Wisdom, Equilibrium and a
Simple Life Use to Flow Together
Carlos Cardoso Aveline
Renunciation leads to plenitude. He who
renounces selfishness can enjoy beauty wherever it is.
* Vairagya, or detachment, seems to be something cold and insensitive as long as we are unprepared for it. It is a painful thing to do, to force ourselves to behave as if we possessed vairagya. The result is the same when life imposes detachment upon us. The loss of something or somebody to which or to whom we got too much attached may hurt most profoundly, if a strong objective bond suddenly ceases to exist. Such form of pain typically occurs in various occasions during the same lifetime.
* The suffering of separation makes human beings grow. It teaches the lessons of independence, of solitude and loss. It places before each one the duties of humility, of poverty, of austerity, of a simple life.
* Sooner or later everyone must learn to live in harmony with the law of austerity taught by classical theosophy and philosophy. The biggest millionaire will face painful situations before which money and social position mean nothing. In such occasions, only wisdom has real value.
* By teaching voluntary poverty, the theosophical philosophy opens the door to the treasure in heaven; and the idea of heaven is a symbol of the higher self or spiritual soul. Poverty and detachment make the foundation of divine knowledge and compassion.
* To the pilgrim who sees himself as a friend of the cosmic law, the feeling of blind dependence regarding objects or persons becomes reduced. In the context of universal friendship, there is a wide view of all things. From this, an ability emerges to renounce personal possessions and physical comfort.
* Devotion is detachment, for devotion is renunciation and altruism. The fulfilment of duty is detachment, because it means leaving aside unnecessary loss of time. Goodwill is detachment, for it can only flow if we identify, understand and leave aside feelings of lower level or scarce value. Self-knowledge leads to detachment, because it reveals that which transcends narrow horizons and makes progress towards Good.
* Words read during a dream at night: “People change, rivers change, the weather changes, dogs and elephants change, stars change.” Aspiration and hope influence changes into a certain direction. [1]
The Lesson of Realism
* It is of no use to build artificial situations. Easy victories seldom last long. An enduring progress is never too easy to obtain. The uncomfortable contact with a hard soil sometimes teaches us better things than mere dreams about imaginary heights.
* In one of his historical novels, Alexandre Dumas makes his character Jean-Jacques Rousseau say that the simple things are the ones that touch more strongly a deep heart and an intelligent spirit. [2] Indeed, the beauty of life is not in complications. Through voluntary simplicity one finds that which is fine and superb. Renunciation leads to plenitude. Through goodwill we learn to wish the best to others. He who renounces selfishness can enjoy beauty wherever it is.
* Wisdom, equilibrium and voluntary simplicity use to flow together; and every step ahead – taken by the pilgrim along the path to truth – is tested by life in many different ways and occasions.
* Moderation makes it easier to think before acting, so as to choose the best course of action and make progress in responsible ways. Animals are right in following their instincts, for direct instincts in their case are the voice of Nature. While Human beings have to pay attention to their instincts, they must obey to the voice of their conscience. And this depends on developing a correct discernment.
* Among mistakes and successes, one learns many a lesson. Moderate action is almost a synonym to lucid action. To be able to stop an activity in the right time is as important as starting it in the proper moment.
* Authentic theosophy celebrates the feeling of love for life and respects its different manifestations. Esoteric philosophy exists to produce a wider understanding wherever a conflict of languages and views occurs. It stimulates that contentment which emerges from within the human soul and is independent from outer events.
* Universal wisdom does not accept the use of any existing injustice as a pretext to generate organized hatred.
* The wise pilgrim rejects anger even when the negative feeling is disguised as the defense of a noble ideal. There is no place to anger in real martial arts, for hatred turns the warrior blind, while a calm alertness makes him efficient.
* Martin of Braga wrote: “Four forms of virtues have been defined in the sayings of many wise men, with which the human mind needs to be equipped if it is to approach an honest life: the first of these is prudence, the second magnanimity, the third continence, the fourth justice. Each of these (…) make a man honest and morally right.” [3]
* The good will produced by a theosophical view of the world is unconditional. A theosophist knows and sees that the world is making progress in the direction of that which is good, morally beautiful and true, even if the path is sometimes uncomfortable. He has the immense happiness to be a friend of his own soul, and of the souls of all beings.
NOTES:
[1] The content of this paragraph was first published at “The Aquarian”, November 2013 edition, p. 16.
[2] Jean-Jacques Rousseau, a literary character inspired by the life and work of the French thinker. See the novel “Joseph Balsamo”, by Alexandre Dumas, Mémoires d’un Médecin, Paris, Calmann-Lévy, Éditeurs, vol. II, p. 222. In the Portuguese edition of 1945, published in Lisbon by Lello & Irmão, p. 255.
[3] Reproduced from “The Fathers of the Church”, Iberian Fathers, volume I, Martin of Braga, Paschasius of Dumium, Leander of Seville, The Catholic University of America Press, Washington, DC, USA, copyright 1969, 261 pp., see p. 88. The Christian-Stoic philosopher Martin of Braga lived in the sixth century of our era, in the city of Braga, which now belongs to Portugal. In Martin’s time, Braga was the capital city of the Germanic, post-Roman Kingdom of Suebi.
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“Thoughts Along the Road – 55” was published as an independent text on 16 June 2021. An initial version of it, with no indication as to the name of the author, is part of “The Aquarian Theosophist”, February 2020 edition, pp. 7-9.
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See other writings of Carlos Cardoso Aveline.
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