When we act to serve ourselves, it is never
absolutely painless. More than the troubles that we have to undergo while in
action; the uncertainties of the outcome of our action exhaust us. We are
neither sufficiently confident about our own abilities, nor about the evenness
of the external circumstances; hence, we tend to trespass the limits of
nonviolent thoughts and action, thereby causing harm to self and our immediate
surroundings.
The
things do not materially change when we intend to serve others without any self-interest.
This, in many ways, confirms the theory that any human action is never free
from violence. But, all said and done; to act is human. All types of efforts
for changes and advancements in our material as well as spiritual lives,
perhaps, can never be free from inherent defects of human action.
It
may not be practically possible to completely eliminate all the defects
associated with our actions, but, it may be possible to reduce, to a great
extent, the violence associated with our actions, whether selfish or selfless,
if we redefine our role as duty-bound humble contributors in the affairs of the
world, instead of crediting ourselves as ‘able and responsible’ performers. We
do not give any credit to a tree that gives us fruits and shadow and maintains
environmental balance. It is because, the contribution it makes, comes to it
naturally; and, if it fails, there is something naturally wrong with it.
There
are innumerable natural actions a human being has to take for which he is not
expected to take any credit; on the contrary, if those actions are not taken,
it, naturally, becomes inhuman. No credit can be taken for saving someone who
is drowning in a river; but, not saving him is inhuman and a matter worth
discrediting. To act for physical, intellectual and spiritual advancement of
self and the fellow beings is something that must come from as ‘natural contribution’
that we have do without expecting any credit there against.
Most
of our theories relating to motivation, performance, incentives and rewards do
not honor the natural human behavior. These theories deny intellectual and
spiritual superiority of human being that can supersede instinctive naturalness
in other living beings to make the man, perhaps, a greater contributor to the
affairs of the world.
Maybe,
if we deeply contemplate and make efforts for redefining our role as human
beings, we will be able to make our actions less violent, and hence, less
painful.
PROMOD KUMAR SHARMA
[The writer of this blog is also the author of “Mahatma A
Scientist of the Intuitively Obvious” and “In Search of Our Wonderful Words”.]
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