Heaven is a thought

Not many of us are aware of the power of right thinking. 'All that we are,' said the Buddha, 'is the result of what we have thought; it is founded on our thoughts and is made up of our thoughts.' And again: 'If a man speaks or acts with an evil thought, pain follows him as the wheel follows the foot of ox that draws the cart: if a man speaks or acts with a pure thought, happiness follows as the shadow that never leaves him.'

Be ever wakeful, ever vigilant. Each time an evil thought comes to you, say to it with all the strength you can summon: 'Get thee behind me, Satan! There is no room for the like of thee here.' Isolate yourself from evil and impure thinking. You build for yourself a heaven that no one may destroy. The Dhammapada says: 'By thoughtfulness, by restraint and self-control, the wise man may make for himself an island which no flood can overwhelm.'

So many of those who practise silence long to see 'light' and to hear a still, small voice within. A brother met me, saying, 'A feeling of depression has overtaken me. For many months, I have prayed that I may hear the voice of God, but I continue to be deaf as ever.' Many others desire to have 'psychic' experiences. To see the 'light' or to hear the still, small voice does not necessarily indicate that we are advancing on the path.


The light has been seen, and the voice has been heard by several who are far from true life of purity and perfection. And as for psychic experiences, a great spiritual teacher of our day prayed, 'We may be fortunate enough to be spared all psychic experiences.' But we can all be heavenly minded, for the doors of heaven are barred to none.