Sayings of Ramakrishna 288

As a lamp does not burn without oil, so a man cannot live without God. 

Sayings of Ramakrishna 287

When the bird has flown away from it, one cares no longer for the cage. 

So when the bird of life has flown away, no one cares any longer for the carcass. 

IMAGE: Emma Soyer, The Escape (1836) 

Sayings of Ramakrishna 286

A snake dwelt in a certain place. No one dared to pass by that way. For whoever did so was instantaneously bitten to death. 

Once a Mahâtman passed by that road, and the serpent ran after the sage in order to bite him. But when the snake approached the holy man he lost all his ferocity, and was overpowered by the gentleness of the Yogin. 

Seeing the snake, the sage said, "Well, friend, do you think to bite me?" 

The snake was abashed and made no reply. At this the sage said, "Hearken, friend, do not injure anybody in future." The snake bowed and nodded assent. 

The sage went his own way and the snake entered his hole, and thenceforward began to live a life of innocence and purity without even attempting to harm anyone. 

In a few days, all the neighborhood began to think that the snake had lost all his venom, and was no more dangerous, and so everyone began to tease him. Some pelted him, others dragged him mercilessly by the tail, and in this way there was no end to his troubles. 

Fortunately, the sage again passed by that way, and seeing the bruised and battered condition of the good snake, was very much moved, and inquired the cause of his distress. 

At this the snake replied, "Holy sir, this is because I do not injure anyone, after your advice. But alas! they are so merciless!" 

The sage smilingly said, "My dear friend, I simply advised you not to bite anyone, but I did not tell you not to frighten others. Although you should not bite any creature, still you should keep every one at a considerable distance by hissing at him." 

Similarly, if you live in the world, make yourself feared and respected. Do not injure anyone, but be not, at the same time, injured by others. 

Sayings of Ramakrishna 285

If you wish to thread the needle, make the thread pointed, and remove all extraneous fibers. Then the thread will easily enter into the eye of the needle. 

So if you wish to concentrate your heart on God, be meek, humble, and poor in spirit, and remove all filaments of desire. 

IMAGE: Jules Breton, Peasant Woman Threading a Needle (1861) 

Sayings of Ramakrishna 284

The human Guru whispers the sacred formula into the ear; the Divine Guru breathes the spirit into the soul. 

Sayings of Ramakrishna 283

A kite with a fish in its beak was followed by a host of crows and other kites, which were screeching and pecking at it, and were trying to snatch the fish away. 

In whatever direction it went the crowd of kites and crows followed it, screeching and cawing. 

Getting tired of this annoyance, the kite let go the fish, when it was instantly caught by another kite, and at once the crowd of kites and crows transferred their kind attentions to the new owner of the fish. 

The first kite was left unmolested, and sat calmly on the branch of a tree. 

Seeing this quiet and tranquil state of the bird, the Avadhûta, saluting it, said, "You are my Guru, O Kite; for you have taught me that so long as man does not throw off the burden of the worldly desires he carries, he cannot be undisturbed and at peace with himself." 

Sayings of Ramakrishna 282

A heron was slowly walking to catch a fish. 

Behind, there was a hunter aiming an arrow at it; but the bird was totally unmindful of this fact. 

The Avadhûta, saluting the heron, said, "When I sit in meditation let me follow your example, and never turn back to see who is behind me." 

Sayings of Ramakrishna 281

An angler was fishing in a pond. The Avadhûta, approaching him, asked, "Brother, which way leads to such and such a place?" 

The float of the rod at that time was indicating that the fish was nibbling the bait: so the man did not give any reply, but was all attention to his fishing rod. 

When the fish was caught, he turned round and said, "What is it you have been saying, sir?" 

The Avadhûta saluted him and said, "Sir, you are my Guru. When I sit in the contemplation of the Paramâtman, let me follow your example, and before finishing my devotions let me not attend to anything else." 

IMAGE: Robert Seldon Duncanson, Man Fishing (1848) 

Sayings of Ramakrishna 280

The Avadhûta saw a bridal procession passing through a meadow, with the beating of drums and the blowing of trumpets, and with great pomp. 

Hard by the road through which the procession was passing, he saw a hunter deeply absorbed in aiming at a bird, and perfectly inattentive to the noise and pomp of the procession, casting not even a passing look at it. 

The Avadhûta, saluting the hunter, said, "Sir, you are my Guru. When I sit in meditation, let my mind be concentrated on its object of meditation as yours has been on the bird." 

Sayings of Ramakrishna 279

There is little chance of a ship running astray, so long as its compass points towards the true North. 

So if the mind of man—the compass needle of the ship of life—is turned always towards the Supreme Brahman, without oscillation, it will steer clear of every danger. 

Sayings of Ramakrishna 278

What is the relation between Gîvâtman and Paramâtman, between the personal and the Highest Self? 

As when a plank of wood is stretched across a current of water, the water seems to be divided into two, so the indivisible appears divided into two by limitations, the Upâdhi of Mâyâ. 

In truth they are one and the same. 

Sayings of Ramakrishna 277

The parable of a Brahman and his low-caste servant:

As soon as Mâyâ is found out, she flies away. 

A priest was once going to the village of a disciple. He had no servant with him. 

On the way, seeing a cobbler, he addressed him, saying, "Hallo! good man, will you accompany me as a servant? You shall dine well and will be cared for; come along." 

The cobbler replied, "Reverend Sir, I am of the lowest caste, how can I represent your servant?" 

The priest said, "Never mind that. Do not tell anybody what you are, nor speak to or make acquaintance with anyone." The cobbler agreed. 

At twilight, while the priest was sitting at prayers in the house of his disciple, another Brahman came and addressed the priest's servant, "Fellow, go and bring my shoes from there." 

The servant, true to the words of his master, made no response. 

The Brahman repeated the order a second time, but the servant remained silent. The Brahman repeated it again and again, but the cobbler moved not an inch. 

At last, getting annoyed, the Brahman angrily said, "Hallo Sirrah! How dare you not obey a Brahman's command! What is your caste? Are you not a cobbler?" 

The cobbler hearing this began to tremble with fear, and piteously looking at the priest said, "O venerable Sir, O venerable Sir! I am found out. I cannot stay here any longer, let me flee." 

So saying, he took to his heels. 

IMAGE: Rosalba Carriera, Portrait of a Woman with Mask (c. 1730) 

Sayings of Ramakrishna 276

The Vedas, Tantras, and the Purânas, and all the sacred scriptures of the world, have become as if defiled, because they have been constantly repeated by and have come out of human mouths. 

But the Brahman or the Absolute has never been defiled, for no one as yet has been able to express Him by human speech. 

Sayings of Ramakrishna 275

Is it good to create sects? 

The sect cannot grow in a current of water: it grows only in the stagnant waters of petty pools. 

He whose heart earnestly longs after the Deity has no time for anything else. He who looks for fame and honor, forms sects. 

Sayings of Ramakrishna 274

Keep yourself aloof at the time of your devotion from those who scoff, and those who ridicule piety and the pious. 

Sayings of Ramakrishna 273

A husbandman was watering a sugarcane field the whole of a day. 

After finishing his task he saw that not a drop of water had entered the field; all the water had gone underground through several big rat holes. 

Such is the state of that devotee who, cherishing secretly in his heart worldly desires—of fame, pleasures, and comforts—and ambitions, worships God. 

Though daily praying, he makes no progress, because the entire devotion runs to waste through the rat holes of his desires, and at the end of his lifelong devotion he is the same man as before, and has not advanced one step. 

Sayings of Ramakrishna 272

Dispute not. As you rest firmly on your own faith, allow others also the same liberty to stand by their own faiths. 

By mere disputation you shall never succeed in convincing another of his error. 

When the grace of God descends on him, everyone will understand his own mistakes. 

IMAGE: Luca Giordano, Theologians Disputing (c. 1680) 

Sayings of Ramakrishna 271

Why cannot we see the Divine Mother? 

She is like a high-born lady transacting all her business from behind the screen, seeing all, but seen by none. 

Her devout sons only see Her, by going near Her and behind the screen of Mâyâ. 

IMAGE: Utagawa Toyokuni, Ladies Behind a Screen in a Daimyo's Mansion (c. 1790) 

Sayings of Ramakrishna 270

If God is Omnipresent, why do we not see Him? 

Standing by the bank of a pool thickly overspread with scum and weeds, you will say that there is no water in it. 

If you desire to see the water, remove the scum from the surface of the pond. 

With eyes covered with the film of Mâyâ you complain that you cannot see God. 

If you wish to see Him, remove the film of Mâyâ from off your eyes. 

IMAGE: Amardas Bhatti, Prince Subuddhi Meets Shiva in the Forest of Illusion (1830)

Sayings of Ramakrishna 269

As one can ascend to the top of a house by means of a ladder or a bamboo or a staircase or a rope, so diverse also are the ways and means to approach God, and every religion in the world shows one of these ways. 

IMAGE: J.M.W. Turner, The Vision of Jacob's Ladder (1830)