Treat this world as nothing more than a long dream

A devout once went to meet a saint and started complaining, “Dear Sir, this world is very cruel. Even though I have done so many goods to others in my life and I always try to help others, but in return, people have always taken my advantage. My one time friends turned into enemies and even my own relatives tried to hurt me. I have incurred many losses due to my own people. How can one remain happy while living in such a selfish and evil world.”

The saint listened quietly for a while and then replied in his deep voice, “Son, let me tell you a secret of being happy even while conducting in the outer world.” After a brief pause, the saint continued, “Son, just try to forget all the good that you did to others and also, all the sufferings that you think have been caused by others. Don't expect anything in return of your good deeds. Neki kar dariya mai daal. (Translation: Do good to others and throw it into the ocean) And also, save yourself, but don't try to give anything in return when others try to harm you, not even curse. At all cost, try to keep you inner peace in such a manner that outer happenings of the world can't touch you from inside.”

“Dear master, this seems easier said, than done. How can we do that practically?”

The saint continued, with a smile on his face, “Son, it may seems difficult only to those who consider this world to be real. Treat this world just like a long dream. Just like dream, this world is nothing more than successions of images, ideas, emotions and sensations. This world only appears to be true because of your five senses and the impressions on your mind. If you ask a old man about his life, he or she might reply you that the whole life has passed just in the flick of moment, and now it appears to be nothing more than a dream. It might even be your experience too. Your childhood, now, is nothing more than a dream. And even your present in slowly slipping into your past, which is nothing more than a pile of memories, just like dream.”

“Son, only those suffer in this world who consider it as real. The wise men gain understanding about the dream like unreal nature of this world and continue to treat it that way from early on. When they treat the world nothing more than a dream, their desires begin to mitigate on its own, their attachments to the people around them slowly starts evaporating and at the same time it becomes easier for them to forgive others. Slowly they become free of desires, attachments and despise, which are the root cause of all the miseries of this world. Just like dream, the happenings of this world doesn't affect them deeply any more. In this manner they gain inner peace and spiritual happiness.”

  “Sukh sapna dukh bulbula, dono hai mehmann,

  Dono bitan dijiye, soham ko pehchaan”

  Translation: “Happiness is a dream and suffering is a bubble, both are just visitors,

  Let them both pass by, you just realize your true Self.”

The devout humbly paid his respect to the saint, and left quietly while pondering on the words of deep wisdom.