A Person of the Teaching: Strokes Towards a Portrait

By editor in Open letters, Teaching Anatomy October 1, 2025

Is it possible to draw, at least theoretically, a typical portrait of a follower of one or another religion or teaching, both spiritual and social? Of course, this is not about outward appearance, but rather, so to say, about the inner image — the cast of thought, the attitude towards life, and thus the manner of action that flows from it. In principle, such a portrait can indeed be drawn. The only question is how complete it will be. For some teaching it may turn out easier, and a clear portrait can perhaps be created with relatively few bold strokes. Elsewhere there will be so many elements and nuances, or even versions of the understanding of one and the same thing, that one must forget about a sufficiently full and distinct portrait, and be content with a very approximate sketch. Can a typical portrait be drawn, say, of a communist? More or less — taking into account the dilution of communist ideology that has occurred over the past 150 years. Of a Sikh? I will not affirm with certainty, but it may even be somewhat easier. But is a portrait of a typical Christian possible? This is such a fragmented worldview, complicated by countless interpretations, that a theoretical portrait will contain a few vivid general features, a few somewhat vaguer ones, and a mass of traits that differ very indistinctly. In fact, it will be many portraits, large and small, bright and faded, which one might attempt, by overlaying them, to combine into a single portrait — with the quite expected, unsatisfactory result.

And can a portrait be drawn of a typical person of the Teaching? Yes, it can — but it is a large work. We have no fragmentation or contradictory interpretations, no erosion or dilution of ideas — but at the same time there is an extensive worldview and many aspects that shape a person. That is, the features are clear, but the detail is great. In one short article, or even in a cycle of them, a detailed portrait cannot be drawn. Yet several important strokes can be shown, largely forming the typical follower and giving at least a partial idea of what he is like. This is what I shall attempt to do here.

But first — a necessary clarification. I simply want to emphasise that what is meant here is precisely a theoretical portrait. In other words, what a typical follower of the Teaching ought to be. But it cannot be said that all its followers are already so. We all learn and change in the right direction — but this is a gradual process, lasting a lifetime. And it may last even more than one lifetime. Therefore, all are at different stages of it. Achieving a high level of conformity is practically the level of a Teacher. In short, we cannot say that we are all such as will be described — but we are moving towards it. I shall describe what one should strive for. This may be of interest to those outside the Teaching, as an element of acquaintance with it, and to the followers themselves, as a reminder of what they ought to become. Some have already attained something of what is described, others still have it before them. Different qualities are developed each in its own time — provided there is aspiration and effort.

1. Life — Only an Episode

A person of the Teaching values his life greatly, but at the same time understands that it is only one episode of his existence. Perhaps behind him there are already many lives and biographies, and ahead there may be still more. This is a chain of reincarnations, where each life is a link, touching the one before and the one after. In each there were its own joys and hardships, and each time it ended so that a new life could begin, with new events and challenges.

If a person thinks that they lives only once, all the hardships they experiences turn out to be much heavier. For they take away time that will not return, and opportunities that often pass irretrievably. This makes it much more painful.

For example, someone’s personal life has not worked out. If it was only a single attempt, and the possibility will not return, and things will never be otherwise, all finished — that is unbearably heavy. Some in truth cannot bear it and do something harmful to themselves. But if one understands that nothing is lost irretrievably, that this is only a temporary failure, that in past lives one had good things, and that in the next life everything will not be as in this one, that one’s promising chances, one’s opportunities and happiness lie ahead — then the feeling is entirely different. Well, it did not turn out as one wished. Yes, it is sad. But failures happen. This is not the end of all things, but a temporary difficulty. Everything still lies ahead. Another example. A person is gravely ill, and the illness does not allow him to live fully. If life is only one, then this is an irreparable tragedy and a corresponding suffering. If it is not one, then it is only an unfortunate episode of a biography, which will pass, and all will be well. Yes, it is hard. But it is not the burden of irreparability and doom to something dreadful. And so it is far easier. The main thing is to realise it.

A single life in such a vision is like a single day in a succession of others. The day did not turn out well, it was unsuccessful — but no one, because of it, loses their mind, takes to drink, takes their own life, or even falls into depression. One is simply a little sad, then goes to sleep. The bad day ends, there will be a new morning, a new day, more fortunate and more interesting. One must prepare for it, not live by past failures.

Such, then, is the attitude of a person of the Teaching towards great hardships of life. Therefore they do not inflict upon him or her crushing psychological traumas, do not break him or her, do not deprive him or her of presence of spirit, do not make him or her weak or despondent. And thus they do not take away from him or her the possibility of doing something good, of being useful to the world, of being a support and an example for others. And the latter may well save someone who does not have such an attitude to life’s difficulties and is consequently far worse off.

2. There is Always a Choice

One of the most dreadful things for a person is the state of hopelessness and complete powerlessness, when it is impossible to change anything. After all, by their very nature, they are creative beings. They exist in order to do something, to change themselves and the world, to perfect themselves through moral choice. Therefore the impossibility of making a choice and acting in accordance with it is practically equivalent to death — if not physical, then psychological. Sometimes even moral. At times someone commits a cowardly, vile, or plainly criminal act, justifying it with the words “I had no choice”. Thus the absence of choice turns for him or her into misfortune for someone else.

But in truth there is always a choice. It may be that in the set of possible options there is not one in which everything will be resolved in the best way, without unpleasantness, suffering, and losses. Yet one can always choose between the better and the worse. When someone says that they have no choice, this means that some options they simply do not consider. For example, they will either commit a vile act, or suffer but retain a clear conscience. But they do not want to suffer, and therefore the second option is absent from their list, so to speak, by default. And so it turns out that they seemingly have no choice. By agreeing to this, they renounce something very important in their nature, something that largely makes them human — a rational being with free will. They voluntarily turn themselves into a plaything of circumstances, allowing someone or something to manipulate them.

A person of the Teaching is not subject to this. They know that they always have a choice, whatever may happen to them. And it is a free choice. No one and nothing can subject their will and govern it. No one and nothing can force them to act in a way that it is wrong to act, that they ought not to act, that they do not wish to act. Yes, in the end things may turn out badly for them. But it will be what they have chosen for themselves, and not what has been imposed upon them. Perhaps their body will suffer — but their soul will become stronger and more perfect. Perhaps not in this life, but in the next — as it may turn out.

For a person of the Teaching there is no despair of hopelessness and no compulsion to bad actions. He or she never loses control of the situation and the ability to do what he or she considers right. This may cost dearly — but such is the price of freedom and humanity. Although in truth this things are priceless — so in any case they gains more than they loses. They are not subject to the feeling of powerlessness and humiliation that destroys human dignity. Whatever may happen to them, in the end it will be what they decide for themselves. The right of choice has been given to them by evolution, and the Universe has given them the strength to preserve this right.

3. No One is an Enemy

According to the Teaching, absolute evil does not exist. There is the bad, which we conventionally call evil — that which hinders beneficial development and brings destruction. But precisely the tendency towards non-being, directed towards destruction, serves as a stimulus for the beneficial development of Being, which gives life to all that exists. That is, the world, in its broadest understanding, the world as boundless Being, is arranged such that even evil in it is set to serve good. Therefore we call it evil only conventionally — for by all external signs it looks like evil and behaves like evil, yet in essence it constitutes a necessary part of good. And if so, then it cannot be regarded as absolute and unconditional evil. It must be struggled against — for that is its purpose — but one must not permit hatred of it in oneself. For hatred is an expression of that very striving towards destruction. It is impossible to struggle against it successfully if one’s motivation is the same as its own. That would mean it has conquered within you.

Closer to the notion of “evil” in a certain sense is the bad that people do — for in its basis it does not presuppose universal good. Here we will not speak of what is done accidentally and unintentionally, but only of what is done deliberately and purposefully, with the aim of harming, destroying, or annihilating something or someone, usually for selfish ends. Selfishness itself is, in its nature, a negative phenomenon. But why do people act thus? Because they are imperfect. Of course, all are imperfect; — but those of whom we speak are, let us say, on a step of very deep imperfection. And they act in accordance with their level. To leap above one’s own head is always very difficult. So this is more their misfortune than their guilt. And in their misfortune, which they most often do not even realise, they bring misfortune to others. At the same time, within them, as within all people, there are particles of the Spirit, which, though itself imperfect, nonetheless represents the best there is in the Universe. This means that every person is good in his essence, and all the bad that is manifested in him is secondary. The Spirit is eternal, and at the same time it is constantly being perfected, becoming ever better, whereas the bad human qualities are temporary, and they manifest in order that one may struggle with them. And they are destined one day to disappear, to be replaced by good qualities. Thus, through struggle with vices and with all negative things in man, the perfection of the Spirit within him takes place.

Thus we see several of the most important points. First, every person in their essence is good, and all the bad in them is superficial and temporary. Second, people commit evil though deliberately, yet out of folly, by reason of their deep imperfection. It cannot be said that they are entirely not guilty of what they do. Of course, they bear responsibility for it — before people and before Nature. But neither can they be called absolute evil. They are good that has become confused and forgotten, or has not yet understood, that it is good. Therefore a person of the Teaching does not feel hatred even towards the most evil people, does not regard them as enemies. He struggles with them, resists the bad that they do — but not out of hatred, rather out of necessity.

A person of the Teaching is always in struggle, for there is much bad in the world — but at the same time they have no enemies. They regard no one as an enemy; they do not regard even those who hate them and consider them their enemy as such. They strive not to kill and destroy, but to correct and create. Therefore they are never blinded by malice, they are not subject to thirst for revenge, they do not seek to cause harm to someone out of dislike. They know that every person is in essence good, and in time must become better still — and this defines their attitude towards people.

Again, such an attitude towards people helps them preserve their mental health. They can have no idée fixe of revenge, and do not waste their life upon it; they have no psychoses born of anger towards someone, no breakdowns and outbursts for such reasons, and so on. In short, their own life is easier, since their psyche is not weighed down with so heavy a burden that breaks it, and for those around them they are not dangerous, for they are rational and balanced, and does not risk at some moment losing control and doing something dreadful.

4. A Person Without Skin

People, as a rule, strive to suffer less, to feel less pain. Including emotional pain. And some spiritual teachings offer ways to avoid such suffering. More precisely, to get rid of it by ridding oneself of passions, which are the sources of experiences and mental anguish. Accordingly, in such teachings the ideal person is an ascetic and a sage, who has attained awareness of the vanity of the world and rid themselves of passions and desires. They are always calm, unperturbed, nothing troubles them any more — neither their own suffering, for it no longer exists, nor that of others, for to them it is irrelevant, and those who experience it are themselves to blame. Such absolute inner peace, when one no longer desires anything and nothing torments one, is understood as happiness, as a kind of attainment of paradise while still alive.

It is interesting that in those very teachings the ability to show compassion for people is usually highly valued. It is presented as one of the main virtues, or even the main one. However, freedom from passions and sufferings is still valued higher. That is the principal goal. Therefore, if you are a highly spiritual person and have developed great compassion, you are still supposed, in the end, to withdraw from that too and attain absolute imperturbability. Especially if you believe that all passions and feelings originate in illusions, and that the world itself is, essentially, illusory.

A person of the Teaching looks at things differently. For them the world is not illusory, but real. Our world, our Universe is precisely the principal reality, which must be perfected — and this is what matters most of all. Everything is subordinated to the task of its perfection — including the meaning of human life. One must not run away from reality, declaring it an illusion, but strive to know it and make it better.

By knowing the world, you learn of its imperfections, troubles and problems — otherwise, how can you make it better? You learn of the imperfections, troubles and problems of people, you learn to feel compassion for them — otherwise, how can you help them? Therefore, a person of the Teaching does not try to lose their feelings, does not strive to become passionless. They open themselves to the world and to people, to feel them as fully as possible, with all their joys and sorrows. They do not dull their feelings, but sharpen them to the utmost. They are as if without skin, with every nerve exposed, and feel another’s pain as their own, in its slightest manifestations. This is an important part of the path to fulfilling one’s purpose. Whoever feels another’s suffering will not remain indifferent to it, and will do all they can to ease it, to help. Such is behaviour normal for a human being.

Of course, it is very hard to feel the pain of the world and the sufferings of people. Where can one find the strength and fortitude not only to endure it all, but also to do something, to work for the common good? Well, first of all, there is not only pain in the world, but also joy, which you also feel, and which serves as a counterweight to suffering. Secondly, having felt so deeply the great unity with the world, you not only gain the ability to feel its pain and joy, but also the ability to draw strength from it. That helps you to endure more than a person normally can, not to break, and at the same time to work well for the world and for people.

5. Problems Are Useful

Human life, to a very great extent, consists of problems. Difficulties constantly arise, one has to find complicated solutions, fight with something, overcome something. Even if all this together is less than the bright and pleasant moments, it is felt very keenly — and therefore it may seem that life consists entirely of problems, with only rare flashes of joy. People often perceive such a life as injustice and continuous torment; many curse it, many fall into depression. Some simply cannot bear it and resolve to do something terrible. Everyone wants fewer problems, ideally — none at all. That life should be peaceful, consisting only of successes and joys. Such a life is seen as the norm, and a life full of difficulties — as a deviation from the norm, annoying or even tragic.

However, in reality everything is quite the opposite. Any development, any achievement, any movement anywhere is connected with difficulties and problems. In a certain sense, they are life itself — for they make evolution possible and allow a person to perfect themselves. Everything new and better than what has ever been attained was attained through difficulties and represented the solution of some problem, great or small. This applies both to the development of a particular person and to the development of all humanity, of all civilisation. Obstacles on the way, difficulties, problems — these are development and life; their absence, complete tranquillity — this is stagnation and decline. A very simple example can be given: physical exercises. What does a person do who wants their body to become stronger, more enduring, healthier? They perform various exercises, giving the body certain loads. For a positive effect, the body must experience difficulties and overcome them.

According to the Teaching, one should not be afraid of difficulties. They are not some mystical injustice and not a punishment sent from above, but a natural part of life. Natural, necessary and inevitable. Dreaming of a life without problems, you will only torment yourself in vain, because that is striving for the impossible. To your other sufferings you will add this one too. You must learn to relate to problems correctly. There is no need to seek them, to provoke them on purpose. Whatever else, life itself will supply you with them in plenty. It is true that there are usually far too many problems — but people create them for one another; and until people change, until they become different, they will continue to do so. One way or another, problems must be taken as a given, though often an excessive one. One must relate to them as to something that helps to live, not hinders. As to something that gives new opportunities. And that they cause suffering — well, any movement through obstacles causes suffering. Even muscles ache after physical exercise.

Thus a person of the Teaching relates to problems. They are not afraid of them and are ready to face them, ready to overcome difficulties. They do not torment themselves with illusions that it is possible to attain a problem-free life, they do not waste themselves chasing the unattainable. They do not think that the whole world has unjustly risen against them, and do not torment themselves with such grievances. Problems will not drive them into depression and will not break them. They know that they cannot be broken by them, because they have enough strength to overcome them, or at least to endure them. And they put them to their service, using them as training equipment, on which one can practise and become stronger. And at the same time make the world better.

6. Survival Is Not the Main Thing

One can hardly doubt that to the question, “What is the highest value for a person?” most will answer: life. This seems quite obvious. However, there is also the question of the meaning of life. And since such a question is asked, and has been one of the oldest and most important in the history of humankind, the very fact of its persistent posing, again and again, suggests that life is apparently not important in itself. It is not needed just to live. It is needed for something greater. Something that, accordingly, is more important than it.

Many will not agree with this. For them there is nothing more precious than life. Just life. They are ready for anything, only to preserve it. For the sake of survival they will sacrifice everything — conscience, human dignity, duty, comrades, close people… For if life is the highest value, then no price for it is excessive. The insane desire to survive possesses them as an irresistible force, dictating all their actions. The question “What do you live for?” does not arise before such a person. They strive simply to live. Be it cowardly, wretched, useless, deceitful, vile, criminal, dangerous to others — but to live. This could be called something animal, if an animal could consciously commit a vile act or a crime for the sake of its survival. But as it is, it is something even lower.

At the same time many will say: there are things more important than life. It can be sacrificed to save or defend someone. It can be given for a great and necessary cause. At times it can be risked for the sake of knowledge, for the sake of love, for the sake of another’s happiness. One can go to death for convictions, for justice, to fulfil one’s duty, to preserve one’s sense of dignity and remain human, even in one’s last moments. In fact, there can be found quite a few things that are dearer than life. And people who act so are respected, called heroes, considered an example for others, monuments are erected to them, songs are written, films are made. Because these are people who do not simply live. They are those who make the world better, both by their life and by their death. They live not in vain, and they die not in vain.

And besides, they make themselves better. A person perfects themselves through the right choice, through the choice of good over selfishness and cowardice. Thus is purified the particle of Spirit which they carry within. And that is nothing other than a particle of the Creator’s soul, and a person comes into the world in order to perfect it. This is their purpose, they live for this. And so it turns out that by performing a worthy deed they both make the world better, and help others, and become better themselves, and fulfil their purpose. All this is more valuable than life — because life is given precisely for this. Dying, such a person leaves the world better than it was before, and takes their own spiritual and moral achievements with them into the next life. Into it they will come more perfect, with a purer Spirit. And in it they will be able to bring even more good to the world.

Understanding all this, a person of the Teaching strives to live in this way. They value their life — but not as the highest good in itself, rather as an instrument for doing good. They cannot be compelled, under threat of death, to cowardly or vile deeds; they do not strive to survive at any cost. They strive to perfect themselves, to do good for people, to make the world better, to help the Creator in its perfection. In other words, they strive to be a true human being. If need be, at the cost of life. Even if there were only one life, and death were final, it would still be worth it. And since life is not one, and worthy deeds perfect a person for future lives, then all the more so.

7. The Body as an Instrument

Materialistic views assert that a person is matter, a body. Simply because there is nothing else. The soul does not exist, it is a religious fiction. Consciousness and thought exist only in the impulses of the material brain. Matter in the highest form of its organisation is the human being. And here, with the last assertion, one can partly agree. In the sense that matter is part of a person. One can say it is their dwelling, joined to themselves. In the shell of matter lies the human essence, consisting of Spirit as the foundation, and another shell in the form of energy. Matter grows around the foundation while the child is in the mother’s womb, and afterwards, while they are growing up. And when the time comes, the material shell will be cast off, cease to be a person, and decay, whereas the human essence will continue its existence. It will still dwell in material shells, more than once.

For what, then, is the body given to a person? It is the means of their existence in the world of matter. Something like a spacesuit, or, if you will, an exoskeleton, making it possible to be present in another environment and to perform various actions in it. Thus, the body is an instrument. An instrument fused with the person, and remaining so until the moment of physical death. That is, until the moment when the instrument becomes completely unusable. The body wears out; it can be broken, destroyed, like any object or mechanism. We repair it, as far as possible, so that it may serve longer. Another matter is that not everyone knows how to use it properly. Some do not perceive it as an instrument, but fully identify it with their personality; some use it for amusement, some for the satisfaction of vices and for committing crimes, and some do not want to use it at all, but wish to lie on the sofa and do nothing.

A person of the Teaching knows what this instrument is given for. It is given so that one may have the possibility to explore the world of matter, to have opportunities for development that are not available outside it, to gain experience, to perfect oneself and to act, changing the world around for the better. Such a multi-purpose, necessary and irreplaceable instrument for fulfilling all these tasks. It must be valued and preserved, but at the same time one must not forget what it is. Yes, it is an extension of the person — in the same way as a hammer, spanner or pencil is an extension of the hand. But still it is not the hand. And the body must be regarded as a part of oneself, but not as oneself in full.

As has been said, it must be preserved, cared for, kept in working order and used with due caution. Even a simple hammer will quickly become useless if one treats it carelessly and uses it roughly. The body, however, is a far more complex instrument and, unlike a hammer, is not replaceable — at least, within the span of one life. Yet it would also be wrong to be too protective of it. If you are afraid of damaging a hammer and therefore do not want to hammer in a nail, then the hammer becomes useless, and may as well be thrown away. An instrument is intended for work, and one should not avoid it just to preserve the instrument. It is normal for it to wear out, and one day it will break. The main thing is that the work should be done, and done well. The same applies to the body. One must not be careless with it, must not waste it uselessly — but one must not turn it into an idol either, must not serve it, subordinating everything else to its welfare. This means that it is not enough to receive a body from Nature. One must also learn to relate to it properly, to handle it properly, to use it properly. This too is a serious science in itself. A person of the Teaching masters it, and afterwards they have only to work well. Happily, everything for this is provided.

8. The Way of the Warrior

The expression “the way of the warrior” has long since become a banality. Beautiful and resonant, yes, but still a banality. A verbal cliché. Usually it is applied to the spiritual sphere and implies above all an inner struggle. You go out to battle with your vices and imperfections, which are not only present within you, exerting a harmful influence on your life, but are also fueled by external factors. What happens around you provokes everything worst that is in you, calls forth wrong reactions, thus pushing you into doing wrong. The common understanding of the way of the warrior is resisting the worst within yourself, bringing it under control, and resisting external influences, which can often take the form of separating yourself from them. In other words, self-discipline, part of which may be withdrawal from the world. It became a cliché after Eastern spiritual teachings came to the West, and their trappings became part of pop culture.

The time of hype and reverent awe before such things has passed, and they have turned into the clichés of that same pop culture, which has the wondrous property of vulgarising and hollowing out everything that falls into its orbit. So it happened with the notion of “the way of the warrior”. There are still those whose eyes light up at these words, and even those who try to practice something of the kind to the extent of their understanding and determination. But for the most part it evokes, if not outright boredom, then at least an ironic smirk. The way of the warrior has turned into a romance with Eastern exoticism. And even on the movie screen it no longer makes much of an impression.

For a person of the Teaching, however, this notion is highly relevant. True, the approach to it here is somewhat different. According to the Teaching, everyone is a warrior by their very essence. Not in the sense of aggressiveness and battles on the field of war, but in the sense that every person from the very moment of their birth encounters a multitude of difficulties that must be overcome. This includes survival itself, which sometimes comes at great cost, learning of any kind, the problems of communication and interaction with the surrounding reality, the hostility of ill-wishers, various life failures, and much more. The struggle with the worst part of oneself occupies a special place in this list. All of it requires patience, persistence, willpower, courage, the ability to fight, and other qualities characteristic of a warrior. All people are warriors from birth, struggle is their natural state. In struggle the human race survived and created civilisation, in struggle it accomplished all its great discoveries and made all its great inventions. In struggle people improve, become better, wiser, stronger. True, many understand struggle as violence, aggression, war. Many consider any kind of struggle unnecessary, even abnormal, and dream of a life without struggle, of complete peace. But they are gravely mistaken. Complete peace does not exist. Struggle is development and life. One must accept this reality.

A person of the Teaching understands and accepts it. They perceive themselves as a warrior, engaged in constant struggle, and do not strive for the unattainable — that is, peace — which, incidentally, spares them many disappointments and broken hopes, as well as saving much energy by not wasting it in vain. They accept all life’s challenges and problems not as punishment or injustice, but as something completely natural, and moreover as an opportunity to become more perfect. They do not flee from the world, from society, but strive to make it better. That too is struggle — in the form of opposing negative social phenomena, in the form of hard work for the common good, in the form of creative searching, and, if necessary, in the form of a real battle with those one must defend oneself or others against. At the same time, they do not admit hatred or aggression into themselves. Their struggle is ultimately not a struggle against something, but a struggle for something. They are a warrior not for the sake of destruction, but for preservation, creation, development, improvement.

Such is their way. The way of the warrior. That is, the way of a normal person in the real world, which is not a place of serene peace and relaxation, but a place of work, creativity, development, and perfection.

9. Patriot of Any Country

Is patriotism good or bad? It is good if you love your country, care for its well-being, work for it, defend it. It is bad if you exalt it above other countries, consider them inferior, remain indifferent to their misfortunes, approve of and support your country’s aggressive attitude towards them, or believe that it must rule over them. Patriotism has two sides — the outward one, noble and beautiful, and the reverse one, dark and destructive. And destructive not only towards other countries, but also towards one’s own country, and to the personality of the patriot themself.

It is good when no dark lining hides beneath the outward side, when it proves to be the only and beneficial one. But unfortunately, in the patriotism of many people, both sides are combined. And when that happens, the dark side often turns out to be more active and aggressive; it takes over and comes to the forefront. Therefore, the very word patriotism quite justifiably causes wariness in many. Despite its generally positive meaning, it seems to carry with it a certain unpleasant smell. And patriots of one country — hypothetical in this case — often perceive the patriots of any other country as potential enemies.

A person of the Teaching understands that this is abnormal, and that as long as it continues, our world will not become a peaceful place, and you will never be sure that your children will not die in a war started by the next patriots. However, to see this clearly, it is not necessary to belong to the Teaching. Yet it does offer its own approach in shaping one’s attitude to such things. Its followers view humanity as a single whole, regardless of all national, cultural, political, and other differences, and our planet as a common home. And this is not a standard formal declaration, but a very practical approach. From it arises a good attitude towards people of all nations and cultures, when hostility based on these factors is excluded in principle — for they are your people, you are one with them. Likewise, an equally good attitude towards all countries — for in them live people with whom you are one and whom you love as your own kin. And the countries themselves are a temporary phenomenon. One day they will disappear, merging into a single world state of humanity.

Therefore, a person of the Teaching relates to any country as to their own. They wish it well — but not in the sense that it should become the strongest and force all others into submission, but in the sense that it should be prosperous. They will care for the well-being of any country, for the justice of its laws, for the better life of its citizens, and so on. They are not indifferent. They care that people all over the world live as human beings, that they not be turned into slaves, that they not remain ignorant, impoverished, or sick. All over the world, not only in the country they might call their own. A person of the Teaching is a patriot of all countries. And whichever one suffers aggression, an unjust attack, they will defend it as their own — if necessary, even with weapons in hand. Because their home is the whole world, and all people are their compatriots in their common Motherland, which is called planet Earth.

10. A Thought Embracing the World

They say that “Charity begins at home.” That is, in other words, a person’s main concern is themself and their immediate circle. And if so, then they will first and foremost care about themself and them, give themself and them all their attention, and look mostly at themself and them. They will narrow the field of their perception and their outlook to a minimum. Yet both they and their immediate circle do not exist on their own. They are part of the world, they belong to the system of interconnections existing in the world, they are elements of its architecture. And in order for the connections not to break, the parts not to fall apart, and the entire architecture not to collapse, one needs to have at least some idea of all this and of how to act for the common good, for the universal benefit.

Alas, very, very many people live and act according to the rule of “home charity.” They want nothing to know of the greater world, its life, its problems and needs, but shut themselves away in their own small, selfish little world, thinking that in this way they will set their life in order, become more protected, prosperous, happy. Not at all. In order truly to take care of oneself and one’s loved ones, one needs to participate in the life of the world — to participate consciously, actively, creatively. And for this one must have an idea of the world and its life, of the interconnections existing within it, and of one’s place and role in it. One must learn to think broadly, even globally. A person cannot allow themself to sink to the level of a snail that never crawls out of its shell. As for a snail such a life is normal — but if people “snail themselves up,” their world will collapse, and the little happiness in their shell will turn into a great catastrophe, from which no shell will save them.

The Teaching helps one to learn to think globally. It shows the broad picture of the world, explains the meaning of its existence, leads a person to an understanding of their place in it. Of course, the question arises: is every person capable of thinking in this way? After all, not everyone is exceptionally intelligent. Well, let it not be everyone. Let not every person succeed in delving into the secrets of Nature or into the processes taking place in world politics, economics, culture, or science. But the level of a mollusc is not normal for anyone. Be that as it may, any mentally capable person, even if not a great intellectual, is able to form at least in general terms an idea of the world and its life. To think on such a scale is a property of the human mind. Our mind has everything necessary for this. Evolution has given us such tools. And it gave them to us not so that we might neglect them for the sake of the worse part of our nature, but so that we might use them.

Therefore, a person of the Teaching does not lock themself in the narrow space of immediate selfish interests, does not blind themself with them. They strive to embrace with their thought as much as possible. As much as is possible. And much is possible. The world in which we live is vast and complex — but all the better. The more will be understood, the deeper and more accurate the understanding of reality will become, the more flexible the mind will be. By seeing and understanding the world, one begins against its background to see and understand oneself more clearly, and more distinctly to understand how to become better oneself and how to make the world better. A person of the Teaching strives to broaden their horizons. They are interested in and concerned about what seemingly does not directly concern them. “Seemingly” — because in fact everything concerns them. For it is their world, these are their people. For them the whole world is home. In this case, scale matters. It changes everything.

***

Here I shall end my brief overview. What has been shown here is only a part of the specificity of the Teaching as it manifests through its followers, through their approach to life and their perception of reality. Once again, I emphasise: this is something that must be cultivated, formed over time. Each follower is at their own stage of the path. Some have already achieved much of what has been spoken about, while others are only taking their first steps. Yet in any case, such is the generalised portrait of a person of the Teaching.

Of course, the portrait is far from complete. These are but a few strokes, as was stated from the beginning. But they are very important strokes. From them it is already possible to form some idea of us, the people of the Teaching — of what we are, or what we strive to be. And thus also of what may be expected from us. This is what worries many above all — which is entirely natural and understandable. Here is a teaching, here are its adherents: what sort of people are they? What might they mean for others, for society, for the world — a support or a threat, a force for good or for evil? All that is unknown arouses caution. That is why I have tried to bring a little clarity. Naturally, what I have told will not please everyone. Some will hold different views and will find much that is wrong in what has been described; others will simply find it unattractive. But there is nothing to be done. We are what we are. There will be no other portrait.

In truth, in order to see a person of the Teaching clearly and in detail, one must see the Teaching itself, study it, and understand it. For it is precisely the Teaching that shapes the characteristic traits and qualities of its followers. Of course, to become acquainted with it in detail requires both desire and time. Yet in any case, this possibility is open to all. As for the strokes to the portrait that I have sketched here, perhaps they may in some measure help the reader to orient themselves as to whether or not it is worth making use of this possibility. If so, then regardless of their verdict, I shall consider that my effort has not been in vain.