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Tuesday, September 4, 2018

Organ donation: virtue + History 2nd Aug '78 + 4 more


Baba

Organ donation: virtue

Namaskar,

Some margiis were wondering about organ donation. Can or should one donate their bodily organs so that others may use them? What is the stand of Ananda Marga philosophy on this issue?  Here following are Baba's teachings on this important matter.

Organ donation has recurring benefits


In various discourses, Baba discusses how some actions have a recurring benefit for society. For instance, Baba describes how in ancient India, some would plant fruit trees along the roadside in rural areas to provide shade and food for weary travelers on their journey. Those who planted those trees did so with the feeling to serve. They themselves never had the opportunity to eat that fruit as the tree matured after their death. But their service of planting the trees had a recurring benefit for society.

And there are many types of service that have recurring benefit. Some start schools, welfare organisations, homeless shelters, or engage in various philanthropic works which benefit humanity long after their death.

Ananda Marga ideology says, "There are also two types of puńya: pratyakśa puńya and apratyakśa puńya – direct and indirect virtue. Pratyakśa puńya, or direct virtue, is acquired when one performs an action such as feeding the hungry or serving the infirm. Indirect virtue is acquired when one’s service has a recurring effect, such as service to the society, planting trees, etc. If banyan trees are planted beside a hot and dusty road they will continue to give shelter to weary travellers for one thousand to two thousand years. Virtue acquired in this way is indirect virtue...everyone can attain indirect virtue. Of course, people can also attain direct virtue if they make the effort. The financially handicapped can render physical service; the physically handicapped can render intellectual service. Everyone can render service in some way or other. This explains puńyam or virtue." (1)

Becoming an organ donor and allowing one's bodily organs (heart, liver, kidneys etc) to be used for the welfare of others comes in this same category. It enables one to do something—even when no longer alive on this planet—for the wellbeing of others. Various body parts can be kept for the short and long-term for recurring value for humanity. With the advancement of medical science, there will be greater and more effective and refined ways to utilise bodily organs to cure and treat others.
http://anandamargauniversal.blogspot.com/


Service while alive & also after death

In Ananda Marga, the basic principle is that one should serve in all the ways—all four sevas.

Ananda Marga ideology states:
“a. Shúdrocita sevá is serving with your physical body, rendering physical service, rendering medical service...
b. Then kśatriyocita [martial service] is security service, helping the weak.
c. Then vaeshyocita sevá [economic service] is relief work, feeding the poor, helping the needy.
d. Then viprocita sevá is preaching morality, teaching, preaching the ideology, doing dharma pracára [spiritual propagation]. They are all viprocita sevá." (2)
A sadhaka is to perform all the four sevas. More specifically, in each and every circumstance, one is to do that service which is most appropriate and beneficial for humanity. When a sadhaka has food and others are starving then their duty is to feed them (shúdrocita sevá). When one sees a weak and innocent person threatened or attacked one is to intercede and defend them (kśatriyocita seva). When one knows that others can be benefited by financial contributions to AMURT service and relief efforts, then one donates money (vaeshyocita sevá). And when one knows that humanity is suffering at the hands of various dogmas, then ones educates the public and brings people onto the path of spirituality (viprocita sevá). In each circumstance, the needed service is done.

Upon one's death, their options and opportunities for serving others are limited. Donating the bodily organs stands as one key way to help and serve others. In His teachings, Baba recounts the mythological tale of Mahars’i Dadhiici who sacrificed his body so that the virtuous could defeat the wicked. Mahars’i Dadhiici withdrew the life-force from his body and a great weapon was built from his bones to defeat the evil forces and save humanity.
http://anandamargauniversal.blogspot.com/

Body is like old clothing


Here below Baba gives the perfect teaching about what to do with the old, discarded body.
Vásámsi jiirńani yathá viháya naváni grhńáti naroparáńi;
Tathá shariiráni viháya jiirńányáni saḿyáti naváni dehii.
Ananda Marga ideology guides us, "When the clothes become old and tattered, they are replaced with newer ones. This is the law. Nobody wants to wear old, tattered, and dirty clothes. Similarly, when the body becomes old and worthless, it is changed for a newer one." (3)

Think of it this way. When clothes become torn and useless then people throw them away because they have gotten new clothes. Those people do not worry about what is going to happen to those old clothes. They know those clothes will be taken by the trash collector and put in the garbage heap.

So if the trash collector approaches them and requests them to choose between donating those old clothes for a worthy cause and burning them to ashes, then any rational person will be delighted to donate those old clothes. Why bury or burn old clothes in the garbage heap when they can be given to someone to use.

In the same way, the discarded body is like those old clothes that are going to be tossed in the trash bin. If someone can use that discarded body that is very good. One should be very happy about that. Any true Ananda Margii will be very pleased to donate their "old clothes"—i.e. discarded body. If one is not willing to donate their old body which they do not need, then they are no different from the one is who unwilling to donate their old clothing. In that case, not donating would be very un-Ananda Margiian. A proper margii will want to help and donate when seeing others' suffering. So why burn or bury the old body when the opportunity is there to give it to someone in need.
http://anandamargauniversal.blogspot.com/

Conclusion


For all of the above reasons, each and every Ananda Margii should seriously consider becoming an organ donor. That is the best utility of the body after death. In this way one can fulfill their dharmic responsibility and continue to serve others.

As many are aware, Baba guides us that one should die while working and work while dying. The fundamental essence is that one should do as much service as one can in all kinds of ways so others may be benefited. This is the fundamental ethic in Ananda Marga. Donating organs—upon death—allows one to serve others who are suffering.

There are many ways to become an organ donor. In some countries it is marked on the driver's license and in other places one can enroll in an organ donor registry. The rules and protocol vary from land to land; so investigate how to become an organ donor in your area. Remember, this world is transitory—anytime death can come—so delaying is not good. Become an organ donor today.
http://anandamargauniversal.blogspot.com/

Namaskar,
In Him,
Rajgopal

~ In-depth study ~


Religious dogma & organ donation

The Semitic religions are consumed with the idea that they need their same body when in heaven. They think that after  death they will need their body to enjoy heaven's bounty. For this reason, many within the Semitic religions are unwilling to become organ donors. But this is just their dogmatic outlook.

According to Ananda Marga philosophy, once physical death occurs, either one will be granted a new body in order to continue serving, or one will be blessed with supreme salvation (moksa). In either case, the old body is no longer needed. So one should not have any fears or doubts about this. Best is to donate and serve others. There is no loss involved—only gain.


Permanent benefit for human beings

Here below Baba describes how even terrible sinners—if they sacrificed for others—experience the requital of their samskaras long after their death. Those who donate organs also gain virtue in this manner.

Ananda Marga ideology states, "The best course for an atipátakii is to sacrifice his individual pleasure and involve himself in the welfare of humanity. But of course the mahápátakii has to sacrifice his life for the welfare of mankind. In addition to that, he will have to do something which will be of permanent benefit for human beings." (4)

In Ananda Marga, true service means helping others with the feeling of Brahmabhava (ideation on God) and offering everything unto Him.
http://anandamargauniversal.blogspot.com/

Semitic religions


When we speak about the Semitic religions, we are referring to Judaism, Islam, and Christianity. The word Semitic describes the people who came from the Middle East and their languages.

References
1. Ananda Vacanamrtam - 8, Do Virtuous Deeds Day and Night – 1
2. Ananda Vacanamrtam - 30, The Four Kinds of Service
3. Ananda Vacanamrtam - 23, Accomplish Your Work with This Body Only
4. Ananda Vacanamrtam - 1, The Consequences of Free Will and Mind


*        *        *

The below sections are entirely different topics, unrelated to the above material.
They stands on their own as points of interest.

*        *        *

== Section 2: Prabhat Samgiita ==

I have searched for You in Ananda Nagar, Tiljala, Jamalpur

"Tumi, bolo kii bá cáo,múk mukhe ceye theke, keno liilá kare jáo " (Prabhat Samgiita #0688)

Purport:

O' Parama Purusa, please tell me what You want so I can satisfy you. Kindly explain why You are playing this liila, and how I can get You. Why do You go on making this divine play in this universe, while You Yourself only sit and watch - quietly. You never disclose what You want; You fail to divulge Your secrets.

O' Supreme One, all these years I have searched for You in various “tiirthas”  and “holy lands” - Varanasi, Puri, Mecca, Rome, and Jerusalem. I also went to Ananda Nagar, Tiljala, Jamalpur, and dogmatic religious places, including in the caves of treacherous mountains. But, unfortunately, I could not find You anywhere. I hoped I could hold You by journeying to those holy venues. I also tried to reach You through rigorous debates of the shastras. I thought that by debating those scriptures I could get You. Often I was doing showy sadhana - nyása práńáyám - and did not think there was any need of bhakti. Baba, after all this I wondered, “Why do You not look towards me?”

O' Cosmic Entity, by Your causeless grace, today I offer the refulgence and prema of my heart and surrender fully at Your lotus feet, decorating my mind with the flowers of bhakti. Baba, I smear my inner self with the sandalwood of supreme love and yearning. By Your grace, I prostrate myself before You. Lying at Your lotus feet, please be gracious and accept me.

O' Compassion Personified Entity, Your grand liila is unfathomable. All I ask is that You make me pure and keep me in Your loving shelter forever....

Note for Prabhat Samgiita #0688: 

This above song demonstrates how Parama Purusa can only be attained with the loving feeling of the heart - through one's inner, pointed, spiritual longing. He only understands the feeling of the core. That is why searching Him externally in various dogmatic tiirthas or putting on a false display of sadhana are utterly useless; such empty attempts will just end in vain.


== Section 3: History ==

2nd Aug 1978: After jail story

~ Courtesy of "The Crimson Dawn" NY sector Newsletter (Sep 1978) pp 3 - 4 ~

Note: If you have any difficulty reading the below scans, kindly let us know and we can send them to you as attachments. 



~ Courtesy of "The Crimson Dawn" NY sector Newsletter (Sep 1978) pp 3 - 4 ~ 


== Section: Important Teaching ==

Why diabetes are thirsty

Ananda Marga ideology states, "The debility of the mańipura cakra(1) is the main cause of diabetes. Amongst the pancreatic juices, one secretion helps in the digestion of food, and another separates the sugar content from non-vegetarian and starchy types of food. The sugar is then stored in a particular section of the liver and according to body requirements it is dissolved to generate heat and vital power to run the body mechanism. Chronic indigestion, constipation (here also the stool usually turns into pellets), mental exertion without any physical labour, use of intoxicants, and excessive seminal waste – all weaken the vitality of the liver. When such weakening takes place, the sugar contents of the food, failing to find a storage place in the liver, are assimilated into the blood and gradually accumulate. As a result, the blood gets polluted and loses its immune properties to a great extent. The natural reaction of the body in such a situation is to try to purify the blood by separating out its sugar content and expelling it with the urine. To dissolve the sugar, the human body needs plenty of water, and that is why diabetes patients suffer from a continuous thirst. Sugar emitted with the urine in a large quantity gradually reduces the vital energy of diabetes patients." (1)


Referencs
1. Yogi Treatments, Diabetes

== Section: Bangla Quote ==

তা পেটের সে ঔষধ

“যে জিনিসটা খুৰ ৰেশী খেলে, পেটেতে অন্ত্রে ছোট-ছোট ছিদ্র হয়ে যায় | অর্থাৎ সে রকমের জিনিসকে ৰলৰ ৰিল্ব |  আৰার ওই ৰিল্বই যদি কাঁচা অবস্থায় পুড়িয়ে, তাকে শর্ৰত করে, মোরব্বা করে খাওয়া যায়, তা পেটের সে ঔষধ | তা ৰিল্ব শব্দের এই মানে | যখন ৰেলের প্রভাব ৰেড়ে গেল, তন্ত্রের প্রভাব ৰেড়ে গেল, তখন ৰলা হ’ল যে এই ৰেল শিবের অত্যন্ত প্রিয় | অয়ত্নে বনে ৰাগাড়ে  জন্মায়, তাই ৰেলের তখন ভাল করে নাম রাখা হ’ল, শ্রীফল |” (1)

Reference
1. AV 18-7




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Reply to: anandamargauniversal1@yogasamsthanam.net

For posting translation / जो अंग्रेजी नहीं जानते : 
Those who face difficulty in understanding English should copy sections of the post, paste them into Google translate, choose whatever language you like, and the post will be translated then and there into your selected language. In this way you will get some approximate idea of the subject discussed. Here is the link for Google translate: https://translate.google.com.

This email contains four sections:
1. PS #0688: I have searched for You in Ananda Nagar, Tiljala, Jamalpur
2. Posting: Organ donation: virtue
3. History: 2nd Aug 1978: After jail story 
4. Links

Example: religion like chain around leg + 2 more



Baba

Example: religion like chain around leg

Namaskar,

In the below photo, one Sikh female is carrying a dagger. Today, however, that dagger has no use, it is just a burden. A few years ago, in the United States, gunmen attacked and killed several worshipers in a Sikh temple. Those victims all had daggers but they could not do anything to stop the assailants.


~ Sikh female carrying a dagger ~

In the above photo, one Sikh female is carrying a dagger. Today, however, that dagger has no use, it is just a burden.

Religion is confined to a particular time, space, and person. The various religions all took birth in a certain time. And then when the time changes, the values change and those religious practices and traditions lose their utility.

Sikhism started to protect protect Hindus

For example: Muslims were forcibly converting Hindus to Islam. Then Hindu the monk Guru Nanak objected to these forced conversions and devised a system to protect Hindus. To this end, he recruited disciples and trained them as soldiers. Nowadays his followers are known as “Sikhs”, in Samskrta “Shis’ya”, meaning disciple. So in that era Guru Nanak instructed them to carry ultra-modern weapons to fight the Muslims aggressors. The weapon of choice was a dagger; that was 550 years ago.
http://anandamargauniversal.blogspot.com/

Sikhism lost its utility


Now, however, the time, place, and person has changed. Muslims are no longer forcibly converting Hindus with swords like they were back in the day. And second, the dagger is no longer treated as an ultramodern weapon. Now the Sikhs themselves have become their own separate religion.

So in conclusion, the reason why Hindu Guru Nanak started his movement no longer applies; no such causes exist in the world today. That’s why this dagger became outdated. It is just one burden which the Sikh followers are carrying. The natural law is that anything which is in the periphery of time, space, and person is bound to change. But religious rules do not take this into consideration so they become obsolete. And their codes and rules ultimately become a burden.

A similar case is the sacred thread and sacred hair of the Hindus. Now those traditions too have become burdensome.


Polygamy in Ananda Marga

Ananda Marga is not a religion. That is why in Caryacarya, our rules and regulations will be changed if they lose their utility. For example, now polygamy is not allowed. But it could become permitted, if at some time in the future the ratio between males and females is very dramatically different - imbalanced. Secondly, if Ananda Margiis start living on the moon, then the fasting dates will change and the dates of night sadhana will also be different.
http://anandamargauniversal.blogspot.com/


Conclusion: how ism is lost

Here below Baba provides the philosophical explanation of how isms like traditions in the Sikh religion of carrying a dagger become obsolete with the passage of time.

Ananda Marga philosophy states, "Wherever there is movement it is related to time, space and person. A particular movement related to a specific time, space and person cannot tally with another movement belonging to a different time, space and person. When the movement of a particular time, space and person maintains parallelism of similar movement related to a particular physical and mental wave, the resultant is called an "ism". Therefore, when there is a change in either the physical or mental wave or both, the validity of a particular ism is lost due to the change in the time, space or person in which it was accepted. An ism may be accepted in a particular mental wave, but if due to a change in the physical wave the mental wave fails to maintain parallelism, the result will be that that particular ism will be considered [obsolete]. No amount of scientific effort will make it possible to restore the mental wave of the past. There was a time when kings were worshipped as the incarnations of God, but today if anybody tries to reintroduce this antiquated practice using psychological propaganda, it will be impossible for people to accept it." (1)

in Him,
Rajender Kaur

Reference
1. Prout in a Nutshell - 4, Ism and Human Progress


== Section 2: Important Teaching ==

Era of animality is over

“Áshár pasará sahasá elo,álor túfán nikat́e elo...” (Prabhat Samgiita #3644)

Purport:

The basket of hope came suddenly. Parama Purusa, the embodiment of divine refulgence, has taken advent. After ages of gloom and hopelessness, the cyclone of spiritual illumination has come near. The flood of His supreme blessing is immense, like a huge mountain covering the entire earth. The whole world is inundated with the overflow of His unfathomable love.

Today, even in remote corners, not even an iota of darkness has remained. Not even a tinge of stain is on anyone's mind. Everyone’s mental realm has become beautifully cleansed and purified by His cosmic affection. The Supreme Entity, the love personified Parama Purusa, with His infinite brilliance has taken advent. He has attracted the feelings of all, and satisfied their yearnings by the outpouring of love from His heart. Now their minds are ensconced in bhakti.

Some were bound and tied up in the deep, dark well or chasm of cimmerian darkness, while others had accumulated dogma the size of a mountain in their mind. Yet they were all blessed to open their eyes and look towards the eastern horizon, the rising sun of the dawn, and realise that the era of animality is over and the age of spirituality has ascended. Their dogma and staticity vanished away with the rise of the new day. All are now basking in His magnificent kindness. Each person has been auspiciously granted the opportunity to look toward that exquisite radiance. It has all happened due to Sadguru Baba’s mercy.


Baba, the Parama Purusa, with His unparalleled luminescence has come and showered His unending compassion and graced the entire humanity...



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Reply to: anandamargauniversal1@yogasamsthanam.net

For posting translation / जो अंग्रेजी नहीं जानते : 
Those who face difficulty in understanding English should copy sections of the post, paste them into Google translate, choose whatever language you like, and the post will be translated then and there into your selected language. In this way you will get some approximate idea of the subject discussed. Here is the link for Google translate: https://translate.google.com.



This email contains three sections:
1. PS #3644: Era of animality is over
2. IT: Example: religion like chain around leg
3. Links

SUBJECTS TOPICS