Come close and sit down. Each one of you should look at me and listen carefully to what I am about to say.
You must learn how to conduct yourself properly. Your life is very subtle, and so you must conduct it with subtle wisdom. First you must think about what is good and what is bad, then you must throw away all that is bad and do only what is good. See how those good things taste. And if someone does something good for you, you should do good in return. But if someone does something bad to you, just forget about it. Never do anything bad in return.
Also, my grandchildren, you must always respect your mother and father. Not only must you respect them, you must also obey them. If someone is slightly older than you, then he should be treated like your older brother. If someone is older than that, you should respect him like a father. If someone is younger than you, you should show him love and compassion and take him under your wing like a younger brother or son. You must respect him, too. Even to the cows, goats, and other animals, you must show love and compassion. Throughout your life you must show God’s three thousand gracious qualities to all people. You must do your duty and respect those who are lowly as well as those who are great. You must do this without any discrimination and regardless of their station life. Whatever duty you do for others, you should perform that duty with love, compassion, truth, and with an open heart. Do not do it with selfishness or attachment, and do not do expect a reward. Whether you help young child or an adult, do not expect any help in return. Show them love, and when your work is done, go happily on your way.
You must never have the thought, “I did this for you, so now what will you do for me?” Never harbor such thoughts. If you help someone and expect something in return, then you are a selfish person performing a self-business, and any help, love, or truth you give will come back to harm you. It will gather karma for you. If you give help in that way, it is evil, not good. You should never be in that state. Your reward comes from the help you give, not from the one you help. It is his responsibility, not yours, to remember the help he receives. You should simply be of assistance and then go on your way. It is wrong to expect something in return.
However, if you serve any life with your heart full of love, such love is even greater than the ocean. It will become a limitless treasure in the heart of each person. If you perform your duty in the right way, finish it, and then move on, this will give peace to the hearts of others. Such duty will be treasure of God’s grace. My grandchildren, you should never be angry. Anger is the guru of sin. It will lead you on the path of sin and take you straight to hell. Hastiness will consume your good, true wisdom. Impatience is an enemy to your wisdom. All that glitters is not gold. Do not think that whatever you see is truth. A golden pot needs no decoration, nor does a heart of truth. Truth does not have to be adorned. If you have true wisdom, you do not have to put on any acts. Every word you speak will be beautiful, loving, and compassionate. There will be sweetness and dignity in those words. If your wisdom has come from truth, that in itself will be beautiful. It will need no make up. So do not speak words you pick up here and there or read in books. Your word should come in an automatic way from within your heart and reveal the truth. Simply speak that truth. There is no need to embellish it and make it eloquent.
My grandchildren, do not steal. Do not lie to your parents because you are afraid of them. Tell them the truth with love. Say, “I made a mistake. Please forgive me for what I have done.” First ask God to forgive you, then ask you parents to forgive you. Next ask forgiveness from anyone else you have wronged. If you realize your mistake and repent, your sin will be erased. But if you do not realize your mistake, if you do not ask for forgiveness, that sin will stay with you. Never say anything to hurt anyone, always speak with love. Show others a look of love and compassion, do not stare at them like tigers do. Do not pick fights with others; try to live with them with love, affection, trust and peace. You must not keep hostility in your heart toward others. Discard that hostility and all the evil qualities within you. Do not hold onto doubt, it is a huge cancerous disease. Get rid of it. Get rid of whatever suspicions you have toward others. They are your brothers and sisters. Live without any doubt. That will make you happy. It will be heaven you. Do not hurt, torment, or cause suffering to any being. Even the bull that pulls carts should be used in a loving way. Do not overload it with more weight that it can bear. After all, when you are given a load too heavy for you, can you carry it? Isn’t it difficult for you? Then think of the suffering you cause a bull when you give it more weight that it can carry. My grandchildren, you must know the capacity of each one’s body and know each one’s state. Only then can you give him the correct work, treat him with respect, and protect him. My love you, my grandchildren. Whenever you give someone food, know the capacity of his stomach and give him the correct amount needed to fill it. If you give too much, he will not be able to eat it, if you give too little, he will suffer because he will still be hungry. Know the qualities in each one’s heart and then serve him. But first, try to know your own heart. Only then can you understand the hearts of others. If you have that understanding, then whatever words you speak and whatever duty you perform will be true duty, each one will be God’s complete love. In every situation, perform your duty with this understanding. Precious jeweled lights of my eyes, my grandchildren, my brothers and sisters, my sons and daughters, when you go to school, pay attention to what you are learning. Do not pay attention to what others are doing. Do not spend time looking around at other things. Concentrate on whatever you are doing at the moment. That is the only thing you should be thinking about until it is finished. If you go to prayers, concentrate on prayer. If you read a book, concentrate on that book. If you have some other work, focus on that. Concentrate deeply with your wisdom. Intend to do each thing in this way, and do everything in the name of God. My grandchildren, do not listen to what other people are saying. Do not listen to find out if they are talking about you or me. In the world there is so much talk and so much ignorance. Do not give your ears to the sound of the world, to words of ignorance. Give your ears to the sound of God. Have love for the duty you must perform and give your ears to that duty. Precious jeweled lights of my eyes, perform each of your duties in a good way, without paying any attention to the world within you. In this way, perform all the countless actions that you do everyday. Ignorance, illusion, and satan are always playing there within. Dispel the playing that is going on inside, and forget about playing in the outside world. My love you, my grandchildren. Each of you should think about this. Always discard what is bad, keep what is good, and act according to the good. Acquire God’s qualities, actions, and behavior and discard all other qualities. My grandchildren, if you grow up in this state of goodness, you will be the children of God. You will live as good children in this world, and you will be needed in both this world and the next. God will accept you as children of faith and truth. You will receive His goodness, and from that goodness you will attain everlasting benefits. Live as good children to all and as good children to God. Be good to your own heart and good to your wisdom. My love you my grandchildren. Think about this and conduct your lives in this subtle way. Amin. May God help you []
(Bawa Muhaiyaddeen. “Come to the Secret Garden”. Fellowship Press, Philadelphia. 1985.)
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