Waves and floods

Feelings are of two types -- waves and floods. 

All reactive feelings are like waves. Anger comes in a wave. Desire comes in a wave. We feel a wave of envy. A wave of sorrow washes over us. If we are aware that they are reactions and just waves, they subside again safely and do not spill over the brim of our internal emotional world and become a reactive action in the external physical world. 

Sometimes when wave after wave comes, the feeling settles down to a high steady level, like a flooded land. Desire purifying into love is such a feeling. Anger burning permanently as hatred is such a feeling. Sorrow solidifying into grief is also such a feeling. Actions arise continually out of this flood almost without control and become part of our nature. 

The wise one treats the wave as a wave. He does not allow them to become part of his nature. Except for Love (which is the sea itself), he guards against any other basis of spontaneous action.

Is honesty enough?

Honesty is not a substitute for right action. It is but the basis of ensuring that right action can be executed without a tremor. 

Right action is essential. Without honesty of feelings, right action needs to follow an external code. With honesty of feelings and motives, right action arises spontaneously from the heart. Being honest about one's own faults is just a step. A thief honestly saying he is a thief and continuing thieving will win no favour with the judge. 

Right action, following an external code or one's own heart as the case may be, is the constituent of character.

Love and attachment

Love and attachment are opposite in nature. 

In love, we surrender to the loved one, saying:"Tell me what you want. I'm with you." In attachment we say:"I want you in this way." In love we say:"I cannot hurt you." In attachment we say:"Please do not hurt me like this." Love is outward - a donation. Attachment is inward - an expectation. 

Can love be there for a single person at the cost of others? That is attachment. Love is Non-violence. That cannot be practiced for a single person. When non-violence against one means violence against another, then love is Dharma - the action of basic rightness. 

Practised in full disclosure and honesty, love is Truth.