Psychology of Enlightenment

SR No.: 001807
Original Sutra Author: N/A
Author: Chitrabhanu
Publisher: New York Dodd Made & Company
Total Pages: 114
Language: English
Classification: Book_English, Religion, & Dhyan
File Size: 5 MB

Page 89

The Psychology of Enlightenment
Why, then, accept their definition of you when you know that it is clouded by their own mental conditioning?
If you met a blind person out walking on a lovely, sunny day and asked him what the day looked like, he might answer, "Dark as night." Would you accept his opinion as the truth or would you object and respond with anger saying, "How can you see darkness? It is daytime and the sun is shining!" You would most likely do neither because you would understand that it is bright and sunny for you, but dark for him. You would be aware of his condition. You would neither fight with him, nor take what he says to heart. You would simply accept him as he is, knowing that his perception is limited by his blindness.
Similarly, if someone criticizes you, that is fine. If someone praises you, that, too, is fine. You allow the one to criticize and the other to praise because that is the nature of each; but you rely on neither. Instead, you maintain your equanimity while looking into your own heart for the truth.
There is a beautiful anecdote which exemplifies this sense of inner balance. Once there was a saint meditating under a tree in wintertime. As he was sitting peacefully with his eyes closed, a man who was passing by wearing a beautiful shawl caught sight of him. Thinking the old saint must be feeling the cold, the traveler offered him his shawl. The saint opened his eyes and blessed this generous man saying, "You will do it again and again." The traveler went on his way.
After half an hour, a thief happened by and saw the shawl draped over the shoulders of the saint. He wondered
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