Hari
Om
Each 'Choose-day' we will investigate the process by
which we can reassess our activity and interaction with the world of plurality
and become more congruent within our personality.
We are reading "Tips for Happy
Living - jIvnsUÇai[
/jiivanasuutraani", by Swami Tejomayananda (Guru-ji). Choose-days writings
are here to prompt deeper thinking on the choices made on a daily basis and
seek to provide prompts for raising the standard of one's thinking and living.
This text composed in format of Sanskrit traditional teachings, speaks directly
to this purpose. As ever, the full text may be obtained from CM Publications - or your local centre
(see sidebar).
Having
stated that a level, undisturbed inner being is the treasure of life and that
disturbance of that being is readily accepted by the undiscerning, Guru-ji now
addresses those of us who might be inclined to be the cause of disturbance
ourselves;
Pare;a<
cetis c taÚaeTpadyet.3.
Pareshaam
chetasi cha taannotpaadayet ||3||
One should not give rise to them (desires, lusts etc)
in the mind of others.
"Do
unto others as you would have others do unto you". Such a simple tenet of
philosophy in all places at all times… wouldn't you think? Yet so readily we
expect this of others but do not apply it to ourselves!
If
we do not want others to provoke anger in us, burn our jealousy, rouse our
desires or build our negativities, then we must temper these things within
ourselves and not act them out as a provocation to others. There are those who
take a perverse kind of pride in prodding others, watching them fall. There's a
twisted pleasure in making others break their values and watching them living
in contradiction.
Monitor
yourself. Are you one such? Make no complaint of your own lack of inner peace -
you alone are responsible for it!
How
to make the mind strong?
ïÏa_a®yaidgu[an!
s<vxRyued! Anye;a< ùid c jnyet!.4.
Shraddhaa-bhakyaadi-gunaan
samvardhayed anyeshaam hRdi cha janayet ||4||
One should develop virtues like faith, devotion etc.
and also kindle them in the hearts of others.
Desire,
anger, jealousy and the like deplete and weaken us, whereas virtues like
dispassion, compassion, faith and devotion replenish and strengthen us. Develop
a sattvika mind, peaceful, tranquil, pure and clear. This will radiate and
those around will feel its peace. If one is agitated, rajaasika, or dull,
tamaasika, this too will generate fluster and buster or dark and torpid
atmospheres. It is so instinctual, most of the time, that we do not realise how
much the energy of others affects our own - our ours, theirs.
A
peaceful person spreads peace, is generous of their heart and time and can be
motivating and inspirational even at the smallest scale. Such a person is
present in all moments and leaves each moment where it is. Develop this within
yourself.
