CONTENTMENTSometimeswe have the illusion that only a prosperous life can give us peaceof mind, make us happy, and let us practice spiritually. Thisis not the truth! When we are happy and have peace of mind, wecan pursue spiritual practice under any circumstances; it hasnothing to do with being wealthy.
..... Possessionis not important, contentedness is. Be contented in any situation,and problems will be kept away.
..... Thethings in this world we will enjoy if they are there. If theyare not there, it makes no difference to us. That is the way ofthe enlightened spirit.
..... Everything'svalue depends on how much attachment we have for it.
..... Ifwe still demand something, or our heart is still attached to acertain place, we will be used by the King of Maya. When we haveno more fear or demand, we are content with anything we have,even if we have nothing, then there won't be anymore traps. Andwe will not be afraid of any turmoil.
..... Behappy with whatever you have. Otherwise, God takes everythingaway.
..... Thereal importance is to be satisfied with ourselves. We should neverdisgrace others' as well as our own consciousness, no matter whatwe do.
..... Forsakeeverything and then you will have everything.
..... Imust tell you the truth. No one is a saint when he is born. Whenwe are born into this world of Maya, of illusion, we have to undergoall the procedures of a human being: like we have to be ignorantagain, we have to suffer all these illusionary desires, and thenthe disappointment of the unfulfilled desires and all those kindsof things. Until one day we have enough of it and say, "Okay,that's it! Now, whatever I have, I have. If I don't, I don't."That's the time when you reach complete liberation. You liberateyourself from all your own problems, from your own self-made prison,and also your own learned prejudices of who you are.
..... Themore we are steeped in these material surroundings, the less weknow ourselves.
..... Donot find excuses to spoil your physical body. The more we indulgeourselves, the more we develop a kind of individual self sentiment.The more we develop this sentiment, the easier it is for us tosink into the cycle of birth and death.
..... Comfortsreally bind us.
..... Diamonds,rubies, gold or whatever it is, the value they have is the valuewe give to them, but it's not the true value. Suppose you're inthe desert, have no water, and your camels are running out offood. Can you eat the diamonds? At that time, do diamonds haveany value to you? No, you'll die beside the diamonds, and thediamonds cannot move, cannot do absolutely anything for you. Soany material values in this world, only have importance becausewe give it to them. Otherwise, there's nothing here that's valuable.
Thus you see, some men love their woman somuch that they would die, would kill for her but to other neighbors,she's nothing. Even if she came to his house, he would kick herout. He'd ask what are you doing here? He would not feel her appealat all because she has nothing to do with him. She has karma withthat person, with the one who would kill for her. So everythingis related to each other through karma or through the value thatwe attach to the subject or to the person.
There is no real value in this world; but sincewe live here, we accept. We accept, but we must know so that wedon't feel attachment for these transient things, really not valuablethings. We must understand the root of all the values so thatwe can use them but should not feel attached to them. That's thereason why we must practice for spiritual wisdom. We must knowso that we free ourselves from everything - from material binding,from attachment to passions, from the binding of physical loveeven.
