 that this world is a place of intrinsic and inescapable misery. Might such labeling be a modern form of shooting the truthful messenger?
After all, doesn't the daily news confirm that psychophysical, interpersonal, and environmental problems (adhyatmika, adhibhautika and adhidaivika klesha) routinely cause misery? Can't we see objectively how disease and old age embarrasses, immobilizes and oppresses people around us? Can we deny that death devastateslives all over the world? Thus, if we think objectively, the so-called pessimistic Gita teachers are just stating facts.
"But as those facts are so negative," we may wonder, "won't we be happier by not dwelling on them?")
Based on Bhagavad Gita Chapter 08, Text 15
In the past, despots would routinely shoot messengers who brought bad news. Today, shooting is replaced by labeling; those who raise discomforting issues are often sidelined or silenced by pejorative labels.
This trend of labeling dubs authentic spiritual teachers as pessimists whenever they reportthe Gita’s message (8.15) that this world is a place of intrinsic and inescapable misery. Might such labeling be a modern form of shooting the truthful messenger?
After all, doesn’t the daily news confirm that psychophysical, interpersonal, and environmental problems (adhyatmika, adhibhautika and adhidaivika klesha) routinely cause misery? Can’t we see objectively how disease and old age embarrasses, immobilizes and oppresses people around us? Can we deny that death devastateslives all over the world? Thus, if we think objectively, the so-called pessimistic Gita teachers are just stating facts.
“But as those facts are so negative,” we may wonder, “won’t we be happier by not dwelling on them?”
