You and Yours (on parenting) :- 3.

The question of how to live the values of life is not a new one faced only in modern times. It is as old as our scriptures. This is a weakness that every person faces in his life - the contradiction between his knowledge and his living.

Opinion
09/12/2017.
 1067.
                All Members,
         Respected family members of this great holy Nation.

VERY IMPORTANT FOR THE PRESENT DAY PARENTS : - to direct their children

Sub : You and Yours (on parenting) :-3.
 Swami Tejomayananda

Now, coming back to the vision. In general, there are three types of vision.

A.
I.
I will start with an example. I have one physical body and it has got many parts or limbs. Even though I know that there are many parts or limbs for my visual perception, for my vision and understanding I know that all of it is one body and it is me. Thus, even though I see ‘many’ ness or differences, in my vision there is only oneness and, as a result of this understanding, I love each and every part of my body.

II.
There is no partiality in it even though I feel a backache is better than a headache when I get one ! When there is a vision of oneness, other values are very natural; that I love all parts of my body, I don’t want to injure any part of my body; I serve my body, beautify it and pamper it. If my finger goes into my eye, no punishment is given to the finger, i.e., forgiveness also is natural. The eye also does not have a feeling of hatred for the finger.

III.
That is also the reason why the mother loves her child – the child is her own flesh and blood. The Upanishad also says, “Putro vai Atma” – the child is your own Self and, even though you see the child as a different entity, you know that the child is not different from you and, therefore, love is natural.

B.

I.
No mother needs to be told to love her child, though it is necessary to be told to love your neighbour. In my child, my family, etc., I see oneness and, therefore, I am concerned about their welfare and I don’t want to hurt them in any manner. If they suffer, I suffer because their suffering is my suffering.

II.
So then, I will see that I love, serve, forgive – all these values follow. Now, if you expand your vision, even though you see the plurality not only of human beings but also of plants, trees, creepers, birds, animals, etc., you just imagine – if so much of oneness is there, there is so much of service, love, sacrifice, and forgiveness. Imagine that you are one with this entire universe (not that you have to imagine, you are actually one with this universe because, without the totality of the five elements, you cannot exist).
III.
So, I am already one with it. The life that is in me is the same life everywhere; it is only I who has created this distinction. So, now you see – when this vision of oneness is there, my style of living changes accordingly.


Note :

1. So, one vision is seeing oneness in all differences, the other is seeing only differences, while the third is taking only one part to be the whole and getting exclusively attached to one thing – that’s how people become fanatics. All these wars are fought by fanatic people.

2.
People say that religion has created all problems. No, it is fanaticism that has created problems. If I love somebody and am ready to kill another person for that sake, it is exclusive attachment.

3.
There is another problem because parents are living double standards in life. They live one kind of life, but they want the child to be different. It does not happen like that. You don’t want to be unhappy and you don’t want your child also to be unhappy and, therefore, it is necessary that we have the right values and also expose the child to those values and that kind of atmosphere.

4.
Therefore, You and Yours – in this value clarification, if only the vision is clear, all other things come naturally because they become only an expression of that one vision. So, if the question is, why are we not able to live the values, I have given you the reasons.

5.
We have made some kind of analysis. Your child is not different from you and you are not different from your child. Therefore, what you are, your child will be. Now you have to decide what you want yourself to be and your child to be, because the choice is yours.

To be continued ...

Thank you for reading
           JAIHIND.