Pure Inspiration

Ven. Hiriko – 51
concentration (samādhi), and as he came out of samādhi, and started
moving, he realized there was something heavy lying on top of his
hands. It was a coiled snake that he didn’t even notice but that must
have been lying there for some time. He quietly lowered it to the
ground. The snake didn’t do any harm to him.
Regarding animals, here is another story: While walking through a
National park once he encountered a bear. He said: ‘When I raised my
head the bear was just a few metres away from me. We were both
taken by surprise, and the bear looked like it was getting ready to
attack. I lowered my gaze and started radiating mettā towards him.
The next thing I knew was that when I lifted my gaze he was nowhere
to be seen.’ Again, if these two stories came to me from some of
Ñāṇavimala admirers I would doubt them. But I heard them from him
directly, and he wasn’t a man who would make things up. It’s just that
I spent considerable time with him during that year, and I asked him
many questions, so on occasion he was in the mood to relate these
stories.
Once in the evening, I entered his kuṭi, bringing him some tea. Ven.
Ñāṇavimala was lying down in the lion’s position on the concrete
floor. I was a bit surprised to see him down there, but I assumed it was
some practice he was doing, or else, since it was a hot day, he had
moved from his bed to the cold floor to feel cooler. Well, I went
around him in silence, put the tea on his table, and asked him whether
I could do anything else for him. He said in a patient and kind way:
‘Well you can pass me that tea, but first, would you please help me get
up. It’s not very comfortable to lie on the floor.’ Ooops! I realized he
ended up there against his will. As I was helping him to his feet, I
asked, ‘What happened Bhante?’ Then he explained to me that he rose