Morality Is Skin-Deep

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Our concept of sin is a social concept. Our connotations of sin are social. Morality is a rule, a code.It is a way to cause the fear of sin in common man. Every sincere spiritual seeker should have a sense of morality born out of his own understanding of what is right and wrong. We should examine morality from the point of view of our own awareness. Let us not blindly follow a set rule or the dictates of the codes of morality created by society. By following such codes blindly, we are causing more harm to ourselves than good. Such codes wound our Being. Our concept of morality has to be totally based on our understanding. Morality should not be carved out of greed or fear. Any morality based on greed or fear or social norms is only skin deep. It doesn't touch our heart. Our values don't shine from the depths of our Being.

A small story:

Three women died on earth and reached the court of Yama - the Lord of Death. Here, they awaited their final judgment to be delivered by Yama. Yama asked the first woman, 'Did you lead a pure and faithful life?' The woman replied, 'Yes, I led a very chaste life. I never even looked at a man other than my husband.'

Yama then checked her life record and verified the truth of her claims. He gave her a golden key and sent her to a special room in heaven. Yama then asked the same question to the second woman. She replied, 'I have committed a sin by thinking of another man in my mind. However, physically, I have been pure and faithful to my husband.' Yama said, 'I cannot treat you in the same way as I did the previous lady.' He gave her a silver key and sent her to an ordinary room in heaven.

When it was the turn of the third woman, Yama asked the same question. The lady replied, 'My Lord, I am an actress. I have done things that you can imagine and cannot imagine as well. I am quite prepared to accept any punishment you decide to hand me.' Yama looked to the left and then to the right, and handed her a key and whispered in her ear, 'Alright, here is my room key!'. If we have been conditioned thoroughly by society, or are a religious fanatic, we will be furious at this story.

However, if we are spiritual we will know that right and wrong, sin and merit, live only in our minds. Of course, this is not a license to live as we please. Understand: morality has to happen in you as a mere byproduct of the right intelligence flowering in you. It is not to be imposed by any outer agency. An intelligent one will be moral automatically.