Pujya Tai Ma’s thoughts on our passions and the importance of discipline
Pujya Tai Ma has been talking about passions (kashaya), our Anger, Greed, Ego and Deceit. She says that Kashaya is an integral part of our life. Without the existence of kashaya, would life exist? No, says Pujya Tai Ma. Pujya Tai Ma continues by saying that we need gas in the kitchen for us to cook, we need a small amount of light to brighten up the room in the dark. In the same way, in all our daily actions through mind, speech and body, kashaya are necessary.
Sometimes kashaya are of a raging nature, strong enough to destroy not just the other person but everything around us, including ourselves. Like the rampant fires in the heat of the summer – these are uncontrollable and destroys all in the way. We definitely do not want such kashaya. However, at other times kashaya are subtle, for instance, when a fly is disturbing us in what we are doing, here there will be no gross hatred for the fly but there will be a little bit of annoyance, an unwanted situation involving subtle or minimal form of hatred. In spirituality, we say ‘my’ religion, ‘my’ God, ‘my’ Guru, ‘my’ temple, etc. There is subtle form of Kashaya here too – subtle greed.
So how can we live a useful and positive life knowing that kashaya exists in all that we do? Pujya Tai Ma says our kashaya can help us get what we want, and support us in progressing further in life, whether spiritually or in our worldly life, but this is possible only when we live our life with discipline. Discipline means having control over the kashaya thus reducing the reactions and excitement caused by kashaya. Discipline represents the reins which are guiding the horse, the passions, taking us towards our destination, our goal. Without these reins it will be an unruly horse which will take us where we do not want to go and lead us astray. Therefore, we do not want kashaya to control our life. Instead, we should control our kashaya. And this is start of spiritual practice. And this is start of our spiritual practice. Discipline is essential if we want a peaceful life with the aim of reaching towards enlightenment at which stage no kashaya remain. We should walk with awareness and vigilance at all times such that if any of our kashaya are veering out of control, then reflect, learn and ensure such mistakes do not happen again.
