How to choose the right challenges in life? || Acharya Prashant, on Vedanta (2021)

Acharya Prashant

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Transcript

00:00 Acharya ji, next question is from a 47 year old software programmer from US.

00:07 He is saying, Pranam Acharya ji.

00:10 I find that I have many weaknesses within.

00:13 With these weaknesses, can I accept that huge challenge of internal transformation?

00:19 I have made so many mistakes in life.

00:23 And spirituality, as you say, is a fire.

00:27 With all my impurities, how will I be able to tolerate this fire?

00:35 What else is needed to put through fire?

00:39 You are not going to put Atma through fire, are you?

00:44 It's your impurities you need to put through fire, exactly that.

00:49 Exactly that.

00:56 And even when you put yourself through fire, let me console you a bit, you need to put

01:03 yourself through only as much fire as you can afford.

01:10 That's why I talked of small daily battles.

01:14 If you think of massive oceans of fire and envision yourself swimming through them, then

01:26 you won't even begin.

01:36 So don't fantasize too much.

01:43 There are impurities within, they need to be burnt down and you have to do it.

01:55 And if you're sincere, you will do it at a pace that is both affordable and high, which

02:06 means as high as possible.

02:11 You will not take up unreasonable projects, fail in them and then surrender to the wrong

02:20 master.

02:23 And on top of that, proclaim martyrdom.

02:27 Oh, I fought a huge battle.

02:30 I fought such a huge battle.

02:32 All of you are busy fighting your petty battles.

02:34 I fought a huge battle and was defeated.

02:39 I was defeated for good.

02:40 I was actually slaughtered.

02:41 Now I do not fight any battles.

02:47 In fact, taking up an unreasonable challenge is a cunning way to avoid all future challenges.

03:00 Take up an unaffordable challenge, obviously lose it and then declare, "Oh, I am not good

03:10 enough" or "The challenge is just too much, so I am not going to try any further or any

03:16 harder".

03:21 If you're sincere, you don't want to lose.

03:30 If you're sincere, you don't want to keep winning petty battles either.

03:35 So it's a delicate thing.

03:37 You see the rope walk.

03:42 On one hand, I don't want to pick too big a battle.

03:46 On the other hand, I know if I keep picking very feeble challenges, then I won't grow

03:53 at all.

03:57 So it has to be a very wise balance.

04:01 A very wise balance, leaning towards adventurism, leaning towards boldness, leaning towards

04:16 suspense.

04:25 You cannot pick up a challenge that you are just too sure to win.

04:32 Is it a challenge at all then?

04:35 So pick up a challenge where you are a little uncertain.

04:38 Will I succeed, will I fail and then succeed?

04:46 Let there be some thrill.

04:50 Otherwise, what's the joy in winning?

04:57 And if there is no joy in winning, what will you fall in love with?

05:02 Nobody can fall in love with boredom.

05:07 I woke up in the morning and my to-do consists of picking this mug up two times and I win

05:17 every day.

05:18 But Acharya Ji, I am not falling in love with the ultimate.

05:25 You mug.

05:32 Assured victories don't help.

05:38 Assured defeats don't help either.

05:45 Play a thrilling game.

05:53 Play a game that's just a little beyond your capacity, your means and then win it every

05:59 day.

06:04 A little beyond, not too much.

06:06 If it's too much then…

06:20 Yes.

06:42 So with this, with great respect and gratefulness and love, we have come to the end of Mundaka

07:00 Upanishad.

07:01 Obviously, it is no end.

07:10 It is a great beginning.

07:11 The Upanishad is going to remain with us and we are going to return to the Upanishad again

07:17 and again.

07:23 But as I read the last verse and the Shanti part, my mind actually overflows with deep

07:39 gratefulness for the sages who handed this over to us.

07:51 We will keep returning to the gift they have given.

08:01 We hope we are deserving of the gift.

08:19 (MultiCom Jingle)

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