The Facets Of Character Building

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A good number of people in today"s world do not think this is a good advice. To substantiate their stand, they cite the examples of a large number of people, morally bankrupt and without much of a genuine character, who are 'doing well'in life. Such characterless people become their role models, and they think their own lives should be fashioned on these lines. 'Why should I be playing a different tune when everyone else is dancing to the tune of a dishonest and hypocritical life?'They continue to indulge in this line of thinking until they face the consequences of characterless-ness or moral bankruptcy themselves. Mostly this happens.

First, when their morally wrong thoughts and actions return to them in some way (for example when the bridge they were crossing, gave away—thanks to the dishonest engineers, or the food they ate caused a disease—again, due to the unfairness of the trader or the person involved in its production or preparation, or when the doctor prescribes one to undergo avoidable tests from a diagnostic laboratory to which he is associated—to make some money, and the innumerable other cases of irresponsibility, dishonesty and injustice in public and private sphere; the examples can be multiplied several fold).

Second, when they have to face these character-issues with regard to their family or immediate area of work and life, such as when a son betrays his father/mother or vice-a-versa, an employer tricks the employee or vice-a-versa, a friend injures a friend and so on. All instances where the well-known idiom 'fence eating up the field'is in operation are included in it. Shaken up by these harsh facts, they become humble and begin to look for an answer.

They soon learn, if they are sincere, that one cannot blame others for one"s weakness. One must accept oneself and try to do better. Character-building, hence, is a deeply personal and intimate issue. One cannot sit in a corner with his hands clasped and say, 'How does my character matter?'Nor can one escape the consequences of lack of character-building—for long.

Character matters, in more than one way, and character-building is the perpetual challenge confronting everyone, individually and collectively.

To be continued

About the author

Swami Atmashraddananda

Swami Atmashraddhananda is a monk of the Ramakrishna Order and editor of The Vedanta Kesari from the year 2004 .

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