How to convince one’s parents for the Truth? And how to convince doctors? || Acharya Prashant (2019)

Question: Acharya ji, there is someone in my life, who is close to me. But, when I talk to that person, the person doesn’t listen to me. But, I know that deep down, he is a sensitive person, and wants Truth. How do I deal with this person?

Acharya Prashant ji: The more certain you are, that you are approaching the person, with the only intention to show him the light, the easier the process will be. If the intention is pure, then the process is quicker. And this empowers you a lot, because now you have something to work upon.

If you just say that the other person does not listen to you, then you are helpless, because you anyway have no control over how the other person thinks, and responds, and reacts, and lives. But once you know, that the other person’s response, is dependent on purity of your intentions, then that enables and empowers you, because now you can work upon yourself. And by working on yourself, you can cause a quicker change in the other person.

So work on yourself. May be that will have an impact on your opening statement itself. The way you said, “There is somebody in my life,” the way that fellow exists in your life…..

Listener: I am not talking about my love life. I am talking about my father.

Acharya ji: I am saying, the way that person exists in your life, itself would get modified. When we say, “There is somebody in my life,” what we actually mean is that, the person is actually in our mind. And in the mind, there is nothing without a purpose, or a reason.

And as that reason or purpose gains purification, the place of that person in your life, that is your mind, changes. And then, working becomes far easier, with respect to that person.

We must be careful that it is not for egoistic reasons, that we want to take the battle to someone. “I have known that devotion is important. You too must learn that. And if you don’t learn that, I probably take that as personal insult, or a personal defeat.” I may be exaggerating.

You have to be absolutely certain, that it is only because of love, and only because of kindness, that you want to bring the light to the other.

Listener: I have seen that in him. So, I know that it’s there. But, it’s not gaining shape.

Acharya ji: That would be catalyzed, through your transformation. May be, he simply can’t believe that there is life beyond his ego boundaries. May be he just has nothing to fall back upon. Nothing to lend credence to the assertion that transformation is possible, that real love is possible.

But if you stand in front of him, as a living, walking, talking proof, in flesh and blood, then he will have no option but to admit and agree. You see, most people, suffer from a genuine lack of conviction. I am calling it ‘genuine’, because they actually do not have any proof available in front of them.

For example, i may just hold forth on selfless love here, for two hours. And the lecture might be flawless. The statements might be immaculate. Everything might be just in place, totally in place. Yet, somebody can just stand up after those two hours, and tell me, “It does not exist. Yes, you made a great speech on selfless love, but it does not exist.”

What would convince him? What would give him conviction? Not a speech on selfless love, but actually a touching display of personal love. Display that is not merely an exhibition, that is not purposeful, but that which is the essence of the speaker. Such a display.

So if you stand in front of him, different, transformed, radiant, he will have to admit the light. He will have to say, “Ah! Now even the daughter is a proof against my beliefs. How will I refute this indisputable proof?”

Unfortunately, there are very few proofs available, therefore people are faithless. And worse happens, when those who tout themselves as proofs of the beyond, turnout as scandalous turn-coats. That dents the already fragile faith of the entire world.

Are you getting me?

The world is already struggling when it comes to faith, because there are very few proofs available. Now, somebody comes up and says, “I am the living proof. Look at me. I am the revolutionary. I am the social worker. I am the Guru.” And one day it turns out that the fellow is a fraud. Now, faith, that was already fragile, has been further attacked. And it is now shattered.

Therefore, most people find it very difficult, to believe in the beyond.

Listener: Acharya ji, I am from medical profession. It is very difficult to convince the doctors about spirituality. They don’t relate to it , at all. They ask you questions like,”Where is the soul? Where is the soul in the brain?” So, I have no answers for them. However, I do believe in spirituality.

Acharya ji: Ask them that why do they want an answer. When somebody asks you, “Where is the soul?”, ask him, “Why do you want this answer? What would this answer give you? And that which this answer would give you, show that to me, in a CAT Scan, in an MRI, on a weighing scale. Show it to me anywhere. Show it to me on any of your medical instruments.”

You ask me that where is the soul, or you ask me any question, I will give you an answer. If the answer is any thing, then it should give you some thing. Now, show me what it would give you. Show it to me using the most sophisticated medical device.

That which the answer gave you, is called ‘contentment’. And that contentment cannot be seen physically, but contentment does exist. It cannot be seen physically, but it does exist. And the proof of it’s existence is, that right now you are asking me this question, right?

Doctor, you asked me where is the soul. I do not know whether a soul exists. But I am certain that you are curious. And if you are curious, then you want to satisfy your curiosity. Your curiosity is the proof that something beyond the physical, exists.

Your curiosity is the proof that something beyond the physical exists. And not only does it exist, it is so fundamental and important, that you are asking me this question. Had it not existed, why would you have wanted to satisfy your curiosity? It exists, and it is so compelling, that even doctors are curious.

Even doctors ask questions. Even doctors say, “I love you.” Now, show me where is love, in the body. And if there is only the physical, then doctor, please admit right now that you do not love your son, your daughter, your wife, your parents. Admit that there is no love in your life.

And if you do have love in your life, then you will have to admit, that there is something beyond the physical, because love cannot be seen in an X-Ray machine.

So, love does exist, and it is not physical – both things are certain. Love exists, because the doctor says that he loves his wife. Love exists. The doctor is the proof that love exists. And love is not physical, because love cannot be seen in any physical test, nor does it have any physical dimension.

So, something beyond the physical, not only exists. It is central, fundamental, super-valuable. This is called spirituality, doctor!

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