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Chapter 6
CONTROL OF THE MIND
29. Equanimity And Evenness In Outlook
16. The third thing is to have equanimity and evenness in outlook. It means having an outlook infused with goodwill, a disposition to look at the positive side of men and matters. It implies faith in the goodness and order in the universe. There cannot be concentration of mind without it. The lion is the mighty king of the forest and yet he does not take four steps forward without looking behind. How can the lion, that lives by violence, attain concentration of mind? Tigers, crows and cats are always looking here and there with apprehension. Such is the state of animals that are violent. One should look at the world with a sense of equanimity. One should feel that everything in the world is good, friendly and auspicious. Just as we trust ourselves, so should we trust the whole world. 17. What, after all, have we to fear? Everything is good and sacred. 'विश्वं तद् भद्रं यद्वन्ति देवाः’—The universe is full of goodness, as God is looking after it, protecting it. The poet Browning has said in the similar vein: ‘God’s in His heaven, all’s right with the world!’ Nothing is really wrong with the world. If there is wrong with something, it is with my vision. As is my vision, so is the world. If I put on red-coloured glasses, the world is bound to appear red and aflame. 18. When Saint Ramdas was writing the Ramayana, he used to read it out to his disciples. It is said that Hanuman[1] used to come incognito to hear the same. Once Ramdas read out, “Hanuman went to Ashokvan[2] There he saw white flowers.” Hearing this, Hanuman came forward and said, “I did not see white flowers. What I saw were red flowers. Please correct what you have written.” Ramdas insisted, “No, what I have written is correct. The flowers you saw were white.” Hanuman said, “I myself was there. How could I be wrong?” Finally the dispute was taken to Lord Rama. He said, “The flowers were indeed white, but Hanuman’s eyes were red with anger; hence they appeared red to him.” The point of this charming story is that what the world appears us to be, depends on the way we look at it. 19. So long as we are not convinced that the world around is good, our mind will not become one-pointed. As long as we think that the world around is bad, we are bound to look around with suspicion. Poets eulogise the freedom of birds. Let them become birds for a while; they would then know the worth of that freedom. A bird is never calm. Its neck is always moving back and forth. It is always afraid of others. If you put a sparrow on the seat for meditation, will its mind attain one-pointedness? If I try to go near a sparrow, it will immediately fly away, fearing that I may hurt it. How can those who entertain the frightful idea that the whole world is out to destroy them can ever have peace of mind? So long as a man thinks that he alone has to defend himself as everybody else is an enemy, he cannot attain one-pointedness of mind. An outlook that treats everybody with equality and fairness is the best means for attaining one-pointedness of mind. When you find goodness and benevolence all around, the mind will automatically attain peace. |
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