The Becoming of a Sage

Dr. Rajesh Bhola
India
May 16, 2014

 
While we may be living in a highly material world, we should never give up on learning. We learn our lessons by reflecting on our experiences; they present us with great opportunities to first understand and then confront and overcome our obstacles. With constant learning we become wiser. A truly wise person is a master of two worlds, the world within and the world outside - and is not a slave of any. Such persons are bestowed with wisdom and humility. The sagacious have a unique perception of reality. Their character is one of spontaneity, receptivity, a problem-centered approach, detachment, a fresh perspective, a democratic attitude, a unique value system and a capacity to cope. Recognising, cultivating and fostering sage-like attributes is part of the process of human transformation. Human existence is a metaphysical reality wherein people return to the original condition of Nature, after resolving life's agitations, disorders and strife by attaining personal tranquility. The intent of religions is also to help people attain an inner state of perfection or tranquility. 

When one becomes enlightened, one's entire personality merges with Nature or reality, and a state of perfect harmony is experienced. To become free from negative feelings - such as fear, anxiety, insecurity and frustration - or from inhibiting ideas or imaginations, it is necessary for people to experience themselves without division. Such people are also able to transcend the effects of ‘karma’. The enlightened, self-actualised person – the sage - is detached yet compassionate, enjoys life yet does not cling to it, is a perfectionist yet indifferent to success or failure, is a man of honour yet avoids reaping it, does not strive yet achieves, and has the innocence of a child yet possesses incredible inner strength. These paradoxes are in harmony in a sage. Sages live in close harmony with the natural rhythm and flow of life. Their closeness to Nature is organic and spiritual. Even in the midst of city life they remain intimately close to the instinctual and natural in themselves, and their innate goodness guides them; they never become a part of society's furtive scramble to reach an imaginary pinnacle. In a milieu of envy and greed they remain, if not untouched, then at least unstained by the destructive negative emotions around them. They give themselves up to whatever the moment brings. In harmony with their natural environment they live effortlessly, in the knowledge that happiness cannot be bought or won or accomplished - for it is not a prize, a commodity, an aim or a position. Sages relish every moment of life there is to enjoy, and suffer with grace when their inevitable turn arrives. They live by the principle of calmness in victory, tranquility in defeat and serenity when confronted by the inevitability of suffering. They do not rely on externals to provide them with spiritual strength, for they know that dependence on external factors - such as status, wealth, popularity, hedonism, success, knowledge and relationships - is the reason why modern man crumples so easily in the face of defeat, failure or loss. Sages truly understand that life itself acquires meaning only when you satisfy your spiritual needs by living in total harmony with the self. 

Sages are men of peace, but yet carry within themselves the formidable qualities of warriors. It is not about weapons and traditional warfare. Great warriors are those who can avoid conflict and never have to be violent. As warriors they learn the art of subduing their adversaries without humiliating them. They also have the courage to conquer themselves. They are able to face impossible odds and the worst adversaries with grace and courage. However, they are  not pacifists. When left with no other option, they fight skillfully and dispassionately - but do not rejoice in victory. Nor do they fear defeat; it does not carry the sting of humiliation, as they do not have an ego that can be hurt. The sages do not  fall for the misconception that it is the fruit that makes the tree good; they know that the fruit is good because the tree is good. The sages realise that you have to start with yourself first; it is what you are that turns a deed into something good. They are not enamoured of being ‘men of action’, in a vain effort to prove their virtues. They would rather be men of no influence, carefully avoiding self-centered action, and would obey those natural, spontaneous impulses that spring from genuine compassion. For this reason, they do not make a show of charity. Sages shun any kind of charity that is in the service of power and profit, and which comes to fruition in the glare of limelight. Sages are loners. ‘Ordinary’ men hate solitude, but sages embrace their aloneness, realising they are at one with the whole universe. They are indifferent to their own popularity. They are timeless. They live outside the collective paradigms and ideologies controlling and manipulating society at any given time. They move in society without becoming immersed in it. They stand aloof from the conceptually fashionable. They do not become part of socially acceptable prejudices. They know that everything changes…and yet nothing changes. They do not invest their faith in man-made concepts and therefore have no faith to lose. Sages do not first work out if something is acceptable to society… before they act. They live spontaneous lives. They simply follow their natural urges; and yet these urges are so virtuous, so in total harmony with the self, that they allow them to live lives of the highest moral and ethical order. Of course the sages will inevitably break rules or laws - where they stand between them and compassion. The more unjust the society they live in, the more will the sages come into conflict with those laws. 

In a world satiated with pomposity, the sages’ ignorance of their own virtues is their most endearing quality. In a pretentious world of self-aggrandisement, where status rules supreme, the sages long to remain unnoticed. In a society clamouring for public honour and fame, they remain mainly out of sight.
 
A hidden act of mercy is an act of pure compassion; it is the living proof of the victory of the spirit over the ego - which is the essence of an enlightened society.


Dr. Rajesh Bhola is President of Spastic Society of Gurgaon and is working for the cause of children with Autism, Cerebral Palsy, mental retardation and multiple disabilities for more than 25 years. He can be contacted at rabhola@yahoo.com

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