A European disciple asked Gurumaharaj whether Faith and Trust are the same thing?
Gurumaharaj : Faith or belief are all transient. Even after mingling with a person for over a long period of time or clinging to an ideal for long you may lose interest in them. The behaviour and actions of people who followed the same ideal cherished by you may hurt you after a certain point of time. This would immediately cause a rift in your relationship with such people. There are examples aplenty in our society.
The most intimate friendship of two men about which everyone around them keep discussing may as well have the same fate. Close friendships of ten, fifteen or twenty years end over a trifling matter when one’s
sentiment is hurt. This at once spoils a relationship which took years to grow. All the sweetness of a relationship is forgotten in a moment. You will be amazed at the suddenness.
It often happens in case of the friendship of two teenaged girls. Out of intimate bond between them they put on same clothes, stay, eat and sleep together. Their families are also bewidered by their intimacy. But when one of them starts seeing a boyfriend, they soon become estranged. In all these cases the relationships blossomed from mutual belief. Apparently it seems as if they have great faith in each other. But that is not the case. Their relationships turn sour on the slightest pretext.
Common people have this kind of faith in political parties or religions. But these are not firm faiths. Actually people are generally driven by emotions. So, they easily get carried away by their emotions. But everyone does not fall into this category. When emotional people get hurt, it’s very difficult for them to get rid of such overwhelming emotional forces. Finally everybody has to swim upstream to attain his true self. There is a teaching well circulated among the follwers of Thakur Sri Ramakrishna : “Oh bird! Don’t you even stir a bit and sit steadily on the mast of Sri Ramakrishna’s name!” But how many can take refuge in the name of the Lord? We love to drift in the current of water. We forget the fact that we all have to get back to our source.The Avatars come purposely to remind us of this.
However, you mentioned another word, that is, ‘Trust’! Trust is not short- lived like ‘Belief’ or ‘Faith’! Trust is so well anchored that even if one dies, he would not let go of it. Earlier I told you about the Persian mystic Mansoor Al-Hallaz. The emperor slit his tongue for uttering the words ‘Ana Al- Haqq'( I am the only Truth). After that his body was cut to pieces. From those pieces of flesh arose the sound ‘ Ana Al -Haqq’! Likewise even after being afflicted with physical pain and blindness Bilwamangal said to his Lord Sri Krishna, ” Oh my beloved, you may elude my grasp but you don’t have such powers to leave my heart!”
These are the examples of Trust.
In other words, there is a sequence. One has to begin with his Belief, then he will have Faith and finally develop Trust. But for that he needs the guidance of a Sadguru. He will dispel the darkness of ignorance and elevate your consciousness level.
When one has Trust, he only has to perform Sadhana according to the Sadguru’s instructions. And if you can do this, you will surely reach your ultimate destination.
Translated by Amitava Saha
Gurumaharaj : Faith or belief are all transient. Even after mingling with a person for over a long period of time or clinging to an ideal for long you may lose interest in them. The behaviour and actions of people who followed the same ideal cherished by you may hurt you after a certain point of time. This would immediately cause a rift in your relationship with such people. There are examples aplenty in our society.
The most intimate friendship of two men about which everyone around them keep discussing may as well have the same fate. Close friendships of ten, fifteen or twenty years end over a trifling matter when one’s
sentiment is hurt. This at once spoils a relationship which took years to grow. All the sweetness of a relationship is forgotten in a moment. You will be amazed at the suddenness.
It often happens in case of the friendship of two teenaged girls. Out of intimate bond between them they put on same clothes, stay, eat and sleep together. Their families are also bewidered by their intimacy. But when one of them starts seeing a boyfriend, they soon become estranged. In all these cases the relationships blossomed from mutual belief. Apparently it seems as if they have great faith in each other. But that is not the case. Their relationships turn sour on the slightest pretext.
Common people have this kind of faith in political parties or religions. But these are not firm faiths. Actually people are generally driven by emotions. So, they easily get carried away by their emotions. But everyone does not fall into this category. When emotional people get hurt, it’s very difficult for them to get rid of such overwhelming emotional forces. Finally everybody has to swim upstream to attain his true self. There is a teaching well circulated among the follwers of Thakur Sri Ramakrishna : “Oh bird! Don’t you even stir a bit and sit steadily on the mast of Sri Ramakrishna’s name!” But how many can take refuge in the name of the Lord? We love to drift in the current of water. We forget the fact that we all have to get back to our source.The Avatars come purposely to remind us of this.
However, you mentioned another word, that is, ‘Trust’! Trust is not short- lived like ‘Belief’ or ‘Faith’! Trust is so well anchored that even if one dies, he would not let go of it. Earlier I told you about the Persian mystic Mansoor Al-Hallaz. The emperor slit his tongue for uttering the words ‘Ana Al- Haqq'( I am the only Truth). After that his body was cut to pieces. From those pieces of flesh arose the sound ‘ Ana Al -Haqq’! Likewise even after being afflicted with physical pain and blindness Bilwamangal said to his Lord Sri Krishna, ” Oh my beloved, you may elude my grasp but you don’t have such powers to leave my heart!”
These are the examples of Trust.
In other words, there is a sequence. One has to begin with his Belief, then he will have Faith and finally develop Trust. But for that he needs the guidance of a Sadguru. He will dispel the darkness of ignorance and elevate your consciousness level.
When one has Trust, he only has to perform Sadhana according to the Sadguru’s instructions. And if you can do this, you will surely reach your ultimate destination.
Translated by Amitava Saha