15. Let Morality Come From Awareness

Resistance seems to be our second nature. We cultivate resistance to any and all rule and regulation.

Resistance is a complex path. It brings along violation and deep guilt.

There are no rules on Earth that can't be broken. Rules in our society were created for better co-ordination and harmony. Do not follow any rule blindly. Appreciate and understand a rule before you follow it.

A small story:

One night, a thief knocked on the door of a monastery located in a forest. He asked for shelter to spend the night. The head of the monastery who answered the knock, agreed to let the visitor to spend the night there.

The next morning, the guest thanked his host and took his permission to leave. The guest also confessed that he was a thief and had burgled the King's palace the previous night.

The head was aghast and began to wail.

He lamented, 'What a great sin I have committed by allowing a thief to spend a night in my monastery! I gave him food too. What can I do to atone for my sin?'

He was surprised to hear a voice, weeping louder than him, from the sky. He asked who was speaking.

'I am God,' said the voice. 'You are upset and you weep because you have looked after him for one night. What about me? I have been looking after him everyday for all these years. I also have to look after many others like him. Who will I go to for redemption?'

Our concept of sin is imprinted upon us by society. It is a social concept. We need to develop a sense of morality that springs from the depth of our understanding of what is right and wrong.

We should use our awareness to sort the right from wrong. Let us not internalize or blindly follow rules and codes of morality. Only when we follow morality with personal understanding, will we begin to grow and develop.

Morality should be based on deep, personal understanding. Morality should not be based on greed and fear. If greed and fear are the basis for accepting or following any moral values, then the value is only skin deep.

Deep understanding removes resistance. It promotes peace and harmony within each one of us. It enables us to be in eternal bliss – THE SUPREME PONTIFF OF HINDUISM BHAGAWAN SRI NITHYANANDA PARAMASHIVAM.