Hyderabad: Aeons ago lived a tutee in a Temple of Knowledge, under the tutelage of several monks, for nearly fifteen years. He had been unflinchingly practising mindful living—daily exercises to gain awareness and a wide range of meditation techniques. Yet, his inner self felt that he was hardly advancing in his understanding of the vast repository of Buddhist knowledge. Everything appeared to be a mere trope.
Know Your Perspective
One day, in a state of utter spiritual ennui, he approached his Master and remarked, “Oh holy one, I have been diligently listening to your sermons for several years now. Unflaggingly, I have practised the meditation and breathing techniques imparted. Yet I cannot understand even the basic tenets of Buddhism. Can you explain the concepts of Buddhism in a single phrase?”
The entire place reverberated with laughter, as the query was perceived to be rather frivolous. But the perspicacious Master reflected for a moment and replied, “Everything changes. The only permanent thing in life is impermanence.”
An ordinary individual, a thoughtful sage, a seeker, or a savant may all practise mindful awareness and meditation. However, their attitudes are prone to alteration with changing circumstances. It is only a truly enlightened being who transcends the dreary monotony of life and becomes genuinely stoic. Such souls are rare and divine, not commonplace.
Unceasing Change of Thoughts
Individual behavioural patterns, the contours and shades of the mind, the geometry and architecture of our thoughts, and our emotions and feelings keep transforming. Humans form opinions and develop attitudes that are in a constant state of flux. Thoughts, emotions, feelings, and attitudes continuously generate in the turbine of the mind. While they may follow familiar patterns, they are never permanent.
The Discipline of Attitudes
Social psychology is the branch of psychology that examines how the environment influences individuals and, in turn, how individuals influence their environment. It systematically analyses human behaviour. Human conduct and attitudes are intricately interwoven and are significantly impacted by external factors.
Life becomes far simpler when we stop explaining ourselves to others and begin living in alignment with what works seamlessly for us. In reality, our actions are governed by our attitudes, which are often formed—and solidified—in the recesses of the mind when we are overly concerned about what others think of us.
We spend countless sleepless nights worrying about what someone may have said about us, accumulating unnecessary stress in both mind and body. We even construct elaborate patterns of thinking about certain people and situations based on these perceptions. As social beings, we constantly form impressions about those we encounter and attribute motives to their actions—and even their silence.
All this exerts a colossal strain on our system. What begins harmlessly can, over time, harden and burden our consciousness. It is puzzling why humans embark on such futile investigative journeys that only tighten the grip of stress on the brain and psyche.
Other Influencing Factors
Human behaviour and attitudes are shaped and constrained by people and experiences encountered in life. Attitudes take root in the hidden corners of the restless human mind through reading, visual media, technology, social media, political beliefs, and the work of NGOs, among others.
Certain situations evoke positive, pro-social attitudes. Our hearts soften, and we instinctively help those in distress without expecting anything in return—an authentic expression of altruism. Conversely, traumatic experiences can also give rise to destructive attitudes. Losing a loved one in violence or communal unrest may push an individual towards vengeance and the adoption of ideologies rooted in hatred.
A Quick Appraisal
Psychologists observe that attitudes are formed and embedded within the cognitive system. They arise from a wide range of experiences and may be fleeting or long-lasting, but they are never immutable.
Humans are perpetual learners. Attitudes are often shaped through association, punishment, tragic life events, and sometimes through positive and inspiring experiences. We may also model our thinking on the success stories of iconic figures.
Group dynamics and cultural conditioning further influence attitudes. Exposure to family, peers, educational institutions, and the teaching methods employed all play a role in shaping political and social philosophies. Beyond these factors, there is always an intangible X-factor unique to individual experience.
Why Bear the Cross?
Human beings can attain mastery over their attitudes and conquer the mind. Attitudes can be reshaped through the practice of vairagya (detachment), self-discipline, faith in a higher power, and meditation on inner strength. Annihilating ignorance, practising tapas by renouncing excessive sensory attachments, maintaining a daily spiritual diary, and living fully in the present moment are time-tested techniques.
As Gautama Buddha wisely said, “Judge nothing, you will be happy. Forgive everything, you will be happier. Love everything, you will be the happiest.”
About the Author
Ravi Valluri is Advisor, Krishnapatnam Railway Company Limited. He has authored both fiction and non-fiction works and is a faculty member of the Art of Living. His latest book is Sita to Abhaya: Have Things Changed?
He can be reached at valluri.ravi@gmail.com or via WhatsApp at 9618564024.
