Guiding Light Freedom from Opinion

Author(s): Namramuni
Publisher: Namramuni

Page 8

Freedom from Opinions.....
Freedom from Opinions....
There's happiness and sorrow in opinions. An opinion based on the feelings in our mind can bind karmas or can annihilate karmas.
foolish. You do not realize that when you open your mouth, so many small fishes escape. You should keep your teeth clamped together and eat all the fishes you have caught."
If the small fish expresses its opinion and advice, will the big fish welcome this advice?
Shree Bhagwati Sutra elicits a very thought provoking example of the power of our thoughts. There are many different species of fish in the vast ocean... some small, some big, some tiny, some huge like a whale... small fishes have a small body and hence, require less amount of food, whereas, big fish have a big body and require large amounts of food. Those who eat more commit more sins than those who eat less.
It is our nature, since time immemorial, to give advice, in spite of others not willing to listen to it.
Parmatma says that the mind is capable of changing any situation.
Only he, who can control his mind, can digest its opinions.
Only he, who has mastered his mind, can store the opinions in his inner self.
A huge fish, when hungry, opens its big mouth and engulfs many small fishes in it. However, it usually immediately opens its mouth again and some fortunate fishes escape and swim away in the ocean. This is a daily routine that occurs many times in a day. A small fish observes this scene and laughs at the big fish.
What will the one who cannot control his mind do? He will, in an instant, express his opinion and views.
The big fish eats many small fishes during its lifetime, whereas, the small fish may just eat one fish in its entire life. After death, where do both of them go?
'One's mind is always opinionated.'
It thinks, "This big fish is a fool. Every time it opens its mouth, fishes escape out. If I were in its place, I would not let a single fish escape. I would eat them all."
The big fish, which has taken many lives and eaten innumerable small fishes, goes to the first hell and gets a punishment for 10,000 years. The small fish, which has hardly eaten anything, goes to the seventh hell and gets a punishment for millions of years.
'Those who think of others as fools are themselves foolish.
Try and understand the moral of the story. If we think deeply, we will be able to understand the actual message of this story
Why? Is it only because of the mind? No!!! Not only because of being opinionated but also because of the affection and hatred attached to it. The ill thought of eating them all; the thought of greed overpowered the action of actually doing it.
Was it necessary for the small fish to opine what the big fish should do? If the small fish was able to talk, it would give advice to the big fish, "You are