The Power of Truth in Our Work and Life: Aligning Purpose with Action

 It’s easy to fall into patterns where we act based on what we think others expect from us or what we fear could go wrong. But what if we took a different approach—one grounded in truth? Truth, in this case, is not just about honesty, but also about being clear on our purpose, our role, and the real needs of the situation.

Truth Over Ego: The Real Source of Power

We’ve all been there. You're in a meeting, and you find yourself thinking, "I need to say something impressive, or they’ll think I’m not pulling my weight." This kind of thinking stems from a place of ego—an underlying fear that you won’t be valued unless you stand out. But the truth of the situation often has very little to do with this noise. It’s about what the project requires and how you can contribute effectively.

When you focus on the truth of the work at hand, you stop asking, "How can I look good?" and start asking, "What does this situation need right now?" Aristotle said, “Knowing yourself is the beginning of all wisdom.” And in this case, knowing what you’re really here to do is key. It’s not about competing; it’s about aligning your actions with the real goals.

From Fear to Purpose: A Shift in Perspective

Psychology teaches us that fear often triggers a "fight or flight" response, clouding our ability to think clearly. Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) identifies this as "catastrophizing"—a tendency to imagine the worst-case scenario. Whether it’s fear of not being good enough or fear of losing your job, these fears distort your judgment and push you to act reactively.

But when you strip away those layers of anxiety and look at the situation truthfully, you start to see it for what it really is. What are you really afraid of? Is the fear based on actual facts or imagined outcomes? By focusing on what is instead of what might be, you bring yourself back to the present moment, which is where real progress happens.

"Fear runs; truth walks steady.
The mind that’s clear is always ready."

When you operate from a place of truth, fear loses its grip. Your motivation shifts from fear of failure to the purpose of contributing meaningfully. This is where the real strength lies—both in life and in work.

The Nourishing Nature of Truth: Sustainable Success

Truth has this fascinating quality—it nourishes. When you operate with truth, your mind and heart are aligned with something deeper than just the surface-level noise of competition or fear. Neuroscientists talk about the “dopamine reward system,” where short-term wins give us bursts of satisfaction. But those bursts are fleeting. What gives us lasting fulfillment is when we feel that our actions are aligned with something greater—whether that’s a sense of purpose, integrity, or connection.

Elon Musk once said, “I think it’s possible for ordinary people to choose to be extraordinary.” What makes people extraordinary isn’t that they try to impress others or win through competition; it’s that they see the bigger picture and stay true to their goals.

In the long run, staying with the truth in your work not only leads to better outcomes but also creates a sense of inner peace. It’s like building on solid ground instead of constantly trying to keep up appearances or fend off imagined threats. The work you do becomes more than just about success—it becomes a means of living out your values.

"Truth is a river that flows in peace;
It quenches the thirst that never ceased."

Conclusion: Success as a Means to Truth, Not the End

In a high-stakes environment, success often feels like the ultimate goal. But success is not an end in itself—it’s a means of understanding who we are and how we function in different situations. When you commit to operating from a place of truth—where your actions are grounded in clarity, purpose, and honesty—you not only achieve better results, but you also discover a deeper, more sustainable sense of fulfillment.

By staying connected to the truth, you rise above the temporary fears, competition, and external pressures. Your mind is not cluttered with noise, but clear, and your actions reflect that clarity. As you navigate the complexities of work, remember: truth is not just a strategy—it’s the foundation of real, meaningful success.

"Let truth be your guide, fear your release;
In every action, may you find peace."

Why I didn't marry or why it didn't happen, and my thoughts on marriage

Marriage may not happen for various reasons. Some of these may be within your control, while others may not. For instance, I was searching for someone who shared my commitment to meditation, yet I never found a match. Meditation for me was a path that led to embracing integrity. It lead me to sustainability—living without plastics, reducing needs and waste, not eating after 12 noon, giving up non-vegetarian food, and striving for truthfulness in all areas, even at work. This journey meant leaving jobs and enduring years of financial hardship.

Now, at 42, I work for Google, but I prioritized ethics and integrity over career advancement or personal gain. So, it took a lot longer to reach here. It took time to align my life fully with integrity, as I gradually learned that genuine, honest work is what truly brings lasting success. I wasn't aligned with integrity deep down and it was a constant internal war and it sapped a lot of energy, for years and decades. 

To find someone ethical and successful, applying teaching successfully in daily life was truly difficult. In my years of struggle internally and externally I lived alone, was broke, introverted, spending most of my time meditating so there was very little social interaction and means of finding someone to marry or get a proposal. 

Basically, my logic was if I don't find someone with the same thirst for truth, I won't share my time and energy. Also, I had a lot of stuff I was working through. 

Even though I end up alone, I place very high value in marriage. Find a noble friend to learn and lean on and also to raise family and live a good, happy life full of love. Uprooting desire is a long path and it is good to find space in a committed relationship. You can agree to be alone in a relationship. 

In my case I had to go through extreme difficulties of loneliness, but the path is the same, uprooting desire by watching sensations that come up. Being alone, the work just got intensified. Path is the same, more or less. 

When you are coming closer to jhanas, it is somewhat important to be 'alone'. For some people, a long vipassana course gives enough time to do that. Some need longer time. I took ten years and still just beginning to understand the periphery of first jhana, some helping factors. Ten years of relentless single minded effort. 

Working with Passion and Desire - 1

The journey of working with passion and desire is a gradual and intricate process. 

 Desire (taṇhā) and attachment (rāga) are considered sources of suffering. However, this does not mean that they can be abruptly discarded, especially for those living as laypeople in the world. The process of transcending passion is gradual, requiring deep insight, compassion, and a commitment to spiritual growth. 

 The Role of Passion in Lay Life 

In lay life, passion often serves part of the bond between partners. This bond/marriage/relationship shouldn't be seen as negative, though it could problematic when it leads to excessive attachment, possessiveness, or unskillful actions. The path does not ask laypeople to renounce passion immediately but rather to work with it skillfully. 

The process of transforming passion can be likened to the ripening of a mango. In its early stages, the mango is green, hard, and sour—much like the raw energy of passion. As it ripens under the sun, it gradually becomes soft, sweet, and fragrant. This ripening cannot be forced; it happens naturally over time. Similarly, as individuals grow, the intense grip of passion begins to soften and transform into something more refined and subtle. 

As the intense grip of passion begins to soften and transform into deeper care and love for the person. Their beauty, both inner and outer, inspires joyful appreciation and fosters wholesome attitudes within the heart. The mind naturally moves toward goodwill and genuine affection for this individual, recognizing and cherishing their true essence. This growing sense of love and appreciation then extends beyond the personal relationships too. Love changes you to be a kinder, happier and better person. 

How to work with passion to cultivate it to more mindful/refined states of love:

Acceptance and Awareness: The first step is accepting passion as a part of your human experience without denying or suppressing it. Bringing mindful awareness to your desires allows you to see them clearly and work with sensations/samvedana. Never let go of samvedana when passion arises in the mind. Keep acknowledging and working on it at the level of samvedana. 

 Gradual Transformation: Like a ripe mango is automatically released from the tree branch, so is skillful cultivation and understanding of passion eventually leads to release from it. Cultivating yourself you move from gross desire to care ... to compassion and feeling of pure detached goodwill for everyone. Individuals progress on the path, the intense grip of passion naturally loosens. 

This doesn’t happen through force or denial but through a natural process of maturing spiritually, where the mind gradually lets go of its attachments. 

 Several stories from the Buddhist tradition illustrate the journey of partners working together on the path, gradually transcending passion while supporting each other's growth: 

  The Story of King Suddhodana and Queen Maya: The Buddha's own parents, King Suddhodana and Queen Maya, shared a deep and loving relationship. Their bond was marked by mutual respect and care, and although they were both deeply connected to the worldly life, they also supported each other’s spiritual inclinations. Their love was not just physical but also spiritual, contributing to their gradual progression on the path. 

  Yasodhara and Siddhartha: Before Siddhartha became the Buddha, his relationship with Yasodhara was one of deep affection and passion. However, as they both progressed spiritually, their love transformed. Yasodhara, after Siddhartha’s renunciation, also embarked on her own spiritual journey, ultimately attaining high levels of spiritual insight. Their relationship is a testament to how passion can evolve into something much more profound and spiritually enriching. 

 The Jātaka Tales: In many Jātaka stories, the Bodhisatta (the future Buddha) and his past companions (often depicted as his future wife Yasodhara) experienced lives filled with passion and desire. Over successive lifetimes, they worked together, refining their love and mutual respect, which eventually led them to higher spiritual attainments. 

  Understanding Passion in the Context of Karma In terms of karma, the creation of wholesome karma in a relationship comes from how one engages with passion and desire. If approached with mindfulness, integrity, and compassion, passion can be worked with and together the partners supports both partners' spiritual growth. The key is in the intention behind actions and the awareness brought to the relationship. 

 Supporting Each Other's Practice: Partners who support each other’s spiritual practice create strong, positive karma. This includes encouraging meditation, ethical conduct, and the cultivation of wisdom. 

 Cultivating Loving-Kindness (Metta): By cultivating metta towards each other, partners transform passion into a more selfless and compassionate form of love, which creates a strong foundation for spiritual growth. 

 Working with Impermanence: Acknowledging the impermanent nature of passion and relationships helps both partners to let go of excessive attachment and work towards a deeper, more enduring connection that transcends the purely physical. The journey of working with passion and desire within a committed relationship is one of gradual transformation. It's about accepting the present reality of passion, working with it skillfully, and allowing it to evolve naturally into a deeper, more subtle form of love. 

This process is long and requires patience, commitment, and mutual support. Over lifetimes, as individuals continue to refine their love and understanding, they move closer to enlightenment, where passion naturally fades away, and a more profound, selfless love takes its place. This journey is not about denial but about growth, integrity, and the gradual unfolding of wisdom and compassion.

The Heart of Dana

The Heart of Dana Dana, or generosity, is a mental factor predominantly. Wise people understand that physical actions are often beyond their control, yet they maintain the purity of their minds and guard their mental volition. Whether giving freely or facing corruption and unfavorable circumstances, they keep their intentions pure. This mental clarity and purity ensure that their merit is substantial, regardless of external conditions.

Case 1: The Generous Old Lady An elderly lady known for her kindness, decided to donate her only piece of land to build a monastery. Her physical gift was substantial, but it was the purity of her intention that held the true value. "This land will serve a higher purpose, a place of peace and learning," she said with a serene smile. Her volition was driven by a selfless desire to contribute to the spiritual growth of her community. Her pure intention preceded and elevated her physical act of giving, creating immense good kamma. The monastery flourished, its foundation rooted in Her genuine compassion and right intention.

Case 2: The Poor Man’s Gift
A poorman, struggled to make ends meet but was rich in spirit. He gathered a small bundle of materials to contribute to the monastery's construction. Though his offering was modest, his intention was pure and heartfelt. "This is all I have, but I give it with all my heart," he said. The monks and villagers recognized that his act was born from pure volition, not material wealth. His right intention was the basis of his merit, demonstrating that the value of an action lies in the mental factors behind it. His simple gift, given with a pure heart, generated great kamma.

Case 3: The Wealthy Landowner Vikram, a wealthy landowner, donated a vast expanse of land to the monastery, seeking recognition and social status. His physical act of giving was grand, but his intention was superficial. Despite the material benefit, his lack of pure volition limited the merit of his deed. The monks and villagers sensed the disparity between his outward generosity and his inward motivations. His example illustrated that without right intention, even the grandest physical actions could not yield significant merit.

Case 4: The Steadfast Noble In a nearby kingdom ruled by a corrupt king, a nobleman served reluctantly. Though he had to follow the corrupt king's orders, he maintained a heart filled with right intention and moral clarity. Arjun's actions, though constrained by external circumstances, were driven by his steadfast commitment to righteousness. His right intention was the predecessor and foundation of his deeds, enabling him to accumulate great merit despite the corrupt environment. He kept his mind stainless and pure unctouched by the physical actions around him, in his heart he didn't support corruption and maintained clear view. Maintaining right intention, even when bound by a corrupt system, allowed one to rise above and remain unscathed by the surrounding immorality. His inner purity and volition shone as a beacon of hope and integrity.

Case 4 is the situation where the mental voiltion has the most challenges, those with very high confidence in dhamma and grounded in right view, right intention and right volition can meet this situation and stay established in purity. Mental factors are the predecessors and basis of actions, determining the true value of deeds. The purity of one's heart and mind is the essence of generating good kamma and living a life of genuine merit. The teachings of kamma emphasized that every action, born from pure volition, could transcend material constraints and create lasting positive effects.

Quality of effort: Sometimes gentle and sometimes strong

  

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Sometimes it is a heads-on battle,
Facing gross instincts with quiet resolve,
Effort firm, like a river against the stone,
Uprooting weeds of doubt and desire,
Aware of sensations, leading to awareness of anicca

The enemy Mar/delusion is disguised and hidden ... and even if he is visible, you win by unwavering stance.

Hidden Mara, unseen foe,
You keep steady breath, mind on sensations,
Power of anicca begins to show.

When you work with vipassana, base instincts and defilements that caused the body to be stiff come up and begin to loose hold. Body becomes stronger and more flexible over time, breathing softer and steadier after initial tumultuous phases .. as you continue to work through. Lust that used hold us down gets replaced with beautiful quality of love and care, like in the deva world. The mind gets refined. But the struggle of rising up from the gross feelings is a long war with numerous battles with continuous rise and fall ... work through the tumultuous phases that come up to get released. Let layer after layer get uprooted. 

Base instincts, once held tight,

Loosen their grip, losing might,

Gross desires transform in light,

To love and care, pure and white.

Meditating calmly, like grass bending in the storm

To come out of mechanical practise and develop qualities of awareness and investigation ... it is a continuous practise, you have to tune into anicca sometimes by being gentle, bending like grass and surviving the storm. Tuning in the effort ...

Mind soft as morning dew nourishing the garden

As blades of grass bend safely in storm ... when strong trees get uproot and break. 

With gentle but unrelenting effort, penetrate the truth with anicca.

Death

All this drama is going to end one day

Day in day out - death

:)

Scraping off Sense-of-Self

Again with a stiff body I sat down for meditation, for the nth time in this life.

Stiff, stiff stiff, me me me. I gradually started noticing for the first time, the sense of me is instilled in each column of the spine, in each nerve, tissue, sinew … so filled up with the sense of self, and therefore so stiff.

Will take time to scrape it down and not paint new layers on it.

BIG task ahead

*Sense of self/ me me me - not to be understood as 'selfish'  but closer to the Pali word 'anatta' or non self