Baba
Doctor became businessman
Namaskar,
There is a minority of good doctors and we appreciate their dedication and service. This following letter deals with bad doctors. These days there are numerous ills within the medical profession - especially where extreme capitalism has taken hold. And the root cause behind these deficiencies is a faulty mindset. So long as doctors feel that they are doing business and need to make a profit, the medical profession will never be able to right itself. That outlook is what taints the field.
http://anandamargauniversal.blogspot.com/
Shrii Prabhat Ranjan Sarkar has made this a major theme in His Prout teachings. And He has recounted His own personal interactions with doctors who tried to cheat their patients. In addition, the point is made that the medical profession should be including the psychology that should drive medicine, not the profit motive but rather service psychology.
For profit: useless expensive procedures
In places where materialism is a distinct disease and doctors and the pharmaceutical companies view the field of medicine as a way to accumulate riches - the situation is a thousand times worse: Wrongful medicines are given; expensive procedures and costly treatments are needlessly performed; research is profit-driven; curable but uncommon diseases are overlooked; and, patients are seen as paying customers, not as fellow human beings who need care.
http://anandamargauniversal.blogspot.com/
Plus there are so many other related problems that compromise the medical profession like the exorbitant cost of medical treatment. All such ills are in vogue now and will continue into the foreseeable future - so long as capitalism and the profit motive are the driving forces behind the medical profession.
Prout philosophy states, "No matter what country you belong to, tell me honestly, how many doctors can you really trust and respect? Among the doctors you know, you may believe in one or two at the most, but those who have won your faith may or may not command your respect. In other words, the doctors whom you believe in, who can cure a patient, are not accessible because they cost too much." (1)
This problem is fast spreading to all points across the globe wherever the profit incentive is placed at a premium. So we should all be alert. All familiar with the teachings of Prout know well that the answer lies in turning medicine into a service oriented profession. This is not a far off ideal, it is entirely feasible and that is the only way to undo the nightmare of today's medical practices.
Social service is main aim: medical profession
In capitalism, society is driven by the profit-motive - period. Everyone works for their own selfish interests and by that way society moves. Everything is done out of the business motive.
But humans have the capacity for service. Animals primarily do only for their own stomach, i.e. self-interest. Humans though feel moved internally to help and serve others. People donate money to those in need, youths volunteer their time in destitute regions. Good people want to serve.
And this ideal should be encouraged and honoured more and more. People who have love for humanity should be goaded into service oriented professions like medicine. And they should be respected for their noble choice. In that way the medical profession can regain its integrity.
http://anandamargauniversal.blogspot.com/
Prout philosophy states, "The medical profession as such has more to do with social service than with professionalism. Social service is the main aim of the medical profession. But then social workers cannot live on air, so they have to accept some money for their livelihood from the government, autonomous bodies, public institutions or ordinary people: in short, from those they serve. To be a doctor may appear to be a way of earning a living to an unemployed person, but it cannot be categorized as a business under any circumstances." (2)
Under no circumstances should doctors be in business for themselves. In that case they will compromise the health of the patient in order to make more money. Rather they should be guaranteed funding by the government and be given recourse to pursue their profession according to service psychology.
Doctors & "kickback"
Unfortunately, the situation is not like that today. See here how doctors cheat their patients to make more money.
Shrii Prabhat Ranjan Sarkar says, "Of all the doctors you have come across, how many are idealistic and dutiful? If you visit a doctor, he will prescribe strong medicines for a light illness. This will inevitably be the case if he owns his own dispensary." (3)
And indeed these days some surgeons perform open heart surgery just so that they can collect a big fee. Or some doctors prescribe lab tests because they get a "kickback" (i.e. payment) from the lab for each test ordered. Or there are so many scams going on. These are common occurrences in places where the profit motive is in vogue. And in unregulated markets like Mexico, China, and India, other types of issues surface. All of this is rampant these days among certain doctors and it is only spreading more around the globe.
http://anandamargauniversal.blogspot.com/
And the problem is further multiplied by the entire pharmaceutical profession - as vast subset of the today’s profit-oriented medical industry. These pharmaceutical companies have one bottom line: Maximum profit. That is their driving agenda and to increase profits they resort to numerous seedy and dishonest ways.
Selfish doctors exploit
The crux of the matter is that doctors hold a unique position in society. Nobody wants to get sick, and certainly nobody wants to die, so they go to the doctor filled with hope, regard, and respect. They feel dependent and think of that doctor as a saviour or demi-god.
Prout philosophy states, "A helpless person, no matter how great his financial, social or intellectual capacity, considers a doctor to be a ray of light in the darkness or a lifeboat which can save him from drowning." (4)
In that case, doctors can easily exploit the situation in their favour. They have the upper hand. The patient needs help, and the doctor promises a cure. In that case, the doctor can do anything he wants.
In a service oriented profession when the welfare of the patient is put at a premium, then all is well. But when big $$ profits are at stake, doctors often exploit their position and take to underhanded business maneuvers.
Here the point is that when given the power, selfish doctors fall prey to abusing and cheating their patients in all kinds of ways: Sexually, financially, medically etc. Tragically, capitalism initially rewards those greedy, selfish doctors by giving them huge stature in society. And if they break the law it can take years to unearth their wrongdoing and sentence the doctor to jail.
http://anandamargauniversal.blogspot.com/
Spurious drugs & injections
Here is the Proutistic overview of a few of the ills in today's medical industry in some countries.
Prout philosophy states, "Countless complaints can be made against doctors and the medical profession. Although it would take a lot of space to list them all, let me briefly mention a few: patients have to settle for adulterated medicines unless they bribe the pharmacist; sweepers, orderlies and nurses do not take proper care of a patient’s needs unless they are tipped; a patient writhing in pain may be rebuked instead of being given medicine; if one does not call the doctor at least once for a personal consultation so that that doctor can earn some extra money, one may be unable to secure a bed on one’s next visit to the hospital; a medicine that is supposedly out of stock in the hospital can be illegally purchased in a nearby shop at an exorbitant price; without bribing the doctor a sick patient will not be admitted to the hospital; during the compulsory medical examination for a new job, all the medical staff put out their hand for a bribe; the doctor in collusion with the optician fails many people in their eye tests so that they will have to buy glasses; hospital patients are served food which is cheaper and of poorer quality than what they are entitled to; milk and fruits reserved for patients are consumed by the hospital staff; spurious drugs and injections are administered to patients. Such grievances are endless. Some are extremely serious, involving accusations of such irresponsibility that it is difficult to believe that people actually have these experiences." (5)
All such incidents will wash away with a service oriented medical industry. The day is not far off.
Most rare diseases go untreated
Another common malady in today's medical profession is the lack of research in less common diseases.
At present, so many companies invest money into researching new hypertension (high blood pressure) medicine because they can gain enormous profits. When the better option is to guide the patient how to cure hypertension through lifestyle changes (diet, exercise, meditation etc). But this they do not do because selling high blood pressure medicine is a gold-mine these days. People will take that medicine for the rest of their life: What a sale - daily consumption by tens of millions of people.
Yet at the same time, there are so many diseases classified as "rare" where no medical research is underway due to lack of funding. So from the outset the tendency is not to research and make medicines for rare diseases. And if a medicine is made then the cost is astronomical - and may take years or a lifetime for the common citizen pay. Yet there are around 30 million people in the US alone suffering from these "rare" diseases, and there is almost no hope in sight for them. The same tragedy plays out in other countries as well.
Some common "rare" diseases include: Vitiligo (white patches on the skin), testicular cancer, gastric lymphoma etc. Many suffer from countless conditions and numerous syndromes. Basically, if less than 200,000 people suffer from a disease in the US it is labeled as "rare" or "orphan" in most cases drug companies do not want to touch it as it is too costly for them, i.e. too difficult to make a big profit. Hence those patients are just left to suffer while medical research aims towards bigger financial catches.
http://anandamargauniversal.blogspot.com/
It is for this reason that Shrii Prabhat Ranjan Sarkar tells the following story in His Ananda Vacanamrtam series.He recounts how nobody wants to go to Kishanganj because the incidence of malaria is very high there. Only doctors like to go there because they will have a huge number of patients. Such doctors even pray that let people get sick so I may earn a good living. For this reason, people commonly view many doctors as being greedy businessmen.
Prout philosophy states, "We hear many people say, “The medical profession is a business like any other. Can such a business prosper without doing anything wrong? It is impossible to run a business if one is totally honest.”" (6)
When this selfish mentality is rampant, then how can the medical profession ever truly help society.
Mother does not cheat her sick child
Shrii Prabhat Ranjan Sarkar's answer to the failing medical profession is quite simple.
Prout philosophy states, "The welfare of the patient should be the main aim of the medical profession." (7)
In order for the patient's welfare to come first, doctors and pharmaceutical companies must be more interested in providing a service to society than fattening their own wallet. Unfortunately, in capitalism the profit motive is running rampant in the field of medicine, but it need not always be like this. In past societies and in the future when Prout is in vogue, so many good-hearted people will venture into professions with the sole motivation of helping others. Youths who are broad-minded should be encouraged in this way.
We must remember that service psychology is not an unheard of phenomenon. When one's heart is moved to help someone, setting aside all personal interest. Many people do such selfless acts everyday and it is time that this come in vogue in today's medical industry.
Let us also remember that the 5 minimum requirements must be guaranteed to all - including proper medical care. So there is no option but to resurrect and right the current medical model, otherwise society will never progress.
http://anandamargauniversal.blogspot.com/
Here again Shrii Prabhat Ranjan Sarkar is giving a personal account of what happens when doctors are driven by greed and profits.
Shrii Prabhat Ranjan Sarkar, "Once I heard about a doctor, standing by the bed of a poor, distressed patient, who said in an authoritarian way, “You must pay my fees at once. I won’t listen to any excuses.” A poor relative of the patient left the house in despair, borrowed money by giving an IOU, and paid the doctor’s bill. I doubt whether a country can be considered civilized if the strictest reform measures are not taken against such human demons. I once saw with my own eyes a well-educated doctor snatch a bottle of medicine from the hand of a female patient who had offered twelve instead of fourteen annas for the medicine, saying, “Must I wait till you bring me the two annas from your house? When I was studying in medical college, would the college authorities have allowed me to continue studying had I paid my monthly fees in arrears?” As she was an uneducated rural woman, she could not fully understand what he was saying. But with that humiliating rejection, she had to return home weeping without the bottle of medicine. Although this incident took place a long time ago, it remains indelibly etched on my mind." (8)
Convenience of patient
All have the inherent desire to serve. If this quality is cultivated and nurtured, all the many ills infesting today's medical profession will vanish. To doctors, here is this final guideline.
Prout philosophy states, "The convenience of the patient must be given more consideration than your own." (9)
Then and only then will they be rid of their dirty mindset. People who have inherent love for humanity should be goaded into service oriented professions like medicine. And they should be respected for their noble choice. In that way the medical profession can regain its integrity.
Conclusion
Nowadays, the modus operandi of the field of healthcare is to turn a profit. Money is the driving force behind so-called patient care, research, and numerous other aspects of the healthcare arena. Unfortunately, the biggest loser is the patient who is viewed as a pawn for making money. The current medical model puts the patient’s needs aside in favour of making a profit. The Proutistic model is a revolutionary shift where doctors are trained and supported in evaluating each patient as a human who needs help. In that case better medical care is given and the patient’s well-being, not the profit, is the focal point.
http://anandamargauniversal.blogspot.com/
At present, medical services are run primarily by the profit motive. In a neo-humanistic society, the patient's medical care and service to patients will not be based on the business motive, rather the service motive. Nobody will be allowed to profit on the tragedy and suffering of a patient. Those who exploit the suffering patient and earn huge money are vultures. We should follow Prout and try to establish a society where medical care is given on a service motive and all medical requirements should be
Namaskar,
in Him,
Moksa Deva
~ In-depth study ~
Here Shrii Prabhat Ranjan Sarkar recounts one incident of when He took one small boy to the doctor for treatment.
Shrii Prabhat Ranjan Sarkar states, "Let me recount an incident that occurred several years ago. In 1940 I went to a homoeopathic pharmacy. With me was a boy of twelve or thirteen, the younger brother of an acquaintance. I had gone there for some medicine for the boy. The doctor took pains to examine the boy properly, then prescribed some medicine. He said, “Please return with his medical report on Saturday afternoon.” I replied, “Will Saturday morning not do? On Saturday afternoon I will be going out of town; I will be going home.” Further discussion revealed that we came from the same district and our homes came under the jurisdiction of adjacent police stations on opposite sides of a river. The doctor then asked me to return the medicine and said, “I am giving you another medicine.” When I asked why he said, “Both medicines are good, but I give the first medicine to people I do not know because it takes a little longer to cure the patient, hence I sell more medicine.”"
“This incident is neither to the doctor’s credit nor to that of society. The doctor is losing his character due to poverty, caused in turn by a defective social system – isn’t this true?”
Shrii Prabhat Ranjan Sarkar states, “Sociologists will agree that it is not desirable for those who are involved in saving lives to face financial difficulties. If in any country the people believe that they have more doctors than necessary, the study of medicine should be strictly supervised so that only competent and talented students have the opportunity to become doctors. That way, by reducing the number of unwanted doctors, those who enter the medical profession will be able to earn sufficient money with the cooperation of society and the state. In the absence of want, there is no risk of their losing their character.” (10)
By Shrii Prabhat Ranjan Sarkar's above first-hand account, it is quite apparent that some doctors employ various tricks to make a bigger profit.
http://anandamargauniversal.blogspot.com/
Note: In His personal accounts that appear throughout this letter, Shrii Prabhat Ranjan Sarkar is describing medical practices in India during the 1940’s and 1950’s. But such issues are no doubt prevalent in various forms around the entire globe. Top of all, Shrii Prabhat Ranjan Sarkar is exposing the defective mentality that has become rampant in today’s for-profit, medical industry.
References
1. Human Society - 1, Various Occupations
2. Human Society - 1, Various Occupations
3. Human Society - 1, Various Occupations
4. Human Society - 1, Various Occupations
5. Human Society - 1, Various Occupations
6. Human Society - 1, Various Occupations
7. Human Society - 1, Various Occupations
8. Human Society - 1, Various Occupations
9. Caryacarya - 2, Society, Point #25a
10. Human Society - 1, Various Occupations
== Section 2: Prabhat Samgiita ==
"Maner mayu'r meleche je pa'kha' krs'n'a meghe dekhe ca'nderi pa'she... " (Prabhat Samgiita #0392)
Purport:
The divine Entity Parama Purusa has come, and by His holy advent the whole creation is getting awakened. By seeing the clouds close to the moon, my mind has become like that peacock that is extending its feathers and spreading its plumage in a most beautiful and stunning manner. By the effect of the divinely intoxicating arrival of Parama Purusa, the lyre of my heart is getting resonated.
After a long time, the most dear Entity of my heart has come back again, i.e. my most dear Parama Purusa has returned back. All those tunes which I had forgotten are again coming alive. O' Parama Purusa, by Your grace, my entire existence has been revived and awakened. In the deep blue sky, that divinely-inspired, heart-filled vibration has come.
Now my whole body and mind are starting to dance to the tune which I had lost in the past. My mind has become restless to offer everything to Him. I have offered the entire basket of my heart at His altar; I have surrendered my whole existence at His lotus feet. The sweet breeze saturated with the flower fragrance is blowing.
Baba, due to Your blissful presence and causeless grace, everything has gotten new life...
Note for Prabhat Samgiita #0392:
Line 1 Meaning - "By seeing the clouds close to the moon, my mind has become like that peacock that is extending its feathers & spreading its plumage in a most beautiful and stunning manner": This line is the expression of deep, deep joy. A peacock longs for rain and can sense by the formation of clouds when the rains will come. Seeing the clouds collect around the moon, the peacock becomes very happy as it knows that rain is soon going to fall. With great happiness, the peacock exuberantly jumps and dances with the expectation and arrival of rain. This scene of joy symbolizes the tremendous bliss devotees feel with the arrival of Parama Purusa. The bhakta longs for the presence of Parama Purusa and desires the closeness of that Divine Entity. Thus His divine advent brings waves of bliss and spiritual vibration in the mind of the devotee. By the arrival of Parama Purusa, the sadhaka's mind is ensconced in bliss. Thus, this is a song of arrival as well as a song of boundless joy. In this composition the peacock is an allegory for the mind of the sadhaka.
== Section: Important Teaching ==
How AM is middle path
Ananda Marga Shabda Cayanika states, “The common people, let alone the master artists, know that sound is not emitted if the strings are loosened too much and the soft and delicate strings snap if they are tightened too much. Human life is also like this. If one practises too much austerity (in some cases, if one makes a parade of austerity), tender human sensitivities snap and break into smithereens’ the soft, delicate parts of the mind get charred and petrified. On the other hand, if life is made akin to a loose string, the nobler yearnings of life will never be fulfilled. In other words, that kind of life degenerates into the life of an animal characterized only by bathing, eating and sleeping. Hence one must never allow the string of life to be loose. But also the string of life should not be left to snap due to excessive strain. The ideal course of life is neither left-oriented nor right-oriented. This kind of life will be conspicuous by the absence of strife, mayhem or horror of the leftists and of toleration of injustices by the rightists in their loose, careless and sloppy life. It is this ideal course that will usher in a life worth yearning for a super-human existence, divinely exquisite and shining brightly on the banner of gold.” (1)
Note: In the above quote Baba is explaining how Ananda Marga is the middle path. The rule of Ananda Marga is neither the lazy way of praying to nature or idol worship like the loose path, nor is it the path of extreme penance like standing on one leg for 20 years or sitting on lit fire like avidya tantrikas. Ananda Marga is the ideal path. We follow 16 Points very strictly.
One should know that Ananda Marga is the middle path. Strictly following 16 points is the middle path. In His above teaching, Baba is referring to (a) avidya tantrikas who are very extreme in their penance and (b) idol worshippers. The middle point is Ananda Marga. Sadhakas should be very strict in 16 points. That is what is being taught in the above guideline.
Reference
1. Shabda Cayanika - 8, Invention of Various Musical Instruments
== Section: Important Teaching ==
His grace is enough to establish dharma
Ananda Marga ideology says, "Now when the society is in a degenerate or depraved condition, where fissiparous tendencies dominate, where the static principle dominates, it becomes impossible for Parama Purus'a to remain unaffected or unassailed by human sentiments and human cries and human demands. Then and then only does He come in the form of Ta'raka Brahma. 'Ta'raka' means 'the liberator.' And that Ta'raka is the Ba'ba' of the created world. For Him devotees sing, 'Ba'ba' Na'ma Kevalam'." (1)
Note: Only those with a proper standard of bhakti - agrya buddhi (i.e. pointed intellect) - realise in their heart Baba's Supreme stance. They understand that just as the style of Lord Krsna was different from that of Lord Shiva, similarly why should Baba follow the old pathways of Lord Shiva and Lord Krsna - such as driving the chariot in the battleground with His own hand.
Bhaktas of this category feel in their heart that this time Baba has established a completely new standard: That the grace of Parama Purusa is all that is needed to complete any task - anything. There is no need for His physical involvement; He need not hold the reigns of the chariot. Rather the chariot is moving by His divine grace and it will go on moving. In this way they understand deeply that Baba has fulfilled His promise.
By His grace dharma is getting established on this dusty earth and very soon it will be apparent to one and all.
Reference
1. Ananda Vacanamrtam - 12, The Coming of Táraka Brahma
== Section: Margii Letters ==
Question about AMPS
Margii #1 wrote:
Namaskar,
"Do not indulge yourself in criticizing others faults and defects".
I do believe that you are not following Baba's Social Norms. I understand that you are trying to expose wrongdoing with regards to people in high posts in AM.
Of what benefit is it to you or to anyone to draw attention to a few acaryas playing MONOPOLY. Everything is Brahma, You are not to know what preceded this game and why. It really is irrelevant to most people.
In Him,
Sister T.
----
Margii #2 replied:
Namaskar,
By His grace you are well. Thank you for writing.
Question: If someone were to break into your home, knock you down, and try to set your house on fire, would you choose to not call the police because "calling the police" is against Baba's social norms?
In Him
Sister N.
== Section: Important Teaching ==
Real definition of dogmaAnanda Marga ideology guides us, “What is dogma? Dogma is also an idea, but there is rigidity of the boundary line. Dogma will not allow you to go beyond the periphery of that boundary line. That is, dogma goes against the fundamental spirit of the human mind.” (1)
Note: Any idea which has a boundary around it is a dogma. In that case, one is not allowed to debate this idea in an open and free manner. Rather, any and all debates are contrived or forbidden. For instance, if one religious leader says that the first Sunday of every month one must touch the dog’s tail to get virtue for heaven, then that becomes the rule for that religion. And no one can question it. Here is another example. A few years ago a discussion was going on about MPD. In trying to defend the existence of mahaprayan, Dada Kalyaneshvarananda responded that this is beyond logic and reasoning. By this way, unknowingly he accepted that MPD is a dogma.
Reference:
1. Ananda Vacanamrtam - 30, Beware of Dogma
== Section: Comment ==
Re: Siddhasana is bad for women
Namaskar,
In Junior Acarya Diary, Baba guides us how siddhasana is not advisable for females. Baba has given biological reasons why women should not sit in siddhasana.
In the yellow section below, please read the guideline based on Guru’s teaching from Junior Acarya Diary. This is based on a line from the conclusion subsection of the section on dhyana.
Ananada Marga Caryacarya states, “Siddhásana (siddha posture): Press the múládhára cakra with the left heel. Then press the svádhiśt́hána cakra with the right heel. Place the hands palm up on the respective knees. Duration – as long as you wish.” (Caryacarya-3, Asanas, point #12)Sadguru’s guideline for siddhasana is: “press the svádhiśt́hána cakra with the right heel.”
However, due to their basic anatomy, females are physically unable to follow the above guideline. They cannot press their svadhisthan cakra with their right heel - only they can do a fake approach, but not the real asana. That is why Baba guides sisters to sit in padmasana. When practicing dhyana they should sit in padmasana and sit with their hands on the knee.
Namaskar,
Kalyanii
(Karen Porsett)
Here is a link to the original letter on this topic: Guniindrananda...
== Section 4: Links ==
Other topics of interest
