The Same to Clod and Gold
The same in pain and pleasure, firm within oneself, seeing clod, stone, and gold with one eye, unmoved by praise or blame, honor or contempt — such a one has passed beyond the temperaments.
Seeing 'clod and gold with one eye' sounds unreal at first.
As I see gold and a clod with different eyes, do I also weigh people and moments only by their 'worth'?
📝Reflection
Seeing 'clod and gold with one eye' sounds unreal at first. The old teacher does not deny gold's worth but asks that its worth not rule my peace. Before valuable things I grow elated, before lowly ones I wilt — pawning my mood to an outer price tag. To be 'firm within oneself (svastha)' is to peel the mind off the scale of worth and set it on one's own center. It is Aurelius's eye that saw 'the emperor's purple is only dyed wool.' Only one unmoved by price is free everywhere.
🌱Apply It Today
Watch how differently your mind treats a valuable thing and a worthless one today, and once, set that difference down.
This verse is read as universal humanistic wisdom, not religion — no faith is promoted, and the reflection is 100% original ONGO content.
