616. Resisting the Temptation of Lower Path is a Sadhana……

http://www.speakingtree.in/public/spiritual-blogs/seekers/self-improvement/resisting-the-temptation-of-lower-path-is-a-sadhana

Temptation is an urge to do something which I had refrained from doing sometime back. As I had some principles not to do and I restrained from doing it. So if I keep away from doing something which is against my principle even if lured then I have resisted the temptation.

In general everyone has a list of unenthusiastic points to name when it comes to buying anything expensive, if it is not affordable. If any unaccounted money starts to flow in then those points become irrelevant and the temptation to buy them is irresistible. There is a break even point which drives an honest man to get tempted and the whole world is suffering from this syndrome.  

Is the temptation irresistible ? How does temptation work on us?? I wish to give an example of a parable which I had heard some years back from a Swami Brahmanada head of Chinmaya Mission, Bangalore. There was a group of monkeys living near a temple. It so happened that it heard a discourse on the benefits of observing Ekadashi fasting. The head monkey suggested that they should fast on the coming Ekadashi day. All the monkeys agreed.

On the Ekadashi day the fast of the monkeys started. Midday one of the monkeys suggested why waste time sitting idle instead why not search for food and keep it ready to break the fast the next morning. The suggestion was accepted by a few and the head monkey rejected along with some of the monkeys. The group which agreed to the suggestion when out in search of food and found a plantain tree with ripe bananas.

Then the monkey which give the suggestion said why not get those bananas down instead of wasting time till tomorrow to climb the tree? The monkey brought down the banana cluster. Then the monkey suggested why not peel the skin and keep it ready and the monkey lot did the same, then the monkey said why not put in the mouth and chewing could be done tomorrow. 

Alas all the monkey which put the bananas in its mouth could not resist but chew it and gulped it down its throat even before they could realize what had happened.           

  

Temptation is always in stages. We always critisise the politicians involved in crores of exchequers money but it would have started in hundreds  If one has the courage to nib the temptation by resisting it was small then big temptation would never lure him. Some say resistance fail at certain point, true it is for those who do not have the conviction and who have not lived a principle life. A person of conviction and principled living will never fall for the bait. The story of Raja Harishchandra is an excellent example.  

Is there a way out???

Yes, firstly one has to identify the weaknesses in him which make him become irresistible to the temptations. Then he needs to exercise will-power over that weakness. Here subduing does not work if it is done just for the sake of satisfying others. If one understands the negative consequences of getting tempted it will be better and easier. The knowledge of the futile pursuit of those which tempt us and push us into the lower path will act as a catalyst in resisting the temptation. The aim to reach higher path will also reduce the interest in getting tempted to things in the lower path…… Am I right?????