Morality-An Eastern View 17 09 2025
Going though literature on Indian philosophy I came across an interesting concept that has struck to my mind where morality is viewed through the lens of hunger. Hunger is bisected into its two ingredients of being an individual’s need, and requiring immediate satisfaction. These two elements give rise to a potential abuse where hunger is fed ignoring the ecosystem, and the individual’s future needs. This abuse of acting on selfish desire is seen as an evil to be guarded against for the benefit of both the individual and the ecosystem.
Morality in this context is an answer to curb this evil of selfish conduct. Hence, the need for morality arises where ever there is hunger i.e. motive for selfish behaviour. It is quite logical to consider an expand definition of hunger that goes beyond the need for food to the need for wealth, power and pleasure in viewing a comprehensive moral code. The corollary is also true, where there is no hunger, there is no need for selfish conduct and hence a moral code to curb the evil is superfluous.
How is this moral code to be internalized by humans? To this question, Indian philosophy has an interesting answer. It views humans as composed of five layers−the physical, vital, mental, intellectual and blissful. There is no role for the physical or vital layer in either learning or acting on a moral code. Moral education that is first imparted to the children, is through the mind by habit, using the carrot and stick approach, i.e. externally induced. At this stage the individual does not consciously adopt the moral code, but can be well trained in it.
Moral conduct as a discretionary, consciously accepted code of conduct is seen when the intellect comes into play. Here the individual consciously and voluntarily decides to act morally, i.e. restraining their self-interest. Hence any adult capable of conscious independent decision making, which includes children with this discernment, can be given the freedom to act and be held accountable for their moral behavior. This state then can truly be called ethical, as morals are internalized and it arises from within.
There is a third stage beyond the intellect, that the Upanishads guide to, where the individual self merges with the universal ecosystem. At this stage, morality becomes superfluous, as there is no selfish instinct to be curbed as the concept of self itself is dissolved in the ecosystem.
Given this context, three degrees of hunger are recognized– mita, rita, and hita.
- Mita or measured: Hunger that acknowledges the need but resists excess. Here hunger is measured, mindful and restrained.
- Rita or cosmic order: This hunger is in sync with the ecosystem. Here hunger is conscious of the ecological balance, social needs and seasonal variations. Individual needs are met with the least impact on the ecosystem and future needs.
- Hita or beneficial: Hunger used as a means to serve the ecosystem. Here consumption is transformed into contribution. It seeks satisfaction while uplifting others’ emotional, social and ecological needs by for example sharing, supporting local producers and being ecologically sensitive in consumption.
Theodore Veblen in his 1899 classic ‘The Theory of the Leisure Class’ identified the concept of conspicuous consumption, as a disease afflicting the industrial economies resulting in unequal societies. Does Indian philosophy offer a cure for this? Do you think this idea is relevant today?
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