The Chinese have esteemed the heart as their native land. The heart is subject to troubles and difficulties. From ancient times - and to some extent even to day - the Chinese have observed one ritual every morning before beginning their day’s chores. They declare, ‘Difficulties are our friends. Let us invite them’. The Chinese have looked upon difficulties as their true friends. They have recognised that without trouble no good can be realised. They used to start the day’s work with this thought before them. The Chinese also realised that true happinesscomes from the satisfaction of a task well done. In Bharat also there is the dictum,

uddhared atmanatmanam

natmanam avasadayet

atmaiva hy atmano bandhur

atmaiva ripur atmanah

(Bhagavad Gita, Chapter 6, Verse 5)

Uddhared atmanatmanam (Raise the Self by the Self) What is it that can raise the Self? It is our own good conduct. Our good conduct is not for elevating the country, but for elevating ourselves. A whetstone is used for sharpening a knife, not for making the whetstone smoother. Likewise, in this world, your good conduct improves you and, as a result the world. (SSS Vol.30, p. 17)

When in difficulty, pray for guidance before jumping in any direction. Men will give you advice only as far as their cleverness can reach, but the Lord who illumines dullness into intelligence will reveal to youthe way out of the dilemma. Ask the Lord and He will answer.(L&L, p. 128)

In my view, difficulties are better than pleasure and comforts. It is not prudent to pray for happiness and comfort. The wisdom you gain in times of difficulty is not available in happy times. You ask any realized soul or saintly person as to how he acquired great wisdom. He will tell you that he underwent several sorrows and difficulties and then only he could get wisdom. Today, people desire to have liberation without undergoing any difficulty or without spending a single pie.How is it possible? You must work hard. Just by sitting somewhere and happily enjoying things, you will find difficulties painful. It is only after undergoing challenges that you must enjoy happiness.(DD on 12-10-2002)