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Metaphysics, Ethics and Spiritual Development
239
determining highness or lowness of man, we should use another standard. It is character. Whoever a person may be or whatever profession he may follow, he should be regarded as high or low on the basis of his good or bad qualities. Again, his highness or lowness depends on the mind with which he performs his activities. If he performs his special professional activities honestly and wholeheartedly, he is high or great. On the other hand, if he performs them without sincerity, he is low. If a person who has accepted the profession of a brāhmaṇa (i.e., teacher) is of bad character or is not sincere and honest in the performance of his duties, he is low. On the other hand, if a person who follows the profession of a sūdra (a labourer) is of good character and performs the work alloted to him honestly and sincerely, he is high. One's being high or low depends neither on birth nor on occupation, but on character
As a matter of fact, in man there should be confluence of all the four elements, viz., brāhmaṇahood, ksatriyahood, vaisyahood and sūdrahood. It is because in his daily life four things, viz., study or devotion to learning, valour or bravery, mind to develop business or agriculture, etc., and desire to serve others are more or less necessary. When all the four are present in him in considerable degree and proportion, he attains real manhood. For the all-round development of man, all these four elements are necessary.
Head, hands, belly and feet are parts of the body. Of them, which is high and which is low? Are feet less useful? How can we rate südras who are compared to feet low? How can we regard them as less important? If all limbs cooperate with each other, they can remain alive and be happy. And if they quarrel with each other, are jealous of each other and get offended with each other, then they are doomed to death. Similarly, if the four castes, viz., the brāhmaṇa, etc., live together amiably and affectionately, they will progress and prosper. But if they become arrogant and as a result despise, hate and run down each other, then their fall and degeneration are certain.
Let us reflect further on the subject.
Highness and lowness are of two types, viz., natural and imagined by the human society. First, we shall deal with highness and lowness imagined by the human society.
It is quite understandable that birth in the miserable circumstances and environment is the result of the rise of the unwholesome karmas, while birth in the pleasant circumstances and environment is the result of the
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