Amma's latest offering.

[Guest guest]

Question – Amma, if everyone were to lead a spiritual life and

become sannyasis, how would the world survive? What is the benefit

of sannyasa?

 

Amma – Not everyone can become a sannyasi. Out of a million people

who try, only a few will succeed. But just because everyone can't

get a medical degree or secure a high position, it doesn't mean that

one should give up trying.

 

Amma isn't saying that everyone should become a sannyasi, but if you

understand the principle behind sannyasa and live accordingly, you

can avoid suffering. Then you will be able to overcome any obstacles

with detachment.

 

What Amma means is that we should give up the sense of " I "

and " mine. " Whatever we wish for, we should understand its role in

life. Also, our actions shouldn't be performed with any expectation

of their fruits, because expectation is the cause of suffering.

 

A person on a fundraising drive went to a house to ask for a

contribution. He expected at least a thousand rupees, but the family

gave him only five! He was furious and refused to accept the

donation. He was still angry a year later! He nursed his anger

inside. Because he hadn't received what he expected, he wasn't able

to accept what was offered. He rejected it because he was very

disappointed. If he hadn't had any expectations, he wouldn't have

had to go through all that anger and suffering. He would have been

satisfied with what little he received. We can avoid this sort of

suffering on our journey through life, if we are like beggars. A

beggar knows he is a beggar, so he doesn't grieve if he isn't given

anything. He isn't sad if he doesn't receive anything in one place,

because he knows he will perhaps get something in the next place. He

knows that being given a whole armful or being left empty-handed are

both part of his experience on the journey through life. So he

doesn't feel angry with anyone. When you are a true beggar, you look

upon everything as God's will. Let your bond be with God—that is all

Amma is saying. The truly spiritual have no sorrows.

 

Today people are attached to external things. " This is my family " —

this is how they go through life, and it is for their family that

they toil day and night without rest. But they forget themselves –

they fail to discover their dharma and to live accordingly. They

forget God. When you live in this way, you find peace neither in

life, nor after death.

 

This doesn't mean that we shouldn't work. We should perform our

actions, but without harbouring any expectations or desires.

 

Happiness is not to be found in external things. Happiness lies

within ourselves.

 

When you have eaten a large portion of your favourite sweet dish,

you won't feel like eating any more of it. You would begin to hate

it if you ate more. If someone were to place another portion in

front of you, you would push it away. If it were really the sweet

dish that had made you happy, would there be any reason to push it

away? Wouldn't you eat more of it? So, the mind is the cause of your

happiness and sorrow. When the mind is satiated, we begin to dislike

the object. Everything depends on the mind. Happiness is not

somewhere on the outside; it is within you. So search for it there!

If you go in search of happiness outside of yourself—in your

relationships with people and in external objects—your life will be

wasted. This doesn't mean that you should sit idly doing nothing.

Whenever possible, do something for others. Serve those in need.

Chant a mantra. Live a spiritual life dedicated to the goal.