标题：BBC Radio 4：Akhandadhi Das - 24/08/16

听力内容：

You are listening to a programmes from BBC Radio 4.

Good morning. This week, the German government has issued advice to its citizens to store enough food at home to last them ten days - just in case a terrorist attack disrupts services and supplies. Is this scare-mongering, as some German politicians have claimed? Or, a sensible measure in the event of a potential emergency?

Whilst unsettling a whole population does require caution, there's a statement in one Hindu text that suggests: the only way to enjoy a safe and good life is to foresee impending tragedy or misfortune and to take action to prevent or overcome such trouble before it strikes.

It made me look at my own larder. How long would my paltry stock of rice, lentils and canned sweetcorn last in dire circumstances? And, what if I factored in sharing it with others in need?

Looking ahead and planning for the future are features of Hindu philosophy & culture. It starts with the analysis of the Bhagavad-gita: Our body changes from childhood, to adult to old age, but we, the soul, remain the same “self” throughout these physical changes. And, at that point we term death, the self moves into another body – just like we cast off old clothes and put on new ones.

One way to plan for this and future lives, is through what's called sukriti – doing virtuous actions that benefit others. This builds a store of good karma returning to us, some of it in this life and the rest in future incarnations. It's like putting money in the bank. You can build up a nice credit balance. However, once it's spent, it's gone.

The Hindu texts, therefore, advise that, better than trying to amass good karma, is to invest in love. Sukirti – or good actions - are typically aimed at improving our material circumstances and, therefore, their benefits and resultant good karma tend to be temporary and short-lived. But, love is shared between souls. And, as Krishna says in the Gita: on this path of love, there is never any loss or diminution; and, even a little advancement frees one from fear of the future.

Whether with our family, our friends or with God, love offered and shared is a permanent asset. It's something we can draw on time and time again. Indeed, it grows. As one Vaishnava text claims: the more the storehouse of the love of God is plundered, the more that incredible storehouse expands and the more love it contains.

So, as I prepare for the major Hindu festival of Krishna Janmashtami tomorrow, I'm thinking; perhaps, I should keep more tins of beans in the larder. But, more importantly for now and down the line, is that I build up my store of love.