Live Worldly Life Solely as a Matter of Duty
A confirmed smoker once fell ill and went to a doctor. "I will faithfully follow your prescription," he said, "on condition that I will not be asked to give up smoking." The doctor was very tactful; he agreed, but prescribed that a certain pill should be held in the mouth when smoking. The pill counteracted the harmful effects of tobacco. We can similarly counteract the baneful effects of worldly life if we banish from the mind the notion that this kind of life will give us true happiness. Thereby, our attachment to it will gradually diminish, and we shall continue with worldly life, but purely as a matter of duty.
Persons leading a worldly life have a peculiar nature; they dislike being told the truth. As a matter of fact, people happen to meet each other in life as a family or friends and foes, simply coming together for a limited time and purpose, like co-passengers in a railway train. A family is made up of a number of persons; each of them has a 'self' which he wants to please; how, then, can any single one of them obtain happiness according to his own ideas?
Go about your life with the firm conviction that true contentment is with God alone. In business the motive is to earn profit; if there is no profit, the business is not worthwhile. Contentment is the profit we seek from worldly life; if this profit is not obtained, where is the sense in devoting oneself to such life?
If asked- to pin-point the cause of his lack of contentment, no one will be able to do so. This means, conversely, that contentment really does not depend on any external cause or condition. And yet, we find that we are not happy with what we have; on the other hand, even if we get what we want, we do not realise happiness. Everyone knows fully well, from his own experience, that worldly life does not, cannot, yield contentment and joy; and yet, people do not behave as they ought to; city dwellers out of pride, village folk out of ignorance.
We must consider how we can obtain divine love and contentment while still participating in worldly life. Love for the body will automatically shrink and so, as a consequence, will love for all that is related to it, if we live in the divine name.
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