Be forever steeped in it
12. The thing we practice day and night
sticks on us. Let us not be deceived by the story of Ajamila. He was
to all appearances a sinner, but hidden deep in his life was a
stream of holiness. This came to the surface at the moment of death.
If you imagine that you would remember the name of Rama at the last
moment, even if you had been a sinner all your life, you are sure to
be disappointed. You will have to train the mind aright from
childhood. Take constant care that good samskaras alone come to the
mind. Don't say, "What does it matter whether one gets up at
four in the morning or at seven?" Talk of this sort is
pointless. By letting the mind go as it pleases, you will defeat
yourself. Then you will never acquire good samskaras.
We have to accumulate wealth coin by
coin; we must gather wisdom without wasting even a moment. Watch,
therefore, that only good samskaras take root in the mind. Any bad
word that comes out of your mouth starts an evil samskara. Every act
is a stroke that chisels into shape the marble of our life. Even if
the day passes well, evil thoughts disturb our dreams. It is not as
if only the affairs of the immediate past appear in dreams. So many
samskaras lie hidden in our minds behind the veil of forgetfulness.
We cannot tell when they will come out into the open. Therefore, we
should be vigilant even over little things. A drowning man clutches
even at a straw. And we are drowning in the ocean of samskara. If we
utter a good word, even that serves as a support to us. A good deed
done is never wasted; it will take you ashore. There should not be
even the slightest trace of a bad samskara. |
