“God will punish all atheists. They will burn in everlasting fire.” [A hermit]
Obviously upset, the Staretz said: “Tell me, supposing you went to paradise and looked down and saw somebody burning in hell-fire—would you feel happy?”
“It can’t be helped. It would be their own fault,” said the hermit.
The Staretz answered him with a sorrowful countenance. “Love could not bear that,” he said. “We must pray for all.”
—Sophrony Sakharov, The Monk of Mount Athos: Staretz Silouan, 1866-1938
***
“Do not judge me, for I have condemned myself; do not judge me, for I love you, Lord! I am loathsome, but I love you: if you send me to hell, even there I will love you, and from there I will cry that I love you unto ages of ages…”
—Dmitri Karamazov, in Fyodor Dostoevsky, The Brothers Karamazov
***
“When thoughts incite us to judge others, even if for a seemingly good reason, we should control ourselves, especially by means of the Gospel saying which the Judge of the living and dead pronounced while on earth: I judge no-one. It is clear that this saying was uttered by the Lord as a precaution against that boldness which inclines us to judge others quickly even when it is for the smallest causes.”
—John B. Dunlop, Staretz Amvrosy
***
“Father M.—how many years have you been in the monastery?”
“Thirty-five.”
“Did you ever hear me criticize anyone?”
“No.”
“Then why do you want me to begin with Father P.?”
Disconcerted, Father M. replied shamefacedly: “Forgive me.”
“God will forgive.”
—Sophrony Sakharov, The Monk of Mount Athos: Staretz Silouan, 1866-1938
***
When you encounter those who are wicked, unrighteous, foolish, dim-witted, deformed, vicious, chronically ill, lonely, unfortunate, or handicapped, you should think: “How can I save them?” And even if there is nothing you can do, at least you must not indulge in feelings of arrogance, superiority, derision, scorn, or abhorrence, but you should immediately manifest sympathy and compassion. If you fail to do so, you should feel ashamed and deeply reproach yourself: “How far I have strayed from the Way! How can I betray the old sages?” I take these words as an admonition to myself.
–Ryōkan-san, in Great Fool: Zen Master Ryōkan; Poems, Letters, and Other Writings
***
If we go out into the woods and we look at all the trees, we don’t say, “I wish that oak tree were an elm.” Somehow, we can allow trees to be what they are; we can grant that each tree is perfect just the way it is. But when it comes to people, if everybody isn’t the way we think they ought to be, all hell breaks loose! We sit around judging and judging, having opinions about everybody.
–Ram Dass, Paths to God: : Living the Bhagavad Gita
***
“That is very wrong, Sir. Your friend may be a narrow man, and yet have many good qualities: narrowness may be his only fault. Now you are trying his general character as a friend, by one particular singly, in which he happens to be defective, when, in truth, his character is composed of many particulars.”
–James Boswell, The Life of Samuel Johnson
***
“To find fault with others creates obstacles for everyone all around: for him who criticizes, for him who is blamed, as well as for those who listen to the criticism.”
–Sri Anandamayi Ma, Joseph Fitzgerald, The Essential Sri Anandamayi Ma: Life and Teachings of a 20th Century Indian Saint
