CHARACTER

· To hate yourself, to lack control over your behaviour, to lack good conduct, these lead to a lack of inner strength. Good conduct is nothing other than friendliness. Good conduct itself is a friend.
· To make a decision impulsively denotes weakness.
· Become humble. Speak sweet words to all beings.
· Pull yourself together. Don’t harbour instability, futile criticism or incessant strife.
· Go to your own refuge. Nothing can be found in someone else’s refuge.
· One who shows mercy to himself, who goes to his own refuge, who protects himself, he cannot be expected to do any bad deeds.
· A life of self control provides happiness and peace. A life of self control generates great insight.
· Evil purpose lives in bed actions.
· O human being! Why do you fear sorrow? Sorrow is merely a shadow. Everyone who is alive has sorrow. Sorrow is a crucial link in your life; in the absence of sorrow, your life would not be clear to you. Keep smiling, and with that smile, keep battling sorrow. This is your life. Sorrow is more, happiness is less. Being without clothes is a sorrow, hunger is a sorrow. All these are sorrows.
· Become a saint with your heart, mind and actions. Do not become a saint of whom advantage can be taken. Saintliness must have the power to protect itself. Be mindful of this.
· A saint can only give you medicine. He cannot regulate your diet or effect the lifestyle changes that you must make.
· One whose life rests on a foundation of comprehensive consciousness, comprehensive vision, comprehensive knowledge and stable mind is not hurt by invectives.
· O seeker! Never feel bad in your heart, thinking you were insulted, mistreated, or ridiculed.
· A weak person is easily excitable.
· One who relinquishes desire, expectation and attachment is an able person, a superhero.
· Do not become anything. Just become human.
· The saintliness of a saint reflected in his conduct, not in his knowledge. In the conduct and consciousness of an enlightened person immeasurable wealth, prestige, peace and happiness are found. This is known as true action.
· A virtuous person has his own strength, his own valour.
· O seeker, are you afraid of circumstances? Become fearless, become quiet; allow even the remnants of fear to dissipate without leaving a trace.
· Egotism signifies artificiality and crookedness.
· O seeker! The only thing within our right is to remain the same for everyone like the sky.
· Do not become a wild idiot owl; become like the nightingale, a sweet and innocent forest dweller.
· Retaining your semen provides you with strength, energy, lustre and longevity. Purify the body. One who saves himself from bad actions and intoxicating substances escapes crookedness and poverty.
· Great lustre, great light, comes from good conduct.
· One who sees in himself the smallest fault is a saint. One who does not recognize in himself the biggest fault is a demon.
· Aughar seekers who are just pretending to be so talk much on any subject.
· One who cheats himself cheats everybody.
· While knowing, become like a not knowing person; while understanding, live as if you don’t understand.
· Even from a person considered, bad, learn what is good in him.
· O seeker! Even in this world of illusions, where you see the deeds of others, their shortcomings and virtues, don’t let your voice express an opinion.
· The question arises what is the motive behind sympathizing with other people and helping those in need?
· O seeker! Live, do, behave in such a way that you cheat no one. Even if someone cheats you, do not cheat anyone. Let no one set limits for you or measure you. Become limitless, immeasurable.
· The truly wise one sees God and Guru everywhere. His sight is comprehensive. He instantly achieves super conscious ecstasy, something that is very difficult to achieve.
· O seeker! One who sees me everywhere, who sees God everywhere, he sees the messengers of God earth, air sky and the directions everywhere, he is enlightened, he has comprehensive knowledge. In this state there is no suffering; one lacks any sense of pain.
· You don’t need Rama. You need Rama’s conduct. His conduct and character are the presence of Rama.
· A person whose life is lived with forbearance is like one who lives on even ground. Here virtues and the seeds of dharma germinate. Here vagishwari, the essence of humanness, stays within one like water stays in cultivated ground.
· One who digests sorrows as a Yogi? However, disenchantment is not good every situation, the ability to attract (good people and ideas) gives value to life.
· How bright, how clean our future becomes when we clean our heart!
· O human, only the night gets to perceive your true good character. The day, blind since birth, does not know it. It is only you who do not think the day to have been blind from birth that is why you pretend to be speaker of truth during the day [in your daily activities].
· Be careful of the animals that graze away at your virtues. One who swears to speak the truth all the time is the biggest liar.
· Rich in virtues is only he who is desire free. One who has no needs is very wealthy.
· Keep an auspicious eye everywhere. Relinquish the sinister eye. The sinister eye is unethical. The auspicious eye is ever new.
· Virtues and good conduct are stable and everlasting. Few people find and keep them; fewer tame them.
· Empty your mind, bring your restless heart, home, sit in solitude, concentrate, think about supreme consciousness. You will derive food for thought, perceive ways of living, and derive contentment and satisfaction. This is known as sanyam (self control).
· By practicing self restraint, you learn self discipline as well as a higher system of knowledge which inspires many people of the earth to favour you.
· The wandering saint who lives on alms makes a big contribution to society by not adding to the population. He helps keeps society free from population pollution. He does not run away from society. He sweeps for people, he cleans and maintains cleanliness, he advises and inspires people. He guides people in the right direction, works toward their mental growth, spreads peace and provides a way for the lost to live their lives.
· The day you begin to feel that prestige, praise and eulogies are like poison, that day your understanding will become mature. Keeping these things away will help you keep walking on your path.
· Despite being endowed with treasures, in the absence of any bhava (feeling), humans drown in the ocean of life. Some are unable to cross this ocean because of their disrespect toward saints, Mahatmas and good people.
· If our guru or respected elders are brusque with us, we should search within ourselves to see if we were influenced by bad company or bad actions, by bad literature, advice, rumours or hearsay.
· By deception and treachery, evil forces astray. Demons act sweeter than your parents, relatives and friends. Be careful with demons. Stay within the sphere of your own temperament. If your desires transgress beyond this, nobody will be able to save you.
· Never criticize the way someone makes a living, whether he is a butcher, or keeper of animals. Even a butcher, if he has bhava (feeling), he has a goal, he is closer to the divine than the critic who has no bhava (feeling), who has no goal. If the butcher’s attention if towards his goal while cutting meat, this attention itself is his worship and his prayer.
· A saint should never be insulted under any circumstances.
· What you do daily, what happens within you, depends upon your intention. With what kind of purpose do you get up in morning? With what kind of people do you meet and how long do you stay with them? What do you talk about and for how long? These things have a positive or negative effect on you. Keep your feelings and emotions under control. If you do not exercise control, if you indulge in excesses, you may experience obstacles to your prayers. You can even lose yourself.
· Shape your style of living according to your own natural style. Mould it according to the form of your guru. Mould it according to the form of your dear divinity. If your methods are not right, what will you be able to do? If your style is actually not your style, this adopted style may cause you to squander your life. If your style is wrong, you will not be able to achieve anything. Then you may curse your guru and the ways he has taught you. Upon cursing, you will be condemned not once but a hundred times. Then, it is difficult to stay what fate you will find or where you will end up.
· A saint lends his voice to the voices of others. He leads them in right direction.
· One who performs misdeeds in the garb of saint, who deceives others in the name of gods goddesses, who does not control his tongue and speech, who dirties his hands with bad actions to whichever market may he may go, he is easily measured and evaluated, as are those policemen without honour who are bribed with two or three rupees.
· Do not perform a fast (vrat karana). In the fact, make a resolve (vrat lena) to reach your goal. If you fast, mind, heart and senses may become restless. Then, instead of relinquishing illusions, becoming stable and humble, you exhibit foolishness. That is why, instead, you should definitely resolve [to work steadily towards your goal].
· Without discipline, you can destroy yourself. In the absence of self discipline, and because of your moon like waxing and waning temperament, your divinity is unable to do anything favourable for you even if it wants to. That divinity [like tailor] is not able to sew the shirt [of good life] of a perfect cut just for you. Your mental state keeps waxing and waning like the moon, yet you ask your divinity [the tailor] to sew a nice shirt for you which is neither big nor small, neither tight nor loose. This is an improper and impossible thing. With this mental condition you try to worship that princess residing in a fortress, Durga, who is herself a spark of energy, a paint of cosmic energy itself. If you worship her with this mental state you will not achieve the desired effect.
· Save yourself from sin mixed virtue. If you believe in performing sin mixed virtue, it will result in suffering for the people of your village, your society and your nation. Instead of the fraternal love between ram and bharat (characters from the epic Ramayana), it will propagate the bitterness of Bali and sugriv (other characters from the Ramayana).
· Parents who want good children should stay away from indulgences and intoxication. If they don’t then their children, inheriting these undesirable tendencies, will be a deadweight for themselves as well as for society and the nation.
· In today’s universities it is not necessarily true that scholars are of good character.
· If you do something with impatience, you may become the victim of misfortune. If this happens, neither you, nor society, nor the nation will escape its consequences. Impatience is always prohibited. With impatience, you cannot find a large, lost mountain. With patience, you can find even a small, lost needle.
· Probably, you are not able to hear my words in the right way. Or, if you are able to hear probably you are unable to comprehend. Or, if you are able to comprehend, you probably cannot act on them. Furthermore, even if you are able to act on them, can you do so in the way it should be done? Probably, this is the reason you persist in being deprived of everything.
· I know you will interpret the meaning of what I say according to your own way of thinking.
· To contact the divinities of earth and heaven, we have to lead a disciplined life. We have to understand the meaning of ‘‘no devotion without tact, no liberation without devotion’’.
· Due to your excessive cleverness, you have nothing left. You exercise your cunning everywhere. Where you should act clever, you act stupid; where you should act stupid, you act clever. Because of this, you invite every sorrow, and wear it with pride.
· Worship creative energy, not things. Achieve absolute concentration and absorption.
· To ignore the faults in others is greatness.
· There is reverence in seriousness.
· One whose mind is stable, who is self disciplined, who has no desire and wants, good and bad, he is ever conscious and fearless. Do it, seeker.
· Mother and father, friends and relatives can do good for you. But that good action of those whose minds move in their own direction, who keep their minds within themselves. Great beings determined to achieve their object are to be saluted. They are to be revered.
· If you to choose between wealth and duty. If you have to choose between sons and disciples, (the example we have is that) Buddha and Nanak (first Sikh Guru) chose their disciples. Their sons later embraced their duty and achieved renown.
· The wealthy person who makes thousands of sacrifices gains less merit than the person who sacrifices his attachments, his senses, his ego.
· At the very least, make a compromise with yourself and have patience.
· It is easy to do that which is bad for us. It is very difficult to do that which is good for us. That is why this life should not be [lived] for ourselves [alone], but for every person. Such a life is a real life. Such a person is alive. The life he has lived never dies. It never becomes old. It is free from disease and from rebirth.
· The Goddess of victory cannot be tied by garlands of flowers. Nor can you bind her with good words or wealth. Only self absorbed, unsaid, unuttered thoughts are acceptable to her.
· The best way to live is to live attentively. One who lives with attention knows how to act, not just talk. Such a one is a wholesome person.
· One who goes to his own refuge is happy, for his refuge is an actual refuge.
· If the king is pleased, (he) gives land elephants. If a businessman is pleased, (he) gives a few pennies. If women are pleased, (they) gives creative essence physical pressure. If guru is pleased, (he) gives closeness to the heart of beings hell keep you close to his hermit.
· O seeker, one who owns nothing has no problems.
· Whatever one says or thinks about a saint, the saint is not affected by it. Saints are not representatives of any God. They are messengers of themselves. Known to be Awadhut, they are beyond duality.
· A great war goes on in life. We have to win this battle against those who are attacking us with many tricks and all kind of cleverness. These wagers of war are tricksters; they are cunning. But if we remain guileless in front of them, they will be defeated.
· Saints are philanthropic. Unlike lawyers, doctors and other professionals, they do not charge a fee. Determined and dedicated to service, often without recognition, they keep doing philanthropic work.
· Don’t look at or listen to anything with suspicion.
· It is good to have an identity of your own. If you don’t have an identity, how will people know if you are there, whether you are a human or a beast, what your character is like? If identity with your family, home, country, region, or friends does not rise in you, you remain weak.
· Whatever has happened within you, investigate that! Whatever is happening in you and whatever is about to happen, let those things manifest. Don’t put prohibitions on them, for they will be your history.
· People who are light will be blown away. People with some weight, who are genuine, cultivate them with care. Protect them, polish them: they are the ones who will provide life to the new generations.
· There are many among the neglected who are worthy of praise. The day you begin to praise them, that day will you begin the praise of divinity. The day will you begin the praise excrement, that day you will become worthy of praising sandalwood and vermilion. As long as you praise one thing and neglect another, your mind and heart will remain polluted with dually. Duality leads to regression.
· With saints, sadhus, seekers and special guests sitting with them, we can touch them and derive sweetness, know things in a new ways of seeing. Thus, we achieve peace and happiness brings us face to face with everything that is, the unknown.
· Austerity is mental. The physical practice of austerity is nothing. Only the practice of keeping a disciplined mind has meaning.
· Filth and excrement has its own importance. When in its proper place, it should even be revered. Excrement and garbage, as fertilizer, provides food and water for plants and trees. Have respect, love and praise for everything.
· A friend should be like the earth, which moves around the sun seeking light for its friends. Receiving light, the inhabitants of the earth become happy, peaceful and capable of performing good actions.
· Friends do not encourage one in bad deeds, because bad deeds lead to ill health, weakening of the mind, and troubles.
· Instead of meditating, pay attention to your behaviour. It is the greatest prayer. To be always aware of our behaviour is beneficial for us and for others, too. It demonstrates great friendship toward our selves.
· When moral behaviour is needed and discipline has to be maintained, there saintly behaviour is not needed. There, saintliness will not be useful. Relinquish the feeling of harming anyone from your heart, follow the principle of ‘‘love in your heart but harsh words in your mouth’’. Keep love in your heart, but harsh enough to turn back the wayward person. A polite voice may be dangerous and lead to a be situation.
· Pure food and pure water deeply influence the character and behaviour of a person. If you partake of the wealth acquired by the wrong people by the wrong means, it will affect you badly. It is said, ‘‘like the food, so the heart and mind’’.
· Pictures influence thinking, and thinking influences the character and behaviour of a person.
· With forbearance, one will exhibit good behaviour even in trying circumstances, and understand the difference between good behaviour and understand behaviour. One should please the Guru and the Dear Divinity, and not worry about rotting and decaying people. Take the support of good behaviour and proceed towards good actions.
· Humility makes a person great if he has no wickedness in him.
· The company of untrue human beings and their narrow-mindedness, as well as their vibrations and heart and intellect.
· The word ‘thir’ (stable) is used for Mahatmas, saint’s good people, Awadhuts, Auliyas, seekers and unattached people. They all share the characteristic of stability. Instability does not visit them. The instability and rushing around that exists in our lives does not exist in their lives. The instability and rushing around in our lives is related to being in the company of tailless animals and their beastly thoughts, feelings, characters, actions who only in form resemble human beings.
· Everything from sweets to invectives, stones, bestial words and behaviour, are flung upon saints and Mahatmas, but they overlook them. If they react to them, they will not be able to remain ‘thir’ (stable).
· Within those who contented arises the feeling of: ‘‘o my divinity within me! If I am pure and peaceful do not do things according to my desire, but according to your desire, so that it brings more goodness and peace to me.’’ People like this, even those doing the most menial jobs, receive the objects of their desires, are fulfilled. Things which had seemed so distant, begin to happen.
· All great saints have battled with their own beastly inclinations rather than with any other person.
· By itself, wealth can bring great sorrow which may also afflict others. It can force you to do many bad deeds. But if you possess the wealth imbued by God, then even as a simple householder, a humble person, you become like a great papal (ficus religiosa) or banyan tree which, germinating from tiny seeds, become places of refuge for many beings. They become providers of coolness, happiness and peace. In a blind quest for wealth and prestige, do not become like the tall coconuts and palms which, arising from huge seeds, do not provide shade for anyone. They do not provide happiness, coolness or peace. Even birds do not nest in them. Occasionally, vultures perch upon them. With God imbued wealth you will be like the small streams creature. Despite being but a simple householder, you can take care of family, friends, relatives, saints, seekers, Mahatmas, great people, and beggars.
· Beware of people with doubtful backgrounds. They can cheat you or take you onto doubtful path.
· What do a saint people do? Why does he ask his disciples to wander? Where will they wander? Will they beg to survive? No, no! You will not beg. Anybody can give you a little food. People throw food in front of dogs just like that. Why won’t they throw food in front of you, too? Yes, go wander. See what difficult situations human beings go through. Observe these! Look at them! Learn from them! Wander! Do not go about teaching! You do not have the right to teach, and those people are not ready to learn. They will make a fool of you. Teach only the person who likes to be taught.
· Never call from behind respected elders or soldiers fighting on a battlefield. If a great saint is passing, instead of calling him from behind, go in front of him humbly and they say something. He will respond with a silent cry in his heart. He will not say anything. He will not produce a sound. The person who does not produce a sound is the person who truly gives you something. If he produces a sound, then you know he is not giving you anything. He is simply beating on you as a hollow drum.