Right thinking develops when the mind is pure. Mind becomes tranquil and serene when it is pure. Even if we know the right course of action, the impurities in the mind such as anger, hatred, pride, jealousy, greed, fear, lust etc, “unbalance the mind, overpower the will and hoodwink reason” - and thus prevent us from pursuing the right course of action. Therefore, purity of mind is very important – and good for us in many ways. If we do not purify our minds, we only have one option, which is to use the mind as it is and accept the consequences thereof – even if we know they are bad. Of course, the better option is to purify the mind.
A piece of metal can be purified by heating or treating with mild acids. Clothes can be cleaned by washing in water mixed with a detergent. Teeth can be cleaned by a toothpaste and brush. But how to clean or purify the mind when it becomes dirty? Obviously, we cannot send a brush or detergent inside. When the tyre on the car becomes flat and does not allow us to move forward, for instance, we immediately replace it with a spare tyre. Unfortunately, we do not have a spare mind – to replace the existing dirty mind. Thus, we have no option but to use the same old dirty mind and accept the consequences. This is just like the villagers using the water from the village lake - even when it has become dirty and polluted. What else can they do? They cannot die of thirst.
Hindu Saastras, however, give us a simple technique to purify the mind – which is very efficient and effective too. And this technique consists of constantly chanting the names of God or constantly chanting Mantras such as Ashtaaksharee or Panchaaksharee Mantras. (Karma-Yoga is another very powerful tool to eliminate the Raaga-Dveshas and purify the mind).
The next thought is about “Loads on the mind”.
No comments:
Post a Comment