Characteristics of a seeker

Characteristics of a seeker

Lord Krishna highlights twenty characteristics of an enlightened person. When we analyze these characteristics we realize that following these traits actually make the mind calm. When the mind remains calm it is ready to gain the knowledge of the supreme self. This article highlights three of these characteristics.

Forgiveness: One of the characteristics of a seeker in pursuit of enlightenment is forgiveness. One wonders why we should forgive or who are we to forgive. Lord Krishna in the Bhagvad Gita says we have to forgive for our own peace of mind. Forgiveness doesn’t mean one is superior to other. It only means “I understand”. Just as a carnivorous animal cannot give up its habits and be meek and herbivorous animals like deer cannot be ferocious so are human beings bound by their vasanas (inherent likes-dislikes).

Our desires gathered from our childhood and previous births bind us and determine our present behavior. Depending on the circumstances we may behave emotionally and irrationally. Later we may think rationally and analyze if our actions were right or wrong. But generally as a rule we are helpless and get caught in the situation. Recognizing this quality one should forgive.

Forgiveness just doesn’t mean “forgive thy enemies”. In our day to day life we encounter many situations where people hurt us, behave irrationally etc. It could be our boss, spouse or a friend. Instead of retaliating if we could for a moment stand in their place and think why they behaved that way we perhaps can forgive. Your spouse might have had a bad day at office, your kids might have been upset over something, and your friend might have had some personal issue. So viewing with a broader frame of mind helps in understanding the person and forgiving him. This frees us and we will rise to a higher level of existence.

Unpretentiousness: Most of us suffer from either a superiority complex or an inferiority complex. It is very rare we find a person who is self sufficient and happy. All of us are either comparing ourselves or busy trying to impress others. For one’s own peace of mind it is necessary that one does not pretend to be something other than what he is. When we try to impress others we depend on their approval. This is quite wrong as we are surrendering our happiness in hands of others. If they approve or praise we are happy and if not we are unhappy. Instead of spending the time and energy in impressing them we can redirect the energy in improving ourselves. Studying ourselves, knowing our weakness and strengths, gauging our limits should be our first priority. When we are at peace with ourselves we need not depend on others for approval.

Detachment: We are all attached to something or other in this world. It could be our family or it could be material possessions like house, car etc. When we are attached to a person or thing we get deeply involved and this results in mental unrest and loss of peace which makes us lose our freedom. Attachment is the root cause of anger and sorrow. That is why it is necessary to be detached. Detachment does not mean ignoring, pretending or callousness. Detachment means being objective or observing as a witness to all things that happen to us. When we realize that all things are temporary and will pass we develop an impersonal attitude towards objects. This knowledge will help us in working better and will also lead us towards self-realization by making the mind more receptive to gain knowledge.

One should aim to practice two or more qualities described by Krishna as this will make our lives better and peaceful. It is only by self-effort will we progress in the path of self-realization.