Corruption: Bigger than it sounds

As we observe today as Non-Corruption Day, the main focus is on raising awareness in the public, and not taking part in any bribing for getting things done. Some of my friends have been working hard to get the message out to the masses in India. On my part, I started big with grand plans, as always, reached out to tens of media outlets, could talk to a few of them and finally convinced a couple or so of them to run an ad/news item about today (see note below). I also sent out emails to many groups I subscribe to and tried to reach as many as I could. Although the result is not in line with the start - I take solace in the saying - Shoot for the moon... 'cause even if you miss, you'll end up in the stars.

For the past few days, as I stayed home to take care of my little daughter who can't go to day care due to fever and gagging reflux - I have been thinking of what to write next on my blog. With Dec 18th coming up, I didn't want anything else to take over the front page of my blog - so I left the previous article to stay on top. Of course, that thought also played into my natural state of inertia. Nevertheless, when I think of corruption in depth - it looked bigger than it sounds to me. We only talk of financial corruption, most of the time. And that's what we see (and think is) affecting people, directly. However when we think of cultural and moral corruption; and add thought corruption to it - the scale of impact grows beyond comprehension. Bribes, I think, are but an outward expression by some, of internal corruption in these forms.

The basic principle of life is to be happy. Towards this end, we try and do anything and everything we think will make and keep us happy. In the process, we are inflicting great misery on others and in turn on ourselves. Hence, we feel happy for a moment but we cannot keep that state of mind for long. We then go on perpetrating more of the same to gain those intermittent happy moments - and thus falling into the unending cycle of unhappiness. Well - there you go - I made it even more abstract :)

trikaraNa Sudhdhi - is the term used by our elders, when they ask us to think, say and act good. The three faculties here are: mind (thoughts), voice (words) and body (deeds). If all three are in unison and strive for the same, nothing is impossible - per the scriptures and our elders. That's how an uncorrupt mind and body is developed and sustained - which makes us happy and keeps us happy. If we think something but don't say it; if we say something but don't do it - then we are always in conflict with ourselves; and to mask the inner conflict we raise the curtains to the great drama of self-deception and run after the ever evading fruit of happiness. After all, the fruit is not outside but within - but we look for it everywhere else. What a futile attempt?!

I would like to delve deeper into this subject and address many of my own thoughts - but let me use this as a lead in to subsequent posts in the future (and spare you all for now :) ).

Here's my earnest appeal - to one and all (myself included, of course) on this Non-Corruption Day. Let's give this trikaraNa Sudhdhi concept a deep thought; contemplate on it and see how we can make some small changes to accommodate this great ideal in our lives. I am sure practising this will have a profound, transformational affect on us. This, I think, will be the greatest tribute to observing Non-Corruption in our lives.

Swasti !!

NOTE (on Dec 19th): When enquired about the news item/ad - I am told that UN already declared Dec 9th as International Anti-Corruption Day. Hence they were not able to run any item about Dec 18th. I should have checked about it online. I was a little embarassed when I was told of Dec 9th. However, I told myself that it's been a good effort - and although we were not able to do it on a scale we envisioned - we did learn some good lessons in the process. Thanks to all who supported the cause.