Today during my regular weekend visit to the blind school, one of the ten years old student have asked me a simple question: Uncle who is moral and who is a spiritual person? How do you differentiate them? A very thoughtful question for which I schmoozed with him by explaining stories of both kind. After my return, I now ponder deeply about the same question….
Distinction between Moral and Spiritual:
The cardinal belief of all Indian philosophy and religion, is that the Supreme Truth is a Being or Existence which is beyond the intellect, ego, mind and all physical appearances we contact in this world. Intellect, ego, mind, etc, are changing principles and being changing principles and being changeable, they need an unchangeable consciousness to know them and also to be their support. So beyond mind, life and body, there is to be found a transcendental and original spirit or self which comprises all that is finite and infinite and surpasses all that is relative and conditioned. Nature and Life are only limited manifestations of this Conscious Eternal. Hence, according to Indian conception “being spiritual” does not mean mental or psychical; on the contrary, it refers to the super mental consciousness. which is the central core of a human being. This philosophical dogma has been propagated through Indian scriptures.
Therefore, there is a difference between Moral and Spiritual values. Since moral refers to the standpoint of relative existence and spiritual to standpoint of transcendental existence, what is of value in the moral sphere appears as colorless in the domain of the spirit. Although the vision of the spirit may not involve the practice of ethical duties, still one who develops this vision sticks scrupulously to the path of the supreme value.
In fact, moral excellencies are generated in the embodied soul for the empirical life on the awakening of which impurities of intellect, emotion and will are totally eliminated. As a result one will attain moral purification. This is called anthahakarana or citta or self-consciousness. Being moral is being self-conscious to oneself in a rightful manner, rightful relative with time and space. The socio- moral good is closely linked with the good of the spirit and for this reason a four-fold scheme of human-life has been prescribed in the Indian Vedic literature or sutras. Relative morality in the forms of domestic, social and political morality is to be cultivated seriously and sincerely, because moral qualities in diversified forms constitute the sole basis of the spiritual culture of human beings. The ultimate truth can never be grasped merely by an intellectual endeavor. It is to be realized by the whole of a purified personality-a personality that has passed through different stages of life and has been purified both externally and internally.
Being moral & truthful is not to be seized either as mere philosophical speculation or as a mere theological dogma; it is something that is to be lived fully and is also to be made the central ruling principle of thought, life and action. Moral progress, means a gradual realization of the Good and the Divine. It is the firm belief that nobody can do good either to his own self or to society as a whole unless he cultivates the moral power of renouncing his own worldly happiness in favor of a greater happiness and higher truth.
Across the world, in these tumultuous times, everywhere and in all walks of life, there is a sense of harm and disparity. To live life more meaningful, one has to be self-conscious and spiritual to his lineage without any imbecility in the mind. All the outer wars are just repercussions and reflections of inner conflicts. Our unquenched anger is responsible for antagonism rampant in the whole world.
When we are not at peace with our own selves, we fight to seek it outside and get more and more intrigued. When we realize that the wars we entertain within us are more ominous, we become tranquil like a serene lake. One who is always ready to lose can never be won!!!!
sivaayyala 