Honesty- a direct uncorrupted movement from self to action

The following is an excerpt from a samvaad (dialogue) session with Acharya Prashant.

Acharya Prashant (AP): When you say ‘honesty is the best policy’ to a kid in school, you are validating honesty but more than honesty you are validating policies. You are on the side of honesty; that is obvious. You are saying ‘honesty is the best policy’; so you are advocating honesty. What we do not notice is that simultaneously we are also advocating…?

Listener 1 (L1): Policies.

AP: Yes and what are policies?

L1: Man-made rules, and regulations.

AP: Policies are alternatives, policies are choices. I may do this or I may not do this. All policies are decisions and you have made honesty into a…?

Listeners (in unison): Policy.

AP: Decision, and the moment you say it’s my decision, to be honest, you are saying that I am bigger than honesty. I am choosing honesty and I reserve the right to…?

L2: Not to choose honesty.

AP: Yes, not to choose honesty. So, alright honesty is big but policy is bigger, and whose policy?

L2: My policy.

AP: So, ultimately who is the biggest?

L2: Me.

AP: Me. honesty is big, policy is bigger and I am the…?

L3: Biggest.

AP: Biggest.

That’s the thing; ‘honesty is the best policy’, yes, right, good; but if it is my policy then I am free to change policies. Tomorrow I may say something else.

You are still in the mode of comparison. It is the best. Best, better, good, bad, worse, worst.

No, honesty is not a policy.

Honesty is your uncorrupted way of living.

Where there is a direct beautiful movement from the Self to the mind, from the mind to the thoughts, from thoughts to action, that is honesty.

Nothing is getting corrupted at any stage. There is no leakage. There is no pilferage. It starts as pure essence and ends as pure action. It starts as pure essence and ultimately flowers as pure action. Nothing dilutes it in…