March 30
Memoirs of HH Shri Bhola Nathji (1902-1992) The founder of the World Prayer Day for peace.
A philosospher-poet was asked this question, and the question and answer are given in this Persian Verse:
"Cheest duniyaa sar ba sar purseedam az farzaanaye
Guft: Yaaa khaab ast, yaa baad ast yaa afsaanaye"
"What is this world in reality was asked of a wiseman,
Reply: it was like a dream, or like the passing wind, or a story that came to an end."
What is LIfe? It is that which must go.
And what is Death? It is that which must come.
Each and every moment of life that comes before us, comes only to go away, never to return. The future turns into the present and the present turns into the past. And in the end the entire picture of life is that of the past!! We live in that one moment only, which we call the "present" which goes no sooner than it comes.
We live on one breath at a time, we cannot take two breaths at the same time!! And that one breath vanishes the moment it comes. Finally there is the day when the last breath comes and we are no more in this world.
It is for us to decide which is more important - that which is going away or that which is about to come! A guest is about to leave, and another guest about to come. We must make preparations for the guest to come.
If only man were to realise that this life is something that is going away rapidly, his mind would be relatively free of worries. All the joys and sorrows, all the material objects, all the friends and foes are all companions for a few days only.
This life is like a journey in a train. We get inside the compartment and find some people ahead of us. These are our parents. Our journey of life begins. As the train moves on more people get inside the compartment. These are the new relationships we form in life. And then as the train continues its journey non-stop and relentlessly we discover something which is altogether heart-breaking.
Some of our companions get off in our presence while we get off in the presence of others. This is life and death.
The sad thing is that we think of the journey as our home, and we do not know where are real home is.
If we were to know that the home is very beautiful, then even if the train and journey were uncomfortable we would not be worried too much because the thought of our beautiful destination would fill us with happiness and comfort.
But if the journey were very comfortable, but the home, the destination was going to be bad, then the joy of the comforts of the journey would become meaningless.
How wonderful if we could spend the time with the companions of our journey with Love knowing that we were all going to part from each other one day. Of what use quarreling with those who are going to depart from us? Why not let them take a good impression about us before they go.
You are living in a hotel, and the man in the room above yours drops water from his window so that it bothers you. You go to complain to the manager, and find out that the man is leaving in the evening. All at once your anger subsides. Of what use complaining about someone who is going away in any case?
When you travel in a train on a journey, you think of the smallest number of things you can take with you, not the entire house, as that would make the journey miserable.
So it is with the journey of life--if you can keep yourself content with the least amount of material possessions and ambitions it will only add to your happiness and to your Love for everyone and make your journey simple and comfortable.
Memoirs of HH Shri Bhola Nathji (1902-1992) The founder of the World Prayer Day for peace.
A philosospher-poet was asked this question, and the question and answer are given in this Persian Verse:
"Cheest duniyaa sar ba sar purseedam az farzaanaye
Guft: Yaaa khaab ast, yaa baad ast yaa afsaanaye"
"What is this world in reality was asked of a wiseman,
Reply: it was like a dream, or like the passing wind, or a story that came to an end."
What is LIfe? It is that which must go.
And what is Death? It is that which must come.
Each and every moment of life that comes before us, comes only to go away, never to return. The future turns into the present and the present turns into the past. And in the end the entire picture of life is that of the past!! We live in that one moment only, which we call the "present" which goes no sooner than it comes.
We live on one breath at a time, we cannot take two breaths at the same time!! And that one breath vanishes the moment it comes. Finally there is the day when the last breath comes and we are no more in this world.
It is for us to decide which is more important - that which is going away or that which is about to come! A guest is about to leave, and another guest about to come. We must make preparations for the guest to come.
If only man were to realise that this life is something that is going away rapidly, his mind would be relatively free of worries. All the joys and sorrows, all the material objects, all the friends and foes are all companions for a few days only.
This life is like a journey in a train. We get inside the compartment and find some people ahead of us. These are our parents. Our journey of life begins. As the train moves on more people get inside the compartment. These are the new relationships we form in life. And then as the train continues its journey non-stop and relentlessly we discover something which is altogether heart-breaking.
Some of our companions get off in our presence while we get off in the presence of others. This is life and death.
The sad thing is that we think of the journey as our home, and we do not know where are real home is.
If we were to know that the home is very beautiful, then even if the train and journey were uncomfortable we would not be worried too much because the thought of our beautiful destination would fill us with happiness and comfort.
But if the journey were very comfortable, but the home, the destination was going to be bad, then the joy of the comforts of the journey would become meaningless.
How wonderful if we could spend the time with the companions of our journey with Love knowing that we were all going to part from each other one day. Of what use quarreling with those who are going to depart from us? Why not let them take a good impression about us before they go.
You are living in a hotel, and the man in the room above yours drops water from his window so that it bothers you. You go to complain to the manager, and find out that the man is leaving in the evening. All at once your anger subsides. Of what use complaining about someone who is going away in any case?
When you travel in a train on a journey, you think of the smallest number of things you can take with you, not the entire house, as that would make the journey miserable.
So it is with the journey of life--if you can keep yourself content with the least amount of material possessions and ambitions it will only add to your happiness and to your Love for everyone and make your journey simple and comfortable.
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