Acharya Mahaprajna
Life is being and becoming. We exist; that is being. We desire; that is becoming. Each one of us wants to be something other than what we are. So we are not content. Becoming involves effort - a search for new ways of living, ending of laxity and the creation of a new environment. We want to attain the truth, and we long for success, health and growth.
It is our nature to be preoccupied with results and it is this that gives rise to problems. Our whole attention is concentrated on achievement; natural aptitude or inclination is often ignored.
A newly appointed official was informed that the villagers had achieved an excellent potato crop. He inspected field after field and found them covered with green leaves. “What, just leaves! But where is the crop?” he exclaimed, “You said you have had an excellent crop, but here are mere leaves and no potatoes”. The villagers laughed and said, “Sir, potatoes grow underground; above the ground you find only leaves. Dig into the soil and you'll find potatoes everywhere”.
We tend to have a superficial view of things; we should go deeper to know the truth. We need to distinguish between disposition and essential nature. Mere preoccupation misleads, producing illusion. Do away with anger, evil, ignorance, indiscipline, aggression and acquisitiveness. Probe deeper. Truth will reveal itself.
Don't be concerned only with removing ills; try to understand it. Violence is an effect, an outward manifestation. So is anger. If the root is not destroyed, the result flowing there from remains. Anger arises out of a particular disposition. The inner overcomes the outer. To remove outward ills, bring about a fundamental inner transformation.
Psychologists say that a particular nature gives rise to certain tendencies with its attendant consequences. Scriptures, too, speak of deep inner transformation. “Is it possible”, I asked, “to achieve non-violence or continence or non-acquisitiveness through an effort of will?” They say it can be done. We exercise our will. We determine not to indulge in violence, not to tell lies, not to steal, not to be acquisitive.
To resolve to do or not to do something is not enough. If one could ensure non-violence through mere exertion of one's will it would be wonderful. Each man would take a vow not to remain poor, and there would be no more poverty. Mere utterance of a word cannot accomplish results. There is no magic wand that can instantly bring forth all that we desire. Mere determination would not do.
Spiritual thinkers advocate the disciplining of mind, body and tongue. With discipline comes fulfilment and non-violence. If the mind is still, non-violence comes into being. If the mind is pure and still, continence follows; and non-greed. A restless mind wanders like a monkey. If it were so simple, I would urge you to take to the monastic life. Just pronounce a word and the thing, whatever it is, is done! But in reality, it is not so. And a spiritual practitioner who tries to go forward without first maturing his meditation, is often obliged to retrace his steps. So resolve first to spare some time for meditation.