57. Reading Skills Comprehension: FAITH

FAITH

Read the passage given below:

1. I’ve always held the belief that rationale or logic has no place in faith. If you have faith in the Supreme then you must also accept that you are not out there to defend your faith based on any scientific evidence. Those who don’t share your belief have an equal right to their opinion. What matters is your personal stand. If you feel peaceful and joyous if you feel inspired to do good deeds by having your faith, then, by all means, keep it, there’s no reason to abandon it.

2. Einstein once got a letter asking if he believed in the Supreme. Einstein sent a telegram in response stating, “I believe in Spinoza’s idea of the Supreme who 4 reveals himself in the orderly harmony of what exists, not in someone who concerns himself with the fates and actions of human beings.” In case you are not familiar, Baruch Spinoza (1632 — 1677) was a Dutch philosopher (yes, not just brilliant engineers, they have philosophers too). An unorthodox and independent thinker, his views were revolutionary at the time. His philosophy is thought-provoking. So, where does that leave us in regards to faith?

3. To me, faith is a sentiment, it’s an emotion. Just like you fall in love and you surrender in love and you find yourself willing to do anything for the person you love, same is with faith. Faith is love. When you have faith, you let go of your worries of the future, you let go of your guilt of the past because you have surrendered to the divine will. You remain committed to a life of goodness and action. But, you also recognize that there are other bigger forces, of immense scale, in play in the grand scheme of things and it’ll do you much good to play along.

4. You gain this courage, zest and zeal to work hard, to excel, to serve. Life looks beautiful and everything looks priceless then because it truly is. Even our suffering is priceless. It gives you strength, it makes you reflect on you. It is priceless because you appreciate life more, it brings you closer to you, the real you. Don’t limit yourself by asking petty things from the Supreme. Trust the immensity of nature. Faith does not mean all your dreams will come true, it simply means you look upon everything that’s granted to you as a blessing. Just focus on your deeds, and before long, you’ll be filled beyond measure.

5. Accepting the transient nature of this world, and its eternal impermanence is the definitive path to inner peace. Either live in complete surrender or exercise total control. If your boat is neither anchored nor guided, it’ll just drift then. It’ll drift in the direction of your thoughts, desires and emotions. Here today, there tomorrow.

6. Cosmic intelligence is infinitely more subtle, smart, organized and selfless than individual intelligence. Anchor your ship if you are tired of rowing. Have faith.

A Mystic”s Viewpoint-Slog by Om Swami

Choose the correct alternatives from the options given below:

(a) faith

(i) does not depend on rationale and logic (ii) is a personal stand

(iii) fills us with joy and peace (iv) all of the above

(b) the phrase ‘here today, there tomorrow’ (para 5) refers to

(i) our thoughts (ii) our faith

(iii) our emotions (iv) our desires

Answer the following questions briefly in your own words:

(d) According to the writer, what does one gain from having faith?

(e) In what way does suffering become priceless?

(f) Why does the writer compare life to a birthday party?

(g) What is the definitive path to inner peace?

(h) How is cosmic intelligence superior to individual intelligence?

Find words from the passage which mean the same as each of the following:

(i) proof (para 1)

(j) celestial (para 7)

ANSWERS:-

(a) (iv)

(b) (ii)

(c) Einstein believed in Baruch Spinoza’s idea of the Supreme — who reveals himself in the orderly harmony of what exists. He does not concern himself with the fates and actions of human beings.

(d) When one has faith, one gains courage, zeal and zest to work hard, excel and strive. It makes life look beautiful.

(e) Suffering becomes priceless because it gives people strength and inspires them to reflect upon themselves. This brings people closer to their real selves.

(f) (I didn’t find this comparison of life to a birthday party in the passage).

(g) The definitive path to inner peace is to accept the transient nature of this world and its eternal impermanence.

(h) Cosmic intelligence is superior because it is infinitely more subtle, smart, organized and selfless than individual intelligence.

(i) Evidence.

(j) Cosmic (if the question means para 6 and not para 7, which is not there).

Download the above Passage in PDF Worksheet (Printable)