On 16 January 1998, while staying at the Merida Holiday Inn in Mexico, Sri Chinmoy offered comments on a number of folk proverbs from various nations.
1.
“A stumble is not a fall.” – Haitian
When I do not meditate regularly, it is, indeed, a stumble. But when I give up the spiritual life altogether, it is, indeed, a fall.
2.
“People in trouble remember Allah.” – Hausa
Kunti, the mother of the Pandavas, in India’s greatest epic the Mahabharata, prayed to Lord Krishna to inundate her life with troubles so that she would never forget Lord Krishna even for a fleeting second.
3.
“Every tear has a smile behind it.” – Iranian
Every mind-jungle has a heart-garden behind it.
4.
“Give advice.
If people do not listen, let adversity teach them.” – Ethiopian
I give advice, and if my spiritual children do not listen to my advice, I give advice again and again unconditionally, for I do not want adversity to be their teacher. God wants me to be their soul-teacher, at least for this incarnation.
5.
“It is easy to advise the wise.” – Serbian
Those who have accepted the spiritual life seriously, consciously and self-givingly are really the wise ones, and for them to accept any advice from their Inner Pilot is not at all a difficult task.
6.
“An illiterate king is a crowned ass.” – English
An illiterate spiritual Master can be a God-crowned emperor.
7.
“A word spoken in anger may mar an entire life.” – Greek
Some spiritual Masters do not fail to see eye-to-eye with this sublime realisation.
8.
“God did not create hurry.” – Finnish
True, God did not create hurry, but He did create my destination.
9.
“To be willing is to be able.” – French
The outer willingness is the manifestation of the inner ability.
10.
“An artist lives everywhere.” – English
Definitely true. Again, a God-manifestation-artist not only lives everywhere, but he is for God, only for God, everywhere.
11.
“Buying on credit is robbing next year’s crop.” – African-American
I do not believe in the future. Therefore, I deliberately keep myself away from being a credit card exponent.
12.
“Beware the person of one book.” – Latin
Do not forget to read the only book, the book of books: your life-tree.
13.
“Six feet of earth make us all equal.” – Italian
Alas, how is it that we forget this? How and why?
14.
“Virtue is not knowing but doing.” – Japanese
A truth-seeker and God-lover goes one step ahead: he feels the real virtue, only virtue, is in becoming God-Infinity’s Heart and God-Eternity’s Eye.
15.
“Tie your camel, then trust in Allah.” – Arabic
First, you must know that God is in you. Then only can you feel that God is for you.
16.
“Stones decay. Words last.” – Samoan
Not the mind-factory-words, but the soul-garden-words.
17.
“Not to know is bad; not to want to know is worse.” – Gambian
It is bad for me not to know where God is and who God is. But not to want to know who He is and where He is, is infinitely worse.
18.
“The best way to get praise is to die.” – Italian
The best way to get praise is to tell the world openly you will do everything for the world and secretly you will actually do everything for God and God alone. In that way, you will get praise both from stupid mankind and from the Compassion-satisfied God.
