theist Posted July 20, 2005 Report Share Posted July 20, 2005 St. Anthony: "Whoever hammers a lump of iron, first decides what he is going to make of it, a scythe, a sword, or an axe. Even so we ought to make of our minds what kind of virtue we want to forge." BG 16.1-3: The Supreme Personality of Godhead said: Fearlessness; purification of one's existence; cultivation of spiritual knowledge; charity; self-control; performance of sacrifice; study of the Vedas; austerity; simplicity; nonviolence; truthfulness; freedom from anger; renunciation; tranquillity; aversion to faultfinding; compassion for all living entities; freedom from covetousness; gentleness; modesty; steady determination; vigor; forgiveness; fortitude; cleanliness; and freedom from envy and from the passion for honor — these transcendental qualities, O son of Bharata, belong to godly men endowed with divine nature. Purport: http://bhagavadgitaasitis.com/16/1-3/en1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gHari Posted July 21, 2005 Report Share Posted July 21, 2005 From this side we may think "i must assimilate these qualities; I must act this way in this circumstance". From the other side we may think "I must simply surrender to Krsna in my eternal relationship and all these things will be added unto me". The mind may think "I must hammer this lump of iron; now what should I make?" Mental platform was the first thing that came to mind when I read St. Anthony's quote. I think it better to look from the other side and have these noble qualities naturally emerge here. Actually I think this is the only way for genuine noble qualities to manifest. Of course, observing a behaviour contrary to those ideals of the Bhagavatam is a good sign that we are on this side, living the little life, and it is time to awaken once again. Yawn. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
theist Posted July 21, 2005 Author Report Share Posted July 21, 2005 But for some reason I am reluctant to take the higher option. Is it ever wrong to cultivate divine qualitites? The tendancy to imitate the option of just remembering Krsna and supposedly allowing these qualities to just manifest is very strong. We have seen it plenty. " I am a devotee of Krsna so why should I worry about being honest" etc. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gHari Posted July 21, 2005 Report Share Posted July 21, 2005 Another paradox! We have to be smart enough to see we are not smart. We must be sane enough to see we are crazy. The kwest for the kingdom is fraught with paradox. But there all things will be added unto you, for as the Bhagavatam says all these qualities "belong to godly men endowed with divine nature". Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gHari Posted July 21, 2005 Report Share Posted July 21, 2005 If we practice rolling the Panca-tattva mantra through our minds slowly and then after a while we gradually start doing normal activities like cleaning, cooking, walking to the store, we will see that if we place our prime goal to be the watching of mind's remembrance of the mantra our tendency to focus on the actions is grealy decreased. Yet it all still happens quite nicely now that the prime focus is Krsna and action becomes incidental. Anyway, this is a good skill to perfect. I started using it when sitting in business meetings in the early days. Set the priority, run on cruise control. Primary mission: eternal; secondary mission: temporary world. Sri Krsna Caitanya Prabhu Nityananda Sri Advaita Gadadhara Srivasadi Gaura-bhakta-vrinda Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
theist Posted July 21, 2005 Author Report Share Posted July 21, 2005 It's like living on two tracks simultaneously. I have always found this to be very hard to impossible. But for short periods I have been able to harmonize it. But it is those surprise moments when someone encroaches on my space and anger wells up that I have to exert a conscious attempt to control the response. This transitional phase is really hard. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gHari Posted July 21, 2005 Report Share Posted July 21, 2005 Fortunately I was chanting japa at the time. Nothing phases me then. It IS the only way. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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