Fwd: Pride Leads to Distress

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Hare Krsna "We should not compare ourselves with others" Capil Sookdeo Sadhak <sadhak_insight Pride Leads to DistressPride leads to distress and sin. So, how is pride to be given up? On reflecting, it appears to me that we should not compare ourselves with others. Pride and desire are two evils that lead to problems, including jealousy, pain, sorrow, envy, evil acts. This pride can surely be rooted out. As long as there is pride within us, our nature will not improve, rather it will worsen. So what is one to do?

Firstly, only look at yourself and not others. Whether others are doing well or not, let us not cast our sight on anyone as this will give rise to pride. Those who have virtues cause distress to others. The reason is that those who have virtues feel proud, and those who do not have them, feel jealous. If you do not have pride, you will save others from jealousy and distress. On the other hand, pride will automatically cause distress in others. It is only spiritual bliss that gives happiness and comfort to oneself and to others. There is no worldly pleasure that does not cause distress to others. Even if the worldly enjoyment, is with money, knowledge and power that has been earned justly and honeslty. One may ask why is this so? This is because material things in this world are limited. Limited things that to be divided among people, and each can only get a limited share, but all desire to get the maximum share. By enjoying a thing, others are deprived from

enjoying them. This is what causes the distress in people. This is a very serious matter that one cannot enjoy worldly things without causing distress to others. On the other hand, spiritual bliss is unlimited and does not cause distress to others. Every one can gain full share or claim on it, just like every child of a mother has full claim on her. By seeking worldly pleasures, a person also degrades himself. In whatever way a man seeks worldly pleasure, it is a pathway to hell. At the heart of all this is one's desires. By eliminating desires, pride will be eliminated and vice versa. When both are rooted out, worldly attachments will come to an end, and so will sorrow end.