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THE ART OF POSITIVE THINKING
context of external circumstances. We have become fatalists of circumstance. We sccm to bclicvc that man's nature is determined by his circumstances. Thicrc is of course some truth in it, but it is not the whole truth. Nevertheless, this partial truth has so dominated the human mind that cach man thinks, speaks and acts in terms of it. "What am I to do?", he seems to say, "I have to adjust myself to circumstances!" It is very difficult to get rid of this preconception, which cmbodies only a partial truth, not the whole truth. The whole truth embodies two things: (i) that man is conditioned by his circumstances, and (ii) that man's action determincs his circumstances. Only a synthesis of these two facts can give us an inkling of the truth. In fact, a third fact has to be added to it -- that is, maturity. Circumstances, man's action and fruition in time make up the complete triangle of truth. In these three dimensions is truth manifcsted.
The soul is sashioned by past decds and it is also influenced by circumstances. And yet it is an entity, complete in itself, with an independent cxistence. If it were wholly influenced by action and circumstances, it would no longer be a soul, indeed it would become non-soul, with no entity of its own. But that which has come into being even for a second, can never totally disappear. Being is stable and permanent. The existence of the soul is based upon selfconsummation. Scll-consummation is of two kinds-natural consummation and artificial consummation wrought by skill. The former is concurrent with one's inner being, the latter modified by outcr factors. The natural consummation of the soul is constanly in operation and maintains its entity. With the termination of this consummation, the very cxistcncc of the soul is ended. This natural fruition is operative all thc timc, constantly evolving so as to perserve the entity of thic soul.
Even when it gets dark, light does not cease to exist. At midday, there may for thick clouds in the sky -- very dense and black. There may be total darkness and yet the day' is very much there - its cxistcncc cannot be denied. There is a difference between the gathering of dark densc clouds in the sky during the day, and the night. Even in the midst of deep darkness caused by dense clouds, one is very much aware of the existence of the day. Just because of total darkness, one never says it is night. What constitutes the dividing line between night and day is the consummation of our being. "I am endowed with consciousness", "I'm a conscious being". "I'm not an unconscious entity" — this awareness lasts for ever. This mature consciousness is accompanied by the consummation of past deeds and an awareness of the prevailing circumstances. The fruition of the three together constitutes our individuality.
Internal causes constitute the fourth big source of fear.
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