(Commentary on the Dhammapada)
One advice given here is to be always benevolent. You must not take it as an advice of the commonplace type. It says quite an interesting thing, very interesting even : I comment on it, “Be benevolent and you will be free from suffering, be always contented and happy, you will radiate your quiet happiness”.
Be always kind, come out of all bitter criticism, see no more evil in everything, obstinately force yourself to see nothing but the kind Presence of the divine Grace and you will see not only within you but around you, an atmosphere of quiet joy, peaceful trust, luminous hope spreading more and more and not only you will feel happy and quiet yourself but the major part of your bodily disorders will disappear.
It is quite remarkable that the digestive functions are extremely sensitive to a critical, unkind, sour attitude, a harsh judgment. Nothing more than that and the functioning of digestion is disturbed. And it is a vicious circle : the more the digestive function is disturbed, the more you become unkind, critical, disgusted with life and things and persons. So you do not come out of it. There is only one cure, namely, to deliberately come out of this attitude, to refuse absolutely to have it and to force on yourself, through constant control, a willed attitude of thorough kindliness. Try and you will see that you are much better in health.
Sri Aurobindo Center of Los Angeles and the East-West Cultural Center 