HOW TO HAVE JOY OUT OF LIFE - 8
Practical Suggestion No. 5.
See the good in everyone. There is not a man on earth who does not have some good in him, which you and I will do well to emulate. See the good in others: be blind to their faults. The great Prophet of Iran, Baha’ullah said, “If a man has nine virtues and one fault, think of his nine virtues, forget his one fault; and if a man has nine faults and one virtue, think of his one virtue, forget his nine faults.”
There is a beautiful story told us concerning the boyhood days of Yudhishthira, the King of Indraprastha, who passed through many vicissitudes of life, faced many storms, but was always contented and happy. To him life was always full of joy. Duryodhana, the Kaurava prince, even at the height of his power and glory, did not feel happy. There always was something which he lacked, and his cup of joy was never full. During their boyhood days, both of them studied in the Ashrama of Dronacharya.
One day, Dronacharya said to Yudhishthira: “Go into the town and meet different types of people. When you return in the evening, tell me who was the worst of all the persons whom you met.”
Then, calling Duryodhana to himself, Dronacharya said, “Duryodhana, my child, go into the town and meet as many people as you can, then come and tell me in the evening who was the best and noblest of men that you met.”
Yudhishthira and Duryodhana entered the city. They met a number of people, young and old. They met men belonging to different walks of life. In the evening as Yudhishthira met his teacher, he said to him: “Sir, I met many people. But everyone that I met there was something which I lacked. I have returned with the feeling that I am the worst of all persons. Everyone that I met was superior to me in one respect or the other.” And Duryodhana said to the teacher: “Sir, whomsoever I met had some fault or failing, some weakness or imperfection which I did not have. I have returned fully convinced that there is no one better or nobler than I am.”
Practical Suggestion No. 6.
In everything that you do, pour the best that is in you. Whatever be the task that you are handling, pour into it the best of which you are capable. The smallest duty not done or badly done leaves a lack or a blemish on the whole world’s work. The great Arabian poet said, “Are you an artisan, a mason, a house-builder? Are you helping in building a house? Do it in the consciousness that your Beloved will occupy the house some day. Are you a weaver working on the loom? Weave your cloth in the consciousness that your Beloved will wear it some day!” There you have the secret of true work, - work which will never be a drudgery but always a source of joy.
Practical Suggestion No. 5.
See the good in everyone. There is not a man on earth who does not have some good in him, which you and I will do well to emulate. See the good in others: be blind to their faults. The great Prophet of Iran, Baha’ullah said, “If a man has nine virtues and one fault, think of his nine virtues, forget his one fault; and if a man has nine faults and one virtue, think of his one virtue, forget his nine faults.”
There is a beautiful story told us concerning the boyhood days of Yudhishthira, the King of Indraprastha, who passed through many vicissitudes of life, faced many storms, but was always contented and happy. To him life was always full of joy. Duryodhana, the Kaurava prince, even at the height of his power and glory, did not feel happy. There always was something which he lacked, and his cup of joy was never full. During their boyhood days, both of them studied in the Ashrama of Dronacharya.
One day, Dronacharya said to Yudhishthira: “Go into the town and meet different types of people. When you return in the evening, tell me who was the worst of all the persons whom you met.”
Then, calling Duryodhana to himself, Dronacharya said, “Duryodhana, my child, go into the town and meet as many people as you can, then come and tell me in the evening who was the best and noblest of men that you met.”
Yudhishthira and Duryodhana entered the city. They met a number of people, young and old. They met men belonging to different walks of life. In the evening as Yudhishthira met his teacher, he said to him: “Sir, I met many people. But everyone that I met there was something which I lacked. I have returned with the feeling that I am the worst of all persons. Everyone that I met was superior to me in one respect or the other.” And Duryodhana said to the teacher: “Sir, whomsoever I met had some fault or failing, some weakness or imperfection which I did not have. I have returned fully convinced that there is no one better or nobler than I am.”
Practical Suggestion No. 6.
In everything that you do, pour the best that is in you. Whatever be the task that you are handling, pour into it the best of which you are capable. The smallest duty not done or badly done leaves a lack or a blemish on the whole world’s work. The great Arabian poet said, “Are you an artisan, a mason, a house-builder? Are you helping in building a house? Do it in the consciousness that your Beloved will occupy the house some day. Are you a weaver working on the loom? Weave your cloth in the consciousness that your Beloved will wear it some day!” There you have the secret of true work, - work which will never be a drudgery but always a source of joy.
(Written by: J P Vaswani)
-to be concluded
