Obtaining An Accurate View of Life
Depends On Having the Right Purpose
Depends On Having the Right Purpose
Carlos Cardoso Aveline
* The truth-seeker must examine once and again the
premises and foundations of his opinions. He will constantly discover new
layers of maya or illusion, and new levels of truth, in his own views of life
as well as in the viewpoints of others.
* A sense of full responsibility for one’s own
thoughts and feelings is necessary in esoteric philosophy. However, a large
portion of human actions occur by automatic or semi-automatic decisions based
on mere habit, obedience, desire for applause or emotions like fear, ambition,
attachment and rejection.
* The loss of illusory views may seem too painful to
those who prefer believing, instead of learning. In fact, being able to walk
towards truth and leave ignorance gradually aside is one of the deepest forms
of happiness available to humans.
* He who listens to his conscience has no reason to
fear the future.
* By sowing that which we would like to harvest, we
develop a powerful source of peace within our own aura.
* Whoever is a friend of eternal law finds
contentment.
* Obtaining an accurate view of life depends on having the right
purpose.
* An intention that is noble and free from wishful
thinking gives us the patience necessary to look at things and situations
without distorting them. This makes it possible to examine life from various
elevated points of view. From above one sees better, with wider horizons.
* An excess of
visible kindness in daily life is often seen as a sign of weakness, and invites
people to develop a distorted idea of things. On the other hand, a constantly
rigorous attitude generates a frozen image which is equally false. As every
habit tending to automatic repetition, the mask of severity prevents a creative
interaction with life.
* The decisive factor in determining one’s attitude at
any moment must be the vision of what is correct, and not merely a blind
attachment or rejection. Whatever one does must be dictated by the voice of
conscience. Applause and short term comfort are not the priorities. The
intention of the true student of philosophy is kind, indeed, yet his goal is
not “to be seen as kind”.
* Rigor is necessary in order to be helpful. There is
no worse obstacle along the way than hypocrisy. Severity is as unavoidable as
the love for truth in itself, or the feeling of altruism.
* The Jewish sage Bachya ibn Paquda lived
in Zaragoza (now part of Spain) in the centuries 11 and 12. Ibn Paquda wrote,
on austerity: “The plain meaning of abstinence is bridling selfish desire and
voluntarily refraining (...) from something that is in your power and that you
have the opportunity to do. It has been said that one who abstains is one who
has the power and does not use it.” [1] And this is, of course, a form of Yoga.
NOTE:
[1]
From “Duties of the Heart”, by Rabbi
Bachya ibn Paquda, Feldheim Publishers, Jerusalem - New York, 1996, two
volumes, see vol. II, p. 787.
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“Thoughts Along the Road - 50” was
published as an independent text on 15 April 2021. An initial version of it, with no indication as to the
name of the author, is included in “The Aquarian Theosophist”, August 2019
edition, pp. 5-6. The fragment from Bachya ibn Paquda is on
page 10 of the same edition.
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