AFTER THAT RUANO SMOKED IN PEACE

 
Over and over again, Baba emphasized His wish that we should not criticize one another, especially with that form of criticism known as "back-biting." Here is an instance in which He did not give a straightforward correction but without a word showed us what we were doing.

Living with us in the ashram in Nasik was a most charming woman by the name of Ruano. She loved Baba and, not having been told by Him that she should not do so, continued as she had done for some years to smoke cigars.

Well, this roused the critical ire of some of the group, those who had decided ideas of what should or should not be done in the ashram of a great spiritual teacher.

Baba said nothing and, seemingly unaware of it, allowed the affair to go on for some little time. He waited until one day while we were sitting around Him, then He produced a large box of cigars and with a loving smile and gesture presented it to Ruano.

The gentle correction was perfectly clear, and after that Ruano smoked in peace. And on that particular issue at least, we were released from the sin of "back-biting."