THE BEGGAR AND THE STRANGER

                                                     THE REAL WEALTH

   

            A BEGGAR HAD BEEN SITTING BY THE SIDE OF A ROAD FOR OVER THIRTY YEARS. ONE DAY A STRANGER WALKED BY. "SPARE SOME CHANGE"?, MUMBLED THE BEGGAR, MECHANICALLY HOLDING OUT HIS OLD BASEBALL CAP. "I HAVE NOTHING TO GIVE YOU,", SAID THE STRANGER. THEN HE ASKED, " WHAT'S THAT YOU ARE SITTING ON "? NOTHING, REPLIED THE BEGGAR, "JUST AS OLD BOX", I HAVE BEEN SITTING ON IT FOR AS LONG AS I CAN REMEMBER," EVER LOOKED INSIDE? ASKED THE STRANGER, " NO " SAID THE BEGGAR, WHAT"S THE POINT? THERE'S NOTHING IN THERE, " HAVE A LOOK INSIDE", INSISTED THE STRANGER. THE BEGGAR MANAGED TO PRY OPEN THE LID. WITH ASTONISHMENT, DISBELIEF, AND ELATION, HE SAW THA THE BOX WAS FILLEW WITH GOLD.

            I AM THAT STRANGER WHO HAS NOTHING TO GIVE YOU AND WHO IT TELLING YOU TO LOOK INSIDE. NOT INSIDE ANY BOX, AS IN THE PARABLE, BUT SOMEWHERE EVEN CLOSER: INSIDE YOURSELF.

           BUT I AM NOT A BEGGAR, " I CAN HEAR YOU SAY.

           THOSE WHO HAVE NOT FOUND THEIR TRUE WEALTH, WHICH IS THE RADIANT JOY OF BEING AND THE DEEP, UNSHAKABLE PEACE THAT COMES WITH IT, ARE BEGGARS, EVEN ID THEY HAVE GREAT MATERIAL WEALTH. THEY ARE LOOKING OUTSIDE FOR SCRAPS OF PLEASURE OF FULFILLMENT, FOR VALIDATION, SECURITY, OR LOVE, WHILE THEY HAVE A TREASURE WITHIN THAT NOT ONLY INCLUDED ALL THOSE THINGS BUT IS INFINITELY GREATER THAN ANYTHING THE WORLD CAN OFFER. 

          THE WORD ENLIGHTENMENT CONJUIRES UP THE IDEA OF SOME SUPERHUMAN ACCOMPLISHMENT, AND THE EGO LIKES TO KEEP IT THAT WAY, BUT IT IS SIMPLY YOUR NATURE STATE OF FELT ONENESS WITH BEING. IT IS A STATE OF CONNECTENESS WITH SOMETHING IMMEASURABLE AND INDESTRUCTIBLE, SOMETHING THAT, ALMOST PARADOXICALLY, IS ESSENTIALLY YOU AND YET IS MUCH GREATER THAN YOU. IT IS FINDING YOUR TRUE NATURE BEYOND NAME AND FORM.  THE INABILITY TO FEEL THIS CONNECTEDNESS GIVES RISE TO THE ILLUSION OF SEPARATION, FROM YOURSELF AND FROM THE WORLD AROUND YOU. YOU THEN PERCIEVE YOURSELF, CONSCIOUSLY OR UNCONSCIOUSLY, AS AN ISOLATED FRAGMENT. FEAR ARISES, AND CONFLICT WITHIN AND WITHOUT BECOMES THE NORM.

           I LOVE THE BUDDHA'S SIMPLE SIMPLE DEFINITION OF ENLIGHTENMENT AS "THE END OF SUFFERING", THERE IS NOTHING SUPERHUMAN IN THAT, IS THERE? OF COURSE, AS A DEFINITION, IT IS INCOMPLETE. IT ONLY TELLS YOU WHAT ENLIGHTENMENT IS NOT: NO SUFFERING. BUT WHAT'S LEFT WHEN THEREIS NO MORE SUFFERING? THE BUDDHA IS SILENT ON THAT, AND HIS SILENCE IMPLIES THAT YOU'LL HAVE TO FIND OUT FOR YOURSELF. HE USES A NEGATIVE DEFINITION SO THAT THE MIND CANNOT MAKE IT INTO SOMETHING TO BELIEVE IN OR INTO A  SUPERHUMAN ACCOMPLISHMENT, A GOAL THAT IS IMPOSSIBLE FOR YOU TO ATTAIN. DESPITE THIS PRECAUTION, THE MAJORITY OF BUDDHISTS STILL BELIEVE THAT ENLIGHTENMENT IS FOR THE BUDDHA, NOT FOR THEM, AT LEAST NOT IN THIS LIFETIME.

EXPLAIN TO AVOID ARGUMENTS

                                                  EXPLANATIONS POWER

        IS IT NOT QUITE EVIDENT THAT THE SPEAKER WHO ARGUES WITH HIS AUDIENCE IS MERELY AROUSING THEIR STUBBORNNESS, PUTTING THEM ON THE DEFENSIVE, MAKING IT WELL NIGH IMPOSSIBLE FOR THEM TO CHANGE THEIR MINDS? IS IT WISE TO START BY SAYING, " I AM GOING TO PROVE SO AND SO ?" AREN'T YOURS HEARERS LIABLE TO ACCEPT THAT AS A CHALLENGE AND REMARK SILENTLY, "LETS SEE YOU DO IT".

         IS IT NOT MUCH MORE ADVANTAGEOUS TO BEGIN BY STRESSING SOMETHING THAT YOU AND ALL OF YOUR HEARERS BELIEVE, AND THEN TO RAISE SOME PERTINENT QUESTION THAT EVERYONE WOULD LIKE TO HAVE ANSWERED? THEN TAKE YOUR AUDIENCE WITH YOU IN AN EARNEST SEARCH FOR THE ANSWER. WHILE ON THAT SEARCH, PRESENT THE FACTS AS YOU SEE THEM SO CLEALY THAT THEY WILL UNCONSCIOUSLY BE LED TO ACCEPT YOUR CONCLUSIONS AS THEIR OWN. THEY WILL HAVE MUCH MORE FAITH IN SOME TRUTH THAT THEY BELIEVE THEY HAVE DISCOVERED FOR THEMSELVES. THE BEST ARGUMENT IS THAT WHICH SEEMS MERELY AN EXPLANATION.

         IN EVERY CONSTROVERSY, NO MATTER HOW WIDE AND BITTER THE DIFFERENCES, THERE IS ALWAYS SOME COMMAN GROUND OF AGREEMENT ON WHICH THE SPEAKER CAN INVITE EVERYONE TO ASSEMBLE FOR THE SEARCH AFTER FACTS THAT HE IS GOING TO CONDUCT. TO ILLUSTRATE, EVEN IF THE HEAD OF THE COMMUNIST PARTY WERE ADDRESSING A CONVENTION OF THE BANKERS ASSOCIATION, HE COULD FIND SOME MUTUAL BELIEFS, SOME ANALOGOUS DESIRES TO SHARE WITH HIS HEARERS. COULDN'T HE? LET US SEE:

       POVERTY HAS ALWAYS BEEN ONE OF THE CRUEL PROBLEMS OF HUMAN SOCIETY. WE HAVE ALWAYS FELT IT OUR DUTY TO ALLEVIATE, WHENEVER AND WHEREVER POSSIBLE, THE SUFFERINGS OF THE POOR. WE AE A GENEROUS NATION. NO OTHER PEOPLE IN ALL HISTORY HAVE POURED OUT THEIR WEALTH SO PRODIGALLY, SO UNSELFISHLY TO HELP THE UNFORTUNATE, NOW, WITH THIS SAME MENTAL GENEROSITY AND SPIRITUAL UNSELFISHNESS THAT HAS CHARACTERIZED OUR GIVINGS IN THE PAST, LET US EXAMINE TOGETHER THE FACTS OF OUR INDUSTRIAL LIFE AND SEE IF WE CAN FIND SOME MEANS, OUR INDUSTRIAL LIFE AND JUST AND ACCEPTANCE TO ALL, THAT WILL TEND TO PREVENT AS WELL AS TO MITIGATE THE EVILS OF POVERTY.

         WHO COULD OBJECT TO THAT? COULD FATHER COUGHLIN, OR NORMAN THOMAS, OR J. PIERPONT MORGAN? HARDLY.

          DO WE SEEM TO BE CONTRADICTING HERE THE GOSPEL OF FORCE AND ENERGY AND ENTHUSIASM? HARDLY, HERE IS A TIME FOR EVERYTHING, BUT THE TIME FOR FORCE IS SELDOM IN THE BEGINNING OF A TALK. TACT IS MORE LIKELY TO BE NEEDED THEN.

THE POINTS YOU HAVE TO KNOW

                                                      KNOW THE FACT

  

           1. WHAT A MAN "LEARNS" IS REALLY WHAT HE DISCOVERS, BY TALKING THE COVER OFF HIS OWN SOUL, WHICH IS A MINE OF INFINITE KNOWLEDGE.

           2. MOST OF US MAKE OUR MINDS LIKE SPOILT CHILDREN, ALLOWING THEM TO DO WHATEVER THEY WAN. THEREFORE IT IS NECESSARY THAT KRIYA-YOGA SHOULD BE CONSTANTLY PRACTISED, IN ORDER TO GAIN CONTROL OF THE MIND, AND BRING IT INTO SUBJECTION. THE OBSTRUCTIONS TO YOGA ARISE FROM LACK OF CONTROL, AND CAUSE US PAIN. THEY CAN ONLY BE REMOVED BY DENYING THE MIND, AND HOLDING IT IN CHECK, THROUGH THE MEANS OF KRIYA-YOGA.

         3. INDIA IS AT ONE WITH THE MOST PURITAN FAITHS OF THE WORLD IN HER DECLARATION THAT PROGRESS IS FROM SEEN TO UNSEEN FROM THE MANY TO THE ONE, FROM THE LOW TO THE HIGH FROM THE FORM TO THE FORMLESS, AND NEVER IN THE REVERSE DIRECTION. SHE DIFFERS ONLY IN HAVING A WORD OF SYMPATHY.

       4. EVEN AS THE LION NOT TREMBLING AT NOISES, EVEN AS THE WIND, NOT CAUGHT IN A NET, EVEN AS THE LOTUS-LEAF, UNTOUCHED BY THE WATER-SO DO THOU WANDER ALONE LIKE THE RHINOCEROS!

      5. ANYTHING THAT IS SECRET AND MYSTERIOUS IN THESE SYSTEMS OF YOGA SHOULD BE AT ONCE REJECTED. THE BEST GUIDE IN LIFE IS STRENGTH. IN RELIGION, AS IN ALL OTHER MATTERS, DISCARD EVERYTHING THAT WEAKNESS YOU, HAVE NOTHING TO DO WITH IT.

     6. WHEN YOU STEP BEYOND THOUGHT AND INTELLECT AND ALL REASONING, THEN YOU HAVE MADE THE FIRST STEP TOWARDS GOD, AND THAT IS THE BEGINNING OF LIFE.

    7. THAT WHICH THE IGNORANT DO WITH DESIRE FOR RESULTS AND GAIN, LET THE WISE DO WITHOUT ANY DESIRE FOR RESULTS AND GAIN.

    8. IF HE DOES NOT DESIRE ANY HAPPINESS, IF HE IS FREE OF ALL (ATTACHMENT) OF ALL FEAR, OF ALL ANGER.

   9. AS THE TORTOISE CAN DRAW IN HIS LEGS, AND IF YOU STRIKE HIM, NOT ONE FOOT COMES OUT.

   10. THEN YOU WILL BECOME A MAN OF FIRM WILL.

   11. FREEDOM IS THE FIRST CONDITION OF GROWTH. WHAT YOU DO NOT MAKE FREE, WILL NEVER GROW.

  12. THE ORGANS ARE THE HORSES, THE MIND IS THE REIN, THE INTELLECT IS THE CHARIOTEER, THE SOUL IS THE RIDER, AND THE BODY IS THE CHARIOT. THE MASTER OF THE HOUSEHOLD THE KING, THE SELF OF MAN, IS SITTING IN THIS CHARIOT.

  13. RITUALS ARE THE KINDERGARTEN OF RELIGION. THEY ARE ABSOLUTELY NECESSARY FOR THE WORLD AS IT IS NOW, ONLY WE SHALL HAVE TO GIVE PEOPLE NEWER AND FRESH RITUALS. A PARTY OF THINKERS MUST UNDERTAKE TO DO THIS. OLD RITUALS MUST BE REJECTED AND NEW ONES SUBSTITUED.

  14. THERE IS NOTHING, HOLIER IN THE WORLD THAN TO KEEP GOOD COMPANY. BECAUSE THAN TO KEEP GOOD IMPRESSIONS WILL THEN TEND TO COME TO THE SURFACE.

  15. THIS HUMAN BODY IS THE GREATEST BODY IN THE INIVERSE, AND A HUMAN BEING THE GREATEST BEING. MAN IS HIGHER THAN ALL ANIMALS, THAN ALL ANGELS, NONE IS GREATER THAN MAN. EVEN THE DEVAS (GODS) WILL HAVE TO COME DOWN AGAIN AND ATTAIN TO SALVATION THROUGH A HUMAN BODY. MAN ALONE ATTAINS TO PERFECTION, NOT EVEN THE DEVAS.

LIFE CHANGING POINTS

                                             HOW TO IMPROVE OUR LIFE

       1. AS ALL THE RIVERS OF THE WORLD CONSTANLY POUR THEIR WATERS INTO THE OCEAN, BUT THE OCEAN'S GRAND, MAJESTIC NATURE REMAINS INDISTURBED AND UNCHANGED.

      2. GOD IS TO BE WORSHIPPED AS THE ONE BELOVED, DEARER THAN EVERYTHING IN THIS AND NEXT LIFE.

     3. AS DIFFERENT STREAMS HAVING DIFFERENT SOURCES ALL MINGLE THEIR WATERS IN THE SEA, SO DIFFERENT TENDENCIES, VARIOUS THOUGH THEY APPEAR, CROOKED OR STRAIGHT ALL LEAD TO GOD.

    4. BE NOT AFRAID, FOR ALL GREAT POWER THROUGHOUT THE HISTORY OF HUMANITY HAS BEEN WITH THE PEOPLE. FROM OUT OF THEIR RANKS HAVE COME ALL THE GREATEST GENIUS OF THE WORLD, AND HISTORY CAN ONLY REPEAT ITSELF. BE NOT AFRAID OF ANYTHING. YOU WILL DO MARVELOUS WORK.

   5. NEVER THINK THERE IS ANYTHING IMPOSSIBLE FOR THE SOUL. IT IS THE GREATEST HERESY TO THINK SO. IF THERE IS SIN, THIS IS THE ONLY SIN, TO SAY THAT YOU ARE WEAK, OR OTHERS ARE WEAK.

  6. ANYTHING THAT BRINGS SPIRITUAL, MENTAL, OR PHYSICAL WEAKNESS, TOUCH IT NOT WITH THE TOES OF YOUR FEET.

  7. WHEN AND IDEA EXCLUSIVE OCCUPIES THE MIND, IT IS TRANFORMED INTO AN ACTUAL PHYSICAL OR MENTAL STATE.

  8. ABOVE ALL, BEWARE OF COMPROMISES. I DO NOT MEAN THAT YOU ARE TO GET INTO ANTAGONISM WITH ANYBODY, BUT YOU HAVE TO HOLD ON TO YOUR OWN PRINCIPLES IN WEAL OR WOE AND NEVER ADJUST THEM TO OTHERS, FADS, THOUGHT THE GREED OF GETTING SUPPORTERS. YOUR ATMAN IS THE SUPPORT OF THE UNIVERSE-WHOSE SUPPORT DO YOU STAND IN NEED OFF?

  9. RELIGION IS BEING AND BECOMING. RELIGION IS THE MANIFESTATION OF THE DIVINITY ALREADY IN MAN.

  10. EACH SOUL IS POTENTIALLY DIVINE. THE GOAL IS TO MANIFEST THIS DIVINITY WITHIN BY CONTOLLING NATURE, EXTERNAL AND INTERNAL. DO THIS EITHER BY WORK, OR WORKSHIP, OR PSYCHIC COTROL, OR PHILOSOPHY-BY ONE, OR MORE OR ALL OF THESE- AND BE FREE. THIS IS THE WHOLE OF RELIGION. DOCTRINES, OR DOGMAS, OR RITUALS, OR BOOKS, OR TEMPLES, OR FORMS, ARE BUT SECONDARY DETAILS.

   11. WHAT RIGHT HAS A MAN TO SAY HE HAS A SOUL IF HE DOES NOT FEEL IT, OR THAT THERE IS A GOD IF HE DOES NOT SEE HIM? IF THERE IS A GOD WE MUST SEE HIM, IF THERE IS A SOUL WE MUST PERCIEVE IT, OTHERWISE IT IS BETTER NOT TO BELIEVE. IT IS BETTER TO BE AN OUTSPOKEN ATHEIST THAN A HYPOCRITE.

  12. WHOSOEVER, THEREFORE ASKS ANY ONE TO BELIEVE BLINDLY, OR DRAGS PEOPLE BEHIND HIM BY THE CONTROLLING POWER OF HIS SUPERIOR WILL, DOES AN INJURY TO HUMANITY, THOUGH THE MAY NOT INTEND IT.

  13. IT IS BETTER NOT TO LOVE, IF LOVING ONLY MEANS HATING OTHERS. THAT IS NO LOVE. THAT IS HELL! IF LOVING YOUR OWN PEOPLE MEANS HATING EVERYBODY ELSE, IT IS THE QUINTESSENCE OF SELFISHNESS AND BRUTALITY, AND THE EFFECT IS THAT IT WILL MAKE YOU BRUTES. THEREFORE, BETTER DIE WORKING OUT YOUR OWN NATURAL RELIGION THAN FOLLOWING ANOTHER'S NATURAL RELIGION, HOWEVER GREAT IT MAY APPEAR TO YOU.

BODY TO MIND

                           BODY'S REACTION WHEN MINDS WORK

WHAT ABOUT EMOTIONS? I GET CAUGHT IN MY EMOTIONS MORE THAN I DO IN MY MIND.

          MIND, IN THE WAY I USE THE WORD, IS NOT JUST THOUGHT. IT INCLUDES YOUR EMOTIONS AS WELL AS ALL UNCONSCIOUS MENTAL-EMOTIONAL REACTIVE PATTERNS. EMOTION ARISES AT THE PLACE WHERE MIND AND BODY MEET. IT IS THE BODY'S REACTION TO YOUR MIND-OR YOU MIGHT SAY, A REFLECTION OF YOUR MIND IN THE BODY. FOR EXAMPLE, AN ATTACK THOUGHT OR A HOSTILE THOUGHT WILL CREATEA BUIL-UP OF ENERGY, IN THE BODY THAT WE CALL ANGER. THE BODY IS GETTING READY TO FIGHT. THE THOUGHT THAT YOU ARE BEING THREATENED, PHYSICALLY OR PSYCHOLOGICALLY, CAUSES THE BODY TO CONTRACT, AND THIS IS THE PHYSICAL SIDE OF WHAT WE CALL FEAR. RESEARCH HAS SHOWN THAT STRONG EMOTIONS EVEN CAUSE CHANGES IN THE BIOCHEMISTRY OF THE BODY. THESE BIOCHEMICAL CHANGES REPRESENT IN THE PHYSICAL OR MATERIAL ASPECT OF THE EMOTIONS. OF COURSE, YOU ARE NOT USUALLY CONSCIOUS OF ALL YOUR THOUGHT PATTERNS, AND IT IS OFTEN ONLY THROUGH WATCHING YOUR EMOTIONS THAT YOU CAN BRING THEM INTO AWARENESS.

        THE MORE YOU ARE IDENTIFIED WITH YOUR THINKING, YOUR LIKES AND DISLIKES, JUEGEMENTS AND INTERPRETATIONS, WHICH IS TO SAY THE LESSPRESENT YOU ARE AS THE WATCHING CONSCIOUSNESS, THE STRONGER THE EMOTIONAL ENERGY CHARGE WILL BE, WHETHER YOU ARE AWARE OF IT OR NOT. IF YOU CANNOT FEEL YOUR EMOTIONS, IF YOU ARE CUT OFF FROM THEM, YOU WILL EVENTUALLY EXPERIENCE THEM OR PURELY PHYSICAL LEVEL, AS A PHYSICAL PROBLEM OR SYMPTOM. A GREAT DEAL HAS BEEN WRITTEN ABOUT THIS IN RECENT YEARS, SO WE DON'T NEED TO GO INTO IT HERE. A STRONG UNCONSCIOUS EMOTIONAL PATTERN MAY EVEN MANIFEST AS AN EXTERNAL EVENT THAT APPEAR TO JUST HAPPEN TO YOU. FOR EXAMPLE, I HAVE OBSERVED THAT PEOPLE WHO CARRY A LOT OF ANGER INSIDE WITHOUT BEING AWARE IF IT AND WITHOUT EXPRESSING IT ARE MORE LIKELY TO BE ATTACKED, VERBALLY OR EVEN PHYSICALLY, BY OTHER ANGRY PEOPLE AND OFTEN FOR NO APPARENT REASON. THEY HAVE A STRONG EMANATION OF ANGER THAT CERTAIN PEOPLE PICK UP SUBLIMINALLY AND THAT TRIGGERS THEIR OWN LATENT ANGER.

          IF YOU HAVE DIFFICULTY FEELING YOUR EMOTIONS, START BY FOCUSING ATTENTION ON THE INNER ENERGY FIELD OF YOUR BODY. FEEL THE BODY FROM WITHIN. THIS WILL ALSO PUT YOU IN TOUCH WITH YOUR EMOTIONS. WE WILL EXPLORE THIS IN MORE DETAIL LATER.

WHAT IS EGO

                                                             EGO'S SEARCH

      ANOTHER ASPECT OF THE EMOTIONAL PAIN IS AN INTRINSIC PART OF THE EGOIC MIND IS A DEEP-SEATED SENSE OF LACK OR INCPMPLETENESS, OF NOT BEING WHOLE. IN SOME PEOPLE, THIS IS CONSCIOUS, IN OTHERS INCONSCIOUS. IF IT IS CONSCIOUS. IT MANIFESTS AS THE UNSETTLING AND CONSTANT FEELING OF NOT BEING WORTHY OR GOOD ENOUGH. IF IT IS UNCONSCIOUS, IT WILL ONLY BE FELT INDIRCTLY AS AS INTENSE CRAVING, WANTING AND NEEDING. IN EITHER CASE, PEOPLE WILL OFTEN ENTER INT A COMPULSIVE PURSUIT OF EGO-GRATICATION AND THINGS TO IDENTIFY WITH IN ORDER TO FILL  THIS HOLE THEY FEEL WITHIN. SO THEY STIVE AFTER POSSESIONS, MONEY, SUCCESS, POWER, REGOGNITION, OR A SPECIAL RELATIONSHIP, BASICALLY SO THAT THEY FEEL BETTER ABOUT THEMSELVES, FEEL MORE COMPLETE, BUT EVEN WHEN THEY ATTAIN ALL THESE THINGS, THEY SOON FIND THAT THE HOLES IS STILL THERE, THAT IT IS BOTTOMLESS. THEN THEY ARE REALLY IN TROUBLE, BECAUSE THEY CANNOT DELUDE THEMSELVES ANYMORE. WELL, THEY CAN AND DO, BUT IT GETS MORE DIFFICULT.

     AS LONG AS THE EGOIC MIND IS RUNNING YOUR LIFE, YOU CANNOT TRULY BE AT EASE, YOU CANNOT BE AT PEACE OR FULFILLED EXCEPT FOR BRIEF INTERVALS WHEN YOU OBTAINED WHAT YOU WANTED, WHEN A CRAVING HAS JUST BEEN FULFILLED. SINCE THE EGO IS A DERIVED SENSE OF SELF, IT NEEDS TO IDENTIFY WITH EXTERENAL THINGS. IT NEEDS TO BE BOTH DEFENDED AND FED CONSTANSLY. THE MOST COMMON EGO IDENTIFICATION HAVE TO DO WITH POSSSESIONS, THE WORK YOU DO, SOCIAL STATUS AND RECOGNISATION, KNOWLEDGE AND EDUCATION, PHYSICAL APPEARANCE, SPECIAL ABILITIES, RELATIONSHIPS, PERSONAL AND FAMILY HISTORY, BELIEF SYSTEMS, AND OFTEN ALSO POLITICAL, NATIONALISTIC, RACIAL, RELIGIOUS, AND OTHER COLLECTIVE IDENFICATIONS. NONE OF THESE IS YOU.

       DO YOU FIND THIS FRIGHTENING? OR IS IT A RELIEF TO KNOW THIS? ALL OF THESE THINGS YOU WILL HAVE TO RELINQUISH SOONER OR LATER. PERHAPS YOU FIND IT AS YET HARD TO BELIEVE, AND I AM CERTAINLY NOT ASKING YOU TO BELIEVE THAT YOUR IDENTIFY CANNOT BE FOUND IN ANY OF THOSE THINGS. YOU WILL KNOW THE TRUTH OF IT FOR YOURSELF. YOU WILL KNOW IT AT THE LATEST WHEN YOU FEEL DEATH APPROACHING. DEATH IS A STRIPPING AWAY OF ALL THAT IS NOT YOU. THE SECRET OF LIFE IS TO "DIE BEFORE YOU DIE"-AND FIND THAT THERE IS NO DEATH.

LIFE CHANGING POINTS

                                                     MORNING MELODIES....

    1. IF YOU WANT TO BE RELIGIOUS, ENTER NOT THE GATE OF ANY ORGANISED RELIGIONS. THEY DO A HUNDRED TIMES MORE EVIL THAN GOOD, BECAUSE THEY STOP THE GROWTH OF EACH ONE'S INDIVIDUAL DEVELOPMENT.

   2. IT IS A VERY HARD THING TO UNDERSTAND, BUT YOU WILL COME TO LEARN IN TIME THAT NOTHING IN THE UNIVERSE HAS POWER OVER YOU UNTIL YOU ALLOW IT TO EXERCISE SUCH A POWER.

   3. BELIEVE NOT BECAUSE SOME OLD MANUSCRIPTS ARE PRODUCED, BELIEVE NOT BECAUSE IT IS YOUR NATIONAL BELIEF, BECAUSE YOU HAVE BEEN MADE TO BELIEVE IT FROM YOUR CHILDHOOD, BUT REASON IT ALL OUT, AND AFTER YOU HAVE ANALYSED IT, THEN , IF YOU FIND THAT IT WILL DO GOOD TO ONE AND ALL, BELIEVE IT, LIVE UP TO IT, AND HELP OTHERS TO LIVE UP TO IT.

 4. HE DOES NOT NEED ANYTHING. HE DOES NOT WANT ANYTHING.

 5. TO THOSE WHO ARE FULL OF TARMAS, IGNORANT AND DULL- THOSE WHOSE MINDS NEVER GET FIXED ON ANY IDEA, WHO ONLY CRAVE FOR SOMETHING TO AMUSE THEM RELIGION AND PHILOSOPHY ARE SIMPLY OBJECTS OF ENTERTAINMENT, THESE ARE THE UNPERSVERING. THEY HEAR A TALK, THINK IT VERY NICE AND THEN GO HOME AND FORGET ALL ABOUT IT. TO SUCCEED, YOU MUST HAVE TREMENDOUS PERSEVERANCE, TREMENDOUS WILL. I WILL DRINK THE OCEAN, SAYS THE PERSEVERING SOUL, AT MY WILL MOUNTAINS WILL CRUMBLE UP. HAVE THAT SORT OF ENERGY THAT SORT OF WILL, WORK HARD, AND YOU WILL REACH THE GOAL.

 6. THE HIGHEST MANIFESTATION OF STRENGTH IS TO KEEP OURSELVES CALM AND ON OUR OWN FEET.

 7. A PERFECT LIFE IS A CONTRADICTION IN TERMS. LIFE ITSELF IS A STATE OF CONTINUOUS STRUGGLE BETWEEN OURSELVES AND EVERYTHING OUTSIDE. EVERY MOMENT WE ARE FIGHTING ACTUALLY WITH ETERNAL NATURE, AND IF WE ARE DEFEATED, OUR LIFE HAS TO GO.

 8. IN ENJOYMENT IS THE FEAR OF DESEASE, IN HIGH BIRTH, THE FEAR OF LOSING CASTE, IN THE FEAR OF LOSING IT, IN STREGTH THE FEAR AGE IN KNOWLEDGE THE FEAROF DEFEAT, IN VIRTUE THE FEAR OF SCANDAL IN THE BODY THE FEAR OF DEATH. IN THIS LIFE ALL IS FRAUGHT WITH FEAR. REUNCIATION ALONE IS FEARLESS.

 9. LEAVE UPON IT DIFFERENT PICTURES, AND THE RESULT OF THESE COMBINED IMPRESSIONS IS WHAT IS CALLED MAN'S CHARACTER. IF YOU TAKE THE CHARACTER OF ANY MAN IT REALLY IS BUT THE AGGREGATE OF TENDENCIES, THE SUM- TOTAL OF THE BENT OF HIS MIND, YOU WILL FIND THAT MISERY AND HAPPINESS ARE EQUAL FACTORS IN THE FORMATION.

 10. ALL THIS BRINGING OF THE MIND INTO A HIGHER STATE OF VIBRATION IS INCLUDED IN ONE WORDS IN YOGA- SAMADHI.

 11. THE SELFLESS AND UNATTACHED MAN MAY LIVE IN THE VERY HEART OF A CROWDED AND SINFYL CITY, HE WILL NOT BE TOUCHED BY SIN.

 12. THE HINDUS BELIEVES THAT EVERY SOUL IS A CIRCLE WHOSE CIRCUMFERENCE IS NOWHERE, BUT WHOSE CENTRE IS LOCATED IN THE BODY, AND THAT DEATH MEANS THE CHANGE OF THIS CENTRE FROM BODY TO BODY.

 13. IT IS ONLY THE CONTEMPLATIVE, WITNESS LIKE STUDY OF OBJECTS THAT BRINGS TO US REAL ENJOYMENT AND HAPPINESS. THE ANIMAL HAS ITS HAPPINESS IN THE SENSES, THA MAN IN HIS INTELECT, AND THE GOD IN SPIRITUAL CONTEMPLATION. IT IS ONLY TO THE SOUL THAT HAS ATTAINED TO THIS CONTEMPLATIVE STATE THAT THE WORLD REALLY BECOMES BEAUTIFUL. TO HIM WHO DESIRES NOTHING, AND DOES NOT MIX HIMSELF UP WITH THEM, THE MANIFOLD CHANGES OF NATURE ARE ONE PANORAMA OF BEAUTY AND SUBLIMITY.

       14. THE YOGI TEACHES THAT THE MIND ITSELF HAS A HIGHER STATE OF EXISTENCE, BEYONG REASON, A SUPERCONSCIOUS STATE, AND WHEN THE MIND GETS TO THAT HIGHER STATE, THEN THIS KNOWLEDGE, BEYOND REASONING, COMES TO MAN. METAPHYSICAL AND TRANSCENDENTAL KNOWLEDGE COMES TO THAT MA.

      15. HOLD THE IDEAL A THOUSAND TIMES, AND IF YOU FAIL A THOUSAND TIMES, MAKE THE ATTEMPT ONCE MORE. THERE IS INFINITE LIFE BEFORE THE SOUL. TAKE YOUR TIME AND YOU WILL ACHIEVE YOUR END.

     16. MERCY SHALL NOT BE FOR MEN ALONE, BUT SHALL GO BEYOND, AND EMBRACE THE WHOLE WORLD.

     17. MOST OF OUR DIFFICULTIES IN OUR DAILY LIVES COME FROM BEING UNABLE TO HOLD OUR MINDS IN THIS WAY. FOR INSTANCE, IF A MAN DOES EVIL TO US, INSTANTLY WE WANT TO REACT EVIL, AND EVERY REACTION OF EVIL SHOWS THAT WE ARE NOT ABLE TO HOLD THE CHITTA DOWN, IT COMES OUT IN WAVES TOWARDS THE OBJECT AND WE LOSE OUR POWER.