"If we are all going to die one day, why should we take care of our health? Shouldn't we be ready to go to heaven?"
"If there are no others and everything is one, then everything that belongs to another person also belongs to me. Why should I not take it?"
"If everything is divine will, why should I be punished for stealing? After all, I am fulfilling a divine will."
"Why are you earning money if spiritual progress is what you seek?"
These are just a few questions that one may encounter when talking about spirituality. (Any of the various schools of spiritual thought.)
Luckily, there are not many people who ask such questions. That is because most of the people understand the basics of spirituality or because those people are not interested in it (Or may be they know the basics AND are not interested). However, it is not uncommon to encounter such questions especially from those who like to call themselves rationalists and claim to have a scientific outlook.
These people function on the basic premise that spiritual practices expect you to say goodbye to your common sense. These questions come from an assumption that being spiritual is just a thought experiment and you can disconnect it from your real life. Therefore such questions are best ignored or laughed off.
Firstly, understand this...
No spiritual school of thought ever asks you to abandon your common sense. In fact, a person who takes leave of one's common sense is described as a fool and an idiot in all such thinking traditions.
Spirituality is not a set of thought experiments as some people make them out to be. Nor is it something to be practiced only at an old age or by people who have nothing else to do. Being spiritual is an integral part of life for those people who practice spirituality. It is to be imbibed in our day to day life and also our long term thinking. It can be described as a way to enrich one's life IN this world. (NOT away from it.)
It is for this very reason that a person practicing it needs common sense.
What is common sense?
Common sense (Which according to some people is the least common thing) is described as good sense and sound judgement in practical matters. Any person who lives in this world has to live a practical day to day life. They often have families to support and households to run. That is the reason they need to practice common sense.
Contrary to what some people may believe, common sense is not opposite to spiritual growth but is an aid in it.
How?
It is quite simple. Try talking about God or spiritual growth to a person who has an empty stomach or a dry throat. Try taking a homeless person on the path to enlightenment. If you see a person running for his dear life, try lecturing him on the immortality of the soul and reincarnation. (You might be the one running for life after that!!) If you know someone who is worried about paying the children's fees or the EMI payments, convince them about the futility of running after wealth.
These experiences will more then convince you about the need for common sense.
Till the time one attains a certain level of spiritual growth, they have to stay with the world and in the world. Everything material including and especially our material bodies are the means to take us towards spiritual growth and must be taken care of. A hungry body, a sick body and a mind constantly beset with worries will never allow one to rise above the material needs and think of spiritual growth. Nor will a family and home that is ignored and left in chaos.
Contrary to popular belief, the Indian Vedic traditions have never celebrated poverty or extreme self denial in any way. Also, a person playing a role in the society is expected to first fulfill one's karma as a business owner, family member, employee or in any other capacity before seeking spiritual growth. None of this is possible without common sense.
Spirituality is NOT an escape from one's worldly life. It is a way of rising above it AFTER the fulfillment of one's social, professional and household duties. Duty or Karma has been given a special place in the Indian spiritual thought and the way towards spiritual growth goes through it and not around it.
The management perspective
Those of us who have studied management have surely heard of Abraham Maslow. His hierarchy of needs clearly lays out the order of precedence that should be given to our needs.
So...
The next time you see a poisonous snake, by all means appreciate the fact that it is animated by the same energy that animates you. (If you believe in reincarnation you may even ponder over it's previous birth.) BUT exercise your common sense and keep your distance from it.
Do not squander an opportunity to earn money and provide for yourself and your family.
And if anyone asks you a funny question like the one mentioned at the top? Understand that in most cases it is almost impossible to change the minds of such people. Enjoy a good laugh with them!!
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