IMPROVE YOUR LIFE WITH POSITIVE THOUGHTS

                                        WAKE UP WITH POSITIVE ENERGY

1. THE DOCTRINE OF NON-ATTACHMENT.

 2. WE ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR WHAT WE ARE AND WHATEVER WE WISH OURSELVES TO BE, WE HAVE THE POWER TO MAKE OURSELVES. IF WHAT WE ARE NOW HAS BEEN THE RESULT OF OUR OWN PAST ACTIONS, IT CERTAINLY FOLLOWS THAT WHATEVER WE WISH TO BE IN THE FUTURE CAN BE PRODUCED BY OUR PRESENT ACTIONS, SO WE HAVE TO KNOW HOW TO ACT.

 3. HINDU RELIGION DOES NOT CONSIST IN STRUGGLES AND ATTEMPTS TO BELIEVE A CERTAIN DONTRINE OR DOGMA, BUT IN REALISING-NOT ON BELIEVING, BUT IN BEING AND BECOMING.

 4. HE WHO HAS NO FAITH IN HIMSELF CAN NEVER HAVE FAITH IN GOD.

 5. BY NO PROPHETS OR ANYTHING .... ONLY INFINITE WORDS, INFINITE BY THEIR VERY NATURE, FROM WHICH THE WHOLE UNIVERSE COMES AND GOES.

 6. IF THE SUBJECT IN A GOOD ONE, WE SHALL FEEL FRIENDLY TOWARDS IT, IF THE SUBJECT OF THOUGTH IS ONE THAT IS MISERABLE, WE MUST BE GLAD, IF IT IS EVIL, WE MUST BE INDIFFERENT.

 7. THE MIDST OF INTENSE ACTIVITY FINDS HIMSELF IN THE.

 8. CIRCUMSTANCES CAN NEVER BE GOOD OR BAD. ONLY THE INDIVIDUAL MAN CAN BE GOOD OR BAD.

 9. HYPNOTISE OUR MINDS INTO THE BELIEF THAT WE ARE BRAVE.

 10. THEY BECOME WHAT THEY THINK. WE WILL BECOME (ONLY) BY.

 11. HE IS TRYING TO JUSTIFY HIMSELF, BUT HE CANNOT FOOL KRISHNA.

 12. THAT WHICH IS SELFISH IS IMMORAL, AND THAT WHICH IS UNSELFISH IS MORAL.

 13. KRISHNA IS THE HIGHER SELF, OR GOD. HE SEES THROUGH THE ARGUMENT AT ONCE. IN THIS CASE (THE MOTIVE) IS WEAKNESS.

 14. THERE ROSE THIS MAN KRISHNA, AND IN THE GITA HE TRIES TO RECONCILE THE CEREMONY AND THE PHILOSOPHY OF THE PRIESTS AND THE PEOPLE.

 15. NO KNOWLEDGE COMES FROM OUTSIDE, IT IS ALL INSIDE. WHAT WE SAY A MAN "KNOWS" SHOULD, IN STRICT PSYCHOLOGICAL LANGUAGE, BE WHAT HE, "DISCOVERS" OR " UNVEILS" WHAT A MAN, LEARS, IS REALLY WHAT HE "DISCOVERS" BY TAKING THE COVER OFF HIS OWN SOUL, WHICH IS A MINE OF INFINITE KNOWLEDGE.

 16. THAT WHICH IS TRUE MUST BE INFINITE AND ETERNAL. THAT IS ONE TEST OF TRUTH. IT NEVER DECAYS, IT IS ALWAYS THE SAME.

17. LEARN EVERYTHING THAT IS GOOD FROM OTHERS, BUT BRING IT IN, AND IN YOUR OWN WAY ABSORB IT, DO NOT BECOME OTHERS.

 18. UNIFORMITY IS THE RIGOROUS LAW OF NATURE, WHAT ONCE HAPPENED CAN HAPPEN ALWAYS.

 19. THE FIRE THAT WARMS US CAN ALSO CONSUME US, IT IS NOT FAULT OF THE FIRE.

 20.COMFORT IS NO TEST OF TRUTH. TRUTH IS OFTEN FAR FROM BEING COMFORTABLE.

YOUR PRESENCE

                                               THE POWER OF NOW

    IT'S NOT WHAT YOU THINK IT IS

       YOU KEEP TALKING ABOUT THE STATE OF PRESENCE AS THE KEY. I THINK I UNERSTAND IT INTELLECTUALLY, BUT I DON'T KNOW IF I HAVE EVER TRULY EXPERIENCED IT. I WONDER- IS IT WHAT I THINK IT IS , OR IS IT SOMETHING ENTIRELY DIFFERENT?

         IT'S NOT WHAT YOU THINK IT IS! YOU CAN'T THINK ABOUT PRESENCE, AND THE MIND CAN'T UNDERSTAND IT. UNDERSTANDING PRESENCE IS BEING PRESENT. 

         TRY A LITTLE EXPERIMENT. CLOSE YOUR EYES AND SAY TO YOURSELF. "I WONDER WHAT MY NEXT THOUGHT IS GOING TO BE", THEN BECOMED VERY ALERT AND WAIT FOR THE NEXT THOUGHT IS GOING TO BE. THEN BECOME VERY ALERT AND WAIT FOR THE NEXT THOUGHT. BE LIKE A CAT WATCHING A MOUSE HOLE. WHAT THOUGHT IS GOING TO COME OUT OF THE MOUSE HOLE? TRY IT NOW.

      WELL?

      I HAD TO WAIT FOR QUITE A LONG TIME BEFORE A THOUGHT CAME IN.

     EXACTLY. AS LONG AS YOU ARE IN A STATE OF INTENSE PRESENCE, YOU ARE FREE OF THOUGHT. YOU ARE STILL, YET HIGHLY ALERT. THE INSTANT YOUR CONSCIOUS ATTENTION SINKS BELOW A CERTAIN LEVEL, THOUGHT RUSHES IN. THE MENTAL NOISE RETURNS, THE STILLNESS IS LOST, YOU ARE BACK IN TIME.

     TO TEST THEIR DEGREE OF PRESENCE, SOME ZEN MASTERS HAVE BEEN KNOWN TO CREEP UP ON THEIR STUDENTS FROM BEHIND AND SUDDENLY HIT THEM WITH A STICK. QUITE A SHOCK! IF THE STUDENT HAD BEEN FULLY PRESENT AND IN A STATE OF ALERTNESS, IF HE HAD KEPT HIS LOIN GIRDED AND HIS LAMP BURNING, WHICH IS ONE OF THE ANALOGIES THAT JESUS USES FOR PRESENCE, HE WOULD HAVE NOTICED THE MASTER COMING UP FROM BEHIND AND STOPPED HIM OR STEPPED ASIDE. BUT IF HE WERE HIT, THAT WOULD MEAN AND WAS IMMERSED IN THOUGTH, WHICH IS TO SAY ABSENT, UNCONSCIOUS.

        TO STAY PRESENT IN EVERYDAY LIFE, IT HELPS TO BE DEEPLY ROOTED WITHIN YOURSELF, OTHERWISE, THE MIND, WHICH HAS INCREDIBLE MOMENTUM, WILL DRAG YOU ALONG LIKE A WILD RIVER.

         WHAT DO YOU MEAN BY "ROOTED WITHIN YOURSELF"?

        IT MEANS TO INHABIT YOUR BODY FULLY. TO ALWAYS HAVE SOME OF YOUR ATTENTION IN THE INNER ENERGY FIELD OF YOUR BODY FROM WITHIN, SO TO SPEAK. BODY AWARENESS KEEPS YOU PRESENT. IT ANCHOURS YOU IN THE NOW.

 

  

INSPIRING QUOTES

                                          QUOTES TO MOTIVATE OURS....

 

           

       * THE LAND WHERE HUMANITY HAS ATTAINED ITS HIGHEST TOWARDS GENTLENESS, TOWARDS GENEROSITY, TOWARDS PURITUY, TOWARDS CALMNESS- IT IS INDIA.

     * WE ONLY KNOW THE UNIVERSE FROM THE POINT OF VIEW OF BEINGS WITH FIVE SENSES. SUPPOSE WE OBTAIN ANOTHER SENSE, THE WHOLE UNIVERSE MUST CHANGE FOR US.

    * KRISHNA PREACHED IN THE MIDST OF THE BATTLEFIELD.

    * THE MOTHER AND THE FATHER ARE THE CAUSES OF THIS BODY, SO A MAN MUST UNDERGO A THOUSAND TROUBLES IN ORDER

TO DO GOOD TO THEM.

    * PUT THE GOOD BEFORE THEM, SEE HOW EAGERLY THEY TAKE IT, SEE HOW THE DIVINE THAT NEVER DIES, THAT IS ALWAYS LIVING IN THE HUMAN.

    * WHERE THE WHOLE WORLD IS AWAKE, THE SAGE SLEEPS.

    * THE WILL IS NOT FREE- IT IS A PHENOMENON BOUND BY CAUSE AND EFFECT BUT THERE IS SOMETHING BEHIND THE WILL WHICH FREE.

   * A TREMENDOUS STREAM IS FLOWING TOWARD THE OCEAS, CARRYING US ALL ALONG WITH IT, AND THOUGH LIKE STRAWS AND SCRAPS OF PAPER WE MAY AT TIMES FLOAT AIMLESSLY ABOUT, IN THE LONG RUN WE ARE SURE TO JOIN THE OCEAN OF LIFE AND BLISS. 

  * OF ONE HUNDRED PERSONS WHO TAKE UP THE SPIRITUAL LIFE, EIGHTY TURN OUT TO BE CHARLATANS, FIFTEEN INSANE, AND ONLY FIVE, MAYBE, GET A GLIMPSE OF THE REAL TRUTH. THEREFORE BEWARE.

  * HAVE FAITH IN MAN, WHETHER HE APPEARS TO YOU TO BE A VERY LEARNED ONE OR A MOST IGNORANT ONE.

  *  THIS ATTACHMENT OF LOVE TO GOD IS INDEED ONE THAT DOES NOT BLIND THE SOUL BUT EFFECTIVELY BREAKS ALL ITS BONDAGES.

  * GOD IS PRESENT IN EVERY JIVA, THERE IS NO OTHER GOD BESIDES THAT. WHO SERVES JIVA SERVES GOD INDEED.

  * THE MORE WE GROW IN LOVE, VIRTUE AND HOLINESS, THE MORE WE SEE LOVE, VIRTUE AND HOLINESS OUTSIDE.

  * THE OLDER I GROW, THE MORE EVERYTHING SEEMS TO ME TO LIE IN MANLINESS. THIS IS MY NEW GOSPEL.

  * THE HELP WHICH TENDS TO MAKE US SPIRITUALLY STRONG IS THE HIGHEST HELP, NEXT TO IT COMES INTELLECTUAL HELP AND AFTER THAT COMES PHYSICAL HELP.

  * IF THE STUDENT THINKS HE IS THE SPIRIT, HE WILL BE A BETTER STUDENT. IF THE LAWYER THINKS HE IS THE SPIRIT, HE WILL BE A BETTER LAWYER, AND SO ON.

  * BUT WHERE THE IGNORANT ARE ASLEEP THERE THE SAGE KEEPS AWAKE.

  * NEVER FORGET THE GLORY OF HUMAN NATURE! WE ARE THE GREATEST GOD.. CHRISTS AND BUDHAS ARE BUT WAVES IN THE BOUNDLESS OCEAN WHICH I AM.

  * IF FAITH IN OURSELVES HAD BEEN MORE EXTENSIVELY TAUGHT AND PRACTICED, I AM SURE A VERY LARGE PORTION OF THE EVILS AND MISSERIES THAT WE HAVE WOULD HAVE VANISHED.

  * NOW IS WANTED INTENSE KARMA-YOGA WITH UNBOUNDED COURAGE AND INDOMITABLE STRENGTH IN THE HEART. THEN ONLY WILL THE PEOPLE OF THE COUNTRY BE ROUSED.

 

  

WIFI UNIVERSE

                                                  THE WIFI UNIVERSE!

      1. WHATEVER WE SEE, OR FEEL, OR DO, WHATEVER ACTION THERE IS ANYWHERE IN THE UNIVERSE, WHILE BEING THE EFFEFCT OF PAST WORK ON THE ONE HAND, BECOMES, ON THE OTHER, A CAUSE IN ITS TURN, AND PRODUCES ITS OWN EFFECT.

     2. THE INFINITE DIVINITY IS UNMANIFESTED, IT WILL HAVETO BE MANIFESTED. THIS IS SPRIRITUALITY, THE SCIENCE OF THE SOUL.

    3. THE PERSONALITY O THE MAN IS TWO THIRDS, AND HIS INTELLECT, HIS WORDS, ARE BUT ONE-THIRD. IT IS THE REAL MAN, THE PERSONALITY OF THE MAN, THEAT RUNS THROUGH US.

    4. ARISE, AWAKE AND DO NOT STOP UNTIL THE GOAL IS REACHED.

    5. THEREFORE, BEWARE OF EVERYTHING THAT TAKES AWAY YOUR FREEDOM. KNOW THAT IT IS DANGEROUS AND AVOID IT BY ALL THE MEANS IN YOUR POWER.

    6. MAN IS MISERABLE THIS MOMENT, HAPPY THE NEXT.

    7. THE WHOLE UNIVERSE IS ONLY THE SELF WITH VARIATIONS, ONE TUNE MADE BEARABLE BY VARIATIONS. SOMETIMES THERE ARE DISCORDS, BUT THEY ONLY MAKE THE SUBSEQUENT HARMONY MORE PERFECT.

    8. DO NOT CRITICISE OTHERS, FOR ALL DOCTRINES AND ALL DOGMAS ARE GOOD, BUT SHOW THEM BY YOUR LIVES THAT RELIGION IS NO MATTER OF BOOKS AND BELIEFS, BUT OF SPIRITUAL REALISATION.

   9. EACH SOUL IS POTENTIALLY DIVINE. THE GOAL IS TO MANIFEST THIS DIVINITY WHITHIN BY CONTROLLING NATURE, EXTERNAL AND INTERNAL.

  10. THERE IS NO DISEASE NOR MISERY FOR THEE, BUT THOU ART LIKE THE INFINITE SKY, CLOUDS OF VARIOUS COLOURS COME OVER IT, PLAY FOR A MOMENT, THEN VANISH. BUT THE SKY IS EVER THE SAME ETERNAL BLUE.

   11. THE WHOLE LIFE IS A SUCCESSION FO DREAMS, MY AMBITION IS TO BE A CONSCIOUS DREAMER, THATS ALL.

   12. WE ARE ALLOWED TO WORSHIP HIM. WHOLE IN THAT REVERENT ATTITUDE TO THE WHOLE UNIVERSE, AND THEN WILL COME PERFECT NON ATTACHMENT.

   13. YOU CAN NOT BELIEVE IN GOD UNTIL YOU BELIEVE IN YOURSELF.

   14. THE MIND IS IN ITS OWN NATURE WHEN IT IS CALM. THE MOMENT YOU CAN CALM IT, THAT (VERY) MOMENT YOU WILL KNOW THE TRUTH.

   15. ARJUNA ASKS: WHO IS A PERSON OF ESTABLISHED WILL?

   16. STAND UP AND BE STRONG! NO FEAR. NO SUPERSTITION. FACE THE TRUTH AS IT IS!

   17. THERE IS ONLY ONE SIN. THAT IS WEAKNESS.

   18. WE MUST BE BRIGHT AND CHEERFUL, LONG FACES DO NOT MAKE RELIGION.

   19. YOUR BODY IS OF NO MORE VALUE THAN THAT OF JOHN.

   20. THE BUDDHISTS OR THE JAINS DO NOT DEPEND UPON GOD, BUT THE WHOLE FORCE OF THEIR RELIGION IS DIRECTED TO THE GREAT CENTRAL TRUTH IN EVERY RELIGION, TO EVOLVE OF GOD OUT OF MAN. THEY HAVE NOT SEEN THE FATHER, BUT THEY HAVE SEEN THE SON. AND HE THAT HATH SEEN THE SON HATH SEEN THE FATHER ALSO.

   

  

SWAMI VIVEKANANDA

                                                             TRUTHS

       1. ALL THE WEAK AND UNDEVELOPED MINDS IN EVERY RELIGION OR COUNTRY HAVE ONLY ONE WAY OF LOVING THEIR OWN IDEAL, I.E. BY HATING EVERY OTHER IDEAL.

      2. THE WORLD IS READY TO GIVE UP ITS SECRETS IF WE ONLY KNOW HOW TO KNOCK, HOW TO GIVE IT THE NECESSARY BLOW. THE STRENGTH AND FORCE OF THE BLOW COME THROUGH CONCENTRATION. THERE IS NO LIMIT TO THE POWER OF THE HUMAN MIND. THE MORE CONCENTRATED IT IS, THE MORE POWER IS BROUGHT TO.

     3. THE END AND AIM OF ALL SCIENCE IS TO FIND THE UNITY, THE ONE OF WHICH MANIFOLD IS BEING MANUFACTURED, THAT ONE EXISTING AS MANY.

     4. YOU MUST EXERCISE YOUR OWN REASON AND JUDGMENT, YOU MUST PRACTICE, AND SEE WHETHER THESE THING HAPPEN OR NOT. JUST AS YOU WOULD TAKE UP ANY OTHER SCIENCE, EXACTLY IN THE SAME MANNER YOU SHOULD TAKE UP THIS SCIENCE FOR STUDY. THERE IS NEITHER MISTERY NOR DANGER IN IT. SO FAR AS IT IS TRUE, IT OUGHT TO BE PREACHED IN THE PUBLIC STREETS, IN BROAD DAYLIGHT. ANY ATTEMPT TO MYSTIFY THESE THINGS IS PRODUCTIVE OF GREAT DANGER.

    5. EVERYTHING IS INFECTIOUS IN THIS WORLD, GOOD OR BAD.

    6. THE CAUSE BEING KNOW, THE KNOWLEDGE OF THE EFFECTS IS SURE TO FOLLOW.

    7. OUR KNOWLEDGE IS WITHIN THE NETWORK OF MAYA (UNREALITY), AND BEYOND THAT IS FREEDOM. WITHIN THE NETWORK THERE IS SLAVERY, IT IS ALL UNDER LAW, BEYOND THAT THERE IS NO LAW. SO FAR AS THE UNIVERSE IS CONCERNED, EXISTENCE IS RULED BY LAW, AND BEYOND THAT IS FREEDOM.

    8. BODY IS THE NAME OF A SERIES OF CHANGES. AS IN A RIVER THE MASSES OF WATER ARE CHANGING BEFORE YOU EVERY MOMENT, AND NEW MASSES ARE COMING, YET TAKING SIMILAR FORM, SO IS IT WITH THIS BODY. YET THE BODY MUST BE KEPT STRONG AND HEALTHY. IT IS THE BEST INSTRUMENT WE HAVE.

    9. STRENGTH IS GOODNESS, WEAKNESS IS SIN.

   10. THOSE WHO BELIEVE IN GOD SHOULD PRAY NOT FOR MONEY, NOT FOR HEALTH, NOT FOR HEAVEN, PRAY FOR KNOWLEDGE AND LIGHT, EVERY OTHER PRAYER IS SELFISH.

   11. ALL UNHAPPINESS IS CAUSED BY OUR NOT HAVING MASTERY OVER THE BODY... WE ARE ALL PUTTING THE CART BEFORE THE HORSE... TAKE THE SYSTEM OF WORK, FOR INSTANCE. WE ARE TRYING TO DO GOOD BY... COMFORTING THE POOR. WE DO NOT GET TO THE CAUSE WHICH CREATED THE MISERY. IT IS LIKE TAKING A BUCKET TO EMPTY OUT THE TIME. THE YOGI SEES THAT THIS IS NONSENSE. HE SAYS THAT THE WAY OUT OF MISERY IS TO KNOW THE CAUSE OF MISERY FIRST.

  12.FRIENDSHIP, MERCY, GLADNESS, AND INDIFFERENCE, BEING THOUGHT OF IN REGARD TO SUBJECTS, HAPPY, UNHAPPY, GOOD, AND EVIL RESPECTIVELY, PACIFY THE CHITTA. WE MUST HAVE THESE FOUR SORTS OF IDEAS. WE MUST HAVE FRIENDSHIP FOR ALL, WE MUST BE MERCIFUL TOWARDS THOSE THAT ARE IN MISERY, WHEN PEOPLE ARE HAPPY, WE OUGHT TO BE HAPPY, AND TO THE WICKED WE MUST BE INDIFFERENT.

  13. ARISE, AWAKE, STOP NOT TILL THE GOAL IS REACHED.

  14. INTERNAL AND EXTERNAL PURIFICATION, CONTENTMENT, MORTIFICATION, STUDY, AND WORSHIP OF GOD ARE THE NIYAMAS.

  15. WHEN THIS SUSHUMNA CURRENT UPENS, AND BEGINS TO RISE, WE GET BEYOND THE SENSES, OUR MINDS BECOME SUPERSENSUOUS, SUPERCONSCIOUS- WE GET BEYOND EVEN THE INTELLECT.

  16. STAND ALONE! SEE THE GLORY OF YOUR OWN SOUL, AND SEE THAT YOU WILL HAVE TO WORK.

  17. TAKE UP ONE IDEA. MAKE THAT ONE IDEA YOUR LIFE- THINK OF IT, DREAM OF IT, LIVE ON THAT IDEA. LET THE BRAIN, MUSCLES, NERVES, EVERY PART OF YOUR BODY, BE FULL OF THAT IDEA, AND JUST LEAVE EVERY OTHER IDEA ALONE. THIS IS THE WAY TO SUCCESS.

   18. AWAKE, AWAKE, GREAT ONES! THE WORLD IS BURNING WITH MISERY. CAN YOU SLEEP?. 

   19. MISERY IS CAUSED BY IGNORANCE AND NOTHING ELSE.

   20. REASON CAN GO ONLY TO A CERTAIN EXTENT, BEYOND THAT IT CANNOT REACH. THE CIRCLE WITHIN WHICH IT RUNS IS VERY VERY LIMITED INDEED. YET AT THE SAME TIME, WE FIND FACTS RUSH INTO THIS CIRCLE. LIKE THE COMING OF COMETS CERTAIN THINGS COME INTO THIS CIRCLE, IT IS CERTAIN THEY COME FROM OUTSIDE THE LIMIT, ALTHOUGH OUR REASON CANNOT GO BEYOND.

 

   

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.