Question: It seems that there should be only one moral code. How can everyone recognise and accept one moral code for the whole world?

Sri Chinmoy: There should not necessarily be one moral code. The Sanskrit word for code is dharma. On each plane there is a code: on the physical plane, on the vital plane, on the mental plane, on the psychic plane. But the best code is surrender to the inner divinity. On the physical plane, somebody will say that this is absolutely the right code, the real raison d’être of life. On the vital plane it will be something else, on the mental plane something else, and on the inner plane, something else again. If one wants to justify one’s approach to truth, one can do it. Any code of life does bring some satisfaction. You do this or you refrain from doing that, and then you are satisfied. But this may not bring real satisfaction.

Real satisfaction comes not by doing something or by becoming something. Real satisfaction comes only when one surrenders to the highest principle in life, to the highest reality, to one’s own highest divinity. This highest divinity you can call God, the Supreme, or whatever you want. One’s highest divinity knows infinitely better than one’s lowest divinity. Sri Krishna told Arjuna, “There can be no higher code of life than to surrender to the inmost divinity,” which Sri Krishna himself represented. Divinity is everywhere. Divinity is in the Source in infinite measure. Again, divinity is also inside a tiny ant. But the soul that is flooded with infinite light and delight, we should accept more than the divinity that a tiny ant embodies.

On the physical plane we say that a particular code is absolutely the correct thing, but the capacity of the physical is very limited. On the vital plane, we say this is the right thing, but the capacity of the vital is very limited. The mind will say that something is absolutely correct, but the capacity of the mind is very limited. On each plane truth is there; again, the capacity of the truth is limited. But on the highest plane, the capacity of the truth is unlimited. The mind cannot fathom the capacity of the highest truth. On the physical plane, the vital plane, the mental plane, the mind sometimes can fathom the capacity. But on the highest plane, the capacity there cannot be measured. If we surrender to our own highest divinity, at that time we become one with the highest capacity and the highest truth. Only then can our code of life on the physical plane, the mental plane, the vital plane and all other planes be easily transcended.

If we use shoes or sandals to keep our feet from getting burnt and scratched with thorns, there will be some Brahmins who will immediately think of the animals. When they think of the animals, they immediately think of the brutality, cruelty and destruction. Some Hindus, so-called pious Hindus, won’t use leather because it comes from an animal skin. But if we don’t use shoes, it is very difficult to walk. So where do we stand? But if we surrender to the inner will, then there is no problem. The inner will will say that everything has its own role. The animal has played its part by offering its existence, willingly or unwillingly. And we have to play our part by wearing shoes so that we can walk to church, where we will pray and meditate.

On earth we cannot exist without destroying life. The moment we breathe in, millions of tiny creatures in God’s creation enter into our breath and are destroyed by us. We walk along the street, and while we are walking, how many insects we destroy! So we can’t exist even for a fleeting second without destruction.

Again, we also destroy with our thoughts. When we have an ill thought, a desiring thought, a jealous thought, an insecure thought, it is all destruction. Any undivine thought we have immediately is a form of destruction on one plane — the mental plane, let us say. Consciously we become jealous and do all kinds of undivine things. Again, unconsciously we become victims to undivine thoughts, ideas and other destructive forces. At every moment, we are destroying or being destroyed on the physical plane, on the vital plane, on the mental plane; on every plane forces are trying to destroy us or we are trying to destroy them. When we are destroying someone or something, we are doing something very undivine. And others who are doing the same to us are also doing something undivine. Either we are killing someone or somebody is killing and destroying us. How can we escape from this constant battle? Every second we cannot fight with our thoughts. So what shall we do? If we surrender our thoughts to the highest Authority, who is omnipotent, only then are we safe. So the only way is to aspire and surrender to the highest divine Authority. Let the divine Authority tell us what is best for us and what is best for others. That is the best code of life on each plane: physical, vital, mental and psychic.

From:Sri Chinmoy,Flame-Waves, part 8, Agni Press, 1976
Sourced from https://srichinmoylibrary.com/fw_8