Religious Mind with a Secular Outlook

The ultimate purpose of human life is not the mere pursuit of fleeting pleasures and egocentric gratifications but the quest of eternal Truth, which is in fact at the core of all religions. It is in the discovery of this Truth beyond time and space that one can experience a sense of vibrant peace, everlasting joy and ultimate fulfillment.
Life is an indivisible homogeneous whole and in spite of being myriad mortals, we are all manifestations of this single imperishable divine reality. After this revelation as a self-discovery we naturally become affectionate and compassionate to all our fellow beings, even while competing with each other for our survival in this increasingly competitive world. After all, we have no choice but to play the game of life in all earnestness, maintaining a sense of detachment at the same time. One has to be serious in all one’s actions but be ready to accept their results in a non-serious lighthearted mood—no matter how gratifying or mortifying the results are. It may sound like a paradox but this is the secret of happiness, which all seek and so very few come across.
There are no problems in life, only facts and challenges. And challenges are there for our own inner growth, as each one of them ends up teaching us something. Therefore there are no successes and failures in life; everything is a matter of experience. And again, each experience enriches us contributing to our spiritual growth. Life intrinsically and almost cyclically follows the pattern of rain and sunshine, day and night, laughter and tears. This realization gives us tremendous patience and a sense of unflinching optimism. And this is what positive attitude is all about.
There is no virtue greater than humility. This humility cannot be practiced, as it comes from the realization in one’s heart of hearts that in the bigger cosmic scheme of things one is not more than a mere speck. However, this humility is not the denial of self-esteem or self-respect. It is only devoid of all forms of egotism and vanity.
It is perfectly all right for us to seek success and pursue our personal worldly interests. But can it be done without causing harm to others? I cannot harm anyone without harming myself, which is one of the fundamental laws of life. When one lives each day of one’s life with this profound understanding, then adherence to a particular set of values or conformity to a rigid social and religious structure becomes superfluous. In such a state of mind one is deeply religious and yet secular in one’s outlook. Blessed is such a being!
Hareshwar P Singh