Unconditonal Love

[Guest guest]

Unconditional Love Is the Ultimate Vision

 

Life is a series of perceptions and responses to the external world. Our

response depends upon our vision and understanding of life and our value system.

In the Bhagavad-Gita, Krishna differentiates between the type of vision that

leads to happiness and freedom and the kind that leads to bondage.

 

The noblest or sattvic vision of life is one by which we see the one

indestructible reality in all beings irrespective of their names, qualities, and

characteristics. However, the world viewed through our senses appears totally

different; no two objects are identical. How is it possible to see the one Truth

or the oneness of all beings?

The mediocre or rajasic vision is one by which we see all things and beings as

different from each other. When your attention is focused on differences and

numerous dissimilarities are detected, it moulds your attitude towards other

religions, cultures and countries in a negative way. A vision of oneness brings

about integration and a vision of differences creates more and more divisions.

 

We see it happening all the time in our families and with people. It begins

gradually as a simple difference of opinion between husband and wife, two

friends or two communities. Two brothers clash for a greater share in the

property forgetting that they belong to the same family. Once the vision of

oneness is lost, differences are perceived which create conflicts generating

more and more likes and dislikes. Such a person neither lives in peace and joy

nor does he allow others to do so.

 

A tamasic vision is a low kind of vision in which the person gets fanatically

and exclusively attached to just one or some things, persons, experiences or

ideologies. This little finite attachment is taken for the " whole " . Some people

are crazy and greedy over money, while others are fanatical about power or

pleasures in life. When people give exclusive importance to just one of the many

things of this world, even though they appear to be successful in that

particular field, their total life is miserable because everything else is

neglected. A person with a tamasic vision can never live in peace and happiness.

 

The life of a person with a sattvic vision is predominated by just one emotion;

the emotion of pure love. However, most people neither know what love is nor

understand the meaning of it. Love is a very different thing. Just take the

example of our body. Even though I see the many parts in the body, I have the

vision. In all these parts there is one Truth, that is myself. I am present

everywhere in all of them. Therefore, we have equal love for every part of the

body. There is no favouritism. We do not say, I will only look after my head

when it is unwell, but if something happens to my foot, thats not my problem!

 

A vision of oneness is a readiness to serve all and it creates an attitude of

forgiveness (kshama). When we hate someone, we actually hate ourselves, because

that someone else is really not different from us. All bodies are made of five

elements; hence the material cause of all is the same. At the same time, there

is the same life force that enlivens me as well as others. Where is the

difference? Therefore, who is hurting whom?

 

Just imagine the state of a person whose heart is filled with love, compassion,

forgiveness and kindness. What will be the state of his mind? Will he not be

totally happy and free?

 

(Swami Tejomayananda)

Chinmaya Mission