Be Kind To Yourself......

Being kind to others and yourself results in a significant physical, mental and emotional health benefits.

Here are some tips to go about pampering yourself and be Kind To Yourself:

• Take good care of your body, it's the only one you will every have. Eat well, exercise regularly, get enough sleep and don't forget to laugh. If you don't know how to take good care of your body, consult your doctor, a nutritionist, a personal trainer or a coach for help. Rule of thumb: when in doubt do what you will still feel good about tomorrow - that means forgo that second helping of ice cream! Good luck!

• Take time to smell the roses. Appreciate the little things in life as well as the big. It may sound cliched, however, being mindful of the small joys of life will elevate your mood, reduce stress and over time, will reorient your whole attitude to a more positive outlook. So, find at least one thing each day to be happy about. As an added bonus, this practice will save you money too!

• Keep telling yourself that you are as important as anyone else is. And, re mind yourself about this until you truly believe it. If you already believe it, still say it!

• Examine your feelings when you feel inferior or inadequate. Everyone has these feelings at one time or the other. Understanding why you feel this way will help you know what changes you need to make in your life and attitude to change these feelings. Being aware of your emotional ups and downs and recognising these are natural and generally transitory feelings, helps you to cut yourself some slack. If these feelings persist, get stronger, or you feel depressed, consult a doctor or therapist.

• Remember, it is perfectly natural not to be perfect at all times. More than that, it is perfectly acceptable not to be perfect all of the time. If you put your best efforts forward, you have not failed.

• Know your limitations and ask for assistance before you become overwhelmed. Strength comes from knowing when you need help and having the courage to ask for it. Surround yourself with a network of people whom you trust to support you and who can count on you in return.

• Give yourself credit for a job well done. Celebrate successes even when they seem small. One hundred little successes are a very big deal.
  




• Don't rush. We live in a busy world and it is easy to get caught up in the busyness around us. Give yourself peace of mind by 'padding' your schedule. Leave yourself more time to complete tasks, arrive at a meeting and prepare for a presentation than you think you will need. Rule of thumb: Decide how much time you will need and double it; triple it if it is something you've never done before or aren't sure of.
  




• Cultivate your sense of humor. It's pretty difficult to feel down while you're laughing.
  
  




• Take time every day to do the things you enjoy. Life is too short to live any other way!
  

Lovely Thoughts for Lovely People Just Like You

Tips for building self-esteem

Tips for building self-esteem

- Concentrate on positives- on what is good rather than what is bad, on what
one is capable of doing, rather than what one cannot do.

- Avoid people who are constantly negative- who pass snide remarks. They probably have issues of their own.

- Figure out your own strengths and weaknesses. Focus on your strengths and accept that there will be parts of you that you may not like.

- Spend some time everyday on yourself. Do something that makes you feel good, or that reinforces what you can/cannot do. Learn a new skill, hone up your old ones.

-Try to be more positive to others. Being good to others has a tendency for you to also feel good about yourself.

Lovely Thoughts for Lovely People Just Like You

Letter to Grandfather

Often, during my morning walks in the park, I can see a man in his 80s walking with his grandchild. The sight reminds me of my grandfather, who used to walk me in the same park when I was a child. An ideal grandpa, his presence made my childhood beautiful.

Like any other child, I used to love listening to stories. And my constant refrain was for one 'that never ended'. Finally, one day he told me the story of a bird which picks up a grain of wheat a day from a granary in a village, adding that it would take years for the stock to finish and till then, the story would continue. That was the end of my persistence!

He had kept the child within him alive and every Saturday, when we visited the Hanuman temple, he would cajole me to have a plate at the panipuri stall. If I refused, he would tease me, "Oh, don't behave like an old lady!" At 86, when his health started to fail, I would go alone to the temple and, passing by, could see visions of both of us laughing over plates of panipuri.

He believed in doing his bit towards social work, which invited a fair amount of admiration, as well as criticism. Disturbed at the wagging tongues, I asked him once how he remained calm. He replied, "In every field, there are critics and admirers. But, if you are true to yourself, you needn't bother about these things."

He knew how to deal with children. While he never liked pets in the house, I loved puppies and when I was four years old, brought an abandoned pup back from the basketball ground. The next day, I fed him in our garden and left for school. When I returned, the pup was no longer there. When I asked grandpa, instead of scolding me, he simply answered that, "his father came to take him away".

He was extremely particular about his exercise and daily schedule. He woke up early and went for his walk at 5:30 am, following the same route and returning at exactly the same time everyday. The routine was kept up even in the monsoons, when he took an umbrella along for company. Often, I went along too on these walks, where he kept me involved by quizzing me on spellings, capitals of places, riddles, etc.

Once I reached second standard, I began writing a letter to grandpa every year on his birthday. He would read my letters with a smile. When I was in tenth standard, I gave him a gift, but he said he would prefer to receive a letter like each year. So, I continued. He, however, never commented and I sometimes wondered what he thought of my letter.

He died at the age of 87. When he left us, dad decided to open an old suitcase, which belonged to grandpa and occupied a pride of place on his table. Along with important documents, in the safest pouch, dad found an envelope. He opened it and called me to take a look. When I looked inside, I found all the letters I had ever written to grandpa kept in sequence and well-maintained. There wasn't a single fold on the pages and even the first letter, which was 15 years old, was intact.

Tears welled up in my eyes. For a long time, I was overwhelmed. Thanks, grandpa, for giving me memories I will cherish all my life.


Lovely Thoughts for Lovely People Just Like You

Time

Don’t say you don’t have enough time. You have exactly the same number of hours per day that were given to Helen Keller, Pasteur, Michelangelo, Mother Teresa, Leonardo da Vinci, Thomas Jefferson, and Albert Einstein.

-Art Buchwald

Today, the greatest single source of wealth is between your ears. Today, wealth is contained in brainpower, not brutepower. -Brian Tracy

What other people label or might try to call failure, I have learned is just God’s way of pointing you in a new direction. -Hippocrates

The Most Essential Factor

The most essential factor is persistence, - the determination never to allow your energy or enthusiasm to be dampened by the discouragement that must inevitably come. -James Whitcomb Riley

"The measure of a master is his success in bringing all men round to his opinion 20 years later." –Ralph Waldo Emerson

We are either progressing or retrograding all the while; there is no such thing as remaining stationary in this life. -Plato

No More stress

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How to be Happy Easy way

If you observe carefully, throughout nature you will find one common goal in everybody and everything—even in the atom. All are searching for happiness. In the case of human beings you see hundreds of efforts of various forms. The common purpose behind all these efforts is the search for happiness.

The goal is approached by many in different ways. Some people want to be happy quickly, so they take short cuts and get temporary happiness, but borrowed joy comes and goes. The happiness that we seem to be getting by our daily efforts is fleeting and mixed with a lot of troubles, worries, and unhappiness. Happiness cannot come without unhappiness before and after.

It's better to say, "I am happy," than, "I want to be happy." The minute you say, "I want to be happy," that very want disturbs the mind. And suppose the want is fulfilled? How many people go crazy over a small piece of paper, a stamp printed some one hundred years ago? They pay thousands of dollars to get that piece of paper. They give value to it and struggle to obtain it. If you are caught up in this, you'll say, "I can't be happy without the stamp." So you pay the price. Then you say, "Ah, I got it." It's simple enough. First you said, "I want it." After all the effort you say, "I got it." Where are you now? The same place you were before you wanted it. Happy.

You were happy before you wanted the stamp. The moment you wanted it, you became unhappy. And the moment you got it, you were happy again. Where did the happiness come from? The thing by itself didn't give you any happiness. You regained the happiness when you took the want back or when you fulfilled the cavity or depression created by the want.

When we finally tire of searching for happiness outside, we sit quietly and analyze and realize that true and lasting happiness can never come from outside. It can't come because it simply is. You are Happiness personified. You are that Supreme Bliss. You are that Joy. You are the image of happiness. God is the one who is always happy, and you are the image of God.

When you forget your true nature and look for happiness in external ways, that is the basic ignorance. The aim of all the Yoga practices is to stop anything from disturbing the mind so that it can reflect the Peace and Joy that is your true nature.

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Sanctity of life

I look upon all creatures equally; none are less dear to me and none more dear.
Bhagavad Gita 9.29

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The Law is that which leads to welfare and salvation. It forms conduct and character distinguished by the sense of equality among all beings.
Somadeva,
Nitivakyamrita 1.1

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The creatures that inhabit this earth be they human beings or animals are here to contribute, each in its own particular way, to the beauty and prosperity of the world.
The Dalai Lama XIV

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An original is a creation motivated by desire. Any reproduction of an original is motivated be necessity. It is marvellous that we are the only species that creates gratuitous forms. To create is divine, to reproduce is human.
Man Ray

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Each species is a masterpiece, a creation assembled with extreme care and genius.
Edward O Wilson



Read more: Sanctity of Life - The Times of India http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/home/opinion/edit-page/Sanctity-of-Life/articleshow/6830349.cms#ixzz13jyEmPxR

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Searching for the true leader. What are his/her characteristics? Have I found one?

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When I was a kid, I was often a kaam chhor who would escape from doing household work. Whenever my parents asked me to help them with any kind of work, I would show up disappointed. Seeing my sad face, they would get irritated and delegate those chores to my sister. Once in a while I too would do those household chores (even though grudgingly); like going to a nearby grocery shop and buying some groceries. My dad would often say "Buy from the store that has more number of customers as this indicates that their products are good". But I would look for the stores those have the least number of customers, and would prefer the one that was operated by older people. I used to think "If everyone buys from busy stores, how could these other businesses (especially those run by older people) become successful?". I was not good at bargaining either. When I reached home after buying, I would often lie to my parents that I bought those products from the busy stores. As a child, I often used to pray that everyone in the world should be rich and have Rs. 300,000 (equivalent to about $6000) in their banks. Somehow I thought that that much money would be enough for a person to live happily. Imagine a world full of love, mercy and forgiveness, where each person is gifted uniquely and is treated like a king; connected to each other by a feeling of universal family-hood. I was hoping that the world be like that. But I realized that the real world was very harsh, and was very different from the ideal world that I imagined. Added to this, I was disappointed when people changed the definitions of morality and God, according to their practicality and what works for them, by saying "It's all relative. There is no such thing like good or bad. It all depends on our perspectives". I used to think "Something is missing. This world is not meant to be working like this". I would often be pondering about what went wrong when I was alone. I think I was looking for two solutions mainly : the world operating close to my ideal world, and the right king/leader who can guide the world properly by serving people (and not by dominating), thus making kings out of everyone. These were some of the qualities that I thought one must have, to be a great leader for such an ideal world: - The leader must be a tremendous lover of people. - The leader must be spotless in character, and must have lived a life of perfect integrity and morality. - The leader must be trustworthy. - The leader must stand boldly against injustice and evil things of this world. The leader must be willing to suffer for mankind even to the point of death if it is required. - The leader must be male (not that I am a sexist; I wanted a man to be in the role of suffering rather than a woman). - The leader must possess power. Not the dominating power, but the transformational power. - The leader must be nice to women and kids. - The leader must not preach about karma or that we must be desire-less to reach God. This leader must be wholly living in the world, yet must not be a worldly person. - The leader must mingle around with the poorest of the poor. - The leader must be aggressive in his fight, yet non-violent. I was not trying to imagine my ideal self for the position of this leader. I was looking for at least one person who stood up to ( or exceeded) all of my high ideals and led a perfect life. It would give me great pleasure to find one. I often short-listed characters from myths or movies for my leader. Sometimes I picked my leader from celebrities, politicians or gods that I was aware of. I also picked social workers. In each case, I was disappointed that I could not find all the ideal qualities in him. All the people who I picked lasted only temporarily on my list. When I want to chose someone as my leader, I want to know more about this person from every possible perspective. I want to examine him closely. I want to put this leader to as much criticism as possible. Let any critic come up with his/her best to criticize him (but with sincere intentions). I like that. That would help me to find my leader quickly. It gives me tremendous joy to inform you that I found such a king/leader in Jesus Christ. In addition to the above points, I found some bonus features: - He promised grand scale resurrection of the dead. He claimed that he is the one who will judge the whole world when he comes back, and will choose the kings for his Kingdom. - He claimed to be dying for the sins of this whole world. - He claimed to be the only way to God. Having worshipped many gods in the past, this claim was very disturbing to me. There are only two possibilities here. Either he is or he is not. After studying him closely, I am convinced that he is. - He can cook good fish and make a nice wine. So get ready for the celebration of banquet :) I also found certain things in Jesus Christ which made me feel uncomfortable. Talking about adultery, he said that even looking lustfully at a woman is like committing adultery. About murder, he said that even getting angry at someone is like a murder. He also said that we must put him first even before our family members. I sometimes question "Why Jesus did not behave softly so that he did not have to stir up others' anger, which led to his crucifixion?" But who am I to tell how Jesus should behave? I should accept him for who he says he is; that he is 'the' way to God who died for me, and that he wants to be my Lord and Savior. His standards of morality are very high. If I do not understand him completely, who am I to twist him according to my convenience? Truth and righteousness should prevail, and I should not be stiff-necked changing Jesus according to my nice imaginations. I am joyful to know that the ideal world which I imagined in my childhood is real. I have this hope because Jesus Christ promised it. He called it as the "Kingdom of God". The present world is being shaped into that world. Sometimes the glory of Kingdom is reflected here in this world and within us, when we as followers of Christ represent him properly. This world will completely transform into the Kingdom of God with his second coming. That is when the Kingdom of God will be within us (spiritual) and we will also be in the Kingdom of God (physical). I am confident about this true leader because his sacrificial actions are perfectly aligned with his teachings and claims. I am very happy to find a leader who exceeded my ideals.

"To overcome difficulties is to experience the full delight of existence." –Arthur Schopenhauer

Over and Above

No one ever attains very eminent success by simply doing what is required of him; it is the amount and excellence of what is over and above the required that determines the greatness of ultimate distinction.- Charles Kendall Adams

The Whatnot Tree

The Whatnot Tree (Prudence)
Once upon a time there was a caravan leader. He went from country to country selling various goods. His caravans usually had at least 500 bullock carts.

On one of these trips his path led through a very thick forest. Before entering it,he called together all the members of the caravan. He warned them, “My friends, when you go through this forest be careful to avoid the poisonous trees, poisonous fruits, poisonous leaves, poisonous flowers and even poisonous honeycombs.

“Therefore, whatever you have not eaten before — whether a fruit, leaf, flower or anything else — must not be eaten without asking me first.” They all said respectfully, “Yes, sir.”

There was a village in the forest. Just outside the village stood a tree called a “whatnot tree”. Its trunk, branches, leaves, flowers and fruits look very similar to a mango tree. Even the colour, shape, smell and taste are almost exactly the same as a mango tree. But unlike a mango, the whatnot fruit is a deadly poison!

Some went ahead of the caravan and came upon the whatnot tree. They were all hungry, and the whatnot fruits looked like delicious ripe mangoes. Some started eating the fruits mmediately, without thinking at all. They devoured them before anyone could say a word.

Others remembered the leader’s warning, but they thought this was just a different variety of mango tree. They thought they were lucky to find ripe mangoes right next to a village. So they decided to eat some of the fruits before they were all gone.

There were also some who were wiser than the rest. They decided it would be safer to obey the warning of the caravan leader. Although they didn’t know it, he just happened to be the enlightenment Being.

When the leader arrived at the tree, the ones who had been careful and not eaten asked, “Sir, what is this tree? Is it safe to eat these fruits?”

After investigating thoughtfully he replied, “No, no. This may look like a mango tree, but it isn’t. It is a poisonous whatnot tree. Don’t even touch it!”

The ones who had already eaten the whatnot fruit were terrified. The caravan leader told them to make themselves vomit as soon as possible. They did this, and then were given four sweet foods to eat — raisins, cane sugar paste, sweet yogurt and bee’s honey. In this way their taste buds were refreshed after throwing up the poisonous whatnot fruit.

Unfortunately, the greediest and most foolish ones could not be saved. They were the ones who had started eating the poisonous fruits immediately, without thinking at all. It was too late for them. The poison had already started doing its work, and it killed them.

In the past, when caravans had come to the whatnot tree, the people had eaten its poisonous fruits and died in their sleep during the night. The next morning the local villagers had come to the campsite. They had grabbed the dead bodies by the legs, dragged them to a secret hiding place, and buried them. Then they had taken for themselves all the merchandise and bullock carts of the caravan.

They expected to do the same thing this time. At dawn the next morning the villagers ran towards the whatnot tree. They said to each other, “The bullocks will be mine!” “I want the carts and wagons!” “I will take the loads of merchandise!”

But when they got to the whatnot tree they saw that most of the people in the caravan were alive and well. In surprise, they asked them, “How did you know this was not a mango tree?” They answered, “We did not know, but our leader had warned us ahead of time, and when he saw it he knew.”

Then the villagers asked the caravan leader, “Oh wise one, how did you know this was not a mango tree?”

He replied, “I knew it for two reasons. First, this tree is easy to climb. And second, it is right next to a village. If the fruits on such a tree remain unpicked, they cannot be safe to eat!”

Everyone was amazed that such lifesaving wisdom was based on such simple common sense. The caravan continued on its way safely.

The moral is: The wise are led by common sense; fools follow only hunger

Lovely Thoughts for Lovely People Just Like You

The King and the Peasant

A king and his courtiers set out on a winter hunting expedition, and strayed far from inhabited places. When night fell, the king spied the house of a peasant and declared, "We shall take shelter there tonight."

His vizier objected, stating that it was unworthy of the great dignity of the king to take refuge in a peasant's house; would it not be better to set up camp where they were?

The peasant overheard this discussion; nonetheless he prepared a meal and offered it to the king, kissed the ground at his feet, and said to him, "Your greatness will not be lessened; rather, it is my dignity that will increase."

The king was pleased with these words, moved into the man's house for the night, and honored him well the next morning. As the king departed, the peasant walked a few paces with him and said:

"The Sultan lost no power or splendor By accepting a peasant's hospitality.
This peasant's head was illumined When you overshadowed it with your greatness."



Lovely Thoughts for Lovely People Just Like You

A Gang of Drunkards

A Gang of Drunkards [Sobriety]
Once upon a time, when Brahmadatta was king, the Enlightenment Being was born in a wealthy family. He became the richest man in Benares.

There also happened to be a gang of drunkards who roamed the streets. All they ever thought about was finding ways to get alcohol, the drug they thought they couldn’t live without.

One day, when they had run out of money as usual, they came up with a scheme to rob the richest man in Benares. But they didn’t realise that he was the reborn Bodhisatta, so he wouldn’t be so easy to fool!

They decided to make a “Mickey Finn”, which is a drink of liquor with a sleeping drug secretly added to it. Their plan was to get the rich man to drink the Mickey Finn. Then when he fell asleep they would rob all his money, jewellery, and even the rich clothes he wore. So they set up a temporary little roadside bar.

They put their last remaining liquor into a bottle, and mixed in some strong sleeping pills.
Later the rich man came by on his way to the palace. One of the alcoholics called out to him, “Honourable sir, why not start your day right — by having a drink with us? And the first one is on the house!” Then he poured a glass of the dishonest liquor.

But the Enlightenment Being did not drink any form of alcohol. Nevertheless, he wondered why these drunkards were being so generous with their favourite drug. It just wasn’t like them. He realised it must be some kind of trick. So he decided to teach them a lesson.

He said, “It would be an insult to appear before the king in a drunken state, or with even the slightest smell of liquor on my breath. But please be so kind as to wait for me here. I’ll see you again when I return from the palace.”

The drunkards were disappointed. They would not be able to drink again as soon as they wanted. But they decided to be patient and wait.

Later that day the rich man came back to the little roadside bar. The alcoholics were getting desperate for a drink. They called him over and said, “Honourable sir, why not celebrate your visit to the king? Have a drink of this fine liquor.

Remember, the first one is free!” But the rich man just kept looking at the liquor bottle and glass. He said, “I don’t trust you. That bottle and glass of liquor are exactly as they were this morning. If it were as good as you say it is, you would have tasted some yourselves by now.

In fact, you couldn’t help but drink it all! I’m no fool. You must have added another drug to the alcohol.” The richest man in Benares went on his way, and the gang of drunkards went back to their plotting and scheming.

The moral is: Keep sober — and keep your common sense.
Lovely Thoughts for Lovely People Just Like You

The dervish and the king

A dervish was once sitting alone, meditating in a patch of desert.

A king with his retinue passed by. The dervish neither lifted his head nor paid any attention. The king was furious and said: "These dervishes in their patched cloaks are no better than animals!"
His minister approached the dervish, "The great ruler of all the world passed by and you did not stand and bow: why were you so rude?"

The dervish replied: "Tell your king to expect those people to bow who hope for some reward from him. Tell him that rulers are there to protect their people, not just to exact obeisance from
them. The ruler is the watchman of the poor, though he has greater wealth and glory. The sheep are not made for the shepherd, rather the shepherd is there to serve the sheep.

"When the irresistible decrees of Fate are issued, neither king nor slave remain.
Open up the tomb and search these dusty bones: can you tell which was the rich man or which was the pauper?"

The ruler was struck by the words of the dervish. He said: "Ask me a favour!" The dervish replied: "I would ask you to never disturb me again."

The king begged: "Give me a word of advice!" The dervish replied: "Now that wealth is in your hands, realise before it is too late, that this wealth and this power pass from hand to hand."

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Your Attitude..........

The basic thing is that everyone wants happiness, no one wants suffering. And happiness mainly comes from our own attitude, rather than from external factors. If your own mental attitude is correct, even if you remain in a hostile atmosphere, you feel happy.
Tenzin Gyatso,
The Dalai Lama XIV

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There are really only two dimensions to the concept of attitude - you either behave as though you are a victim of circumstance, or you take full responsibility for your situation.
Richard Rudd

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It isn't the things that happen to us in our lives that cause us to suffer, it's how we relate to the things that happen to us that causes us to suffer.
Pema Chodron

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The truth is that our finest moments are most likely to occur when we are feeling deeply uncomfortable, unhappy, or unfulfilled. For it is only in such moments, propelled by our discomfort, that we are likely to step out of our ruts and start searching for different ways or truer answers.
M Scott Peck

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Nothing will work unless you do.
John Wooden


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All time Happiness Quotes

"The purpose of our lives is to be happy."
Dalai Lama

"There are two ways to spread happiness; either be the light who shines it or be the mirror who reflects it."
Edith Wharton

"Remember happiness doesn't depend upon who you are or what you have; it depends solely on what you think."
Dale Carnegie

"Happiness is when what you think, what you say, and what you do are in harmony."
Mahatma Gandhi

"Happiness, like unhappiness, is a proactive choice."
Stephen R. Covey

"Be content with what you have; rejoice in the way things are. When you realise there is nothing lacking, the whole world belongs to you."
Lao Tsu

"It is not easy to find happiness in ourselves, and it is not possible to find it elsewhere."
Agnes Repplier

"Action may not always bring happiness; but there is no happiness without action."
Benjamin Disraeli

"It is not how much we have, but how much we enjoy that makes happiness."
Charles Sprugeon

"Look for a situation in which your work will give you as much happiness as your spare time."
Pable Picasso

"Happiness depends upon ourselves."
Aristotle

"The person born with a talent they are meant to use will find their greatest happiness in using it."
Johann Wolfgang von Goethe

"Most of us are just about as happy as we make up our minds to be."
Abraham Lincoln

"As a well spent day brings happy sleep, so a life well spent brings happy death."
Leonardo da Vinci

"Happiness is inward and not outward; and so it does not depend on what we have, but on what we are."
Henry Van Dyke

"Happiness is a choice that requires effort at times"
Aeschylus

"Happiness is found in doing, not merely possessing."
Napoleon Hill

"Many persons have the wrong idea about what constitutes true happiness. It is not attained through self-gratification but through fidelity to a worthy purpose."
Helen Keller
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Forgive Just Forgive To Be Happy Always

"If you do not forgive, you will continue to think of the offender and the unpleasant event," said pranic healing master Choa Koi Sui. "By forgiving and blessing, you achieve inner peace and freedom." Those who follow Vedantic tradition pray to God to grant happiness even to their enemies. They pray to Providence not only for their well-being, but also for the prosperity of their adversaries. Vedantic wisdom believes in a prenatal harmony, a link and celestial communion among all souls. Hence, when you hate another person, you only hate yourself, as all souls are linked.

"How often do you forgive one person? Up to seven times?" Jesus Christ was asked by his disciple Peter. Jesus replied: "I do not say to you, up to seven times, but up to seventy times seven." Jesus even asked God to forgive those who had crucified him: "Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do." In The Lord's Prayer, Christians pray: "And forgive us our sins as we forgive those who sin against us."

The message is clear: Only when you forgive others will you, too, be forgiven. Allah is 'Most Forgiving'. Prophet Muhammad forgave people for their ignorance and was ever ready to forgive his enemies.

By being unforgiving, we keep creating an identity around our pain, and that is what is reborn, Buddhists believe. In Jainism, forgiveness is propounded as one of the main virtues to be cultivated by the faithful. Supreme forgiveness forms part of one of the 10 characteristics of dharma in Jainism.

"Always forgive your enemies - nothing annoys them as much," said Oscar Wilde. It's an interesting thing to say, but taking the tongue-in-cheek remark seriously might dilute the impact and power of forgiveness.

Forgiveness has great power. It is a glorious and selfless act that could radically transform the lives of both the forgiver and the forgiven - for the better.


"If you do not forgive, you will continue to think of the offender and the unpleasant event," said pranic healing master Choa Koi Sui. "By forgiving and blessing, you achieve inner peace and freedom." Those who follow Vedantic tradition pray to God to grant happiness even to their enemies. They pray to Providence not only for their well-being, but also for the prosperity of their adversaries. Vedantic wisdom believes in a prenatal harmony, a link and celestial communion among all souls. Hence, when you hate another person, you only hate yourself, as all souls are linked.

"How often do you forgive one person? Up to seven times?" Jesus Christ was asked by his disciple Peter. Jesus replied: "I do not say to you, up to seven times, but up to seventy times seven." Jesus even asked God to forgive those who had crucified him: "Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do." In The Lord's Prayer, Christians pray: "And forgive us our sins as we forgive those who sin against us."

The message is clear: Only when you forgive others will you, too, be forgiven. Allah is 'Most Forgiving'. Prophet Muhammad forgave people for their ignorance and was ever ready to forgive his enemies.

By being unforgiving, we keep creating an identity around our pain, and that is what is reborn, Buddhists believe. In Jainism, forgiveness is propounded as one of the main virtues to be cultivated by the faithful. Supreme forgiveness forms part of one of the 10 characteristics of dharma in Jainism.

"Always forgive your enemies - nothing annoys them as much," said Oscar Wilde. It's an interesting thing to say, but taking the tongue-in-cheek remark seriously might dilute the impact and power of forgiveness.

Forgiveness has great power. It is a glorious and selfless act that could radically transform the lives of both the forgiver and the forgiven - for the better.


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Free Yourself...........And Cherish The Life

Forgiveness is the one supreme peace.

Mahabharata

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Forgiveness is illuminating like the sun. It is through this quality of forgiveness that Lord Brahma has achieved the post of master of the entire universe.

Srimad Bhagavatam

*

If among monks or nuns occurs a quarrel or dispute or dissension, the young monk should ask forgiveness of the superior, and the superior of the young monk. They should forgive and ask forgiveness, appease and be appeased, and converse without restraint.

Kalpa Sutra 8:59

*

The weak can never forgive. Forgiveness is the attribute of the strong.

M K Gandhi

*

As long as we don't forgive people who hurt us, they occupy a rent-free space in our mind. So forgive and forget.

Brahmakumaris

*

I can forgive, but i cannot forget is only another way of saying, i will not forgive. Forgiveness ought to be like a cancelled note, torn in two, and burned up, so that it never can be shown against one.

Henry W Beecher


Read more: Free your self - The Times of India http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/home/opinion/edit-page/Free-your-self/articleshow/6816208.cms#ixzz13XvPKtxT

Lovely Thoughts for Lovely People Just Like You

Words of Wisdom Of the Day # 299

“In the times of crisis I was not hurt by the harsh words of my enemies, but by the silence of my friends”.

~ Shakespeare

Words of Wisdom Of the Day # 299

“In the times of crisis I was not hurt by the harsh words of my enemies, but by the silence of my friends”.

~ Shakespeare

Words of Wisdom Of the Day # 298

“It is very easy to defeat someone, but it is very hard to win someone.”

~ John Keats (1795 - 1821)

Words of Wisdom Of the Day # 298

“It is very easy to defeat someone, but it is very hard to win someone.”

~ John Keats (1795 - 1821)

Words of Wisdom Of the Day # 297

"When you are in the light, everything follows you, but when you enter into the dark, even your own shadow doesn't follow you." 

~Adolf Hitler

Words of Wisdom Of the Day # 297

"When you are in the light, everything follows you, but when you enter into the dark, even your own shadow doesn't follow you." 

~Adolf Hitler

A man who loses his money, gains, at the least, experience, and sometimes, something better.- Benjamin Disraeli

"Well is it known that ambition can creep as well as soar." Edmund Burke–

We judge ourselves by what we feel capable of doing, while others judge us by what we have already done. –Henry Wadsworth Longfellow

Work is Definately Worship.....

By devotion to one's own particular duty, everyone can attain perfection.
Let me tell you how. By performing his own work,
one worships the Creator who dwells in every creature.
Such worship brings that person to fulfilment.
It is better to perform one's own duties
imperfectly than to master the duties of another.

Bhagavad Gita 18.45-47

*

Do and dedicate, work and worship, plant and protect;
but do not worry about the fruit; that is the secret of spiritual success.

Atharva Veda

*
If one does not perform duty to one whom the duty is due, one becomes a thief of the duty.

Avesta, Videvidad 4.1

*
Duty is God; Work is worship. Even the tiniest work is a flower placed at the feet of God.

Sri Sathya Sai Baba

*
We are often so caught up in our activities that we tend to
worship our work, work at our play, and play at our worship.

Charles Swindoll

Lovely Thoughts for Lovely People Just Like You

The Lord is My Shepherd

The Lord is my Shepherd -- That's Relationship!

I shall not want -- That's Provision!

He maketh me to lie down in green pastures -- That's Rest!

He leadeth me beside the still waters -- That's Refreshment!

He restoreth my soul -- That's Healing!

He leadeth me in the paths of righteousness -- That's Guidance!

For His name sake -- That's Purpose!

Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death -- That's Testing!

I will fear no evil -- That's Faithfulness!

For Thou art with me -- That's Protection!

Thy rod and Thy staff they comfort me -- That's Discipline!

Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies -- That's Hope!

Thou annointest my head with oil -- That's Consecration!

My cup runneth over -- That's Abundance!

Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life -- That's Blessing!

And I will dwell in the house of the Lord -- That's Security!

Forever -- That's Eternity!


Lovely Thoughts for Lovely People Just Like You

Be Happy From Inside...........

Once there was a king who had presented his daughter, the princess, with a beautiful diamond necklace. The necklace was stolen and his people in the kingdom searched everywhere but could not find it. Some said a bird might have stolen it. The king then asked them all to search for it and put a reward for $50,000 for anyone who found it.

One day a clerk was walking home along a river next to an industrial area. This river was completely polluted, filthy and smelly. As he was walking, the clerk saw a shimmering in the river and when he looked, he saw the diamond necklace. He decided to try and catch it so that he could get the $50,000 reward. He put his hand in the filthy, dirty river and grabbed at the necklace, but some how missed it and didn't catch it. He took his hand out and looked again and the necklace was still there. He tried again, this time he walked in the river and dirtied his pants in the filthy river and put his whole arm in to catch the necklace. But strangely, he still missed the necklace! He came out and started walking away, feeling depressed.

Then again he saw the necklace, right there. This time he was determined to get it, no matter what. He decided to plunge into the river, although it was a disgusting thing to do as the river was polluted, and his whole body would become filthy. He plunged in, and searched everywhere for the necklace and yet he failed. This time he was really bewildered and came out feeling very depressed that he could not get the necklace that would get him $50,000.

Just then a saint who was walking by, saw him, and asked him what was the matter. The clerk didn't want to share the secret with the saint, thinking the saint might take the necklace for himself, so he refused to tell the saint anything. But the saint could see this man was troubled and being compassionate, again asked the clerk to tell him the problem and promised that he would not tell anyone about it. The clerk mustered some courage and decided to put some faith in the saint. He told the saint about the necklace and how he tried and tried to catch it, but kept failing. The saint then told him that perhaps he should try looking upward, toward the branches of the tree, instead of in the filthy river. The clerk looked up and true enough, the necklace was dangling on the branch of a tree. He had been trying to capture a mere reflection of the real necklace all this time.

Moral of the story: Material happiness is just like the filthy, polluted river; because it is a mere reflection of the TRUE happiness in the spiritual world.

We can never achieve the happiness we are looking for no matter how hard we endeavor in material life. Instead we should look upwards, toward God, who is the source of real happiness, and stop chasing after the reflection of this happiness in the material world. This spiritual happiness is the only thing that can satisfy us completely.

Lovely Thoughts for Lovely People Just Like You

The Salt in Our Life Make it Sugar

Once an unhappy young man came to an old master and told he was very sad and asked for a solution.

The old Master instructed the unhappy young man to put a handful of salt in a glass of water and then to drink it. “How does it taste?” the Master asked. “Awful,” spat the apprentice. The Master chuckled and then asked the young man to take another handful of salt and put it in the lake. The two walked in silence to the nearby lake and when the apprentice swirled his handful of salt into the lake, the old man said, “Now drink from the lake.”

As the water dripped down the young man’s chin, the Master asked, “How does it taste?” “Good!” remarked the apprentice. “Do you taste the salt?” asked the Master. “No,” said the young man. The Master sat beside this troubled young man, took his hands, and said,


“The pain of life is pure salt; no more, no less. The amount of pain in life remains the same, exactly the same. But the amount we taste the ‘pain’ depends on the container we put it into. So when you are in pain, the only thing you can do is to enlarge your sense of things ….. Stop being a glass. Become a lake!”

Lovely Thoughts for Lovely People Just Like You

The King With One Gray Hair

The King With One Gray Hair [Ordination]
A very very long time ago, there were people who lived much longer than they do today. They lived many thousand years. At that time, the enlightenment Being was born as a baby named
Makhadeva.

He lived 84,000 years as a child and crown prince. At the time of our story, he had been a young king for 80,000 years.

One day, Makhadeva told the royal barber, “If you see any gray hair on my head, you must tell me immediately!” Of course, the barber promised to do so.

Another 4,000 years passed, until Makhadeva had been a young king for 84,000 years.

Then one day, while he was cutting the king’s hair, the royal barber saw just one little gray hair on all the king’s head. So he said, “Oh my lord, I see one gray hair on your head.” The king said, “If this be so, pull it out and put it in my hand.” The barber got his golden tweezers, plucked out the single little gray hair, and put it in the king’s hand.

At that time, the king still had at least another 84,000 years left to live as an old king! Looking at the one gray hair in his hand, he became very afraid of dying. He felt like death was closing in on him, as if he were trapped in a burning house. He was so afraid, that the sweat rolled down his back, and he shuddered.
King Makhadeva thought, “Oh foolish king, you have wasted all this long life and now you are near death. You have made no attempt to destroy your greed and envy, to live without hating,
and to get rid of your ignorance by learning the truth and becoming wise.”

As he thought this, his body burned and the sweat kept rolling down. Then he decided once and for all, “It is time to give up the kingship, be ordained as a monk, and practice meditation!”
Thinking so, he granted the income of a whole town to the barber. It amounted to one hundred thousand per year. Then the king called his oldest son to him and said, “My son, I have seen a gray hair. I have become old. I have enjoyed the worldly pleasures of great wealth and power. When I die, I want to be reborn in a heaven world, to enjoy the pleasures of the gods. So I will be ordained as a monk. You must now take the responsibility of ruling the country. I will live the life of a monk in the forest.”

Hearing of this, the royal ministers and the rest of the court rushed to the king and said, “Our lord, why do you suddenly want to be ordained?”

The king held up the gray hair in his hand
and said, “My ministers and subjects, I have realized that this gray hair shows that the three stages of life – youth, middle age and old age – are coming to an end. This first gray hair was the messenger of death sitting on my head. Gray hairs are like angels sent by the god of death. Therefore, this very day is the time for me to be ordained.” The people wept at the news of his departure.

King Makhadeva gave up his royal life, went into the forest, and was ordained as a monk. There he practised what holy men call the ‘Four Heavenly States of Mind’.

First is loving-kindness, tender affection for all.

Second is feeling sympathy and pity for all those who suffer.

Third is feeling happiness for all those who are joyful.

And the fourth state is balance and calm, even in the face of difficulties or troubles.

After 84,000 years of great effort meditating and practising these states as a humble forest monk, the Bodhisatta died. He was reborn in a high heaven world, to live a life a million years
long!

The moral is: Even a long life is too short to waste.

Lovely Thoughts for Lovely People Just Like You

The One-hundredth Prince

The One-hundredth Prince [Obedience to a Wise Teacher]
Once upon a time, there was a king who had one hundred sons. The youngest, the onehundredth, was Prince Gamani. He was very energetic, patient and kind.

All the princes were sent to be taught by teachers. Prince Gamani, even though he was the one-hundredth in line to the throne, was lucky enough to have the best teacher. He had the most learning and was the wisest of them of all. He was like a father to Prince Gamani, who liked, respected and obeyed him.
In those days, it was the custom to send each educated prince to a different province.

There he was to develop the country and help the people. When Prince Gamani was old enough for this assignment, he went to his teacher and asked which province he should request. He said, “Do not select any province. Instead, tell your father the king that if he sends you, his one-hundredth son, out to a province, there will be no son remaining to serve him in his home city.” Prince Gamani obeyed his teacher, and pleased his father with his kindness and loyalty.

Then the prince went again to his teacher and asked, “How best can I serve my father and the people, here in the capital city?” The wise teacher replied, “Ask the king to let you be the one to collect fees and taxes, and distribute benefits to the people. If he agrees, then carry out your duties honestly and fairly, with energy and kindness.”

Again the prince followed his teacher’s advice. Trusting his one-hundredth son, the king was glad to assign these functions to him. When he went out to perform the difficult task of collecting fees and taxes, the young prince was always gentle,
fair and lawful. When he distributed food to the hungry, and other necessary things to the needy, he was always generous, kind and sympathetic.

Before long, the one-hundredth prince gained the respect and affection of all. Eventually, the king came to be on his deathbed. His ministers asked him who should be the next king. He said that all his one hundred sons had a right to succeed him. It should be left up to the citizens.

After he died, all the citizens agreed to make the one-hundredth prince their next ruler.

Because of his goodness, they crowned him King Gamani the Righteous. When the ninety-nine older brothers heard what had happened, they thought they had been insulted. Filled with envy and rage, they prepared for war. They sent a message to King Gamani, which said, “We are all your elders. Neighbour countries will laugh at us if we are ruled by the one-hundredth prince. Either you give up the kingdom or we will take it by war!”

After he received this message, King Gamani took it with him to his wise old teacher, and asked his advice.
It just so happened that this honourable gentle teacher was the reborn Enlightenment Being. He said, “Tell them you refuse to wage war against your brothers. Tell them you will not help them kill innocent people you have come to know and love. Tell them that, instead, you are dividing the king’s wealth among all one hundred princes.

Then send each one his portion.” Again the king obeyed his teacher. Meanwhile the ninety-nine older princes had brought their ninety-nine small armies to surround the royal capital. When they received the king’s message and their small portions of the royal treasure, they held a meeting. They decided that each portion was so small it was almost meaningless. Therefore, they would not accept them.
But then they realized that, in the same way, if they fought with King Gamani and then with each other, the kingdom itself would be divided into small worthless portions. Each small piece of the once-great kingdom would be weak in the face of any unfriendly country. So they sent back their portions of the royal treasure as offerings of peace, and accepted the rule of King Gamani.

The king was pleased, and invited his brothers to the palace to celebrate the peace and unity of the kingdom. He entertained them in the most perfect ways – with generosity, pleasant conversation, providing instruction for their benefit, and treating all with even-handed courtesy. In this way the king and the ninety-nine princes became closer as friends than they had been as brothers. They were strong in their support of each other. This was known in all the surrounding countries, so no one threatened the kingdom or its people. After a few months, the ninety-nine brothers returned to their provinces.

King Gamani the Righteous invited his wise old teacher to live in the palace. He honoured him with great wealth and many gifts. He held a celebration for his respected teacher, saying to the full court, “I, who was the one-hundredth prince, among one hundred worthy princes, owe all my success to the wise advice of my generous and understanding teacher. Likewise, all who follow their wise teachers’ advice will earn prosperity and happiness. Even the unity and strength of the kingdom, we owe to my beloved teacher.”

The kingdom prospered under the remainder of the generous and just rule of King Gamani the Righteous.

The moral is: One is rewarded a hundred-fold for following the advice of a wise teacher.

Lovely Messages For Lovely People Just Like You........

Lovely Thoughts for Lovely People Just Like You

Say Yes To happiness...............

Your acceptance of what is takes you to a deeper level where your inner state as well as your sense of self no longer depend on the mind's judgments of "good" or "bad."

When you say "yes" to the "isness" of life, when you accept this moment as it is, you can feel a sense of spaciousness within you that is deeply peaceful.

On the surface, you may still be happy when it's sunny and not so happy when it's rainy; you may be happy at winning a million dollars and unhappy at losing all your possessions. Neither happiness nor unhappiness, however, go all that deep anymore. They are ripples on the surface of your Being. The background peace within you remains undisturbed regardless of the nature of the outside condition.

The "yes" to what is reveals a dimension of depth within you that is dependent neither on external conditions nor on the internal conditions of constantly fluctuating thoughts and emotions.
Lovely Thoughts for Lovely People Just Like You

Playfulness and Laughter

Suggestions for Playfulness and Laughter:

• Spend time with children


• Go to toy stores


• Play with your animals


• Go to an improvisational theater show


• Watch funny movies


• Go to a comedy store


• Rent old Candid Camera episodes


• Watch Marx Brothers movies


• Go to the beach


• Take a ski trip


• Watch I Love Lucy reruns


• Ride your bike


• Go bowling


• Rent Rollerblades


• Go to a baseball game


• Start a pillow fight


• Tell jokes


• Play board games


• Tickle someone


• Have a staring contest


• Throw a costume party


• Go to an animal-free circus


• Dance


• Have a tea party


• Go to an ice cream shop


• Bake cookies


• Blow bubbles


• Play miniature golf


• Go to the batting cages


• Watch people at shopping malls


• Go to an amusement park


• Paint with watercolors


• Rent a sailboat


• Go on a picnic


• Make up lists of fun and playful things to do


• Read My Blog : )

Lovely Thoughts for Lovely People Just Like You

Enjoy and Learn To Forgive

Forgiveness is an essential ingredient of bodhichitta practice. It allows us to let go of the past and make a fresh start. Forgiveness cannot be forced. When we are brave enough to open our hearts to ourselves, however, forgiveness will emerge.

There is a simple practice we can do to cultivate forgiveness. First we acknowledge what we feel - shame, revenge, embarrassment, remorse. Then we forgive ourselves for being human. Then, in the spirit of not wallowing in the pain, we let go and make a fresh start. We don't have to carry the burden with us anymore.

We can acknowledge, forgive, and start anew. If we practice this way, little by little we'll learn to abide with the feeling of regret for having hurt ourselves and others. We will also learn self-forgiveness. Eventually, at our own speed, we'll even find our capacity to forgive those who have done us harm.

We will discover forgiveness as a natural expression of the open heart, and expression of our basic goodness. This potential is inherent in every moment. Each moment is an opportunity to make a fresh start.
Lovely Thoughts for Lovely People Just Like You

Poor parrot...if Only

Forgetting The Main Thing ... A Story With A Moral
A woman bought a parrot to keep her company but returned it the next day.
"This bird doesn't talk," she told the owner.
"Does he have a mirror in his cage?" he asked. "Parrots love mirrors. They see their reflection and start a conversation."
The woman bought a mirror and left.
The next day she returned; the bird still wasn't talking.
"How about a ladder? Parrots love ladders. A happy parrot is a talkative parrot."
The woman bought a ladder and left.
But the next day, she was back. "Does your parrot have a swing? No? Well, that's the problem. Once he starts swinging, he'll talk up a storm."
The woman reluctantly bought a swing and left.
When she walked into the store the next day, her countenance had changed.
"The parrot died," she said.
The pet store owner was shocked. "I'm so sorry. Tell me, did he ever say a word?" he asked.
"Yes, right before he died," the woman replied. "In a weak voice, he asked me, 'Don't they sell any food at that pet store?'"

Reflection
Sometimes people forget the main thing. Do you know what your real priorities in life are?


Lovely Thoughts for Lovely People Just Like You

A Wise Old Man

A wise old man
A wealthy man requested an old scholar to wean his son away from his bad habits.
The scholar took the youth for a stroll through a garden. Stopping suddenly, he asked the boy to pull out a tiny plant growing there. The youth held the plant between his thumb and forefinger and pulled it out. The old man then asked him to pull out a slightly bigger plant. The youth pulled hard and the plant came out, roots and all.
"Now pull out that one," said the old man pointing to a bush. The boy had to use all his strength to pull it out.
"Now take this one out," said the old man, indicating a guava tree. The youth grasped the trunk and tried to pull it out. But it would not budge.

"I – It's impossible," said the boy, panting with the effort.

"So it is with bad habits," said the sage. "When they are young it is easy to pull them out but when they take hold they cannot be uprooted."
The session with the old man changed the boy's life.

* Bad habits and conditioning in us are hard to alter… right mindfulness, great determination and effort are needed to remove these defilements.
* Unless and until we remove all our bad defilements of greed, hatred and delusion, we will continue to suffer in Samsara.

Lovely Thoughts for Lovely People Just Like You

Reciepe for New year which will be definately Happy

Take twelve, fine, full-grown months,
see that these are thoroughly free from all old memories of bitterness, rancor, hate and jealousy;
cleanse them completely from every clinging spite.
Pick off all specks of pettiness and littleness;
in short , see that these months
are freed from all the past.
Have them as fresh and clean as when
they first came from the great storehouse of Time.
Cut these months into thirty or thirty-one equal parts.
This batch will keep for just one year.
Do not attempt to make up the whole batch at one time,
but prepare one day at a time, as follows:
Into each day put twelve parts of faith,
eleven of patience, ten of courage, nine of tolerance, eight of hope, seven of fidelity, six of kindness, five of work,
four of rest, three of generosity, two of meditation and prayer,
and one well-selected resolution.
Put in about a teaspoonful of good spirits, a dash of fun, a pinch of folly, a sprinkling of play and a heaping cupful of good humor. Pour in lots of love and mix with a vigor. Cook thoroughly in a fervent heat; garnish with a few smiles and a sprig of joy; then serve with quietness, unselfishness, and cheerfulness, and a Happy New Year is certain.

Lovely Thoughts for Lovely People Just Like You

Little Prince No-father The Power of Truth

Little Prince No-father [The Power of Truth]
Once upon a time, the King of Benares went on a picnic in the forest. The beautiful flowers and trees and fruits made him very happy. As he was enjoying their beauty, he slowly went deeper and deeper into the forest. Before long, he became separated from his companions and realized
that he was all alone.

Then he heard the sweet voice of a young woman. She was singing as she collected firewood.
To keep from being afraid of being alone in the forest, the king followed the sound of the
lovely voice. When he finally came upon the singer of the songs, he saw that she was a beautiful
fair young woman, & immediately fell in love with her. They became very friendly, and the king
became the father of the firewood woman’s child.

Later, he explained how he had gotten lost in the forest, and convinced her that he was indeed
the King of Benares. She gave him directions for getting back to his palace. The king gave her his
valuable signet ring, and said, “If you give birth to a baby girl, sell this ring and use the money to bring her up well. If our child turns out to be a baby boy, bring him to me along with this ring for
recognition.” So saying, he departed for Benares.

In the fullness of time, the firewood woman gave birth to a cute little baby boy. Being a simple
shy woman, she was afraid to take him to the fancy court in Benares, but she saved the king’s
signet ring.

In a few years, the baby grew into a little boy. When he played with the other children in the
village, they teased him and mistreated him, and even started fights with him. It was because his mother was not married that the other children picked on him. They yelled at him, “No-father!
No-father! Your name should be No-father!”
Of course this made the little boy feel ashamed and hurt and sad. He often ran home crying
to his mother. One day, he told her how the other children called him, “No-father! No-father!
Your name should be No-father!” Then his mother said, “Don’t be ashamed, my son. You are not just an ordinary little boy. Your father is the King of Benares!”

The little boy was very surprised. He asked his mother, “Do you have any proof of this?” So she told him about his father giving her the signet ring, and that if the baby was a boy she should
bring him to Benares, along with the ring as proof.

The little boy said, “Let’s go then.” Because of what happened, she agreed, and the next day hey
set out for Benares. When they arrived at the king’s palace, the gate keeper told the king the firewood woman and her little son wanted to see him. They went into the royal assembly hall, which was filled with the king’s ministers and advisers. The woman reminded the king of their time together in the forest. Finally she said, “Your majesty, here is your son.”

The king was ashamed in front of all the ladies and gentlemen of his court. So, even though he knew the woman spoke the truth, he said, “He is not my son!” Then the lovely young mother showed the signet ring as proof. Again the king was ashamed and denied the truth, saying, “It is
not my ring!”

Then the poor woman thought to herself, “I have no witness and no evidence to prove what I say. I have only my faith in the power of truth.” So she said to the king, “If I throw this little boy up into the air, if he truly is your son, may he remain in the air without falling. If he is not your on, may he fall to the floor and die!”

Suddenly, she grabbed the boy by his foot and threw him up into the air. Lo and behold, the boy sat in the cross-legged position, suspended in mid-air, without falling. Everyone was astonished,
to say the least! Remaining in the air, the little boy spoke to the mighty king. “My lord, I am indeed a son born to you. You take care of many people who are not related to you. You even maintain countless elephants, horses and other animals. And yet, you do not think of looking after and raising me, your own son. Please do take care of me and my mother.”

Hearing this, the king’s pride was overcome. He was humbled by the truth of the little boy’s powerful words. He held out his arms and said, “Come to me my son, and I will take good care of you.”
Amazed by such a wonder, all the others in the court put out their arms. They too asked the floating little boy to come to them. But he went directly from mid-air into his father’s arms. With his son seated on his lap, the king announced that he would be the crown prince, and his mother
would be the number one queen.
In this way, the king and all his court learned the power of truth. Benares became known as a place of honest justice. In time the king died. The grown up crown prince wanted to show the people that all deserve respect, regard less of birth. So he had himself crowned under the official name, “King No-father!” He went on to rule the kingdom in a generous and righteous way.

The moral is: The truth is always stronger than a lie.

Lovely Thoughts for Lovely People Just Like You

Beautiful Thoughts by Budha.......

Once Buddha was travelling with a few of his followers. While they were passing a lake, Buddha told one of his disciples, “I am thirsty. Do get me some water from the lake.”
The disciple walked up to the lake. At that moment, a bullock cart started crossing through the lake. As a result, the water became very muddy and turbid. The disciple thought, “How can I give this muddy water to Buddha to drink?”
So he came back and told Buddha, “The water in there is very muddy. I don’t think it is fit to drink.”
After about half an hour, again Buddha asked the same disciple to go back to the lake.


The disciple went back, and found that the water was still muddy. He returned and informed Buddha about the same.


After sometime, again Buddha asked the same disciple to go back.


This time, the disciple found the mud had settled down, and the water was clean and clear. So he collected some water in a pot and brought it to Buddha.


Buddha looked at the water, and then he looked up at the disciple and said,” See what you did to make the water clean. You let it be, and the mud settled down on its own and you have clear water.


Your mind is like that too ! When it is disturbed, just let it be. Give it a little time. It will settle down on its own. You don’t have to put in any effort to calm it down. It will happen. It is effortless.”

Having ‘Peace of Mind’ is not a strenuous job; it is an effortless process!

TREAT EVERYONE WITH POLITENESS
EVEN THOSE WHO ARE RUDE TO YOU
NOT BECAUSE THEY ARE NOT NICE
BUT BECAUSE YOU ARE NICE.


Lovely Thoughts for Lovely People Just Like You

He who devotes sixteen hours a day to hard study may become at sixty as wise as he thought himself at twenty. -Mary Wilson Little

The Price Maker Story About Foolishness

The Price Maker [Foolishness]
Long ago and far away, their was a king who ruled in Benares, in northern India. One of his ministers was called the Royal Price Maker, and he was a very honest man. His job was to set
a fair price for anything the king wanted to buy or sell.

On some occasions, the king did not like his price making. He did not get as big a profit as he wanted. He did not want to pay so much when he bought, or sell for what he thought was not enough. So he decided to change the price maker.

One day he saw a nice looking young man and he thought, “This fellow will be good for my price making position.” So he dismissed his former honest price maker, and appointed this man to
be the new one. The man thought, “I must make the king happy by buying at very low prices and selling at very high prices.” So he made the prices ridiculous, without caring at all what anything was worth. This gained the greedy king a lot of money, and made him very happy. Meanwhile, all the others who dealt with the new price maker, including the king’s other ministers and ordinary people, became very unhappy.

Then one day a horse merchant arrived in Benares with 500 horses to sell. There were stallions,
mares and colts. The king invited the merchant to the palace, and called upon his Royal Price Maker to set a price for all 500 horses.
Thinking only of pleasing the king, he said, “The entire herd of horses is worth one cup of rice.” So the king ordered that one cup of rice be paid to the horse dealer, and all the horses were taken to the royal stables.

Of course the merchant was very upset, but he could do nothing at the moment. Later he heard
about the former price maker, who had a reputation for being very fair and honest. So he approached him and told him what had happened.

He wanted to hear his opinion, in order to get a proper price from the king. The former price maker said, “If you do as I say, the king will be convinced of the true value of the horses. Go back to the price maker and satisfy him with a valuable gift. Ask him to tell the value of one cup of rice, in the presence of the king. If he agrees, come and tell me. I will go with you to the king.”
Following this advice, the merchant went to the price maker and gave him a valuable gift. The
gift made him very happy, so that he saw the value of pleasing the horse dealer. Then the merchant said to him, “I was very happy with your previous evaluation. Can you please convince the king of the value of one cup of rice?” The foolish price maker said, ‘Why not? I will explain the worth of one cup of rice, even the presence of the king.”

So the price maker thought the horse dealer was satisfied with his cup of rice. He arranged for
another meeting with the king, as the merchant was departing for his own country. The merchant reported back to the old price maker, and they went together to see the king.
All the king’s ministers and his full court were in the royal meeting hall. The horse merchant
said to the king, “My lord, I understand that in this your country, my whole herd of 500 horses
is worth one cup of rice. Before I leave for home, I want to know the value of one cup of rice in
your country.” The king turned to his loyal price maker and said, “What is the value of one cup of rice?”
The foolish price maker, in order to please the king, had previously priced the herd of horses
at one cup of rice. Now, after receiving a bribe from the horse dealer, he wanted to please him
too. So he replied to the king, in his most dignified manner, “Your worship, one cup of rice is
worth the city of Benares, including even your own harem, as well as all the suburbs of the city.

In other words, it is worth the whole kingdom of Benares!”
On hearing this, the royal ministers and wise men in the assembly hall started to roar with
laughter, slapping their sides with their hands.
When they calmed down a little, they said, “Earlier we heard that the kingdom was priceless. Now we hear that all Benares, with its palaces and mansions, is worth only a cup of rice! The decision of the Royal Price Maker is so strange! Where did your highness find such a man? He is
good only for pleasing a king such as you, not for making fair prices for a merchant who sells his
horses from country to country.”
Hearing the laughter of his whole court, and the words of his ministers and advisers, the king was ashamed. So he brought back his former price maker to his official position. He agreed to a
new fair price for the herd of horses, as set by the honest price maker. Having learned a lesson, the king and his kingdom lived justly and prospered.

The moral is: A fool in high office can bring shame even to a king.

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