A saint gave one of his disciples a magic item which could fulfill all his desires. The only snag was that his neighbour would automatically get double the amount. That man got all that he wanted-money, elephants, horses, cows, buffaloes etc. but his neighbours got all that too, doubled. He was jealous of his neighbours on that account. He was always thinking of desiring something that would harm his neighbours. At long last, an idea struck him and he wished that he might lose one of his eyes. Then he got one arm and leg broken, and the neighbours lost both their arms and legs. He at this stage happened to have an attack of paralysis which completely immobilized him. Even his normal eye, the leg and the hand were rendered unless. He requested the magic article to restore his normalcy but this was rejected, because the neighbours had to get the double the amount and they couldn't possibly get four eyes, legs, arms etc. In desperation he asked for just one eye, leg and arm and this time his request was granted. And lo! The neighbours were also as hale and hearty as ever. He remained deformed for the whole of his life, while his neighbours enjoyed normal health. This is what happens if you wish others ill.
Note: Selfishness must be purged in practical life in order to obtain peace and bliss
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There was a woman, who lost her needle in the house. She was too poor to afford a light in her house, so she went out of the house and was searching in the streets. Somebody asked her what she was searching for in the streets. She said that she was searching for her needle. The gentleman asked, "Where did you lose the needle?" She said, "In the house." He said," "How unreasonable it is to search in the street for a thing which was lost in the house!" She said that she could riot afford a light in the house and there was a lantern in the street. She could not hunt in the house; she had to do something, so she must hunt in the street. This is exactly the way with people. You have the Heaven within you, the paradise; the home of bliss within you; and yet you are searching for pleasure in the objects, in the streets, searching for that thing outside, outside, in the objects of the senses. How strange!
MORAL: Searching for pleasure in the worldly objects is vain. The Home of Bliss is within you.
http://hinduonline.co/DigitalLibrary/SmallBooks/ParablesOfRamaBySwamiRamaTirthaEng.pdf
They say that Bhishma Pitamaha had conquered his death, which was said to be under his control. Why?
Because of the purity of his heart, due to his disciplined mind. He could not be tempted or attracted by the alluring charms of this world. It may be assured again that a man cannot have real peace and pleasure in the external sense objects. These can only deceive you but can never give you lasting comfort, peace or happiness which is within you and which can be enjoyed only with a pure heart i.e«, unattached heart and disciplined mind.
http://hinduonline.co/DigitalLibrary/SmallBooks/ParablesOfRamaBySwamiRamaTirthaEng.pdf
There was a man who walked on the waters. A real saint laughed and asked him how long it took him to acquire this power. He replied that it took him seventeen years. The saint replied, "In seventeen years you have acquired a power worth two annas, we give two annas to a boatman and he ferries us across the river."
All personal power is limited, it binds you just as much as any possession or property binds you. Chains are chains whether of iron or gold; they enslave you all the same.
If these powers make a man so very holy, then dogs must be holy. Dogs smell out where the stag is. The dogs have the power of smell that man has not; hence they must be holy.
MORAL: Levitation or any other personal power does not make a man happy, holy or free; on the other hand, it limits and binds him, just as any other possession does.
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It is said in the Hindu Puranas that king Harankasyap wanted to turn his son Prahlad away from religious life. He desired him to remain a worldling like himself, but the remonstrances and admonitions of the parent did not prevail upon the child - they were all lost on him. In order to prevent the child from, his intention, the father cast him into fire but it burnt him not. The king then threw his child into running water but it bore the child up. To him the fire, the water, and other elements had ceased to be harmful - they were realized in their true state. The boy had dehypnotized himself into this real state. Everything unto him was God, all Love. The threats, frowns, and brow beating, sword and flame were nothing else than sweet Heaven. How could he be injured?
MORAL: Nothing can harm him who realizes everything as God, as all Love.
http://hinduonline.co/DigitalLibrary/SmallBooks/ParablesOfRamaBySwamiRamaTirthaEng.pdf
A monkey is caught in India in a very queer manner. A narrow-necked basin is fixed in the ground, and in that basin are put some nuts and other eatables which the monkeys like. The monkeys come up and thrust their hands into the narrow-necked basin and fill their hands with the nuts. The fist becomes thick and it cannot be taken out, There the monkey is caught; he cannot come out. Queerly, strangely is the monkey caught.
We ask what it is that binds you first. You yourself have brought under thralldom and bondage. Here is the whole wide world; a grand magnificent forest; and in this grand magnificent wood of the whole universe, there is a narrow necked vessel found. What is that narrow-necked vessel? It is your brain, this little brain, narrow-necked. Herein are some nuts, and people have got hold of these nuts, and all that is done through the agency of the brain or through the medium of this intellect, is owned as one's own, "I am the mind," is that everybody says; everybody has practically identified himself with the mind, "I am the mind," "I am the intellect," and he takes a strong grip of these nuts of the narrow-necked vessel. That is what makes you slaves, that is what makes you slaves to anxieties, slaves to fear, slaves to temptations, slaves to all sorts of troubles. That is what binds you; that is the cause of all the suffering in this world.
If you want salvation, if you want freedom, only let go the hold, free your hand. The whole forest is yours, you can jump from tree to tree and eat all the nuts and eat all the walnuts and all the fruits in the woods, all being yours. The whole world is yours; just rid of this selfish ignorance, and you are free, you are your own savior.
MORAL: Identification with the mind is the cause of bondage. Get rid of it and your are free.
http://hinduonline.co/DigitalLibrary/SmallBooks/ParablesOfRamaBySwamiRamaTirthaEng.pdf
In an allegorical story, it is said that once Lord Indra, became a pig in his dream and he miserably suffered from itch and other troublesome diseases. Other gods were deeply concerned at this condition of their king. They entered his dreaming state and reminded him, "How is it Sir! Have you forgotten the nymphs of the heaven? Do not you remember the taste of nectar? Have you no idea of your own golden throne studded with precious stones?" But Indra in his piggish tone said, 'No, no, no. Your nymphs, nectar and golden throne are no match to my she-pig, excreta and cushion like mud in the ditch. I enjoy greater pleasure in rolling in this mud than in sleeping in the bed of roses.
You might be laughing at the foolish reply of Indra. But please reflect what are you at present? Are you any better than Indra in his dream? You, also in this worldly dream, are taking death as a physician and the disease as its remedy, i. e., you take everything in a perverted way. Is it the correct state of affairs? No, never. You will continue to suffer, unless you know your Self. You are the Lord Indra of Indras.
Take, for example, the case of two servants of a King. One of them only flatters the King and does not work, while the other discharges his duties faithfully, but has nothing to do by way of flattery. Whom will the king like more? It is clear that he will be pleased with the one who discharges his duties faithfully, because work is of primary importance.
Similarly, an atheist may not be using the beads of rosary to repeat the name of God or rubbing his forehead on the ground to flatter God, but, inspite of this, God will be pleased with him, if he has a charitable disposition and does good deeds. Their continued devotion to good deeds is their rosary and their repeated unselfish actions for the good of all are, so to say, the beads. They may not be making a show of worshipping God in temples, churches or mosques, but in practice they do worship God by their good deeds in life.
http://hinduonline.co/DigitalLibrary/SmallBooks/ParablesOfRamaBySwamiRamaTirthaEng.pdf
