In many schools, emphasis is placed on informational knowledge learned by reading textbooks or listening to lectures, memorizing the material, and taking tests. However, when one wants to become an adept or practitioner in the field, it involves more practical lessons. Doctors need to learn how to perform surgery or medical procedures. It is not enough to memorize medical books. Teachers need to learn how to teach and make not just give lectures. It is similar when it comes to the subject of spirituality.
Many feel they understand spirituality because they can read books or listen to lectures on the subject.
This story from Mahabharata gives insight into what true learning is.
The five Pandava brothers went to their teacher for their lesson. The teacher gave them their day’s lesson. He said, “Today’s lesson is to speak the truth. Always be truthful.”
After the lesson was over, told the students to go and memorize it.
The next day, four of the students returned to class. Yudhistira, did not come.
The teacher asked, “Where is Yudhistira?”
The other four boys explained that he is learning his lesson. This continued for six days.
Finally, Yudhistira showed up to class on the seventh day and announced, “Teacher, I have learned the lesson.” For one week, he was practicing telling the truth in a variety of situations and had mastered the skill of never speaking a lie.
From that day on, Yudhistira never spoke a lie.
This story illustrates how we should truly learn spirituality. It is not only memorizing the teachings of the saints and Masters. We must take each point and live it in our daily lives. Spiritual education means living the teachings in each aspect of our lives. We must find a way to make them come alive in our lives by living those virtues and spiritual practices.
For example, we all know we should not get angry. We talk about the importance of nonviolence. However, we must learn to practice nonviolence in a variety of situations that arise in our daily life.
We all know that the spiritual teachings say to be truthful. Yet, we must also practice it in all aspects of our life. Our places of work or businesses where we deal with money are rich with opportunities in which we can choose between being honest or deceitful.
We know that the teachings say to be humble, by controlling our ego and eliminating pride of power, money, and position.
We talk about the spiritual path to others telling them to meditate daily, but how many of us have mastered our own meditations? We must actually practice it.
Each day, we can examine whether we are merely memorizing the spiritual teachings, or we are living them. If we are trying to be like Yudhistira and practice the teachings in our daily life, we will be successful. If we are like the other four students who only memorized the information of the teachings, then it will take longer to change or improve.
Let us strive to be among those who have practical experience both in living the ethical virtues and in meditating and doing selfless service. Our progress will grow by leaps and bounds. In this way, we will have success on the spiritual path ourselves and we will inspire others to follow our example.
Next week check out for Blog "Avoid A Pill----Be Still"
Sant Rajinder Singh Ji Maharaj is an internationally recognized spiritual Master who teaches meditation on the inner Light and Sound as building blocks for achieving spiritual illumination. Social and civic leaders throughout the world have praised Sant Rajinder Singh Ji Maharaj for his deep wisdom and efforts in promoting inner and outer peace. Visit www.sos.org
Article was found on speakingtree.in
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