Acharya Tulsi
The Four Ideals of Indian Life
Friendship, joy, compassion and to follow a middle path—these are the four ideals of Indian life. The first factor is friendship. Friendship is a very significant factor rather it can be taken as the most important factor of all. The question arises whom friendship must be offered to? The sphere of friendship is so vast that asking this question is unwise. Whom friendship must be offered to—this question becomes relevant when there is a limitation. But when not merely the human beings but all living beings are incorporated in the sphere, this question ceases to have any proper meaning. The consequence of accepting this principle is that the person ceases to have any living creature that he can call an enemy or the other. In a condition like this he cannot become the cause of hurting someone.
After friendship comes joy (pramod). To see others prospering and to revel in their development and positive qualities is what joy is. There are many people who become jealous of others prosperity. Whenever someone’s qualities are praised they get upset. The reason for this feeling is due to lack of development of joy (pramod). When this trait of joy gets developed in a person the lava of resentment cannot glow in his heart. Seeing others good qualities or virtues such a person’s heart never shrinks.
A person must never become cruel or ruthless towards any living creature is what compassion is. One who is cruel, whose behaviour reflects ruthlessness no matter whether he goes to temples, count beads or chant he is not truly religious. It is so because there cannot be any connection between ruthlessness and religiousness.
A creature who is and deluded, lives a life of lie and is imbued in hedonistic pleasures thus becoming the cause of the downfall of his soul, to pray for his revival and well-being is also compassion. When Indra prays before Lord Mahavira sitting at his feet, then Mahavira’s heart feels with compassion thinking how much hedonistic he is, how he would emancipate? In a similar way when a poisonous snake like Chandkaush-ik bites his feet then also he becomes compassionate. He is worried thinking how cruel it is, how it would move towards the well-being?
Following middle path means to ignore. A person who doesn’t listen to the right cross words, fails to understand them and behaves just opposite to what has been said is generally hated by people. But from spiritual point of view hatred cannot be deemed as.a virtue. To ignore such a person is feasible. This might bring a certain realization in them which are a direct way to transformation.
Non-Violence is a True Science
If we try to incorporate all these four terms then we can do it under non-violence. Non-violence is a vast term. It symbolizes all the virtues. The more developed this factor becomes in society the better it is for society. The various problems that are enshrouding every comer of the world are due to violence. As long as non-violence is not established no solution of these problems can be found. It seems people have not come to realize the power and other positive characteristics of non- violence otherwise it would not be ignored so much. If people understand the true essence of non-violence, come to realize its immense power and its being a time science, the ultimate factor that develops life then they would themselves accept it in their life. It is very important that the non-violent groups must expand this virtue and work in an organized way. This will induce the virtue in every individual and they would come to respect and love it. We may then take our plan forward to create a healthy society.
