God is within, in the deep recesses of our heart, in the form of the two sounds, Maha-naam or great name. One sound, Gopal, apprises you of the Supreme; the other sound, Govinda, of the Beyond. The Mahanaam is our real Self, the Guru. The human mind is only the pragmatic self which cuts into pieces the Integral Existence that is Mahanaam, and therefore exhibits multiplicity.
No earthly guru can initiate a person or, in other words, give diksha. Mahanaam spontaneously manifests as and when it chooses to do so. The Divine Will, which is the outward manifestation of Sri Satyanarayan, is the sole creative and sustaining principle in this universe. As Divine Power, or Energy, Mahanaam is revealed to our senses in various forms. It is the Shabdabrahmn. Shabda means sound, Brahmn refers to God, the Essence of Existence. Mahanaam is identical with Truth.
The matrix of all multiplicity, Mahanaam is the eternal refuge of all existence. The two sounds, Gopal Govinda, epitomise the bipolarity of our life in this world overflowing with the joy of infinite existence. Existence, consciousness, joy... this is the order of progressive manifestation of the Infinite. In Existence as Existence, the two sounds are in perfect identity. That is Satyanarayan, symbol of Truth, and Mahanaam is His joyous manifestation.
Submit to Mahanaam in love; do your work with Him as the Agent. Have patience with the vicissitudes of life which are tokens of His Infinite Love. Don’t restrain, don’t indulge. Be natural, shorn of all inhibitions. Work is worship when the sole frame of reference is the Soul, the vibrant Mahanaam. No one can come into this world without the two sounds of Mahanaam vibrating within.
Mahanaam is prana or life. Gopal Govinda is the warp and woof of your existence. The respiratory function is set into motion by its spontaneous vibration. If you closely follow the track of respiration you may be led to a rediscovery of the vibration of Mahanaam.
Other than Name, there is nothing. Name is the Supreme Authority. Name is the Guru. Name is God. Name is Almighty and Truth. No need of going to anybody, going anywhere. You have become full of Him. Remember Mahanaam with love and complete self-surrender. That is the only way.
As soon as the veil of ego is lifted creative power evolves in the mind of the seeker and Mahanaam disappears. My role is that of a witness. The seeker sees the Mahanaam, which is the Name of Self, dwelling in the seeker’s heart and constantly chanting the Mahanaam. The resonant sound of Mahanaam is heard by the seeker at the time of revelation.
You can turn yourself into a Vrindavan. The mind in the state of Manjari (like a budding seed) tastes the Rasa (relishes Divine Love) of Govinda (God within). That is what is meant by residence in Vrindavan.
The region of repose of respiration within the body, which is Void, is the place where from out of Void emerges Name. Therein lie Vrindavan and Govinda. It has no contact with the body inasmuch as it transcends mind. The concentrated mind is Buddhi (absolute, discriminative, intuitive). This state is possible only when one goes beyond mind or when one reaches the Void. I am kissing myself, kissing kiss itself. The mind flowers into a sheaf (Manjari), the intelligence grows transparent (conscious), and the life force becomes Joy.
Saturday, October 20, 2007
Celebrating Shakti As The Mother Goddess
Rama needed Durga’s blessings for success in rescuing Sita from Ravana. It was essential to worship Durga with 108 ‘neel kamals’ (blue lotuses). But Rama could gather only 107 of them. He, therefore, offered one of his eyes to complete the count. Impressed by his devotion, Durga blessed him with victory.
The concept of Mother Goddess is pan-Indian. The Rig Vedic pantheon includes goddesses of infinity, dawn, night and speech. She is popularly called Durga and Kali in Bengal. Ambika and Bhadrakali in Gujarat, Chamunda in Karnataka, Mumbadevi, Santoshi Ma and Bhavani in Maharashtra and Kamakhya in Assam. She is Manasa, the goddess of those bitten by the snake, and Sitala, the deity of small pox, and Olai Chandi associated with cholera in Bengal. To most devotees, however, she is just Ma. In Sri Aurobindo’s ‘Savitri’ she is “The magnet of our difficult ascent. The sun from which we kindle all our suns”.
The Mother Goddess is primarily the embodiment of Shakti, power or energy, of growth, fertility and prosperity, or death, destruction and disease. She is the universal mother, the epitome of female power overriding all other powers and primal energy. She is extolled and invoked in Devi Mahatmyam, a part of Markandeya Purana, while creating a vision of the ultimate divinity as a goddess. It recounts the story of the gods defeated by the demons headed by Mahishasura after a protracted battle.
A great light issued from Vishnu, Shiva, Brahma and other gods. From their joint energies emerged a unique radiance that took female form, Devi Durga. Her face was formed by Shiva’s light, her hair by Yama’s colour, her arms from Vishnu’s lustre and her breasts from Chandra’s luminescence. From Brahma’s glow came her feet, from Kubera’s her nose and from Agni’s blaze her three eyes.
Shiva gave her his trident, Vishnu his discus, Varuna a conch, Agni a spear, Indra a thunderbolt, Surya bestowed his own rays on all the pores of her skin and Kala (time) gave her a sword and shield. Armed by the gods, the Devi challenged the demons and a fierce war ensued. After all the generals of the buffalo-demon were vanquished, Mahishasura faced the Devi who flung her noose over him. The buffalo-demon became a lion and kept changing his form to ward her off. Ultimately, she struck off his head with her sword and the asura army perished. So she is Mahishasuramardini.
As Mahamaya, she comes to the aid of Vishnu and deludes and overcomes the demons Madhu and Kaitabh. Shumbha and Nishumha, the two ferocious demons, sent their commanders Chanda and Munda to kill the goddess when she came to the rescue of the gods in distress. But she killed both in the conflict and came to be called Chamunda. The demon Raktabeeja was a bigger challenge because from every drop of his blood that fell on the ground there arose a thousand others like him. Durga, therefore, took the blood in her mouth before it touched the ground and killed the demon. She defeated Shumbha and Nishumha also after a fierce battle.
Durga combines in herself the benign face of Parvati, and the female dynamism of Shakti but is worshipped mostly in the image of the latter. Vijaya Dasami, the final day of the puja, is marked by sweet sorrow as the image is immersed and it is time for the Devi to go back to her consort. It is also Dussehra when people rejoice by burning the effigy of Ravana.
The concept of Mother Goddess is pan-Indian. The Rig Vedic pantheon includes goddesses of infinity, dawn, night and speech. She is popularly called Durga and Kali in Bengal. Ambika and Bhadrakali in Gujarat, Chamunda in Karnataka, Mumbadevi, Santoshi Ma and Bhavani in Maharashtra and Kamakhya in Assam. She is Manasa, the goddess of those bitten by the snake, and Sitala, the deity of small pox, and Olai Chandi associated with cholera in Bengal. To most devotees, however, she is just Ma. In Sri Aurobindo’s ‘Savitri’ she is “The magnet of our difficult ascent. The sun from which we kindle all our suns”.
The Mother Goddess is primarily the embodiment of Shakti, power or energy, of growth, fertility and prosperity, or death, destruction and disease. She is the universal mother, the epitome of female power overriding all other powers and primal energy. She is extolled and invoked in Devi Mahatmyam, a part of Markandeya Purana, while creating a vision of the ultimate divinity as a goddess. It recounts the story of the gods defeated by the demons headed by Mahishasura after a protracted battle.
A great light issued from Vishnu, Shiva, Brahma and other gods. From their joint energies emerged a unique radiance that took female form, Devi Durga. Her face was formed by Shiva’s light, her hair by Yama’s colour, her arms from Vishnu’s lustre and her breasts from Chandra’s luminescence. From Brahma’s glow came her feet, from Kubera’s her nose and from Agni’s blaze her three eyes.
Shiva gave her his trident, Vishnu his discus, Varuna a conch, Agni a spear, Indra a thunderbolt, Surya bestowed his own rays on all the pores of her skin and Kala (time) gave her a sword and shield. Armed by the gods, the Devi challenged the demons and a fierce war ensued. After all the generals of the buffalo-demon were vanquished, Mahishasura faced the Devi who flung her noose over him. The buffalo-demon became a lion and kept changing his form to ward her off. Ultimately, she struck off his head with her sword and the asura army perished. So she is Mahishasuramardini.
As Mahamaya, she comes to the aid of Vishnu and deludes and overcomes the demons Madhu and Kaitabh. Shumbha and Nishumha, the two ferocious demons, sent their commanders Chanda and Munda to kill the goddess when she came to the rescue of the gods in distress. But she killed both in the conflict and came to be called Chamunda. The demon Raktabeeja was a bigger challenge because from every drop of his blood that fell on the ground there arose a thousand others like him. Durga, therefore, took the blood in her mouth before it touched the ground and killed the demon. She defeated Shumbha and Nishumha also after a fierce battle.
Durga combines in herself the benign face of Parvati, and the female dynamism of Shakti but is worshipped mostly in the image of the latter. Vijaya Dasami, the final day of the puja, is marked by sweet sorrow as the image is immersed and it is time for the Devi to go back to her consort. It is also Dussehra when people rejoice by burning the effigy of Ravana.
Durga Puja Festivity: A Spiritual Metaphor
Durga Puja symbolises our eternal journey to self-realisation and not just the victory of good over evil. Behind the apparent magnificence of the rituals there lies a deep spiritual significance worth contemplation.
Human mind subject to limitations of time and space cannot conceive the abstract idea of infinite Brahmn, the non-dual one without a second. Ancient sages therefore contemplated suitable symbols for progressive realisation of the Divine through various levels of God-consciousness towards ultimate realisation. Durga Puja encompasses the entire gamut of spiritual realisation.
In the process of spiritual transformation we need to rise above the neuro-linguistic programmes in-built in our DNA. A fortnight before the puja tarpan or offering is made to ancestors till Mahalaya intended to work out the genetic bondage to enable us to awaken our divine consciousness or bodhan on Mahashashti, the first day of the puja.
To a hungry man food is God. That’s why humans first worshipped nature. On Mahashashti, prayers are offered to the woodapple tree as the abode of the goddess. On Mahasaptami, the second day of the puja, nine leaves including a banana tree called Navapatrika are placed for worship. The paradoxical presence of the four children of the goddess — who is otherwise a virgin — in the battlefield is highly symbolic. When subtle intelligence represented by Ganesha is applied to nurturing nature, wealth in the form of Lakshmi evolves.
Material prosperity begets two associates, learning and fine arts represented by Goddess Saraswati and military prowess for protection and preservation represented by Kartikeya. All these four offsprings of the goddess are worshipped for worldly achievements.
Material prosperity and military prowess invariably beget arrogance and egotism unless these are accepted as gifts of the divine and stepping-stones for further progress. But the pernicious ego sheltered under beastly ignorance (buffalo in the image) and identifying itself to be omnipotent breaks the natural law of harmony and peace. At this spiritual crisis primordial nature in the form of Goddess Durga intervenes to vanquish the ego and makes it surrender to her. It is victory of the universal life force over individual egoism and upholding of cosmic cause over untoward interests of the indomitable ego.
With 10 weapons in her 10 hands and the wisdom of the third eye the goddess transcends the 10 human senses of perception and action represented by Mahishasura. She represents the universal principle of energy or holy vibration of the cosmos.
Thus, we have progressive departure from nature worship to worship of material prosperity, military prowess, learning, fine arts and intellect. Thereafter the dominating arrogant ego is made to surrender to the omnipotent cosmic energy of Goddess Durga.
Our journey to self-realisation ends with awakening cosmic consciousness as the destination. Above the image of Durga there lies rather invisibly Lord Shiva, representing cosmic consciousness.
On the fourth day of the puja or the day of Vijaya or special victory Goddess Durga is united with Shiva after her worldly play is done for establishing the divine realisation through an evolutionary process. Hence, all the peripherals are immersed into the ocean of consciousness of Lord Shiva, which is the culmination of spiritual progress along with the dissolution of delusive manifestation of the apparent reality.
Human mind subject to limitations of time and space cannot conceive the abstract idea of infinite Brahmn, the non-dual one without a second. Ancient sages therefore contemplated suitable symbols for progressive realisation of the Divine through various levels of God-consciousness towards ultimate realisation. Durga Puja encompasses the entire gamut of spiritual realisation.
In the process of spiritual transformation we need to rise above the neuro-linguistic programmes in-built in our DNA. A fortnight before the puja tarpan or offering is made to ancestors till Mahalaya intended to work out the genetic bondage to enable us to awaken our divine consciousness or bodhan on Mahashashti, the first day of the puja.
To a hungry man food is God. That’s why humans first worshipped nature. On Mahashashti, prayers are offered to the woodapple tree as the abode of the goddess. On Mahasaptami, the second day of the puja, nine leaves including a banana tree called Navapatrika are placed for worship. The paradoxical presence of the four children of the goddess — who is otherwise a virgin — in the battlefield is highly symbolic. When subtle intelligence represented by Ganesha is applied to nurturing nature, wealth in the form of Lakshmi evolves.
Material prosperity begets two associates, learning and fine arts represented by Goddess Saraswati and military prowess for protection and preservation represented by Kartikeya. All these four offsprings of the goddess are worshipped for worldly achievements.
Material prosperity and military prowess invariably beget arrogance and egotism unless these are accepted as gifts of the divine and stepping-stones for further progress. But the pernicious ego sheltered under beastly ignorance (buffalo in the image) and identifying itself to be omnipotent breaks the natural law of harmony and peace. At this spiritual crisis primordial nature in the form of Goddess Durga intervenes to vanquish the ego and makes it surrender to her. It is victory of the universal life force over individual egoism and upholding of cosmic cause over untoward interests of the indomitable ego.
With 10 weapons in her 10 hands and the wisdom of the third eye the goddess transcends the 10 human senses of perception and action represented by Mahishasura. She represents the universal principle of energy or holy vibration of the cosmos.
Thus, we have progressive departure from nature worship to worship of material prosperity, military prowess, learning, fine arts and intellect. Thereafter the dominating arrogant ego is made to surrender to the omnipotent cosmic energy of Goddess Durga.
Our journey to self-realisation ends with awakening cosmic consciousness as the destination. Above the image of Durga there lies rather invisibly Lord Shiva, representing cosmic consciousness.
On the fourth day of the puja or the day of Vijaya or special victory Goddess Durga is united with Shiva after her worldly play is done for establishing the divine realisation through an evolutionary process. Hence, all the peripherals are immersed into the ocean of consciousness of Lord Shiva, which is the culmination of spiritual progress along with the dissolution of delusive manifestation of the apparent reality.
Whatever You Are Is Nothing But Food
According to eastern mystic tradition, all that you think you are is nothing but food. Your body is food, your mind is food, your soul is food. Beyond the soul there is certainly something which is not food. That something is known as anatta, no-self. It is utter emptiness. Buddha calls it shunya, the void. It is pure space. It contains nothing but itself; it is contentless consciousness.
While the content persists, the food persists. By ‘food’ is meant that which is ingested from the outside. The body needs physical food; without it, it will start deteriorating. This is how it survives; it contains nothing but physical food.
Your mind contains memories, thoughts, desires, jealousies, power trips, and a thousand and one things. All that is also food; on a more subtle plane it is food. Thought is food. Hence when you have nourishing thoughts your chest expands. When you have thoughts which give you energy you feel good. Somebody compliments you, and look what happens to you — you are nourished. And somebody says something uncomplimentary about you, and watch — it is as if something has been snatched away from you...
The mind is food in a subtle form. The mind is the inner side of the body; hence what you eat affects your mind... You can watch it yourself. Eat something and watch, eat something else and watch. Keep notes, and you will become aware and surprised to find that each thing that you digest is not only physical, it has a psychological part to it. It makes your mind vulnerable to certain ideas, to certain desires.
Since long, there has been a search for a kind of food that will not strengthen the mind but will help it to finally dissolve; a kind of food which, instead of strengthening the mind, will strengthen meditation, no-mind. No fixed and certain rules can be given, because people are different and each one has to decide for himself.
Talk less, listen only to the essential, be telegraphic in talking and listening. If you talk less, if you listen less, slowly you will see that a feeling of purity will start rising within you. That becomes the necessary soil for meditation. Don’t go on reading all kinds of nonsense.
Leave a few gaps in your mind unoccupied. Those moments of unoccupied consciousness are the first glimpses of meditation, the first penetrations of the beyond, the first flashes of no-mind. And then if you can manage to do this, the other thing is to choose physical food which does not help aggression and violence, which is not poisonous.
Become bigger, become huge. Why are you living in tunnels? Why are you creeping into small dark black holes? But you think you are living in great ideological systems. You are not living in great ideological systems, because there are no great ideological systems. No idea is great enough to contain a human being; being-hood cannot be contained by any concept. All concepts cripple and paralyse.
Your body is not poisoned as much as your mind is. The body is a simple phenomenon, it can be easily cleaned. If you change your poisonous foods you will be surprised; a new intelligence will be released in you. And this new intelligence will make it possible not to go on stuffing yourself with nonsense. This new intelligence will make you capable of dropping the past and its memories, of dropping unnecessary desires and dreams, dropping jealousies, angers, traumas and all kinds of psychological wounds.
While the content persists, the food persists. By ‘food’ is meant that which is ingested from the outside. The body needs physical food; without it, it will start deteriorating. This is how it survives; it contains nothing but physical food.
Your mind contains memories, thoughts, desires, jealousies, power trips, and a thousand and one things. All that is also food; on a more subtle plane it is food. Thought is food. Hence when you have nourishing thoughts your chest expands. When you have thoughts which give you energy you feel good. Somebody compliments you, and look what happens to you — you are nourished. And somebody says something uncomplimentary about you, and watch — it is as if something has been snatched away from you...
The mind is food in a subtle form. The mind is the inner side of the body; hence what you eat affects your mind... You can watch it yourself. Eat something and watch, eat something else and watch. Keep notes, and you will become aware and surprised to find that each thing that you digest is not only physical, it has a psychological part to it. It makes your mind vulnerable to certain ideas, to certain desires.
Since long, there has been a search for a kind of food that will not strengthen the mind but will help it to finally dissolve; a kind of food which, instead of strengthening the mind, will strengthen meditation, no-mind. No fixed and certain rules can be given, because people are different and each one has to decide for himself.
Talk less, listen only to the essential, be telegraphic in talking and listening. If you talk less, if you listen less, slowly you will see that a feeling of purity will start rising within you. That becomes the necessary soil for meditation. Don’t go on reading all kinds of nonsense.
Leave a few gaps in your mind unoccupied. Those moments of unoccupied consciousness are the first glimpses of meditation, the first penetrations of the beyond, the first flashes of no-mind. And then if you can manage to do this, the other thing is to choose physical food which does not help aggression and violence, which is not poisonous.
Become bigger, become huge. Why are you living in tunnels? Why are you creeping into small dark black holes? But you think you are living in great ideological systems. You are not living in great ideological systems, because there are no great ideological systems. No idea is great enough to contain a human being; being-hood cannot be contained by any concept. All concepts cripple and paralyse.
Your body is not poisoned as much as your mind is. The body is a simple phenomenon, it can be easily cleaned. If you change your poisonous foods you will be surprised; a new intelligence will be released in you. And this new intelligence will make it possible not to go on stuffing yourself with nonsense. This new intelligence will make you capable of dropping the past and its memories, of dropping unnecessary desires and dreams, dropping jealousies, angers, traumas and all kinds of psychological wounds.
Balance Cosmic Energy For Maximum Benefit
A thundershower brings great relief from the scorching heat of the sun. The pitter-patter of raindrops falling fills the air with its rhythm. The sun, storehouse of energy, ceases to be our favourite for a while. A few days of clouds, rain, thunderstorm and showers are enjoyed by all. Very soon, however, we eagerly look forward to sunlight as the dull weather brings down our energy levels.
It’s the balance of energies in the cosmos that keeps us on our feet. We absorb these energies in the form of prana, the life force, and reach it to the various organs for them to work in unison. So our absorbing the energies from the cosmos keeps us physically alive. Any imbalance affects mental and physical health.
By learning to balancing these energies, we could derive maximum benefit from what is available to us in forms of vibrations in nature. A blend of these sounds and vibrations activates the chakras, the main energy centres in our body, thereby bringing about complete health and harmony between the cosmic vibrations and our chakras.
Chakra literally means a wheel or circle. In the human body energy flows through three main channels or nadis, namely sushumna, pingala and ida. Pingala and ida start from the right and the left nostrils respectively. These move to the crown of the head and then course downwards to the base of the spine. These two nadis intersect each other and also with sushumna. These junctions of the nadis are called chakras which regulate the body mechanism.
The ‘Kundalini Pranayam’ performed regularly energises and balances the chakras. Each major chakra has a sound to activate the energy of that particular area and open itself to receive maximum benefit from cosmic energies:
1. Mooladhara chakra: Moola or root is the adhara or source of support. From here, prana reaches energies to every nook and corner of the body. It is situated in the pelvis. Colour: red, sound vibration: ‘lam’.
2. Swadhishthana chakra: This controls the functions of reproductive and excretory organs. Sva signifies the vital force and adhishthana means abode. It is situated above the organs of generation. Colour: saffron, sound: ‘vam’.
3. Manipura chakra: Situated in the navel region, this chakra controls every organ below the diaphragm and helps to increase digestion and assimilation to maintain perfect health. Colour: red, sound: ‘ram’.
4. Anahata chakra: Anahata means the unbeaten. Situated in the cardiac area this improves heart and lung function. Colour: green, sound: ‘yam’.
5. Vishuddhi chakra: This signifies purity and enables all the glands to function to their optimum and maintains perfect hormone balance. Colour: violet, sound: ‘ham’.
6. Ajna chakra: Ajna means command. Situated between the eyebrows, this chakra is vital in stimulating the pituitary gland and slowing down the ageing process. It has the shape of the crescent moon. Colour: silverwhite, sound: ‘om’.
7. Sahasrara chakra: Sahasra means one thousand. This works towards mind and body balance and promotes total health. Colour: rising sun, sound: ‘mmmmm’.
Taking the most comfortable position, close your eyes and visualise each chakra and its colour as you inhale and chant the particular sound as you exhale. Regular practice of ‘Kundalini Pranayama’ brings about complete harmony in the mental, physical, emotional and spiritual energies, thus keeping oneself in tune with cosmic energies.
It’s the balance of energies in the cosmos that keeps us on our feet. We absorb these energies in the form of prana, the life force, and reach it to the various organs for them to work in unison. So our absorbing the energies from the cosmos keeps us physically alive. Any imbalance affects mental and physical health.
By learning to balancing these energies, we could derive maximum benefit from what is available to us in forms of vibrations in nature. A blend of these sounds and vibrations activates the chakras, the main energy centres in our body, thereby bringing about complete health and harmony between the cosmic vibrations and our chakras.
Chakra literally means a wheel or circle. In the human body energy flows through three main channels or nadis, namely sushumna, pingala and ida. Pingala and ida start from the right and the left nostrils respectively. These move to the crown of the head and then course downwards to the base of the spine. These two nadis intersect each other and also with sushumna. These junctions of the nadis are called chakras which regulate the body mechanism.
The ‘Kundalini Pranayam’ performed regularly energises and balances the chakras. Each major chakra has a sound to activate the energy of that particular area and open itself to receive maximum benefit from cosmic energies:
1. Mooladhara chakra: Moola or root is the adhara or source of support. From here, prana reaches energies to every nook and corner of the body. It is situated in the pelvis. Colour: red, sound vibration: ‘lam’.
2. Swadhishthana chakra: This controls the functions of reproductive and excretory organs. Sva signifies the vital force and adhishthana means abode. It is situated above the organs of generation. Colour: saffron, sound: ‘vam’.
3. Manipura chakra: Situated in the navel region, this chakra controls every organ below the diaphragm and helps to increase digestion and assimilation to maintain perfect health. Colour: red, sound: ‘ram’.
4. Anahata chakra: Anahata means the unbeaten. Situated in the cardiac area this improves heart and lung function. Colour: green, sound: ‘yam’.
5. Vishuddhi chakra: This signifies purity and enables all the glands to function to their optimum and maintains perfect hormone balance. Colour: violet, sound: ‘ham’.
6. Ajna chakra: Ajna means command. Situated between the eyebrows, this chakra is vital in stimulating the pituitary gland and slowing down the ageing process. It has the shape of the crescent moon. Colour: silverwhite, sound: ‘om’.
7. Sahasrara chakra: Sahasra means one thousand. This works towards mind and body balance and promotes total health. Colour: rising sun, sound: ‘mmmmm’.
Taking the most comfortable position, close your eyes and visualise each chakra and its colour as you inhale and chant the particular sound as you exhale. Regular practice of ‘Kundalini Pranayama’ brings about complete harmony in the mental, physical, emotional and spiritual energies, thus keeping oneself in tune with cosmic energies.
Sunday, October 14, 2007
Exploring A Reality That Lies Beyond Perception
Swara means note literally, but it holds a deeper significance than its western definition... It is not a mechanical pitch, but rather, an utterance that comes from deep within the human body...
The ancient western position on music was that it was made up of patterns of sound with regular melodic intervals which reflect the simple ratios by which the world is organised and make sense to our organs of perception. Western theory is thus built around perceptible, rational ideas which the human mind can see, recognise, and find proof for.
Musicologist Lewis Rowell has written that Indian music is rooted in a fundamentally different assumption — that there is a continuous, unseen, and constantly changing reality which is the backdrop for all human action and perception. It is what shapes our karma or destiny, and helps explain why seemingly inexplicable things happen to us.
The notes in Indian music are thus not categorical, separate, self-contained entities, but are connected through a subtle, elusive continuum of notes that can barely be identified by the human ear. They are, in the metaphysical sense, part of that reality which lies beyond perception. These in-between notes are called srutis, and they are the essence of Indian music.
In a very literal sense, these srutis are the half notes and quarter notes that fill the intervals between two notes. But that would be a grossly incomplete description. There is much more to the sruti, for it can entirely change the reality of the notes. For instance, how you reach a particular note is as important as the note itself. It may be arrived at from below, or above, after caressing that hidden note that hovers next to it, and it will evoke a completely different sensation than if the musician were to meet the note directly.
This explains why Indian music cannot be learned from textbooks. It has to be taught by a guru who can explain these nuances, coax the right note out of the student and help her achieve it. How would even the most articulate text manage to explain that you have to meet the swara gradually and lovingly and with a touch of foreplay?
The ancient scriptures were preserved in the oral tradition, where each phrase and utterance was memorised through a complex set of mnemonics and then recited with great emphasis on delivery, so that future generations got it just right. Yoga, also an ancient and secret discipline, was passed down from teacher to student, not through textbooks. The Indian classical musical tradition relies on a similar oral tradition where the teacher is a key player and often viewed with the same reverence with which one would treat a priest or a monk.
But there is only so much that can be taught. It is finally up to the student to understand the secrets of swara. The singer may have perfect pitch but may or may not get to the next level. It is only when the student gets a feel for the notes that her music will truly shine forth...
Hindu musicians... believe that the first element to emerge, long before life populated the universe, was the sound Om, which embodies that universal spirit some call God. Perhaps this is why the sensation experienced, both for the artist and the connoisseur, when a musician enunciates the swara in its ultimate and precise form, is very similar to the feeling one has when one sits in a quiet temple,church,or mausoleum,and experiences that sudden epiphany.
The ancient western position on music was that it was made up of patterns of sound with regular melodic intervals which reflect the simple ratios by which the world is organised and make sense to our organs of perception. Western theory is thus built around perceptible, rational ideas which the human mind can see, recognise, and find proof for.
Musicologist Lewis Rowell has written that Indian music is rooted in a fundamentally different assumption — that there is a continuous, unseen, and constantly changing reality which is the backdrop for all human action and perception. It is what shapes our karma or destiny, and helps explain why seemingly inexplicable things happen to us.
The notes in Indian music are thus not categorical, separate, self-contained entities, but are connected through a subtle, elusive continuum of notes that can barely be identified by the human ear. They are, in the metaphysical sense, part of that reality which lies beyond perception. These in-between notes are called srutis, and they are the essence of Indian music.
In a very literal sense, these srutis are the half notes and quarter notes that fill the intervals between two notes. But that would be a grossly incomplete description. There is much more to the sruti, for it can entirely change the reality of the notes. For instance, how you reach a particular note is as important as the note itself. It may be arrived at from below, or above, after caressing that hidden note that hovers next to it, and it will evoke a completely different sensation than if the musician were to meet the note directly.
This explains why Indian music cannot be learned from textbooks. It has to be taught by a guru who can explain these nuances, coax the right note out of the student and help her achieve it. How would even the most articulate text manage to explain that you have to meet the swara gradually and lovingly and with a touch of foreplay?
The ancient scriptures were preserved in the oral tradition, where each phrase and utterance was memorised through a complex set of mnemonics and then recited with great emphasis on delivery, so that future generations got it just right. Yoga, also an ancient and secret discipline, was passed down from teacher to student, not through textbooks. The Indian classical musical tradition relies on a similar oral tradition where the teacher is a key player and often viewed with the same reverence with which one would treat a priest or a monk.
But there is only so much that can be taught. It is finally up to the student to understand the secrets of swara. The singer may have perfect pitch but may or may not get to the next level. It is only when the student gets a feel for the notes that her music will truly shine forth...
Hindu musicians... believe that the first element to emerge, long before life populated the universe, was the sound Om, which embodies that universal spirit some call God. Perhaps this is why the sensation experienced, both for the artist and the connoisseur, when a musician enunciates the swara in its ultimate and precise form, is very similar to the feeling one has when one sits in a quiet temple,church,or mausoleum,and experiences that sudden epiphany.
The Three Devis And Creative Energy
Durga is one version of the allpervading Shakti, the powerful manifestation of the Supreme Energy. The eternity of this supreme manifestation of divine female power is considered to be pervading infinite space and time. The everlasting and allpervading Shakti also presides over the processes of creation, conservation and annihilation.
Concepts of creation, preservation and annihilation are crucial as “many-body” operators in physics. Almost all physical systems are many-body systems. The smallest many-body entity is a physical system with only two constituents. Atoms, atomic nuclei, molecules, solids, liquids, gases and the universe constitute important physical many-body systems. We, too, live in many-body systems that include family, our society and the world. However, these are not studied as physical systems, although some enthusiastic students of the subject do show some interest in them.
Maha Shakti or Supreme Energy is manifested chiefly in three forms: Maha Saraswati, Maha Lakshmi and Maha Kali. The three devis represent three important facets of life: Creation, conservation and annihilation. Learning and wisdom play a far more important role than details of one’s birth.
Maha Saraswati stands for creation. The creative person who pursues knowledge and wisdom continues to live with the grace of Maha Lakshmi, who is responsible for the sustenance of life. Maha Lakshmi bestows her grace and bounty. Finally, Maha Kali, responsible for annihilation, completes the cycle.
Physical energy has several forms. There are transformations among the different forms of energy. In the process, however, the indestructibility of the energy, and consequently matter, is not affected. The stability and functionality of different forms of energy and matter depend on the distribution of these in the atom, which is the source of all forms of energy and matter, the complete knowledge of which still remains elusive.
This is also true with regard to the Universe. In spite of several propositions and expositions about the universe and its finiteness or infiniteness, the subject is still mysterious. This fact emphasises the boundless or infinite limits of knowledge.
We are not bound by finite dimensions. We live free, and we are surrounded by infinite space, time and knowledge. It’s all there, we only need to reflect on the metaphysics of it. Science is normally handled within only spacetime dimensions. With knowledge included, it becomes philosophy or metaphysics. Research in science is increasingly also revealing to us the infinite nature of knowledge: the more we know, the more there is to know and so on.
What we might refer to as super-space is spanned by space, time and knowledge, all having both real and imaginary components; the imaginary components are the reciprocal or momentum space, frequency and ignorance respectively. That we are in this situation is not our doing. In this context, the concept of a Supreme Power is important.
Philosophy and science have a common characteristic. Both are born of doubt and also evolve with creation of more doubts. Understanding the correlation between the seemingly contrasting aspects of science and philosophy is important in enabling further exploration of the mysteries and nature of space, time and knowledge.
Concepts of creation, preservation and annihilation are crucial as “many-body” operators in physics. Almost all physical systems are many-body systems. The smallest many-body entity is a physical system with only two constituents. Atoms, atomic nuclei, molecules, solids, liquids, gases and the universe constitute important physical many-body systems. We, too, live in many-body systems that include family, our society and the world. However, these are not studied as physical systems, although some enthusiastic students of the subject do show some interest in them.
Maha Shakti or Supreme Energy is manifested chiefly in three forms: Maha Saraswati, Maha Lakshmi and Maha Kali. The three devis represent three important facets of life: Creation, conservation and annihilation. Learning and wisdom play a far more important role than details of one’s birth.
Maha Saraswati stands for creation. The creative person who pursues knowledge and wisdom continues to live with the grace of Maha Lakshmi, who is responsible for the sustenance of life. Maha Lakshmi bestows her grace and bounty. Finally, Maha Kali, responsible for annihilation, completes the cycle.
Physical energy has several forms. There are transformations among the different forms of energy. In the process, however, the indestructibility of the energy, and consequently matter, is not affected. The stability and functionality of different forms of energy and matter depend on the distribution of these in the atom, which is the source of all forms of energy and matter, the complete knowledge of which still remains elusive.
This is also true with regard to the Universe. In spite of several propositions and expositions about the universe and its finiteness or infiniteness, the subject is still mysterious. This fact emphasises the boundless or infinite limits of knowledge.
We are not bound by finite dimensions. We live free, and we are surrounded by infinite space, time and knowledge. It’s all there, we only need to reflect on the metaphysics of it. Science is normally handled within only spacetime dimensions. With knowledge included, it becomes philosophy or metaphysics. Research in science is increasingly also revealing to us the infinite nature of knowledge: the more we know, the more there is to know and so on.
What we might refer to as super-space is spanned by space, time and knowledge, all having both real and imaginary components; the imaginary components are the reciprocal or momentum space, frequency and ignorance respectively. That we are in this situation is not our doing. In this context, the concept of a Supreme Power is important.
Philosophy and science have a common characteristic. Both are born of doubt and also evolve with creation of more doubts. Understanding the correlation between the seemingly contrasting aspects of science and philosophy is important in enabling further exploration of the mysteries and nature of space, time and knowledge.
Mercy, Forgiveness, Freedom From Fire
Ramadan is a month whose beginning is Mercy, whose middle is Forgiveness and whose end is freedom from fire, according to Hadith of the Prophet. Ponder on the inherent logical sequence... We cannot be exempt from fire without first being forgiven. And to be forgiven, we must be graced by Allah’s mercy.
The theme of the first 10 days is mercy of Allah. Can we expect to receive mercy if we only deprive our bodies of food and drink? Of course not. Because Ramadan is meant for spiritual development through fasting.
Physiologically, by fasting, the body eliminates toxins efficiently and the mind becomes clear for “power thinking” so that one may ponder on the meaning of the Qur’an, Hadith and the necessity of Zhikr. One must also do some selfanalysis to monitor and correct one’s behaviour if necessary. With meditation the mind becomes quiet and so should our tongues.
Allah is looking for a sincere commitment from us... Ramadan does not end at every iftar. It ends only on sighting the hilal of Shawwal. So hard spiritual work must carry on for the whole of the month.
One must plead for mercy and sincerely try to receive it because without it, we are stuck at stage one and our prospects of “freedom from fire” will be bleak.
Therefore, stage one is for sincere confession to Allah that we are weak and sinful and that we desperately need His mercy. We have only about 10 days to qualify to stage two.
The next 10 days of Ramadan are about forgiveness. We must now beg for Allah’s forgiveness because we have broken so many of His rules and covenants and disobeyed His commands during the year, knowingly and unknowingly. We must say istighfaar day and night and ask in every sajda for forgiveness. We must be afraid that if Allah does not forgive, we will surely be losers. Here again, Allah will be assessing the degree of sincerity in our repentance. He looks not for lip service but for soul service. We must also be forgiving to other people’s mistakes and tempers.
The last 10 days of Ramadan are about freedom from fire.
Instead of just focusing on Laylat Al-Qadar — the night of power — one should intensify supplications for the remaining period of Ramadan. If possible and affordable then do go for Umrah... it will be probably the most spiritually fulfilling experience you will have, aside from Hajj. And Umrah in Ramadan is equivalent to having done a Hajj with our Rasool.
At the completion of the last fast, be optimistically hopeful that you will be alive to give similar pious worship during the forthcoming Ramadans. And if you remain guided in your life then you’ll be admitted to Paradise, insha’Allah, by the Ryan gate of Paradise!
The month after Ramadan is Shawwal. Those who fast just six days of this month get the reward of fasting the whole year. So if one has missed fasting for 12 years of his life, just six days of Shawwal fasting gives one an opportunity to make up for our past deficiency of fasting days.
“Your good deeds are accepted during Ramadan. So are your invocations. You must invoke your Lord in right earnest with hearts that are free from sin and evil. That Allah may bless you, observe fast and recite the Holy Qur’an”.
“Anyone who may cultivate good manners in this month will walk over the bridge in qiyamat though his feet may be shaking”.
The theme of the first 10 days is mercy of Allah. Can we expect to receive mercy if we only deprive our bodies of food and drink? Of course not. Because Ramadan is meant for spiritual development through fasting.
Physiologically, by fasting, the body eliminates toxins efficiently and the mind becomes clear for “power thinking” so that one may ponder on the meaning of the Qur’an, Hadith and the necessity of Zhikr. One must also do some selfanalysis to monitor and correct one’s behaviour if necessary. With meditation the mind becomes quiet and so should our tongues.
Allah is looking for a sincere commitment from us... Ramadan does not end at every iftar. It ends only on sighting the hilal of Shawwal. So hard spiritual work must carry on for the whole of the month.
One must plead for mercy and sincerely try to receive it because without it, we are stuck at stage one and our prospects of “freedom from fire” will be bleak.
Therefore, stage one is for sincere confession to Allah that we are weak and sinful and that we desperately need His mercy. We have only about 10 days to qualify to stage two.
The next 10 days of Ramadan are about forgiveness. We must now beg for Allah’s forgiveness because we have broken so many of His rules and covenants and disobeyed His commands during the year, knowingly and unknowingly. We must say istighfaar day and night and ask in every sajda for forgiveness. We must be afraid that if Allah does not forgive, we will surely be losers. Here again, Allah will be assessing the degree of sincerity in our repentance. He looks not for lip service but for soul service. We must also be forgiving to other people’s mistakes and tempers.
The last 10 days of Ramadan are about freedom from fire.
Instead of just focusing on Laylat Al-Qadar — the night of power — one should intensify supplications for the remaining period of Ramadan. If possible and affordable then do go for Umrah... it will be probably the most spiritually fulfilling experience you will have, aside from Hajj. And Umrah in Ramadan is equivalent to having done a Hajj with our Rasool.
At the completion of the last fast, be optimistically hopeful that you will be alive to give similar pious worship during the forthcoming Ramadans. And if you remain guided in your life then you’ll be admitted to Paradise, insha’Allah, by the Ryan gate of Paradise!
The month after Ramadan is Shawwal. Those who fast just six days of this month get the reward of fasting the whole year. So if one has missed fasting for 12 years of his life, just six days of Shawwal fasting gives one an opportunity to make up for our past deficiency of fasting days.
“Your good deeds are accepted during Ramadan. So are your invocations. You must invoke your Lord in right earnest with hearts that are free from sin and evil. That Allah may bless you, observe fast and recite the Holy Qur’an”.
“Anyone who may cultivate good manners in this month will walk over the bridge in qiyamat though his feet may be shaking”.
Before The Sun Sets, Know Who You Are
Though restless and battered by complex problems, disillusioned and dissatisfied, many of us continue to remain engrossed with the exterior. Whereas, undeterred by social pressures, the Bauls, saffron-clad folk singers of rural Bengal, sing on “Why do you run after mirages? Look within yourself to attain happiness and tranquillity. Peace does not come from outside. You cannot discover peace by owning the world”.
The Bauls travel from village to village singing with their ektara, which is a simple onestringed instrument, and drum called dubki. The Baul songs of joy, love and longing for union with the Divine deliver the message that God lives within every human being. The songs imply the importance of human soul or the “maner manush” which the Bauls perceive as the true God within every one of us. Hence the Bauls find no difference between people. Universal brotherhood is a fundamental of Baul ideology. They find no reason not to be at peace with all of mankind regardless of how people perceive the Supreme Being or the manner in which they practise a faith.
The Bauls reject the rigid rituals and the social mores of mainstream society. On account of this unconventional approach, the Bauls derived their name from the Sanskrit word “Batul” which means “afflicted with the wind” or “mad”. It is this “madness” and their acceptance of the Oneness of all life that sets the Bauls apart from most.
The Bauls believe that authentic worship of God takes place only deep within each person where God is enshrined. Individual inquiry is stressed, emphasising the importance of a person’s physical body as that which enshrines the Supreme.
The essence of the Baul belief is that God is hidden inside each one of us and neither priests nor rituals can help us to find God there. For the Bauls, searching within for God, the true soulmate, is a lifelong journey. They meditate through their songs searching for answers from within. The philosophy of their living path is intertwined with their songs. Their search for God is a personal one and they believe it to be something that each individual should carry out for himself.
The Bauls believe that God must first be perceived before being experienced and realised through the pursuit of inner enlightenment. With this goal in mind, the songs they sing and the accompanying dances are meaningful meditation focused on the soul.
The Bauls believe that the body is a microcosm of the universe in which the Supreme Being resides and the essence of innermost being or “self ” makes human nature divine. The Bauls profess that when you search for God, you are searching for “self” within. Though God assumes various personal forms to reveal Himself, God is actually within every human heart. If you desire to attain the knowledge and realisation of the Supreme Being, then you should focus on the inner being.
God is present in every moment and closeness with God is possible to experience during one’s lifetime through surrender to Him. Understanding that thought, emotion, feeling and self-image are not only gifts from God but manifestations of God. So, the Bauls sing: “Harvest before the sun sets. Know thyself before you sail for the unknown”.
The Bauls travel from village to village singing with their ektara, which is a simple onestringed instrument, and drum called dubki. The Baul songs of joy, love and longing for union with the Divine deliver the message that God lives within every human being. The songs imply the importance of human soul or the “maner manush” which the Bauls perceive as the true God within every one of us. Hence the Bauls find no difference between people. Universal brotherhood is a fundamental of Baul ideology. They find no reason not to be at peace with all of mankind regardless of how people perceive the Supreme Being or the manner in which they practise a faith.
The Bauls reject the rigid rituals and the social mores of mainstream society. On account of this unconventional approach, the Bauls derived their name from the Sanskrit word “Batul” which means “afflicted with the wind” or “mad”. It is this “madness” and their acceptance of the Oneness of all life that sets the Bauls apart from most.
The Bauls believe that authentic worship of God takes place only deep within each person where God is enshrined. Individual inquiry is stressed, emphasising the importance of a person’s physical body as that which enshrines the Supreme.
The essence of the Baul belief is that God is hidden inside each one of us and neither priests nor rituals can help us to find God there. For the Bauls, searching within for God, the true soulmate, is a lifelong journey. They meditate through their songs searching for answers from within. The philosophy of their living path is intertwined with their songs. Their search for God is a personal one and they believe it to be something that each individual should carry out for himself.
The Bauls believe that God must first be perceived before being experienced and realised through the pursuit of inner enlightenment. With this goal in mind, the songs they sing and the accompanying dances are meaningful meditation focused on the soul.
The Bauls believe that the body is a microcosm of the universe in which the Supreme Being resides and the essence of innermost being or “self ” makes human nature divine. The Bauls profess that when you search for God, you are searching for “self” within. Though God assumes various personal forms to reveal Himself, God is actually within every human heart. If you desire to attain the knowledge and realisation of the Supreme Being, then you should focus on the inner being.
God is present in every moment and closeness with God is possible to experience during one’s lifetime through surrender to Him. Understanding that thought, emotion, feeling and self-image are not only gifts from God but manifestations of God. So, the Bauls sing: “Harvest before the sun sets. Know thyself before you sail for the unknown”.
Organise Your Thoughts, Emotions And Energies
Everything we have created on this planet was essentially first created in our minds. All that you see which is human work on this planet first found expression in the mind, then it got manifested in the outside world.
A well established mind, a mind which is in a state of samyukthi, is referred to as a Kalpavriksha or wishing tree. If you organise your mind to a certain level, it, in turn, organises the whole system. Your body, your emotions, your energies, everything gets organised in that direction. If you do this you are a Kalpavriksha yourself. Anything that you wish will happen.
Once we are empowered with a potential like this, it is very important that our physical, emotional, mental and energy actions are controlled and properly directed. If it is not so, we become destructive, self-destructive.
Right now, that is our problem. The technology which is supposed to make our life beautiful and easy has become the source of several problems. What should have been a boon is turning out to be a curse. If life has to happen the way you think it should happen, first of all how you think and with how much focus you think, how much stability is there in your thought and how much reverberance is there in the thought process — all these will determine if your thought will become a reality or not.
Today, modern science is proving that the whole of existence is just a reverberation of energy. It is a vibration. Similarly, your thought is also a vibration. If you generate a powerful thought and let it out, it will always manifest itself.
To create what you really care for, first, what you want must be well manifested in your mind. Once you can maintain a steady stream of thought without changing direction, definitely this is going to happen in your life. It will definitely manifest as a reality in your life.
So, either you make this human form into a Kalpavriksha or you make it into one big mess. You must be clear as to what is it that you really want. If you do not know what you want, the question of creating it doesn’t arise.
What every human being wants is to live joyfully, he wants to live peacefully, in terms of its relationship he wants to be loving and affectionate. All that any human being is seeking for is pleasantness within himself, pleasantness around him.
Once your mind gets organised, the way you think is the way you feel: your emotions will get organised. Once your thought and emotion are organised, your energies will go the same way. Then your very body will get organised. Once all these four are organised in one direction, your ability to create and manifest what you want is phenomenal.
You have the power to create, you are the Creator, in so many ways. The whole technology of Isha Yoga is just about this — transforming yourself from being just a piece of creation to the Creator himself. This is not in search of God, this is in search of becoming a God. This is not in search of Divine, this is in search of becoming Divine.
A well established mind, a mind which is in a state of samyukthi, is referred to as a Kalpavriksha or wishing tree. If you organise your mind to a certain level, it, in turn, organises the whole system. Your body, your emotions, your energies, everything gets organised in that direction. If you do this you are a Kalpavriksha yourself. Anything that you wish will happen.
Once we are empowered with a potential like this, it is very important that our physical, emotional, mental and energy actions are controlled and properly directed. If it is not so, we become destructive, self-destructive.
Right now, that is our problem. The technology which is supposed to make our life beautiful and easy has become the source of several problems. What should have been a boon is turning out to be a curse. If life has to happen the way you think it should happen, first of all how you think and with how much focus you think, how much stability is there in your thought and how much reverberance is there in the thought process — all these will determine if your thought will become a reality or not.
Today, modern science is proving that the whole of existence is just a reverberation of energy. It is a vibration. Similarly, your thought is also a vibration. If you generate a powerful thought and let it out, it will always manifest itself.
To create what you really care for, first, what you want must be well manifested in your mind. Once you can maintain a steady stream of thought without changing direction, definitely this is going to happen in your life. It will definitely manifest as a reality in your life.
So, either you make this human form into a Kalpavriksha or you make it into one big mess. You must be clear as to what is it that you really want. If you do not know what you want, the question of creating it doesn’t arise.
What every human being wants is to live joyfully, he wants to live peacefully, in terms of its relationship he wants to be loving and affectionate. All that any human being is seeking for is pleasantness within himself, pleasantness around him.
Once your mind gets organised, the way you think is the way you feel: your emotions will get organised. Once your thought and emotion are organised, your energies will go the same way. Then your very body will get organised. Once all these four are organised in one direction, your ability to create and manifest what you want is phenomenal.
You have the power to create, you are the Creator, in so many ways. The whole technology of Isha Yoga is just about this — transforming yourself from being just a piece of creation to the Creator himself. This is not in search of God, this is in search of becoming a God. This is not in search of Divine, this is in search of becoming Divine.
Saturday, October 13, 2007
Dharma Of Physics And Metaphysics
You have a physical body. As a student of the Buddha, you also have a dharma body. You have to take care of your physical body and dharma body. That dharma body not only serves you, it serves many people in society, so take care of your dharma body by the study and the practice of the dharma.
We have to feed the dharma body by our practice. We have to take good care of it so that it will be vigorous, solid, because when the dharma body is strong, we don’t suffer. You suffer because your dharma body is too weak, and when you come to me, you learn ways in order to make your dharma body strong by the practice of the dharma every day, by the practice of walking mindfully, sitting peacefully, eating happily, and so on.
So the dharma is not just a dharma talk. The dharma should be the living dharma. A book about the dharma is the dharma also, but it is not the living dharma. The living dharma is seen in our daily life. While you walk, you sit, you smile, you work, you speak, the dharma should help you to be more joyful, calmer, more compassionate, friendlier, and when others see that, they recognise it is the living dharma.
It’s not the dharma through words in a book or speech; it’s the living dharma, so when you smile to the other person with compassion, and forgive him for the mistake he had committed, then you are expressing the living dharma. You don’t say anything, you just look at him and smile with compassion; you are expressing the living dharma. And that’s more precious than the oral or written dharma. And by looking at other people with the eyes of compassion, or forgiveness, or helping people to suffer less, you are generating the living dharma.
The living dharma always makes you happy and makes other people around you happy. And that is why it is very nice to receive the living dharma from the Buddha, from your teacher, so that you may begin to cultivate that living dharma in you. The dharma body is like a tree, like a plant, you have to take care of, to cultivate every day so that it becomes a strong plant, a strong tree. It will bring flowers and fruit that make you happy and make people around you happy. That is why taking care of the living dharma in you is very important.
People can see your physical body, but they may not have seen your dharma body. When you speak, when you act, when you think, the dharma body may manifest, because the dharma body can manifest in compassion, understanding, forgiveness, and you can also help other people to cultivate their dharma body. This is a wonderful thing.
If all of us continue to consolidate our dharma body and help other people to nourish their dharma bodies, we are wonderful continuations of the Buddha. The Buddha is in us, and is recognisable. The Buddha can be recognised through his dharma body that all of us have in us. When your dharma body is clear, is powerful, you are a happy person. You can help many people to suffer less. Remember each of us has a physical body, but we also have our dharma body.
We have to feed the dharma body by our practice. We have to take good care of it so that it will be vigorous, solid, because when the dharma body is strong, we don’t suffer. You suffer because your dharma body is too weak, and when you come to me, you learn ways in order to make your dharma body strong by the practice of the dharma every day, by the practice of walking mindfully, sitting peacefully, eating happily, and so on.
So the dharma is not just a dharma talk. The dharma should be the living dharma. A book about the dharma is the dharma also, but it is not the living dharma. The living dharma is seen in our daily life. While you walk, you sit, you smile, you work, you speak, the dharma should help you to be more joyful, calmer, more compassionate, friendlier, and when others see that, they recognise it is the living dharma.
It’s not the dharma through words in a book or speech; it’s the living dharma, so when you smile to the other person with compassion, and forgive him for the mistake he had committed, then you are expressing the living dharma. You don’t say anything, you just look at him and smile with compassion; you are expressing the living dharma. And that’s more precious than the oral or written dharma. And by looking at other people with the eyes of compassion, or forgiveness, or helping people to suffer less, you are generating the living dharma.
The living dharma always makes you happy and makes other people around you happy. And that is why it is very nice to receive the living dharma from the Buddha, from your teacher, so that you may begin to cultivate that living dharma in you. The dharma body is like a tree, like a plant, you have to take care of, to cultivate every day so that it becomes a strong plant, a strong tree. It will bring flowers and fruit that make you happy and make people around you happy. That is why taking care of the living dharma in you is very important.
People can see your physical body, but they may not have seen your dharma body. When you speak, when you act, when you think, the dharma body may manifest, because the dharma body can manifest in compassion, understanding, forgiveness, and you can also help other people to cultivate their dharma body. This is a wonderful thing.
If all of us continue to consolidate our dharma body and help other people to nourish their dharma bodies, we are wonderful continuations of the Buddha. The Buddha is in us, and is recognisable. The Buddha can be recognised through his dharma body that all of us have in us. When your dharma body is clear, is powerful, you are a happy person. You can help many people to suffer less. Remember each of us has a physical body, but we also have our dharma body.
Sita’s Empathy For Tribal Traditions And Cultures
In the Valmiki Ramayana, Sita strongly advocates peaceful coexistence with tribal populations and ancient cultures while entering the dense Dandaka forest.
Sita’s importance is generally understated. However, the Ramayana in the Bala Kanda describes itself as a biography of Sita: Sitayascharitam mahat. Its other name was Paulasya Vadham or Killing Ravana which was in effect the conclusion of Sita’s story, an action perpetuated on account of her kidnap and confinement.
Who was Sita? Literally, Sita means ‘furrow as in ploughed field’. In this sense she was a fertility goddess. She was also personified in later works including the Harivamsha Purana.
Her function as a goddess of fertility was naturally preservation of life on earth. Valmiki preserves her original connection with nature all through the Ramayana. Violence as such was not part of her nature; at least, not till she was provoked. In her infuriate form she turns into Shakti but still it is not her inherent nature and function as goddess of fertility.
In the ninth Sarga of Aranya Kanda, disturbed by Rama’s killing spree, Sita coolly but bluntly tells him that he was committing adharma or adhering to immoral behaviour in troubling the vanacharas, who were the forest dwellers.
Sita tells Rama that the three evils that kama generates were perpetuation of untruth, adultery and treating others cruelly. He was committing the third sin.
Rama had entered the forest armed with weapons. Weapon in the hand might instigate the kshatriya to use it for the heck of it, without any valid reason. Maybe he would use weapons even on spotting the innocent vanacharas and hurt them without any valid reason.
Sita told him that he must not think of killing the rakshasas — who were also tribals or vanacharas — without any provocation or enmity, just because he had promised the rishis of Dandaka forest to eliminate them. People would not approve of such killings committed without reason nor appreciate such acts of violence.
The only purpose of carrying weapons in the forest should be to protect those who were in trouble. Holding of weapons and vanavas (residing in the forest) are contrary to each other. How would you reconcile two things — violent cruel action of kshatriyas and tapa which means showing mercy to living beings? Hence we must respect the desha dharma or culture of the locals and adhere to tapa form of living.
Adherence to dharma begets artha, adherence to dharma leads to bliss. Through dharma you achieve what you desire. Dharma is the essence of life. In the Tapovana, place marked for religious austerities, we must follow the dharma of non-violence. This is the culture of forest dwellers.
Sita advised Rama that he could revert to his kshatriya nature and way of life once he returned to Ayodhya. Relinquishing the kingdom, Rama had sought refuge in the vana or forest where he ought to live like a muni or sage, interrelating peacefully with nature.
Sita symbolises mother earth for King Janaka found her while ploughing the field. In the end, Sita vanished into the womb of the earth. The function and nature of mother earth is to nurture, not to kill; it epitomises qualities of non-violence and mercy.
In Vedic literature, Sita is described as the wife of Indra, the warrior God. Rama too imbibed this nature and became vanquisher of demons.
Sita’s importance is generally understated. However, the Ramayana in the Bala Kanda describes itself as a biography of Sita: Sitayascharitam mahat. Its other name was Paulasya Vadham or Killing Ravana which was in effect the conclusion of Sita’s story, an action perpetuated on account of her kidnap and confinement.
Who was Sita? Literally, Sita means ‘furrow as in ploughed field’. In this sense she was a fertility goddess. She was also personified in later works including the Harivamsha Purana.
Her function as a goddess of fertility was naturally preservation of life on earth. Valmiki preserves her original connection with nature all through the Ramayana. Violence as such was not part of her nature; at least, not till she was provoked. In her infuriate form she turns into Shakti but still it is not her inherent nature and function as goddess of fertility.
In the ninth Sarga of Aranya Kanda, disturbed by Rama’s killing spree, Sita coolly but bluntly tells him that he was committing adharma or adhering to immoral behaviour in troubling the vanacharas, who were the forest dwellers.
Sita tells Rama that the three evils that kama generates were perpetuation of untruth, adultery and treating others cruelly. He was committing the third sin.
Rama had entered the forest armed with weapons. Weapon in the hand might instigate the kshatriya to use it for the heck of it, without any valid reason. Maybe he would use weapons even on spotting the innocent vanacharas and hurt them without any valid reason.
Sita told him that he must not think of killing the rakshasas — who were also tribals or vanacharas — without any provocation or enmity, just because he had promised the rishis of Dandaka forest to eliminate them. People would not approve of such killings committed without reason nor appreciate such acts of violence.
The only purpose of carrying weapons in the forest should be to protect those who were in trouble. Holding of weapons and vanavas (residing in the forest) are contrary to each other. How would you reconcile two things — violent cruel action of kshatriyas and tapa which means showing mercy to living beings? Hence we must respect the desha dharma or culture of the locals and adhere to tapa form of living.
Adherence to dharma begets artha, adherence to dharma leads to bliss. Through dharma you achieve what you desire. Dharma is the essence of life. In the Tapovana, place marked for religious austerities, we must follow the dharma of non-violence. This is the culture of forest dwellers.
Sita advised Rama that he could revert to his kshatriya nature and way of life once he returned to Ayodhya. Relinquishing the kingdom, Rama had sought refuge in the vana or forest where he ought to live like a muni or sage, interrelating peacefully with nature.
Sita symbolises mother earth for King Janaka found her while ploughing the field. In the end, Sita vanished into the womb of the earth. The function and nature of mother earth is to nurture, not to kill; it epitomises qualities of non-violence and mercy.
In Vedic literature, Sita is described as the wife of Indra, the warrior God. Rama too imbibed this nature and became vanquisher of demons.
Teaching Through Story Imparts So Much More
Sufi teaching looks at the purpose, potential and meaning of life, and recognises that we have an essential nature that is spiritual; we are on an earthly journey in order to uncover this essential self. Yet, though the potentiality for transformation of the self lies within us, it is not usually accessible because of our limited perception and our strong identification with our everyday, surface selves.
Sufis have traditionally spoken of the need to develop an “organ of perception” which, once developed, allows a person to apply herself more completely and effectively to life. One of the ways this development is best achieved is through ‘teaching stories’, a term used to describe those stories and anecdotes deliberately created as vehicles for the transmission of wisdom. While such stories are collected and transmitted in almost every tradition, the way of the Sufis is particularly significant to any story-lover or story-worker.
Idries Shah wrote that Sufi teaching stories are “works of objective art” — used to transmit to us a higher knowledge. Usually, we cannot perceive this higher knowledge because we are not really prepared for it. Our preparation can be helped by not only getting to know the stories, but also by revisiting them and familiarising ourselves with them; by “soaking in story” so as to be ready for their meanings to be revealed to us, slowly, as we become ready for deeper knowing.
In workshops designed around such stories, most people want to ‘crack open’ the meaning of these stories; they are eager and in a hurry to get at the core meaning. It is hard for them to understand that with these kinds of stories, the timing is different for each of us, and that the stories give out the ‘higher level’ insights only after a patient engagement with them, through reflection and contemplation.
When we decide “Ah, this is the meaning”, we could end the chance of further, deeper impact of the story on our inner being. Allowing our logical mind to deal with teaching stories in a way which is customary to it, and imagining we have understood all there is to understand, we can find ourselves in a situation like the boy in the story who had dismembered a fly into its components and then wondered where the fly itself had gone.
Many Sufi stories and poems may be interpreted as being related to psychological processes. That is a valid consideration which is often useful for developing one’s understanding, but this does not mean that its meaning is fully drawn out by this method. It may contain a great deal more. We are too easily satisfied with surface answers, mainly because the more profound ones are often revealed slowly, over time.
Renowned psychologist Robert Ornstein says that teaching stories, with improbable events, lead the reader’s mind into new and unexplored venues, allowing her to develop more flexibility and to understand this complex world better. Psychologists have found that teaching stories activate the right side of the brain. The left side that we mostly use provides the ‘text’, or the component pieces of an event or experience; the right side provides ‘context’, the essential function of putting together the different components of this experience.
Poet Kahlil Gibran once said, “The real teacher leads you not to himself, but to the threshold of your own mind”. Teaching stories are known to act as these Real Teachers.
Sufis have traditionally spoken of the need to develop an “organ of perception” which, once developed, allows a person to apply herself more completely and effectively to life. One of the ways this development is best achieved is through ‘teaching stories’, a term used to describe those stories and anecdotes deliberately created as vehicles for the transmission of wisdom. While such stories are collected and transmitted in almost every tradition, the way of the Sufis is particularly significant to any story-lover or story-worker.
Idries Shah wrote that Sufi teaching stories are “works of objective art” — used to transmit to us a higher knowledge. Usually, we cannot perceive this higher knowledge because we are not really prepared for it. Our preparation can be helped by not only getting to know the stories, but also by revisiting them and familiarising ourselves with them; by “soaking in story” so as to be ready for their meanings to be revealed to us, slowly, as we become ready for deeper knowing.
In workshops designed around such stories, most people want to ‘crack open’ the meaning of these stories; they are eager and in a hurry to get at the core meaning. It is hard for them to understand that with these kinds of stories, the timing is different for each of us, and that the stories give out the ‘higher level’ insights only after a patient engagement with them, through reflection and contemplation.
When we decide “Ah, this is the meaning”, we could end the chance of further, deeper impact of the story on our inner being. Allowing our logical mind to deal with teaching stories in a way which is customary to it, and imagining we have understood all there is to understand, we can find ourselves in a situation like the boy in the story who had dismembered a fly into its components and then wondered where the fly itself had gone.
Many Sufi stories and poems may be interpreted as being related to psychological processes. That is a valid consideration which is often useful for developing one’s understanding, but this does not mean that its meaning is fully drawn out by this method. It may contain a great deal more. We are too easily satisfied with surface answers, mainly because the more profound ones are often revealed slowly, over time.
Renowned psychologist Robert Ornstein says that teaching stories, with improbable events, lead the reader’s mind into new and unexplored venues, allowing her to develop more flexibility and to understand this complex world better. Psychologists have found that teaching stories activate the right side of the brain. The left side that we mostly use provides the ‘text’, or the component pieces of an event or experience; the right side provides ‘context’, the essential function of putting together the different components of this experience.
Poet Kahlil Gibran once said, “The real teacher leads you not to himself, but to the threshold of your own mind”. Teaching stories are known to act as these Real Teachers.
Rejoice In The Wonderful Dance Of Life
Studies of successful people show that self-confidence is the most important factor in life. It can be easily understood by the stool model. Think of a stool. If one of its four legs is weak, the stool as a whole will be weak. The four legs represent selfconfidence, that is generated by the following: Feeling good, taking responsibility, being accountable and developing skills.
Feeling good involves being authentic and not insincere. Our life is a struggle involving pretensions of what we are not and in the process we do not feel good.
A manager appeared to be busy on his phone and computer at the same time. Two persons sitting in front of him were waiting to be attended to. The manager continued pretending to be busy. Once he was satisfied that he would have made a suitable impression, he turned to them and asked what he could do for them. One visitor informed him that he had come to repair his telephone while the other said that he had come to repair his computer.
Why do we pretend? A pretending self creates false images in us and, ultimately, instead of boosting confidence, ends up lowering our self-esteem. Selfesteem will improve if the pretending self is dropped.
Responsible children invariably possess good leadership qualities. It is the duty of parents to inculcate responsibility in their children and make them accountable. Such responsibility motivates them to develop new skills. This, in turn, builds self-confidence in them.
A research study on various successful people proved that their success was not because of knowledge or family background, but because of their ability to see gaps in any given opportunity; just the way a creeper grows on tree trunks and creates its own path for growth.
The ability to see gaps or potential and work on those gaps is the real skill in successful living. For example, even a concrete bridge may collapse if it is repeatedly pecked by a sparrow at a particular spot a sufficient number of times.
Successful people adopt the right strategy at the right time in any given situation. Even in competition they do not create conflicts, but harmony. Successful people are able to see potential gaps in any particular business. Spotting these gaps and exploiting them call for a great skill. This is the strategy of successful people.
Keep yourself alive; rejoice to see the miracle around. See the gaps which opportunity invites to see. Cash in on the richness of life and see the dance of life. Feel good about the fact that you are alive.
During the rush for diamonds in Africa, there was a race to go there to try one’s luck. One man sold his farm to go there and hunt for the valuable gems; he found none and lost all his money, too. The person who bought his farm found diamonds right there and became rich overnight. There are always ‘diamonds’ of opportunity around us. Let us be alert enough to cash in on them.
Feeling good involves being authentic and not insincere. Our life is a struggle involving pretensions of what we are not and in the process we do not feel good.
A manager appeared to be busy on his phone and computer at the same time. Two persons sitting in front of him were waiting to be attended to. The manager continued pretending to be busy. Once he was satisfied that he would have made a suitable impression, he turned to them and asked what he could do for them. One visitor informed him that he had come to repair his telephone while the other said that he had come to repair his computer.
Why do we pretend? A pretending self creates false images in us and, ultimately, instead of boosting confidence, ends up lowering our self-esteem. Selfesteem will improve if the pretending self is dropped.
Responsible children invariably possess good leadership qualities. It is the duty of parents to inculcate responsibility in their children and make them accountable. Such responsibility motivates them to develop new skills. This, in turn, builds self-confidence in them.
A research study on various successful people proved that their success was not because of knowledge or family background, but because of their ability to see gaps in any given opportunity; just the way a creeper grows on tree trunks and creates its own path for growth.
The ability to see gaps or potential and work on those gaps is the real skill in successful living. For example, even a concrete bridge may collapse if it is repeatedly pecked by a sparrow at a particular spot a sufficient number of times.
Successful people adopt the right strategy at the right time in any given situation. Even in competition they do not create conflicts, but harmony. Successful people are able to see potential gaps in any particular business. Spotting these gaps and exploiting them call for a great skill. This is the strategy of successful people.
Keep yourself alive; rejoice to see the miracle around. See the gaps which opportunity invites to see. Cash in on the richness of life and see the dance of life. Feel good about the fact that you are alive.
During the rush for diamonds in Africa, there was a race to go there to try one’s luck. One man sold his farm to go there and hunt for the valuable gems; he found none and lost all his money, too. The person who bought his farm found diamonds right there and became rich overnight. There are always ‘diamonds’ of opportunity around us. Let us be alert enough to cash in on them.
Wednesday, October 3, 2007
Anger Is A Distortion Of Your True Nature
If all is God, why is there imperfection in the world?
Negative emotions like lust, pride, attachment, anger, ego, greed and jealousy are distortions of love. These distortions manifest in animals also, but they have no way to go beyond them as they are bound by Nature. Endowed with the power of discrimination, human beings can move from these distortions to a state of pure love. Every sincere seeker wants to get rid of anger and reach a state of perfection.
What can you do when anger rises in you?
You may remind yourself a hundred times that you shouldn’t get angry, but when you feel the anger, you are unable to control it. It comes like a thunderstorm. Emotions are much more powerful than your thoughts and the promises you make.
Anger is a distortion of our true nature. It is part of this creation, but we still call it a distortion because it doesn’t allow the Self to shine forth fully. And this is what sin is. Anger is a sin because when you are angry, you lose your centredness; you lose sight of the Self.
Anger is a sign of weakness. A strong man doesn’t get angry easily. When you focus on other’s mistakes, you are bound to get angry. The cause of anger is the lack of total knowledge of what is happening inside that person. Showing anger itself is not wrong, but being unaware of your anger only hurts you. There is a place for showing anger, but when you get angry yourself, you are shaken completely.
Are you ever happy with the decisions you have made or the words you have spoken when you are angry? No, because you lose your total awareness. If you are completely aware and you are acting angry, that is fine. In fact, anger is an instrument. It is useful when you are able to control it. It can work wonders when you know how to use it and where to use it.
Spiritual practices help you maintain your centredness. This is where a little knowledge about ourselves, about our mind, our consciousness, and the root of distortion in our nature will help. It is when you are exhausted and stressed that you lose your nature and get angry. Breathing techniques and meditation are effective in calming the mind.
Meditation is letting go of anger from the past and the events of the past. It’s accepting this moment and living every moment totally with depth. Often anger comes because you don’t accept the present moment. You look for perfection; that is why you are angry at imperfections. Even when someone commits a mistake, know that she is not the culprit; the stress inside is causing her to make that mistake. Just this understanding and a few days of continuous practice of meditation can change the quality of our life.
Usually, you give your anger freely and your smile rarely as though a smile is expensive. To the ignorant, anger is cheap and a smile is costly. To those of knowledge, a smile is free — like sunshine, air and water — and anger is expensive. Make your smile cheaper and anger expensive.
Negative emotions like lust, pride, attachment, anger, ego, greed and jealousy are distortions of love. These distortions manifest in animals also, but they have no way to go beyond them as they are bound by Nature. Endowed with the power of discrimination, human beings can move from these distortions to a state of pure love. Every sincere seeker wants to get rid of anger and reach a state of perfection.
What can you do when anger rises in you?
You may remind yourself a hundred times that you shouldn’t get angry, but when you feel the anger, you are unable to control it. It comes like a thunderstorm. Emotions are much more powerful than your thoughts and the promises you make.
Anger is a distortion of our true nature. It is part of this creation, but we still call it a distortion because it doesn’t allow the Self to shine forth fully. And this is what sin is. Anger is a sin because when you are angry, you lose your centredness; you lose sight of the Self.
Anger is a sign of weakness. A strong man doesn’t get angry easily. When you focus on other’s mistakes, you are bound to get angry. The cause of anger is the lack of total knowledge of what is happening inside that person. Showing anger itself is not wrong, but being unaware of your anger only hurts you. There is a place for showing anger, but when you get angry yourself, you are shaken completely.
Are you ever happy with the decisions you have made or the words you have spoken when you are angry? No, because you lose your total awareness. If you are completely aware and you are acting angry, that is fine. In fact, anger is an instrument. It is useful when you are able to control it. It can work wonders when you know how to use it and where to use it.
Spiritual practices help you maintain your centredness. This is where a little knowledge about ourselves, about our mind, our consciousness, and the root of distortion in our nature will help. It is when you are exhausted and stressed that you lose your nature and get angry. Breathing techniques and meditation are effective in calming the mind.
Meditation is letting go of anger from the past and the events of the past. It’s accepting this moment and living every moment totally with depth. Often anger comes because you don’t accept the present moment. You look for perfection; that is why you are angry at imperfections. Even when someone commits a mistake, know that she is not the culprit; the stress inside is causing her to make that mistake. Just this understanding and a few days of continuous practice of meditation can change the quality of our life.
Usually, you give your anger freely and your smile rarely as though a smile is expensive. To the ignorant, anger is cheap and a smile is costly. To those of knowledge, a smile is free — like sunshine, air and water — and anger is expensive. Make your smile cheaper and anger expensive.
Universal Appeal Of The Legend Of Ram
Hey Ram! With these last words, Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi breathed his last. What would he have thought of the current controversy over the historicity or otherwise of Ram, the epic hero?
It would be interesting to ask: What is the historicity of the wind or cosmos? Behind visual reality, there exists something one can call supernature. Beyond history, there is the realm of metahistory.
How can man with his arrested sensibility, give expression to eternal life or eternity, in a language which is itself man-made? When we do not have a recorded or authentic history of language how shall we be able to understand the word ‘history’ used in language?
The word Ram means causing rest, charming, loving and delightful. Gandhi knew from the core of his heart that Ram is the hidden centre of all apparent reality. It is the unchanging reality, underlying a shifting reality. Ram is part of metahistory. Ram possesses highest power but never reveals himself as a possessor of power. People with inferior power exhibit their power in mindless activity and vanish like a bubble.
Much of Bapu’s philosophy was based on the substance of Indian thought. He did tend to believe in avatars or incarnations and believed in the saving power of the name ‘Ram’ in salvation through Lord Krishna. For Gandhi, the legend of Ram is so deeply embedded in the Indian way of life that it is difficult to think of India and Indian culture without any mention of his name.
The metahistory of Ram has inspired many poets and artists to depict his character with all its glory and transcendental splendour. After having understood the superficiality of so-called history Oswald Spengler had said in his book, The Decline of the West, that history should be the business of a poet.
The first such epic is the Ramayana, composed by Sanskrit poet Valmiki who is believed to be a contemporary of Ram. The whole of the Ramayana consists of 24,000 stanzas or 96,000 lines. It is a great work of art with many dramatic passages. Apart from the Ramayana other important epics of Sanskrit literature which characterise the life of Ram are Raghvansh by Kalidas and Uttar Ramcharit by Bhavbhuti. Ram gained immense popularity through the writings of Tulsidas, too, who depicted Ram’s character with such devotion and sincerity that Ram became the inseparable part of the collective unconscious of the people.
Abhinand, Kshemendra Jaidev, Pravassen, Kritivas Kambhan and at least 40 other poets have eulogised the greatness of the legendary Ram through their writings. So it is not difficult for any one of us to utter the name of Ram consciously or unconsciously as Gandhi did. Although Gandhi was acquainted with the basic tenets of all religions, he was deeply moved by Christ’s Sermon on the Mount. Gandhi’s passion for sustainable living and development was inspired by eternal and universal principles of faith in the oneness of religion and humanity.
Gandhi’s philosophy of nonviolence, truth and simple living was derived from a belief in the power of the very same principles epitomised by Maryada Purushottam Ram — the ideal personality — immortalised in the legend’s story, the Ramayana, narrated in as many languages, forms and cultures as its plural versions.
It would be interesting to ask: What is the historicity of the wind or cosmos? Behind visual reality, there exists something one can call supernature. Beyond history, there is the realm of metahistory.
How can man with his arrested sensibility, give expression to eternal life or eternity, in a language which is itself man-made? When we do not have a recorded or authentic history of language how shall we be able to understand the word ‘history’ used in language?
The word Ram means causing rest, charming, loving and delightful. Gandhi knew from the core of his heart that Ram is the hidden centre of all apparent reality. It is the unchanging reality, underlying a shifting reality. Ram is part of metahistory. Ram possesses highest power but never reveals himself as a possessor of power. People with inferior power exhibit their power in mindless activity and vanish like a bubble.
Much of Bapu’s philosophy was based on the substance of Indian thought. He did tend to believe in avatars or incarnations and believed in the saving power of the name ‘Ram’ in salvation through Lord Krishna. For Gandhi, the legend of Ram is so deeply embedded in the Indian way of life that it is difficult to think of India and Indian culture without any mention of his name.
The metahistory of Ram has inspired many poets and artists to depict his character with all its glory and transcendental splendour. After having understood the superficiality of so-called history Oswald Spengler had said in his book, The Decline of the West, that history should be the business of a poet.
The first such epic is the Ramayana, composed by Sanskrit poet Valmiki who is believed to be a contemporary of Ram. The whole of the Ramayana consists of 24,000 stanzas or 96,000 lines. It is a great work of art with many dramatic passages. Apart from the Ramayana other important epics of Sanskrit literature which characterise the life of Ram are Raghvansh by Kalidas and Uttar Ramcharit by Bhavbhuti. Ram gained immense popularity through the writings of Tulsidas, too, who depicted Ram’s character with such devotion and sincerity that Ram became the inseparable part of the collective unconscious of the people.
Abhinand, Kshemendra Jaidev, Pravassen, Kritivas Kambhan and at least 40 other poets have eulogised the greatness of the legendary Ram through their writings. So it is not difficult for any one of us to utter the name of Ram consciously or unconsciously as Gandhi did. Although Gandhi was acquainted with the basic tenets of all religions, he was deeply moved by Christ’s Sermon on the Mount. Gandhi’s passion for sustainable living and development was inspired by eternal and universal principles of faith in the oneness of religion and humanity.
Gandhi’s philosophy of nonviolence, truth and simple living was derived from a belief in the power of the very same principles epitomised by Maryada Purushottam Ram — the ideal personality — immortalised in the legend’s story, the Ramayana, narrated in as many languages, forms and cultures as its plural versions.
Meditation In Khayaal: Here And Beyond
“There are only two ways of meditation in the khayaal”, Pandit Amarnath would tell his students. “One is the meditation on the ‘Sa’, the primordial note or the aadi swara, as the This, Here and Now, the manifest, and the other, the meditation on ‘Sa’ as the That and Beyond, the unmanifest”.
The first meditation concentrates on ‘Sa’ as the brahmanda or universe of notes at the micro level of the ‘bindu’ and expands to its fullness at the macro level, to the ananta apaar, the Endless and the Beyond. The other method starts with ‘Sa’ as shunya, or nothing. The nothing is actually everything, a state of the vastness of the universe, of the brahmanda of its notes, but itself without a sense of time or space, progression or history.
To begin with, all meditations in raga music are based on ‘Sa’, the parental note from which are born the rest of the notes, quite like the colour white, from which are born all the other colours. From ‘Sa’ and the handling of the ‘Sa’ begins and ends all meditation.
The slow portion of the aalaap (from aalaapanaa, to spread) or badhat (from badhanaa, to grow or expand, the slow musical progression) of Panditji’s guru, Ustad Amir Khan Saheb’s khayaal was a mystic expansion of ‘Sa’, from the seed or ‘bindu’ of the musical universe, opening the mythical lotus of the swaras petal by petal, dwelling on each note till the elixir flowed. When it reached the point of endlessness, this meditation became an ecstatic liberation from everything, including the awareness of its own self.
For Pandit Amarnath, the ‘Sa’ in meditation was the flip side of the ‘bindu’. It was shunya, or ‘nothing’. Everything started from nothing, nothing being the required state of the deconditioned or unconditioned mind at the beginning of meditation. This is a tough meditation indeed, because the swaras or notes have to be constantly created without any sense of the manifest universe or brahmanda of swaras.
Shunya or zero in eastern philosophies is symbolic of fullness rather than emptiness, and the beginning of any meditation on the zero is the awareness of the universe in all its fullness and not its emptiness, in its experience of the eternal. This is why Panditji’s khayaal, from the moment he evoked the ‘Sa’, called out to the entire universe at a go, and his note-petals unfurled, one by one, like the unravelling parts of a puzzle that take their predetermined positions in a vast design moving consistently with its own self. This was the macro-cosmic form of meditation.
The complimentary nature of the two meditations is interesting, one starting where the other leaves off... with one meditation, the manifest, coming down to tell the story of Infinite Compassion and the other, the unmanifest, moving away to tell the story of Infinite Pain.
But in their approach to the lyric or shabda, it is just the opposite. Panditji speaks of This and Now, and Khan Saheb, always, of That and Beyond.
A khayaal lyric from the raga Meghranjani illustrates this beautifully: the first two lines or asthaai are by Khan Saheb, and the next two lines, the antaraa, are by Panditji, who completes one of the Ustad’s incomplete lyrics. In translation, the asthaai speaks of “The one Omkar, the Formless,/ Which is spread into the universe”, and the antaraa of: “And That which we see before us, as proof and as the World,/ Is That which we meditate upon again and again...”
The first meditation concentrates on ‘Sa’ as the brahmanda or universe of notes at the micro level of the ‘bindu’ and expands to its fullness at the macro level, to the ananta apaar, the Endless and the Beyond. The other method starts with ‘Sa’ as shunya, or nothing. The nothing is actually everything, a state of the vastness of the universe, of the brahmanda of its notes, but itself without a sense of time or space, progression or history.
To begin with, all meditations in raga music are based on ‘Sa’, the parental note from which are born the rest of the notes, quite like the colour white, from which are born all the other colours. From ‘Sa’ and the handling of the ‘Sa’ begins and ends all meditation.
The slow portion of the aalaap (from aalaapanaa, to spread) or badhat (from badhanaa, to grow or expand, the slow musical progression) of Panditji’s guru, Ustad Amir Khan Saheb’s khayaal was a mystic expansion of ‘Sa’, from the seed or ‘bindu’ of the musical universe, opening the mythical lotus of the swaras petal by petal, dwelling on each note till the elixir flowed. When it reached the point of endlessness, this meditation became an ecstatic liberation from everything, including the awareness of its own self.
For Pandit Amarnath, the ‘Sa’ in meditation was the flip side of the ‘bindu’. It was shunya, or ‘nothing’. Everything started from nothing, nothing being the required state of the deconditioned or unconditioned mind at the beginning of meditation. This is a tough meditation indeed, because the swaras or notes have to be constantly created without any sense of the manifest universe or brahmanda of swaras.
Shunya or zero in eastern philosophies is symbolic of fullness rather than emptiness, and the beginning of any meditation on the zero is the awareness of the universe in all its fullness and not its emptiness, in its experience of the eternal. This is why Panditji’s khayaal, from the moment he evoked the ‘Sa’, called out to the entire universe at a go, and his note-petals unfurled, one by one, like the unravelling parts of a puzzle that take their predetermined positions in a vast design moving consistently with its own self. This was the macro-cosmic form of meditation.
The complimentary nature of the two meditations is interesting, one starting where the other leaves off... with one meditation, the manifest, coming down to tell the story of Infinite Compassion and the other, the unmanifest, moving away to tell the story of Infinite Pain.
But in their approach to the lyric or shabda, it is just the opposite. Panditji speaks of This and Now, and Khan Saheb, always, of That and Beyond.
A khayaal lyric from the raga Meghranjani illustrates this beautifully: the first two lines or asthaai are by Khan Saheb, and the next two lines, the antaraa, are by Panditji, who completes one of the Ustad’s incomplete lyrics. In translation, the asthaai speaks of “The one Omkar, the Formless,/ Which is spread into the universe”, and the antaraa of: “And That which we see before us, as proof and as the World,/ Is That which we meditate upon again and again...”
Beyond The Subtle With Heartfelt Kirtana
To proclaim loudly the glories of Parama Purusa, the Supreme Consciousness, is ‘kirtana’. The Parama Purusa does not ask for kirtana; then why do people engage in kirtana?
There is a subtle science behind kirtana. Human beings always strive to proceed from the crude to the subtle; they always seek the subtle amidst the crude and in the subtle, they always seek the subtlest; this is how they advance towards greater and greater subtlety.
Harmonious music inspired people to dance with joy. With human evolution, music, too has evolved from the cruder to more subtle forms, giving birth to simultaneous expression in dance movements, with rhythm and melody an integral part of the symbiosis.
Songs began to reflect a definite system with the introduction of the various ragas and raginis. This was largely done by Sadashiva. Later a perfect blending of song and dance through tala (metre) was developed. Shiva first introduced the dance of tandava and His cosmic partner Parvati developed another special dance known as lalita lasya. This is how, in the process of the artistic endeavour to advance from the crude to the subtle, people developed what is called aesthetic science; and as a result of this subtle development, people no longer appreciated the cruder expressions of life.
Once people had heard something rhythmic and melodious, they could no longer appreciate any crude song or music. The continuous progress from the crude to the subtle, and from the subtle to the subtlest aspects of life, comes within the scope of aesthetic science, and in this process of movement ultimately we reach a state in which our refined tastes, feelings and expressions transport us into the realm of Eternal Beauty.
Then those who attain such a state will no longer possess the ability or capacity to taste the beauty of anything: the beauty of music, or the beauty of dance will no longer remain an object of experience for them; because at that time they will have attained a state so intoxicated with joy that they will lose their limited identity, and thus their ability to experience anything. The exalted state beyond aesthetic science is called mohana vijinana or supra-aesthetic science.
The diverse schools of music or dance that people have developed so far, and the many more varied branches of music and dance that will be developed in future, are all meant to provide joy to people through aesthetic science. But kirtana was first created by devotees to give joy to Parama Purusa, and in the process of pleasing and delighting Parama Purusa, the devotees lost themselves. Thus kirtana belongs to the category of supra-aesthetic science.
What is supra-aesthetic science? It is the endeavour to ensconce the microcosmic entity, the individual rhythm in the eternal being, the infinite rhythm of Parama Purusa. So, among all forms of sangita or music, kirtana is the best.
Sangita means dance, song and instrumental music. Kirtana is not just song; dance is also a part of it, as also instrumental music. This combination of dance, song and instrumental music creates such a pure and heavenly atmosphere that a person will forget himself. This is the charm and unique characteristic of kirtana.
There is a subtle science behind kirtana. Human beings always strive to proceed from the crude to the subtle; they always seek the subtle amidst the crude and in the subtle, they always seek the subtlest; this is how they advance towards greater and greater subtlety.
Harmonious music inspired people to dance with joy. With human evolution, music, too has evolved from the cruder to more subtle forms, giving birth to simultaneous expression in dance movements, with rhythm and melody an integral part of the symbiosis.
Songs began to reflect a definite system with the introduction of the various ragas and raginis. This was largely done by Sadashiva. Later a perfect blending of song and dance through tala (metre) was developed. Shiva first introduced the dance of tandava and His cosmic partner Parvati developed another special dance known as lalita lasya. This is how, in the process of the artistic endeavour to advance from the crude to the subtle, people developed what is called aesthetic science; and as a result of this subtle development, people no longer appreciated the cruder expressions of life.
Once people had heard something rhythmic and melodious, they could no longer appreciate any crude song or music. The continuous progress from the crude to the subtle, and from the subtle to the subtlest aspects of life, comes within the scope of aesthetic science, and in this process of movement ultimately we reach a state in which our refined tastes, feelings and expressions transport us into the realm of Eternal Beauty.
Then those who attain such a state will no longer possess the ability or capacity to taste the beauty of anything: the beauty of music, or the beauty of dance will no longer remain an object of experience for them; because at that time they will have attained a state so intoxicated with joy that they will lose their limited identity, and thus their ability to experience anything. The exalted state beyond aesthetic science is called mohana vijinana or supra-aesthetic science.
The diverse schools of music or dance that people have developed so far, and the many more varied branches of music and dance that will be developed in future, are all meant to provide joy to people through aesthetic science. But kirtana was first created by devotees to give joy to Parama Purusa, and in the process of pleasing and delighting Parama Purusa, the devotees lost themselves. Thus kirtana belongs to the category of supra-aesthetic science.
What is supra-aesthetic science? It is the endeavour to ensconce the microcosmic entity, the individual rhythm in the eternal being, the infinite rhythm of Parama Purusa. So, among all forms of sangita or music, kirtana is the best.
Sangita means dance, song and instrumental music. Kirtana is not just song; dance is also a part of it, as also instrumental music. This combination of dance, song and instrumental music creates such a pure and heavenly atmosphere that a person will forget himself. This is the charm and unique characteristic of kirtana.
Forget About Knowledge: Just Be Yourself
How can i be myself if i don’t know myself ?
Whether you know or not, you cannot be other than yourself. To be yourself, knowledge is not needed. A rosebush is a rosebush. Not that the rosebush knows that it is a rosebush. A rock is a rock. Not that the rock knows that it is a rock. Knowledge is not needed. In fact, it is because of knowledge that you are missing being yourself.
Knowledge is creating the problem. The rosebush is not confused. Every day it goes on being a rosebush. Not even for a single day does it become confused. It does not start some morning growing marigolds; it goes on being a rosebush. Knowledge is not needed for being. In fact, you are missing your being because of knowledge.
I was reading about a certain man named Dudley: To celebrate Uncle Dudley’s 75th birthday, an aviation enthusiast offered to take him for a plane ride over the little West Virginia town where he had spent all his life. Uncle Dudley accepted the offer.
Back on the ground, after circling over the town 20 minutes, he was asked: “Were you scared, Uncle Dudley?” “No”, was the hesitant answer, “but i never did put my full weight down”.
In an airplane, whether you put your full weight down or not, the weight is carried by the airplane. Whether you know yourself or not is not the point. Knowledge is disturbing you. Just think if there was a rock also on that airplane with Uncle Dudley, the rock would have put the whole weight down. Uncle Dudley is unnecessarily worried. He could have rested, he could have relaxed just like the rock, but the rock has no knowledge and Uncle Dudley has knowledge.
The whole problem of humanity is that humanity knows, and because of knowing, the being is unnecessarily forgotten.
Meditation is how to drop knowledge. Meditation means how to become ignorant again. Meditation means how to become a child again, a rosebush, a rock. Meditation means how just to be and not to think.
When i say to you to be yourself, i mean meditate. Don’t try to be anybody else. You cannot be! You can try, and you can deceive yourself and you can promise yourself and you can hope that someday you will become somebody else, but you cannot become. These are only illusions that you can go on having. These are dreams. They are not going to become realities ever. You will remain yourself whatsoever you do.
Why not relax, Uncle Dudley! Put your full weight on the airplane. Relax. In relaxation, suddenly you will start enjoying your being, and the effort to be somebody else will stop. That is your worry how to be somebody else, how to be like somebody else, how to become like a Buddha, how to become like Patanjali. You can only be yourself. Accept it, rejoice in it, delight in it. Relax.
Zen Masters say to their disciples, “Beware of Buddha. If you meet him on the way, kill him immediately”. What do they mean? They mean there is a human tendency to become imitators. There is a book, Imitation Of Christ. In a way, that title is very symbolic. It shows the whole mind of humanity. People are trying to imitate, to become somebody else.
Nobody can become a Christ. There is no need. Existence will be bored if you become Christ. It wants somebody new, something original. It wants you, and it wants you to be just yourself.
Whether you know or not, you cannot be other than yourself. To be yourself, knowledge is not needed. A rosebush is a rosebush. Not that the rosebush knows that it is a rosebush. A rock is a rock. Not that the rock knows that it is a rock. Knowledge is not needed. In fact, it is because of knowledge that you are missing being yourself.
Knowledge is creating the problem. The rosebush is not confused. Every day it goes on being a rosebush. Not even for a single day does it become confused. It does not start some morning growing marigolds; it goes on being a rosebush. Knowledge is not needed for being. In fact, you are missing your being because of knowledge.
I was reading about a certain man named Dudley: To celebrate Uncle Dudley’s 75th birthday, an aviation enthusiast offered to take him for a plane ride over the little West Virginia town where he had spent all his life. Uncle Dudley accepted the offer.
Back on the ground, after circling over the town 20 minutes, he was asked: “Were you scared, Uncle Dudley?” “No”, was the hesitant answer, “but i never did put my full weight down”.
In an airplane, whether you put your full weight down or not, the weight is carried by the airplane. Whether you know yourself or not is not the point. Knowledge is disturbing you. Just think if there was a rock also on that airplane with Uncle Dudley, the rock would have put the whole weight down. Uncle Dudley is unnecessarily worried. He could have rested, he could have relaxed just like the rock, but the rock has no knowledge and Uncle Dudley has knowledge.
The whole problem of humanity is that humanity knows, and because of knowing, the being is unnecessarily forgotten.
Meditation is how to drop knowledge. Meditation means how to become ignorant again. Meditation means how to become a child again, a rosebush, a rock. Meditation means how just to be and not to think.
When i say to you to be yourself, i mean meditate. Don’t try to be anybody else. You cannot be! You can try, and you can deceive yourself and you can promise yourself and you can hope that someday you will become somebody else, but you cannot become. These are only illusions that you can go on having. These are dreams. They are not going to become realities ever. You will remain yourself whatsoever you do.
Why not relax, Uncle Dudley! Put your full weight on the airplane. Relax. In relaxation, suddenly you will start enjoying your being, and the effort to be somebody else will stop. That is your worry how to be somebody else, how to be like somebody else, how to become like a Buddha, how to become like Patanjali. You can only be yourself. Accept it, rejoice in it, delight in it. Relax.
Zen Masters say to their disciples, “Beware of Buddha. If you meet him on the way, kill him immediately”. What do they mean? They mean there is a human tendency to become imitators. There is a book, Imitation Of Christ. In a way, that title is very symbolic. It shows the whole mind of humanity. People are trying to imitate, to become somebody else.
Nobody can become a Christ. There is no need. Existence will be bored if you become Christ. It wants somebody new, something original. It wants you, and it wants you to be just yourself.
Celebrate Forgiveness: Kshamavani Divas
Kshamavani Parva celebrates forgiveness as a way to a life of love, friendship, peace and harmony. When you forgive, you stop feeling resentful; there is no more indignation or anger against another for a perceived offence, difference or mistake; there is no clamour for punishment. It means the end of violence.
Jains classify forgiveness as: gifted by the one who forgives, earned by the one seeking it, and natural as a part of our divine nature. Forgiveness can be earned by request or prayer, pratikramana or confession and penitence, and prayascitta or willingness to suffer consequences.
Natural forgiveness, on the other hand, is automatic and effortless as it emanates from pure soul or paramatma, illustrating the dictum that to err is human, to forgive is divine.
Mahavira said we should forgive our own soul first. To forgive others is a practical application of this supreme forgiveness. It is the path of spiritual purification. Mahavira said: “The one whom you hurt or kill is you. All souls are equal and similar and have the same nature and qualities”. Ahimsa Paramo Dharma. Anger begets more anger and forgiveness and love beget more forgiveness and love. Forgiveness benefits both the forgiver and the forgiven.
Jain seers advise: “It is my bad karmas yielding results now even though i have not caused harm to him. So i must perform penance. I am the doer of my karmas and the enjoyer of their results”. It is the weak who give in to anger. The daily duties of all Jains include pratikramana and prayascitta. Every year, the month of Bhadra is considered holy and the last 18 days of the month are observed as either Paryusana or Das Laksan Parva.
On the last day, Kshamavani Divas, the resounding theme is: “Miccha me dukkadam” — “We ask forgiveness for any harm we may have caused you, by thought, word, or action, knowingly or unknowingly”; “Khamemi savve jiva” — “I grant forgiveness to all living beings”; “Savve jiva khamanatu me” — “May all living beings grant me forgiveness”; “Metti me savve bhuyesu” — “My friendship is with all living beings” and “Vairam majham na kenai” — “My enemy is totally non-existent”.
In Buddhism, forgiveness is seen as a practice to prevent harmful emotions from causing havoc on one’s mental well-being: “In contemplating the law of karma, we realise that it is not a matter of seeking revenge but of practising metta or loving kindness, mudita, upekkha and karuna to avoid generating resentment, and then seek forgiveness. If we haven’t forgiven, we keep creating an identity around our pain, and that is what is reborn. That is what suffers”.
Jesus Christ, when being crucified prayed to God to forgive his tormentors as they “know not what they do”. The concept of confession and seeking absolution, and ending prayers by seeking forgiveness and the Lord’s blessings are applications of the principle of forgiveness.
In Islam, Allah is described as “the most forgiving”. Jews observe a Day of Atonement, Yom Kippur. Just prior to Yom Kippur, Jews will ask forgiveness of those they have wronged during the year. Mahatma Gandhi forgave his assassin even as he was dying. His practice of non-violence and satyagraha is based on the principle of forgiveness.
Those who forgive are happier and healthier than those who are resentful, say studies. Forgiveness is part of ahimsa; it helps us overcome anger and hatred.
Jains classify forgiveness as: gifted by the one who forgives, earned by the one seeking it, and natural as a part of our divine nature. Forgiveness can be earned by request or prayer, pratikramana or confession and penitence, and prayascitta or willingness to suffer consequences.
Natural forgiveness, on the other hand, is automatic and effortless as it emanates from pure soul or paramatma, illustrating the dictum that to err is human, to forgive is divine.
Mahavira said we should forgive our own soul first. To forgive others is a practical application of this supreme forgiveness. It is the path of spiritual purification. Mahavira said: “The one whom you hurt or kill is you. All souls are equal and similar and have the same nature and qualities”. Ahimsa Paramo Dharma. Anger begets more anger and forgiveness and love beget more forgiveness and love. Forgiveness benefits both the forgiver and the forgiven.
Jain seers advise: “It is my bad karmas yielding results now even though i have not caused harm to him. So i must perform penance. I am the doer of my karmas and the enjoyer of their results”. It is the weak who give in to anger. The daily duties of all Jains include pratikramana and prayascitta. Every year, the month of Bhadra is considered holy and the last 18 days of the month are observed as either Paryusana or Das Laksan Parva.
On the last day, Kshamavani Divas, the resounding theme is: “Miccha me dukkadam” — “We ask forgiveness for any harm we may have caused you, by thought, word, or action, knowingly or unknowingly”; “Khamemi savve jiva” — “I grant forgiveness to all living beings”; “Savve jiva khamanatu me” — “May all living beings grant me forgiveness”; “Metti me savve bhuyesu” — “My friendship is with all living beings” and “Vairam majham na kenai” — “My enemy is totally non-existent”.
In Buddhism, forgiveness is seen as a practice to prevent harmful emotions from causing havoc on one’s mental well-being: “In contemplating the law of karma, we realise that it is not a matter of seeking revenge but of practising metta or loving kindness, mudita, upekkha and karuna to avoid generating resentment, and then seek forgiveness. If we haven’t forgiven, we keep creating an identity around our pain, and that is what is reborn. That is what suffers”.
Jesus Christ, when being crucified prayed to God to forgive his tormentors as they “know not what they do”. The concept of confession and seeking absolution, and ending prayers by seeking forgiveness and the Lord’s blessings are applications of the principle of forgiveness.
In Islam, Allah is described as “the most forgiving”. Jews observe a Day of Atonement, Yom Kippur. Just prior to Yom Kippur, Jews will ask forgiveness of those they have wronged during the year. Mahatma Gandhi forgave his assassin even as he was dying. His practice of non-violence and satyagraha is based on the principle of forgiveness.
Those who forgive are happier and healthier than those who are resentful, say studies. Forgiveness is part of ahimsa; it helps us overcome anger and hatred.
Seeking Someplace Other Than Heaven And Earth
Beijing: Standing in the courtyard of the Temple of Heaven with the rain pouring down on my hastily acquired flimsy umbrella, the crowds of tourists viewed through sheets of water appeared to me like receding ghosts. On either side of the circular hall of prayer for good harvests — washed clean to reveal a brilliant blue — stood the hall of the Earthly Mount and the Imperial Vault of Heaven. Each of them stood on a square yard, the square representing Earth and the circle, Heaven.
Why did Shakespeare come to mind? “There are more things in heaven and earth, Horatio,/ than are dreamt of in your philosophy”. This was Hamlet’s response to his friend who expressed bewilderment over seeing his father’s ghost. The rain-drenched people one could see, mirage-like, were no ghosts. But all were here in the temple built and venerated by the Ming and Ching dynasties, admiring the thought and effort that went into creating the hallowed spaces heavy with symbolism and numerology.
Chinese wisdom spans a gamut of philosophies from I Ching, Confucius and Buddhism, to Neo and New Confucianism, Maoism and communist-style capitalism. But popular culture tends to take refuge in the more user friendly, simplistic fortune cookiegenerated “Confucius says...” pearls of wisdom. As they say, humour, like oxygen, can lift your spirits even in the most trying of circumstances specially when it is loaded with practical tips.
In Imperial China’s Temple of Heaven complex, the architectural design symbolises the connection between Heaven and Earth. The Temple of Heaven was a place for emperors to pray for good harvests. The emperor, “son of Heaven”, also prayed here for atonement of his people’s sins. The temple complex is encircled by two consecutive walls. The outer wall has a taller, semi-circular northern end, representing Heaven, and the shorter, rectangular southern end represents the Earth.
Incidentally, the numeral nine, so special in Indic culture — in navaratri, navagriha, navadaniya, navaratna, navarasa and so on — has a unique place in Chinese tradition, too. The Forbidden City, for instance, has exactly 9,999.5 rooms — deliberately falling short of the 10,000 rooms in the Jade Emperor’s Heavenly palace, stressing the need for humility and acceptance of human limitations. The number nine, the highest value single digit, also represents the emperor. The numeral is woven into the design of the Earthly Mount in the temple complex, a round plate surrounded by a ring of nine smaller plates, and another 18 plates and so on, amounting to nine rings with the outermost having 81 plates (9X9). The deep blue roof tiles that cover the temple buildings denote Heaven and the theme is the need for Earth to reach out to make that connection.
The rain having abated, we walked out of the Temple of Heaven towards the parking lot, and saw seven stones displayed on the grass, fenced off for security. We were informed that each of the seven stones — contrary to myth that they are meteorites — represents the seven peaks of the Taishan mountains, where traditional Heaven worship was offered in ancient times.
There was no sign here, however, of a Shangri-La or Shambala. But the hotel was yet a good one hour’s drive away, and there was ample time to take refuge in an imagination that offered generous glimpses of neither Heaven nor Earth but of what lay beyond..
Why did Shakespeare come to mind? “There are more things in heaven and earth, Horatio,/ than are dreamt of in your philosophy”. This was Hamlet’s response to his friend who expressed bewilderment over seeing his father’s ghost. The rain-drenched people one could see, mirage-like, were no ghosts. But all were here in the temple built and venerated by the Ming and Ching dynasties, admiring the thought and effort that went into creating the hallowed spaces heavy with symbolism and numerology.
Chinese wisdom spans a gamut of philosophies from I Ching, Confucius and Buddhism, to Neo and New Confucianism, Maoism and communist-style capitalism. But popular culture tends to take refuge in the more user friendly, simplistic fortune cookiegenerated “Confucius says...” pearls of wisdom. As they say, humour, like oxygen, can lift your spirits even in the most trying of circumstances specially when it is loaded with practical tips.
In Imperial China’s Temple of Heaven complex, the architectural design symbolises the connection between Heaven and Earth. The Temple of Heaven was a place for emperors to pray for good harvests. The emperor, “son of Heaven”, also prayed here for atonement of his people’s sins. The temple complex is encircled by two consecutive walls. The outer wall has a taller, semi-circular northern end, representing Heaven, and the shorter, rectangular southern end represents the Earth.
Incidentally, the numeral nine, so special in Indic culture — in navaratri, navagriha, navadaniya, navaratna, navarasa and so on — has a unique place in Chinese tradition, too. The Forbidden City, for instance, has exactly 9,999.5 rooms — deliberately falling short of the 10,000 rooms in the Jade Emperor’s Heavenly palace, stressing the need for humility and acceptance of human limitations. The number nine, the highest value single digit, also represents the emperor. The numeral is woven into the design of the Earthly Mount in the temple complex, a round plate surrounded by a ring of nine smaller plates, and another 18 plates and so on, amounting to nine rings with the outermost having 81 plates (9X9). The deep blue roof tiles that cover the temple buildings denote Heaven and the theme is the need for Earth to reach out to make that connection.
The rain having abated, we walked out of the Temple of Heaven towards the parking lot, and saw seven stones displayed on the grass, fenced off for security. We were informed that each of the seven stones — contrary to myth that they are meteorites — represents the seven peaks of the Taishan mountains, where traditional Heaven worship was offered in ancient times.
There was no sign here, however, of a Shangri-La or Shambala. But the hotel was yet a good one hour’s drive away, and there was ample time to take refuge in an imagination that offered generous glimpses of neither Heaven nor Earth but of what lay beyond..
How To Keep The Rat In Check Like Ganesha
The elephant-headed, pot-bellied Ganesha is a popular God in the Hindu pantheon. Interestingly, the diminutive rat is depicted as his vehicle, at his beck and command, even looking up to him.
As humans, were are given to exploiting our environment. In the worldly sense, humans are like thieves who take what is not theirs. The rat symbolises the characteristics of a robber, a worldly man.
The rat looks for a safe haven and burrows a hole deep into the earth. Then it moves all over, steals food and stores it in the hole. The snake, representing death, follows the rat into the hole. The snake eats the rat and lives comfortably in the hole, just as death strips us of all possessions, including life.
The elephant accumulates nothing; it freely moves about in the forest and eats only what it needs. The elephant’s trunk reaches high and can sense water at great distances. The elephant is a strong animal and it is believed to have a good memory.
The Ganas are the Indriyas or the five senses and are governed by the mind. The mind is the Lord of the Indriyas as these can be energised only by the mind. Thus, the mind is the Isha of Ganas or Ganesha. So Ganesha is depicted with an elephant head and body of a human being. It is not the material mind but the spiritual mind that is epitomised here. Sarada Devi, spouse of Ramakrishna Paramahansa, used to tell her disciples that unless you get the blessings of your mind, no endeavour will be successful. Hence the tradition among Hindus of offering prayers to Ganesha before embarking on a venture.
We face three kinds of obstacles: doubt or indecision, external factors and the unknown. Therefore, Ganesha is invoked as Vigneshwara, remover of obstacles.
The body of a man represented by the rat, a small mammal, carries a mind represented by a large mammal, the elephant. In the material world, it is always the large which contains the small and not the other way. But in the spiritual sphere, it is the reverse. For example, the seed of a banyan tree contains the principle that brings forth not only a big banyan tree but also generations of banyan trees. The elephant’s trunk shows the reach of the mind; the head, the intellect, memory power and other sharp senses, and the huge belly, the subconscious mind, the storehouse of all vasanas. Symbolically, this powerful mind is the elephant that is riding on the small body represented by the rat.
A century ago when Lokamanya Tilak popularised the Ganesha festival in Pune, he sought to mobilise people to strive for and achieve swaraj or freedom. The idea is also to reach beyond mere political freedom, to strive to overcome greed and avarice towards living a selfless life. To rise above the mindset of a rat. This is the universal principle, as at present, the whole world is reeling under a rat mentality. Ganesha is not merely a Hindu God, He is the Lord in Every Heart with lofty ideals not only for the mundane but also for the spiritual world!
Based on a dialogue the writer had two decades ago with Swami Rtananda Puri (1906-2000), former head of Narsinh Mutt of Banares
As humans, were are given to exploiting our environment. In the worldly sense, humans are like thieves who take what is not theirs. The rat symbolises the characteristics of a robber, a worldly man.
The rat looks for a safe haven and burrows a hole deep into the earth. Then it moves all over, steals food and stores it in the hole. The snake, representing death, follows the rat into the hole. The snake eats the rat and lives comfortably in the hole, just as death strips us of all possessions, including life.
The elephant accumulates nothing; it freely moves about in the forest and eats only what it needs. The elephant’s trunk reaches high and can sense water at great distances. The elephant is a strong animal and it is believed to have a good memory.
The Ganas are the Indriyas or the five senses and are governed by the mind. The mind is the Lord of the Indriyas as these can be energised only by the mind. Thus, the mind is the Isha of Ganas or Ganesha. So Ganesha is depicted with an elephant head and body of a human being. It is not the material mind but the spiritual mind that is epitomised here. Sarada Devi, spouse of Ramakrishna Paramahansa, used to tell her disciples that unless you get the blessings of your mind, no endeavour will be successful. Hence the tradition among Hindus of offering prayers to Ganesha before embarking on a venture.
We face three kinds of obstacles: doubt or indecision, external factors and the unknown. Therefore, Ganesha is invoked as Vigneshwara, remover of obstacles.
The body of a man represented by the rat, a small mammal, carries a mind represented by a large mammal, the elephant. In the material world, it is always the large which contains the small and not the other way. But in the spiritual sphere, it is the reverse. For example, the seed of a banyan tree contains the principle that brings forth not only a big banyan tree but also generations of banyan trees. The elephant’s trunk shows the reach of the mind; the head, the intellect, memory power and other sharp senses, and the huge belly, the subconscious mind, the storehouse of all vasanas. Symbolically, this powerful mind is the elephant that is riding on the small body represented by the rat.
A century ago when Lokamanya Tilak popularised the Ganesha festival in Pune, he sought to mobilise people to strive for and achieve swaraj or freedom. The idea is also to reach beyond mere political freedom, to strive to overcome greed and avarice towards living a selfless life. To rise above the mindset of a rat. This is the universal principle, as at present, the whole world is reeling under a rat mentality. Ganesha is not merely a Hindu God, He is the Lord in Every Heart with lofty ideals not only for the mundane but also for the spiritual world!
Based on a dialogue the writer had two decades ago with Swami Rtananda Puri (1906-2000), former head of Narsinh Mutt of Banares
Recognise The Importance Of Interdependence
Acharya Vinoba Bhave would ask, “How many Pandava brothers are there?” Every one would respond, “Five”. Vinoba would say, “Wrong, there were six! Karna was the sixth but they forgot all about him and he joined the Kauravas and brought about great destruction in the Mahabharata war. Those who are less fortunate are our brothers and if we forget about them then terrible destruction can come to us all”.
Though he demonstrates his prowess at a contest, Karna is ridiculed for having the temerity to compete with princes and kings. It is at this time that Duryodhana, who had been looking for a warrior skilled enough to defeat his enemy Arjuna, makes Karna king of Anga, gaining Karna’s eternal gratitude and loyalty. It is Karna’s presence that gives Duryodhana the confidence to take on the Pandavas. A distraught Kunti tells Karna the truth about his birth and pleads with him to join the Pandavas who are his brothers, but he is firm in his refusal as loyalty to his friend, Duryodhana, is paramount to him.
As one who always had a raw deal in life and yet never gave up his principles, be it generosity or loyalty, Karna is perhaps the most tragically heroic character in the Mahabharata. Though he remains entrenched in our memory as a heroic underdog, we often forget that Karna’s metaphor also illustrates how forgetting our links with another can lead to destruction. In other words, his story illustrates the importance of the principle of interdependence.
Interdependence states that we are mutually responsible for each other and it is essential that we share a common set of principles with others. The principle recognises the fact that we are not and can never be completely independent in an interconnected world
The Qur’an explains this concept in an unusual but beautiful manner. Instead of saying, “Greet each other”, it says, “Greet yourself”. Instead of saying, “Do not defame each other”, it says, “Do not defame yourself”. Instead of saying, “Do not kill each other”, it says, “Do not kill yourself”. The message is clear, whatever is happening to others, is actually happening to your own self.
Pratityasamutpada, the Buddhist doctrine, states that phenomena arise together in a mutually interdependent web of cause and effect. From the Buddhist perspective nothing arises independently. Everything arises from a complex set of interrelated causes. While we may not understand this complex web, it helps us to accept that each of our actions has an effect on the larger world.
The Vedic principle of “Vasudhaiva kutumbakam” — the world is one family — was practised and preached by rishis in recognition of the fact that each person, animal, flora and fauna were connected to the other.
The issue in the human domain has always been about which of our actions create an effect on the larger world and who comprise of our circle or family. The answer to both queries is quite simply “all”. All our actions, however small or insignificant, do have an effect on the entire world. Even a single thoughtless comment can cause alienation, such as Karna being humiliated by the princes. As to who comprises our circle, the answer is again all. All literally means all of creation.
Let us then begin viewing the world from the enlightened perspective of interdependence, and move towards the apex of our spiritual journey.
Though he demonstrates his prowess at a contest, Karna is ridiculed for having the temerity to compete with princes and kings. It is at this time that Duryodhana, who had been looking for a warrior skilled enough to defeat his enemy Arjuna, makes Karna king of Anga, gaining Karna’s eternal gratitude and loyalty. It is Karna’s presence that gives Duryodhana the confidence to take on the Pandavas. A distraught Kunti tells Karna the truth about his birth and pleads with him to join the Pandavas who are his brothers, but he is firm in his refusal as loyalty to his friend, Duryodhana, is paramount to him.
As one who always had a raw deal in life and yet never gave up his principles, be it generosity or loyalty, Karna is perhaps the most tragically heroic character in the Mahabharata. Though he remains entrenched in our memory as a heroic underdog, we often forget that Karna’s metaphor also illustrates how forgetting our links with another can lead to destruction. In other words, his story illustrates the importance of the principle of interdependence.
Interdependence states that we are mutually responsible for each other and it is essential that we share a common set of principles with others. The principle recognises the fact that we are not and can never be completely independent in an interconnected world
The Qur’an explains this concept in an unusual but beautiful manner. Instead of saying, “Greet each other”, it says, “Greet yourself”. Instead of saying, “Do not defame each other”, it says, “Do not defame yourself”. Instead of saying, “Do not kill each other”, it says, “Do not kill yourself”. The message is clear, whatever is happening to others, is actually happening to your own self.
Pratityasamutpada, the Buddhist doctrine, states that phenomena arise together in a mutually interdependent web of cause and effect. From the Buddhist perspective nothing arises independently. Everything arises from a complex set of interrelated causes. While we may not understand this complex web, it helps us to accept that each of our actions has an effect on the larger world.
The Vedic principle of “Vasudhaiva kutumbakam” — the world is one family — was practised and preached by rishis in recognition of the fact that each person, animal, flora and fauna were connected to the other.
The issue in the human domain has always been about which of our actions create an effect on the larger world and who comprise of our circle or family. The answer to both queries is quite simply “all”. All our actions, however small or insignificant, do have an effect on the entire world. Even a single thoughtless comment can cause alienation, such as Karna being humiliated by the princes. As to who comprises our circle, the answer is again all. All literally means all of creation.
Let us then begin viewing the world from the enlightened perspective of interdependence, and move towards the apex of our spiritual journey.
Tuesday, September 25, 2007
Sunday, September 23, 2007
You Cannot Change Nature, Change Your Attitude
A man tried to blow out an electric lamp. When he failed, he was puzzled. Why didn’t the ‘flame’ get extinguished? In spiritual matters we too are like the ignorant man. We are unaware of the process of self-transformation. The aim of Sadhana is to transform the self.
Knowledge is the first prerequisite of this transformation. The second is practice. We know that we inhale and exhale air through each nostril by turns and we have also learnt that in the exercise of controlling breathing the mind goes in and comes out with each breath.
Mere knowledge is not enough. We often commit errors of judgment in the practice of meditation, and our success depends on repeating the process intelligently. Mahavira observed that knowledge combined with practice is the only path leading to deliverance from miseries. Both are inseparable elements of spiritual exertion. Moreover, practice cannot bear fruit without discernment. Only a combination works.
Meditative practice should begin with a correct disposition of the mind that can be strengthened by willpower. Develop the urge to achieve with faith. Be self-critical. The more the disposition develops, the more self-watchful will you become. Remind yourself that your self has to perceive itself.
To develop this disposition change your attitude. A changed attitude brings about a transformation in the very course of your life. Nobody can change nature. What we can and should do is to change our attitude towards it.
A preceptor had two disciples. He asked one of them as to how the latter felt the world to be. The disciple replied that it was a hopeless world. Even the bright day lost its value when he saw that it was preceded and followed by dark nights. The darkness was disgusting. The preceptor put the same question to the second disciple. He replied that it was a wonderful world. How bright the days were! Of course, the nights were dark, but then each night was followed and preceded by a bright day.
The first disciple saw only the nights and their darkness. The second saw only the days and their brightness. It is the attitude which matters. It is the mind which makes a heaven of hell and a hell of heaven.
The Anitya Anupreksha meditation is performed in the early hours of the morning. During this meditation we try to feel that the body is transitory. The idea gradually develops into a felt experience. We know that the body undergoes continuous change, affected by heat, cold, wind and atmosphere. It is subject to disease, old age and death. But if we could know the truth about these changes and the body, it will be a happy experience. As soon as we have known the true nature of disease and death, our attitude towards them will certainly change.
Death is a terrible thing no doubt, but one who has known the truth about it will be prepared to welcome it whenever it comes. We can develop this attitude through the Anitya Anupreksha meditation. The greatest punishment the state can award is the death sentence. Death appears to be a terrible thing but to the Sadhaka it is no longer so. Sadhana brings about a complete self-transformation. It is also a transvaluation of values. A change in our attitude towards life and death is the prerequisite of Sadhana. It means getting rid of all kinds of predispositions, predilections and preconceived notions.
Knowledge is the first prerequisite of this transformation. The second is practice. We know that we inhale and exhale air through each nostril by turns and we have also learnt that in the exercise of controlling breathing the mind goes in and comes out with each breath.
Mere knowledge is not enough. We often commit errors of judgment in the practice of meditation, and our success depends on repeating the process intelligently. Mahavira observed that knowledge combined with practice is the only path leading to deliverance from miseries. Both are inseparable elements of spiritual exertion. Moreover, practice cannot bear fruit without discernment. Only a combination works.
Meditative practice should begin with a correct disposition of the mind that can be strengthened by willpower. Develop the urge to achieve with faith. Be self-critical. The more the disposition develops, the more self-watchful will you become. Remind yourself that your self has to perceive itself.
To develop this disposition change your attitude. A changed attitude brings about a transformation in the very course of your life. Nobody can change nature. What we can and should do is to change our attitude towards it.
A preceptor had two disciples. He asked one of them as to how the latter felt the world to be. The disciple replied that it was a hopeless world. Even the bright day lost its value when he saw that it was preceded and followed by dark nights. The darkness was disgusting. The preceptor put the same question to the second disciple. He replied that it was a wonderful world. How bright the days were! Of course, the nights were dark, but then each night was followed and preceded by a bright day.
The first disciple saw only the nights and their darkness. The second saw only the days and their brightness. It is the attitude which matters. It is the mind which makes a heaven of hell and a hell of heaven.
The Anitya Anupreksha meditation is performed in the early hours of the morning. During this meditation we try to feel that the body is transitory. The idea gradually develops into a felt experience. We know that the body undergoes continuous change, affected by heat, cold, wind and atmosphere. It is subject to disease, old age and death. But if we could know the truth about these changes and the body, it will be a happy experience. As soon as we have known the true nature of disease and death, our attitude towards them will certainly change.
Death is a terrible thing no doubt, but one who has known the truth about it will be prepared to welcome it whenever it comes. We can develop this attitude through the Anitya Anupreksha meditation. The greatest punishment the state can award is the death sentence. Death appears to be a terrible thing but to the Sadhaka it is no longer so. Sadhana brings about a complete self-transformation. It is also a transvaluation of values. A change in our attitude towards life and death is the prerequisite of Sadhana. It means getting rid of all kinds of predispositions, predilections and preconceived notions.
Many Dimensions Of Heartfelt Satsang
A friend going through depression was advised by her family physician to join satsang. She flared up: “Why satsang?” The physician thought for a moment and said: “Because satsang will give you a community. It will give you a sense of belonging. Two, it will draw you out of your limited self and will help you bond with your higher self”.
Satsang helps build up a magnetic centre of spiritual life; from such a centre flows energy which purifies and stabilises our emotions. Traditionally satsang is associated with the singing of Naam kirtan, invoking the Supreme. This is only one aspect. Satsang has many dimensions. It may mean a gathering of like-minded people who pray together or discuss and debate issues which are of concern to humanity. Just as any good work is worship, similarly fruitful exchange of ideas which would benefit self and society is also satsang.
In a deeper sense, satsang is fellowship with an evolved person. The presence of a holy person purifies emotions and rejuvenates body, mind and spirit. It spreads ‘pure energy’ which gives a sense of well-being as it washes away our mundane worries for a while. It is for these reasons that life management courses prescribe satsang, that is, group prayer or singing. Such kirtans divert negative energy, producing circles of positivism which have multiplier and cascading effects. Such gatherings purify the gross physical and help to heal body and mind as well. Little wonder the youth of today find comfort in chanting for peace or good health or just invoke higher energies for themselves.
Satsang of the Naam kirtan type can be a higher mystical and spiritual experience. Recounting his personal experiences Sadhu Vaswani writes, “Our Calcutta Satsang was vibrant.It commenced with recitation of holy verses and readings from scriptures followed by bhajans, and culminating in kirtan. The kirtan awakened the souls of many... Some became ecstatic, others fell into a swoon. This happened so often that my Gurudev had to appoint some of us to pick up those devotees who were in an unconscious state and reach them home safely”.
During those times, Calcutta used to have long processions. Devotees of Chaitanya Mahaprabhu,particularly,took out a procession, chanting Haribol, Haribol and in that Masti of Mantra, they went into ecstasy that reached a crescendo of a higher kind. Speaking of his own intoxication, Sadhu Vaswani further says, “On more than one occasion i was so intoxicated with the mantra, that i fell in a state of unconscious-ness. Even in that delirious state, i would continue to chant Haribol, and would fall down on the ground. The devotees would pick me up and reach me home. When i woke up, many hours later, i would ask, where am i?”
Such mystical and spiritual experiences are rare. But it goes without saying that satsang relieves us of latent mental burdens; it creates positive patterns; it roots us to our own real self; it takes away our frustrations, it provides a surface for interaction; and above all satsang generates pure energies which purify us. With so many benefits, it is worthwhile to participate in chanting groups, Reiki healing, Gita groups, Interfaith lunches, Peace prayers, and enjoy the vigour, enthusiasm and energy of positive living.
Satsang helps build up a magnetic centre of spiritual life; from such a centre flows energy which purifies and stabilises our emotions. Traditionally satsang is associated with the singing of Naam kirtan, invoking the Supreme. This is only one aspect. Satsang has many dimensions. It may mean a gathering of like-minded people who pray together or discuss and debate issues which are of concern to humanity. Just as any good work is worship, similarly fruitful exchange of ideas which would benefit self and society is also satsang.
In a deeper sense, satsang is fellowship with an evolved person. The presence of a holy person purifies emotions and rejuvenates body, mind and spirit. It spreads ‘pure energy’ which gives a sense of well-being as it washes away our mundane worries for a while. It is for these reasons that life management courses prescribe satsang, that is, group prayer or singing. Such kirtans divert negative energy, producing circles of positivism which have multiplier and cascading effects. Such gatherings purify the gross physical and help to heal body and mind as well. Little wonder the youth of today find comfort in chanting for peace or good health or just invoke higher energies for themselves.
Satsang of the Naam kirtan type can be a higher mystical and spiritual experience. Recounting his personal experiences Sadhu Vaswani writes, “Our Calcutta Satsang was vibrant.It commenced with recitation of holy verses and readings from scriptures followed by bhajans, and culminating in kirtan. The kirtan awakened the souls of many... Some became ecstatic, others fell into a swoon. This happened so often that my Gurudev had to appoint some of us to pick up those devotees who were in an unconscious state and reach them home safely”.
During those times, Calcutta used to have long processions. Devotees of Chaitanya Mahaprabhu,particularly,took out a procession, chanting Haribol, Haribol and in that Masti of Mantra, they went into ecstasy that reached a crescendo of a higher kind. Speaking of his own intoxication, Sadhu Vaswani further says, “On more than one occasion i was so intoxicated with the mantra, that i fell in a state of unconscious-ness. Even in that delirious state, i would continue to chant Haribol, and would fall down on the ground. The devotees would pick me up and reach me home. When i woke up, many hours later, i would ask, where am i?”
Such mystical and spiritual experiences are rare. But it goes without saying that satsang relieves us of latent mental burdens; it creates positive patterns; it roots us to our own real self; it takes away our frustrations, it provides a surface for interaction; and above all satsang generates pure energies which purify us. With so many benefits, it is worthwhile to participate in chanting groups, Reiki healing, Gita groups, Interfaith lunches, Peace prayers, and enjoy the vigour, enthusiasm and energy of positive living.
A Guru To Provide Safe Harbour
Prince or commoner, rich or poor, every individual who wishes to get empowered and enlightened benefits greatly from the guidance of an able guru. Even the gods sought out gurus for themselves. Lord Krishna’s guru was Sandipanirishi. Rama and Laxmana along with many other princes learnt all skills from their spiritual master, Guru Vasishtha.
When Swami Vivekananda first visited Ramakrishna Paramahansa he asked: “I have read the Bhagavad Gita and other scriptures several times, i lecture and give discourses on the Gita and Ramayana. Do i still need harbour of a saint; do i still need a guru?
Ramakrishna didn’t reply to Vivekananda’s question. After a few days Ramakrishna called upon Vivekananda and handed him a parcel to be delivered at a nearby village a few hours away by the sea route. Early morning the boat and sailor would be ready and all he needed to do was to go to the village and deliver the parcel to the designated person. Vivekananda agreed and decided to start early. He found the boat and the sailor ready to put out to sea. Suddenly, upon sitting in the boat, Vivekananda realised that he didn’t know the road to the village. He inquired of the sailor who had no clue, either.
Vivekananda decided to go back to his guru to ask him the shortest way to the village. Upon this Ramakrishna said, “Narendra, this is my reply to the question you asked me when we met the first time: Today, you have the medium (the boat), you have the resource (the sailor), you have the road (the sea), you know what to do (deliver the parcel) and you also know where to go but you don’t know the way. Likewise you have read all the scriptures, and you can conduct wonderful discourses on them. However, to realise the wisdom of scriptures one needs a guru, someone who has already traversed that path so that he can guide you through the journey and encourage you to not give up”.
In Sanskrit, ‘gu’ is one who dispels and ‘ru’ means darkness. Every individual who wishes to rise above his existing levels needs a lighthouse, a guiding star to guide him on the journey of life who can help by dispelling darkness at every step.
Lord Swaminarayan ordained Sikshapatri, containing 212 conventions of code of conduct for every human being. One of the points reads: “Even the most learned of men will become morally declined if he is not involved in devotion to God and in good acquaintance”.
Many seers have made various suggestions on how to embark on the spiritual path according to their perceived wisdom. Is there a universally accepted spiritual definition? How should one lead one’s life which balances both the spiritual and the material? To understand all this and choose the right path for a balanced life of duty, responsibility, love, detachment and striving for higher consciousness, you need the grace and guidance of a spiritual master. As the saying goes “When the disciple is ready the Master arrives”.
Like a lone ship sailing in turbulent waters hunts for a safe harbour to anchorage, similarly one needs to constantly endeavour in the journey of life for a true guru, a harbour against all storms.
When Swami Vivekananda first visited Ramakrishna Paramahansa he asked: “I have read the Bhagavad Gita and other scriptures several times, i lecture and give discourses on the Gita and Ramayana. Do i still need harbour of a saint; do i still need a guru?
Ramakrishna didn’t reply to Vivekananda’s question. After a few days Ramakrishna called upon Vivekananda and handed him a parcel to be delivered at a nearby village a few hours away by the sea route. Early morning the boat and sailor would be ready and all he needed to do was to go to the village and deliver the parcel to the designated person. Vivekananda agreed and decided to start early. He found the boat and the sailor ready to put out to sea. Suddenly, upon sitting in the boat, Vivekananda realised that he didn’t know the road to the village. He inquired of the sailor who had no clue, either.
Vivekananda decided to go back to his guru to ask him the shortest way to the village. Upon this Ramakrishna said, “Narendra, this is my reply to the question you asked me when we met the first time: Today, you have the medium (the boat), you have the resource (the sailor), you have the road (the sea), you know what to do (deliver the parcel) and you also know where to go but you don’t know the way. Likewise you have read all the scriptures, and you can conduct wonderful discourses on them. However, to realise the wisdom of scriptures one needs a guru, someone who has already traversed that path so that he can guide you through the journey and encourage you to not give up”.
In Sanskrit, ‘gu’ is one who dispels and ‘ru’ means darkness. Every individual who wishes to rise above his existing levels needs a lighthouse, a guiding star to guide him on the journey of life who can help by dispelling darkness at every step.
Lord Swaminarayan ordained Sikshapatri, containing 212 conventions of code of conduct for every human being. One of the points reads: “Even the most learned of men will become morally declined if he is not involved in devotion to God and in good acquaintance”.
Many seers have made various suggestions on how to embark on the spiritual path according to their perceived wisdom. Is there a universally accepted spiritual definition? How should one lead one’s life which balances both the spiritual and the material? To understand all this and choose the right path for a balanced life of duty, responsibility, love, detachment and striving for higher consciousness, you need the grace and guidance of a spiritual master. As the saying goes “When the disciple is ready the Master arrives”.
Like a lone ship sailing in turbulent waters hunts for a safe harbour to anchorage, similarly one needs to constantly endeavour in the journey of life for a true guru, a harbour against all storms.
Rhythm And Intonation Of Sacred Chants
Rhythmic chanting is an ancient tradition. With evolution of understanding and abilities, chanting became increasingly scientific and result-oriented. Self-realised Vedic sages could perceive the forces in the universe and managed to manipulate them through specific sound combinations called Mantras.
Banjamin Lee Whorf, an American scholar and chemical engineer, researched the psychological aspects of language and published his findings. “The idea, entirely unfamiliar to the modern world, that nature and language are inwardly akin, was for ages well known to various high cultures... In India, one aspect of it has been the idea of the mantram and of a mantric art...
“On the simplest cultural level, a mantram is merely an incantation of primitive magic, such as the crudest cultures have. In high culture it may have a different, intellectual meaning, dealing with the inner affinity of language and the cosmic order. At a still higher level, it becomes Mantra Yoga. Therein the mantram becomes a manifold of conscious patterns, contrived to assist the consciousness into the nominal pattern world, whereupon it is ‘in the driver’s seat’. It can set the human organism to transmit, control and amplify a thousand-fold forces which that organism normally transmits only at unobservable low intensities”.
Somewhat analogously, mathematical formula enables a physicist to configure some coils of wire, plates, diaphragms and other quite inert tools to project music over great distances. Other formulas make possible the strategic arrangement of magnets and wires in the powerhouse so that, when the magnets — rather the field of subtle forces — are set in motion, force is manifested as electric current. We do not think of designing a radio station or a power plant as a linguistic process, but it is one nonetheless.
The necessary mathematics is linguistic apparatus, and without its correct specification of essential patterning, the assembled gadgets would be disproportionate and inert. But the mathematics used in such a case is a specialised formulalanguage, contrived for making available a specialised type of force manifestation through metallic bodies only, namely, electricity.
The mantric formulalanguage is specialised in a different way, in order to make available a different type of force manifestation, by repatterning states in the nervous system and glands. Rather, in the subtle forces in and around those physical bodies.
In this way you could link the subtle Eastern ideas of the mantric and yogic use of language with the configurative or pattern aspect which is so basic in language. The late Paramacharya of Kanchi explained the scientific nature of Mantra: “Although the Vedas contain such noble concepts enshrined in them, the supernal sounds emanating therefrom is no less important. In fact, these sounds by themselves are potent enough; or rather, this divine potency is not confined to the ‘Veda Mantras’ only, but generally it is equally true of any ‘Mantra’ as such”.
For many Mantras more importance is attached to their sound patterns than to their actual meanings. Each letter and the way in which it should be pronounced is the potent factor behind it.
Banjamin Lee Whorf, an American scholar and chemical engineer, researched the psychological aspects of language and published his findings. “The idea, entirely unfamiliar to the modern world, that nature and language are inwardly akin, was for ages well known to various high cultures... In India, one aspect of it has been the idea of the mantram and of a mantric art...
“On the simplest cultural level, a mantram is merely an incantation of primitive magic, such as the crudest cultures have. In high culture it may have a different, intellectual meaning, dealing with the inner affinity of language and the cosmic order. At a still higher level, it becomes Mantra Yoga. Therein the mantram becomes a manifold of conscious patterns, contrived to assist the consciousness into the nominal pattern world, whereupon it is ‘in the driver’s seat’. It can set the human organism to transmit, control and amplify a thousand-fold forces which that organism normally transmits only at unobservable low intensities”.
Somewhat analogously, mathematical formula enables a physicist to configure some coils of wire, plates, diaphragms and other quite inert tools to project music over great distances. Other formulas make possible the strategic arrangement of magnets and wires in the powerhouse so that, when the magnets — rather the field of subtle forces — are set in motion, force is manifested as electric current. We do not think of designing a radio station or a power plant as a linguistic process, but it is one nonetheless.
The necessary mathematics is linguistic apparatus, and without its correct specification of essential patterning, the assembled gadgets would be disproportionate and inert. But the mathematics used in such a case is a specialised formulalanguage, contrived for making available a specialised type of force manifestation through metallic bodies only, namely, electricity.
The mantric formulalanguage is specialised in a different way, in order to make available a different type of force manifestation, by repatterning states in the nervous system and glands. Rather, in the subtle forces in and around those physical bodies.
In this way you could link the subtle Eastern ideas of the mantric and yogic use of language with the configurative or pattern aspect which is so basic in language. The late Paramacharya of Kanchi explained the scientific nature of Mantra: “Although the Vedas contain such noble concepts enshrined in them, the supernal sounds emanating therefrom is no less important. In fact, these sounds by themselves are potent enough; or rather, this divine potency is not confined to the ‘Veda Mantras’ only, but generally it is equally true of any ‘Mantra’ as such”.
For many Mantras more importance is attached to their sound patterns than to their actual meanings. Each letter and the way in which it should be pronounced is the potent factor behind it.
As You Breathe, So Shall You Live
The simplest way to build a harmonious relationship with life is to develop a loving, joyful and a friendly relationship with your breath. Understand your breath, its ways of working and develop a friendly relationship with it. Breath is the carrier of vital life force within us that makes our body-mind organisation function and survive.
If you look at breath as life itself, your landscape will change. The love, sanctity and value you give to this great spontaneous phenomenon called ‘breathing’ will tend to completely change the way you breathe. Then if you breathe slowly, just 20 times with a smile, your eyes closed, you will experience deep within a feeling of joy in all those organs where you perceive the smooth touch of breath.
When you look at your breath as if it were your constant and unfailing friend, that quality of relationship brings about a profound change in any breathing method you practise. You will soon realise that the way you breathe, is the way you live. This is how complex life turns simple.
Eight factors that change your relationship to life with reference to the way you breathe are: the flow of breath you allow in your body, the pace with which you breathe, the rhythm you follow, the number of times you breathe or frequency of breath, body posture you hold while breathing, vibrations you produce, the attention and serenity with which you breathe, and finally, your sensitivity to experience the touch of breath in every organ it touches as you breathe.
The way you learn to synchronise all these aspects into one compact process of breathing is what will change your relationship with your body and mind. It is simply profound as well as profoundly simple.
You will begin to like yourself as you feel the pleasing, calming sensation deep breath brings about. You will experience a deep sense of undisturbed peace within. When you pay attention to the beauty with which life rests within you, for the first time, you will experience what it is to feel alive.
Our relationship with breath tends to be simple, direct and proportionate. So if you breathe slowly and attentively you feel the touch of breath as you breathe in and out. You will experience a deep sense of peace. If you breathe with great satisfaction, you will feel the grace of life. When you breathe selectively into each of your organs like kidneys, intestines, heart or head and feel the touch of breath, you will experience great healing. How many times you breathe and how regularly you do it directly decides the proportion of well being you will feel.
If you think of life as a great struggle, or the world as a battlefield where you have to compete with and overcome others, you will turn yourself into a warrior who has no room for peace or reconciliation in life. Then if you seek freedom or happiness, you will look for it beyond this life, not while you are living. The world that appears outside you is in fact a reflection, a mirror image, of how you feel within.
A simple way of changing the way you feel is to learn how to change your relationship with life in your daily half-hour breathing session. You will soon experience that as you breathe, so shall you live.
If you look at breath as life itself, your landscape will change. The love, sanctity and value you give to this great spontaneous phenomenon called ‘breathing’ will tend to completely change the way you breathe. Then if you breathe slowly, just 20 times with a smile, your eyes closed, you will experience deep within a feeling of joy in all those organs where you perceive the smooth touch of breath.
When you look at your breath as if it were your constant and unfailing friend, that quality of relationship brings about a profound change in any breathing method you practise. You will soon realise that the way you breathe, is the way you live. This is how complex life turns simple.
Eight factors that change your relationship to life with reference to the way you breathe are: the flow of breath you allow in your body, the pace with which you breathe, the rhythm you follow, the number of times you breathe or frequency of breath, body posture you hold while breathing, vibrations you produce, the attention and serenity with which you breathe, and finally, your sensitivity to experience the touch of breath in every organ it touches as you breathe.
The way you learn to synchronise all these aspects into one compact process of breathing is what will change your relationship with your body and mind. It is simply profound as well as profoundly simple.
You will begin to like yourself as you feel the pleasing, calming sensation deep breath brings about. You will experience a deep sense of undisturbed peace within. When you pay attention to the beauty with which life rests within you, for the first time, you will experience what it is to feel alive.
Our relationship with breath tends to be simple, direct and proportionate. So if you breathe slowly and attentively you feel the touch of breath as you breathe in and out. You will experience a deep sense of peace. If you breathe with great satisfaction, you will feel the grace of life. When you breathe selectively into each of your organs like kidneys, intestines, heart or head and feel the touch of breath, you will experience great healing. How many times you breathe and how regularly you do it directly decides the proportion of well being you will feel.
If you think of life as a great struggle, or the world as a battlefield where you have to compete with and overcome others, you will turn yourself into a warrior who has no room for peace or reconciliation in life. Then if you seek freedom or happiness, you will look for it beyond this life, not while you are living. The world that appears outside you is in fact a reflection, a mirror image, of how you feel within.
A simple way of changing the way you feel is to learn how to change your relationship with life in your daily half-hour breathing session. You will soon experience that as you breathe, so shall you live.
Yogasanas For Health, Beauty And Wellness
Yoga, the art and science of maintaining physical and mental wellbeing that has its origin in India, is among the most ancient yet vibrant living traditions that’s getting increasingly popular today. A potent stress-buster, yoga is an instrument to self-evolvement and enlightenment, through physical and mental well-being. Multidimensional, it enhances the quality of our lives at so many levels. One aspect of yoga’s benefits is to explore the bond between yoga, health and beauty.
Broadly the word beauty incorporates physical, mental and spiritual beauty. It is a subtle balance of inner and outer beauty. Yogasanas when performed with perseverance, precision, patience, pleasure and ‘shraddha’, yield highly rewarding results. They promote health and consequently beauty. But to derive maximum benefit one has to embark on this daily practice or rather pilgrimage, with unflagging passion and commitment.
An ardent practitioner of asanas will reflect unusual grace, poise and beauty. Asanas keep the spinal column supple, strong and healthy. This results in a steady and erect posture, boosting selfconfidence. During asanas, the alternate stretching and relaxation of muscles facilitates blood circulation and supply of oxygen, rejuvenating every cell of the body.
Various yogic postures gently massage internal vital organs, keeping them in perfect health. Consequently, our various systems function in complete harmony. The endocrine glands are stimulated and work with precision. Cholesterol levels are kept in check and the blood pressure is normalised. This internal harmony cleanses and detoxifies the body and boosts the immune system.
Asanas make the body toned, strong and flexible. Standing asanas like the Tadasana and Trikonasana result in perfectly toned and shapely legs and ankles. Certain inverted postures like the Sarvangasana — the shoulder stand, the ‘king of asanas’ — results in blood flowing freely and profusely to the neck, face and hair. Facial skin becomes taut and wrinkle-free, attaining a radiant glow. The hair becomes thick and glossy, and the eyes acquire a natural shine.
Asanas speed up metabolism, resulting in a slim figure. There is no accumulation of fat anywhere in the body. Forward bending like the Paschimottanasana and Uttanasana result in a flab-free abdomen. Naukasana and Aradhamatsendra result in a narrow, small waist. Facial features acquire a chiselled, fatfree look. This natural pampering of the body by asanas also results in slowing down the ageing process, both physical and mental.
A prolific sadhak or practitioner remains youthful, attractive, alert and at peace with himself. Then we are in touch with ourselves and can live life to the fullest. Inner calm and joy are reflected on the face of the yogi.
When the body is so blissfully healthy, the mind reciprocates. Thus, in this happy, healthy body resides an equally joyous and healthy mind, which is balanced and in perfect equilibrium with the body. This in turn leads to positivism in our thoughts, actions and relationships.
With regular and committed practice, toxins are got rid of. Greed, jealousy, and anger are washed away. The maintenance of the various asanas for a few minutes at a time results in acquiring tenacity and concentration. This inner and outer beauty provides totality to the yogi’s personality. Asanas work both on the body and mind, and elevate and purify our consciousness, resulting in beauty of body, mind and soul.
Broadly the word beauty incorporates physical, mental and spiritual beauty. It is a subtle balance of inner and outer beauty. Yogasanas when performed with perseverance, precision, patience, pleasure and ‘shraddha’, yield highly rewarding results. They promote health and consequently beauty. But to derive maximum benefit one has to embark on this daily practice or rather pilgrimage, with unflagging passion and commitment.
An ardent practitioner of asanas will reflect unusual grace, poise and beauty. Asanas keep the spinal column supple, strong and healthy. This results in a steady and erect posture, boosting selfconfidence. During asanas, the alternate stretching and relaxation of muscles facilitates blood circulation and supply of oxygen, rejuvenating every cell of the body.
Various yogic postures gently massage internal vital organs, keeping them in perfect health. Consequently, our various systems function in complete harmony. The endocrine glands are stimulated and work with precision. Cholesterol levels are kept in check and the blood pressure is normalised. This internal harmony cleanses and detoxifies the body and boosts the immune system.
Asanas make the body toned, strong and flexible. Standing asanas like the Tadasana and Trikonasana result in perfectly toned and shapely legs and ankles. Certain inverted postures like the Sarvangasana — the shoulder stand, the ‘king of asanas’ — results in blood flowing freely and profusely to the neck, face and hair. Facial skin becomes taut and wrinkle-free, attaining a radiant glow. The hair becomes thick and glossy, and the eyes acquire a natural shine.
Asanas speed up metabolism, resulting in a slim figure. There is no accumulation of fat anywhere in the body. Forward bending like the Paschimottanasana and Uttanasana result in a flab-free abdomen. Naukasana and Aradhamatsendra result in a narrow, small waist. Facial features acquire a chiselled, fatfree look. This natural pampering of the body by asanas also results in slowing down the ageing process, both physical and mental.
A prolific sadhak or practitioner remains youthful, attractive, alert and at peace with himself. Then we are in touch with ourselves and can live life to the fullest. Inner calm and joy are reflected on the face of the yogi.
When the body is so blissfully healthy, the mind reciprocates. Thus, in this happy, healthy body resides an equally joyous and healthy mind, which is balanced and in perfect equilibrium with the body. This in turn leads to positivism in our thoughts, actions and relationships.
With regular and committed practice, toxins are got rid of. Greed, jealousy, and anger are washed away. The maintenance of the various asanas for a few minutes at a time results in acquiring tenacity and concentration. This inner and outer beauty provides totality to the yogi’s personality. Asanas work both on the body and mind, and elevate and purify our consciousness, resulting in beauty of body, mind and soul.
Sethusamudram And The Hyper-reality Of Ram
Is the Ram of the Ramayan for real? Years after the Ramjanambhoomi controversy reached eruption point with the demolition of the Babri masjid, the ‘reality’ of Ram is once again the cause of impassioned debate and mass agitations which disrupt public order. The source of contention is the Sethusamudram project which proposes to dredge an 83-km-long canal through the sea channel separating India and Sri Lanka, thereby facilitating shipping. However, the sangh parivar has contented that the dredging operations would destroy the ‘Ram Setu’, built by Ram to cross over into Lanka, which would deeply offend the sensibilities of millions of devotees. The Indian government cited the Archaeological Survey to plead in court that while the Ram legend is an integral part of Indic civilisation and literature, it is not based on ‘historical records’. In short, Ram isn’t for real.
But of course he isn’t, Ram’s devotees might well respond. Ram isn’t real, he is much more; he’s hyper-real. Hyper-reality could be described as that intangible supporting structure that adds significance to our everyday reality which can be weighed and measured and tallied on a balance sheet of profit and loss. Art is an example of hyper-reality (Hamlet never existed, but he’s more ‘real’ than any person we will ever meet). The love of a mother willing to sacrifice her life for her child is another example of the power of hyper-reality. As is spiritual belief, in Ram, or Jesus, or Allah. Hyper-reality transforms existence into life.
Rubbish, realists would say. Life is about progress, not superstition and mumbo-jumbo.Trouble is, how ‘real’, or progressive, is progress? Environmentalists have joined forces with the parivar in opposing the Sethusamudram project which the greens fear will wreak ecological havoc.
Is environmentalism, often contrasted with progress, also mumbo-jumbo, along with religious belief ? Is global warming as much a myth as Ram? Many proponents of progress might say so. Critics, on the other hand, would say it’s becoming increasingly difficult to weigh the benefits of progress as against its costs. Not least because the standard kilogram, devised 118 years ago and hermetically sealed in Paris, is mysteriously losing weight. Not much, just 50 microns (which is about as much as the weight of a fingerprint) over the years. But still, the kg, a foundation stone of reality as distinct from fiction, myth or hyperreality, is different from what it was, is changeable, whether it’s because of proton decay or some other ‘real’ reason no one knows. So, does today’s reality weigh (50 microns) less than yesterday’s? A perplexing thought. As much so as thinking what would happen if Ram (or Hamlet) went on a diet. Can a myth shed weight like a real kilo can? Presumably not. In which case is the myth, or hyper-reality, more real, in the sense of being more constant, than reality?
Perhaps the real and the hyper-real are inextricable components of the same merry-goround. As a modern scientist put it: “Reality is what we take to be true. What we take to be true is what we believe. What we believe is based upon our percepts. What we perceive depends on what we look for. What we look for depends on what we perceive. What we perceive determines what we believe.What we believe determines what we take to be true. What we take to be true is our reality.”
Sethusamudram or Ram Setu? Progress or belief? Take your pick. Only don’t do so on the streets, inconveniencing your neighbour. Be it Ram, or anyone else.
But of course he isn’t, Ram’s devotees might well respond. Ram isn’t real, he is much more; he’s hyper-real. Hyper-reality could be described as that intangible supporting structure that adds significance to our everyday reality which can be weighed and measured and tallied on a balance sheet of profit and loss. Art is an example of hyper-reality (Hamlet never existed, but he’s more ‘real’ than any person we will ever meet). The love of a mother willing to sacrifice her life for her child is another example of the power of hyper-reality. As is spiritual belief, in Ram, or Jesus, or Allah. Hyper-reality transforms existence into life.
Rubbish, realists would say. Life is about progress, not superstition and mumbo-jumbo.Trouble is, how ‘real’, or progressive, is progress? Environmentalists have joined forces with the parivar in opposing the Sethusamudram project which the greens fear will wreak ecological havoc.
Is environmentalism, often contrasted with progress, also mumbo-jumbo, along with religious belief ? Is global warming as much a myth as Ram? Many proponents of progress might say so. Critics, on the other hand, would say it’s becoming increasingly difficult to weigh the benefits of progress as against its costs. Not least because the standard kilogram, devised 118 years ago and hermetically sealed in Paris, is mysteriously losing weight. Not much, just 50 microns (which is about as much as the weight of a fingerprint) over the years. But still, the kg, a foundation stone of reality as distinct from fiction, myth or hyperreality, is different from what it was, is changeable, whether it’s because of proton decay or some other ‘real’ reason no one knows. So, does today’s reality weigh (50 microns) less than yesterday’s? A perplexing thought. As much so as thinking what would happen if Ram (or Hamlet) went on a diet. Can a myth shed weight like a real kilo can? Presumably not. In which case is the myth, or hyper-reality, more real, in the sense of being more constant, than reality?
Perhaps the real and the hyper-real are inextricable components of the same merry-goround. As a modern scientist put it: “Reality is what we take to be true. What we take to be true is what we believe. What we believe is based upon our percepts. What we perceive depends on what we look for. What we look for depends on what we perceive. What we perceive determines what we believe.What we believe determines what we take to be true. What we take to be true is our reality.”
Sethusamudram or Ram Setu? Progress or belief? Take your pick. Only don’t do so on the streets, inconveniencing your neighbour. Be it Ram, or anyone else.
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