Acharya Tulsi
There are two basic factors that sustain human life—spiritualism and morality. Spiritualism is an eternal value. Morality is the reality related to time and place. Spiritualism is related to the inner world. Morality is the concerned with behaviour in the outer world. Spiritualism has its influence on all the three times—past, present, and future. Morality is concerned with the present. The definition of spiritualism is ascertained. The definition of morality is subject to change. Spiritualism has no context. It is something that is absolute in every sense. In the terminology of the Jain philosophy, it is transcendental (nishchaya).
Morality is confined to varied contexts and phases of time. It is behaviour in the language of the Jain philosophy. The definition of spiritualism is not based on any ideological ground or social and cultural context. All these factors are kept in mind while defining morality. Spiritualism can never be devoid of morality. But morality goes even beyond the purview of spiritualism.
Spiritualism has always been there and it would always remain. Its reality can never be challenged. The straight and simple meaning of spiritualism is being contained in one's soul. The person who is contained in his soul, who is contained within himself is spiritual. A spiritual person is aware of his existence, which he visualises in everyone. Therefore, his behaviour too is not such that it would reject or tamper anyone. Spiritualism can be an ideal for everyone. But it is not possible for everyone to proceed along that path. That is why another path was found it is described as morality.
Morality and immorality are two relative terms. People are always prone to repeat that moral values are declining and that immorality is growing. What is being said with such strong feeling today was also said with equally strong feeling thousands of years ago. It seems to me that this way of talking weakens men's will power. Even if someone sets out holding the flag of morality, how long would one he be able to hold on to it in such adverse circumstances? If moral values have to be enshrined in society, man would have to change his own thinking and he would have to change, in the light of the changing winds, his manner of expressing his reactions.
What is immorality? It is not possible to define it in a single sentence. Flouting the values that have been accepted by the society and the state has been called immoral. But at times, even social beliefs tend to encourage immorality. The people occupying positions of power also indulge in such acts to protect that power that cannot be called moral by any standards. In such situations, there can be uproar against the concepts of moral values. If the social order, law and religion cannot leave any moral impact on human life, then it is imperative to bring about social awakening. When man is awakened, when consciousness of the people is aroused, even the task which appears hard or impossible becomes easy and possible. Only on the basis of this faith, it is possible to concentrate the faith of the people on morality.
