March BANYAN TREE
Teaching story
THE SAINT’S WISDOM
Once upon a time, a man went to a saint and said, “I desire to make my life better and beautiful. Please tell me the way by which I can make it happen.”
The saint picked up some cotton, a candle, and a needle and gave it to the man.
The man left but he was still confused because he didn’t know what to do with these things. He was wondering why the saint gave him these three things and how they could help him make his life better. So, he went back to the saint and asked him, “Maharaj, I am not able to understand why you gave me all these things. How are they going to help me in making my life better?”
The saint smiled and said, “Each of the things I gave you has a deep meaning of its own.” He further explained, “Cotton is used to make thread, which is then used to make clothes that cover the honour of every man. Similarly, God’s man is the one who helps in defending the honour of others and protects them.”
The saint continued, “The candle burns and melts to give light to others. Similarly, you should try to be like a candle: a person who lights up the life of others.”
The saint finally concluded by saying, “The last thing I gave you is a needle. Without the needle, no torn clothes can be stitched together. Similarly, in this world, a person who helps in mending broken hearts and helps other people in their times of need is loved by God.”
After listening to the saint’s wise words, the man understood the meaning of life. He thanked the saint and left for his home.
ONE-MINUTE WISDOM
Old English Prayer
Take time to work, it is the price of success.
Take time to think, it is the source of power.
Take time to play, it is the secret of perpetual youth.
Take time to read, it is the fountain of wisdom.
Take time to be friendly, it is the road to happiness.
Take time to dream, it is hitching your wagon to a star.
Take time to look around, it is too short a day to be selfish.
Take time to laugh, it is the music of the soul.
LAO TZU
THIS, I KNOW
• Being deeply loved by someone gives you strength, while loving someone deeply gives you courage.
• Kindness in words creates confidence. Kindness in thinking creates profoundness. Kindness in giving creates love.
• Do the difficult things while they are easy and do the great things while they are small. A journey of a thousand miles must begin with a single step.
• Knowing others is wisdom, knowing yourself is Enlightenment.
• When I let go of what I am, I become what I might be.
• When you are content to be simply yourself and don't compare or compete, everybody will respect you.
• He who knows, does not speak. He who speaks, does not know.
• Life is a series of natural and spontaneous changes. Don’t resist them—that only creates sorrow. Let reality be reality. Let things flow naturally forward in whatever way they like.
• The key to growth is the introduction of higher dimensions of consciousness into our awareness.
• He who knows that enough is enough will always have enough.
INSPIRATION
Consequences
Chances of life on this tiny globe,
Are steadily going down the slippery slope
As the evergreens all around start to fall.
Times have turned so deadly and frail.
There was once a place to live,
But you built your fancy houses over it.
The concrete jungles have turned so massive;
And in every nook like wild mushrooms, plastic sits.
I know you hardly care,
Yet the time for consequences is so near.
There’s beauty and calm only for a moment here,
Soon there’ll be catastrophes you can hardly bear.
Come tomorrow this place will be stained,
With trails of rivers you’ve fully drained,
And traces of chaff without their grains.
If only we could use wisely these gifted brains.
—Careena Alvarez
JUST FOR LAUGHS
THe old vase
A boy breaks an old vase at a rich uncle’s house. The uncle gets extremely upset and yells, “Do you even know how old that vase was? It was from the 17th century!”
The boy sagged in relief, “Oh! Thank God it wasn’t new.”
QUOTE
Maybe the journey isn't so much about becoming anything. Maybe it's about unbecoming everything that isn't really you.
- Paulho Coelho