The Socrates Triple Filter Test.
In ancient Greece, Socrates was reputed to hold Knowledge in high esteem. One day an acquaintance met the great philosopher and said, "Do you know what I just heard about your friend?"

"Hold on a minute," Socrates replied. "Before telling me anything, I'd like you to
pass a little test. It's called the Triple Filter Test."

"Triple Filter?"

"That's right," Socrates continued. "Before you talk to me about my friend, it might be a good idea to take a moment and filter what you're going to say. That's what I call the triple filter test."

The first filter is TRUTH. Have you made absolutely sure that what you are going to tell me is true?'

"No," the man said. "actually I just heard about it and..."

'All right," said Socrates. "So you don't really know if it's true or not. Now let's try the second filter, the filter of GOODNESS. Is what you are going to tell me about my friend something good?"

"No, on the contrary..."

"So," Socrates continued, "you want to tell me something bad about him, but you're not certain it's true. You may still pass the test though, because there's one filter left, the filter of USEFULLNESS. Is what you want to tell me about my friend going to be useful to me?"

"No, not really."

"Well," concluded Socrates, "if what you want to tell me is neither true nor good nor even useful, why tell it to me at all?"

Friends, use this triple filter test each time you hear loose talk about any of your near and dear friends.

Let us at least not drop our sense of goodness and fairness, even though the surroundings are instigating doubts in the vicious mind. If we would do that for a parent or child in times of trial, surely the Guru deserves much more? I have not been an 'ardent devotee' like many others were around me. Yet, despite much confusion on hearing all the news reports and media, I am unable to retain any negative feelings in my heart, only feel gratitude for the bliss I experienced in his presence. And that is somehow constantly far more profound and enduring in the end. And even for that I thank the Master. Because that is Guru-Krupa.

Nithyanandam.
Rupal
Bangalore.