H.H. Sri Sri Ravi Shankar
Fear or insecurity makes one corrupt. We try to find security in money, which only makes us restless and unhappy.
In spite of the teachings of truth, honesty and loyalty, today we see so much of corruption everywhere. This is because of lack of wisdom; this is because we have become ignorant of the human values. And that is one of the causes of unrest and corruption in the world. When people are desperate to achieve some goals and are unable to do so ethically, this desperation brings up corruption in them. Corruption can be countered by five Cs.
The first is a sense of connectedness. Lack of a sense of belonging breeds corruption in society. That is why corruption is lowest at the village level. But in urban areas, its high because there is little or no sense of community. We need to develop that sense of belongingness with the whole world.
The second C is courage. Lack of self-esteem or confidence in ones own ability is one of the causes of corruption. Fear or insecurity makes one corrupt. People try to find security only in money, which doesnt really happen. Even after acquiring money, the insecurity doesnt disappear. In fact, they become more fearful as the money is not earned in the right manner. So the second C that we will have to focus on is to create courage and confidence in ones ability and in the laws of nature.
Third C is an understanding of cosmology: Look at your life in the context of extended space and time. Billions of years have passed since creation and billions will pass. Our creation, as scientists say, is 50 billion years old. And everything in this creation is recycled. The air we breathe is old, every cell in our body, every atom is old, the oxygen and the carbon-dioxide all are old! You are nobody, you are just like a drop in the ocean.
Seeing life in the context of this huge universe and unfathomable time can broaden ones vision, can broaden ones mind and can enrich ones heart.
The fourth C is for care and compassion. Care and compassion in society can bring dedication. It is the lack of dedication that causes corruption. One night, we were distributing blankets to the poor as it was very cold and I came across a youth, who refused to take a blanket, saying that probably someone else there needed it more! That sense of care and compassion: It doesnt matter even if I dont have, somebody needs this more can root out corruption.
The last one is a sense of commitment. When a person has a goal, a commitment to a higher cause in life, it brings a shift from taking to giving. If everyone keeps thinking, What can I gain? then corruption cannot be rooted out. Rather in society, we need to have this shift in our attitude, from What can I gain? to What can I contribute? If we could focus on How can I be useful to the people around me? then we could get rid of corruption in the world today.
But all this is not possible without individual and spiritual upliftment. Even if one part of the world remains ignorant of these values, the world will not be a safe place. Through education and patience, we can all create that sense of belongingness, combat corruption and bring about a change to create a better society.
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