Prem Rawat

We live in this world. Technology has changed; so many things have changed. But we are still human beings. We are still human beings. And the issue here is, “What is a human being?”

Human beings have forgotten who they are! And not only have they forgotten who they are, but what are their true needs! What is it? You have to understand the difference between need and want. Need is something without which you cannot exist. That’s your need. You need air; you need warmth; you need food; you need water. 

The first thing: I am a human being—the first thing. That’s the first thing I was when I was born. And when I take my last breath that’s what I’m going to be, a human being. 

And in between, I can think of all the things—who I am, what I am, what I would like to be. I can have all the titles; I can have all the things. But, I didn’t have them when I was born, and they’re not going to help me when I die. I cannot say, “Oh, but I am so-and-so. You can’t just come into my house and take me.” No, no!

And I will give them all the value; I will give them all the importance, as the world gives importance to all that we do—but we do not give importance to what we truly understand.

And for us on the face of this earth, the challenge is to get in touch with what we fundamentally are. Not of who we want to be. Because this is what we have gotten lost in. We are lost in this fake world that we have created for ourselves, and in that fake world we are super-beings!

We’re not. We are human beings. And we are not all about money, but we are about kindness; we are about generosity; we are about love; we are about feeling; we are about understanding. And these are the gifts that you can give, not only to yourself, not only to your fellow human beings, but to your family, and to anyone you want.

And the beautiful thing about the gift of generosity, the gift of love, the gift of kindness, the gift of understanding is, the more you give, the more you can give, because it’ll only increase, not decrease. The gift of understanding, the gift of love, the more you share, the more you will have.

Peace begins with you. Simple as that: peace begins with you—you understanding who you are. It is no mistake what Socrates said, “Know thyself.” To know who you are.