ERRING ON THE POSITIVE <br /> SIDE! <br />How difficult it is for the human mind, <br />To think of a total extinction of any kind, <br />An atheist’s thought rather unkind, <br />Since nothing remains after death! <br />A Buddhist monk once compared this life, <br />With a burning flame on a candle’s head, <br />Which glows radiating warmth and light, <br />Till such time the flame keeps burning bright! <br />But when the wax slowly melts, <br />And the candle burns down to the wick, <br />The flame of life is extinguished, <br />Making this life on earth complete! <br />Yet none can tell about that flame, <br />Despite all our sorrowing and lament! <br />For it is difficult for human psyche, <br />To accept this single fact or digest, - <br />That total extinction could be our ultimate <br />fate! <br />This is what the great Schopenhauer* had said, <br />That since humans are mortally afraid of death, <br />He makes innumerable theologies and specula- <br />tions as he is able, <br />To make this thought of death palatable! <br />Yet such thoughts will torture the mind more <br />one thinks, <br />While death remains by itself - a brief and <br />momentary happening! <br />So let’s listen to what Voltaire had said, - <br />That to live with faith and hope will do immense <br />good to mankind, - <br />Than to live otherwise! <br />So rather than groping in the dark, <br />And since from death one cannot hide, <br />Let us listen to the learned Voltaire, <br />It is far better to err on the positive side! <br /> <br />- -Raj Nandy <br />- New Delhi <br />- 15 Sep 08 <br />(* He was the first European philosopher to have read <br /> the Vedas & Hindu Philosophy.Please read my –“TRIBUTE <br />TO SCHOPENHAURE”)<br /><br />RAJ NANDY<br /><br />http://www.poemhunter.com/poem/erring-on-the-positive-side/
