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SPIRITUALISM AND ETHICS
like pleasure and shun pain. These likes and dislikes produce mental tensions. The spiritual man is free from likes and dislikes
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Orientation towards truth is the fourth principle of spiritual conduct. The spiritual man is always inclined towards truth. He does need material objects to fulfil his material needs. But he values them up to this extent only. It is not in the nature of material objects to give pleasure although they may give it. Those who have enough material objects at their command are not always happy and those who do not have them are not always unhappy. Happiness lies in a balanced state of mind. A calm mind produces alfa rays. It is these rays which make us feel happy. According to the psychologist Penfield, the lesser the disgust and emotional excitement in the mind, the more healthy it is. Indulgence in material objects produces disgust and excitment in the mind which disturb the glands and make them function irregularly. Thus pain and grief become almost chronic. The spiritual practitioner in stead of being inclined towards material objects which ultimately produce pain and grief, engages himself in the pursuit of truth which when realized puts an end to pain and grief once for all. We nourish untruth, create illusions and invite trouble. The first step towards freedom from grief is to break the illusions and to avoid untruth which produces them.
No body can deny the value of the instinct to live. But it should be remembered that it is our inclination towards and passion for material objects which is the root cause of griefs. On the other hand when we are spiritually inclined we experience calm and joy.
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