Ramakrishna Ashrama Penang

The Master Said to Narendra: "Have you become an experienced physician?"Quoting a Sanscrit verse he said, "He who has killed only a hundred patients is a novice in medicine; but he becomes an expert after killing a thousand."

"It is God Himself who has become the physicians. Therefore one must believe all of them. But one cannot have faith in them if one thinks of them as mere men."

"Prayer and the company of holy men is the way. You cannot get rid of an ailment without the help of a physician. But it is not enough to be in the company of religious people only for a day. You should constantly seek it, for the disease has become chronic."

"God laughs on two occasions. He laughs when the physician says to the patient's mother, 'Don't be afraid, mother; I shall certainly cure your boy.' God laughs to Himself, 'I am going to take his life, and this man says he will save it !' The physician thinks he is the master, forgetting that God
is the Master. God laughs again when two brothers divide their land with a string, saying to each other, ' This side is mine and that side is yours.' He laughs and says to Himself, 'The whole universe belongs to Me, but they say they own this portion or that portion."

"Why doesn't God free us from the world? Ah, He will free us when the disease is cured.
He will liberate us from the world when we are through with the enjoyment of 'woman and gold'.
Once a man registers his name in the hospital, he cannot run away. The doctor will not let him goaway unless his illness is cured."

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THE THREE CLASSES OF PHYSICIANS

Wednesday, June 25th, 1884. Bengal, India


The Master said: "There are three classes of physicians. The physicians of one class feel the patients pulse and go away, merely prescribing medicine.
As they leave the room they simply ask the patient to take the medicine. They are the poorest class of physicians.

Likewise, there are teachers who give only instruction, but do not stop to see whether their teachings have produced a good or bad effect. They do not think at all about the disciple.

"There are physicians of another class, who prescribe medicine and ask the patient to take it.
If the patient is unwilling to follow their directions, they reason with him. They are the mediocre physicians. Likewise, there are mediocre teachers. They give instruction to the student and, further,try to persuade him in various ways to follow the instruction.

"Lastly, there are physicians of the highest class. If the patient does not respond to their gentle persuasion, they even exert force upon him. If necessary, they press their knees on the patient's chest and force the medicine down his throat.

Likewise, there are teachers of the highest class, who even exert force to direct the mind of the pupil toward God.""