True & Noble Convictions Lead To Selfless Service
Swami Chinmayananda
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Actions are the louder expressions of thought. The quality of thought is ordered by the nature of our inner `belief ' and `faith'. Where faith is shaky , thoughts are vague, and actions weak and purposeless indecisive and timid. If our service to the world is to be effective and productive of sure results, then our head and heart must be inspired by our own `convictions'.We have faith, but not firm conviction. We have certainty but not self-resurrecting belief. Those dynamic convictions that drive us to spectacular actions and blazing results cannot be had by accident. They are not built-in resources in any individual. We have to discover and cultivate them in ourselves, by our own study and planned self-education. Vedanta unfolds this in all its students. Penetrating study into the depths of the Upanishads, understanding of the way-of-life mapped out by Krishna in his scientific and logical discourses in the Gita, do transform the thought-pattern in the student and he discovers for himself a new purpose and a clearer vision of the goal of his life. He grows first in his faith in himself, and then he discovers certain definite convictions maturing within him. Through earnest study and subjective investigations of these ideas in one's own mind, through “deep reflection“, one can discover new horizons to one's life. Only with this inner expansion of vision shall we realise the opening of some secret chambers of power and strength in ourselves, and with an irresistible gush of intelligent determination and will, apply ourselves in action in the world around. If the convictions are true and noble “Buddha-like“ then service to man springs forth, bringing blessings of compassion and friendship, love and peace to all. If the convictions are false and ignoble “demon-like“ that service to people rattles out, blasting the world with the curses of hate and war, death and destruction.
Such an intellectual sense of conviction must now slowly mature to become our belief.
By themselves, convictions may not stand the onslaught of the rough life or its plethora of stormy outbursts. When in our life happenings are unfavourable, at a time when we need our belief the most, we may find ourselves empty , , sans conviction, sans belief. In cheated, sans conviction, sans belief. In this inner poverty , the intellect stops in fatigue, the heart turns dry .
If convictions are acquired through study and if they can become our belief through reflection, then, belief can fructify to become a “way-of-life“. Only through meditation practised mindfully to keep us constantly in touch with our belief, and bringing it out as the expression of all our actions, feelings and thoughts, shall we grow mightily in our belief. It will then come to waft its fragrance all around us, adding a new attractiveness in all our actions. If this is practised for some length of time with deep sincerity , firm determination and zealous regularity , the positive pitch of our total life will resound in harmony with the true notes of our belief. Such an individual can never again ever miss his spiritual glow even in the most trying moments of stress and strain.
Let us, through study , reflection and meditation, grow from conviction to belief and ultimately earn our Perfect Way-of-Life. (The writer is founder, Chinmaya Mission.)
Such an intellectual sense of conviction must now slowly mature to become our belief.
By themselves, convictions may not stand the onslaught of the rough life or its plethora of stormy outbursts. When in our life happenings are unfavourable, at a time when we need our belief the most, we may find ourselves empty , , sans conviction, sans belief. In cheated, sans conviction, sans belief. In this inner poverty , the intellect stops in fatigue, the heart turns dry .
If convictions are acquired through study and if they can become our belief through reflection, then, belief can fructify to become a “way-of-life“. Only through meditation practised mindfully to keep us constantly in touch with our belief, and bringing it out as the expression of all our actions, feelings and thoughts, shall we grow mightily in our belief. It will then come to waft its fragrance all around us, adding a new attractiveness in all our actions. If this is practised for some length of time with deep sincerity , firm determination and zealous regularity , the positive pitch of our total life will resound in harmony with the true notes of our belief. Such an individual can never again ever miss his spiritual glow even in the most trying moments of stress and strain.
Let us, through study , reflection and meditation, grow from conviction to belief and ultimately earn our Perfect Way-of-Life. (The writer is founder, Chinmaya Mission.)
