Develop a sense of awareness

All of us have the potential to be enlightened. However,the majority of us do not know that we have such a potential or power. As a result, we behave like ignorant people. We have every opportunity to succeed in life, not only materially but also spiritually.

The majority prefer to achieve material success because it is glamorous and tangible. When you attend university to deliver a lecture, students ask, “Sir, why don’t you buy a car?” When a visitor comes to your humble house, he will ask, “Why don’t you build a decent house?” Ownership of a car or a big house shows your material wealth.

To an enlightened person such questions are meaningless. there is nothing wrong if a lecturer prefers to use public transport for his travelling. Similarly, anybody can live in a small house if that pleases him. We are fortunate to have been born in a world that has produced many enlightened personalities.

In the East we have Gauthama Buddha and Confucius whose influence is felt mainly in India, Sri Lanka and China. But they are not confined to the East. their philosophy is valid for the whole world. Jesus Christ, Plato, Socrates and Aristotle have enriched the Western world. Here again, their influence is felt strongly even in the East.

Despite their teachings we are groping in the dark seeking the help of various gods and demons. those who claim to obtain the intervention of gods and demons are having a roaring practice in Sri Lanka and other countries in the East. When people do not realise their own intrinsic values, they tend to believe in various superstitions and myths. Only an enlightened person can get rid of this conditioning.

When a child is born, the first thing we do is to cast his horoscope.

Then the astrologer predicts the future of the child by the position of planets. While we are looking at the position of planets, people in the west are planning to visit some of those planets. Casing a horoscope is no sin. What is wrong is the over-dependence on the astrological predictions. If you consult ten astrologers, they will come out with ten different predictions.

So, how can astrology be science? If a child shows any signs of intelligence to question such primitive practices, he is considered an anti-social rebel. Most fathers do not want their children to grow in knowledge and challenge their position.

This does not mean that parents do not wish to see their children succeed in life. Living a materially successful life is quite understandable. However, living an independent life devoid of superstitions is the ideal we should aim at.

An ordinary farmer or fisherman will undoubdtetly educate his child to become a doctor or an engineer. That will bring him satisfaction because the social position of a doctor or an engineer will give him a sense of importance and security.

However, if the child wants to become a poet or a writer, nobody will support him. A poet, for instance, will not bring economic prosperity to his parents because poetry is generally an unsaleable commodity. On the other hand, a poet is somebody who has independent ideas. He will not tolerate his father if he is doing something wrong.

When the child grows up to be a young man, he will look for a partner.

He is conditioned by society to find a girl who is shorter than him and less educated. Most educated women have independent views and they will not tolerate their husbands’ backward ideas.

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