| The answer is
that the joy of right conduct is inherent in human nature. There is a hunger in the soul
which mere self-seeking and momentary pleasures cannot satisfy. This stands confirmed by
the inner feeling of everyone of us, by experience as well as by all recorded history.
Members of a family work for the good of the family and of the village. We see ordinary
men suffering privations for the sake of others whom they have never even seen. People are not indifferent to the good of their village or
town. We see that numerous men sacrifice self-interest and suffer for the good of the
State and for the safety of their country. What is important to remember is that in all
this they derive a joy apart from and independent of any belief in promises or
expectations of rewards for such conduct.
We do not know who will enjoy the shade of the trees that
we plant on the roadside but we plant them so that men of future generations may enjoy
their shade. We take real pleasure in all such work. We should widen this broad
mindedness to a further degree and think of the good of the whole world and its future
happiness. The future of the world is in our hands. We can people it with good men if we
choose to act according to this teaching. |
