497. Stay away from Both the Ends and Sink in Middle Path...

http://www.speakingtree.in/public/spiritual-blogs/seekers/self-improvement/stay-away-from-both-the-ends-and-sink-in-middle-path

Every human being has the intellect and the instinct to guide in deciding what has to be done and what not to be done. In spite of these two acting as the banks on the either sides, at times the river of desire tend to breach and over flow. “Desire is the root of all suffering” says one great philosopher and the modern thinkers feel “Desires motivate us to our goal”.  Now with the two thoughts which will suite to appropriate context is the million dollar question. We sometime stick to one of them and take on a course of action which end up making our life miserable.

There was this young man who was bewildered and he went to his father to get things cleared. This is how the conversation went on:

Son: Papa, is desire good or bad?

Father: If the desire in you is doing good to you but causing harm to others it is bad. Even if it does not harm others if they are in limits they are good.

Son: Generally what I desire for will be for my good, I may or need not think if it is causing harm to other.

Father: Thinking about yourself is one extreme which does not take you anywhere. If every individual thinks like how you do, what is the meaning of living in a society? As you are important so should others also be to you.

Son: But, papa as I think of myself if others also think about themselves and do their living then everybody will be in the safe line. Isn't it?

Father: No son, you are wrong if every one think the way you do it will be going to one extreme and not taking the middle path.

Son: What is this extreme and middle path now, Papa?

Father: When you desire to eat your favorite dish do you over eat just because you like it or do you eat to your satisfaction?

Son: Yes, I eat till I am satisfied I do not over eat.

Father: Even though it is your favorite dish you cannot eat more than you can, like wise there is limit for everything, if the limit is extended the problem starts. Normally there are two extremes in everything we perceive, and nurturing these extremes causes misery and even downfall. It is only in middle path there is a balance.

Son: Could you please clarify, Papa”         

Father: Have you ever gone to a music concert? Have you seen the guitarist adjusting the strings of the guitar?

Son: Yes I have seen him do exactly that.

Father: If the strings are too loose or too tight the guitarist finds it difficult to produce good music, Right? The strings need to be adjusted to be not too loose or too tight. Exactly in the same way we need to follow a middle path. Mind likes to go to the extremes always; ego could be one of the reasons. Our ego wants us to be elite. It always flip-flops from one extreme to another to be unique. There is no fault in desiring. While your body has needs and your mind has desires. If you do not blame your body for the needs you should not blame your mind for desires. But the only required intelligence is to keep those desires in a limit. Desires are neither good nor bad if they are in limits. 

Son: Thanks Papa, limit is the middle path I understand.

Father: Desire is like a pinch of salt that enhance the taste, more of it or less of it would spoil the taste of the recipe. And it is one ingredient which is not put with measurement; it is as per your taste.