Swami Vivekananda says attempt to throw the blame upon others only weakens us

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Volume 2, Jnana-Yoga

CHAPTER XII THE COSMOS The Microcosm (Delivered in New York, 26th January

1896)

 

We do not look at our own faults; the eyes do not see themselves, they see

the eyes of everybody else. We human beings are very slow to recognise our

own weakness, our own faults, so long as we can lay the blame upon somebody

else. Men in general lay all the blame of life on their fellow-men, or,

failing that, on God, or they conjure up a ghost, and say it is fate. Where

is fate, and who is fate? We reap what we sow. We are the makers of our own

fate. None else has the blame, none has the praise. The wind is blowing;

those vessels whose sails are unfurled catch it, and go forward on their

way, but those which have their sails furled do not catch the wind. Is that

the fault of the wind? Is it the fault of the merciful Father, whose wind of

mercy is blowing without ceasing, day and night, whose mercy knows no decay,

is it His fault that some of us are happy and some unhappy?

 

We make our own destiny. His sun shines for the weak as well as for the

strong. His wind blows for saint and sinner alike. He is the Lord of all,

the Father of all, merciful, and impartial. Do you mean to say that He, the

Lord of creation, looks upon the petty things of our life in the same light

as we do? What a degenerate idea of God that would be! We are like little

puppies, making life-and-death struggles here, and foolishly thinking that

even God Himself will take it as seriously as we do. He knows what the

puppies' play means.Our attempts to lay the blame on Him, making Him the

punisher, and the rewarder, are only foolish. He neither punishes, nor

rewards any. His infinite mercy is open to every one, at all times, in all

places, under all conditions, unfailing, unswerving. Upon us depends how we

use it. Upon us depends how we utilise it. Blame neither man, nor God, nor

anyone in the world. When you find yourselves suffering, blame yourselves,

and try to do better.

 

This is the only solution of the problem. Those that blame others — and,

alas! the number of them is increasing every day — are generally miserable

with helpless brains; they have brought themselves to that pass through

their own mistakes and blame others, but this does not alter their position.

It does not serve them in any way. This attempt to throw the blame upon

others only weakens them the more. Therefore, blame none for your own

faults, stand upon your own feet, and take the whole responsibility upon

yourselves.

 

Say, " This misery that I am suffering is of my own doing, and that very

thing proves that it will have to be undone by me alone. " That which I

created, I can demolish; that which is created by some one else I shall

never be able to destroy. Therefore, stand up, be bold, be strong. Take the

whole responsibility on your own shoulders, and know that you are the

creator of your own destiny. All the strength and succour you want is within

yourselves. Therefore, make your own future. " Let the dead past bury its

dead. " The infinite future is before you, and you must always remember that

each word, thought, and deed, lays up a store for you and that as the bad

thoughts and bad works are ready to spring upon you like tigers, so also

there is the inspiring hope that the good thoughts and good deeds are ready

with the power of a hundred thousand angels to defend you always and for

ever.

 

Source:

http://en.wikisource.org/wiki/The_Complete_Works_of_Swami_Vivekananda/Volume_2/J\

nana-Yoga/The_Cosmos:_The_Microcosm

 

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Om Namo Bhagavate Sri Ramanaya

Prasanth Jalasutram

 

Love And Love Alone