A Comprehensive Collection - Swami Vivekananda

"530 WHAT HAVE I LEARNT ?lac of Rupees !Then, the Guru must be without a touch~of taint ;and he must be Akamakata unhurt by * anydesire, he* has no other motive except that of purelydoing good to others, he who is the ocean of mercy withoutreason, he who doex not impart religious teaching with aview to gain name or u fame, or anything pertaining toselfish interest. And he must be the intense knowcr ofBrahman, that is, one who has realised Brahman, even astangibly as an Amlaki-fruit in the palm of the hand. uchis the Guru, says the Sruti. When spiritual union isestablished with such a Guru, then comes realisation <AGod then God -vision becomes easy of attainment.After initiation, thereshould be in the aspirant afterTruth abhyds, or earnest and repeated attempt at practicalapplication of the Truth by prescribed means of constantmeditation upon the chosen Ideal. Even if you have aburning thirst for God, or have gained the Guru, unlessyou have along with it the abhydsa, unless you practisewhat you have been taught, you cannot get realisation.When all these are firmly established in you, then youwill reach the Goal.Therefore I say unto you, as Hindus, as descendantsof the glorious Aryas, Do not forget the great ideal ofour religion the great ideal of the Hindu, which is, togo beyond this Samsara not only to renounce the world,but to give up heaven too ; aye, not only to give up evil,but to give up good too ;and thus to go beyond thisphenomenal existence, and ultimately realise the "Sat- Chit-Anandam Brahman the Absolute Existence- Knowledge-Bliss, which is Brahman. : o :-