Work Like the Wise do, Without Fear and Greed -  Swami Nikhilananda

We all work. The wise one works out of a deep understanding, remaining detached, yet integrated. An ignorant person works with attachment to the action and for the fruit or result of the action. He/She doesn’t know that all activity is being done by the three gunas – tamo guna, rajo guna and sattva guna. Deluded and miserable such a person thinks, "I am the doer", and gets attached to the sense of doership. This attachment gives rise to fear and greed. If we observe our actions carefully most of the time our work is motivated by fear. We are hounded by fear of losing our jobs, fear of failure, fear of poverty, fear of losing something or the other. Another motivation is greed. We want more and more, we want to acquire, to collect, to gain, to add to our never ending list of acquisitions. Be it wealth, property or objects.

We may be rich materially but we are fearful. Fear doesn’t leave by acquiring wealth. Greed doesn’t go by possessing more and more. It is the fear of losing what we possess and the greed to possess more than what we already have that keeps us in a bind forever. The greater the force of fear and greed, the harder one strives and works.

© "The World Wisdom Review" (April 2006) published by Full Circle Bookstore, 5B, Khan Market, New Delhi 110 003. Website: www.atfullcircle.com. Reprinted with permission.

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