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Metaphysics, Ethics and Spiritual Development
(5) Mithyatva about God
Wrong understanding about the individual who is the supreme ideal for us to follow is the mithyatva about God or Divinity. In other words, instead of regarding the absolutely non-attached supreme being as God, to regard the one who is afflicted with attachment as God is the mithyatva about God. Wrong attitude, belief or conviction of this type is an obstruction to the spiritual development.
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Image of God
By uttering the name of God one can recall to mind His pure qualities and supremely spiritual personality. Similarly, by seeing the image of God, one can do the same thing. Generally, seeing of an image or a picture causes the recollection more vivid than the one caused by the mere name. There are persons who feel that for them there is no use of an idol of God. They do not requires its aid. But they should gladly allow others to take recourse to the idol or image, if they feel that they are benefited by such aid; again, they should regard this aid as praiseworthy, because it is sought for achieving a good and wholesome purpose. Similarly, those who take recourse to the image should not indulge in criticising and condemning others who can-or think that they canrecall to mind the pure qualities or supremely spiritual personality of God without the aid of the image. Those who take recourse to the image do so in order to subdue their passions; if they now reprehend and denigrate others who do not take recourse to the image, they give vent to their passions and frustrate the very purpose for which they take recourse to the image. It is no good giving rise to or supporting factionalism, raising a trifling issue as to whether or not one should take recourse to external means. Those who do not take recourse to the image, feeling that they do not require its aid, should take into account and respect the general liking and feeling of masses for the image; they should cherish feelings of esteem for the sacred historical temples--remarkable places of our cultural heritage-built for the purpose of spiritual and devotional practice; and they should adore the image of God just as they adore pictures, photographs and statues of the great men.
Of course, it is true that the image of the attachment-free, passionless, pure God should have the appearance worthy of that supremely spiritual state. We should not impart the appearance unworthy of the attachment
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