22. Guilt Is The Greatest Sin
22. Guilt Is The Greatest Sin
A small story:
A great sage lived in a deep forest. One night he had an unexpected guest. A young man knocked at his door.
He asked the sage, 'Can I stay here tonight? I will leave this place.' Sage said, 'You are welcome.'
Next day morning, the sage inquired, 'Who are you? Where are you from?' The lad said, 'I am a thief. Last night, I robbed the King's palace and escaped. I hid in your hut. Thank you for taking care of me. I am leaving. Please bless me.' He left.
The sage was disturbed, 'What a big sin I have committed by giving shelter and food to a thief!' He started to weep. He wanted to find a way to wash away his sin.
He started to pray, 'Oh God, please forgive me. How to remove the sin? I gave shelter and food to a thief for one full night. Please forgive me.' He wept and wailed.
Suddenly he heard a voice from the skies. The voice was also weeping. He was surprised. He asked, 'Who is weeping?'
From above he heard the voice reply, 'I am God. I am weeping.'
Sage asked, 'Why are you weeping?'
God replied, 'You have given shelter to the thief for one day. You think that is a big sin. I am giving food and shelter for him everyday and for many others like him. Where will I go and wash my sin? That is why I am weeping.'
There is a beautiful lesson to be understood from this story. The sage had a concept that he is holier than the thief. He had more ego than the real feeling of compassion. It was his ego that was corrected by God's message.
Everything artificial is created by these types of sages. All our guilt, all our rigid rules, all our codes of morality, all our ideas of right and wrong, are created by sages, by people who think that they are holier than others. These people think that they are holier than others, they are purer than others or they are greater than the 'ordinary' folks. They created the rules which can create the guilt in us.
THE SUPREME PONTIFF OF HINDUISM BHAGAWAN SRI NITHYANANDA PARAMASHIVAM says, guilt is the greatest sin that we humans can commit.
We will punished after our death for all our sins. Guilt will punish us when we are alive.
Understand the root of our guilt to regain our life and live in freedom.