There are only two types of people who are fully confident. First, young kids. Second, those who have not grown beyond their limited frame of life. Naturally, kids do not have much exposure to life. They are quite convinced that their father is a hero and that he can save them in all situations. They are quite sure of what is good and what is bad. As they get exposure, they grow and understand the limitations of their parents. Their good and bad also undergo significant changes. As we grow, we get to meet different types of people coming from so many different cultures, and our belief systems undergo significant changes. We understand that everything is relative.
What happens thereafter? It is quite uncomfortable for us to live with uncertainty. We just want to be certain. We don't know who created this universe. Since we are not comfortable with uncertainty, we start believing something. In the course of time, our mind forgets that it is our belief system and becomes so certain of that belief that it can even kill the people who contradict that belief. We turn fanatic. We are not comfortable with the uncertainty about the purpose of life, and make a mental story about the purpose of life and follow that blindly. Somebody tries to be No. 1 throughout his life. Somebody tries to be a good husband or father throughout his life. Somebody tries to accumulate wealth throughout their life. Somebody is happy doing nothing and just enjoying comforts and pleasures. When we look at these people, they appear to be just like robots having a fixed programme.
Human beings are not robots. They have a mind of their own. This mind is able to observe and think. Then why do we get trapped in a fixed mindset? It is because we refuse to observe. We refuse to see reality. We decide to live in a comfortable cave. We refuse to see the world outside. Moving out of the cave requires effort. Moreover, the terrain is unknown. We are afraid of the unknown because we do not have confidence in ourselves. We have worked hard to be the owner of that comfortable cave. We have also made enough space for the people we like inside the cave. The people who have dug a larger cave for themselves are appreciated for their achievements, and they have all the more reason to remain on their "mount stupid". Comforts plus appreciation by the people around make them more convinced of their way of life.
Such people will often target the people who dare to move out of the cave, saying that the "desire" to move out of the cave is also a "desire", a "greed". Going by that logic, love is also a greed. Bhakti is also greed. Harmony is also greed. Can we equate love with possession? I think that's quite difficult for a person living inside the cave to understand. Caves are based on the concept of "ownership," while the open sky is free for everybody. When Buddha was enlightened, that light was not restricted to a cave; rather, that light was available for everybody who wished to see that light. A cave will always remain a cave, whether it contains comforts, beliefs, "happiness", or social validation. We may live comfortably inside the cave and choose limitations, or we may choose growth. If our eyes and ears are open, the sweet sound of the "unknown" outside the cave will always attract us, and we will never be sure enough to pass judgment on others since we are ourselves interested in knowing reality. Even if we do not get to know, we are aware of the limitations inside the cave. If we are sure of what we know, we will refuse to grow and pass judgment on others.
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