Doctrine Of Karma

Author(s): Abhedananda Swami
Publisher: Ramkrishna Vedanta Math

Page 84

DOCTRINE OF KARMA
and in all ages is the non-injuring, either mentally or physically, of any living being. First we start from the lower self, from the I or "Me,' then by degrees we come to recognize the self of others. When we begin to feel for others in the same way as we do for ourselves, we commence to rise above the limitations of this narrow self; and at that very moment we have taken our first step towards unselfishness. The end is reached when we realize that all living creatures are equal to ourselves. Jesus the Christ said: 'Love thy neighbour as thyself,' and ‘Love your enemies;' but He did not preach: ‘Love all living creatures,' as did Buddha. When a goat was going to be killed, Buddha came forward and offered his own life for that of the goat. The goat's life was saved, and the man who would have killed it, afterwards became Buddha's disciple. When we begin to cherish all living creatures as we cherish ourselves, we have reached the state of development where the sense of 'T,' 'Me;'
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