Question: Guru, if gratitude is the most beautiful thing on earth, how can a disciple feel more gratitude towards his Master?

Sri Chinmoy: A disciple can have more gratitude for his Master through self-giving. By self-giving the disciple becomes what he wanted to be and infinitely more. He wanted to have an iota of Peace, a little Light, a little Bliss. That was his hope. But when he begins real self-giving to a divine cause inside his Master, then, instead of just an iota, he is given Peace, Light and Bliss in infinite measure.

But again, if the seeker feels while giving that he will get much more in return, that is not real self-giving. It is a bargain. While giving he has to feel that even if he does not get anything in return, he will give because he is getting inspiration from within. Whether he will get something in return from his Master or the Supreme in his Master is not his business. His business is to give, and it is the business of the Supreme whether or not to give something in return. If the disciple feels that he is getting the utmost joy while giving and if he is not thinking that he will get infinitely more in return, then gratitude is bound to dawn in his life. When a seeker gives spontaneously with joy, if the action itself gives joy and not the expected result, then automatically the seeker's life is blessed. And inside this blessing the seeker's gratitude towards the Supreme inside his Master is growing.