HINTS ON PRACTICAL SPIRITUALITY - 3. Swami Vivekananda

23/12/2016.
(Delivered at the Home of Truth, Los Angeles, California)
3.

1.
Then, you see that strength, power, and courage are things which are very peculiar.

We generally say, "A courageous man, a brave man, a daring man", but we must bear in mind that that courage or bravery or any other trait does not always characterise the man.

The same man who would rush to the mouth of a cannon shrinks from the knife of the surgeon; and another man who never dares to face a gun will calmly bear a severe surgical operation, if need be.

Now, in judging others you must always define your terms of courage or greatness.

The man whom I am criticising as not good may be wonderfully so in some points in which I am not.

2.
Take another example.

You often note, when people are discussing as to what man and woman can do, always the same mistake is made.

They think they show man at his best because he can fight, for instance, and undergo tremendous physical exertion; and this is pitted against the physical weakness and the non-combating quality of woman.

This is unjust.

Woman is as courageous as man.

Each is equally good in his or her way.

To be continued  ...