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by Sri Bmal Mohanty
VOL No. 6
December 2000
The
Universal Problem
Understanding the Creation
CHAPTER
EIGHT - DHARMACARAN Part one - WHAT IS RIGHTEOUS LIVING? ..
"Based
on lectures by Sri Bimal Mohanty"
continued...
There are ten characteristics of the path of dharma - practical and down to earth. If these ten are practiced in small or large measure, we can take confidence from the fact that we are not deviating from the path of Dharma.
These are Dhrti or steadiness of mind, Ksyama or forgiveness, Dama or control of impulses, Asteyam or non-covetousness, Saucam or purity, Indriyanigraha or control over sense organs, Dhi or exercise of intellect, Vidya - or true knowledge, Satyam or truthfulness and Akrodhah or absensce of anger.
The first one is Dhrti. Dhrti means steady understanding in the face of opposites. It quite simply signifies a balanced attitude towards all opposites. It is easily understood that if there is anything that shatters the tranquility of mind and leads it to astray, it is the attachment and liking to one and detachment and dislike to another. Whether it is an incident or a person or any feeling, to get suddenly moved by their influence and lose all sense of balance, only aggravates the misery sooner or later.
The Bhagavad Gita's explanation of a sthitaprajna or man of steady wisdom echoes the same thoughts: Duhkhesu nirudbignamanah sukhesu bigataspriha - is the sign of a steady mind. Not to lose balance under adversities and not to get carried away by pleasant things is the way to knowledge.
How
does one achieve it? By dhrti. i.e. by not losing balance in face of opposites.
Both the opposites are there for a purpose. Happiness comes to our lives
with a hidden message in it. All unhappiness likewise convey to us another
message. All meant to put us back on the right track. Each having delivered
their lessons vanishes away.
