Morality : The Sanctity And Dignity Of Life

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Morality : The Sanctity And Dignity Of Life

"Observing morality is like putting up a fence to protect your own house and your neighbour's house against robbers."

Moral and ethics from the core of the social, economical, political, and religious ideals. If the love the blood of life, then surely morality is its back bone. Without virtue life is in danger, but without love life is dead. The quality of life is enhanced with cultivation of virtue, and when virtue arises the vessel of love overflows. Since man is imperfect by nature, he has to make an effort to develop virtue.

The cultivation of morality is very important aspect of life. Many people have a mistaken idea of what morality is. To them it mean the adoption of external modes of behaviour such as dressing, etiquette, artificial and hypocritical manners. They forget that such imitative and conventional morality is man made. conditioned by society and is, therefore, subject to variation and liable to become out of date.

What is Morality ? It is the standards and principles of good behaviour in accordance with the path of righteousness. The Pali word for it is Sila. It means : self disciple for moral development. It implies a person discipline developed from within and not arising from fear of punishment. It is acting out of pure motives - out of love, non attachment and wisdom, which are strengthened with an understanding of the illusory nature of 'self' and 'ego'.


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Morality is the first step in the path towards eternal bliss. It is the basis spiritual foundation. Without this base, there can be no human progress and spiritual advancement.


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"Do not become slaves to any holy book"

There was once a man who formed a religious cult and people regarded him as a very learned person. He had a few followers who recorded his instructions in a book. Over the years book become voluminous with all sorts of instructions recorded therein. The followers were advised not to do anything without first consulting the holy book. Wherever the followers went and whatever they did, they would consult the book which served as the manual in guiding their lives. One day when the leader was crossing a timber bridge, he fell into the river. The followers were with him but none of them knew what to do under under the circumstances. So they consulted the book.

'Help ! Help ! the Master shouted, ' I can't swim. Please wait a while Master. Please don't get drowned, they pleaded Master. We are still searching in our holy book. There must be an instruction on what to do if you fell off from a wooden bridge into rive.

While they were thus turning over the pages of the holy book in order to find out the appropriate instruction, the teacher disappeared in the water and drowned.


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The important message of the story is that we should take enlightened approach and not slavishly follow outdated conservative ideas, nor resort to any holy book without using our common sense.


Moral Conduct And

It is often said that there is a decline in the standard of morality and discipline amongst the youths today. This certainly does not apply to all you youths, but there are many who may be confused and rebellious. Their behaviour and habits violate public peace whereby innocent peace loving people have to undergo great humiliation and suffering.

In a way, parents are to be blamed for the bad behaviour and lack of consideration on the part of their children.

In the teachings of ethics and morality, religious lables are not important. Every religion has is own moral code designed to regulate human conduct so that people can live together as civilized human beings. It is unfortunate, if religionists create discriminations, hostility and jealousy towards the other religious group.


Being Good or Doing Good ?

In his book, Buddhist Ethics, Ven Dr. H. Saddhatissa said, 'Generally speaking, there are two ideas of morality : (i) to be good, (ii) to do good. The first is the real morality, whereas the second may be only a means to an end. One can be good in order to do good, but this is rare. People do good actions which appear entirely altruistic yet foudamentally are egoistic, motivated by acquisitivenses, desire for merit, bliss, heaven, reward or motivated by fear of resulting punishment or hell. All so called 'good actions' are inspired by selfishness and to the Buddhist the idea of being good is the only true morality.


Changing One's Character Through Religion

A tree is known by its fruit. Similarly, a true religion must produce permanent results. In this sense, it is quite right to judge a religion by its results.

When a person has embraced a religion, the teachings should help to improve his behaviour. But if he continues to be just as greedy, spiteful, and envious as before, if he cheats those who work for him, or robs his neighbour, if he shows no compassion for suffering fellow beings, or at the slightest provocation he plunges a knife into the bosom of another - then these teachings are ineffective as for as he is concerned.