HOW TO HAVE JOY OUT OF LIFE - 3
Very few do this and so life seems to have lost its flavour, and an ever-increasing number of young men and women complain: “Life is not worth living!” We seem to be entering into an age of gloom. It is true, science is advancing. We have reached a zenith of technological brilliance. Man stands on a planet of limitless promise. He has probed the secrets of the atom, the depths of the sea. He has unravelled the mysteries of his own mind and body. Yet is he unaware of his real being and purpose. He is faced by a terrible loneliness, and his mind is filled with a thousand fears which he cannot name.
The great historian, Arnold Toynbee, was a man gifted with many insights. He said that, with the rise of the industrial civilization, man has received many benefits, but for them he has had to pay a terrible price. That price is peace of mind. As we have grown in material and technical know-how, peace of mind has declined. Industrial civilization has come to stay: we cannot, at this stage, abandon it. But we must find out a way so that, living in this computer age; we may find new happiness and a new ability to get real enjoyment of life.”
How may we do that? How may we get the true joy of life? So let me pass on to you some practical suggestions – which are not merely to be heard but to the put into practice. Suggestions which are not put into practice are like a bottle of medicine lying on the table. It is only when you drink it that it can have any effect on your system.
A friend of mine was indifferent in health. To him I gave some powders to be taken thrice a day. He met me after few days and I enquired about his health. “It is just the same,” he answered. When I asked him, “Did you take the powders?” he said: “They are in my pocket!” Medicine that is in your pocket will have no effect on your health. Likewise, suggestions which are not put into practice will not yield results.
PRACTICALE SUGGESTION No. 1 is a very simple one. If you wish to have joy of life, keep away from all joy-killers. One of them is hate. Let there be no feeling of hatred in your heart.
A man met me. His face was black as coal, as he said to me: “There is a fire burning within me. The flames will not be quenched, until I have shot the man who caused my father’s death.” There you are. Hatred is a fire. So long as the fire burns within you, you cannot have joy of life. And as the Buddha said: “Hatred ceaseth not by hatred, hatred ceaseth by love!” When a thought of hatred comes to you, trample it under-foot and breathe out a thought of love and good-will.
There was a man who led an evil life: his wife and children sought comfort at Beloved Dada’s satsang. One day, the man came to Beloved Dada and shook his fist at him and said: “If you only knew how much I hate you!”
Beloved Dada looked lovingly at the man and said to him: “If you only knew how much I love you!”
What was there in Beloved Dada’s words! The man came and fell at his feet and, with tears in his eyes, begged forgiveness. His life was changed. He turned away from his evil ways. He accompanied his wife and children, every evening, to the satsang.
When Jesus was crucified, he prayed for his persecutors. There he stood on the Cross: nail after nail was struck into his hands, his feet, his throat. Blood flowed out of his gentle, pure body – a body that had never caused harm to anyone. And on his lips was the prayer: “Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do!”
Rishi Dayanand had been poisoned by his cook, Jagannath. He had been bribed to kill his great master. On his death-bed, Rishi Dayanand called Jagannath and said to him: “Here is money for your ticket to Nepal. Escape, before my disciples find out what you have done, else they may tear your body into pieces.”
Such is the witness of all the great ones of humanity. They have met hatred with love and shown that the true joy of life is in loving. If you would be truly happy, love one another. Meet hatred with love and forgiveness.
Very few do this and so life seems to have lost its flavour, and an ever-increasing number of young men and women complain: “Life is not worth living!” We seem to be entering into an age of gloom. It is true, science is advancing. We have reached a zenith of technological brilliance. Man stands on a planet of limitless promise. He has probed the secrets of the atom, the depths of the sea. He has unravelled the mysteries of his own mind and body. Yet is he unaware of his real being and purpose. He is faced by a terrible loneliness, and his mind is filled with a thousand fears which he cannot name.
The great historian, Arnold Toynbee, was a man gifted with many insights. He said that, with the rise of the industrial civilization, man has received many benefits, but for them he has had to pay a terrible price. That price is peace of mind. As we have grown in material and technical know-how, peace of mind has declined. Industrial civilization has come to stay: we cannot, at this stage, abandon it. But we must find out a way so that, living in this computer age; we may find new happiness and a new ability to get real enjoyment of life.”
How may we do that? How may we get the true joy of life? So let me pass on to you some practical suggestions – which are not merely to be heard but to the put into practice. Suggestions which are not put into practice are like a bottle of medicine lying on the table. It is only when you drink it that it can have any effect on your system.
A friend of mine was indifferent in health. To him I gave some powders to be taken thrice a day. He met me after few days and I enquired about his health. “It is just the same,” he answered. When I asked him, “Did you take the powders?” he said: “They are in my pocket!” Medicine that is in your pocket will have no effect on your health. Likewise, suggestions which are not put into practice will not yield results.
PRACTICALE SUGGESTION No. 1 is a very simple one. If you wish to have joy of life, keep away from all joy-killers. One of them is hate. Let there be no feeling of hatred in your heart.
A man met me. His face was black as coal, as he said to me: “There is a fire burning within me. The flames will not be quenched, until I have shot the man who caused my father’s death.” There you are. Hatred is a fire. So long as the fire burns within you, you cannot have joy of life. And as the Buddha said: “Hatred ceaseth not by hatred, hatred ceaseth by love!” When a thought of hatred comes to you, trample it under-foot and breathe out a thought of love and good-will.
There was a man who led an evil life: his wife and children sought comfort at Beloved Dada’s satsang. One day, the man came to Beloved Dada and shook his fist at him and said: “If you only knew how much I hate you!”
Beloved Dada looked lovingly at the man and said to him: “If you only knew how much I love you!”
What was there in Beloved Dada’s words! The man came and fell at his feet and, with tears in his eyes, begged forgiveness. His life was changed. He turned away from his evil ways. He accompanied his wife and children, every evening, to the satsang.
When Jesus was crucified, he prayed for his persecutors. There he stood on the Cross: nail after nail was struck into his hands, his feet, his throat. Blood flowed out of his gentle, pure body – a body that had never caused harm to anyone. And on his lips was the prayer: “Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do!”
Rishi Dayanand had been poisoned by his cook, Jagannath. He had been bribed to kill his great master. On his death-bed, Rishi Dayanand called Jagannath and said to him: “Here is money for your ticket to Nepal. Escape, before my disciples find out what you have done, else they may tear your body into pieces.”
Such is the witness of all the great ones of humanity. They have met hatred with love and shown that the true joy of life is in loving. If you would be truly happy, love one another. Meet hatred with love and forgiveness.
(Written by: J P Vaswani)
