How to Change Our Character

This writing is all about how to change our character. Each man’s character is determined by the sum total of some impressions.  If good impressions prevail, the character becomes good; if bad it becomes bad. If a man continuously hears bad words, thinks bad thoughts, does bad actions, his mind will be full of bad impressions; and they will influence his thought and work without his being conscious of the fact. In fact, these bad impressions are always working, and their resultant must be evil, and that man will be bad man; he cannot help it. The sum total of these impressions in him will create the strong motive power for doing bad actions.  He will be like a machine in the hands of his impressions, and they will force him to do evil.  Similarly, if a man thinks good thoughts and does good works, the sum total of these impressions will be good; and they, in a similar manner, will force him to do Good even in spite of himself.  When a man had done so much good work and thought so many good thoughts that there is an irresistible tendency in him to do good, in spite of himself and even if he wishes to do evil, his mind, as the sum total of his tendencies, will not allow him to do so; the tendencies will turn him back; he is completely under influence of the good tendencies.  When such is the case, a man’s good character is said to be established.

If you really want to be a judge of the character of a man, look not at his great performances.  Every tool may become a hero at one time or another.  Watch a man do his most common actions; those are indeed the things which will tell you the real character of a great man. Great occasions rouse even the lowest of human beings to some kind of greatness, bit he alone is the really great man whose character is great always, the same wherever he be.

All the actions that we see in the world, all the movements in human society, all the works that we have around us, are simply the display of thought, the manifestation of the will of man.  Machines or instruments, cities, ships, or men-of-war, all these are simply the manifestation of the will of man; and this will is caused by character, and character is manufactured by Karma.  As is Karma, is the manifestation of the will. The men of mighty will the world has produced have all been tremendous workers- gigantic souls, with wills powerful enough to overturn worlds, wills they got by persistent work, though ages, and ages. We are what our thoughts have made us; so take care of what you think.  Words are secondary.  Thoughts live, they travel far.  Each thought we think is tinged with our own character, so that for the pure and holy man. Even his jests or abuse will have the twist of his own love and purity and do Good.

Great work requires great and persistent effort for a long time.  Neither need we trouble ourselves if a few fail.  It is the nature of things that many should fall, that troubles should come, that tremendous difficulties should arise, that selfishness and all the other devils in the human heart should struggle hard when they are about to be driven out by the fire of spirituality. The road to the good is the roughest and steepest in the universe.  Character has to be established through a thousand stumbles.

The mind, to have non attachment must be clear good and rational.  Why should we practice?  Because each action is like the pulsations quivering over the surface of the lake.  The vibration dies out, and what is left?  The sanskaras,  the impressions.  When a large number of impressions are left on the mind, they coalesce and become a habit.  It is said, “Habit is second nature”, it is first nature also, and the whole nature of man; everything that we are is the result of habit. That gives us consolation, because, if it is only habit, we can make and unmake it at any time.  The sanskaras are left by these vibrations passing out of our mind, each one of them leaving its result.  Our character is the sum total of these marks, and according as some particular wave prevails one takes that tone.  If good prevails, one becomes good; if wickedness, one become wicked; if joyfulness, one become happy.  The only remedy for bad habits is counter habits; all the bad habits that have left their impressions are to be controlled by good habits.  Go on doing good, thinking holy thoughts continuously; that is the only way to suppress base impressions.  Never say any man is hopeless, a bundle of habits, which can be checked by new and better ones.  Character is repeated habits, and repeated habits alone can perform character.

Given up, renounce the world. Now we are like dogs strayed into a kitchen and eating a piece of meat, looking round in fear lest at any movement someone may come and drive them out.  Instead of that, be a king and know you own the world.  This never comes until you give it up and it ceases to bind. Give up mentally, if you do not physically.  Give up from the heart of your hearts.  Have vairagya.  This is the real sacrifice, and without it, it is impossible to attain spirituality.  Do not desire, for what you desire you get, and with it comes terrible bondage.