Gandhiji's Satyagraha And The Three Apes
One way of fighting evil is motto shut it out from our senses. Granted, there is so much evil in the world-corruption, nepotism, terrorism,for instance. But it is beyond us to change what is widespread. We have seen even well-intentioned people entering politics to cleanse it and then getting sucked into its vortex. It isa misconception that the world was good in the past, and it has worsened only now. The world was always the same and will be always so, perhaps. So, do we accept evil, surrender to it? Certainly not. There isa passive way of fighting evil and making the world a little more beautiful. In Japan, Kobe College's department of psychology conducted an experiment: they divided students into two groups.Thefirst group was required to do nothing but carry on as usual. The second group was asked to just observe the good deeds lone by people around them-helping an elderly person to get into or out of public transport, feeding birds and animals, nursing a hurt bird or animal, and indulging in other acts of compassion and kindness. Small things; not great sacrifices or exceptionally kind deeds. After some time, it was found that the happiness levels of the second group registered a marked jump. The conclusion was: even just observing the kind deeds of others increases one's happiness level. In science, the term 'observer effect' refers to the effect an observer has on the observed by his act of observation. For example, to check the pressure in an automobile tyre, a little air needs to be released. This affects the pressure in the tyre. That is the observer effect. The result of the Japanese study is the reverse of the observer effect. The observed influences the observer's mind So we can raise our happiness level free of cost. There are small streams, though not great rivers, of the milk of human kindness flowing all around us. Just by observing them, our happiness levels rise. Money and materials can create conditions conducive for happiness, but cannot exactly conduct it. This influence of observing good deeds can, and does, go beyond just a rise in one's happiness level. As we observe good deeds of others, not only does our happiness level rise, we start aping the good deeds of others unconsciously. We begin to radiate the goodness we experience. The observed becomes the observer. Whence are good at heart, in thought, word and deed, we start lactating them ilk of human kindness. We start from observing the goodness of others and aping it and end up being aped by others. This cycle of goodness boosts the happiness level of society as a whole The more the absorption and radiathe less would be the evil around us.This is one silent but viable way of fighting evil, and it is not difficult. When restarted his non-violent movement in South Africa, Gandhi first named it passive resistance. Thhe felt the term to be tame and likely be misunderstood and so he switch to the term satyagraha. The silent absorption and radiation of goodnesdiscussed above is close to Gandhiji “idea of passive resistance. Observing the goodness around and absorbing it as a habit requires shutting our senses to the evil arounus as far as possible. That is where Gandhiji's Three Apes come in: seer evil, hear no evil, speak no evil. In Japan, the three mystic apes are callMizaru, Kikazaruand Iwazaru.
DISCLAIMER:
The views expressed in the Article above are KM Gupta and kashmiribhatta.in is not in any way responsible for the opinions expressed in the above article. The article belongs to its respective owner or owners and this site does not claim any right over it.
Courtesy: KM Gupta and Speaking Tree,Times of India
Gandhiji's Satyagraha And The Three Apes
One way of fighting evil is motto shut it out from our senses. Granted, there is so much evil in the world-corruption, nepotism, terrorism,for instance. But it is beyond us to change what is widespread. We have seen even well-intentioned people entering politics to cleanse it and then getting sucked into its vortex. It isa misconception that the world was good in the past, and it has worsened only now. The world was always the same and will be always so, perhaps. So, do we accept evil, surrender to it? Certainly not. There isa passive way of fighting evil and making the world a little more beautiful. In Japan, Kobe College's department of psychology conducted an experiment: they divided students into two groups.Thefirst group was required to do nothing but carry on as usual. The second group was asked to just observe the good deeds lone by people around them-helping an elderly person to get into or out of public transport, feeding birds and animals, nursing a hurt bird or animal, and indulging in other acts of compassion and kindness. Small things; not great sacrifices or exceptionally kind deeds. After some time, it was found that the happiness levels of the second group registered a marked jump. The conclusion was: even just observing the kind deeds of others increases one's happiness level. In science, the term 'observer effect' refers to the effect an observer has on the observed by his act of observation. For example, to check the pressure in an automobile tyre, a little air needs to be released. This affects the pressure in the tyre. That is the observer effect. The result of the Japanese study is the reverse of the observer effect. The observed influences the observer's mind So we can raise our happiness level free of cost. There are small streams, though not great rivers, of the milk of human kindness flowing all around us. Just by observing them, our happiness levels rise. Money and materials can create conditions conducive for happiness, but cannot exactly conduct it. This influence of observing good deeds can, and does, go beyond just a rise in one's happiness level. As we observe good deeds of others, not only does our happiness level rise, we start aping the good deeds of others unconsciously. We begin to radiate the goodness we experience. The observed becomes the observer. Whence are good at heart, in thought, word and deed, we start lactating them ilk of human kindness. We start from observing the goodness of others and aping it and end up being aped by others. This cycle of goodness boosts the happiness level of society as a whole The more the absorption and radiathe less would be the evil around us.This is one silent but viable way of fighting evil, and it is not difficult. When restarted his non-violent movement in South Africa, Gandhi first named it passive resistance. Thhe felt the term to be tame and likely be misunderstood and so he switch to the term satyagraha. The silent absorption and radiation of goodnesdiscussed above is close to Gandhiji “idea of passive resistance. Observing the goodness around and absorbing it as a habit requires shutting our senses to the evil arounus as far as possible. That is where Gandhiji's Three Apes come in: seer evil, hear no evil, speak no evil. In Japan, the three mystic apes are callMizaru, Kikazaruand Iwazaru.
DISCLAIMER:
The views expressed in the Article above are KM Gupta and kashmiribhatta.in is not in any way responsible for the opinions expressed in the above article. The article belongs to its respective owner or owners and this site does not claim any right over it.
Courtesy: KM Gupta and Speaking Tree,Times of India