I Seek Refuge In The Enlightened Ones!

White Drums

Every man has a right to freedom. In ethics, though, both independence and dependence have relative importance. There can be no absolute independence without dependence of any kind, and complete dependence without any freedom is destructive of life. However independent a man might be, he still seeks someone's patronage, someone in whom he can find refuge. Refuge or retreat means home. A question was posed, In whom should a man seek refuge? After a great deal of thought man arrived at the conclusion that he should seek refuge in the enlightened ones. These can be no greater refuge. Under the patronage of the enlightened ones, all one's problems end, all doubts are resolved and a man becomes fully assured and reliable.

In other words, the man who comprehends his soul, is independent. "I seek refuge in the Enlightened Ones!" means "I seek refuge in my own Soul." When a man seeks the protection of the Soul, all attachment and delusion dissolves.

He who perceives the Enlightened Ones through all material and attributive modes, comprehends the Soul. All delusion then stands resolved.

Today man's delusion has become so strong that he is not able to know himself. Because of the powerful delusion in which he is caught, a man does not comprehend the enlightened Ones and this lack of understanding means that he does not know himself.

The present election environment is a living example of delusion. If we listen to, or read, the election speeches, a picture of delusion appears before us. The whole purport of election speeches is to downgrade the other party, to prove that it is no good, and thus to dissuade people from voting for it. It is on the basis of this negative point of view that the public decides who it should vote for. Nothing could be more silly. If the election system continues to run on the basis of such negative approach, the entire country would degenerate—it would be left with no constructive viewpoint and nothing worthwile will be accomplished.

The fundamental basis of election should be good conduct. Only he deserves to be elected who is virtuous, resolute, who is possessed of an unimpeachable character, and who is honest and moral. The nation in itself is a great power, an inexhaustible treasure. It is not impossible to be upright in the service of one's country; but to be so virtuous is hard; it is difficult like taking a deadly poison. We are not able to collect adequate force for a difficult undertaking; we are only busy propagating the view that the other person or party is noxious and must be avoided like the plague. One can imagine the kind of atmosphere prevailing under such circumstances. Had our delusion been not so powerful, such a predicament would never have arisen.

It is said that the Indian voter is very intelligent. But where are such intelligent voters to be found? Casteism, communalism and infatuation with the party are as strong as ever. All these three pose formidable problems. There is only one ruling passion—"The party must win at all costs!" For this one party assails another and declares its rival to be corrupt and good for nothing, quietly ignoring that it itself is in no way different. When the question of its own conduct is raised, we meet with silence. The real problem is that no political party has tried to propagate or advance virtuous conduct. No leader has launched any moral movement. Where there is such a gross lapse at the very source, with no endeavour to evolve virtuous personalities or any effort to align oneself with any current movement for the establishment of morality, how can we expect probity in public life?

It seems that not a single political party in the country is inclined to seriously consider this matter. That prominent politicians should align themselves with a moral movement and take Anuvratas—certain pledges—where is the environment for such a development? People afflicted with mental distress are practising preksha meditation for freedom from tension, but no one seems to be concerned with how we can lead a virtuous life. The average person does not at all feel the need of moral education before taking up a career in administration or other fields. In the absence of realisation of such a need, how far can any movement against corruption succeed? In this respect, there is little difference between the candidates of the ruling party and those of the opposition—both present different faces of the same coin.

What is the guarantee that he who is not in power today, will be as upright and moral as a ruler should be, after he comes into power? Can it be said with any assurance that the ministry as a whole will run the government honestly, giving priority to the public good? Every candidate exploits the common man's selfish ambitions by undertaking to do all kinds of things. The present-day politics has been reduced to the politics of empty promises without much substance. This is particularly true of present-day Indian politics.

Nevertheless, in India there persists even today an aspiration for morality. The average Indian prefers honesty and dislikes corruption. But who is going to inspire him to lead an honest life? This too must be admitted that there has perhaps been something wanting in the functioning of a moral movement like that of Anuvrat in the way of imparting adequate training. Had 50-100 strong and proficient personalities—such as judges, thinkers, and political leaders who are capable of influencing the desting of the country—been trained to be anuvratis through the medium of the Anuvrat Movement, it would have perhaps made those fighting elections behave much more responsibly. Even now, if the Anuvrat Movement can prepare and present before the country some moral, upright men of character in the field of justice and administration, it would take the country a long way in the direction of virtuous living, and the idea of giving a new turn to the election process would be successfully implemented. It is the crying need of the age that we give our most earnest consideration to the issue of corruption and at the same time reinforce and encourage the moral spirit already existing in people's minds and exclusively devote ourselves to the campaign for the creation of wholesome integrated personalities. If we can do so, it would be possible for us to establish morality among the public.

The greatest impediment in the way of achieving morality is attachment and delusion. Until a man is free of attachment, he cannot fully dedicate himself to the task of establishing morality. The secret of reducing attachment lies in seeking refuge in one's own soul. The attachment or delusion of a man who seeks refuge in his soul, who seeks the patronage of the Enlightened Ones, can never grow too strong. Seeking refuge in the self means to move in the delusion-transcending consciousness. In such establishment lies the assurance of patronage of the Enlightened Ones and the achievement of a life permeated by virtue. He who thus achieves a moral life, himself becomes enlightened in course of time.