Brian Johnson explores the Arabic word jihad, which means struggle, and argues that the greatest jihad is internal: the battle to master your lower self. He draws on the Bhagavad Gita, Proverbs, Lao Tzu, Buddha, and Muhammad to show that self-mastery is the highest form of struggle.
Hi, this is Brian with another mini chapter from A Philosopher's Notes. This one is called the Ultimate Jihad. Did you know the word jihad comes from the Arabic word for struggle? And that there are actually two kinds of jihads or struggles? Yep. One struggle is against external oppressors. And one is within ourselves, the battle between our higher and lower selves. Guess which one is known as the greater holy war. Bingo. The struggle within ourselves, the battle between the good and the evil within our own being is easily the greatest struggle there is. All the great traditions talk about it. The Bhagavad Gita, a core text of Hinduism, is set on a metaphorical battlefield and features a reluctant warrior receiving divine counsel to do the battle necessary to conquer his lower self and live his dharma. While Proverbs 16:32 tells us he who rules his spirit has won a greater victory than the taking of a city. In Lao Tzu tells us, mastering others is strength, mastering yourself is true power. And the Buddha tells us, one who conquers himself is greater than another who conquers a thousand times a thousand men on the battlefield. And finally, Muhammad himself says, the most excellent jihad is that for the conquest of self. Ultimately, it's all about self mastery. Let's show up fully in the most holy of wars as we truly live the ideals in which we so passionately believe. We all do that, and the other wars will dissolve. So there you go. The ultimate jihad. It's not about battling things outside of ourselves. It's about winning the battle within ourselves, the battle between our higher and lower selves. Hope you enjoyed. Here's to winning that ultimate jihad. Have another awesome day. Look forward to sharing more with you soon.
