Swami Tejomayananda

Everyone admits the importance of values and a value-based life. There are no two opinions about this. The only problem is that when we are face to face with the ground realities, we find that it is not so easy to put our lessons on values into practice. The problem remains the same from student to adult life — students know that they should

concentrate and work hard, but they complain about lack of concentration; businessmen wish they could follow values in their daily transactions only if the work environment was much better.
It is clear that we cannot live someone else’s life and vice versa. People try to guide and advise us, but they cannot live our life. So, if we really want to do anything with our life, we have to take charge and become responsible. Generally, we give excuses and blame others for what happens. When we lose our temper, we do not accept it, instead we claim that the other person instigated or irritated us. When I say that I have to live my life, the question that follows is, “How do I do that?” When we build a house, we have to make sure that the foundation is firm and strong and the materials used are of superior quality. On what foundation are we going to build our life? What are the materials to use?
It’s one’s vision that is the foundation, and values form the material. Generally we look at problems only superficially and try to solve them. That is not enough. To control bribery, we appoint vigilance officers. But that is not the solution. Nothing much happens because there is no enquiry into the basic problem.
People say that they know all the values of life, but cannot live by them. The simple reason is that the knowledge is not their own. We may say we know, but we are merely repeating from other sources. What we know is only information and has not been experienced or established by us. A wise man acts in accordance with his nature; beings will follow their own nature; what can restraint do? We may have knowledge, but our conduct continues to be according to our nature. Our nature evolves over the years and does not change easily. This does not mean that knowledge is useless or that it cannot change our nature. Knowledge does change us, provided we make it our own. Until then we will only behave according to our nature. Swami Chinmayananda would give a simple example: “There is sugar in a cup of coffee, yet the coffee tastes bitter. The reason is that it has not been stirred. The sugar is at the bottom; it has not dissolved. We have to stir the coffee until the sugar becomes one with it and only then will it taste sweet”.
When we live life superficially and try to solve problems superficially, without taking into account the entire foundation and values, no lasting change is possible. There is no quick-fix and cosmetic methods don’t help. This is why it is important to understand the fundamental principle — “I alone have to live my life”. Otherwise, we will continue to say things like, “Nowadays that is the way of life. Everybody is doing such things”. When it is time to face consequences, nobody comes forward to help. Our own children and relatives disown us. Then we feel cheated and disillusioned. We are not able to live our knowledge because we are unable to see the consequences of either following it or not. We see only the immediate results and the glamour, not the long-term results. If we understand the full implications of our actions, we will never be tempted to do wrong things.
The points to remember are very simple and clear: I have to live my life and face the consequences of my actions. My life will be what I make of it. I cannot live another person’s knowledge. To make it my knowledge, I must live it. Live a simple life in accordance with your knowledge. True happiness will be the result!

— Swami Tejomayananda, head of Chinmaya Mission Worldwide, is an orator, poet, singer, composer and storyteller.