Baba
Harmful effect of mental fluctuations
Namaskar,
Here we begin with Baba’s special guideline for all sadhakas.
Ananda Marga ideology states, "One must do sádhaná most regularly. As long as one has a body, one must go on doing sádhaná. You must have noticed that a shiny new lot́á [small metal vessel] will no longer retain its lustre and newness after a year’s use. One has to clean it quite regularly with tamarind in order to maintain its shininess. The mind is like that – one has to do regular sádhaná to keep it neat and clean." (1)
The mind can flow upwards or downwards
The mind is never still; it has a tendency to go down. But even if a drunkard puts forth effort in sadhana then their mind will go upwards; it will become more subtle. In that case, they will no longer want to remain in their present condition. A drunkard will no longer wish to remain around other debauched people once he advances a little on the path of sadhana.
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Side by side, if a good sadhaka loses sight of the path their mind will go downwards and they indulge in degrading behaviours - like drinking wine. In that case, they will lose interest in sadhana and satsaunga and gravitate towards hanging out in pubs with other drinkers. The mind is opposite to that of a river. A river always flows from the mountain to the sea. But the human mind can flow in either direction - it can go up or down. Any individual can become more sentient or more depraved. It all depends upon which direction the mind is encouraged.
Degraded souls can become great people, as in the case of the ancient poet and spiritualist Valmiki. He was a confirmed murderer who went on to become a great sadhaka and mystic who bestowed upon humanity with a treasure of poems and spiritual teachings. Here the point is that the mind is not fixed. It can flow upwards towards the sublime, by His grace. Or one can plunge the mind into all kinds of degraded pursuits. So the mind is mobile. As soon as the mind goes downward, one's conduct changes accordingly.
This explains the dealings of ...
If anyone looks back on their own life, they will see big swings in their life - especially for sadhakas. Look back 20 years and see if you would like to do the things now that you were doing back then. Maybe, maybe not, but 20 years ago you liked doing those things. Here the point is that anyone can see in their http://anandamargauniversal.blogspot.com/
People commonly think - especially non-sadhakas - that the mind does not change. They think, "What I am, I am." So they brand and categorise themselves, and others, in this way. They permanently label them. Aspirants easily recognise that people can and do change. Someone can uplift or degrade themselves - it happens regularly. That is why we do sadhana, seva, service, and maximum pracar - to positively affect the mind. Thus no one is fixed in a particular state forever. A criminal can become a sadhu, and a sadhu can become a criminal.
On occasion we see this happens with some of our Wts as well. Some may enter Ananda Marga as a young, shy person and emerge as a strong sadhaka, wholly dedicated to the service of humanity. And sometimes we see it happen in the opposite direction as well. That accounts for why some members of our WT cadre act against the dictates of dharma. Then we ask ourselves: How did their lives come to this low point.
How skipping sadhana is deadly
Essentially, all come onto the path of Ananda Marga to do something great. Most enter with pious motives propelled by high idealism etc. This is especially true of our Wts. Yet if they do not work to keep the mind flowing in that direction, then they can start to move in the opposite direction. In fact, they can become so degraded that they hardly even resemble their former self, yet still they are working around in saffron clothes. On occasion this happens to some workers.
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This basic theory explains how a few Wts can become involved in activities that are not in accordance with WT conduct rules. They did not enter AMPS with this purpose in mind. Initially their aims were very sentient and pure. Yet due to lethargy and slackness in Sixteen Points, slowly, slowly they forgot why they came into Ananda Marga tantra in the first place. Sadly they lost the path etc.
Watch out
So all should be cent-per-cent strict to always evaluate their condition of mind and ensure that they are moving on the right course - in the proper direction. Without strict determination in Sixteen Points, even a good and well-intentioned sadhaka will end up going in the reverse direction. Tragically, that is what we see happening with some.
Ananda Marga ideology states, "For progress in entitative flow, one is to lead a pure life, a moralistic life, a life based on moral principles. Do not do anything bad. What is bad? Bad is that which depraved human existence. Follow a strict code of morality. Live a pure life, a neat and clean life. Be strict in 16 Points. What will happen? Your entitative flow will get purified and will be in parallelism with your psychic wave." (2)
Ananda Marga ideology states, "A human being who behaves like a goat or a dog may be born as a goat or a dog in the next life, because such an animal body is the proper base for the congenial expression of the latent saḿskáras. Hence it is not at all impossible for a human being to be reborn as a hog, a worm, a tree, or even a piece of stone." (3)
in Him,
Ekbuddhi
Rogue Ratnakar transformed into illustrious Valmiki
Ananda Marga ideology states, "The concepts of virtue and vice originate in the human mind. Due to the influence of certain propensities, the notion of vice occurs in the mind, causing people to commit acts of sin in the external world. As soon as the influence of those negative propensities is removed from the mind many pious thoughts – the honest desire to do good to others arise in the mind. When the so-called sinners earnestly call the Supreme One and surrender themselves at His altar out of devotion, they no longer remain sinners. By the grace of merciful Parama Puruśa they rise much higher than ordinary people. The lives of the bandit Ratnakar and Aungulimál are clear testimonies of this fact. Within a short one and a half hour span what a great change took place in the heart of a bandit who had mercilessly killed over one thousand people without the least prick of conscience. The rogue Ratnakar was transformed into the illustrious poet Valmiki. Does anyone have the audacity to call Valmiki a bandit? Hence the wicked and the virtuous are equally entitled to attain salvation." (4)
References
1. Ananda Vacanamrtam - 23, The Dialogues of Shiva and Párvatii – 1
2. Subhasita Samgraha - 12, Man and His Ideological Desideratum
3. Ananda Marga Ideology & Way of Life - 7, Form and Formless
4. Ananda Marga Philosophy in a Nutshell - 5, Abhedajiṋána and Nirvikalpa Samádhi
* * *
The below sections are entirely different topics, unrelated to the above material.
They stand on their own as points of interest.
* * *
== Section 2: Important Teaching ==
Personal preference, not neo-humanism
Ananda Marga philosophy states, [The nature of a good person is]: “Alas, what suffering an animal has to bear at the hands of cruel humans! But the animal is absolutely innocent. It is not a born enemy of the human being that if a person does not kill it, it will kill the person, just as a tiger or an insect does. I shall continuously make efforts to see that human beings refrain from such cruel acts of violence.” If one sees someone doing noble work, as a result of which the progress of the world is accelerated and the path of human welfare is widened, then one should think: “The noble work of this person will remain written in letters of gold in human history. I shall give my full support to this person in their noble endeavours...I shall help them in every possible way.”
"If one sees a person engaged in deleterious activity, then one should think: “On account of the pernicious activities of this person, people are going to the dogs, this person is striking at the root of long-cherished austerities, forbearance, benevolence, and so on. I shall never support such misdeeds.”" (1)
In His above teaching, Baba guides us that one must not remain silent and watch the wrongful and harmful treatment of animals. A good person will come forward and oppose acts of violence against those innocent creatures. Nowadays in the state of Maharashtra (India), there is a ban on the slaughtering of cows and the sale of beef. Certain people have rallied around and recently passed legislation to ensure innocent cows are not subjected to the travesty of the slaughterhouse. Instead, their lives are being protected.
While this is certainly a positive development, the same protection and care has not been extended to other animals such as sheep, chickens, and goats etc which are commercially raised, butchered, and sold at the marketplace in Maharashtra. So those activists are prone to partiality. They protested and fought to protect cows, but not these other innocent creatures. If they were true neo-humanists they would not have differentiated between cows and other animals. They would have protected them all. So while there is one positive point, but, on the other hand, there are many negative ones. After all, saving creatures is certainly a kind of positive development in right direction.
All in all, this is very similar to a scene which occurs in Bengal. Some naive bystanders may think that Bengali idol worshipers have great appreciation for the art and sculptures which those artists and sculptors created. Because those worshipers show tremendous reverence for those sculpted idols. But that is not the case. Those idol worshipers do not care about the aesthetic beauty of those sculptures. The proof is that when their rituals are completed those worshipers throw those sculptures into the water.
In the same way, we should not naively think that those activists in Maharashtra are pouring their heart out for all animals. Rather they have their own personal, narrow agenda related with cows. All other animals may be skewered and slaughtered. So their protests are grounded in dogma, not neo-humanism.
In Him,
Buddhi Priya’
Note: These following states of India have also banned the slaughtering of cows: Haryana, New Delhi, Gujarat, Uttar Pradesh, and Jharkhand.
Reference:
1. Shabda Cayaniká Part 4, Disc: 27
== Section: Important Teaching ==
Ananda Marga Caryacarya states, “The sadvipras (those who are well-established in Sixteen Points) of a bhukti must elect one bhukti pradhána from among themselves. The bhukti pradhána may or may not be an ácárya/á or a táttvika, but must be an educated family person.” (1)
Question: What is one of the key differences between the pre-1990 BP Manual and the 1997 Fake BP Manual?
Answer: Please know that the system is that margiis will elect the bhakti pradhan (BP) as per the guidelines of the original BP manual. Wts have no role in suggesting or voting in the BP election. But the Fake BP manual states that Wts select the candidate and then margiis will elect that person as BP. And if Wts don't like the outcome they will arbitrarily remove the BP and put anyone else, without margiis having any input.
Reference
1. Caryacarya Part 1, Bhukti Pradhána
== Section: Important Teaching ==
Gift of forgetfulness
Ananda Marga philosophy states, "Forgetfulness is a providential decree. Usually human beings forget their past lives. Is this forgetfulness a blessing or a curse? It is a blessing because human beings feel burdened by the weight of one life. It would be impossible for them to carry the burden of many lives together."
"The human mind is sentimental – full of love, affection, camaraderie, etc. People have a deep attraction to this world; they remain preoccupied throughout their lives with fears and anxieties for the safety of their families. So many problems have to be confronted. The problems of one life alone are enough to make people restless. If they had to face the problems of several lives, they would be unable to lead a natural life. The problems of the past lives, compounded by the strife of the present life, would drive them to the brink of insanity. Secondly, it is difficult for people to be detached from love and attachment for one life. So much effort is required to overcome the bondages of attachment and march towards Parama Puruśa. If the memory of the past lives is revived, the bondage of attachment will tighten its grip, putting a halt to spiritual advancement. One will be caught in the grip of worldly attachment. Thus the decree of merciful providence is, “Let human beings be oblivious of their past lives.”" (1)
Reference
1. Ananda Marga Philosophy in a Nutshell - 4, Cerebral and Extra-Cerebral Memory
== Section: Important Teaching ==
Setting the course of revolution
Ananda Marga philosophy states, “At first, the demon was quite unwilling to hold any discussion with them. At last, seeing them many in number, he said with reluctance, “Well, I have no objection to talk with some of your representatives.” In the course of discussion, the demon pretended that he did not deny that the demands of the humans were legitimate but where is the money? “In order to rebuild the state,” he said, “expenditure has to be curtailed; exports have to be increased and imports decreased, and it is necessary to accelerate the production of agricultural and industrial goods. If people today are busy with trifling demands, how then is it possible to rebuild the Very Odd Kingdom? So people should raise only one slogan today ‘Labour – more labour – and still more labour!’ Demands of housing, education, medical treatment – we have heard enough of your demands! Now I advise you, forget your demands for the right to higher wages, education, medical treatment, and better accommodation, for the time being – and go and labour hard!””
“The representatives of the human beings said “How wonderful! But then the question is, if you don’t accept our right to live how can we labour hard?””
Ananda Marga philosophy states, “The discussion was interrupted. The demon and his associates now became active to create divisions among the youth. They said to the religious leaders, pundits, priests and mullas (religious leaders), “Do you see what is happening? Religion is becoming polluted, society is becoming polluted, everything is spoiled. After some time perhaps these loutish youth will say, ‘These pundits, priests and mullas, they are the parasites of the society; They suck the lifeblood of humanity by taking advantage of the weakness of their minds!’ So a big group of priests, pundits and mullas joined the demons. They declared, ‘What people are saying now is sheer injustice. People starve as a consequence of their own sins committed in their previous lives. So to fight for the establishment of their rights is to try to overmaster God!’”
Ananda Marga philosophy states, “But there were some good people even among the priests and mullas and pundits, of course. They declared, “What the prince’s group, the human beings, are saying, is right. To support them is right”. Ministers and vice-ministers were giving them high posts in government service. Some were trapped in this way, too, but most of the people said, “We are going to be deceived by such temptation no longer – we have long been cheated for our foolishness, but no more!!””
“The Strange Demon noticed that each of his arrows was missing its target. Then he captured some good orators by spending much money. The work of these orators was to make the rank and file of human beings understand that the proper way to achieve their demand was to bear injustice silently and not resort to struggle. “By tolerating injustice,” they said, “When a person becomes non-violent, a kind of spiritual power awakens in him. And as a result of this spiritual power peace and equality prevail throughout the country. So you should rather engage yourself in the practice of self-purification than have recourse to struggle.” But the humans paid no heed to this either.”
“Now the demon became restless. He began to run to and fro like an insane person, tearing his hair and shouting violently. In no time his mask of gentleness was rent asunder. Then he started crying out loudly in his demonic tongue.”
“O devils, O demons,
Man-eaters, ghost-children,
Where are you my friends and comrades
Come and save me from the humans.
O black-marketeers and bribers,
O pot-bellied
Come, O come! Where are you??
I am going to be killed by Humanity.” (1)
Reference
1. The Golden Lotus of the Blue Sea
== Section: Ananda Vanii ==
Be ready to give a fitting response to the clarion call
“In the crimson rays of the early dawn floats the trumpet sound from the distant blue void. The call resounds: Arise, awake and waste no time in sleep. Tear off the fog of dogma and march on smashing under your feet the sky-kissing challenges of the rocky mountains. Remember that victory does not come by itself. Victory has to be invited and welcomed with sweat, the warmth of the blood and the fiery flames of hard labour. The task you have undertaken has to be brought to its consummation. When the mission is noble victory is sure to come. So do not sit inert wasting your valuable time. Be ready to give a fitting response to the clarion call of the cosmos. Be ready from this very moment.” (Ananda Vanii #70)
Note 1: True Ananda Vaniis have a number whereas Fake Ananda Vaniis do not - just as a fake car license plate has no number. By this way, you can easily recognise a Fake Ananda Vanii.
== Section: Hindi Quote ==
पशु जीवन में सेवा नहीं है | पशु जीवन में अगर है भी, वह क्या है ? mutual transaction—जिसको कथ्य भाषा में व्यापार, अंग्रेज़ी में business कहते हैं | दो रुपया दिए, दो रुपया का नमक लिए—Mutual exchange | इसका नाम “सेवा” नहीं है | शास्त्र में इसका नाम है—“व्यवसाय” | हिन्दी में कहते हैं—“व्यापार” | “Commercial transaction” अंग्रेज़ी में कहते हैं | तो, यह पशु जगत् में भी है | जैसे, घड़ियाल जानते हो ? मगरमच्छ—पानी में रहता है, बड़ा-बड़ा crocodile ?
क्या कहते हो यहाँ ?
[मार्गी लोग—“मगरमच्छ” |]
हाँ, मगरमच्छ | मगर | संस्कृत में मकर | तो, वह क्या करता है ? वह तो मांसाशी जीव है, carnivorous | वह खाने के बाद क्या करता है ? पानी में अब नहीं रहता है | वह पानी में जाता है केवल शिकार पकड़ने के लिए | वह पानी का जानवर नहीं है | जानवर ज़मीन का है | तो, वह उठता है, उठकर क्या करता है ? मुँह ऐसे रख देता है | हाँऽऽ [मुँह खोलकर] करके रहता है | उसके दाँत के भीतर में गोश्त घुस जाता है न ? तब, होता है क्या, कि छोटी-छोटी चिड़िया आती हैं | उसके मुँह के भीतर घुस जाती है | और जो दाँत में थोड़ा-थोड़ा जो गोश्त रह गया, वही वह चिड़िया खाती है | उस चिड़िया को खाना मिल गया | और, मकर का क्या हुआ ? दाँत साफ़ हो गया |
[हँसी]
तो, mutual exchange है | तो, उस वक्त मकर, मगरमच्छ कभी मुँह बन्द नहीं करेगा | तब तो वह चिड़िया मर जाएगी—सो नहीं करेगा | वह, mutual exchange है, व्यापार | चिड़िया कहेगी कि—“तुम्हारे दाँतों से, मैं क्या पा रही हूँ ? गोश्त पा रही हूँ |” और, वह देखता है कि—“तुम्हारी कृपा से मेरे दाँत साफ़ हो रहे हैं |” तो, mutual exchange | “रुपया दो नमक लो” |
[हँसी]
हाँ | तो, यह है business |
[यह प्रवचन-अंश, बाबा के कैसेट से सीधे लिखा गया है । बाबा का यह असली प्रवचन, अमृतोपदेश है। आनन्दमार्ग हिन्दी पुस्तकों में छपे प्रवचन तो नक़ली प्रवचन हैं, असली नहीं हैं -- बंगालीकरण (बँगलाइजेसन) के तहत उनकी बर्बादी की गई] (1)
Reference
1. 15 October 1979, Nagpur
