This chapter is the English translation of Gujarati Book
               Title   -  Sadhak and Sathi
               Author  -  Shri Atmanandji (Dr. Soneji)



                          CHAPTER 21

                     UNIVERSAL FRIENDLINESS
                            (MAITRI)


      If we were to look to the fundamental reality, the soul within
      every creature is just like the soul within us.  He who realizes
      this truth, genuinely develops a special sense of friendliness
      with every living beings of the universe, and we may call this
      delicate feeling universal friendliness.

      Deep meditation (Samadhi) leads to the success in spiritual
      progress (Sadhana).  Samadhi can be attained by right
      meditation, and one important factor in the process of
      meditation is a spirit of equanimity towards all Souls (Jivas).
      The adverse feelings are, "These Jivas are my enemies, they
      inflict pain on me, these are my adversaries, they insult me,
      these are not on my side," and so on.

      If an aspirant (Sadhaka) nourishes such feelings directly or
      indirectly, no feeling of friendliness can develop in him; and
      without a firm feeling of such friendliness, the mind cannot
      progress in the real thoughts of God or real meditation.

      DEVELOPMENT OF FRIENDLINESS:

      Acquiring true knowledge is a must for Sadhana of real universal
      friendliness.  The knowledge acquired should be applied in the
      day-to-day working of practical life.  If a businessman looks
      upon all Souls as equal to his own, how will he deceive any
      customers by delivering goods of inferior quality?  How will
      such a teacher show prejudice to one or the other student?  How
      will such a person speak ill of other persons?  Thus, we can
      understand that with the dawning of universal friendliness in
      one's life, one cannot possibly make adverse worldly day-to-day
      dealings and will rather proceed to cultivate general goodwill
      towards one and all.

      This applies to an average good citizen of any country or
      mediocre aspirant (Sadhaka).  Supreme friendliness can be
      cultivated only by great munis or monks who have acquired
      supreme self-control.  Their universal friendliness is of
      supreme quality.  Their spirit of friendliness has spread and
      pervaded not only to all human beings in the world, but also to
      all animals, insects and even vegetable-life!  Munis therefore
      take care not to inflict the slightest loss, pain, insult and so
      on on any living being in their life.

      To understand lives of these great people, deep understanding
      and their personal experiences are essential.  Without this one
      cannot understand universal friendliness.  A typical unique
      atmosphere of the experience of utter peace and delight is
      usually experienced in presence of such personalities, in whose
      life this friendliness has reached its climax.  That was the
      reason why the ancient great monks, Rishis and self-inspired
      Acharyas of this country used to live in and moved through
      jungles fearlessly and in peace of mind even in the midst of
      violent animals.  This was, because the intensified spirit of
      friendliness of these great souls deeply influenced the violent
      animals, overwhelmed their inborn enmity and then lived in peace
      and non-enmity.

      Let us be inspired by these great people and discard outright
      the narrow mentality that prevails and persists in our family,
      cast, creed, sect or society.  Let us show real affection and
      regard for all human beings and creatures as we show it to
      ourselves; then alone the foundation of our spiritual life can
      be solidly laid.

      If we were to think over this only superfluously and by mere
      argument, it will sound impossible.  However, if we think over
      this deeply and look to the lives of saints practicing supreme
      Samadhi, it can be proved to be true.

      GLORY OF FRIENDLINESS:

      1. May the holy stream of friendliness continue to flow in my
         heart.  I always wish the whole universe experience result in
         perpetual bliss.

      2. Know the self, know it at once.  Cultivate a spirit of
         equanimity with all souls, let this be carved in the heart.

      3. I experience equality with all souls and enmity towards none.
         I give up all desires and aspire to Samadhi.

      4. He is a real person of God, who respects all in the world,
         criticizes none, and steadies his speech, passions and mind.
         Blessed indeed is the mother of such person.

      5. Always cultivate a spirit of benevolence for all, delight for
         the virtuous, compassion for the afflicted and tolerance for
         the ill-behaved.  This forms the basis of prosperity and
         spiritual life.


      LIVING EXAMPLES OF FRIENDLINESS:

                                   (1)

      Shashibushan Bandopadhyaya was a very successful and famous
      advocate of Calcutta who lived in the early part of the 19th
      century.  He was well known for his honesty, compassion, and
      philanthropic attitude of life.

      During the beginning of 19th century, Shree Shashibhushan
      Bandopadhyaya was working as a government pleader in Hugli near
      Calcutta.  Once, at noon, in the hot summer of May, he hired a
      horse cart and went to the house of a well-known gentleman for
      some work.  It was a pleasant surprise for the gentleman.  When
      the work was over, and it was the time of departure, he said,
      "Sir!  you could have sent a note with your servant instead of
      having taken the trouble of coming to my place in this hot sun.
      I would have visited you."

      The pleader replied, "Yes, it occurred to me in the beginning,
      but when I thought of this scorching heat, I did not feel it
      right to send the servant.  If he would come, he would have been
      either walking or on a bicycle, instead of a horse cart and in
      that case, he would have suffered more this terrible heat.  With
      this in mind, I preferred to come myself."

      What a humane treatment of the servant it was!  He looked upon
      the servant also as a friend!


                                   (2)

      Acharya Shri Buddhisagarji was a great Jain Monk of Gujurat who
      lived in the early part of the present century.  He was a great
      yogi, scholar, and historian.  He was the founder of the popular
      pilgrimage place "Mahudi" in Northern Gujurat.  He was also
      the author of many high standard spiritual books.

      Acharya Shri was in the habit of sitting in a nearby cave for
      meditation at night.  Now and then violent animals wonder around
      the cave.  Shree Mohanlal Bhakharia notes, "Once, while he was
      seated in meditation, a black cobra six feet long entered the
      cave.  I got up at once and warned him, "Sir!  There is a big
      cobra nearby!"

      The Acharya opened his eyes and said, "Why are you afraid?
      A cobra delights in the company of saints and munis!"

      Surely there was no fear in the heart of a saint who has
      a clear vision of a soul similar to his in all living beings!
      He experiences a spirit of friendliness towards all, be they
      violent or otherwise.  This is real friendliness indeed!

      About sixty years ago, Shree Buddhisgarji was spending last few
      days of his life.  Dr.  Cooper, a famous surgeon of the city of
      Anand, had examined him and declared that the body of Shree
      Buddhisagarji had now only a little time to live.  However, the
      Acharya remained engrossed in the discourse of knowledge and
      meditation, unaffected by this declaration.


                               (3)

      About a hundred years ago, a saint, Dwarkadasaji by name, was
      meditating (Sadhana) in a holy place called Hrishikesh.  He was
      totally concentrated in the spiritual ecstasy and remained
      naked, Digambara (clothed in the sky).

      Once a British officer was hunting nearby and he killed a tiger
      but the female tiger escaped.  As the officer was proceeding to the
      forest to kill the female tiger also, Dwarkadasaji said to him,
      "Please do not kill the female tiger today, she is very much pained
      by the death of the tiger."

      After a while, as Dwarkadasaji was lying down, the tigress came.
      As the officer seated on the elevated platform (Manchado) to
      shoot her, Dwarkadasaji requested him not to shoot.  The tigress
      came near to Dwarkadasaji sniffed him, and left towards deep
      woods.  The officer was simply stunned.  He inquired, "Why did
      the tigress not kill you?"  The reply was "I do not even think
      of killing anyone.  How will others kill me then?"

      This shows how violent cruel animals forget their enmity in the
      presence of saints who have adopted real friendliness in their
      lives.