Selfishness keeps us blind through Life.
Hazrat Pir-o-Murshid Inayat Khan
Related Material by Pir-o-Murshid Inayat Khan
Compiled by Wahiduddin Richard Shelquist – wahiduddin.net
Christ’s teaching that we should be kind and charitable, and that of all other teachers who showed humanity the right path, seems to differ from what one sees from the practical point of view which is called common sense; yet according to uncommon sense, in other words super-sense, it is perfectly practical. If you wish to be charitable, think of the comfort of another; if you wish to be happy, think of the happiness of your fellow beings; if you wish to be treated well, treat others well; if you wish that people should be just and fair to you, first be so yourself to set an example.
Our greatest enemy is our ego which manifests itself in selfishness. Even in our doing good, in our kind actions, selfishness is sometimes at work. When we do good with the thought that one day it may return to us and that we may share in the good, we sell our pearls for a price. A kind action, a thought of sympathy, of generosity, is too precious to trade with. One should give and, while giving, close the eyes. We should remember to do every little action, every little kindness, every act of generosity with our whole heart, without the desire of getting anything in return making a trade out of it. The satisfaction must be in doing it and in nothing else.
[ This teaching echoes one the main teachings that Krishna gives to Arjuna, in the Hindu Bhagavad Gita: (summarized and paraphrased) “Fulfill your duty (dharma) and leave the fruits of your action to Me (to God). Do your duty (dharma) to the best of your ability with selfless action because you have understood and determined that it is Right Action (dharma). Do your duty (dharma) without consideration about the outcome, without craving for or aversion to the fruits of the action. Do your duty (dharma) without worrying about whether it results in gain, loss, or tie. — Muiz ]
Every step in evolution makes life more valuable. The more evolved you are, the more priceless is every moment; it becomes an opportunity for you to do good to others, to serve others, to give love to others, to be gentle to others, to give your sympathy to souls who are longing and hungering for it. Life is miserable when people are absorbed in self; as soon as they forget self they are happy.
Tulsidas, the Hindu poet, says that the essence of religion is kindness. Those who are inclined to do kindness in life must not discriminate among the people around them, between those to whom they must be kind and those to whom they need not be kind. However kind and good people may be to those they like, to those they wish to be kind to, they cannot for this be called kind by nature; real kindness is that which gushes out from the heart to the worthy and to the unworthy. … Humanity is the outcome of the development of the whole of creation; therefore the ego, which makes us selfish, is developed in us more than in any other creature. Selfishness keeps us blind through Life, and we scarcely know when we have caused harm to another. … In this struggle of life, if we can be considerate enough to keep our eyes open to all around us and see in what way we can be of help to them, we become rich; we inherit the realm of God.
Commentary by Murshid S.A.M. (Sufi Ahmed Murad)
Samuel L. Lewis
For it is nufs [ the ego ] alone which limits one’s vision. Not all the education, morality, or external processes can alter it; for until one becomes unselfish one is lacking in great understanding.