Freedom of choice

Life offers a variety of choices to mankind and every individual has the freedom to opt for what one wants. As human beings we can choose to pursue worldly gains as much as to strive to realise the absolute truth. Sages and wise men have realised the truth in their

inner selves, and have shown humanity the path that liberates one through  enlightenment, said Srimati Sunanda in a discourse.

An incident in Buddha’s life illustrates by example the truth that it is wise to exercise individual freedom in a judicious way to insulate oneself from the pulls of the world. One morning when Buddha and his disciples walk along the river bank, they hear abusive

words hurled at the teacher. The disciples itch to hit back at the offender, but Buddha seems to be impervious to the provocations. So the disciples are held in check and do not react. Later they ask their master why he had remained so. He merely says that each one is entitled to hold one’s views on different aspects of the world and its people. The man who spoke harsh words has every right and freedom to his own thoughts and speech. But what Buddha did was as
simple as not to accept what he said and merely gave it back to him. Happiness and unhappiness are states of the individual mind and has nothing to do with the world.

The human mind and intellect are inbuilt in our system facilitating the working of individual’s thought and deed. The mind and senses are powerful and the intellect is entrusted with the responsibility to have the mind and senses under control. We must be

equipped to handle wide range of experiences we undergo — from excitement and elation to dejection and depression. We should learn not to be biased and be focused only on of our search for truth.