WE inherit many resources by birth. We are born to parents we do not choose, with readymade families. We get a readymade nation of our birth. We are also born in a city, town or village which becomes our birthplace. We are born to a religion and culture. Sometimes, we inherit homes and money earned by our forefathers. These are our inherited resources. The financial status, education, social standing and culture of our birth family is also our inheritance.
But there are a larger number of resources that we create from our own observation, travel, work and experience throughout our lives. We choose our education – or should do. We choose our profession and design our careers. We choose our friends and acquaintances. We choose the events which influence our lives profoundly. We choose our political and social leanings. We choose the place we want to live in and most important, we choose how to practice our religion, how to earn and spend our money, whom to marry and how many children we should have. We also choose our behavior patterns, the kind of culture which prevails in our homes, the language we prefer to speak and how we would like to express ourselves before different people.
The degree of success and happiness you achievement in life often depends upon how you use these inherited and acquired resources. Misuse of resources invariable leads to sorrow unhappiness and often, loss of things which are precious in our lives. Further, correct use of resources has acquired great importance in today’s age of fundamentalism, violence, rank materialism, lack of social responsibility, rampant greed and disregard for environment. Look around and you will find that instead of using one’s religion for self-realization, most people use its sacred spaces for condemning others, for using violence to prove the superiority of one religion over others, for promoting criminal activities and worst of all, for political mileage. Religion – the word itself – mans rejoining with the supreme divinity. If this is the meaning, can there be any place for violence and self-aggrandizement in religion? Money is the next resource we commonly use. When you use it to showoff your status and belittle others, or to assume that you are entitled to be arrogant and unkind to people around you because of your wealth, or to acquire destructive habits like alcoholism, tobacco smoking or chewing, over indulgence in sex, sexual exploitation of women, gambling etc. you are certainly misusing your money. Money is meant for creating a happy lifestyle which includes devotion, richness, love and compassion, combined with security for yourself and your dependents. Your wealth should spread the message of security around you, not of fear and instability. Wealth is not a weapon to be used against anyone. It is the balm which soothes genuine wants of people. When properly used, it can be translated into prosperity and plentitude around you – in you country, community and your community. The definition of prosperity has been defined in Indian culture in the most wonderful manner in the following traditional prayer:
Kale Varshatu Parjanyah, prithivi Sasya Shalini,
Deshoyam Kshobah Rahito, Dnyaniah Santu Nirbhayah
Andhanah Sadhanah Santu, Jeevantu Shardama Shatam
Aputrah Putrinah Santu, Putrinah Santu Poutrinah
Swamin, Sarve Janah Sukhino Bhavantu
Roughly translated to suit modern times, this prayer means:
May the rains come on time. May the earth bend with rich harvests, may my country be free of disease and scourge. May the learned and wise be fearless. May the poor become rich. May everyone live a hundred autumns. May hose who have no children, have progeny. May those who have progeny become grandparents. Lord, may all people be happy and contented.
Culture is the next victim of our greed. Defining culture, the Dalai Lama once said that human societies make the worst mistake by confusing culture with religion. One has nothing to do with the other. “Even birds and animals have a culture,” he said, “they do not grab each other’s nests. Nor do they sexually harass their females or ill-treat their little ones. They abide by the law of the jungle and respect their environment. Human beings can learn from them.” Your culture decides how you will perceive the world and how the world will look at you. Ti defines how you will treat other people and how you will build your relationships. It says what kind of a host you are and what variety of guest you will be. Culture decides what kind of a seeker you will be and what you will seek. Culture, when determined by the yardstick of self –improvement, will earn for you limitless happiness and contentment.
Relationships within your family and in society are the next resource. When you enrich your family life with love, caring, nurturing and constant efforts, you enrich your own life. Your happiness and success grows in direct proportion to how you treat your parents, siblings, spouse, children, extended family, guests, colleagues and people you meet during the course of your work or leisure. The way you decorate your home, the way you offer hospitality – all these indicate your culture and your prosperity. You have every right to avoid people who set you back on your path to progress but take care that you do not abuse them or hate them forever.
Health is the most important resource. It is vital that you take care of your body and mind being aware of your health at all times, Right food, right thoughts, right attitudes – all these build the foundation on which your life is built. Similarly, every resource must be respected for its place in your life and use to your best advantage.
A simple story illustrates this point: A man was suffering from fever as well as from a cut on his knee. When he visited his doctor he gave him a medicine for his fever and on ointment of his wound. When the man came home, he ate the ointment and applied the medicine on the wound! The result? Neither ailment was cured. Had he used the right remedy for the right ailment, he would have recovered from both very soon.
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