Building Extension: Our Earnest Appeal

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Vivekananda on Ethics and Morality
Jan. 10, 2010
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Swami Yogatmananda


 

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Summary of this Lecture:


Although ideas of ethics and morality have been essential part of every human society, their standards vary among different societies. According to Swami Vivekananda, morality and ethics cannot be based on rational/utilitarian grounds because a utilitarian cannot satisfactorily answer the question why a person should not be selfish. Swamiji points out that morality is an expression of oneness; for, morality teaches us to become unselfish. To attain ultimate unselfishness which is Oneness, is the goal of all religions. In his lecture 'The spirit and Influence of Vedanta', Swamiji says - "...This expression of oneness is what we call love and sympathy, and it is the basis of all our ethics and morality. This is summed up in the Vedanta philosophy by the celebrated aphorism, Tat Tvam Asi, "Thou art That". Practice of oneness spontaneously eliminates the mad struggle of superiority and brings morality. Personal liking/disliking or pet-ideas cannot be a ground for morality. Whether an action is moral or immoral, can be judged only by looking at its intention. Hence Mahabharata says that helping others is a moral act while hurting others is an immoral act. While discussing 'Pratyahara and Dharana' in Raja-yoga Swamiji says - "All actions, internal and external, occur when the mind joins itself to certain centers, called the organs. Willingly, or unwillingly it is drawn to join itself to the centers, and that is why people do foolish deeds and feel miserable, which, if the mind were under control, they would not do." Pratyahara is a tool that teaches us how to use our sensory organs as doors (to accept only those things that are beneficial) and not as holes (rejecting that which would otherwise force us to do evil actions). This will help us to lead a conscious life, and we will be ethical and moral in a true sense.