About Envy - II

II. What is the root of envy? From which feeling it came?

As I stated above, envy comes mostly from our need to have something, that we don’t and from our greedy eyes, looking on the surface of what others have. We cant be sure in reality if others are happy or satisfied from what they have. They also can look to someone else with feeling of envy. As the desires of humans are unique, moreover they possess by nature very important traits: 1. to desire often something forbidden, not belonging to them (can be parallel of longing), 2. to have endless desires, that make them need more and more, just after their achievements.

All that natural pattern in psychology of humans come from one root –namely the desire, need for expansion, for accumulation of goods (in spiritual world), and acquiring personal qualities (for spiritual growth).

Now the simple answer of why feeling of envy exists in people becomes clear – as this feeling is natural desire for expansion, which moved its focus from spiritual to material world. That is valid in many of other humans negative feelings. In this way, by existing only in the level of material world, envy cant be called “positive”. Envy is already connected with the bad eye energy, with something that will make people happy, or malicious about failure of another. Yes, there should be another quality to substitute “envy” in positive way – and this can be “passion to achieve”, “determination, challenge, competition”. These qualities don’t have the negative outline of envy. 

III. Can we envy for something in spiritual world, or not material good?

This is interesting question to observe. There is not just one answer, but here I`ll try to explain – generally this feeling is connected always to something tangible, visible, material. We can see with our eyes (and so its proven) the beautiful wife, the big rich house, the lovely garden and field, the great abundance, and assume the qualities of our neighbor (the other). In such way we are “sure” of what he possess. If he does not possess house, or wife, or garden, or ox, or anything, how we can know what qualities he possess? Yes, but no.

     This is a tricky view. If we are belonging to the lower mind level people – we wont see of course anything to desire (envy) which is out of material world. Most people of course desire exactly goods from visible reality – so they can be satisfied, “happy”. Never mind about glitter and gold”, which can be not real. On another hand, if the person is in higher levels of mind, and in need of spiritual development, of course he will desire, search and need things related to the invisible (spiritual) world. In this case he wont be interested in material possession, and would not have feeling of “envy” for them. But would he feel “envy” at all? And in what case? That`s why I said  - envy is a negative feeling, and the person who is already on path of awakening (or development) is not so likely to have this feeling. What he could have? On this level envy is transformed to feelings of Admiration (from a spiritual person or path), or 2. Disgust (from the material world failures or people). These are the basic emotions he can have, instead of envy. Actually he also can have passion, desire to achieve spiritual qualities, but this desire” will have the significant quality – Purity – that will make it quite far from the black outlines of envy.  

To conclude – someone in lower mind levels (primitive) will feel envy mainly for the visible material objects, that can be seen with eyes, or assumed. You can envy also about personal qualities, life achievements, or others. Spiritual qualities are not subjected to envy – but the fame is.

     One very good example – spiritual teacher as Buddha or Lao Tzu, are not envied, but admired by their students and followers. Can you envy Buddha for his spiritual achievements? Or Jeshua? I think it` s clear why. But someone else, who is not involved or “touched” by the essence of spiritual teaching of Buddha (or Lao Tzu), can have feeling of envy to them – only due to their Fame and outer image for all humanity. In this case the desire state or subject is “fame” and not “spiritual teaching”, not wisdom, not meditations. Just a state of material.  Now can you envy Buddha?

Another prove this is truth, lies in the following – if Buddha was amazing spiritual teacher, but he was just unknown to the humanity, except very little group of people, would you envy him? Or would you admire him?

These are my personal examples, you can think of many more. I would like to add one situation from my experience. 

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