The religion of the heart

At the heart of all religions is the religion of the heart. Cutting across customs and creeds, beneath all rites and rituals lie certain universal and eternal principles.

At the centre of all religions, where it matters most, the rules remain the same.

These principles are applicable and understood by one and all. Recognizing them does not require lengthy study or abstruse knowledge. Their validity is obvious to anyone who cares to think deeply and to examine human needs and behaviour. Quite simply, they are part of human consciousness conscience. Wrong upbringing or ill treatment may suppress them, but they cannot be erased, existing as they do, deep in human hearts. Four major principles, it may be said, underlie any system of ethical thought. They are honesty, fairness, service and encouragement. Let us take a closer look at each of them.

Honesty has been described as the best policy. Undoubtedly it is so, but reducing it to mere policy is to devalue its worth. It is true that if one is honest in word and action it is often rewarded and reciprocated, but there other enduring satisfactions that flow from it. It is the best shield against fears and worries. It also blesses one with peace of mind.

Even children, it is seen, have a keen sense of fairness. They immediately know it when justice and fair play are denied. This may even go deep enough to affect their outlook on life and their relationship with others. A proper sense of fairness allows you to rise above differences of gender, community and race. It is what brings harmony into life.

Almost all of us have to work in order to survive, but does working hard amount to service? Not unless it is carried out with certain higher purposes in mind. It is of course laudable to work for one’s own needs and comforts, but it turns into service only when we go beyond personal satisfactions, rising above egocentricity and uniting with and serving others. Those who are service-minded will strive to consider the well being of others and also the betterment of the world.

We come finally to the concept of encouragement or the building up of a nurturing environment. A beautiful story concerning John Ruskin, well-known writer and art critic, puts this principle into clear perspective. He stood one evening watching a lamplighter who went, torch in hand, from one post to another. Patiently and with care, he cleaned and then lit the lamps, one after the other. Going from post to post, he proceeded down the street.

His receding figure became more and more dim, but he left behind him a whole line of lights burning brightly. Ruskin gazed at him thoughtfully and then exclaimed, ‘There, that is what I mean by a man of God. You can trace his course by the light he leaves behind, burning and dispelling darkness. It is our job to keep the lights burning!’