** A short fictional story **

Internal Reflection

Sometime in the far distant future, near the end of all things material, the great being sat all alone in the night. It was the darkest of nights. No single star existed in heavens. The last of them had winked out decades ago, along with the sun and the moon. One by one all of his companions had died.

All alone with darkness everywhere. Way beyond all hope. The being thought, “I have stayed here way too long. I have seen the highest highs and been the greatest light. Now I have fallen to the deepest utter darkness - I have cursed myself here. Oh where is the light? Why have you forsaken me?”

With that the being bowed his head and looked deeply at his own hand. There within it a thousand lights shown, and within those shown a thousand lights, and so forth and so on. The beautiful lights moved back and forth wondrously swirling around in intricate patterns and bursting into existence.

“What is this?” The being thought in amazement.

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The angels searched far and wide for their fallen friend. “Where is our friend?” They thought. They even traveled into the dark utter darkness beyond the event horizon. Places so deep and dark and scary that only fallen angels had ever dared to go.

“Do you see what I see? Here you are! We have found you.” they said as they came out of the great beings hand. They wrapped their wings around the being with such loving kindness.

They carried the being home singing sweetly, “You are loved - all things are love.” There were visions of joy and families and friends as new matter was born and old matter decayed.

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There is no beginning or ending
No after or before
All dharmas are marked with emptiness...
After this penetration the bodhisattva Avalokiteshvara realized perfect enlightenment.

Paraphrase of part of the Heart Sutra by @lightsplasher (not a perfect quote of any common translation as far as I know) More information can be found on the Heart Sutra HERE. Or by searching on the web, (I have no association with the link other than enjoying reading it, and the story is only mildly based on the Heart Sutra.)

Avalokitesvara is the great enlightened being who has forgone his/her entry into Nirvana in order to help others. The Bodhisattva of compassion she or he is often called upon in times of trouble.

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Thanks for reading! The photo was taken by me with my Galaxy S7.
More about the reflection challenge can be read HERE

I nominate anyone with a desire for reflections to try out the challenge.