Social Service verses Social Consciousness

Kahlil Gibran

Social service versus Social Consciousness

       Any form of giving is social work. What the World needs is not the social work. Yet you people believe. What the World need is social consciousness. People do not have the social consciousness. That feeling for others. When you hit animal on the road to the car, you have feeling animals has no business to come your way. Another may feel for the animal. Similarly, you may just want to give a lovely feeling. Other thing is to recognise the need of other. That is social consciousness. That is the meaning of charity begins at your home. You must be charitable at heart. Then social service is not necessary. Social service is necessary for the social cause. I know it is impossible to give. Social service verses social consciousness. If you have servants, you may notice that they don’t have proper medicals facility, education etc. There is no social conscious. You may give money plus bonus. The feeling of other persons need is social conscious. If every person can be social consciousness, then there is no need for social service.

       There are diseases. We can control diseases by looking into our health important. Is it important to get the treatment or curing the diseases? If everybody is in perfect state of health, then Hospitals are not required. If everybody is social conscious, then there is no need for social service. There are people used to go to the Night Party in a Star Hotels with a Car. The car driver is waiting for you in the portico. Can you imagine! From 8 p.m. to 1.00 a.m. that driver is waiting without having proper “food”. Has he had proper food? Did you ever think about it? This is social consciousness. If everybody takes care of environment, where is the necessity for social work. Work with no vision of social conscious. Giving is no meaning unless you develop the wonderful quality of social consciousness. Doctors have no meaning, unless you recognize the hygienic way of living.

Famous Quote of Kahlil Gibran on Giving

You give but little when you give of your possessions.

It is when you give of yourself that you truly give.

For what are your possessions but things you keep and guard for fear you may need them tomorrow?

And tomorrow, what shall tomorrow bring to the overprudent dog burying bones in the trackless sand as he follows the pilgrims to the holy city?

And what is fear of need but need itself?

Is not dread of thirst when your well is full, the thirst that is unquenchable?

There are those who give little of the much which they have--and they give it for recognition and their hidden desire makes their gifts unwholesome.

And there are those who have little and give it all.

These are the believers in life and the bounty of life, and their coffer is never empty.

There are those who give with joy, and that joy is their reward.

And there are those who give with pain, and that pain is their baptism.

And there are those who give and know not pain in giving, nor do they seek joy, nor give with mindfulness of virtue;

They give as in yonder valley the myrtle breathes its fragrance into space.

Through the hands of such as these God speaks, and from behind their eyes He smiles upon the earth.

It is well to give when asked, but it is better to give unasked, through understanding;

And to the open-handed the search for one who shall receive is joy greater than giving.

And is there aught you would withhold?

All you have shall some day be given;

Therefore give now, that the season of giving may be yours and not your inheritors'.

You often say, "I would give, but only to the deserving."

The trees in your orchard say not so, nor the flocks in your pasture.

They give that they may live, for to withhold is to perish.

Surely he who is worthy to receive his days and his nights, is worthy of all else from you.

And he who has deserved to drink from the ocean of life deserves to fill his cup from your little stream.

And what desert greater shall there be, than that which lies in the courage and the confidence, nay the charity, of receiving?

And who are you that men should rend their bosom and unveil their pride, that you may see their worth naked and their pride unabashed?

See first that you yourself deserve to be a giver, and an instrument of giving.

For in truth it is life that gives unto life while you, who deem yourself a giver, are but a witness.

And you receivers... and you are all receivers... assume no weight of gratitude, lest you lay a yoke upon yourself and upon him who gives.

Rather rise together with the giver on his gifts as on wings;

For to be overmindful of your debt, is to doubt his generosity who has the freehearted earth for mother, and God for father.

-- A poem on Giving by Kahlil Gibran.

 

       One businessman in Chennai remarkable fellow, when they asked Rs.3,000/-, he used to give Rs.5,000/-. True giving arises if you have the genuine desire to give. It heals you. It transforms you. There is no more mental tension. Just give.

Kahlil Gibran said about Giving, “You should not get pleasure in giving and displeasure in giving.”

No returns, no expectation. Just do it whatever you want in the life.

       These days we talk about discounts and discounts. A women sell a fruits in road said, you seems to bargain with her. A person who drives in a Mercedes Benz bargain with the lady. Give them. You won’t become poor. You have to give without any expectation in the life. When you talk about giving, i.t has to be reasonably showed. You got to be sure about, what is meeting the right cause. The true example is this. Many years ago, I was in somebody’s house at Penang, Malaysia. A Doctor rich person was sending money to his widow sister. Somebody said they may misuse it. When I saw, his sister and son had alcoholic and lie down. You must know where your money is doing. It is not dispensation of extra wealth. You must make reasonable sure about.

Apre’s vous

       Live life with the attitude of apre’s vous, after you. You then become the nucleus of happiness.

       Giving is not an easy thing says Kahlil Gibran. The problem is “I know what I am doing.” The greatest problem everybody suffering is “I know”. Deep conviction is “I know” what I am doing. Most arrogant egoistic person to the most humble, sincere person suffers from the same problem. The most devoted person has that problem.

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Source: Excerpts from the lectures delivered by Swami A Parthasarathy.

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