The Four Animals in Man.

“Stand firmly and do not flinch in thy daily contest and especially beware of three beasts.

In the morning contend against sloth, at noon against gluttony, in the evening against carnal lust.

The dog will sleep long, the wolf will eat a great deal, and the ass will be wanton in lying down.

Rouse up the dog with a whip, beat the wolf with a staff and scourge the ass with thorns.” 

- Thomas. A. Kempis.

This is one of the popular quotes of Thomas. A. Kempis, the author of the famous 'Imitation of the Christ', one of the most widely read books in the Christian domain. He says that in our daily lives, we have to contend against three beasts namely dog, wolf, and Ass. I would like to add one more animal to the list namely pig. What do these animals represent in our lives? We will see how we behave like these animals under certain circumstances.

The Dog:

We behave like a dog when we sleep too much in the morning hours. The dog spends most of the morning hours in a heavy slumber. Even the scorching heat from the sunlight fail to deter this creature from sleeping. One of the worst thing that we do in our lives is to sleep like this dog, in the morning hours. We sleep until we are no longer able to bear the heat and the sunlight that comes through our windows. Some advanced creatures even sleep through this heat and the light, under the blanket. We ignore even the warning calls from our mothers. We simply behave like dogs.

Dog

Too much of sleep makes a man dull headed. We feel drowsy throughout the day. We forget our duties and go late everywhere. We feel a lack of energy even to do a small work. Too much of sleep is an indication of lack of proper goal orientation in our lives.

The best thing that we can do is to wake up at least an hour before sunrise. The best part is to begin with meditation because of the peaceful atmosphere prevailing in the environment. We can then move on to physical exercises and cleaning our living rooms and so on. Life becomes successful when we begin to use our morning hours in a successful manner. Therefore, we have to shake up this dog that is sleeping in us.

The Wolf:

The wolf is well known for its insatiable appetite. It can even take down an entire buffalo under its belly. We too become like wolves when we eat anything and everything indiscriminately and inordinately. It brings us to the level of the animals.

Wolf appetite

Food has a great impact on our minds, and consecutively in our lives as well. The quantity and the quality of the food matters a lot. We should not go to the extremes in the matter of food. We should avoid taking too much, nor too less. We have to strike a right balance when it comes to the quantity of the food taken. The extreme levels bring us to the level of the body. Man, in order to progress higher in the spiritual life, should overcome the idea of enjoyment in food. Therefore, we have to shed this wolf that is hidden in us.

The Ass:

The ass or a donkey is synonymous with the carnal desires, in a man. Man cannot remain engaged in carnal desires for long, because of the presence of inherent divine principle. The carnal pleasures can give nothing but pain and suffering. The carnal desires lead directly to death. And further, it leads us to consequent rebirth. Desire - enjoyment - suffering - death - rebirth - this is the cycle. One has to break up this animal to break up the above cycle.

Ass

The Pig:

Where do you find a pig? In a gutter. Where do you find a drunkard man? In a gutter. We become like pigs and remain in the gutter when we are intoxicated by liquor and other addictive substances. Too much of spirit (alcohol) is not good for the spirit (Soul). A life of a drunkard is a pathetic one. Under the inebriated condition, a man forgets himself. A drunkard hurls abuses and picks up petty quarrels. Therefore, one has to give up this pig life.

Drunkard or a pig?

     These are the four animals which we have to contend against, in our daily lives. Only when we overcome these animal tendencies, we become a man. Spiritual life begins only when we become a man first.

Thank You.

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