Throughout the history of the Earth, all the great souls who have ever walked upon it were, before attaining enlightenment, ordinary human beings — whether it was Gautama Buddha, Jesus Christ, or the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him). Each of them began life as a common man. They, too, faced the very same trials and tribulations that we encounter in our lives today.What made them great was their unwavering curiosity to uncover the answers to life’s unresolved questions and their relentless pursuit of truth. They succeeded not because they were born extraordinary, but because they maintained self-restraint and held steadfast faith in themselves — believing that one day they would discover the answers to those profound and perplexing questions. With persistence and deep self-inquiry, they eventually attained enlightenment. And from that moment on, they became guiding lights for all of humanity.
One must not be dismayed by such deep and difficult questions. Rather, we must strive to understand them and reflect upon them with sincerity and seriousness. Whenever time permits, one should continue contemplating such questions. In due course, you will begin to sense that a divine force within you is stirring — compelling you to seek the answers.Gradually, your restlessness will begin to fade. Each time you focus your attention upon these questions with a concentrated mind, you will feel a quiet joy awaken within. It may seem as though the very atmosphere around you has become imbued with peace and bliss. You will begin to sense positive changes taking place in your surroundings. A gentle transformation will start within — your thoughts and behavior will begin to reflect growing positivity.This transformation occurs when the totality of your inner energy is directed toward a single purpose. When your concentration becomes firmly fixed upon one point, your energy begins to shift from negativity to positivity. For this very reason, seekers through the ages have renounced worldly distractions and taken to meditation, striving to uncover the answers to life’s deepest mysteries.All the great sages and saints of history were, at their beginning, ordinary people. But once the longing arose within them to resolve the unanswered questions of their lives, they set out on a path of spiritual seeking. Through the discipline of inner inquiry, they attained self-realization. And with enlightenment came the answers to every question they had ever pondered. Through the eyes of the soul, they perceived the world anew and realized the immense value of life itself. They saw that most people live unaware of life’s true significance — spending their days in vain, for they have not awakened to its deeper meaning.It is a hard truth that most of us do not understand the worth of the life we have been given. Though we possess life, and though we live it each day, we fail to grasp its true purpose. If we truly understood the sacred value of life, we would have devoted it wholeheartedly to the well-being of all living beings — to the service of humanity — and not allowed a single moment to go to waste.Compassion is the highest virtue of humankind. A person in whose heart there is no kindness or empathy for living beings cannot truly be called human.