Spiritual Message for the Day Self-Realisation, The Ultimate Meaning of Ethics by Gurudev Sri Swami Sivananda
Baba Times Digest© | 20 February 2015 14.44 EST | New York Edition
Self-Realisation, The Ultimate Meaning of Ethics
Divine Life Society Publication: Ethical Teachings by Gurudev Sri Swami Sivananda
A person should finally renounce everything, without losing his vigour, finding that the whole world is not better than a dry straw, and eager to find out the essence behind all things. Of all Dharmas or ethics, the knowledge of the Self is most precious, because through that, one attains Immortality. Wishing to enter the regions of the Eternal, the wise renounce the whole world, without mercy.
Ethics is right living. Ethics leads to restraint of the lower self and thereby the mind is calmed. Through the calmness of the mind, discrimination dawns and one knows the Self in a short time. But all ethics have as their aim the realisation of the Self. This is the highest duty. This is the highest ethics. This is the highest Sadachara. This is the highest morality. This is the highest teaching. This is the highest penance.
One cannot attain to perfection by mere goodness and practice of virtue. He has to intensely meditate on the ideal with the help of purity acquired through virtue. Virtue and morality act as auxiliaries to meditation and final mergence of the individual in the Supreme. In Raja Yoga, Yama and Niyama act as ethics for perfection in Samyama. In Jnana Yoga, the Sadhana-chatushtaya acts as ethics for perfection in Sravana, Manana and Nididhyasana. The Veda Samhitas act as ethics for perfection in the knowledge of the Upanishads. Grihasthadharma acts as ethics for perfection in Sannyasa, the wise portion of life. Ethics leads to wisdom of the Self, where all duties, diversely practised, find a final satisfactory explanation.
All duties, domestic, social and the like are only relative. The ultimate and chief duty of every human- being is the attainment of Truth, God-realisation. The discharge of all duties is in reality to qualify man to do this highest duty.
Excerpts from: Self-Realisation, The Ultimate Meaning of Ethics - Ethical Teachings by Gurudev Sri Swami Sivananda
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