Question: If one wishes to become a good person, is that a form of aspiration?

Sri Chinmoy: Certainly. But if we want to be a really good person, our goodness must come not from a sense of morality, but from a sense of divinity. We have to know whether we are looking at good from the moral aspect or from the spiritual aspect. Morally, everyone can know what is good and what is bad. But spiritually, what is good and what is bad only God and our soul know.

The moment you become a better human being, you have to offer your good qualities — your sincerity and your love — to mankind. These good qualities come from God. The inspiration and aspiration to love mankind come not from outside but from inside. If you want to give, you have to receive from someone who has already achieved that thing, and that is God inside you. If you do not first receive, how are you going to give?

You can be a better human being if you think of the Source, the One who makes you good, better, best — the One who is already better than you. You can be a good human being and you can help people, but only if the necessity comes from within.

When we become realised, we become one with everyone according to his own standard. When I deal with a child, I am at one with the child’s standard. If I don’t become one with the child’s standard, he won’t talk to me. Then when I deal with the parents, I am one with their standard. Although I am one with them, I am also a little ahead, one step ahead. By being just a little ahead, I can give more encouragement. But if I am very far ahead of them and if I maintain my own high standard, they will become discouraged and feel that they will never be able to keep up with me. This is why I stay just a little ahead.