Acharya Mahaprajna
The Judge Himself Is In Quandary
Dedication, valour and power of decision making - this is the tripod of development. Dedication means guileless faith. There is too much of its proclamation, but its availability is scarce. Can one person identify with other's thoughts? Can two persons' self-interests be unified? In actual life its possibility is very little. Supreme self is invisible reality and therefore it is possible to have identity with it. One person lives with another, this is direct experience. To think of identity about it is like searching non-dual in duality, very difficult thing. Many people are not dedicated to themselves, then how can we talk about being dedicated to others? A person lives alone, imagines having fulfillment in loneliness and feels fully devoted to him, but his faith is put on test when he lives the life of a group. In a group all people are not alike. There are people of different nature, different interests, different thoughts, conduct and behaviour. The moments of offensives and counter-offensives coming from them are very sensitive. In those moments to remain completely devoted to one's own self is really a matter of great penance.
Dedication: opportunism
One who is not dedicated to one's self how will he be dedicated to others? No one is dedicated to others. He is dedicated to his thoughts, to his principles; through them to others. One who is not dedicated to thoughts and principles, his journey of development remains incomplete. Today in political organizations problems are multiplying because the members of the organization are not dedicated to the principles. They get associated with some organization for the fulfillment of some objective or for some ambition. For nonfulfillment they get entangled in vicious circle.
The situation of religious organizations is also not very good. There are very few people who have faith in an organization on the basis of principles. Most of the followers move with desire-satisfaction or ambition. There may not be faith in worshipping any deity or image but if that helps in getting wealth, then a non-idolatrous does not hesitate to become idolatrous. Here there is no question of worshipping or not worshipping. The main question is that a non-idolater is becoming idolater; and he is doing so not on the basis of any principle but for the sake of desire for wealth. Some Hindu is converting to Islam; he is doing so not on the basis of any principle but out of reaction or for some allurement. This unprincipled-ness is not a dedication to any party or organization, but mere opportunism. Only after drawing a line of demarcation between opportunism and dedication a person can move ahead in the direction of development being dedicated to some principle.
The deity of chivalry is sleeping
Rest, lethargy, and idleness -these mean more or less the same. Very few people have the courage needed for moving ahead. Many people do not lift their foot. Some do it but stop only in the middle. Very few people cross over. Doubt, lack of faith and deceit are great hindrance in this. Everyone knows that without enduring hardship their incessant chain cannot be broken. Even then we do not want to undergo hardship and this is because the deity of our courage is sleeping. In the modern age comfort-loving-ness has developed as much as science has developed. This comfort-loving attitude has put a lid on the luster of gallantry. Leading an austere life and forbearing hardship - both these have fallen into oblivion. In their absence development of tolerance cannot be imagined.
Today why so much of intolerance is there? This question arises again and again. Its answer is connected with hard life. The power of tolerance means hard life. Leading hard life means increasing the power of tolerance. One who runs away from hard life he will run away from tolerance as well.
Human being and Robot
In this age of machine there is a competition between robot and human being. For society human being is more beneficial or robot? One who has to take this decision himself is confused. Robot is very much helpful, works fast and does not have fatigue. In human being these capabilities are not to this extent. But he has one wonderful capacity and that is the power to take decision. Mechanistic view (machine-centeredness) and decision-making these are two extremes. Mechanistic view is inertness and decision-making is manifestation of consciousness. Compared to other animals consciousness is more developed in human being. His nervous system is also more powerful and therefore he can discriminate, take decision. In the state of indecisiveness, the steps of development cannot move forward.
Decision-making is a special feature of leadership. Leadership means capacity to take forward. Many people remain imprisoned in the jail of doubt. Even knowing the facts also, they cannot reach on any conclusion. Without courage this is not possible. A major decision can be taken only when there is strength to bear risk. Today's human being is experiencing mental tension, is tormented by high blood pressure, and heart disease. Behind all these one major reason is atmosphere of fear. Today's human being is surrounded by fear from all the sides. He is unable to take a decision as to reduce the craving for wealth or be free from mental tension. This state of indecisiveness has put him in perplexity. Will human being develop his capacity of decision-making?
