SOILINGS OF THE RIGHT ATTITUDE

When a person is convinced as above regarding the Deity, the Teacher, and the Rule, he takes care or takes a vow not to fall into any of the following five transgressions or waverings from such convictions:

1. Sanka (Doubt)

2. You may doubt the truth of some of the statements of the philosophy; but this doubt is that which comes after having once been convinced of the truth of the statement.

3. Kanksa

4. A state of mind in which it is argued that because a person can do wonderful things, such as cause a wall to fall down by speaking a word, or any other wonderful thing, that therefore such person can make true statements with regard to life and spiritual truth. The fact is that rogues and rascals are able to do these wonderful things just as can good men.

5. Vicikitsa

6. When, after having followed the religion for a length of time, suffering, illness or losses come upon us and we blame the philosophy doubting its efficacy. The philosophy must not be blamed, but the cause of the suffering should be looked for in past actions.

7. Anyadrsti-prasamsa

8. Praise of any one who can be proved to be following wrong paths; butchers, Napoleon etc. Or the feeling that the fakirs who do all manners of absurd things must be wonderful people with a true religion.

9. Anyadristi-samstava

Too much familiarity. The feeling that you cannot do without the person causes you to get into the wrong ways of life he may have.

These are given as examples of waverings from the right attitude. There are, of course, other possible ways.