L’altruismo è una qualità che si trova in tutte le religioni. Mentre gli animali vivono per sé stessi e per la loro prole, l’uomo è in grado di sentire la sofferenza degli altri e ha l’impulso di aiutare. Per amore e compassione una persona è pronta a difendere gli altri senza percepirlo come un obbligo, ma si sente felice mentre lo fa.

Spiritualità non è chiudersi in un monastero o realizzare sé stessi in modo egoistico, ma significa che una persona non pensa solo a sé stessa, ma instaura rapporti amorevoli con i suoi fratelli. Se tutti ci impegnassimo a far star bene anche gli altri, questo porterebbe una convivenza pacifica nelle famiglie, nell’ambito lavorativo, tra gruppi sociali, tra le religioni e nazioni.

Selfless service

From a lecture by Sant Kirpal Singh, January 27th, 1964:

Selfless service means to have love for all. If your children are eating and other children in the neighbourhood are dying of hunger, share with them. Share with those who are naked, those who are hungry, those who are thirsty, those who are needy. If you help others, naturally you will be helped.

Help somebody with no compensation, with no consideration of whether you will have anything in return from them. Only give to the God in them. This means that the self expands: first, from yourself to the family; then, from the family to the class to which you be­long; then, from the class to the religion; then, that self expands further to the coun­try; and you become a patriot. In all this, your self does expand; but there is also a danger. If your whole love expands to your family, then two families fight. Each one is fighting for his own family: the self has congealed in two different families.

If your love expands as far as love for your class in society or your religion, you will love the men of your religion and hate others: there are religious wars, in which thou­sands of people die. If your love is just for your country and each man has love only for his own country, then, two great wars in which millions of people were killed, have shown what this causes. So our love should expand for the sake of God in all men. “Peace be unto all the world over.” This is what is meant by selfless service: our selves should expand.

Each man should learn to help others, to share with others. Otherwise, what is the difference between a man and an animal? Animals also care for their children; they fight for their children. If you touch the child of any animal, it will take away your eyes. If you do that, in what lies the superiority within you as a man?

The superiority of man lies in the fact that he helps his own self and others, too: not only men, but even all other creatures, as well. If you learn to live for others, you are, truly speaking, a man. Stand on your own legs, first. Don’t be a burden on others. Then, share with others; the more you can give out for His sake, the more you will advance. This is what is meant by selfless service — our selves should expand.

From day to day, your self must expand. If you see a man dying and you are not caring and enjoying yourself, this does not mean selfless service. There is no need for someone to come and appeal to you that this or that man needs you. If you see it, come by, and help him. It does not matter if others see it or not. God is seeing you. This is to be developed, side by side.

If you don’t care for the hungry gods moving on earth, how can you have love for God? He is not in the heavens; He is everywhere, residing in every heart.

Sant Kirpal Singh: Speech Word Fellowship of Religions
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