Acharya Mahaprajna
Another hurdle encountered in human relationship is - hardheartedness, cruelty. A man does not treat his subordinates affectionately. With his superiors, he has to behave himself perforce, or he would be in hot water. How can one maintain one's superiority if one treats his inferiors on an equal footing? This concept seems to be well entrenched in our society. A master experiences difficulty in treating his servant gently. But he takes great pride in speaking softly and sweetly with people of his own status. But how can one be soft and sweet to one's servant? A servant must be treated severely with customary abuse. This concept has vitiated all our relationships. Everywhere today it has become the general rule to treat one's inferiors with severity. If a mill owner treats the labourers gently, how can he get any work out of them? How will the mill function? Such notions have effected a great breach in social contacts and social and human relationships. We seem to have forgotten that through love and goodwill and pure and holy sentiments, a man may be so awakened and inspired as is not at all possible through severe regimentation. Today, through scientific research, new truths have come to light, such as the fact that it is possible through holy and loving sentiments to develop plants and flowers and to increase the crop-yield. In view of this, why cannot a fully conscious person further evolve in an atmosphere of purity and goodwill? After all he is not a lifeless stone. Even a stone may be somewhat endowed with consciousness with pure feelings. When a big rock has to be lifted, 5-7 people wholly dedicate themselves to it, and lift the rock through sheer will-power.
Courtesy, gentleness, softens everyone. If you entertain kindly feelings of love towards anyone, he melts. Treated with affection, the cow starts giving more milk, the tree more flowers and fruit, and the vines start growing in a different direction. A Christian woman conducted an experiment. She sowed a few saplings. However, one creeper would overshadow and cover them completely, so they did not get an opportunity to thrive. One day, the woman went to the creeper and said to it very gently - "0 creeper! I am sorry I shall have to cut you off! Do pardon me!" And she cut off the part of the creeper overshadowing the plants. She then made a suggestion to the creeper that it should grow in a particular direction. After a few days, the woman observed that the creeper had changed its path and started growing in a different direction! If a creeper, a plant is affected by courtesy, why should not a human being? How is it possible for a man to ignore gentleness? But we have formed anobstinate belief that man cannot be ruled by gentleness. Such a notion has only served to embitter human relations. One man continues to look upon another as an enemy, an alien.
