Love does not expect || Acharya Prashant, with youth (2013)
Shri Prashant: Shubhashish says it is natural and normal that when I do something for somebody, then I raise expectations. With how many of you does this happen?
(The audience raises hands).
Everybody! When you do something for somebody, you start expecting.
There are two ways of doing something for somebody.
One: out of love; and that is unconditional, there you do not demand something.
‘I have done this for you, now you do this for me’: this is what expectation is, right?
(The audience nods affirmatively .)
No! This is not love.
The way of love says “*I am giving and I am giving out of my love. I am giving because I feel great to give. There is no question of asking something in return, just giving is sufficient and I am thankful to you that you are taking something from me.*”
Are you getting it? This is the way of love. Love says, ‘Thank you that you took something from me’.
The second way is the way of a businessman – the trader. He says, ‘I am giving you X you give me Y. It’s a deal, it’s a trade. In this case there will be expectations.
(Addressing the questioner ) Shubhashish, find love. In love there is no expectation; there is just direct action. Full, complete action! Nothing remains to be expected.
And if there are people in your life who have lots of expectations from you, please know that they don’t love you. Anybody who expects something from does not love you, they are trading with you; they are saying: ‘*We have done this much for you and now you do this much for us*’. This is not love. This will only result in more and more misery.
Getting it?
(Addressing the questioner ) Shubhashish, find love, and then you will see what it means to live without expectations.
Life is great without expectations!
-Excerpts from a Samvaad session. Edited for clarity.
