VALUES

VALUES IN SANATHNA DHARMA
1. Human beings have growth at 3 levels 1) Physical growth 2) Intellectual growth (cognitive growth) and 3) Emotional growth.
a) Physical Growth: We have Hunger and food is also given. Therefore nature takes care of our physical growth.
b) Intellectual Growth: Parents, educational institutions & the society or surroundings in which one lives provide required information and help Intellectual (cognitive) growth.
c) Emotional Growth: Emotional growth is influenced by many factors including understanding of values, of attitudes and society in which one lives (Satsanga).
2. Ishvara himself manifests (appears) as the entire Jagat. Therefore Ishvara is in the form of law & order of the universe. He has given common sense (which is commonly available to all) to sense what is right and wrong - Samanya Dharma which governs all human interactions. Hence Knowledge of right and wrong is universal and commonly sensed by all. It is like monkeys born to live on trees. Who taught them the law of gravity? If that knowledge was not given to Monkey, then that would have been defect in the creation.
It is our priorities which make us to act against our common sense. Our Physical body which is common to all is Dharma Kshetra. Mind is Kurukshetra (with conflicts between Dharma & Adharma)
3. Human beings are born with unique faculty of choice. So one can choose one's course of action. Where choice is involved, one cannot avoid right & wrong because choice can be proper or improper. That is why human being alone can do Adharma. In our tradition, we don't say good and bad. We say Right action born out of Knowledge & Wrong action born out of Ignorance. When one chooses a means of action or performs an action, one must necessarily see whether it will hurt oneself or hurt any one else or anything else.
Seeking securities and pleasures is a common fact. Desire for money as an end is not a sin. But the means alone is important here.
4. Common Sense born values: I do not want to be the target of anyone's anger, hatred or jealousy and no one wants to be the target of my disturbing emotions. Non injury, speaking truth, compassion, sharing, humility, the absence of deception, the absence of jealousy, hatred and so on are gathered by common sense. No education is required to know these values which form moral order of the creation. Problems arise because of our priorities.
5. Universal Values Vs Individual likes and dislikes: Common sense born values are universal. That is why everyone wants to be loved and protected by the other irrespective of the culture, religion or traditions to which one belongs. They form the universal order for a smooth conduct of life in the world.
No harm in liking particular thing more than the other. There are no scriptural injunctions as to what one should generally prefer when there is choice. Preferences do not come into conflict with values which are universal.
6. Universal values Vs Cultural values:
Values enjoined by the tradition or culture are applicable subject to various factors such as domicile, age, gender, stage in life and so on. These specific values are meant to help a person live a disciplined life. Fasting helps one to gain mastery over one's senses and mind. (Self denial). No negative results if one does not adhear to such values. Cultural values (Specific values) cannot contradict the universal values.
7. Personal values of universal nature:
Value for money, power and pleasures help to satisfy the fundamental urges in the human beings to live, to live happily. There is no one on earth who does not place any value on money or power. These values have to be in keeping with the universal values because it affects the interest of others.
8. Universal values are not absolute:
Universal values such as truthfulness, non-hurting, love and compassion are not absolute but relative in nature. Being relative, values are to be interpreted according to each situation. However one should not go against the universal values while pursuing individual or cultural values.
9. compromising values:
We are always ready to compromise if we can get something which is valuable enough to us or avoid trouble, we are facing right now. One has to focus attention on how much he loses by compromising what is right.
10. Assimilation of values:
When universal values are not well understood, one's personal values can conflict with them and override them. Universal values become personal assimilated values only when one recognises the immensity of the loss in compromising them.
11. Straight forwardness:
When one tells a lie, he knows he is telling a lie and as a thinker, he knows that one should not tell a lie. So a split is created within oneself. One cannot do a wrong action without a conflict inside and every conflict creates a split. Being in conflict, a person is also potentially moody and is subjected to psychological problems. It ultimately results in loss of self esteem and leads to self condemnation. Therefore avoid thinker and doer split.
Dharma should be the substratum of every value. When one rubs against Dharma he gets rubbed in the process.
By Mr.Prabakar. Dharma Rakshna Samithi. Tamil Nadu.