Life is a series of perceptions and responses to the external world. Our response depends upon our vision and understanding of life and our value system. In the Bhagavad Gita, Krishna differentiates between the type of vision that leads to happiness and freedom and the kind that leads to bondage.
The noblest or sattvic vision of life is one by which we see the one indestructible reality in all beings irrespective of their names, qualities, and characteristics. However, the world viewed through our senses appears totally different; no two objects are identical. How is it possible to see the one Truth or the oneness of all beings?
The mediocre or rajasic vision is one by which we see all things and beings as different from each other. When your attention is focused on differences and numerous dissimilarities are detected, it moulds your attitude towards other religions, cultures and countries in a negative way. A vision of oneness brings about integration and a vision of differences creates more and more divisions.
We see it happening all the time in our families and with people. It begins gradually as a simple difference of opinion between husband and wife, two friends or two communities. Two brothers clash for a greater share in the property forgetting that they belong to the same family. Once the vision of oneness is lost, differences are perceived which create conflicts generating more and more likes and dislikes. Such a person neither lives in peace and joy nor does he allow others to do so.
A tamasic vision is a low kind of vision in which the person gets fanatically and exclusively attached to just one or some things, persons, experiences or ideologies. This little finite attachment is taken for the 'whole'. Some people are crazy and greedy over money, while others are fanatical about power or pleasures in life. When people give exclusive importance to just one of the many things of this world, even though they appear to be successful in that particular field, their total life is miserable because everything else is neglected. A person with a tamasic vision can never live in peace and happiness.
The life of a person with a sattvic vision is predominated by just one emotion; the emotion of pure love. However, most people neither know what love is nor understand the meaning of it. Love is a very different thing. Just take the example of our body. Even though i see the many parts in the body, i have the vision ^ "In all these parts there is one Truth, that is myself. I am present everywhere in all of them." Therefore, we have equal love for every part of the body. There is no favouritism. We don't say, "I will only look after my head when it is unwell, but if something happens to my foot, that's not my problem!"
A vision of oneness is a readiness to serve all and it creates an attitude of forgiveness ^ kshama. When we hate someone, we actually hate ourselves, because that someone else is really not different from us. All bodies are made of five elements, hence the material cause of all is the same. At the same time, there is the same life force that enlivens me as well as others. Where is the difference? Therefore, who is hurting whom?
Just imagine the state of a person whose heart is filled with love, compassion, forgiveness and kindness. What will be the state of his mind? Will he not be totally happy and free?