Whenever your mind starts to see and think falsehood and goes astray, you must understand that your mind is not peaceful, relaxed and in joyous status. Whenever it is not centered, then only it starts to see faults in others. We want to live in constant state of awareness. So as soon as there is loss of peace and equanimity, there is break in state of awareness. Moreover if you have developed even a little bit of focus and concentration, there is immediate loss of this too. For this reason it is ideal training to keep goodwill and goodness towards all, thus helping us to keep centered.
If someone asks " why should we consider a thief as a good person". To think that thief has only bad qualities is wrong. He also has traces of goodness and can also have good qualities and virtues. So when you think of him as a thief and touch that part of him; he also has negative feelings towards you. Even if you see these bad qualities in his nature; you must also see and appreciate his other good qualities. Only this will increase goodness in you. This training is our biggest asset.
If we think only goodness about others, no matter what others thinks of us, is the most positive force that can help in developing our spiritual life. So if we train our mind with this knowledge; than others will not have negative thoughts that can disturb the peace in our mind. It is important to keep mind centered, stopping it from going astray, and bring it back if goes astray. Pray in your heart and continue doing this experiment with complete awareness in your mind. True understanding and self confidence towards developing spiritual life comes from this experiment when done with inner knowledge and awareness. When this kind of self confidence develops, than only you can bring back the mind under control when it goes astray.
When we experiment with mind, we may get setbacks, yet it is never discouraging. When we have made a firm and irrevocable decision to do certain works ( develop spiritual life ) then any straying from the purpose should be an indication that mind is not centered and that position of mind is not conducive to the progress in sadhana. We must know and understand this by heart.
While performing any action, do not brood over too much. Whatever needs to be done, do it as an offering to God. Always work towards making mind carefree, content, peaceful and joyous so it can concentrate and be centered at whatever tool it is practicing, and that in itself is sadhana.
Pujya Shree Mota
Jivan pravash ( જીવન પ્રવેશ )
Edition-2, Page 70-71
PUJYA SHREE MOTA
