I think your words are so helpful here. I am struggling in the same way that Paritosh speaks of, so feel that I am very little help.
I am glad that you spoke of conscience. There are times when I want to do something that seems for my happiness, but is against my moral conscience. I see where others seem to succeed by bad behavior and I think, "I can do this too, then I will also be happy." But lately I seem to hear Mother prompting and saying, "Can this be good?" And it is so very helpful to hear that perhaps I am making some right choices. I hope I don't crowd anyone here. This Courtyard is so good for me.
Thank you, Brother. This post has helped me, and I hope it has helped Brother Paritosh. Thanks to all and to our Holy Mother.
In the Katha Upanishad (Chapter II, verses 1-2) Yama begins his teaching to Naciketa with a reference to the good life as the ethical precondition to spiritual striving and realization.
'Both sreya (the good) and preya (the pleasant) approach man; the dhira (wise man), examining the two, discriminates between them. The wise man prefers sreya to preya; but the foolish man chooses preya through love of gain and attachment.'
Of the two, preya, which conduces to immediate profit and pleasure, is outwardly more attractive; but its inside is hollow, which time alone will reveal. Sreya, on the other hand, although it involves some initial privation, conduces to man's abiding welfare. Outward appearances may be deceptive; wise person wants to be assured that what APPEARS is also what IS; and he has the patience to wait; his hunger for truth can silence all his hunger for lesser things. He therefore chooses sreya. But the fool chooses preya. He has no power of discrimination nor the patience to wait; he wants results immediately. He is not in search of truth; he seeks YOGAKSEMA, says the Upanishad. YOGAKSEMA literally means 'acquisition' and 'preservation'. Technically, it is used to express the entire range of man's worldly propensities, of which the two basic ones are greed and attachment.
So, Rosemary, you are wise to follow the path of sreya.
Thank you all for this discussion adn freely sharing your thoughts and opinions.
We gain from each others struggles.
May we continue to feel the Mother's presence here in the courtyard and with us always
