Inner Eye
Kailash returned home on time. He has just completed his homework. He is about to go to play. His grandmother is processing rice grains. He goes near his grandmother for permission to go to play. Grandmother is separating husk, stone, and other inedible particles from rice grains.
Kailash: Grandmother! Why are you working on such dirty rice grains? Why don't you throw it away and buy a new one? At least you will be free from this headache.
Grandmother: What do you mean? Why throw it away? Should we throw away whole rice grains if there are some inedible substances? Kailash: Yes. I am the right grandmother. It is better to buy new rather than working so hard to separate stones and inedible materials from it.
Grandmother: You are absolutely wrong, dear grandson. We should not Inner Eyes 78 Moral Education, Class -8 throw the good things away with bad. But, we have to separate good from bad. There is good and bad everywhere. It depends on our perception.
Kailash: Then, we have to eat the stones and husk considering them good? How can it be good?
Grandmother: Don't take it just as stones and husks. There is rice grain too. You can't say this is not rice grain just because it is mixed with stone and husk. You are thinking of throwing it away just because your way of seeing is not good. We should not be negative, we should be positive. Kailash: What do positive and negative mean grandmother?
Grandmother: Things like fault, weaknesses, pessimism, and criticism are found everywhere. If we see all these things negatively, and hate them, this is a negative thought. If we think that there is something good, strong, and optimistic in them, that is what we call positive thoughts. Our thoughts determine what we see.
Kailash: I think it is too hard to separate such things, isn't it grandmother?
Grandmother: Yes dear, it is hard to separate. There should not be impartiality in us. We have to recognize the value of others' labors. We should not be indulged in greed. We have to think that I have some weaknesses too, I may make mistakes. We Moral Education, Class -8 79 must know the details about the things before we take it negatively. If anyone has done something wrong we must identify the cause behind it first. If it is done, we can develop positive thinking in us. Kailash: I liked it, grandmother. Please tell me something more. Grandmother: It is not so easy to develop this kind of thinking. We have to use our inner eyes and potential to get this. Kailash: Are there inner eyes and potential in us? What are they?
Grandmother: Yes. But, we have to be able to perceive them. I don't mean that there are eyes like our two external eyes. The wisdom to identify good, bad, truth, false etc. is called the inner eyes. It helps us to know our inner potential. Everyone possesses such potential. They could not identify this fact and think that they are weak and failure. If one works with this inner potential he/she can't be cheated anywhere. A man is being cheated for not being able to identify his own potential. This is the main reason for being weak.
Kailash: If this is the case, do I have such inner eyes and potential in me, grandmother?
Grandmother: Of course, you have. I have heard that there is no single person in this world who is impotent and incapable. There is a lack of a person to show his/her ability, capacity, and potential. You might have seen a Sami tree. There is fire inside it but nothing is seen outside. If that inner fire is used, it can work with great energy. There is a similar type of energy in every human; if we utilize them, we can do great work. The positive thinking and capacity is developed from this. Our way of seeing and behavior become positive.
Kailash: What I understood from your logic is- one has to select good from the bad. One should not criticize others but try to make him/her good, am I right grandmother?
Grandmother: Excellent. You are absolutely right. What you understood and said is the outcome of a positive attitude. Sometimes, we talk about the negative things that are in a person, family, community, and the nation. In such a situation, our way of seeing becomes one-sided. We think whatever we say is right. This is the result of our negative thoughts.
Kailash: I don't like some of my classmates. Is it the result of my negative thinking, grandmother?
Grandmother: Yes. You only thought negatively about them and you saw them negatively. It is like seeing only stones and husks in rice rather than seeing rice grain in it. Have you ever thought about what they may think about you? This type of attitude has made you prejudiced and negative. It is written in your book that 'if there is half water in a glass, don't see it as half empty, see it as half filled. If you see the half empty, it is negative thinking. Similarly, if you see it half-filled it is positive thinking. Tell me yourself, how should one be seen? Can we see this way if we don't have inner eyes and potential?
Kailash: Yes grandmother. You really showed my inner eyes and potential today. Now, I will start seeing things with positive eyes and behave accordingly. I won't point out others' weaknesses and criticize them. I won't be pessimistic. It was good I didn't go to play and got a chance to learn so many things.
Summary
People act negatively or positively as per their attitude. One becomes negative for not being able to recognize his/her own inner potential. One acts positively if he/she identifies that potential and becomes able to separate good from bad. Positive thought and action are essential for an individual as well as a nation to be good. We must be concerned about how others take us. If we can be impartial to every individual, work and events, we can bring positive change in our thought and action. Positive thought and action is needed everywhere
