“Being a saint! Oh, not my cup of tea.”; “Saints are different”; “To be saints, you need to leave everything, live in mountains and spend 20 years in austerity.”
We often encounter similar statements in our life. Whenever there is a discussion about whether saints are similar to us or how a person can be a saint. Due to lack of proper discussion, we go remote from the above topic and seal the question in an envelope.
We need to understand firstly that who is a saint? There can be numerous definations, but let’s keep it simple.
Any person who lives in present, is thoughtless, is above the cycle of joys or sorrows, speaks the truth, has love and compassion for all, is detached while living with people, is innocent, has no ego, is balanced and ethical in his behaviour, is creative, respects all living beings and nature equally, is away from all the ill habits, wrong practices, and greediness can be said as a saint. This defination may have many additions as per the individual.
Yes, Saints are different from others. But the journey to be one is not different. A saint is a saint not because he wears some different coloured clothes or lives in mountains, eats less, speaks nothing or very less. The person is a saint due to his attributes, characteristics, inner values, ethics, habits, behaviour etc.
We need to understand that each individual has two sides: the positive and the negative. A person with inclined more to his positive side is saintly than others and vice versa. In 21st century, any person with the above characteristics and still living a normal life amidst the world is a saint.
- In a world full of greed, if a person is not greedy, he is similar to a saint.
- Any person with equal and unconditional love, care, compassion for others, known or unknown is like a saint. Example: a mother’s love when extends to other children along with her own children, she becomes a universal mother.
- If someone has the daring enough to say that the negative thing is wrong, is courageous enough to speak the truth, he is saintly in nature.
- A person who dosen’t swing on the pendulum of past and future, and remains in present, is of course saintly.
- A person who does not swim in the river of thoughts, and try and remain thoughtless, is really different. Just think, how many of us have absolute silence inside us, we always are entangled in a chain of endless thoughts?
- Amidst the world full of shrewdness, falsehood, hypocrisy and artificiality, if a person is innocent yet intelligent and knowledgeable, is definitely different from others.
- Any simple person or the one holding an important position, and yet not having ego for the work he has done or for some other reason, is saintly. These days, even when there is nothing, people have big superficial, virtual crowns of huge ego. They are unable to surpass “I, myself and mine.”
It’s not that we don’t know what all characteristics the saints posses. It’s just we don’t have the courage to accept and abide these practices in our daily life. We fear of what people will say or we may be excluded or neglected.
In present world, any human being with saintly attributes, living among the people is no less than a saint. Only the thing is he or she needs to discover himself or herself. He or she has to believe in himself or herself that, “These characteristics of mine are precious indeed. If l am having these attributes, I am the blessed person in this world.” Appreciate, adore and accept your values.
And those who aim to be one, don’t worry. There is one simple formula: “practice, self introspect and change.” That’s it! One day you yourself will feel that there is a change. It’s just about playing with the balance of positive and negative inside oneself. If one achieves it, drastic improvements are possible.
Do always remember:
You must not be cruel to others.
Practice, Self introspect and change!
The Journey To Learn 