Day 25 – Q 1.Health is the greatest gift, contentment the greatest wealth, faithfulness the best relationship. Comment.
1. Health is the greatest gift, contentment the greatest wealth, faithfulness the best relationship. Comment.
स्वास्थ्य सबसे बड़ा उपहार है, संतुष्टि सबसे बड़ी संपत्ति तथा वफादारी सबसे अच्छा रिश्ता है। टिप्पणी करें।
Approach:
- This question is of GS paper IV: Ethics, under topic “Contributions of moral thinkers and philosophers from India and world”.
- Question here is the quote of Gautama Buddha on happiness. It has three parts: “Health”, “contentment” and “faithfulness”. We have to comment on these parts with the help of ethical arguments and examples.
Introduction
People are too accustomed to living superficially, without any understanding of the importance of the practice of ethics that the cultivation of virtues and the disciplining and training of the inner self are entirely neglected. On one hand, poverty, starvation and misery, and, on the other, sense life and sensuous pleasures have played havoc to such an extent that chaos and confusion prevail throughout the world. Here comes the Gautama Buddha, who gave the key to success in this material world and beyond;
“Health is the greatest of gifts; contentment is the greatest wealth; faithfulness is the best of relationships……”
– Gautama Buddha
Body
Health is the greatest of gifts
- A sound mind in a sound body, together they are the most useful instruments for the work of the soul.
- It would be difficult for the self-conscious human soul to achieve its task in an ailing body, which is like a musical instrument that is broken and out of tune, and therefore useless for a musician.
- So, naturally, to be born healthy and to preserve that health throughout the soul’s sojourn on earth is, indeed, the greatest of gifts.
Contentment is the greatest wealth
- Today, in the prevalent atmosphere of gloom and despair all over the world, when people have such a craving for wealth, Buddha presents a different viewpoint in naming contentment as the greatest wealth.
- This is not passive contentment in the sense of submission without effort, but is rather the acceptance of whatever comes with a cheerful attitude.
- True contentment is the result of being devoted to one’s own duties and responsibilities.
- The more one has of worldly wealth, the more one desires and the gate of greed is opened, and dishonest means to amass wealth such as corruption and exploitation are resorted to.
- True inner contentment comes, not by going into seclusion but by living in the world, going through the joys and sorrows of life.
Faithfulness is the best relationship
- Lord Buddha was a true psychologist, and therefore taught that all the relationships in the world can be sustained by real trust in one another.
- How many hasty divorces could be avoided by understanding the true relationship that marriage demands! Lack of mutual understanding has caused family feuds and communal strifes.
- If members of a family had full trust and confidence in one another, if different communities loved one another on the grounds of common humanity, if nations were not fearful of one another and races did not compete with other races, there would be no strifes or wars.
- Faithfulness in relationships should be like a new born baby. A new-born baby trusts its mother, because the personal self, or the sense of “I”, “me”, “mine”, had not yet developed. This is simply Altruism.
- So, in both individual and collective problems of home and office, societies and communities, faithfulness is a great asset, a real bond of peace and good-will.
Conclusion
Thus, Buddha’s this quote on “Happiness” indicates how health, physical and mental, is a necessary requisite on the way to goals of life, how inner contentment is an invaluable possession, and how complete faithfulness in other human beings leads one to unity and harmony with all. These are the treasures of life which cannot be destroyed or corrupted, but they shine through small, plain duties.
Best Answer: Shri
