Is Lying Good?

 

Photo Credit: Tech Spot

Is Lying Good?

Many religions and belief systems say lying or telling lies is not good, it is even considered to be a sin. But tell me, is there anything that is good or bad in this universe, or is it our perception or view that defines something as good or bad. What is good and what is bad is predefined by society and the way things are accepted by that society.

So, can a little lie told to a person prevent hurt? And if it does, is it justified? Is lying terrible”? Is it always bad to lie? If lying is bad then why has such a concept been created in this world? We are all aware of white lies – lies told to avoid hurting someone’s feelings. Even in law lying is considered bad, and one is asked to take an oath to tell the truth and nothing but the whole truth. Remaining silent is also legally considered to be accepting any averment that is being made.

In India, the concept of narova kunjarova is used when someone gives a diplomatic response without taking any side or telling the truth. This concept comes from the epic Mahabharata where Yudhishthir on being asked whether Ashwathama was dead responds that yes Ashwathama is dead, but I don’t know if it is the warrior or an elephant with the same name. As a result of this answer Ashwathama’s father Acharya Dronacharya was so overcome with grief that he laid down his arms and sat down in meditation, and on Lord Krishna’s orders the commander in chief of the Pandava army, beheaded Acharya Dronacharya who had sided with evil in the fight of good versus evil. So, in battles of good versus evil telling a white lie is not considered bad.

Truth is not always wonderful, sometimes it can cause great harm too. To explain, let me tell you a story. Once upon a time there lived a hermit in the forest. One day a young nubile girl bedecked with jewellery came running into his hut and asked to be saved from a terrible man who wanted to kill her and rob her of her jewels. After a few minutes this man comes and asks the hermit whether he had seen any girl in the forest. The hermit goes on to admonish him saying that can’t you see that this is a hermitage and this is no place for girls. He asks the man why is he looking for a girl in the forest. The man goes on his way thinking that the hermit has not seen any girl. Here the hermit responds to the question with another question and does not say ‘no’ directly. So, did the hermit lie. Suppose the hermit had told the truth and brought the girl out, the result would have been three deaths – the girl, the hermit as a witness and the man himself who would ultimately be caught by the police and put to death.

So, who decides what is a truth and what is a lie – in reality everything just is – it is our perception of the situation that defines our ‘truth’ or our ‘lie’. One person’s truth could be another person’s lie – one cannot sit in judgement all the time – a better option is acceptance and let life take its course. Karma takes care of everything.