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"The ability to believe in the
possible is belief.
The ability to believe in the impossible is faith."
Will, faith and confidence are the elementary factors which contribute
to an easy success on the path of realisation. Strong will to achieve
reality means that we are inwardly awakened to the thought of recognizing
the Self. We proceed on with the idea and select a path. The very first
thing to be looked to, seriously, is that the path we select is the
right one, leading directly to our goal. It is, therefore, quite essential
to have in our mind a clear and definite conception of the final goal.
When we are finally convinced of the merits of the thing, we may
stick to it with faith and constancy. Faith thus reposed shall be genuine
and lasting, while faith promoted by inducement offered by outwardly
attractive features and display of pretty materialistic achievements
is no faith at all but may rightly be termed as persuasion. It has no
stable foundation to rest upon and disappears under ordinary adverse
circumstances.
Gross type of worships of idols in the solid material shapes
and rigid adherence to forms, symbols and rituals do not
actuate real faith. It is pure and simple materialism which
promotes prejudice and not the true faith in the heart of
those who pursue it. They believe blindly in what they are
induced to, without applying their reason or judgement and
are not in the least inclined even to consider any other
course. I find people acknowledging the efficacy of certain
other means of direct approach to reality but still they
are not prepared to follow them because, as they say, they
cannot get away from the path they have already adopted.
They have in fact, no faith in reality but only faith in
forms and symbols which may rightly be termed as prejudice.
It means that their vision has become limited and they do
not want to rise high to seek reality. Their fate is sealed
and they remain in the same confined sphere for ever. In
fact, what keeps us down, checking us from rising higher
cannot be termed as faith. It is consequently very essential
for every one to fix his eyes on Absolute Reality with faith
and confidence and to adopt ways, helpful and conducive
to Self-realization.
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