Not me

Selfishness continues to be humanity’s most besetting sin. According to this convolution, the rich deserve to be rich and the poor deserve to be poor. Am I selfish? Of course not. Not me.

Not me

We are quick to see violence in others, slow to see it in ourselves. Humanity is steeped in violence. Are we not human? Where in the teapot is there no taste of tea? Ambition is violence. Winning is violence. Sport and fandom are violent. Wanting is violence. Pornography, politics, poverty and religion are violent. Putting the young in uniforms, training them to kill—this is not violence? Our penitentiaries legalize criminal behaviour in the name of good government. Women are paid less than we are. Our daughters are assaulted, raped, murdered, disappeared. But no, I am not violent. Not me.

Fear

Fear exerts a powerful attraction. What we fear, we attract.

If it’s poverty, I’ll have the mind of a mendicant.

If it’s death, I’ll be hunted.

Fear is collective and personal. The most fearful nations are the most militarized.

Friends

Friends are many. Spiritual friends are none, one or very few.

The nobility of spiritual friendship begins with oneself. Before a satsang is two or twenty, it is first of all one. That’s where everything starts—with one. It has happened that men on death row have found the fullness of spiritual communion right where they are, in a windowless cell.

There’s no quid pro quo in a spiritual relationship. How can you give to yourself?

Poverty is self-service.