Page 70 - Imperience Beckons

a feeling of Universal brotherhood. This breaks our individual network paving way for the real feelings of maitri and karuna. The word Maitri, many think means friendship. It is really a feeling of concord that is felt when we understand that all of us are parts of a whole, whose interests are intertwined invariably and inextricably. It is an awareness of integral oneness with all that is in expression. Ill will to any being is really an ill will to oneself. Hatred to any is hatred to oneself. This understanding or more correctly feeling that is felt deep within the core of the heart, leads naturally to a feeling of compassion to all beings. Ahimsa or non-injury to others follows as a companion to the feeling of maitri. Having thus resolved conflict with others, peace gets crowned and its place in the throne of our heart is established.
Thus we find that this instruction of the Master to know all as brethren and treat them as such, is not a routine command that we find in many other institutions but is backed by a system of philosophy that is expounded. It is not the conventional instruction found in almost all the organizations and institutions. It is an appeal to feel fraternity that is backed with a method through which we can live up to the expectation of the Master.