Why We Do Bad Things – Four Causes | Bhagavatam 3.12.34 | Tirupati | Chaitanya Charan
Transcript
This is an AI-generated transcript and may contain some errors.
Ramachandra Bhagwan ki Jai. Why do bad things happen to good people? These are difficult questions to answer. That question, why do things happen to good people, that is all that is naturally divided the world in a way that bad things happen to us.
Somebody is a good person, suddenly they meet an accident, they get cancer. So now when bad things happen to good people, this is called as natural living. That means why is nature created in such a way that bad things happen to good people.
But when good people do bad things, that is called as moral living. Moral living means, why are people made in such a way that they get to do bad things. And we normally think that there are good people and there are bad people.
So good people do good things and bad people do bad things. So when good people do bad things, that is extremely positive. So now it is interesting that from the beginning of creation, this is being talked about.
And what is the reason for this? It is to understand and explain how when we act, there are many different factors based on which we act. So I talk of four factors using an acronym ICCT. So ICCT is a bold term.
But there are four factors. I is Intention. C is Conditioning.
C, second C is Circumstance. And the last C is Transience. So that means, why does somebody do something bad? Say for example, we consider somebody to be a very honest and a very fair person.
And that might be in our temple management, that might be in political politics, that might be in our workplace. And then we come to know that they did something very dishonest. We know somebody very calm and composed and reasonable person.
And then they become extremely angry. The person becomes not just angry but becomes vicious. They make a vicious look towards somebody.
What kind of person is this? Did I misunderstand this person? Or is it that… So… Now, do I misunderstand this person? Or what exactly happened? It raises questions. So for us, also it happens sometimes. We often think of us as a good person.
But sometimes we end up doing bad things. So how do we understand? What is the cause of a particular action that is done by somebody? For that purpose, let’s look at these four broad factors to try to understand what’s happening. See, now, basically the question comes up that when somebody has done a bad action, it can indicate three things.
That actually, this is their normal and it was conceived. That means this person actually like that only. But they have conceived that person honestly.
And now, all the weird colours are coming. Recently, there was a big controversy over a big podcaster who spoke something very obscene. And he… As I told you, he is a spiritual teacher.
He is interested in dharma and sattva and atma. And then suddenly, when he spoke something so outrageous, people are outraged with it. They said that all that we did till now was just a show.
So, that is a possibility. The one is that the bad action was just a mask. And that mask has now come out.
Or, we are going to understand the bad action was that one is true, so the normal is conceived. The other is that it is an exception. It is normally that person never behaves like this.
And there were some, what they say, exigent circumstances. Exigent circumstances means that there were certain situations because of which that person did something. Normally, they do not do.
In our tradition also, there is the idea of apad dharma. That somebody may have to do something which is not normally done because of circumstances. So, now, if we consider these two factors, one extreme is that a person did something because of intention.
Then that would mean that that is a bad person. The other intention, say, now, all these kids are sitting here. And now, suppose somebody comes running from here.
And they all come here. So, while running, they step their foot on somebody’s body. Now, normally, if we notice that we have stepped on somebody’s foot or somebody’s leg or somebody’s body, it means they are sorry to touch their body.
We’ll apologise. So, we can say that is a circumstance. It is running along and then we notice that the crowd is over, that the occupation has come in.
But suppose, consider a situation where somebody is running and they see, okay, they have stepped on someone’s foot. And they look up and they see who it is. And then they raise their foot and deliberately bang on that person’s foot harder.
So, now, the first stepping on somebody’s foot might be accidental, might be a circumstance. But the second is clearly intentional. So, when something is intentional, then that means, hmm, that’s a cruel act.
That indicates cruelty. So, what happens is that when somebody does something, knowing what they are doing, then that is one of the most serious attacks. Because they want to do it.
They want to do it. They are doing it, they want to do it, they know what they are doing. So, they seek an explanation from other people.
So, about this, the intentional is the most serious. If somebody is doing it intentionally, then it’s a more serious problem. If it’s circumstantial, then it is serious, but it is the least serious.
Somebody said, who is normally a very polite person, we ask him something and they get like this. They scream and go around and say, what’s wrong with you? And then we come to know that they just got some bad news. Maybe they got the news that their parent has passed away.
And they are very shocked about it. So, what happens is, then we should not take that action very seriously. So, now, here, Brahma has actually acted in a very seriously wrong way.
The action itself is extremely wrong. But, was it intentional? Was it intentional? Was it due to circumstance? Now, what do we mean by transcendental? Transcendental. That means, the law that has inspired someone to do something.
So, Prabhupada says sometimes that, say for example, Baljit Maharaj, apparently, this was back in Shirdi, sorry, Shirdi’s Maharaj, was in the reason of the law, so that the Bhagavad-Gita is here. So, there, we should just see that as a natural, we should not be judging anybody. There is something bigger going on.
So, let’s do this another way. Here is the soul. Now, when the soul is surrounded by the mind, mind-body is the key.
The soul is surrounded by the mind-body. And now, the mind, you could say the mind-body machine is there. Let’s put it mind.
Then we could put it as, there is a body around it. And then, the soul is situated in some circumstance. And above the circumstance is the law.
This, we can say, is Krishna. So, when somebody does an action, what we see is that person did the action. Now, there are four possibilities that the action came from the person.
The action came from the conditioning. The action came from the circumstance. And the action came by the arrangement of the mind.
So, this is how, when somebody has done something, why exactly did he do it? Let’s talk about the circumstances. The circumstances were so difficult, were so troublesome, then they did the action. The conditions were so serious, then they did the action.
It was too strong. They knew what they were doing. They desired to know, they did it.
And they just became like a puppet or an instrument for the Lord, and the Lord made them do it. So, depending on which of these four is the pattern that is leading to particular action? You have to consider. So, can you think of some action, which is a bad action, but it is considered circumstantial? And the person is not considered to be responsible.
It is not a right thing to do, not a good thing to do, but it is considered circumstantial. So, for example, when Sita speaks very harshly to Lakshmi, when Ram is abducted, and Maniksha imitates the voice of Ram, and falls, at that time, Sita refuses Ram. She tells Lakshmi to go.
And when Lakshmi refuses to go, she pushes Lakshmi, and then finally she says, that actually you are not going because you want Ram to die. You always had a particular eye on you. And if it wasn’t that evil eye, you were waiting for the opportunity, that Ram would die, and I would not believe you.
But you know, that I will never detach from you. If Ram dies, I will die with you. I will never, never submit to your evil eye.
And Lakshmi says, you must not talk like this to Ram. And when you hear this, it is extremely painful. But, when Lakshmi goes away, Lakshmi holds Sita responsible for that.
And later on, when Sita is abducted, Lakshmi says, if she spoke so deliberately, such a bite, is what should have happened to her. The reaction, how she spoke. When you say that, and finally, when Sita is rescued, at that time, Lakshmi and Sita meet, and Lakshmi says, okay, I was waiting for that opportunity.
You know, it can be circumstances. So, even good people, sometimes do bad things. The principle here is, don’t see, don’t see intention in what is spoken intention.
When somebody is speaking of intention, don’t see intention in what is done or spoken intention. So, all of us, we sometimes do bad things. And, generally speaking, the person is a good person.
Don’t harm that person. So, keep reminding the person, you know, you spoke like that. No, it is, don’t see intention in what is spoken intention.
So, sometimes, the person ends up doing something bad. So, I was in, staying at, on the road, his house in America. And, we had brought his father also, to visit him.
And, he was trying to get his father, to get his uncle, to go to his house, to go to America. And, he had noticed, and he also told me that, I can see that my father is always very cold. So, I am trying to serve him, I am trying to ease him, but he is always very cold.
So, I was staying at the home for few days. And then, his father and I, we had got us English literature. So, we started talking about that.
And I said, you know, what happened? I don’t know, it seems to me, I lost him at first office. And then, finally, I asked him about, how his relationship with his son was. And, he told, that, nothing, his son was in, just, in 10th, in the 10th exam, 10th, just before 10th.
While he was in 10th, his mother, who was his mother, was his wife, had passed away. Suddenly, he had a lot of, sudden disease. He got cancer, very advanced.
So, he said, after that, you know, I can take care of my son. I did what I could. But then, one day, when he was coming for his exam, and, he had stayed away, and, he told me, that, you know, please, wake me up at this time.
Now, I woke him up. But, I woke him once, twice, thrice, didn’t wake up. And when he didn’t wake up, and I thought, maybe he’s very tired, anyway, he’s sleeping now, he’ll never get up for the exam.
So, I let him sleep. And finally, he woke up, two and a half hours later, and he got so angry, and he screamed at me, and he said, it would be better, if, instead of a mother, you had died. I said, I just broke my heart, from the heart.
I said, from that time, he was the only person I was looking for. He was my only son. How could he spoke like this? I said, I don’t know.
And that time, I told his son, I said, I didn’t even remember that. I said, I don’t remember that. He told me that, actually, after Brahmanda had passed away, my father was very sad, and I thought that, if I do well in my exams, then, I would be relieved.
And, I would bring some happiness into his life. And that’s why, I’m very anxious to do well in my exams. And, maybe because of that, I said, he better leave.
When his father’s he can ask for forgiveness. And they embraced each other. So, what happened there was that, something was spoken intentionally.
So, you know, what son would want to have that kind of feeling towards his father. But, what is spoken intentionally don’t seem intentional. So, what happened is, sometimes, some actions existed because of circumstances.
And you can see, even because of circumstances, a person should never do something like this. And that is true. But still, none of us knows what is going to happen.
And therefore, life is extremely difficult. And, everybody is carrying different burdens. And under the pressure of the burdens that they are carrying, what they will do, it’s difficult to understand.
So, therefore, in general, a normally good person does a bad thing, gives them the benefit of the doubt. So, in one sense, you could say, that, one would have to understand, or want to understand, the bad action by a good person. So, we could say, you know like, every lion has a default and then moves the other direction.
So, let our default be, the first default be, look at the circumstances. Don’t think this is a bad person. Look at the circumstances.
So, this is the first situation to consider. So, now, if the circumstances doesn’t explain it, now, when might the circumstances not explain it? Say, for example, if we consider we will continue this talk tomorrow also, but I am giving you a few points of view. If we consider, for example, a rabbi, abducted Sita, was that circumstantial? Why not? Because, you know, he didn’t just happen to be in that circumstance.
He created that circumstance. Isn’t it? It is a circumstantial thing that happened because circumstances means that circumstances came upon the person. But, so the other extreme is intention.
So, Ravan, doing something, is an intention. So, Sita and Lakshman is circumstances. But, Ravan and Sita is intention.
If somebody is creating a particular circumstance to a particular thing, that means that person is definitely not, is not, it cannot contain a circumstance. That means, you know, if somebody happens to be in a particular room, somebody is a guest in our house and that person happens to be in our room and that Ramana saint is there and the safe where you can buy money or a treasure, it happens to be open and that person just takes something and then they catch it and go, why did you leave that open? Why did you leave the book at my home? Actually, I just got a news that my doctor had fallen very sick and I was just waiting for him to give me some money for my surgery. And I saw this news and I thought it was wicked.
He told me to sit at the hospital and make my dream come true. That’s a circumstance. But, you know, somebody deliberately became our friend, earned our trust, and then took from us the safety code of our surgery and then took the money from him.
That is really a circumstance. So, these two are really different. Is it circumstantial or is it intentional? So we could say this should be the last explanation.
Look at this as the last explanation. Don’t assume that it is intentional. Now, when can we say that it is conditional? So conditional means what? Conditioning.
Conditioning means that somebody doesn’t want to do it, they know it is wrong, but they can’t stop themselves from doing it. So, it’s almost like at this point, something is at a distance. Somebody is talking.
Nobody wants to talk. Unless, of course, they want to hide something or take some attention or something. Nobody wants to talk.
Nobody talks intentionally. So, at this time of conditioning, we see it to be like a distance. now, so here the difference is that they don’t want to do it.
Still, somebody is conditioning for anger, whenever they put it up to provoke something, they start doing it. Now, as soon as they realise what happened, they apologise, they say, you know, I’m sorry. But, it’s just the way they are.
Some people may have certain ambitions. But, it’s not just a certain sense. So, this is a little complicated case, how to deal with this.
But, we will come to this. Now, for the last factor, which is a little bit rare, that is, so after first, there should be second, and now, this is third. Now, that is transcendental.
That is something which is extremely rare. Normally, us as devotees, we should not claim that some action is transcendental. But, yes, there are Vaishnavas, Niyamandas, Vidyadharas.
That is true. But, there are limits to that. And, those limits, we cannot use to justify any activity.
So, a person can do terrible wrong things if wrong people are there. So, generally speaking, it is an exception. So, if somebody is a very advanced devotee, and they have done something which just seems to be completely okay.
And, if this assumption alone seems to be okay, then we can say there is something going on between these devotees and it’s none of my business. I do not want to interfere in their business. So, I will not interfere in their business.
I will not interfere business. I will not interfere in their will Well, let’s put it this way, it’s like, he does not have that conditioning in one sense. But conditioning can also be like, Prabhupada generally explains in this particular also, that if you use your energy so strong, that sometimes even the best of people may end up in bad things.
So now, we could cause it as conditioning, not so many conditioning in terms of he having the conditioning, but rather he being in a particular place. So it’s somewhere between, it could be this, it could be this, it could be this. We don’t know.
Acharyas can give different explanations at different points. But suppose if you are saying that, there is a doctor who has gone to treat people with angina, and then the doctor gets infected. So now the doctor is infected.
You can’t imagine. But do you want to blame the doctor for it? Of course not. And normally what happens is, this is the last two points I am going to do.
See, one problem with the infection idea, that the infection normally makes people passive. If somebody becomes infectious, then they get infection, they just lie on bed, they can’t move, they lose their energy. So this is the normal infection.
But the infection of maya, it makes, often makes us hyperactive. So, when somebody is infected by an asteroid or a thing, then they actually do more than what they are normally doing. So this infection, it’s more like a, it’s more like a mental health disease.
Like some people are mentally disturbed, and because of some problem, there are some drugs. And those, you take those drugs, people just become, they get a small amount of energy. And nowadays there are, like there are designer clothes, now in America there are designer drugs being made.
Designer drugs means what? That those drugs, like normal drugs need detoxification, a little bit of detoxification, a little bit But those drugs just make you extremely hyperactive. Very quickly, very small dosage. But then it can be deadly.
Then things go wrong. So the infection of maya, doesn’t seem like infection, because the person is not infected. The person is hyperactive.
You know, if we hear that somebody is very sick, and we see that person running around and talking loudly, and doing many activities, it means that person is not that sick person. Isn’t it? So that’s why it’s difficult to see the actions done by a person, driven by lust, anger, or greed, as an infection. But still, it is an infection.
And the key point is that the day, how long the infection lasts, are they aggravating the infection, or are they trying to counter the infection. So that leads to the last point, that the bhagavad-gita do certain things. Krishna says that, It’s a very interesting affirmation.
Don’t be a desirer of desire. Don’t be a desirer of desire. So don’t, what does it mean a desirer of desire? Na kaam kaam.
So this desire, that which comes inside to us. So this is the soul. This is the proposition.
So desire can be a proposition. Proposition is, outside the mind, I want to buy this, eat this, watch this. That’s kaam desire for you.
And the second desirer is intention. So for us, the proposition may come, Prabhupada says, the desire can come from the intention until the desire is gone away. That’s what Prabhupada also meant by 270-71.
So for all of us, how do we ensure that when the proposition comes, the intention does not come. For instance, there are some thought pops up, some desire pops up inside us, which we see. It could set ourselves in a condition, but the intention does not come.
That will happen when we have a much stronger intention for something else. If our intention to serve Krishna, our intention to practise bhakti, is very strong, then even when the proposition comes, the intention does not come. So the prostitute came before Haridas Maharaj and she offered herself to him.
The proposition came, but the intention did not come. Why? Because he had a strong intention to serve Krishna. So here the fact that Brahmaji is now manifesting the Vedas through himself, through him, indicates that his intention to serve is so strong, the Lord has reciprocated his intention and is continuing his service.
So whatever was wrong is now in the real universe, in the past, and he has picked itself up and he has lived out his life. By keeping our intention strong, we all assume that whatever has been done by someone, whatever has been done by us, they put it aside and move on. Which means Rudracharya, Rudracharya is there, but bhajate ma ananya ma This intention is strong.
So in summary, what we discussed today? Mainly we discussed three points. Our topic was when good people do bad things, how do we make sense of it? So we discussed the example of Brahmaji over here, the example was so. So I said that what was the background? ICC, the I was the intention.
That is, they did this because they wanted to do it. And this is the worst kind of situation. C is conditioning.
They didn’t want to do it, but they are conditioning it by them. Next is? Circumstance. That means it is largely external, the previous consequence, that is the Lord made an arrangement for them to do.
So it’s like when somebody does something, and so the, so where is that particular action coming from? So not there, but it is a circumstance. So is the action, will there be a particular action? And the origin could be, it is their intention, it’s the conditioning, it’s the circumstance, or it is the, something like that. So we need to see what’s going to be seen.
So now, if it is circumstantial, then we need to, it’s the least damaging. So overall, we try to start with, when we try to look at a circumstance, we try to look for this as the first excuse. Second, and then third.
Give people the benefit of the doubt. And then, as far as the requisite situation is concerned, I’d rather note the first is that, we overlook, that you calculate the doubt, which is called speed, and at last speed, if somebody is in something like that, a way to overcome that is, then, you know, calm down. So, don’t, jump to conclusions.
Give the benefit of the doubt. So start with the least negative situation. Give benefit of the doubt.
And then, communicate a stronger intention. And if we do this, then whatever bad was done, why did I do it? We don’t know. But, if there is a higher intention being cultivated, then, in a calm economy, that person, will go beyond that particular chapter in their life.
Cultivate or strengthen a higher intention. So, give benefit of the doubt, it’s for others. In some cases like that, cultivate a higher intention, it’s for us, if we are in something like that.
Others can also apply it. But in this way, we can respond, appropriately, and, move ahead in our lives. Thank you very much.
Thank you very much. Is there any question or comment? So, C means, the person will be back in the dead zone. Yeah, so then, it is either intention or it is conditioning.
So, tomorrow morning, I’ll talk more about the conditioning part. And we’ll discuss more about it. So, certainly, at that particular time, the person is doing something completely wrong.
Like, some quantities have been created. So that, say, you know, some devotees, some person, for example, you know, they have, they have excessive attraction for Krishna and the Bhagavan Swami. Hmm? And, you know, if that person is married to another person, and then, all the marks of the marriage disappears.
Now, one day, it is something you understand, please, but everyday disappearing, it is often not proper. And does that mean, the devotee is taking all the prasads, and it’s good for all of us? Is that a bad thing? It is definitely not a good thing. Does that mean that person is not a devotee? He is not a devotee.
But, maybe, that person has all the marks of the future. If somebody has anger issues, he is getting angry very quickly. Now, that does not mean that person is a bad person.
But, if somebody has a short temper, maybe, there is a problem which I have not cleared. Isn’t it? Sometimes, we have to change the circumstances to protect the person. So, sometimes, if you condition, you change the circumstances, then the person doesn’t get along with you, and you get all the problems.
Sometimes, we have to change the circumstances for that person. But, they definitely try to hold to the previous circumstances. Then, we can say, it is much more relevant.
So, tomorrow, I will discuss the Ajahn’s pastime. You will see, where this particular act should cause, in this particular moment. We will discuss later.
Next part. So, you have explained the example of anger struggle. So, my question is that, we see that, proposition comes from, we know that, we are coming in, we know that.
So, yeah, that’s why, proposition comes from, inside our body. Also, tension also, inside our body. So, this way, some kind of commitment is very helpful.
So, say, the proposition comes, you know, I don’t need all these people. But, if I invite some guests to my home, and I meet all the people, then what happens is, that culture is there, a sense of responsibility is there, commitment is there. So, the best thing is to, prevent the proposition, from causing a disruption of our life.
Like, suppose, we have a whole week, we have nothing to do. Then, we understand, we have to go, we have a class, we have to sleep a little. And, let us sleep for a long time.
So, what happens? The proposition is coming. But, if there is no commitment, which, if this is commitment, tends us to, not, not take the propositions of the mind too seriously. If there is no commitment, then there is no, reason to say no, to, the mind.
It’s like saying, you know, some friend invites us to, go somewhere. We don’t want to go there. But, it’s difficult to say no to someone.
Like, at that time, we already had, meeting plans already. I say, actually I have to go to this hostel, I can’t go. It’s easier.
So, if we have something to say yes to, already, locked in, then, it is a difficult proposition. That’s all. Anirudh Sir, regarding conditioning, when we see, that someone is acting out of conditioning, as we have seen in the past, repeated pattern of behaviour, or speech, which might be disturbing to the other person, so, how do we, see, that, I talk of conditioning, tomorrow, lab, and it’s a whole subject.
Briefly, I think, that rewarding is to be given a space, where they can continue their service, but at the same time, it should not be causing disruption to others. So, how to do that, that is, the resourcefulness of, those in charge. Thank you very much.
Thank you.