CULTURE - III

 

CULTURE - III

From a stage of contempt to borrowing, the society has come to a stage of drowning in miseries of dues self-inflicted. People fall prey to improbable promises of doubling the money in quick time / high rates of interest. A stage comes when retrieving the money invested assumes a higher priority than of the promised return.  A desire to quick money obstructs the vision even for the obvious. Equanimity at all stages of life is an instrument of safety.  To be a balanced person, right and wrong must be clearly identified without succumbing to temptations. Absolute faith on righteousness is the requirement to overcome temptations. Such moralistic advisory tunings are replete in our scriptures. None has the time for scriptures. The joint family arrangement had the innate design of fostering moral values through bed time stories by grandma. Sadly our weakened family system has deprived our children of acquiring the right attitudes and caution. What a great service it was by inculcating simple moral codes of life. Any civilized living needs sticking to code of conduct in acquisition, up-keep and in passing on the wealth to posterity. These include habits in personal life, public conduct and altruism as vital components. These are products of the mind. The mind is the source of strength and therefore weakness too. Respect for good and fear of bad are the disciplining forces that regulate our life style. It is the moral fear that keeps all our acts in check. Though in the long run one may not achieve visible prosperity, certainly moral fear helps us to keep off

such prospects of peril-associated prosperity. Property is not prosperity.

Acquisition of property to one’s requirement is understandable, but not the attitude of acquiring an empire. Prosperity is living a healthy life and seeing our children lead responsible life. Again life is a product of one’s own preferences either for contented peace and composure or for searching the limitless target of material wealth. For both, the extremes one has to be systematic in approach facing the consequences right through. Cultivating healthy ideas from a moral plane can help us to minimize tensions. Health and peace are products of habit and mind. Several issues in life are associated with the mind.

Our culture teaches us to be simple and purposeful to self and society by regulating the mind. Nurturing these tenets and infusing the idea to the children may help them in later life in avoiding tensions   Avaricious plans and extravaganza in daily life can destroy peace and health.  Learning to live within means is the highest form of culture bestowed and blessed by Divinity. What better can one aspire for?

                                                                                          Prof. K. Raman