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| Swami Suddhananda |
Everybody is clamouring for changing everybody else in order to have a smooth living in the world. Some people blame it all on politicians and some people blame religions, education, traditional social customs and what not! But we forget that we can never ever change a politician, as politician is not a person but a post. By changing husbands, wives or partners we do not solve the problem as husbands, etc., are not ‘persons’ but roles. We can divorce a ‘wife’ or a ‘husband’ but we cannot divorce the ‘person’ that we are.
Hence, the same problem will arise with another man or woman - unless the other person succumbs to the concepts of goodness or ugliness of the person. The whole country attempts to change leaders, rulers as they are more ‘dealers’ and ‘ruled’ than being the leaders and the rulers. But then, why do such people come to the top in the first place? Because a whole generation is day-dreaming that their lot can be bettered by outside doles without the least sacrifice and hard work on their part. Everybody wants special privilege to study, to get a job. There are academic considerations other than hard work or mental training to be where they are now.
Since everybody wishes to bypass hard work and study to be prosperous, the smart ones among the day dreamers jump into the foray to encash on the stupid expectation by promising them the heavens which they can never deliver. But, of course, in the process they get their sprawling heaven by throwing some crumbs at the greedy. Since more number of such people remain somehow contented with little doles, the politician manages to finance it from the public fund and takes the credit for spending somebody else's money! Of course, he justifies his commission for spending the huge amount efficiently, however inefficient and ineffective it may appear to others.
Same is the story in all aspects of our lives. If we want to pass the examinations without studying and are ready to pay any amount for it, there will be always some unscrupulous teachers who will attempt to encash on that. We forget that the ‘teacher’ is not unscrupulous. The ‘teacher’ is a post. The person is unscrupulous as even the ‘student’ is not easy-going or greedy, but the ‘person’ who is easy-going and an escapist from hard work is the student. Hence, the practice of exploitation is encouraged by both.
A similar scenario is prevalent in matters of relationship. When somebody is desperate to be in a relationship by hook or by crook, the crook gets hooked on to another crook who is ready to exploit from day one. Both have needs of different or similar kind. If similar needs are easily fulfilled by each other’s presence, the different needs can be fulfilled by exchange, like a barter system where somebody gives you coconut for milk or rice.
Anyway the principle is, since one’s emotions are need based, one cannot find fulfilment in a relationship as the needs will change but the emptiness lingers. Similarly, the one who enjoys being needed will suffer the emptiness, when the other has a different type of need. Thus we will move from one need to another, from one person to another, but everyone demands a perfect relationship without himself being fulfilled or perfect.
Hence, the individuals, the person, the ‘I’ must find fulfilment in himself. Without changing that fundamental aspect, if one goes on changing the posts, roles and relationships, it will be like moving from fire to frying pan or from frying pan to fire - but roasted we will be. Everybody will promise relief - only by being roasted along with us! But a partner in suffering is not a solution. It may make the suffering tolerable but soon the intensity of the emotions take over and they shall fall apart. This can happen at all levels - be it social, political, religious or personal. It is all because the person is falling apart within himself and that ‘person’ must be set right.
Who has to set him right? Whatever provides the ingredients for thinking that must help him to know about himself. Knowing one’s own self is not to pick up an identity of some kind but to see one’s own self as one is. It is not a thought, an idea or a concept. There is no dependence of any sort. To ‘be’, one needs no role or thought. When that is seen as the ultimate happiness, fulfilment, freedom, then all relationships of all kinds begin with the touch of reality and are no more need-based. Nor is such a person a vague dreamer as he knows that to be fulfilled he has to ‘be’ himself, but for a healthy body and society one needs to do hard, sincere work without compromising on quality, honesty and integrity. One learns to be that way for one’s own sake and not to impress somebody for sometime only until the fragile goal is achieved. Human comfort is a continuous affair and, therefore, nothing should be compromised there and nothing can replace hard work, disciplined thinking and
behaviour.
Human happiness is eternal and the easiest as it is one’s own self. People waste their time by searching for happiness and praying for prosperity. When you pray to God, it is religion and when you pray to a more powerful man or leader we call it secular. Secular person seems more practical because he offers money and gold to the department head in a secular establishment whereas a religious man prays to God for electricity or telephone connection or for a marriage. Without doing one’s work, when one prays for results, one has to compromise and that is where the ruled is as corrupt as the ruler, the lover is as manipulative as the beloved, the students are as bogus as the teachers!
Can we compromise? Should we compromise? Total Self-Awareness is the key and it must be made compulsory, primary education before the child grows up and begins to handle his mind and face the pressure of emotions. Or else nothing will change by changing the ‘ruler’, ‘partners’ or ‘friends’ as each person needs to change and find himself as the Changeless One, the Happiness - the nature of all without exception!
Let us make a beginning and where the beginning is already made, let us reach out to more until the flow is natural, the sharing and the insight is an effortless effort!
Swami Suddhananda
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