawn. Who sings those beautiful songs in the throats of birds? The Lord of the Heart does, of course. Tangibly, the days get longer. The Blackbird has, egoistically, mapped its territory in the garden, and its long-term mate, is called upon to start building a nest for the future generation to come. Blackbirds are very loyal and will stay with their partner until death. Animals are mostly governed by the cyclic nature, so are the human animals to some extent, but, additionally, humanity is mostly motivated by avarice.

They say, “Love is in the air” at spring time. Why? It is true. Males and females look to make love, have sexual enjoyment. However, it is also the time of the year when some seekers of truth experience the deepest sense of the Reality, that is Love, and the time of the year to plant the seed of Spirituality, for you shalt harvest thy destined reward. The wise interprete “Love is in the air” as the Love of the Self, which is tangibly in the air, rejuvenating the world anew, from winter blues and egoistic cobwebs of the blue-past. This “love” that springs in air, is in reality, the Love that is of the “Self.” For it should be or read correctly–as time to look is in the now, not backward nor forward, but the present. Look, blossoms everywhere. Then, the wise Tree feeds those green buds of its blossoms and they ripen to turn red into deeper red, in due course, for the winged insects have done their destined task and fed their colony in turn. Where does the chain of benevolence and eternal divine Love end? Those unpollinated blooms are wasted away, rightly, for they bear no fruit. Here the writer quotes Jesus (John 15), “I am the true vine, and my Father is the gardener. He cuts off every branch in me that bears no fruit, while every branch that does bear fruit he prunes, so that it will be even more fruitful.” The leaves gather pace in huge numbers, providing shelter from the midday sun, whilst the birds perch on the branches dancing and the kissing doves fall in love. There is animosity in the air. The wings of the Doves slapping each other on the perched branches, for rival males are unwelcomed, yet, the Tree remains unmoved. As spring comes to a timely close, cherries are abundant and ripe, Blackbird fledglings leave their nests, whilst the male toils to feed and teach its young, gorging on ripe cherries on the Tree branches and on the ground. The writer, in his book, The Yoga of Death, Book 1, has narrated about the Blackbird as a Yogi. The writer calls them “Yogi birds.” Now, here is the wisdom of the Cheery Tree. Does the Tree discriminate who eats its fruits? Who shelters under its shade? The Tree remains unmoved, yet feeds all alike who like cherries. Shelters the wise and the ignorant alike. Murderer and a Sage alike. The Tree remains unmoved. Then, walks in the human being onto the scene. He chases the starlings gorging in large numbers those delicious cherries. The human claims those fruits as his. Copyright! The Tree is unmoved. The human plucks a plateful and that’s it, yet, there is abundance of fruit hanging on the Tree’s branches. The writer tastes one fruit of the Tree as holy “prasad.” The cherry fruit feeds wasps, worms, flies, birds, humans—whoever like cherries. The Tree remains unmoved. Stormy winds and heavy rain dislodge those delicate cherries from the branches. Those fallen cherries feed the fledglings, starlings, blackbirds, doves, blue-tits, sparrows, worms, ants, shrews, mice, hedgehogs, moles, etc. The Tree’s bark is flaky, sheltering dudus (Swahili for insects) and worms, which in turn feed woodpeckers. Flies lay their eggs in the fruit’s flesh—protein for birds. The fallen fruit rot and flies lay their eggs in the rotting fruit. It is food for ants and moles and others. The fallen fruit fertilizes the ground and feeds worms, but a human being rakes the fruit away so as not to foul the grass. The human being does not realize the benevolence of the fallen fruit nor that of the Tree. Let life flow. The rotten fruit rots and shrivels, bearing its kernel. Food and free fertilizer. In fact, the Tree fertilizes itself—it is self-sufficient; see this clearly. Summer solstice arrives and the fruits on the west-north side become ripe. The ripened fruit does not last long—its flesh rots. Some like the fermented rot, for it is a natural alcoholic beverage for some. The writer has not seen a drunken bird yet. By the end of the first week in July, the fruit is almost finished, and the feeding frenzy is over. The Yogi-bird’s fledglings have grown. There are some kernels left hanging around for the next batch of feeders in the autumn and winter months. The hot summer is on the trail, but the Tree provides its cooling shade for all who take shelter under it. An Ashram that welcomes all and feeds all for FREE one who arrive in time for lunch. Can we grasp the Tree’s wisdom here? A true Sage does not discriminate. The fruits of enlightenment are to be frenzied upon by all! A Sage makes this possible, not via the ego, but via his silent countenance of the Self. The Tree shares, “the cherry-fruit.” One fruit Ramana Maharshi shared, “Who Am I.”

The writer quotes S. S. Cohen on Sri Bhagavan Ramana Mahrashi, “O Bhagavan, how mighty you are and how sublime and all-pervasive is the immaculate purity of your mind! With what tender emotions do we, your disciples, think of your incomparable qualities, your gentleness; your serene, adorable countenance, your cool, refreshing smiles; the sweetness of the words that come out of your mouth; the radiance of your all-embracing love; your equal vision towards one and all, even towards stray animals!”

Autumn clouds gather and there is chill in the air. The Tree begins to show-off its gorgeous yellowed leaves near the end of summer–it gets ready to shed its leaves. It is nearly time the Ashram almost closes for the winter months. The arrival of red and black squirrels announces winter. They gather those kernels left over on the ground and store them.

By the end of November, most if not all the leaves have fallen. Fertilizer and food in abundance for worms. Hedgehogs gather those leaves to insulate their home. The Tree is unmoved. Bitter Cold, snow, ice, rain, short days, grey, marks those long winter months. The Tree remains unmoved. It will come to pass. Some kernels of those delicious cherries hanging on precarious branches makes the acrobatic squirrels a spectacle to watch. The Tree is stripped bare of its glory. It will come to pass. The Tree has witnessed it all—events come and go. The Tree remains unmoved, Silent. Now, tell me if there are “Fruits of Enlightenment” dotted here and there? Why humanity does not see this? For most have not developed their “Eye of Wisdom.” For Humanity, mostly, expend their time chasing happiness outwith the Self and fattening their bank balances. Do you think Sages and Saint do not adorn different garments or forms? That is why a fruit Trees, like this Cherry Tree, are to be revered as silent Sages! This is Seeing God As He Really Is.