pamho, HK,
There is small philosophical education for the mind by Radhanath Swami in small book "Bodhamrita."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
One very important and good teaching given in the Chapter "Cheaters and the Cheated" talking about the faults of Kaliyuga says:
So now tell please in this brawling world who is the highest enemy ?
1. It is none other than our own attitude/tendency to find faults among others.
2. Not understanding other devotees properly.
The above two are the major obstacles in the path of Devotional Service and its ill effects are:
1. It destroys our own self.
2. Destroys the movement for protecting the world.
No other thing can affect/destroy the movement. No person can destroy the movement rather.
So each and every time we should REMEMBER that our attitude/tendency to find faults among others is VERY BAD, it is a DEMON. It has originated to destroy our life as well as destroy the movement of God.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
How to get rid of our own fault finding tendency and understand (sr)/advice (jr) devotees in a Devotional Mood ?
What have Previous Acharyas taught us ?
Replies
Hare Krsna Prabhuji,
PAMHO.
THe one fit solution to all problems is effective chanting. If we are able to chant properly, automatically we will progress more and more spiritually.
Initially, we all start by thinking we are the best, without any fault and everyone around us, including our parents, have some or the other fault that we have to live with. We bring this mentality to the temple when we come initially as devotees. We think we are the only ones who have understood the mood or mission of SP and the rest of the devotees are full of faults.
Gradually, as and when we progress in KC, that is by effective chanting, we realise that everyone is trying their best with their limitations and become more forgiving. This happens when we get into devotional service. When we render service in the temple and become friendly with fellow volunteers, we realise their challenges and appreciate that despite so many problems, they are still coming to the temple and doing so much.
The next stage of sadhana is when we realise that we are full of faults and all the other devotees were tolerating us all the while. Then we appreciate them so much for their tolerance and guidance in our path towards self realisation.
So the more we advance in KC, the less good opinion about ourselves we have.
Having go this knowledge, but still being in neophyte stage, how to to criticising and fault finding - apart from effective chanting, one has to remember what I just mentioned and make it a point to stop the mind from finding faults the next time it does. If we are not able to control the mind, then we should ensure that atleast we dont say what is in our minds - so that there is no karmic reaction. We understand that the mind plays tricks on us has to be controlled, so we disregard the mind sometimes when it is finding faults.
It really helps when one does devotional service. Only then one realises how difficult it is to please everyone and do everything perfectly.
I hope I have been able to address your issue.
Haribol,
Your servant,
Radha Rasamayi DD
Without being continuously aware of transcendental knowledge, non of the living beings can completely abandon such illusion which comes from false identification and dualities of material world.
Seeing the faults among others is the practice of even famous teachers nowadays, or even celestials, what to talk about others. But qualified vaishnava brahmana who is armed with transcendental knowledge, who controlling the mind and senses, powered with austerities and renunciation, can fully abandon such tendency.