It is the foremost duty of everyone to transform every activity of their life into one of strength and beauty. Unfortunately, the education system of today fails to nourish the qualities of wholesomeness, unity and love, which are the hallmarks of true education. All of you should realise that your life span is fast melting away like ice, whether you care to improve yourselves or not. Many people feel that the acquisition of food, clothing, shelter, wealth, conveniences and comforts constitute the very purpose of life. Life remains a tragedy as long as people labour under this delusion. Many are blind to the goal of life, some do not even feel the pain of being ignorant about this. Only one in a million strives to realise it. This striving is the stepping stone for the realisation of the purpose of life. The day one realises the purpose of life, they undergo a total transformation, from agony (vedana) to freedom from pain (nirvedana).

- Summer Roses on Blue Mountains 1996, Ch 1.