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Why do we suffer needlessly? || Acharya Prashant (2015)
Acharya Prashant
1.1K views
10 years ago
Right Action
Suffering
Brahman
Atman
Peace
Joy
Devotion
Truth
Description

Acharya Prashant addresses the fundamental question of how to determine the right action in any given moment, especially when faced with difficult decisions like whether to immerse oneself in work or resign. He explains that both deep immersion and liberation through resignation can be indications of right action if the mind is not divided. However, because human communication with the absolute truth or Brahman is often corrupted by mental noise and misinterpretation, it is difficult to know affirmatively what the truth commands. Instead, he suggests it is far easier to identify what not to do by observing what disturbs one's essential peace. If a situation, person, or thought leads to a mire of sinking thoughts and agitation, it is not godly and should be avoided. He emphasizes that the core of a human being is not one of disturbance, attachment, or hatred; therefore, actions prompted by these states cannot be right. He argues that since truth and love are synonymous, life is not meant to be a state of suffering. Suffering is inessential and self-imposed, yet humans often justify and rationalize it, unlike children or animals. He points out that people have become resistant to joy and suspicious of peace, often accepting bad news and torture as a default state. He encourages a distaste for suffering and a refusal to compromise on one's inherent nature of joy, noting that no scripture mandates suffering as a duty. Acharya Prashant concludes by explaining that while physical or situational discomfort may exist, suffering only occurs when the mind gives that discomfort top priority. By maintaining devotion to the truth or the absolute as the highest priority, suffering is relegated to a secondary position and loses its power over the individual. He uses the example of deep sleep to show that problems are products of consciousness and lack absolute importance. The key to avoiding suffering is to ensure that no matter how demanding a situation becomes, the divine or the ultimate truth always remains the number one priority.