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ENVIRONMENTAL INFLUENCES & CHANGE OF HEART
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consequences. Gencrally a man's approach is reactionary and therefore the problem remains unresolved.
While embarking on the practice of Preksha Meditation, a spiritual practitioner takes a vow. He resolves "to shun reaction" at all costs. He says to himself, "Action by all means, but no reaction!" The cultivation of a non-reactionary approach is a most important undertaking.
To indulge in reaction, adopting the doctrine of 'tit for tat'. straight leads to a man's deterioration, not reformation. Instead of helping in the evolution of a unique personality, it destroys all individuality. Let us not be swept away on the tide of reaction; rather we must move against the current and meet reaction with positive, crcative action.
Lord Mahavir said:
The whole world moves with the current. Most people today adopt the easier course and are swept on the tide of reaction. A true spiritual practitioner, however, moves against the current. Isaman really wants to make progress in the path of self-realization, he cannot afford to be slack.
Let us learn how to withstand the current. Merely to react in the same way as our brother, son, friend or ncighbour reacts, is to broaden the gorge of cleavage and division; it is to sritter away our energies in scnsclcss opposition, whichi scrves no purpose. If we wish to resolve our problems, we must cultivate the non-reactionary approach. To be free from reaction, and to act positively is rather arduous; it involves moving against the current. But if we want to create a peaceful society, that is the one and the only way.
A man was looking for a candle. The servant came in and said, "Master, what is it that you are looking for?" The master replied, “I, m looking for a candle." The servant said, "But sir, how can you find it in the dark? Why don't you switch on the electric light?" The master said, "O fool! If there were clcctricity, I would not need to search for a candle; I'm looking for the candle because of the powerfailure."
Man is lost in the illusion of switching on the electric bulb outside, and stops searching for the candle within. Ofcourse, if light were available, there would be no need for the candle. The main objective is to be in the light. But though a man longs for light, he is more often than not lost in darkness and whatever he does adds to the confusion. Sometimes it seems that man is more in love with darkness than with light. He says he wants light, but he continues in darkness. He wants forgiveness, but is easily swept away by anger; he believes more in violence than in peace. He wants to have his own way at all costs.
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