Pujya Ramsukhdasji Maharaj

[Guest guest]

Why One Does Things Against One's Spiritual Progress

 

Question: What is the main reason for doing things against one's

spiritual progress?

 

Answer: The main reason of doing things against once spiritual

progress is desire and attachment / attraction for enjoyment and

pleasure. Desire and Attachment / attraction for enjoyments is the

greatest obstacle in Self / God Realization. When there is intense

desire for enjoyment of pleasures, then giving it up appears to be very

difficult, rather impossible. A spiritual aspirant is totally

independent in giving up desire and attachment to enjoyment of

pleasures.

 

He can give this desire and attachment up through thought, inquiry and

reflection. By thinking / inquirying, he can come to the understanding

that he wants happiness that has no shortage or limitation, and that

never ends.

 

" Yam labdhvaa chaaparam laabham manyate naadhikam tatah;

yaasminnisthato na dukhen gurnaapi vichaalyate

tam vidhyaadukhsam yog viyogam yogasanjitam. " (Gita 6:22-23)

 

" Having gained which state, he does not reckon any other gain greater

than that, and wherein established, he is not shaken even by the

greatest affliction. This separation from the assumed union with pain,

is called Yoga. "

 

Human beings are blessed with immense ability to think, reflect and

discriminate between truth and untruth. If he chooses to not think, then it is

his mistake and error. It is his lack of prudence and attention to what is

important.

 

It is a rule that through the enjoyment of pleasures, the object enjoyed is

destroyed and at the same time it leads to the enjoyer's downfall and decline.

Just like with passion and desire when one indulges in wealth and material goods

then that money is destroyed (used up) and one falls down. When importance of

wealth, desire, greed, attachment, inertness, slavery etc. comes in him, then it

leads to his downfall. When one indulges in enjoyment of food and eating, not

only is food consumed and destroyed, but one takes a fall. The increased desire

for enjoying foods and increased attachment to food is a sure downfall.