EE7.5 - Mental Equipoise

Mental Equipoise

Published in:
Ánanda Vacanámrtam Part 1

Notes:

official source: Ánanda Vacanámrtam Part 1

this version: is the printed Ánanda Vacanámrtam Part 1, 2nd edition, version (obvious spelling, punctuation and typographical mistakes only may have been corrected). I.e., this is the most up-to-date version as of the present Electronic Edition.

This is Discourse 25 of the Ánanda Vacanámrtam series.

Online additional information

In reality, man wants neither joy nor sorrow. Man seeks mental peace and quietude. In daily life, man comes in contact with different kinds of people. At times he even fights with some people. How will he then find mental peace?

Those who do injustice will also suffer injustice. The people who do injustice will lose their mental balance in any fight. Those who do no injustice will be able to maintain their balance in their fight against injustice. This is the characteristic of a person who has attained mental quietude.

Jealousy and hatred can cause you sleepless nights. When the person you hate suffers a setback, you normally do not feel sorry for him or her. But you must have compassion for even the most sinful. You must feel sorry for them.

There is a Hindi couplet in which a man is asked why he looked sad. “Have you lost something, or have you given something to somebody?” The man replied, “I have not lost anything, not have I given something to somebody. I am sad because I see others getting something that I do not get.” Such envy and jealousy is mentally degrading.

Do not despise even the most fallen, the most sinful, and the most wretched. You will degenerate mentally and spiritually if you hate anyone.

Win falsehood by truth (satya,)
Win the miserly with generosity,
Win anger by non-anger.

The intelligent thing for you to do would be to never get angry. Be moral in the midst of immorality and falsehood. If you have this skill, you will triumph in any battle. You will remain unassailed.

Lord Krśńa says in the Giitá that you should not be dejected in sorrow, nor should you be excited in joy. You should always maintain your mental balance.

You see now that Ananda Marga’s fame is on the rise. What should we do? We must maintain our mental balance and remain indifferent to both praise and slander, to both joy and sorrow. A rich person once abused Lord Buddha. He remained unperturbed. By refusing to accept the abuse, he returned the slander. When I was in jail, I was subjected to a lot of calumny by some people and these very people now praise me. But I was indifferent to all their slander, and now I do not want their adulation.