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.
If we celebrate the festival with the objective of divine wealth then we will get an experience of supreme Bliss or anand and the desire for worldly inferior pleasures will automatically start reducing, leading to our true Liberation.
Christ was crucified once, but his teachings suffer crucifixion every day at the hands of men of limited vision. Christ’s teachings cannot be understood just by reading the Bible…but by living and trying out in everyday life the principles taught in the book.
If we only practice compassion at the mind level, we run a great risk of our compassion being just talk. As we know, talk is cheap. To develop true compassion we have to put our money where our mouth is.
God has no marks, colour, caste, and no ancestors, no form, complexion, outline, costume and is indescribable. He is fearless, luminous and measureless in might. He is the king of kings, the Lord of the prophets. He is the sovereign of the universe, gods, men and demons. The woods and dales sing the indescribable. O Lord, none can tell Thy names. The wise count your blessings to coin your names.
God first created light, all men are born out of it. The whole world came out of a single spark; who is good and who is bad? The Creator is in the creation, and the creation in the Creator, He is everywhere…He who surrenders to Him gets to know Him. God is invisible, He cannot be seen. The Guru has granted me this sweet gift. My doubts are dispelled. I have seen the Pure with my own eyes.
There are no greater treasures than the highest human qualities such as compassion, courage and hope. Not even tragic accident or disaster can destroy such treasures of the heart.
Trust God completely and he will solve all difficulties. Faithfully leave everything to Him and He will see to everything.
