Vedanta - Contented Mind a Feast
SWAMI SIVANANDA
|
The most effective antidote to greed is contentment. Just as a man who, sun-scorched, is refreshed by taking a plunge in the river, so also the greedy man burned by the fire of lobha finds immediate joy and relief by a dip in the ambrosial water of contentment.There are four sentinels who guard the domain of moksha.They are shanti, santosha, satsanga and vichara -peace, happiness, good company and self-inquiry . If you can approach any one of these, you can get hold of the other three.
“A contented mind is a continual feast.“ A man fully endowed with this important virtue is the richest man. Contentment is an important part of the niyamas of Raja Yoga.
The Gitasays, “Be contented with whatever you get by chance and apply yourself to meditation with a dispassionate mind.“
The intellect gets perverted and memory gets confused by passion and greed. A seeker asks, “If I become contented, all my ambitions will die. I will become lethargic and lazy .On account of my ambitions, I exert and I am energetic.“
My reply: contentment can never make you idle. It is a sattvic virtue that propels the individual towards God.It gives strength of mind and peace. It checks unnecessary and selfish exertions.It opens the inner eye and moves the mind towards divine contemplation.
It turns his energy to inner, sattvic channels. It transmutes the gross energy , greed, into spiritual energy , ojas.The contented person is full of sattva. His mind is now collected and peaceful. Contentment is bliss.
“A contented mind is a continual feast.“ A man fully endowed with this important virtue is the richest man. Contentment is an important part of the niyamas of Raja Yoga.
The Gitasays, “Be contented with whatever you get by chance and apply yourself to meditation with a dispassionate mind.“
The intellect gets perverted and memory gets confused by passion and greed. A seeker asks, “If I become contented, all my ambitions will die. I will become lethargic and lazy .On account of my ambitions, I exert and I am energetic.“
My reply: contentment can never make you idle. It is a sattvic virtue that propels the individual towards God.It gives strength of mind and peace. It checks unnecessary and selfish exertions.It opens the inner eye and moves the mind towards divine contemplation.
It turns his energy to inner, sattvic channels. It transmutes the gross energy , greed, into spiritual energy , ojas.The contented person is full of sattva. His mind is now collected and peaceful. Contentment is bliss.
