Children, love is the sovereign remedy for mental impurities such as anger and jealousy. If we truly love someone, we will not feel jealousy, rivalry or hatred towards him. We will not perceive even his shortcomings as such. If the person we love is not beautiful, we will superimpose beauty. Conversely, even if the person we detest is beautiful, we will see ugliness. The mind is behind both.
A housewife and her maid were cooking together in the kitchen. Looking out of the window, the housewife told her maid, “There’s a fatso standing at the door. Please go and see who it is.”
The servant went to see who it was. Returning, she said, “Madam, do you know who is standing outside? It’s your eldest son, who left home 10 years ago!”
On hearing this, the woman ran outside, hugged the young man, and said, “Dear son, when did you return? Why have you become so thin? Aren’t you eating well?”
The same person, whom the woman considered fat when he was a stranger to her, struck her as being slim when she recognised him as her son. When love awakens, ugliness turns to beauty. Through love, we can similarly rise above emotions such as jealousy and resentment.
Harbouring anger towards another person is akin to suicide, because resentment and jealousy kill cells in the body. At the same time, when we love others, our mind becomes expansive and free of impurities. Good qualities and happiness naturally illumine a pure heart.
It is natural for us to feel sympathy when we see someone in a wheelchair. A person who cannot control his mind is likewise disabled. The only thing is, his disability is not visible outside. Just as we feel sorry for the disabled, we ought to likewise feel sorry for those who harbour feelings of hostility and jealousy. Perhaps, our love and sympathy might bring about a transformation in them.
Love and life are not two; they are one. Love and life are like a word and its meaning. It is not possible to separate them. A life without the sweetness of love is like a parched and fissured desert. Therefore, we must awaken love in our life. By doing so, we can help to maintain unity and prosperity not only in our life but in society as well.
In the infinite span of time, each of our lives is like a tiny bubble. It may pop any time. Our next breath may be our last. Even the next moment is not in our hands. So, without wasting time on insignificant interpersonal conflicts, we should try to do as much good as possible.
A flower’s fragrance travels only in the direction of the wind. However, the fragrance of love and selfless service travels equally in all directions. We may not be able to help everyone in need. But if we begin to consider the needs of those right around us above our own needs, this compassion will become a chain reaction. As this compassion spreads in the world, there will be more peace and harmony.
The writer is a world-renowned spiritual leader and humanitarian