Spiritual Stories by Ramana

[Guest guest]

EARNESTNESS OR FAITH (SRADDHA)

 

A devotee obtained a copy of Sri Bhagavan's work Ulladu Narpadu

(Forty Verses on Reality) and began to write out the entire work for

himself. Seeing him doing this writing with earnestness, though with

a certain amount of difficulty and strain, since the devotee was not

accustomed to squatting and doing continuous writing work, Bhagavan

told the story of a sannyasi and his disciples to illustrate what is

called sraddha – earnestness of purpose.

 

THERE WAS ONCE a guru who had eight disciples. One day he instructed

them all to make a copy of his teachings from a notebook he had

kept. One of them, who had lived an easy-going life before

renouncing the world, could not make a copy for himself. He,

therefore paid a couple of rupees to a fellow disciple and requested

him to make a copy for him also. The guru examined the copy books

one day and, noticing two books in the same handwriting, asked the

disciples for an explanation. Both the writer and the one on whose

behalf it was written told the truth about it. The Master commented

that, though speaking the truth was an essential quality of a

spiritual aspirant, it alone would not carry one to one's goal, but

that sraddha (earnestness of purpose) was also necessary. Since this

had not been exhibited by the disciple who had entrusted his own

labour to another, he was disqualified from discipleship. Referring

to his making payment for the work, the guru sarcastically remarked

that " Salvation " costs more than that and he was at liberty to

purchase it rather than undergo training under him. So saying he

dismissed that disciple.