Attitude Towards Others

by Romapada Swami

Q. Both in spiritual life and also in material life people speak of attitude. What
should be the approach of a spiritual aspirants towards other spiritual aspirants
and with materialists?
The answer to this can be found in a number of places, where qualifications of a
madhyama adhikari are described. Amongst spiritual aspirants, there are those
more advanced, those who are peers and those who are less advanced. In all
cases, we should try to render service to the vaisnavas. Those who are more
advanced, we should hear from them and serve them favorably. Amongst those
who are peers, we should exchange realizations in the matter of spiritual
understanding. With regard to those who are less advanced, we should try to
extend ourselves in a helpful and compassionate way. As far as the materialists
are concerned, their individual attitude should be carefully determined. It should
first be determined whether the materialist is simply innocent and requires good
association, or is adamant and opposed to the supremacy of God. If the nondevotee is simply innocent, then we should carefully try to give some association
to help that individual progress in his spiritual life. Those who are overt atheists,
we should carefully guard against taking confidential association with them.