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"It is morality and ethics which give direction
to life."
Religion is, probably, the Kindergarten, the first fundamental introduction
of a human being to ethical life. Religion is no more than an introduction
to a concept or an idea of Divinity which controls, guides and beckons
us to the Goal that we should aspire for and which, by inculcating in
us some of the ethical principles and moral values, prepares us for the
spiritual life. So the purpose of religion is to put a developing child
into an environment where ethics, moral living, truth, all these things
are taught.
Master has introduced principles governing our normal daily life such
as the need to obey at least some of the Ten Maxims; the essential need
for good behaviour; the essential need for good-brotherliness and sisterliness
among the abhyasis; not to harm or hurt others by our talk or by our deeds
- things like that, which come under the norms or behaviour and ethical
principles. He has been emphasizing very much on the need for morality
- including the prohibition of alcoholic drinks too. So we in Sahaj Marg
have been treated by the Master very much as children in the school of
yoga. But when we grow up, we are no longer expected to be foolish in
our ways.
This is the stage when we have to enter that stage of life when we have
to be educated, disciplined, trained in following the ethical rules, the
commandments of morality and, last but not least, we have to be trained
to know what is good for us and what is bad for us. We have joined Sahaj
Marg not to be childish, not to be flippant, not to have that freedom
which is licence - mistaken freedom - but we have come here for spiritual
growth which presupposes external changes in behaviour, in ethical and
moral living etc.
Conscience in our terminology, according to my Master, is nothing but
the growth of a superior consciousness in ourselves. And when this real
conscience develops, we find that true morality develops, true ethics
develop, not because some church says so, or the police say so, or the
Government says so, but because my inside tells me 'this you shall do
and this you shall not do.' So, love breeds communion with the Ultimate,
that communion makes Him grow in us. This breeds ethical and moral living,
and we find that as we progress, increasingly higher states of consciousness
become ours. So love makes morality possible. Love makes ethical living
possible. Love makes pursuit of the goal possible notwithstanding all
the problems that we have to face on the way, the so-called privations
that we face, the deprivations that we suffer.
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