Sri Sai Baba`S:Charters And Sayings

THIRTEENTH TALK ^65

the loss of the energy which otherwise would have
supported them and carried them through. You
know the rule giwn here is an old one :

It is well to speak little; better still to say nothing,
unless you are quite sure what you wish to say is true, kind
and helpful. Before speaking think carefully whether what
you are going to say has those three qualities; if it has not,
do not say it.

It would be a good thing, I imagine, if we set
ourselves just for one day to make quite sure that we
spoke nothing that was not true, kind and helpful.
It would be rather a silent day, but perhaps the world
would not lose much. It would be very good for us.
Of course it would be impossible for us to carry on a
rapid and awnated conversation, because we should
have to stop and think. That is quite a good thing
to do, and that we generally do not do it is proved by
the fact that if we had to apply those three criteria
to every sentence we spoke we should say very little
indeed. You may say, cc That is a very hard rule to
keep." Well, yes; but remember that these rules
are based upon the laws of the higher life. Now the
laws of the higher life will not change because you
want to reach something to which as yet you have no
right. The. laws will not change, but you must
change to suit those higher laws. It may be thought
of as hard, perhaps. If it is too hard for a person,
if, after carefully thinking it over, he feels that' the
demands of the higher life are too hard, very well,,