Question: I have read that realisation is not an achievement but a discovery.

Sri Chinmoy: It is not an achievement, but a discovery. But when we discover something, it then becomes our achievement. The moment we discover something, it becomes part and parcel of our existence; and whatever becomes part and parcel of our existence becomes our achievement. Right inside discovery, achievement looms large. When a scientist discovers something, it becomes the property of the entire world, but it is still his achievement. Similarly, when one realises God, although God has always been there and belongs to both the inner world and the outer world, God-realisation is still the most significant achievement for any individual.

Truth and Divinity already exist inside us, but we neglect them. Because we do not use them, they have become foreigners to us. But the moment we discover them already within us, they become our own achievement. They become our achievement through our sincere personal effort and through God's constant inner Grace.