SAMA-BUDDHI
(Equal Mindedness)

 In the Bhagvat Gita, Chapter- VI, Shloka-9, Lord Krishna mentions the different
types of people who can be found in every society. Adi Sankara has given definitions of them. Let us now look at the types of people, one by one:


SUHRD (Benefactor, Patron)
                                                                   
A Suhrd is one who extends a helping hand to others, without expecting anything in return.
Generally, help is extended out of friendship, or because some return is expected. But the person 'Suhrd' helps without expecting any help in return- a rare person indeed.

MITRA, DOST (Friend, Well-wisher)
                                                                
'Mitra' is a friendly person or a person with whom you share a certain understanding or friendship. This is developed out of interaction over a period of time. Here, if you call him for a dinner, he will also call you for a dinner. If you see him off at the airport, he will also see you off at the airport and so on. You can be sure of his help in return.


ARI, RIPU, SATRU, DUSHMAN (Enemy, Opponent, Foe)

'Ari' is a person who is inimical towards you. Enemies are not necessarily created. They are just there, mainly because of jealousy. That the person is always happy is often enough to make some other people inimical. There are so many reasons for others to be inimical towards you. A First Rank student, for no fault of him, becomes an enemy of the next lower rank students. Similarly, a very beautiful girl becomes an enemy for the less beautiful ones. A highly successful manager becomes an enemy for the other managers who are not that successful, etc.


UDASINA (Neutral)

'Udasina' is the one with whom you have a nodding acquaintance.This is the person you often see at the bus stop, gas station or in the elevator. You simply nod to each other and go about your business. If two people are fighting, the 'Udasina' remains neutral and joins neither side. He just watches the fight and enjoys the thrill.

MADHYASTHA (Arbitrator)

'Madhyastha' literally means "one who is in between". He is an arbitrator. He is interested in both the contenders of any fight. His aim is to settle the dispute and stop the fighting. He is equally acceptable to both of them and enjoys the confidence of both. He has the ability to arbitrate objectively, without taking sides. Switzerland often plays this role in world affairs.

DVESHYA (Dislikable)

The 'Dveshya' is someone who is not at all likable by others, because of what he is or did. His words and actions make him eligible for your dislike.

BANDHU (Relative)
A 'Bandhu' is your blood-relation- father, mother, brother, sister, uncle, aunt, husband, wife etc. These are the people whose opinions really affect you. Because you want them to have a good opinion about you, they can control and manipulate you emotionally and psychologically.

SADHU (Holy Man, Sage)

'Sadhu' is the person who follows very closely what is enjoined in the Dharma-Sastras. He follows what is right and avoids what is wrong.

PAPI (Sinner)

A 'Papi' is the person who is just opposite of a 'Sadhu'. He always transgresses the Sastras and does what is not to be done. He does not do what is to be done. All bad actions are treated as 'Papas' and  the person performing them is called a 'Papi'.
The Sastras do not specifically say that you should not take drugs, because a drug problem was not there at that time. The mention of 'alcohol' in the Sastra should be taken as an 'Upalakshana', meaning that it stands for all substances that are harmful to you.

Why People Rebel

Some people love to rebel against statements such as "Suram Na pibet-may you not drink alcohol". Anything that is not to be done, they want to do. Rebellion is due to some internal pressure. It may start with some sense of adventure, which is also due to some inner pressure. This is not to say that all conformists are good people. Some people are good simply because they are incapable of being bad due to dullness or fear. For people who conform as a result of their knowledge and understanding, life is very pleasant. There is no internal pressure in them and therefore no problem.

To rebel means there is pressure inside the person and that pressure itself is the problem. When a person wants to become a 'Swamiji', he is a rebel in his mother's eyes. No Indian mother wants it. She may prostrate and give biksha and dakshina to a Swamiji, as long as he is someone else's son. Thus a rebellious nature can be due to an inner vision. A Swamijee is not a rebel in the eyes of the society.

The word 'Papi' covers all types of wrongdoers in every society.

WISE MEN (Sama-Buddhi)

Thus Lord Krishna began with Suhrd and ended with Papi, with everyone else in the world being covered in between. And how are you to deal with all of them ? Krishna said here that you must always deal with them indifferently. For this, He introduces the noble category of people called "Wise Men"- who have the vision and attitude of looking at all the types of people equally (Sama Budhi). Such a person is the most exalted (Visishyate) among all people.

A wise person never condemns another person. He definitely recognises a Suhrd as a suhrd and a Papi as a papi. But the 'Sama Budhi' does not condemn the person as a papi. He takes people as they are; because, he is a free person-a non-judging person. People are always afraid of being judged. In fact, the quality of being 'non-judgemental' is to be accomplished before wisdom. To gain the status of a "Sama-Buddhi", one should follow the two-fold sadhana - Karma Yoga and Dhyana Yoga.


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