Speak not harshly to anyone. Those thus addressed will retort. Painful, indeed, is vindictive speech. Blows in exchange may bruise you.
That which gives pleasure to one man gives pain to another. That sage who identifies himself with the imperishable Self and stands as a spectator of the mental modifications enjoys supreme peace and infinite bliss.
There are mental demons we fight and mental angels that we all carry around; it’s how we deal with them that will determine if we can deal with this thing called life.
Fasting in the monastic community is considered an ascetic practice, a “dhutanga” practice. Dhutanga means “to shake up” or “invigoration”. The Buddha, as is well known, emphasized moderation, the Middle Way that avoids extremes, in all things. Fasting is an additional method that one can take up, with supervision, for a time.
You have to grow from the inside out. None can teach you, none can make you spiritual. There is no other teacher but your own soul.
