God loveth those who are pure. No one is more loved than one of purity and immaculate cleanliness.
Fasting in the monastic community is considered an ascetic practice, a “dhutanga” practice. Dhutanga means “to shake up” or “invigoration”. The Buddha, as is well known, emphasized moderation, the Middle Way that avoids extremes, in all things. Fasting is an additional method that one can take up, with supervision, for a time.
Those with indomitable spirit are the real successes in life. If you can so train or condition your mind that you are content regardless of what you have or do not have, and if you can stand the challenge of all your trials and remain calm, that is true happiness.
Contemplating upon divine qualities, performing good deeds and chanting are all ways of destroying delusion through satsang.
The gulf between I and you is the ego. When the ego is removed the distance disappears and the ‘I’ and ‘you’ also disappear. They merge to become one — and that is love.
True realisation of the actual nature of this material world, its perishable, transitory and illusory aspects best dawns on a person in suffering.
When you chant the Name, it actually moves through your whole being - purifying you, bestowing grace, and making you sacred…Chanting breaks down the barriers between you and your own heart.
You love your family, but not your neighbor. You love your parents, but not others’ parents. You love your religion, but not all religions. You love your country, but not all countries. This is not true love, it is limited love. Transformation of limited love into divine love is the goal of spirituality.
Start by doing what’s necessary; then do what’s possible; and suddenly you are doing the impossible
