Acharya Prashant explains that what is commonly called discipline is often just conduct aimed at achieving a pre-desired result. This type of discipline is built upon a foundation of goals set by a mind that is afraid, confused, or beset with desires. He argues that discipline and struggle are not virtues in themselves if they serve a self-created goal, as even violent or greedy individuals can be highly disciplined to achieve their ends. Such discipline is an imposition and a form of cruelty that never takes a person beyond their own limited self. In contrast, the speaker introduces the right kind of discipline, which is closely related to discipleship. Real discipleship means submitting oneself to that which is far bigger than oneself, characterized by surrender and trust rather than following a rigid pattern. Referring to Kabir Saheb, he describes a state where one lets go of all self-conscious spiritual activities and allows existence itself to guide them. This discipline is not a part of life but is life itself, where learning is continuous and every experience teaches something beyond itself. Acharya Prashant contrasts the rigid, calculated discipline of a machine or a circus artist with the random, divine dance of a butterfly. While the world may see this as chaos or anarchy, it possesses a holy order beyond human comprehension. He emphasizes that real joy and love are not quantifiable or numerical. True discipleship lies in not knowing the target or caring about accomplishment, but in the pleasure of following the truth. It is a path for the tender and vulnerable, rather than those who have become rigid and defensive like fossils.
