Do You Know Who I Am?

I am not interested in where you have been or what you have done.
I care not who you are, but I care deeply how you are.
If you are happy truly happy then so am I.
Do you know who I am?
You could be rich or poor, young or old, educated or uneducated, a man or woman.
You could be successful or unsuccessful, of high status or low status, a sinner or saint.
All of these things are irrelevant to me.
Do you know who I am?
I care not what religion you belong to.
I also do not care if you abstain from religion altogether.
What I represent transcends the beliefs, rituals, and concepts of any religion.
Do you know who I am?
In so far as I have an objective, it is to help you to help yourself.
In this regard, I prefer to be gentle and kind with you.
But I can also be incredibly firm and unyielding if it will benefit you.
Do you know who I am?

I am flexible and can be whoever you need me to be to help you.

But you must always strive to be who I am, I cannot be who you are.
This is a matter about which I am completely inflexible.
Do you know who I am?
I feel happy when I see kindness in others.
I feel sad when I see cruelty in others.
But I am not attached to any of my feelings.
Do you know who I am?
I see praise and criticism as the same thing.
Because I know myself, it matters not what others say or think about me.
My happiness is completely unconditional.
Do you know who I am?
The faithless and cowardly see me a charlatan.
They perceive everything through the lens of ignorance, fear, and selfishness.
But the pure in heart are drawn to me and are nourished by my presence.
Do you know who I am?
I have walked with kings and beggars, lived in poverty and luxury.
But these things make no difference to me.
Whatever my circumstances, I always live simply and am content.
Do you know who I am?
There are some with undisciplined minds that pretend to be me.
Interested only in being seen to do the right thing, they deceive their followers.
In my presence such impostors become angry, confused, and full of fear.
Do you know who I am?

Most people only start to think of me when they are dying.

But by waiting until then it is difficult for me to help them.
I have always taught that the right time to get to know me is right now.
Do you know who I am?
Some people try to know me by looking outside of themselves.
They label me, box me with concepts, and worship me.
But I can never be known in this way.
Do you know who I am?
I exist within you and within all things.
Look deeply inside of yourself and you will see me there.
You can be me if you really want to.
Do you know who I am?
To me, life and death are one and the same.
I am never really born and I never really die.
You can be like this too if you want to.
Do you know who I am?
At all times I am sustained by a spring of deep calm and joy.
I do not attach myself to anything and my mind is completely unobstructed.
I soar freely and gracefully beyond the limits of space and time.
Do you know who I am?
Ven Edo Shonin & Ven William Van Gordon