The Root of the Argument

How we approach an argument, big or small, sets the tone for its resolution (or lack thereof). In the Bhagavad Gita, Arjuna approaches the battle with humility. He wants to do what’s good and right, to serve and improve life for future generations. Meanwhile, his enemy, Duryodhana, comes from a place of greed, arrogance, and thirst for power. He declines wisdom and insight from Krishna. The results of the battle reflect the warriors’ intentions. Arjuna is victorious, and Duryodhana, who had only selfish drives, loses everything. There are three kinds of arguments, and these are shaped by three “energies of being” described by the Bhagavad Gita. I introduced them in Think Like a Monk (and mentioned them briefly in Rule 2): ignorance (tamas),passion and impulsivity (rajas), and goodness (sattva). I use these energies as a way of examining what state of mind we bring to any moment, and they can help us understand the energy we bring to any conflict.