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Studies in Indian Philosophy
off of the 'outer' world so as to permit the ‘inner' world to come into play, but in living them simultaneously.
Inspection as a means to learn more about a given situation is indispensable for any progress on the path. By virtue of it being the capacity to hold a situation as constant as possible it also leads to concentration which is one of the phenomena on the second phase in the prepartory stage. This second phase is known as the 'four abandonings' which actually is a summary term for the elimination of negative factors as well as the intensification of positive factors, both processes going hand in hand. Thus, by 'elimination' the intention not to allow negative factors to arise and the intention to put an end to their presence is understood, while 'intensification' is to allow the positive factors to come into operation and to develop and intensify their presence.
At the beginning of this phase stands ‘interest which is followed by four other processes. 'Interest is, as it were, a first stirring of a self-awakening by which we are given the chance to get out of the 'normal' attitude of apathy and inner emptiness so characteristic of the prevailing mood of boredom. All of a sudden, so it seems, 'interest' lets us look at life more keenly and this involves a willingness to differentiate which is rooted in a conviction that gives man a sense of purpose and meaning. Thus
“interest' comes by one's faith in on's ability to
differentiate, that is, to accept and to reject."'! Interest is certainly short-lived if it is not followed by efforts to affirm a way of acting as part of his vision of reality which is his life's meaning. Such an effort is a decision. It implies that an action has been chosen and tbat the person will stay with his decision. Again,
"decision' is not to let the mind elsewhere.'5 Any decision involves a risk. Things may go well and we may be lured into a false sense of elation or they may go wrong and we may be swallowed up by a mood of depression
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