Man believes samsara is somehow manageable. Guru’s Grace makes him suffer:
Man is led to the belief that samsara is somehow ‘manageable’; for this reason he never really makes any effort to break out of it. When the Guru’s Grace commences to plunge into operation, the glove of ignorance begins to rupture. Then that fortunate one who is earmarked for total destruction in his incumbent lifetime begins to suffer like never before. His old stance concerning samsara tries to convince him that these bad circumstances are only passing clouds of bad weather, and that soon matters would improve; but no signs of improvement arrive. Meanwhile, the rupture in the glove has become larger; his hand is squirming with the unbearably scorching blaze of what he had once fondly regarded as a ‘challenge’. Finally just as the glove is sundered he sees the pointlessness of offering any more resistance and disgustedly throws away the glowing ember known as samsara. This is the secret of how Guru’s Grace brings about Realisation: he does not bring about Realisation from anywhere; he merely removes the obstacles to it by hastening the devotee’s arrant surrender.
- Aham Sphurana, page 720
