Be like a pearl oyster

                           Be like a pearl oyster

 There is an Indian belief that if it rains when the star Swati is in the ascendant and a drop of rain falls into an oyster, that drop becomes a pearl. The oysters know this, so they come to the surface of the ocean when that star shines, and wait to catch the precious rain drop. When a drop falls into them, quickly the oysters close their shells and dive down to the bottom of the sea, there to patiently develop the drop into a pearl. We should be like that. We have to know our goal and make every happening as an opportunity.Leaving all distractions, shutting our mind to outside influences, we should devote ourselves to developing and achieving the goal within us. This way, nothing will be impossible to achieve in this world.

The purpose of life

     
                              The purpose of life

 Variety is the spice of life. Beauty of the creation is its variety only. In variety, there is no comparison. Each one is unique and indispensable. Society needs different kinds of people like teachers, farmers, doctors, engineers, plumbers and others for its smooth functioning. Like different limbs of the body which have different functions in the body, which is one, society is one organic whole and all members are its different limbs. Each one is born with some talent. It is the duty of the parents, teachers and the person himself to nurture that for a successful life.
A student asked his saint-teacher: What is the purpose of  my life ? Which task do I have to perform ?

The teacher answered while pointing to a bunch of flowers.
' Do you see these flowers ? On some branches you see little buds, on others you see fully bloomed flowers . The fully bloomed flowers have beautiful petals, a nice color and fragrance and a beautiful appearance. Flowers have the unique distinction of bringing joy and happiness to people of all countries and of all ages. They are the best ambassadors of good will. They help the bees to collect honey from them for the benefit of humanity. Not only that , the fully bloomed flowers assist in pollination and further development. In case of fruit trees, the flowers ripen into fruits which supply nutrients to the humans and animals and the seeds help in the propagation of its species.
In the buds you cannot see  yet all the beauty. The purpose of the bud is to bring out whatever beauty it has inside and to become a perfect flower. Gradually it will grow and bring out from within itself all the beauty'.
' Nature teaches you the purpose. The purpose of your life is to bring out the sleeping beauty in you. Your task is to grow into a perfect, ideal human being. In you are dormant all the noble human qualities such as love, kindness, compassion, unselfishness, spirit of service, courage to stick to virtues,

Enjoy the sweetness

       
                               Enjoy the sweetness

Learning has two vital tools. Books and a good teacher to guide. Books give information. Many a times it is like a huge forest in which the human mind often loses itself and finds no way out. So a real teacher with his illustrations and experience clears the doubts and paves the way for true knowledge. Learning has three stages also- listening, understanding and meditating. Then only there will be proper assimilation which will lead to creativity, originality, innovation and further research and further propagation of it.
A teacher was teaching a group of students about God, creation and freedom. He wanted to know the impact of his teachings on the students. So, he took them to a mango orchard. It was a big, beautiful garden with different kinds of mango trees laden with fruits. Wonder-struck at the variety there, some started counting the trees, some looked at the variety of hues of leaves, some compared the color and size of the mangoes and noted down the details carefully in their note book. Then arose a learned discussion on each of these topics, which were absorbing and highly interesting to them. But one among those students did not care for these external things , but saw the delicious mangoes and began to eat the fruits.
Likewise, the universe in its myriad varieties offer many attractions. Even in them is hidden the essence, the presence of 'Godhood'. If a person is careful enough to go beyond the covers and looks behind them. he will find sweetness everywhere. So life is not a forest to be lost in, but a beautiful garden to enjoy the bliss of sweetness everywhere.

What is real beauty ?

   
                          What is real beauty ?

A student asked his teacher about the concept of beauty. The teacher explained to him that the beauty is not an external appearance or quality but an internal quality, usefulness of a thing or man.
" How"?
The teacher gave an illustration. There is a pot full of sweet custard. Nearby kept are a shining golden spoon with holes and cracks and a clean wooden spoon in a good condition. A hungry man comes there to eat that. Which spoon he would take?
The student said, " to a hungry person, a spoon with holes and cracks, however expensive and shining it may be, is not useful. He will pick up only the good wooden spoon. That alone will serve his purpose."
The teacher explained, " It is the usefulness of a thing that determines its real worth and that is its real beauty. Here the wood surpasses the shining gold  from the utility point of view. It is the usefulness of a thing that really attracts. Likewise a cultured man is more beautiful than the outwardly showy man. Beauty is an inherent quality."
The student understood the truth behind the beauty.

In search of God

 


                             In search of God

A student, not convinced by the teachings of his enlightened teacher visited different temples in different places in search of God.
He, being not satisfied in his mission returned to to the teacher. On one night , the teacher and the student were sitting outside. It was full-moon night. There was a bucket full of water near by. The student went on asking questions about God. But the teacher was looking into the water of the bucket only. He did not give any reply. The student was upset and at the same time curious at the strange behavior of his teacher. He could not control himself and asked the teacher what he was finding so absorbing and interesting in that bucket of water ?
The teacher replied, " I am trying to look at the moon reflected in the water and enjoy the moon there."
The student laughed and said, " Sir , if you raise your head a little above , you can find the real moon shining all over the sky and feel and enjoy its coolness also."
The teacher immediately retorted back, " If you can search for God in temple, can't I try to find the moon reflected in water ?"
The student understood the import and realized the ultimate truth that ' God is every where' including his own self' and to search Him in one place shows one's own ignorance and limitation.
The scriptures declare that the creation of universe by God is unique. It is different from that of an ordinary one. In normal life, the potter creates the pot, the painter paints the picture. The pot and the painting are objects and different from their subjects potter and the painter because external materials are used in making the objects. Whereas in the creation of the universe, the material is not from outside the creator. Like a spider spins a web from his own, God also creates this from his own. Not only that, after creating the worldly objects, He entered into them. So nothing in the universe is different from God. Every thing is permeated by Him. One who realizes this truth through the purity of his hear,will develop universal love. Where there is love, there is no fear, no hatred and no loneliness.
When the curtain of illusion falls, there is only one, no one but God.
It is beautifully said thus,
" Oh Dear Lord, how much longer must there be ' I' and a ' You ' between us ?
Take away the ego from me so that there remains nothing of me, but all of you.

Peace of mind

                         
                                  Peace of mind

A man went to a saint and asked him a way to get peace of mind.
The saint replied, " It is very simple. Eat when you are hungry and sleep when you are tired. Go natural.
" This is what all people do."
The saint explained, " No. While eating they are not calm but develop so many desires and while sleeping they keep thinking of all problems only. If they leave all these, the mind will become peaceful on its own."

Failure is also a form of success

                            Failure is also a form of success

If the fruit ripens immediately , it will not be that much delicious when compared to that one which ripens in due course. Everything should take its own time for fruition. This is what nature teaches. Likewise when a work becomes successful after many attempts its reward is durable and it has unique charm of its own. The only thing required on the part of the doer is that he should never get disappointed in the middle and give up the work. Failures should be treated as practice shots.
Someone once asked Edison if he was disappointed after trying 382 ways of making a lightbulb. He answered that he was n't. He was glad that he now knew 382 ways not to try. This is the attitude and spirit one should develop for successful achievement of any thing in life.