Mirror Mirror on the Wall please don’t reflect back my imperfections only show me my beauty; as they looked in the mirror nothing was reflected back.
Over the past few months I have been pondering the continuing condition found in the material world, that of fault finding and how easy it is to find faults in others whilst over looking the faults in ourselves. Indeed it is a point to ponder that there are 4 kinds of blasphemy to a vaisnava each of which include faults:
1. To find fault with a Vaisnava for his apparent low birth.
2. To blaspheme him for his previous faults.
3. To blaspheme him for his accidental fault.
4. To blaspheme him for the faults that are almost rectified.
(from Harinama Cintamani)
Indeed as we look into our own fault finding mirror we expect to see no faults for each time we come up with an argument a reason why it isn’t; reminding me of the biblical request to first remove the plank from your own eye before removing a straw in another’s.
Indeed the faults we or should I say “I” find is simply a reflection of my larger faults; which can be simply hidden away under the guise of niceness. Indeed Srila Prabhupada makes this point: We have got four faults in our conditional life: we commit mistake, we become illusioned, we cheat others, and our senses are imperfect. (Fiji, May 24, 1975)
It struck me we do this in analysing others service; we see the faults, the mistakes, the inadequacy but fail to see that actually the person is giving 100% given what they have and further more are trying with sincerity to serve others as best they can.
And whilst sat criticising doing little ourselves.
Putting the mirror in-front of ourselves and asking it to reveal what it sees from the beautiful to the ugly showing us the area’s that need to be worked on is indeed something we wish not to see, but is something as devotees we request.
No excuses taking full responsibility for what we find and further to that then setting about working on them turning what is ugly into something that becomes attractive to others; our rough qualities blasted away to finally reveal the diamond.
Casting off this it’s not my fault, well you have to understand or defensive well you have room to talk is difficult in this age of quarrel, shirking our responsibility to mere point scoring over others excusing our bad behaviour whilst judging others for theirs.
Sadly this criticising attitude is difficult to gain control off; indeed we use it as a crutch so that we can avoid our own failings and can feel better about our situation; but this hinders rather than helps progress.
And for me theirs a work in progress; I’ve made my way to the foot of the Hill and now look up ready to climb for unless this significant fault of fault finding is conquered then what is left? Offence done to those who are giving cent per cent in service and this is what we should see their beauty in service. I shall leave you with this one thought to ponder:
CC Adi-lila 8.62 Purport;
It is a qualification of a Vaisnava that he is adosa-darsi: he never sees others’ faults. Of course, every human being has both good qualities and faults. Therefore it is said, saj-jana gunam icchanti dosam icchanti pamarah: everyone has a combination of faults and glories. But a Vaisnava, a sober man, accepts only a man’s glories and not his faults, for flies seek sores whereas honeybees seek honey. Haridasa Pandita never found fault with a Vaisnava but considered only his good qualities.
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