GOODNESS; SAINTLINESS FOR MORAL GRANDEUR - Be vigilant not only against sin but against saintliness too.
Many people who had reputation as a model of moral uprightness, a philanthropist, a champion of less privileged fell from grace for disgraceful acts. Latest example is Rajat Gupta said to have $84 million and best education and positions. He has been convicted for 2 years jail for illegal activities of insider trading.
How could such persons be tempted to commit faults which could cause them to lose all of the fine reputation earned after valuable years of his life. Could it be greed for even more- more of power, wealth, lust, luxuries and so on. Perhaps.
But could there have been another, more subtle seduction than the lust of even greater achievements?
To be good, and to do good work is admirable. But not if you fall into the trap of admiring the image of goodliness that has been created around oneself and which enhances one's ego, one's sense of self-worth.
Everyone says that I do great things. Therefore, I must be a great man. As a great man, I can do only great things. Therefore everything I do must be a great thing, because it is I who am doing it.
This is the dangerous logic of self-justification, born out of an ego-gratifying public persona that others have created for you and which you have come to believe in yourself.
A king who had done lot of good work for his subjects and built magnificent places of worship, invited Bodhidharma and asked:
"What merit do you think I have gained from all this?"
The gruff answer was: "Absolutely nothing."
The outraged ruler then demanded:
"Who is it that dares to speak to a king like that?"
The sage Bodhidharma replied: "A no-one who speaks to another no-one."
With this answer the king is said to have gained enlightenment. He realised that all the good works he had done for his subjects had really been only for himself, for his own glory, for his own sense of ego. And the more he was hailed as the great man the greater grew his ego, his attachment to his belief in his own goodness, which was acclaimed by everyone.
Attachment to moral grandeur of oneself may have blinding effect and motivate wrongdoings and self-justification.
(courtesy - Fall from grace by Jug Suraiya - Speaking Tree TOI)
30 Oct. 2012.
Many people who had reputation as a model of moral uprightness, a philanthropist, a champion of less privileged fell from grace for disgraceful acts. Latest example is Rajat Gupta said to have $84 million and best education and positions. He has been convicted for 2 years jail for illegal activities of insider trading.
How could such persons be tempted to commit faults which could cause them to lose all of the fine reputation earned after valuable years of his life. Could it be greed for even more- more of power, wealth, lust, luxuries and so on. Perhaps.
But could there have been another, more subtle seduction than the lust of even greater achievements?
To be good, and to do good work is admirable. But not if you fall into the trap of admiring the image of goodliness that has been created around oneself and which enhances one's ego, one's sense of self-worth.
Everyone says that I do great things. Therefore, I must be a great man. As a great man, I can do only great things. Therefore everything I do must be a great thing, because it is I who am doing it.
This is the dangerous logic of self-justification, born out of an ego-gratifying public persona that others have created for you and which you have come to believe in yourself.
A king who had done lot of good work for his subjects and built magnificent places of worship, invited Bodhidharma and asked:
"What merit do you think I have gained from all this?"
The gruff answer was: "Absolutely nothing."
The outraged ruler then demanded:
"Who is it that dares to speak to a king like that?"
The sage Bodhidharma replied: "A no-one who speaks to another no-one."
With this answer the king is said to have gained enlightenment. He realised that all the good works he had done for his subjects had really been only for himself, for his own glory, for his own sense of ego. And the more he was hailed as the great man the greater grew his ego, his attachment to his belief in his own goodness, which was acclaimed by everyone.
Attachment to moral grandeur of oneself may have blinding effect and motivate wrongdoings and self-justification.
(courtesy - Fall from grace by Jug Suraiya - Speaking Tree TOI)
30 Oct. 2012.
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