Standard of Morality

A spiritual person must be moral; it is both normal and natural. What conduct, then, is moral and what immoral? Or what constitutes morality and what immorality? Thousands of pages have been written on this difficult question, yet no two scholars specializing in ethics and philosophy agree.

Love and reverence for Truth seem to me to be its fundamental elements. To test the morality of an action, ask yourself: ‘Is it inspired by love?’ or ‘Is it in conformity with truth?’

Unselfishness is another true test of morality; but as love alone can produce unselfishness, the tests of love and truth suffice.

To create disharmony and differences of opinion for selfish ends is surely immoral. The great sages of old established ethical codes to draw people together, to eliminate differences and to create peace and concord.

To argue for the sake of arguing, to inflict one’s own opinions unasked on others, or to assail another’s point of view in order to display and satisfy one’s own fancied self-superiority, cannot be called moral. Be it remembered that arguments never really convince anyone.

Take the heart of your hearer in your hand, as it were, and then gently appeal to their reason. A wise person uses this method.

To wound anyone’s feelings unnecessarily and maliciously is a sin and one should therefore, so far as possible, avoid causing unhappiness to others; rather we should suffer ourselves than by word or deed cause mental anguish to another.

Morality aims at the good of all living beings. Eternal freedom and divine bliss is the ideal of the way of Adhyatma Yoga, the way of Self-knowledge.

H.P.S.