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4. Knowledge and Rituals
The Art of Swimming
Standing on the banks of a river or a tank, if you go on discussing the principles of swimming even for thousands of years, you will not learn the art of swimming. In order to learn the art of swimming, you will have to jump into the water and make efforts. At that time the efforts that you make to prevent yourself from drowning will be the training in the art of swimming.
This equally applies to religion also. Religion is not merely a subject to be discussed in meetings and seminars. Therefore those who, instead of barely biscussing the principles and tenets of religion, adopt religion in their life, can easily learn the art of swimming and crossing the ocean of the world.
If you keep a crystal of sugar tightly closed in the palm of your hand, you cannot complain that it does not give you its sweetness. Of course, if you put the piece in your mouth and chew it, and even then if it does not give its sweetness, then your complaint is genuine. But perhaps an occasion for such a complaint will never come. That sugar should not be sweet is not possible. In the same way, do not keep religion tightly closed within the books. Adopt it in your life. Then you will see what peace, what bliss it gives you.
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