The New Year Message, “As You Sow, So Shall You Reap” applies to all; the farmers, the businessmen and the politicians.

By Zile Singh

From the farmers’ point of view, the New Year is beginning with a sad note.  For more than a month they have been camping under the open sky and on the plain earth, from the cozy atmosphere of their home and hearth.   Dozens have succumbed to the north Indian chill. Their dialogue with the government has been going on.  As of today, no tangible outcome seems approaching. Let us hope that neither the government nor the farmers will sow bad seeds to reap a bad harvest.  A compromised formula must be the way. 

“No man is wise enough by himself”, said philosopher Plautus. We all agree that ‘man is a social-being’.  However, before that ‘man is a natural-being’. The farmers all over, are the first ‘natural-beings’.  Before anybody else, they are nearest to Nature.  As time passed on, Nature taught them how to sow and how to reap.  As the saying goes, “As you sow, so shall you reap” we will be rewarded or punished according to the good or bad deeds that we do.  Nature cannot give us mango from an apple tree; nor can we get grape from a lemon tree. The final result depends upon the type of action we perform.  An act of love, kindness and compassion will not go waste but will bring positive results, whereas an act of hatred, ill-will and jealousy will make you a niggard, despondent and despotic.  One needs to watch one's acts and behaviour on daily basis to be happy and successful in life. 

The same analogy applies to the farming sector. If done on a scientific, technological and competitive basis, it will yield good produce and better benefits. In the absence of such methods, the farmer is sure to suffer from hunger and indebtedness. In addition, small land-holding, lavish life-style and lethargy, un-insured crops, wastage also are taking tolls on the farmers. Thousands of them, mainly marginalized, commit suicide every year. 

The scriptures of all religions emphasize the same thing. Goodness is the child of good deeds and regret and misfortune are the children of evil. This makes it necessary that we must check our actions consciously whether they are beneficial or harmful to others. Our actions have an immediate impact on us before they affect others. Good deeds make us happy whereas bad deeds make our conscience sad and guilty.   Sow the fury and reap the ferocity or sow love and reap love.

In Buddhism,  cause and effect is a cardinal principle. But human being today does not believe in this law and is suffering directly or indirectly by dint of his unmindful actions and behaviour. It is said: sow honesty – reap trust; sow goodness- reap friends; sow humility – reap greatness; sow perseverance – reap contentment; sow hard work – reap success; and sow forgiveness – reap reconciliation.  The Buddha said, “We sow a thought and reap an act; we sow an act and reap a habit; we sow a habit and reap a character and we sow a character and reap a destiny.”

Guru Nanak fully believed in the law of Karma. According to him, “God never wants any person to do evil acts. We are bound to reap the fruits of our evil or good deeds. We should never blame others for the result of our bad actions. The fault lies with one's own actions. Whatever I did, I have obtained the fruit accordingly.”

In Hinduism, the Law of Karma stipulates that if a person spreads happiness through charity, good work, kindness and sympathetic behaviour towards others it means he is sowing the seeds of happiness for himself in the present as well for future life. “ Jaisi karni vaisi bharni”. Karamyoga literally means “discipline of action” . Every karma will bring its fruit.

The principle of sowing and reaping is common throughout the Bible because it is something that humanity can relate to. The practice of ploughing the ground to gain a harvest is as old as humanity itself. “Whoever sows sparingly will reap sparingly, and whoever sows bountifully will also reap bountifully.”

According to the Quran, “Allah (peace be upon him) is fair.” It is all the same you reap what you sow. Allah will never spare you for your bad deeds. “A Muslim shall never leave another Muslim helpless in the time of need. What you give, you will get it back.”

The story of Alexander Fleming and Winston Churchill is famous for the sowing and reaping. The former, a poor young man once saved the latter, a wealthy noble, from drowning. In return, Churchill bore the cost of Fleming's college fee. Fleming became a doctor and discovered Penicillin. Churchill, as an army officer, was injured in the war and got an  infection. He was finally cured by injecting penicillin. Both of them helped each other and were benefited by the good actions of each other. 

So, do not forget, “What you sow now will determine what you will reap later.”  There is a story to tell that bad intentions will end in bad consequences.  “Three men stole bagful of money from the house of a rich man.  In the darkness of the night,  they escaped to the jungle. As the day dawned, they felt hungry.  Two stayed to guard the money and the third went to the nearby market to buy food.  After eating his food he mixed poison in the food he was carrying for the other two so that after eating they would die and all the money will be his.  On the other hand, the two who were guarding the bag worked out a plan that as soon as the third brings the food, they will kill him and will divide the money between them. The man who brought the food was killed on arrival.  Thereafter, the two took the poisonous food and died.  Thus all the three died.” The triangle finished because of their bad and uncompromised intentions. The public and private properties, including the land are national wealth.  These must be harnessed to the extent possible in the interest of all.

Zile Singh is a well respected Columnist, Writer and a Vipassana Meditater. He has a Post-Graduate Diploma in Human Rights.  He can be reached at zsnirwal@yahoo.ca