Teaching of Sri Ramakrishna

Spiritual Stories from Sri Ramakrishna

(Anmol: Here are some insightful spiritual stories used by Sri Ramakrishna for teaching spirituality and explaining the true nature of reality.   They are contributed by guest author David Aubuchon.  David is a deeply spiritual being with great knowledge and wisdom about natural healing, yoga and meditation.  Read more of his wonderful writings on his website and blog http://scientificliving.net/.

If you would like to be a guest author on Master of Meditation and Yoga, please email me at anmol@anmolmehta.com).

Sri Ramakrishna Spiritual Stories and Teachings

By: David Aubuchon

Vivid stories impress the mind in ways that other things cannot. Is it any wonder that all the great spiritual teachers in world history have always told stories?

The Farmer’s Dead Son

“Yes, all one’s confusion comes to an end if one only realizes that it is God who manifests Himself as the atheist and the believer, the good and the bad, the real and the unreal; that it is He who is present in waking and in sleep; and that He is beyond all these. There was a farmer to whom an only son was born when he was rather advanced in age. As the child grew up, his parents became very fond of him.

One day the farmer was out working in the fields, when a neighbour told him that his son was dangerously ill—indeed, at the point of death. Returning home he found the boy dead. His wife wept bitterly, but his own eyes remained dry. Sadly the wife said to her neighbours, ‘Such a son has passed away, and he hasn’t even one tear to shed!’ After a long while the farmer said to his wife: ‘Do you know why I am not crying? Last night I dreamt I had become a king, and the father of seven princes. These princes were beautiful as well as virtuous. They grew in stature and acquired wisdom and knowledge in the various arts. Suddenly I woke up. Now I have been wondering whether I should weep for those seven children or this one boy.’ To the jnanis the waking state is no more real than the dream state. “God alone is the Doer. Everything happens by His will.””

The Magic Dye

“One day there came to a village a traveling dyer, who had only one vat. But you see, it was a magic tub: whatever color you asked for, that was the color the cloth came out. People marveled to see such a thing. The same vat gave blue, red, etc. A clever villager was watching all this at a little distance. Finally he brought his cloth to the dyer and said, “Please make my cloth the color of the dye in your tub.” Why is God like the magic dye? Because, though he is One, he gives everyone different things, according to their preference; if you want to know what he is in himself, be like the clever villager.”

The Watchman and the Lantern

“In olden days, the Indian village hired a night-watchman to keep down crime and accidents. He would go around the streets and lanes with a square metal lantern, open only at the front. The watchman could see, wherever the lantern cast its light. No rays of light fell on him, who carried the lantern. If you wanted to see who the watchman was, you had to ask him to turn the lamp back on his own face. We are like that! Our eyes (ears, tongue, etc.) are all facing outward, looking at and feeling the things of the world. God says, “if you want to see me, turn the lamp around; look within and find the Source of all the light.””

God Helps Those Who Do Not Help Themselves

“One day a holy man, a lover of God, coming that way was praying hard and walking with his eyes almost closed. Accidentally he stepped on some of the clean laundry spread there, and the washermen saw it. Angry, they came to give him a beating. Now this holy man became very frightened. He earnestly and loudly called on God to come to his aid and save him from the washermen’s anger. God, who was sitting in conference up in his heaven, heard the saint’s cries and went to intervene. But just then the man himself picked up some bricks to throw at his tormentors; so the Lord singly returned to his heavenly seat. God helps those who do not help themselves!”

How Can God Be Realized?

“You know that story of the man who asked his guru how God could be realized. The guru said to him: ‘Come with me. I shall show you how one can realize God.’ Saying this, he took the disciple to a lake and held his head under the water. After a short time he released the disciple and asked him, ‘How did you feel?’ ‘I was dying for a breath of air!’ said the disciple. When the soul longs and yearns for God like that, then you will know that you do not have long to wait for His vision. The rosy colour on the eastern horizon shows that the sun will soon rise.”

More stories from religious literature:

The Story of the Scholar and the Ferryman

The Story of the Monk and the Loincloth

The Saint Who Went to Hell For Speaking the Truth

About the Author:

David AuBuchon is a Natural Health Consultant and the author of Scientific Living – a project that compiles information on effective natural treatments backed by science and actual use. David also writes about spirituality and personality development. You can subscribe to his work by RSS.