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Showing posts with label Attitude. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Attitude. Show all posts
Saturday, 7 March 2020
Attitude Quotes That Will Help You Be More Positive - Part I
Attitude about Life Quotes That Will Help You Be More Positive - Part I
The word ‘attitude’ comes from the Italian for ‘posture’ is means it’s how you carry yourself, something you hold in your whole being, your entire approach to the world.
This positivity has the potential to benefit all areas of your life.
“Every day, it’s important to ask and answer these questions: “What’s good in my life?” and “What needs to be done?” – Nathaniel Branden
“Positive thinking is powerful thinking. If you want happiness, fulfillment, success and inner peace, start thinking you have the power to achieve those things. Focus on the bright side of life and expect positive results. ” – Germany Kent
“The saddest summary of a life contains three descriptions: could have, might have, and should have.” – Louis E. Boone
“Keep your dreams alive. Understand to achieve anything requires faith and belief in yourself, vision, hard work, determination, and dedication. Remember all things are possible for those who believe.” – Gail Devers
“Be bold and mighty forces will come to your aid. In the past, whenever I had fallen short in almost any undertaking, it was seldom because I had tried and failed. It was because I had let fear of failure stop me from trying at all.” – Arthur Gordon
“Darkness cannot drive out darkness: only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate: only love can do that.” – Martin Luther King Jr.
“Fairy tales are more than true: not because they tell us that dragons exist, but because they tell us that dragons can be beaten.” – Neil Gaiman
“The opposite of love is not hate, it’s indifference. The opposite of art is not ugliness, it’s indifference. The opposite of faith is not heresy, it’s indifference. And the opposite of life is not death, it’s indifference.” – Elie Wiesel
“Love yourself first and everything else falls into line. You really have to love yourself to get anything done in this world.” – Lucille Ball
“Optimism is the faith that leads to achievement. Nothing can be done without hope and confidence.” – Helen Keller
“So, this is my life. And I want you to know that I am both happy and sad and I’m still trying to figure out how that could be.” – Stephen Chbosky
“Somebody should tell us, right at the start of our lives, that we are dying. Then we might live life to the limit, every minute of every day. Do it! I say. Whatever you want to do, do it now! There are only so many tomorrows.” – Pope Paul VI
“The purpose of life, after all, is to live it, to taste experience to the utmost, to reach out eagerly and without fear for newer and richer experience.” – Eleanor Roosevelt
“Imperfection is beauty, madness is genius and it’s better to be absolutely ridiculous than absolutely boring.” – Marilyn Monroe
Whatever happens, take responsibility. Tony Robbins
attitude quotes never whine complain try justify yourself robert greene wisdom
Never whine, never complain, never try to justify yourself. Robert Greene
If opportunity doesn’t knock, build a door. Milton Berle
If you don’t like something, change it. If you can’t change it, change your attitude. Maya Angelou
It is good people who make good places. Anna Sewell
We are all in the gutter, but some of us are looking at the stars. Oscar Wilde
Sooner or later, those who win are those who think they can. Richard Bach
Nurture your mind with great thoughts, for you will never go any higher than you think. Benjamin Disraeli
Weakness of attitude becomes weakness of character. Albert Einstein
Keep your thoughts positive because your thoughts become your words. Keep your words positive because your words become your behavior. Keep your behavior positive because your behavior becomes your habits. Keep your habits positive because your habits become your values. Keep your values positive because your values become your destiny. Mahatma Gandhi
Men do not attract that which they want, but that which they are. James Allen
The weak make others feel inferior. The strong make others feel equal. Maxime Lagacé
A quick temper will make a fool of you soon enough. Bruce Lee
What they call you is one thing. What you answer to is something else. Lucille Clifton
It’s not what happens to you, but how you react to it that matters. Epictetus
The Best Attitude Quotes
A man sees in the world what he carries in his heart. Johann Wolfgang von Goethe
Your problem isn’t the problem, it’s your attitude about the problem. Ann Brashares
Excellence is not a skill. It is an attitude. Ralph Marston
To put the world right in order, we must first put the nation in order; to put the nation in order, we must first put the family in order; to put the family in order, we must first cultivate our personal life; we must first set our hearts right. Confucius
We lost because we told ourselves we lost. Leo Tolstoy
Things turn out best for the people who make the best of the way things turn out. John Wooden
Action springs not from thought, but from a readiness for responsibility. Dietrich Bonhoeffer
The meaning of things lies not in the things themselves, but in our attitude towards them. Antoine de Saint-Exupery
You really can change the world if you care enough. Marian Wright Edelman
I don’t like that man. I must get to know him better. Abraham Lincoln Click to tweet
The most effective attitude to adopt is one of supreme acceptance. Robert Greene Click to tweet
I am not a product of my circumstances. I am a product of my decisions. Stephen Covey
A discriminating irreverence is the creator and protector of human liberty. Mark Twain
The most important decision you make is to be in a good mood. Voltaire
What others think of me is none of my business. Unknown (Submitted by the Wisdom Quotes Community)
In the depth of winter I finally learned that there was in me an invincible summer. Albert Camus
When you can’t change the direction of the wind — adjust your sails. H. Jackson Brown Jr
Your living is determined not so much by what life brings to you as by the attitude you bring to life; not so much by what happens to you as by the way your mind looks at what happens. Kahlil Gibran
Two things define you: your patience when you have nothing and your attitude when you have everything. George Bernard Shaw
No one will hit you harder than life itself. It doesn’t matter how hard you hit back. It’s about how much you can take, and keep fighting, how much you can suffer and keep moving forward. That’s how you win. Sylvester Stallone
An optimist is the human personification of spring. Susan J. Bissonette
You cannot have a positive life and a negative mind. Joyce Meyer
What Is Attitude?
Attitude is a little thing that makes a big difference. Winston Churchill
Attitudes are nothing more than habits of thought. John C. Maxwell
Attitudes are a secret power working twenty-four hours a day, for good or bad. It is of paramount importance that we know how to harness and control this great force. Irving Berlin
Attitude is more important than the past, than education, than money, than circumstances, than what people do or say. It is more important than appearance, giftedness, or skill. W. C. Fields
Attitude is everything, so pick a good one. Wayne Dyer
Attitude is altitude. Nick Vujicic
The Most Famous Attitude Quotes (Einstein, Keller, Shakespeare, etc.)
No one can make you feel inferior without your consent. Eleanor Roosevelt
Life is 10% what happens to me and 90% of how I react to it. John C. Maxwell
The greatest discovery of all time is that a person can change his future by merely changing his attitude. Oprah Winfrey
When one door of happiness closes, another opens; but often we look so long at the closed door that we do not see the one which has been opened for us. Helen Keller
A pessimist is one who makes difficulties of his opportunities and an optimist is one who makes opportunities of his difficulties. Harry S. Truman
If you are going to achieve excellence in big things, you develop the habit in little matters. Excellence is not an exception, it is a prevailing attitude. Colin Powell
When everything seems to be going against you, remember that the airplane takes off against the wind, not with it. Henry Ford
If you think you can, you can. And if you think you can’t, you’re right. Henry Ford Click to tweet
I’m a great believer in luck and I find the harder I work, the more I have of it. Thomas Jefferson
Always bear in mind that your own resolution to succeed is more important than any other one thing. Abraham Lincoln
If you do not change direction, you may end up where you are heading. Lao Tzu
You must be the change you want to see in the world. Mahatma Gandhi
I can’t change the direction of the wind, but I can adjust my sails to always reach my destination. Jimmy Dean
Opportunity is missed by most people because it is dressed in overalls and looks like work. Thomas A. Edison
There is nothing either good or bad but thinking makes it so. William Shakespeare
Keep your face to the sunshine and you cannot see a shadow. Helen Keller
Pessimism never won any battle. Dwight D. Eisenhower
Your attitude, not your aptitude, will determine your altitude. Zig Ziglar
Some More famous quotes
Attitudes are more important than facts. George MacDonald
I will not take “but” for an answer. Langston Hughes
Your aspirations are your possibilities. Samuel Johnson
Attitude will always define who we are in life. Mark A. Brennan
To fly, we have to have resistance. Maya Lin
Preparation + Attitude + Opportunity + Action = Luck. John C. Maxwell
Every wall is a door. Ralph Waldo Emerson
A bad attitude is worse than a bad swing. Payne Stewart
Only you can control your future. Dr. Seuss
Perpetual optimism is a force multiplier. Colin Powell
Every day brings new choices. Martha Beck
Responsibility is the great developer of men. Mary Parker Follett
You become what you think about. Napoleon Hill
If you think you can’t, you’re right. Carol Bartz
Attitude determines the altitude of life. Edwin Louis Cole
Only I can change my life. No one can do it for me. Carol Burnett
I don’t get lucky. I make my own luck. Harvey Specter (Suits)
Inspirational And Uplifting Attitude Quotes
If you own this story you get to write the ending. Brené Brown
Strength and growth come only through continuous effort and struggle. Napoleon Hill
You cannot dream yourself into a character; you must hammer and forge yourself one. James A. Froude
Take the attitude of a student, never be too big to ask questions, never know too much to learn something new. Og Mandino
The greatest revolution of our generation is the discovery that human beings, by changing the inner attitudes of their minds, can change the outer aspects of their lives. William James
Put yourself in a state of mind where you say to yourself, “Here is an opportunity for me to celebrate like never before, my own power, my own ability to get myself to do whatever is necessary”. Unknown
The quickest way to change your attitude toward pain is to accept the fact that everything that happens to us has been designed for our spiritual growth. M. Scott Peck
And as we let our own light shine, we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same. As we are liberated from our fear, our presence automatically liberates others. Marianne Williamson
The world belongs to those who set out to conquer it armed with self-confidence and good humour. Charles Dickens
The truth is that our finest moments are most likely to occur when we are feeling deeply uncomfortable, unhappy, or unfulfilled. For it is only in such moments, propelled by our discomfort, that we are likely to step out of our ruts and start searching for different ways or truer answers. M. Scott Peck
Then, without realizing it, you try to improve yourself at the start of each new day; of course, you achieve quite a lot in the course of time. Anyone can do this, it costs nothing and is certainly very helpful. Whoever doesn’t know it must learn and find by experience that a quiet conscience makes one strong. Anne Frank
Build your own dreams, or someone else will hire you to build theirs. Farrah Gray
The price of greatness is responsibility. Winston Churchill
When you’re backed against the wall, break the goddamn thing down. Harvey Specter (Suits)
Bite off more than you can chew, then chew it. Ella Williams
Change your thoughts and you change your world. Norman Vincent Peale
Small opportunities are often the beginning of great enterprises. Demosthenes
I don’t think of all the misery but of the beauty that still remains. Anne Frank
Funny And Surprising Attitude Quotes
I’ve developed a new philosophy. I only dread one day at a time. Charlie Brown
I am convinced that life is 10% what happens to me and 96% how I react to it. Scipio Africanus
Life is a shipwreck, but we must not forget to sing in the lifeboats. Voltaire
You’re lucky if you found a person who never gets tired of understanding your nonsense attitude. Unknown
Before you diagnose yourself with depression or low self-esteem, first make sure you are not, in fact, surrounded by assholes. Sigmund Freud
Fuck it… That’s really the attitude that keeps a family together, it’s not “we love each other”, it’s just “fuck it, man”. Louis C.K.
Let them hate. Just make sure they spell your name right. Harvey Specter (Suits)
Life has no remote. Get up and change it yourself. Mark A. Cooper
A bad attitude is like a flat tire. You can’t go anywhere until you change it. Unknown
Deep And Emotional Attitude Quotes
People only see what they are prepared to see. Ralph Waldo Emerson
We don’t see things as they are, we see them as we are. Anais Nin
If you don’t get everything you want, think of the things you don’t get that you don’t want. Oscar Wilde
For everything there is a season, and a time for every matter under heaven: a time to be born, and a time to die; a time to plant, and a time to pluck up what is planted; a time to kill, and a time to heal; a time to break down, and a time to build up; a time to weep, and a time to laugh; a time to mourn, and a time to dance; a time to throw away stones, and a time to gather stones together; a time to embrace, and a time to refrain from embracing; a time to seek, and a time to lose; a time to keep, and a time to throw away; a time to tear, and a time to sew; a time to keep silence, and a time to speak; a time to love, and a time to hate, a time for war, and a time for peace. Ecclesiastes 3:1-8
We who lived in concentration camps can remember the men who walked through the huts comforting others, giving away their last piece of bread. They may have been few in number, but they offer sufficient proof that everything can be taken from a man but one thing: the last of the human freedoms – to choose one’s attitude in any given set of circumstances, to choose one’s own way. Viktor Frankl
We must be as courteous to a man as we are to a picture, which we are willing to give the advantage of a good light. Ralph Waldo Emerson
The thing always happens that you really believe in; and the belief in a thing makes it happen. Frank Lloyd Wright
Circumstances do not make you what you are, they reveal what you are. John C. Maxwell Click to tweet
Always keep that happy attitude. Pretend that you are holding a beautiful fragrant bouquet. Earl Nightingale
My life is an indivisible whole, and all my attitudes run into one another; and they all have their rise in my insatiable love for mankind. Mahatma Gandhi
Behavior is the mirror in which everyone shows their image. Johann Wolfgang von Goethe
The worst thing that can happen to a man who gambles is to win. Charles Spurgeon
We are what we pretend to be, so we must be careful about what we pretend to be. Kurt Vonnegut
Wise Attitude Quotes (Words Of Wisdom)
People who say it cannot be done should not interrupt those who are doing it. George Bernard Shaw
Eagles come in all shapes and sizes, but you will recognize them chiefly by their attitudes. E. F. Schumacher
He who has so little knowledge of human nature as to seek happiness by changing anything but his own disposition will waste his life in fruitless efforts. Samuel Johnson
Better to be emotionally intelligent than intellectually intelligent. Neil Strauss
Your attitude is more important than your capabilities. Similarly, your decision is more important than your capabilities. Jack Ma
To be upset over what you don’t have is to waste what you do have. Unknown
You can’t always have a good day. But you can always face a bad day with a good attitude. Unknown
Ability is what you’re capable of doing. Motivation determines what you do. Attitude determines how well you do it. Lou Holtz
People of little understanding are most apt to be angry when their sense is called into question. Samuel Richardson
So is cheerfulness, or a good temper, the more it is spent, the more remains. Ralph Waldo Emerson
The ideal attitude is to be physically loose and mentally tight. Arthur Ashe
It isn’t what happens to us that causes us to suffer; it’s what we say to ourselves about what happens. Pema Chodron
Character is the result of two things: mental attitude and the way we spend our time. Elbert Hubbard
Correction does much, but encouragement does more. Johann Wolfgang von Goethe
Don’t spend your precious time asking “Why isn’t the world a better place?” It will only be time wasted. The question to ask is “How can I make it better?” To that there is an answer. Leo Buscaglia
Having a positive mental attitude is asking how something can be done rather than saying it can’t be done. Robert Foster Bennett
A happy person is not a person in a certain set of circumstances, but rather a person with a certain set of attitudes. Hugh Downs
You cannot tailor-make the situations in life but you can tailor-make the attitudes to fit those situations. Zig Ziglar
Attitude Quotes About Life, Happiness, Friendship, Love
Be happy in the moment, that’s enough. Each moment is all we need, not more. Mother Teresa
The greatest part of our happiness depends on our dispositions, not our circumstances. Martha Washington
The primary cause of unhappiness is never the situation but your thoughts about it. Eckhart Tolle
A loving person lives in a loving world. A hostile person lives in a hostile world. Ken Keyes Jr.
It is good to have an end to journey towards; but it is the journey that matters in the end. Ursula Le Guin
It isn’t what you have or who you are or where you are or what you are doing that makes you happy or unhappy. It is what you think about it. Dale Carnegie
It is very important to generate a good attitude, a good heart, as much as possible. From this, happiness in both the short term and the long term for both yourself and others will come. Dalai Lama
You cannot all abandon your possessions, but at least you can change your attitude about them. All getting separates you from others; all giving unites to others. Francis of Assisi
The remarkable thing is that we really love our neighbor as ourselves: we do unto others as we do unto ourselves. We hate others when we hate ourselves. We are tolerant toward others when we tolerate ourselves. We forgive others when we forgive ourselves. We are prone to sacrifice others when we are ready to sacrifice ourselves. Eric Hoffer
I have found that if you love life, life will love you back. Arthur Rubinstein
The Kingdom of Heaven is not a place, but a state of mind. John Burroughs
The longer I live, the more I realize the impact of attitude on life. Charles R. Swindoll
Good humour is one of the best articles of dress one can wear in society. William Makepeace
If you want light to come into your life, you need to stand where it is shining. Guy Finley
You are not what happened to you, you are what you choose to become. Unknown
Whenever you’re in conflict with someone, there is one factor that can make the difference between damaging your relationship and deepening it. That factor is attitude. William James
When you choose to be pleasant and positive in the way you treat others, you have also chosen, in most cases, how you are going to be treated by others. Zig Ziglar
Your attitude is everything, and it determines how you experience every aspect of your life. Gerald Jampolsky
Most folks are as happy as they make up their minds to be. Abraham Lincoln
Believe that life is worth living and your belief will help create the fact. William James
Tuesday, 7 December 2010
This is attitude
This is attitude
IF AN EGG IS BROKEN BY AN OUTSIDE FORCE..A LIFE ENDS.
IF AN EGG BREAKS FROM WITHIN...... .LIFE BEGINS.
GREAT THINGS ALWAYS BEGIN FROM WITHIN .
IT'S BETTER TO LOSE YOUR EGO TO THE ONE YOU LOVE.
THAN TO LOSE THE ONE YOU LOVE ....... BECAUSE OF EGO

This is attitude
WHY WE HAVE SO MANY TEMPLES, IF GOD IS EVERYWHERE ?
A WISE MAN SAID :
AIR IS EVERYWHERE,
BUT WE STILL NEED A FAN TO FEEL IT .
This is attitude
WHEN YOU TRUST SOMEONE TRUST HIM COMPLETELY WITHOUT
ANY DOUBT....... AT THE END YOU WOULD GET ONE OF THE TWO :
EITHER A LESSON FOR YOUR LIFE OR A VERY GOOD PERSON
(Hillary and Tensing in picture)
SOLDIER : SIR WE ARE SURROUNDED FROM ALL SIDES BY ENEMIES ,
MAJOR : EXCELLENT ! WE CAN ATTACK IN ANY DIRECTION.
THE WORST IN LIFE IS "ATTACHMENT " IT HURTS WHEN YOU LOSE IT. THE BEST THING IN LIFE IS " LONELINESS " BECAUSE IT TEACHES YOU EVERYTHING AND, WHEN YOU LOSE IT, YOU GET EVERYTHING.

This is attitude
"You never conquer a mountain. You stand on the summit a few moments; then the wind blows your footprints away."
-Arlene Blum
This is attitude
“I hear and I forget.
I see and I remember.
I do and I understand.”
Chinese proverb
“The greatest waste in the world is the difference between what we are and what we could become.”
Ben Herbste
Friday, 30 May 2008
Four Purusharthas or Four aims of Human Life in Hinduism
Purusharthas or the Four aims of Human Life
Purusha means either God or a human being. Artha means an object or objective. "Purusharthas" means objectives of a human being. Purusha does not mean male in the physical sense, but any soul in its differentiated aspect. So the purusharthas are applicable to both men and women equally.
The purusharthas serve as pointers in the life of a human being. They are based on the vision of God which is evident in the creation He manifested and which can be followed by man to be part of that vision and in harmony with His aims. His worlds are established on the principles of dharma. They are filled with the abundance of material and spiritual beings and energies, who seek fulfillment by achieving their desires and liberation. Since man is God in his microcosmic aspect, he too should emulate God and manifest the same reality in his own little world. He should pursue the same aims, experience life in its fullness and be an instrument of God by serving the purpose for which he has been created. The four chief aims or purusharthas are:
1. Dharma (righteousness),
2. Artha (wealth),
3. Kama (desire) and
4. Moksha (salvation or liberation).
The rationale behind these purusharthas becomes clear when we consider the basic tenets of Hinduism. Man is an aspect of God. He is God's objective reality in creation. He exists in relationship with God like a reflection in the mirror that is somewhat different yet inseparable and somewhat similar. Veiled in him is the true self by the influence and involvement of Prakriti or primordial nature. The purpose of his life upon earth is to follow the law (dharma) of God and achieve salvation (moksha) or freedom from his false self (ahamkara) by leading a balanced life in which both material comforts and human passions have their own place and legitimacy.
Man cannot simply take birth on earth and start working for his salvation right away by means of just dharma alone. If that is so man would never realize why he would have to seek liberation in the first place. As he passes through the rigors of life and experiences the problem of human suffering, he learns to appreciate the value of liberation. He becomes sincere in his quest for salvation. So we have the four goals, instead of just one, whose pursuit provides us with an opportunity to learn important lessons and move forward on the spiritual path. What the purusharthas characterize is not a life of self-negation, but of balance, complexity, richness, opportunities and moderation in a cosmic drama of immense proportions in which man ultimately envisions and experiences his true grandeur and fulfills the very purpose of his creation.
Every individual in Hindu society is expected to achieve these four objectives with detachment, without any expectation and as a sacrificial offering to God in the ritual of human life. They have to be pursued selflessly for a higher and greater cause. Depending upon the attitude and the manner in which we pursue them, they either set us free or entangle us deeper with the allurements of human life.
Dharma
The first of the goals is dharma, a word which is difficult to translate in English. Since the same word is used in many eastern religions, it means many things to many people and eludes a true definition. It has been variously translated as duty, faith, religion, righteousness, sacred law, justice, ethics, morality and so on. According to one school of Hinduism, dharma is an obligatory duty as prescribed by the Vedas to be performed by an individual in accordance with the rules prescribed for the caste to which he or she belongs. God is an upholder of dharma because he performs His duties even though they are not obligatory and He is without desire or preference.
There is no word in Latin or English that can truly explain the complex meaning of dharma. Its first letter "dha" is also the first letter of dharitri, the earth, which is suggestive of its connection with the earth or earthly life. In a wider sense, dharma is the secret glue, the binding force, which upholds and regulates this entire creation just as the gravitational force controls and holds the entire material universe as one piece. It is the divine constitution that defines our roles and responsibilities, our social and moral order, our purpose and goals and the rewards and punishments that are appropriate for our actions. It is the law of God that is sacred, inviolable and pervasive. It is responsible for order, regularity, harmony, control, predictability and accountability. According to Manusmriti, dharma is four footed in the Krita age and loses one leg in each successive age. Thus in the fourth and last age of Kali, it becomes crippled and rests upon just one leg.
Dharma exists in all planes, in all aspects and at all levels of creation. In the context of human life, dharma consists of all that an individual undertakes in harmony with divine injunctions and his own sense of morality and justice. However to comprehend the true nature of dharma is not an easy task. The world is enveloped in illusion as our human minds are. What we see in the world and learn from it may not be true and reliable. What we consider as right and wrong or dharma and adharma may not stand the test of truth. Hence to practice dharma we are advised to rely upon the scriptures and follow the injunctions contained there in.
The sources of dharma are the Vedas, the Vedangas, the Sutra literature of which the most important are the Dharmashastras, and scriptures such as the Bhagavadgita. In ancient India dharmashastras (law books) played an important role in guiding people on the path of dharma. It is however difficult to say how far they are relevant in the present age. One should also remember that dharma should not be viewed as end in itself but the means to a still higher end, liberation.
Artha
Artha means wealth. Hinduism recognizes the importance of material wealth for the overall happiness and well being of an individual. A house holder requires wealth, because he has to perform many duties to uphold dharma and take care of the needs of his family and society. A person should not seek wealth for wealth sake but to uphold dharma and help the members of his family and society achieve their goals. Hinduism therefore rightly places material wealth as the second most important objective in human life. While dharma and moksha are meant for oneself, wealth and sex are to be pursued for the sake of others. Lord Vishnu is the best role model for any householder. He leads a luxurious life, served by the goddess of wealth herself, but is very dutiful, helpful, responsive and righteous. So was Lord Krishna while he was in human form. He lived a very luxurious life, but was righteous, detached and balanced.
Hinduism advocates austerity, simplicity and detachment, but does not glorify poverty. Wealth is not an impediment to self-realization, but attachment to wealth is. Desire for wealth is different from greed for wealth. Selfless desire for wealth is preferable to selfish desire for wealth. Money and wealth are a form of divine energy. God is abundance. He is endowed with eight kinds of wealth. But as Sri Aurobindo pointed out we have negative attitude mostly about wealth because hostile and negative forces want us believe so and thereby prevent its use for righteous reasons.
Seeking wealth through human actions is not discouraged in Hinduism. The vedic hymns are mostly invocations addressed to gods and goddesses by men desiring wealth and prosperity. However they also emphasize the need for right intention, right means and moderation in the pursuit of wealth. Aiming for wealth is a virtue, but greed is not. Amassing wealth for the family and for the welfare of oneself is not sinful, but taking what does not belong to one is. Hinduism, Jainism and Buddhism benefited greatly in the past by the individual contribution of rich merchants, their wives and children.
Poverty has become a grotesque reality in present day Hindu society and erroneously considered by many as a virtue. This is a Christian influence. Hindus have become so poverty conscious that if a saint or a sage leads a comfortable life, they scoff at him, saying that he is not a true yogi. They have to remind themselves of the simple fact that none of the Hindu gods and goddesses are really poor. While they always help the poor and the needy, none of them glorify poverty as a virtue. According to Hinduism all experiences are self created and provide an opportunity to learn. So is poverty and so is wealth. Renunciation does not mean to leave aside wealth or denounce the wealthy. It means detachment from wealth. To become indifferent to the comforts and discomforts of life caused by wealth.
Hinduism advocates moderation and balance in the pursuit of material and spiritual goals. Some Hindus think otherwise, ignoring the fact that what is applicable to an ascetic does not apply to a householder. Swami Vivekananda rightly said that religion was not for the empty stomachs. When a person is beset with survival problems, he would hardly find any solace in religion. Soothing words would not comfort a hungry soul as much as a morsel of food.
Kama
Kama in a broader sense means desire and in a narrow sense sexual desire. Both Hinduism and Buddhism consider desire as the root cause of human suffering. According to the Bhagavadgita, desire leads delusion and bondage to the cycle of births and deaths. The way out of suffering is to become detached from the sense objects through such practices as yoga and meditation and perform desireless actions as a sacrificial offerings to God with a sense of duty, accepting God as the doer and without hankering after the fruit of one's actions. According to Manusmriti man performs sacrifices because of the desire for rewards, with the expectation that his actions will bear fruit. Not a single act of him here on earth appears ever to be done by a man free from desire. So he who performs his prescribed duties out of desire in the right manner will obtain the fulfillment of all the desires and reach the deathless state or even beyhond1. As we can see the right way to fulfill one's desire is by performing one's obligatory duties in the right manner but not by neglecting them so that the way of the dharma also becomes the way of fulfillment of desires.
Hinduism differs from other religions in its interpretation and approach to the subject of sex. Sex can be either a means to liberation and happiness in life or a great hindrance and cause of suffering depending upon how we approach it. In any case ultimately one has to overcome it to achieve salvation. It can be done either by abstaining from it or by indulging in it. The former is the way of the Vedanta and the latter the way of the Tantras. One is the way of suppression and the other the way of expression through detachment and understanding in which sexual energy is sublimated and transformed into a higher form of energy. It is just the way you learn to handle fire. In both cases the difficulties are way too many and so are the risks. Sexual desire is the ultimate of all desires and unless it is overcome one is not free from the taints of maya.
In Hinduism there is permission for sexual activity up to a limit, so long as it is not in conflict with the principles of dharma and used for the purposes of procreation, perpetuation of family and social order, within the boundaries established by tradition, social norms and scriptures. Sexual activity is part of obligatory duty and not to be misused for enjoyment as it would lead to attachment, delusion and one's downfall. Sexual relationship outside marriage is not permitted except in special circumstances as laid down in the Dharmashastras. Marriage is a sacred institution in which both the husband and wife join their energies and destinies to promote each other's liberation by performing their respective obligatory duties, which only married couple can perform. Through the bonds of marriage they also bind their respective karmas.
While the law books draw a clear demarcation between legitimate and illegitimate sex, sex by itself is not considered unclean or sinful. Sexual desire is an important and legitimate aspect of manava dharma (human obligations) and is created by nature to perpetuate life in the material plane. Creation itself is a continuation of the union between Purusha and Prakriti, the male and female aspects of the manifest universe, which is symbolically represented in the form of Sivalinga. Creation ends when this union ends. Sexual desire is also the last stronghold of Prakriti and the final refuge of our attachment with samsara. It is the most difficult spiritual obstacle to be overcome. In most people it perpetuates the delusion of the mind and serves as an important force of Prakriti by which she maintains her stranglehold upon them and keeps them bound to the cycle of births and deaths.
The ambivalent attitude of Hinduism on the subject of sex is rooted in its historical growth during which it assimilated divergent traditions and practices of which some were derived from ancient fertility cults. It becomes evident as we go through the scriptures and find in them various stories related to the libidinous activities of various gods and goddesses. While on the one hand we have an established school of opinion that considers celibacy as a great virtue and a necessary condition for liberation, on the other we have stories from the Hindu Puranas which depict the sexual exploits of gods and goddesses and the odd situations that develop out of them.
Some of the stories give us an impression that the gods are oversexed beings who cannot control themselves from temptation in the company of beautiful women. Besides sensuous gods, there are celestial nymphs of indescribable beauty who add passion and drama to Hindu mythology through their activities. At times they descend to earth to disturb and distract the minds of ascetic people who are absorbed in deep meditation. Even Siva, Vishnu and Krishna are not above reproach. Many divinities and legendary heroes, including Bharata the founder of the Indian race are born out of illegitimate sexual conduct. Scholars however tend to consider these stories of sexual union to be symbolic in nature and not to be taken literally.
Whatever may be the truth, sex constituted an important aspect of Hindu society from ancient times. The Dharmashastras prescribed a definite code of conduct to safeguard the social and moral order. Married women were not allowed to meet men in private when they were not accompanied by their husbands or, in their absence, any other male member of their families. Women whose husbands died were allowed to beget children through their brother-in-laws (Gautama 18.4). A marriageable maiden who was not given in marriage had the freedom to choose her sexual partners after giving up the ornaments she received from her family and parents (Gautama 18.20). To avoid misuse of this provision, the scriptures recommended that girls should be married before they reached puberty. Adultery was a punishable offence while killing an unchaste woman or a prostitute was not (Gautama 22.26&27). Mental attitude, the state of mind and the dominant quality of Prakriti at the time of sexual union were considered important because they impacted the children who were born out of such unions. Polygamy was an accepted social norm. It bred intrigue and jealousy among women who shared a common husband. Women were sold and brought in the market place. While sex with unmarried maidens was a lesser taboo, adultery was a punishable offence. More so if it happened between a lower caste male and higher caste female.
According to Hinduism, sex in an important aspect of human life, but lust is not. Lust is one of the chief enemies of man. It is a demonic quality, just as greed and pride are, and one of the biggest hurdles on the spiritual path. All lustful activity would result in sin with unhappy consequences for all those involved in it directly or indirectly. Even gods are not spared from the consequences of lustful sex. However, prostitutes and pleasure girls added color and zest to ancient Hindu society. Some of them were highly skilled in the art and science of sex. They were patronized and frequented by men of repute. They employed various tricks to attract men and keep them under their charm. Prostitution is still a rampant problem in India and one of the chief concerns of women activists and welfare organizations.l
One of the notable developments within Hinduism during the post Mauryan period was the rise of tantrism which upheld sexual activity and considered it to be an expression of the divine. The Tantrics indulged in various kinds of esoteric sexual rites to experience the blissful nature of God. They believed in the possibility of sublimating sexual energy through austerities and penances to transcend one's lower nature and achieve higher states of consciousness. They practiced various breathing and yoga techniques to prolong their sexual prowess so that they could experiences higher states of blissful consciousness during sexual union practiced with detachment. These sects continue to remain on the fringes of society attracting ridicule and criticism and largely unknown and misunderstood by the general public. For the vast majority of Hindus, sex is a taboo unless it is in tune with the social, moral and religious laws.
Moksha
The pursuit of dharma regulates the life of a human being and keeps him on the righteous path. The pursuit of artha and kama enrich his experience and impart to him valuable lesson. The pursuit of moksha or salvation liberates him and lead him to the world Brahman. The pursuit of dharma usually begins in the early age when one is initiated into religious studies. The pursuit of artha and kama begins in most cases after one becomes a householder. The pursuit of moksha however is the most important of all aims and can begin at any time. The other aims are preparatory for this final aim. However, in most cases, though not correctly, moksha becomes an important pursuit in the old age during vanaprastha or the age of retirement. Moksha is both a purushartha and a paramartha (transcendental aim), which is important not only for men but alsi for the divine beings.
Moksha actually means absence of moha or delusion. Delusion is caused by the inter play of the triple gunas, the activity of the senses, attachment with and desire for sense objects. A person achieves liberation when he increases the quality of sattva, suppressing rajas and tamas and overcomes his desire for sense objects by detachment, self control, surrender to god and offering of one's actions to God. There are many paths to salvation and all of them lead to God. The main paths are the path of knowledge, of action, of devotion and of renunciation. Each path has its own advantages and disadvantages. whatever may be the path, the help and guidance of a guru is indispensable to one's spiritual journey. A guru is God in human form whose his chief purpose is to remove the darkness hidden in the hearts and minds of his disciples and help them find their true selves.
The purpose of purusharthas is to ensure that people would not neglect their obligatory duties in their deluded state by becoming obsessed with particular desires that may lead to moral and social decadence and destruction of family values. The four Purusharthas are responsible for balance in human life. They make life a rewarding and enriching experience. They cater to the spiritual and material aspirations of human beings and lead them in the right direction on the path of liberation. The exemplify the very functioning of God who, without any particular aim or desire, detached, seeks to establish these four aims in the entire manifest creation through his trinity of Brahma, Vishnu and Mahesha and Himself as the highest and supreme aim of all. Thus by worshiping Brahma we can gain the knowledge of dharma and perform our obligatory duties with precision and perfection. By worshiping Vishnu we can gain material and spiritual wealth and work for the welfare of our families and society. By worshiping Siva we can seek the fulfillment of our desires and overcome our delusion and finally by pursuing Brahman, or any of these gods as Brahman, we can achieve liberation by becoming Brahman Himself.
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