Saturday, January 13, 2007

3. Cultivate Positive Attitudes


Understanding Positive Attitudes


There is nothing higher in life than Positive attitudes. Positive Attitudes bring glory and happiness to those who possess them. What else do we need? 31
There is no greater good than Positive Attitudes. There is no greater evil than not possessing them. 32
Positive Attitude is that course of conduct that keeps away desire, wrath and offensive speech. 35

Do not postpone adopting Virtues. Do not delay adopting Positive Attitudes. Start it now if you had not already started. She will be a great help in your life. 36

Do you want to know the fruits of Virtues? One who has practiced Virtues will be riding a palanquin; while those who have failed to practice the same would be carrying the palanquin. 37
Happiness can only come from observing Positive Attitudes. If you don’t adopt Positive Attitudes, you would be leading a life of suffering and misery. 39

The stories of great Sages performing impossible feats simply signify the fact that those who lead a life of Positive Attitudes can achieve the impossible. The simple message is you can achieve the impossible if you live a right life and that those who live a slave to their sense organs can achieve no success. 26

Such stories have also told us about kings who got reduced to nobody by sages who got angry at the non-virtuous acts of the kings. The message from such stories is that non-virtuous actions have the power of taking away all your existing wealth in a moment. 29

The Mother Earth does not tolerate people losing their Positive Attitudes and character and reflects her resentment through earth tremors. 990


Positive Attitude 1: Be Truthful

The definition of Truth is not in not uttering lies, but lies in not doing the evil. 291


If it would result in the good of every body, even untruth is truth. 292

Every one should abide by his conscience and should avoid speaking untruth. When untruth is uttered deliberately, the guilt feelings caused by his conscience would torture the untruthful throughout his life. 293

A person who never tells a lie would reside in the heart of all people in the community. Truthful behavior gains the appreciation of one and all. 294

A person adhering to truth and speaking truth is far superior to those who practice religion and donate money. 295

If you want to be a renowned person in this world, start speaking truth and adhering to truth. This one virtue would lead you to more Positive Attitudes and would make you a renowned person. 296

Even if you do not practice any other virtue, simply abstain from untruth. 297

Our body can be cleaned by water. Our mind can be cleaned by observance of truth.
298

A lamp is meant to show you the right path. The lamps that we see around us cannot do that. The real lamp that can lead us to the correct path is truth. Pursuit of truth alone can remove darkness and take us on the right path. 299

Many Positive Attitudes are talked about. Among them nothing is superior to truthfulness because all other Positive Attitudes have their source in truthfulness. 300

The right way to remove all pains in life is to go into the basics of whatever is presented to us and seek the truth behind. 359

People go behind the untruth due to desire, anger and ignorance. If we can get rid of these, we can get rid of all our sufferings in life. 360

Be righteous at all times. Be righteous ceaselessly. Be righteous in every way. 33

Be pure in mind. That is the only Virtues. All else is simple show 34

Practice righteousness every day. You would have avoided rebirth. 38

Do good and avoid evil. That is the law for all human beings. And that is Virtues 40


Positive Attitude 2: Practice Self control

Self control is a great virtue. People who have self control are treated as great souls. And those who do not have it, suffer untold miseries. 121

Consider self control as a great wealth and treasure it. There is no source that can do good to a person than the self control. 122

A person exercising restraint and self control is treated with respect even by wise people. It is the source of lasting name and fame. 123

. Exercise of self control and leading a principle centered life elevates a person to a height greater than a mountain. 124

People who cannot control themselves will earn many enemies. Tortoise protects himself by keeping within its shell. We should learn from the tortoise as to how to control our five senses within ourselves and be protected in all times to come. 126

The Positive Attitudes are waiting to come to those people of knowledge who practice self control. Even God is searching for one who had controlled his anger. 130

We all need to be sensitive to what the world considers as a blemish. If we are not sensitive to blameworthy acts, we would never learn to lead a life of righteousness. In effect we would be devoid of any Positive Attitudes. 1018

Adhering to the code of conduct is decorum. Lack of decorum disgraces homes, erodes social values and destroys every good around us. 1019

Positive Attitude 3: Be Disciplined

Discipline sustains dignity, leads you to eminence and thus would fetch you success. Love discipline more than your life. 131

Discipline will be your surest ally and greatest friend. Take its help and walk on the right path. 132

Discipline brings in you decorum which is a social virtue. Because of this admirable quality, it would bring fame to you and even to your family. On the contrary, indiscipline on your part will have the opposite effect for you and would make your life a misery. 133

Highest duty of a Brahmin is the study of Vedas. If he fails in that, still he can recover by taking it up for study even belatedly and restore his status in the society. But if he fails to observe discipline, he would lose his status and can never recover it. Thus we can accept the situation of learned people forgetting to do their duty which can always be rectified. But we can never accept the failure of learned people to observe discipline. 134

The presence of indiscipline in one prevents him from being constructive. And when he is not constructive, he cannot succeed in life. Thus it is impossible for an undisciplined person to succeed in life. 135

The people with strong mind will never think of any undisciplined deed, for they are fully aware of the evil consequences of indiscipline. 136

Good conduct is the path for achieving nobility. When you observe right conduct, you get crowned. But be undisciplined, you will get disgraced. 137

Discipline is the seed of all Positive Attitudes. Be disciplined and you will be grateful for all the good things that would flow into your life. But be undisciplined, you will land in all kinds of trouble since bad conduct is the source of all pain and suffering. 138

People who are disciplined, can never utter evil words even by slip of tongue. 139

All the learning is meant to impart discipline in personal life, social life and work life. And a disciplined life is one when we lead our lives in harmony with others. If you can’t live in harmony with others in family, work place or in society, you would be a fool despite your high learning and your education would go waste. 140

Greatness, like chastity, has to be acquired by self discipline and good conduct. 974

Positive Attitude 4: Practice result oriented discipline

We have heard of many sages having done penance in the ancient days. The penance they practiced was Self Discipline. They practiced tolerance and abstained from causing injury to others. 261

Only the disciplined can do penance. Doing penance calls for mind control. The indisciplined can’t do it. 262

It should not be thought that penance is something to be done in the forests by the sages. Penance is nothing but practising discipline in a strict manner. And practising discipline is a must for every one in a society. 263

By being disciplined, you can win anything in this world. It includes winning the enemies and winning wealth. 264

Penance is strict discipline no doubt. Penance is also persevering till the attainment of the goal. Once a person is determined to achieve his goal and goes after it with all the discipline, he is sure achieve it. 265

Penance is strict discipline and perseverance. And it is also doing one’s duty with all its sincerity and purpose. 266

Just as the gold gets purified when it is heated in fire, self disciplined people willingly go their problems and come out more pure. 267

Every one respects those who are highly disciplined and lead a spiritual life. 268

Self disciplined and virtuous people can overcome any problem including death. 269

Just as there are only a few rich and many poor people in this world, there are only a few people who are disciplined and have total control over their lives while many languish in destitution. 270

Positive Attitude 5: Maintain Modesty and Humility

Fear committing evil deeds. Have regard for decencies and observe modesty. 1011

Food, shelter and clothing are common to all human beings. What distinguishes you from the others and project you as a good person is modesty and sensitivity to shame.
1012

The common man is more worried about his body than to his soul. But noble men are more concerned about their soul [modesty] than to their body. Do you want to be a common man or a noble man? 1013

People who are worthy have a sense of shame and modesty. People who are unworthy, they are haughty and full of vanity, without the sense of shame or the modesty. 1014

Where can you find modesty? You can find modesty in the man who dreads blameful acts, either in himself or in the others. 1015

It is modesty that guards greatness in men. It is with modesty, the great people who go about achieving good in the world. 1016

Noble people would prefer to die than to lose their modesty. They would never lose modesty for the sake of life and they would never lead a life of shame. 1017

Those lacking in modesty are not people living on their own right. They are people acting at the instance of other interests and any evil force can take advantage of this and can manipulate them as puppets with their strings. 1020

Humility is a virtue in all people. But by practicing humility, rich people become richer. Practice humility before every one. You don’t become inferior, but superior with this greatest wealth. 125

Positive Attitude 6: Maintain Dignity and Honor

Even if they bring some benefit or even where you are in difficulties, never do anything that could affect your dignity and honor. 961

If you desire honor, do nothing dishonorable. If you desire to be respected by the others, never resort to do anything that is not in conformity with your dignity 962

Humility and Dignity are great Positive Attitudes. Practice humility even in prosperity. Maintain dignity even in adversity. 963

Even if one had occupied a high position, once fallen from grace, he loses all his importance and recognition. He becomes equivalent to the hair that has fallen on the ground from our head. 964

A small trivial mean act is sufficient to bring down a person of eminence from the high position he hitherto occupied. Even if they had been held in high position, they would be considered low once their indulging in a low act comes to light. 965

Live with honor and dignity. Work with honor and dignity. Never go behind things or people knowing fully well that your dignity is at stake. 966

Living in poverty is much better than risking your dignity. And never work for those people who put your self respect at premium. 967

Between loss of dignity and loss of life, the latter is to be preferred. Even if one keeps alive, the death of his dignity would make him die every day. Keeping the body alive in such circumstances is of no pleasure. 968

Just as there are different kinds of people, there are different kinds of deer. One of them is known as ‘Kavari’ which is known to sacrifice its life even if one hair of it falls down. For that animal, every hair represents its dignity. The man should similarly safeguard his dignity and be very sensitive to that. 969

The whole world respects those who sacrifice their lives when their honor is at stake. Such great souls prefer death to dishonor. 970

Positive Attitude 7: Keep your eyes and your mind kind

Think yourself as being confronted by stronger people than you are. Yourself trembling, you would expect compassion for you at their hands. Similarly, let there be compassion at your hands when you deal with weaker people. 250

The world can survive only if every one carries kindliness in their eyes and humanity in their demeanor. 571

Every one us live because someone is kind to us. If every one is unkind to one, he would have long exited this world. Those who lack kindliness would endanger others and are thus a burden to this earth. 572

Music means there has to be tune. A song without a tune is not a song. Eye means it has to carry kindness. An eye without kindness is no more an eye. 573

Eyes do not become eyes just because they remain on our face. An eye without kindness is of no utility. 574

We wear ornaments to make ourselves a beauty. The ornament to the eyes is kindliness. And without kindliness, our eyes would look sour and thus are a mere sore on our face.
575

Eyes without the expression of kindness resemble barren trees on the earth. 576

Eyes to be meaningful must be benign. Without benignity in his eyes, the man is actually blind. He would be blind to people’s woes. 577

We all need to perform our duties with a graceful mind. The right to live in this world is available only to those who can exercise kindness without affecting their duties. 578

The greatest virtue in one is extension of kind consideration even to those who bring grief to him. 579

A man is civilized only when he treats even bad people with equanimity. 580

If you are looking for virtues in a person without compassion and kindness, you are looking for light in the darkness. It is like looking for wisdom in a person without knowledge. Kindness is the base for all virtues. 249

Kind hearted people have always taken any situation in their stride. Accordingly they had never felt any hardship and had never been in any trouble. Human history has been a witness to this. 245

If you are graceful, no difficulties can ever affect you. You will never face any problem in leading life. 243

When you take care of interests of others and treat every one with kindness and compassion, no evil can come to you. 244

Positive Attitude 8: Go after what is Important

That knowledge is false which makes us believe unreal as real and unworthy as worthy. [The biggest unreal that people spend their time on are Films and TV shows. People, especially children spend so much time every day sitting before this unreal – Author]. Spending time in pursuit of such unreal things would make our lives painful and compel us to restart our lives. 351

Our lives would be fruitful only if we come out of this darkness to light and be able to see things in their real perspective. 352

Those who come out of unreal to real get the enlightenment. The day people get this enlightenment they would derive immense happiness in life. 353

To those who have not attained the true knowledge and are unable to distinguish between real and unreal, good and bad, their senses are of no use. They will continue to tread the wrong path despite presence of their eyes. 354

We should not go by the mere glitter or the other benefits offered by men or things presented before us. We should consider all the merits and demerits of the offer before accepting it. And that is true knowledge. 355

Those who possess true knowledge do not opt for the unreal things. 356

Those who have understood the truth would not opt for working with it for the second time. 357

To avoid repeat painful experiences one has to understand the true meaning and import of whatever they do. 358

Positive Attitude 9: Help the needy

Rendering help without expecting anything in return is a great virtue. It is larger than the oceans. It is more than the earth and heaven put together. 101 & 103

A timely help, even if it is small, transcends the whole world. 102

Living means giving to the needy. 231

All praise that is made in this world goes to those who help. 232

The clouds pour rain on this world to help us live. And the clouds do not expect anything in return. Similarly, we should help others without expecting anything in return. And that is benevolence. 211

Like the clouds gathering rain for giving it to the world, all the wealth we earn should be for helping others in need. Thus we should practice benevolence. 212

Being benevolent is the greatest virtue. There is nothing greater than this either in this world or in the worlds beyond. And even the God is known by His benevolence. 213

Being alive means being in harmony with nature. Being alive means being benevolent like the nature. And those who are not benevolent are as good as dead. 214

The benevolent Mother Nature provides us with ground water. The ground water continues to surface in the tanks to help people live. The more people draw water from the tanks, the nature surfaces more water for public use. Similar should be the wealth earned by the learned. The wealth at the hands of rich should be put to use of the needy. When that is done, the more it is shared with the needy, the more it would grow for further distribution. And that is the law of nature. 215

The benevolent Nature helps people by giving us fruit bearing trees. A fruit bearing tree continues to give fruits to the community, year after year. The more the community cherishes such trees, the more is given by the nature. We should also be so benevolent. The wealth in our hands should be so put to use for the community benefit. The more we do it, the more it would grow in our hands. And that is the law of nature. 216

The Nature’s benevolence is incomparable. The trees gifted to us by the nature not only give us fruits. They also serve us as medicines for cure of our illnesses. Any worthy person should so act that he comes to the help of people in times of their need. He should care for the people in such a manner as the trees care for us. 217

And more about the benevolence of trees, i.e. the benevolence of Mother Nature. Even when it is not the season to give fruits, the trees continue shower their benevolence on us by various other means such as giving us shade, wood, flowers, etc. Similarly, even during the period of our own shortages or lack, we should never cease to benevolent. People in need have different wants and a benevolent person always thinks in terms of helping people in need. 218

No benevolent man will ever shirk his dues to be kind and helpful even in times of his own distress. The river bed continues to help people even when it is running dry. 219

Opt to lead a life of benevolence. Even if other people tell you that you could lose yourself by helping others, never mind. Just proceed in the path of benevolence and you would be greatly blessed. 220

Positive Attitude 10: Give

Giving to poor alone is charity. All other giving is simply a barter. 221

Give and distribute your wealth. Do not take when you are in a position to give. Giving is a means to reach Heaven. Even if you don’t believe in Heaven, still give. 222

Never say “I don’t have anything”. Giving even when you claim you don’t have is the identification of great people. 223

Do not give taking pity on any body. While feeling the pity, you feel bad. It is never good to feel bad. Give yourself and feel glad seeing the receiver’s face blossoming. 224

If you want to give, give with a cheerful heart. Giving is incomplete if you can’t give with a pleasant look and with sweet words. 92

The more you can endure any pain, the stronger you become. Far greater than enduring one’s own pain, is the spirit of removing the pain of others. Give and quench the hunger of other people. 225

Quenching the hunger of poor is the best way to help yourself. You receive name and fame which you did not have before. 226

When you quench the hunger in others, the hunger will never come to you. By banishing hunger in others, you banish hunger in your own home. 227

Those who hoard wealth not only deprive themselves of the joy of giving, but also risk loss of their wealth by other means. 228

Solitary and unshared eating is much worse than begging. 229

Death is the biggest calamity in any family. Bigger than that is death of feelings of charity in one’s mind. 230

Positive Attitude 11: Have Attitude of Gratitude

The help received could have been a small one. But consider it a bigger one and hold your gratitude 104

The value of help rendered could have been small from the point of view of the giver. Its value should be assessed based on the value the receiver receives. 105

Never forget the pure hearts that helped you. Never give up your friendship with those who stood by you in times of your need. 106

Good people remember the help received in times of grief and pain all through the seven births and they never forget the friendship of those who helped them in their difficulties.
107

Help received should never be forgotten. Always be grateful to those who helped you. But forget whatever injury you may have suffered earlier. 108

One help done has the power of removing all the previous injuries if any inflicted by the same people. Do not be obsessed by the wound one may have caused you earlier. Think of the subsequent help he had done to you. 109

There is salvation for any bad deed you may have done. But there is no salvation for the sin of ingratitude. 110

Positive Attitude 12: Practice Tolerance and Forgiveness

Your character is brightened your tolerance. The more tolerance you cultivate, the more your character would shine. 154

The world does not respect those who use their strength to avenge wrongs done to them. The world cherishes like gold those who show tolerance and forbearance towards those who have done harm to them. 155

Forgive those who cause harm to you. Our Mother Earth does not retaliate against one who is digging the earth for one’s own gain. 151

Giving is always better than getting. But there is one place where getting is better than giving. And that is this. Forgetting the harm done to you is better than forgiving people who have done harm to you. 152

Poverty is something to be detested. More to be detested are people who suffer from poverty of hospitality for guests. In the same way, people deserving appreciation are those who are strong. More to be appreciated are strong who have the strength of forgiving those who do harm to them. 153

If you take revenge, you could feel pleased and that pleasure will last for a day. But the glory of those who have shown tolerance and forgiven the enemy last their entire life. 156

Even if others cause you harm do not cause harm to them. 157

Because of their false pride they do harm to you. Win them over by your nobility. 158

You stand far superior to the ascetics who have renounced the world when you ignore the hurtful words thrown at you by your enemies. That is the real renunciation. 159

People who penance are certainly great people. But greater than those are they who forbear the insults thrown at them. 160

Positive Attitude 13: Live to leave your Name

Living means giving to the needy and living in harmony both with the people and with the nature. If the above are not followed, living is meaningless. 231

Nothing in this world that can stand for ever except the fame achieved by great people.
233

Being learned and wise is a very good thing. But to be respected by Gods, you have to be a noble person of renown. 234

If you can live a noble life, your glory will survive even if you suffer difficulties and your fame will survive even after your death. 235

Achieve fame and glory in whatever you do. If you can’t achieve a name for yourself, it is better you were not born. 236

Those who cannot achieve name and fame not criticize any. All they need to do is to criticize themselves. 237

Living but not with glory and fame is a disgraceful life. 238

In a land where there is majority of unrenowned people, how can the nature shower its blessings? The ground which supports the unrenowned will lose its ability to produce.
239

The noble truly live in this world. The unrenowned only exist. 240

Become a Great Person

Good people are conscious of their duty and behave good with all people. Their Positive Attitudes lie in the nobility of their conduct. 981

Great people are great because of their good conduct that delights others. All other delights in this world are not delights at all. 982

Love, Modesty, Benevolence, Impartiality and Truthfulness are the five traits that make people great. 983

Humility adds to the strength of great people. And by being humble, they even disarm their enemies. 985

Great people do not stand on pride. They concede to their faults if there are any. 986

Noble people are those who do good even to those who cause harm to them. 987

Noble people do not mind living in poverty. Poverty is no disgrace for them. They value Positive Attitudes more than material wealth. 988

Oceans have their low tide and high tide. The oceans may recede but noble people remain firm on their principles. 989

1 comment:

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