Chapter OneMans SearchThe Tortured Mindthe Traditional ApproachThe Trap ofRespectabilityThe Human Being and the IndividualThe Battle of ExistenceTheBasic Nature... » 

Chapter OneMans SearchThe Tortured Mindthe Traditional ApproachThe Trap ofRespectabilityThe Human Being and the IndividualThe Battle of ExistenceTheBasic Nature of Man Responsibility TruthSelf transformation Dissipationof EnergyFreedom from AuthorityMan has throughout the ages been seeking something beyond himself beyondmaterial welfaresomething we call truth or God or reality a timeless state something that cannot be disturbed by circumstances by thought or by humancorruption.Man has always asked the question what is it all about? Has life any meaning.at all? He sees the enormous confusion of life the brutalities the revoltsthe wars the endless divisions of religion ideology and nationality and witha sense of deep abiding frustration he asks what is one to do what is thisthing we call living is there anything beyond it?And not finding this nameless thing of a thousand names which he has alwayssought he has cultivated faithfaith in a saviour or an idealand faithinvariably breeds violence.In this constant battle which we call living we try to set a code of conductaccording to the society in which we are brought up whether it be a Communistsociety or a socalled free society we accept a standard of behaviour as partof our tradition as Hindus or Muslims or Christians or whatever we happen tobe. We look to someone to tell us what is right or wrong behaviour what isright or wrong following this pattern our conduct and thought and inourthinking become mechanical our responses automatic. We can observe this veryeasily in ourselves.For centuries we have been spoonfed by our teachers by our authorities byourbooks our saints. We say Tellme all about itwhat lies beyond the hills andthe mountains and the earth? and we are satisfied with their descriptionswhich means that we live on words and our life isshallow and empty. We aresecondhand people. We havelived on what «