There are many people who fast, whose fast is nothing but hunger and thirst. There are those whose prayer is no better than wakefulness and hardship. The eating and drinking in case of the former and sleeping in the latter’s case is a far better option.
Learning is the greater personality of man; it is his hidden and safely deposited wealth; it is the teacher of teachers; it is a kinsman. Learning promotes an indescribable happiness at all times.
Those who are ignorant of the supreme purpose of life will never be able to attain nirvana (liberation) in spite of their observance of the vratas (vows) and niyamas (rules) of religious conduct and practice of shila (celibacy) and tapas (penance).
The worthy person is grateful and mindful of benefits done to him. This gratitude, this mindfulness, is congenial to the best people.
The Gods gave a microbe a drop of water, and in it he lived. They gave an ant a half acre of land, and he prospered. They gave a tiger the forest and he formed an empire and became an emperor. They gave man the Universe and all the knowledge therein. He entered of his own free will the dungeon of Dogma, shut his mind to truth and slew and starved his brothers.
Ignorance is the failure to discriminate between permanent and impermanent, pure and impure, bliss and suffering, Self and non-Self.
Lao Tan said, “I was letting my mind wander in the beginning of things.”
“What does this mean?” asked Confucius. Lao Tan said, “It means to attain Perfect Beauty and wander in Perfect Happiness. He who attains Perfect Beauty and wanders in Perfect Happiness may be called the Perfect Man.”
Hear with your ears, that which is the sovereign good. With a clear mind look upon the two sides, between which each man must choose for himself. Watchful beforehand that the great test may be accomplished in our favour.
Where egoism exists, Thou are not experienced. Where Thou art, is not egoism. You who are learned, expound in your mind, this inexpressible proposition.
Even as a mirror reflects an object held close to it, one’s behavior reflects as the ego-sense in one’s consciousness. But if held at a distance, ego-sense does not arise.
