Baba
Equal status in AMPS
Namaskar,
Since the hoary past, the superior class has always exploited the weaker classes by injecting various sentiments. Indeed it has always been the common tactic to impose inferiority complexes and exploit the masses in various ways. Nowhere else is this more evident than in the dogmatic religions wherein they inculcated the supremacy of the priest class. And by that way the common public got duped into believing that the priests are far superior and holy, irrespective of their conduct.
In the Hindu religion, they falsely propagated the misguided notion that celibacy and brahmacarya are one and the same. That is why if you ask any lay person in India they will say that brahmacarya means those who are not married.
https://anandamargauniversal.blogspot.com/
All are workers: family margiis & Wts
To make the society free from exploitation Baba has given Ananda Marga ideology. In so doing He has rooted out all those dogmas which were injected in the past. For example, on this point of celibacy and brahmacarya, the definition given by Baba is quite clear. According to Baba, brahmacarya has nothing to do with unmarried life; rather, the practice of brahmacarya is part of our Ananda Marga sadhana system and means to view one and all with cosmic ideation. This lesson of brahmacarya is essential and practiced by all Ananda Margiis, whether they are a WT or a family person.
To root out the dogma of the supremacy of saffron color, Baba has given a new term to our dedicated workers. He did not call Wts as monks. Rather Baba has given the name: workers. Because the full form of "WT" is wholetime worker.
And in our Marga there are various categories of workers:
(a) General margiis are LPT, local part-time worker;
(b) LFT's are local full-time workers;
(c) WT's are wholetimers.
So all three belong to the same category. All are workers. Some are part-time; some are local full-time; and, some are wholetimers. But qualitatively, there is no difference. All are equal.
https://anandamargauniversal.blogspot.com/
Some peculiar Wts or margiis
Since long in India, dogmatic Hindu followers have been victims of the so-called supremacy of the priest class. They do not even like to think about the negative or positive conduct of monks. Those dogmatic Hindu believers do sastaunga pranam or pranam to the dress: saffron dress. If those Hindu monks were smoking hashish, consuming alcohol, using tobacco, eating meat, or taking onion and garlic, then there would be no problem. Still those dogmatic Hindus would do sastaunga pranam or pranam to those depraved monks. Such dogmatic Hindu believers justify that, “I am not saluting that person; I am saluting the dress of that monk.”
The point is this superiority of the priest class is saturated in the soil, water, and air of those dogmatic Hindu followers. When AMPS was formed, some dragged this dogma into our AMPS when they joined. In this way, those using the saffron cloth were automatically treated as great, holy, and divine. And if they wore a saffron robe and had a high post, they then were seen as being god incarnate. This is the unfortunate state of certain dogmatic, so-called margiis. They do not want to follow Baba’s teachings which are appended below. Rather, they enjoy remaining drowned in the rotten Hindu dogma of venerating others based on the dress or post.
https://anandamargauniversal.blogspot.com/
See the conduct not dress
All-witnessing Baba knew that if this dogma continued then one section would suffer from a superiority complex, and the other section would suffer from an inferiority complex. Just as the Hindu society is getting exploited, the same fate will happen in AMPS. Knowing this, to root out this problem permanently, Baba has given the term 'worker.' So nobody should mistakenly think that because of their dress WTs are holy or divine.
Here the point is not that they are not divine. But there should not be any dogma about this. If anyone's conduct is divine then surely they are divine. And that person may be WT, LFT, or LPT. However, if their conduct is negative then the color of their cloth does not have any value.
Ananda Marga ideology says, "By observing people's conduct one will easily notice those who are absorbed in divine love...Those who have attained Iishvaraprema can never and will never exploit others. They will raise their voice against all sorts of tyranny, injustice, and exploitation. Those who do not possess that kind of honest courage to oppose all wrongs are nothing but fakes - they are never genuine [bhaktas]." (1)
Conclusion
Baba has given a very rational approach free from all kinds of complexes and exploitation. In our AMPS, no one is higher or more holy due to any external feature like the colour of one’s dress. We do not subscribe to any of those religious dogmas of old. In AMPS, the quality of a dharmika is based on their conduct. That is the only measuring rod.
https://anandamargauniversal.blogspot.com/
in Him,
Jyotirmaya
~ In-depth study ~
Ananda Marga ideology guides us, "Those who have the responsibility to show the path to others should be of superlative character with the most refined conduct. They and their followers must move constantly towards all-round development and shreya [ultimate spiritual attainment]. Persons who teach such well-regulated behaviour to others by their own conduct are called ácáryas." (2)
Ananda Marga ideology states, "Bear in mind that people may be harmed or misled by even a small weakness or defect in the conduct of an ácárya. Just as it is the duty of a father to educate his children properly by his good conduct, an ácárya or ácáryá should always instruct by his or her exemplary actions and words." (3)
Ananda Vanii #13 says, “Your ideal is represented by your conduct. Your learning, your social or economic status have nothing to do with your ideal.” (4)
Ananda Marga ideology says, "Dharma is the assemblage of all your conduct” – the way you eat, the way you speak, the way you perform sa'dhana'. If your conduct is good, dharma is with you; if your conduct is not good, dharma is not with you. And if dharma is not with you, what comes about is your sarvana'sha, or sarva'tmaka vina'sha – that is, your physical, mental, and spiritual ruin....Conduct is the principal factor in dharma.” Be a sadácárii, a person of good conduct, and you will surely attain Paramátman." (5)
References
1. Ananda Vacanamrtam - 7, The True Nature of Bhakti
2. Ananda Vacanamrtam - 31, Conduct of an Acarya
3. Ananda Vacanamrtam - 31, Conduct of an Acarya
4. Ananda Vanii #13
5. Subhasita Samgraha - 21, Niiti and Dharma
* * *
The below sections are entirely different topics, unrelated to the above material.
They stand on their own as points of interest.
* * *
== Section 2: Prabhat Samgiita ==
Exquisite tune
Note: Only those who sincerely practice the higher lessons of meditation can understand this song in the depths of their heart.
“Tomáke peyechi ámi, álokera shrota dháráte…” (Prabhat Samgiita 2672)
Purport:
Parama Purusa, I have gotten You in the flow of the origin of a brilliant, spiritual radiance. You came in my sadhana with Your sweet refulgence. By Your mercy, I received You in my mind, with the fulfilment of the exquisite tune.
Baba, I want to keep holding You forever. My mind does not want to leave You at any cost, not in any condition. You are the soul of my life; I will not part ways with You.
Parama Purusa, I did not have proper sadhana. With Your karuna, You came and blessed me. Your auspicious arrival was not because of my merit or virtue of good action. It was exclusively Your infinite kindness how You came and appeared before me. Due to Your ahaetuki krpá You allowed me to hold You. Baba, You came suffused with Your grand illumination and sparkle. Please remain with me forever, showering Your grace...
Note for Prabhat Samgiita #2672:
[1] Karun'a': In the third stanza, the term karuna has been used. This is when one harbours a deep sense of empathy, is pained by another's suffering, and feels, "I should help them.” For example, suppose a beggar is wallowing in misery. By seeing his wretched condition, you felt, "I should help him and remove his agony.” This heartfelt feeling is the expression of karuna'.
Similarly, suppose a bhakta is suffering and unable to progress in the physical, psychic, or spiritual realms for any reason. In such circumstances, Parama Purusa cannot bear to watch that sadhaka suffer. He feels He must rescue them immediately. With His deep empathy and mercy, Parama Purusa removes their agony, so that once again that bhakta can progress in all realms of life. This entire liila is called His karun'a'.
Difference between krpa' & karun'a'
In the case of karun'a', Parama Purusa is moved by a bhakta's suffering and comes forward to save that bhakta. Whereas with krpa' (grace), the bhakta is not suffering but even then Parama Purusa is bestowing His blessing.
It is just like if a beggar is sick and suffering half-naked in the freezing cold. If with great empathy a passerby selflessly helps that beggar without expecting anything in return, that is karuna’. Because the passerby is moved and motivated into action by seeing the beggar's suffering. In contrast, if a student is not sick, and that person just wishes to give the student a gift, then that krpa’.
When out of empathy Parama Purusa lovingly comes to the aid of the suffering bhakta to relieve them of their spiritual strife, that is the karuna of Parama Purusa; and, if that same bhakta is not suffering in the spiritual realm, yet Baba still bestows His blessing to enhance their bhakti, that is His krpa’ on the bhakta.
[2] Ahaetukii krpa': Ananda Marga ideology guides us, “In this universe of ours everything is causal. Everything is haetuka; everything is causal. Only three entities are of non-causal character. One is the transmutation of the Non-Attributional Entity into the attributional faculty [Saguna Brahma]. The second one is the creation of this universe, and the third one—the krpá of Parama Purusa. Parama Purusa is not to explain for His conduct when He does any krpá or when He attracts anybody towards Him. So these three entities, three items, are of non-causal character. So ahaetukii krpá is the non- causal blessing or, say, non-causal gratitude.” (1)
Reference
1. Ananda Vacanamrtam - 49 (Pure), Non-Causal Blessing
== Section 3: Important Teaching ==
Sacrificing vs acquiring
Namaskar,
Ananda Marga philosophy says, "People recollect the tasty dishes they once relished and derive pleasure from that. Other people delight in feeding others. They offer rasagollás or sweets, and at the time of giving, imagine that their guest is enjoying the same delightful taste, the same sweet vibration from the rasagollás which they once relished when they ate them. A host feels mental satisfaction by imagining that the guest’s mind is full of those pleasing vibrations. The host wants the guest to enjoy more and more of those delightful vibrations, and therefore asks the guest to accept the offer of more rasagollás. So, one enjoys pleasure in two ways. The human mind has two contradictory inherent tendencies: one of acquisition, the other of sacrifice. The more one advances along the path of evolution, the more the tendency, the spirit of sacrifice, becomes prominent." (1)
Two opposing scenarios to derive happiness
In His above teaching Baba is illustrating two opposing psychologies:
(A) The science behind why people feel mental satisfaction by feeding delicious food to others.
(B) The mentality of those who themselves eat delicious food yet do not desire to feed others.
In the first scenario, people derive great happiness from feeding others a tasty meal. But how exactly does this work? What is happening in the mind. Well, suppose one day Govinda ate a sumptuous meal which he enjoyed very much. Then a week or a month later, Govinda prepares and serves that same type of food to his friend Tanmay. The meal is delicious and Tanmay enjoys every morsel. But that is not all. Govinda himself derives great mental pleasure in feeding Tanmay, even though he (Govinda) is not eating. How does this happen? In his own mind, Govinda recollects how much he enjoyed that meal, and he thinks that just as he enjoyed it, similarly Tanmay is also enjoying that meal. This creates a sympathetic vibration in Govinda's mind and he feels great psychic fulfillment. So Govinda is taking delight in sacrificing and serving Tanmaya.
In contrast, in this second scenario, Liilamaya, cooks food for himself and eats it all himself. And he becomes happy thinking how much he enjoyed the food. In this case, Liilamaya is deriving enjoyment from directly eating that food; he does not want to share it with others. There is no spirit of sacrifice, rather he delights in acquiring that food and filling his own belly.
So there are two different approaches:
1. A person derives happiness by sacrificing and watching others enjoy that food.
2. Another becomes happy by direct acquisition, by tasting that food themselves, i.e. greedy.
It all depends on the level of one's sadhana and mental standard etc.
Conclusion
These two - sacrificing vs acquiring - are radically different psychologies. And they are not related solely with food, but with all kinds of indulgences and offerings. Some gain pleasure from acquiring something directly, and some become happy by sacrificing and watching others enjoy.
Finally Baba explains that the path of sacrifice is the higher path and as people develop, the more they will adhere to the path of sacrifice.
So be careful, by seeing another’s behaviour you can determine in which group a person falls.
in Him,
Prakash
Reference
1. Yoga Psychology, 'Faculty of Knowledge-2’
== Section: Important Teaching ==
Unique human power
Ananda Marga philosophy states, “Although the Cosmic Mind is the supreme controller of this world of emanation the unit mind also has a certain amount of control over the nerve fibres and nerve cells – the unit body. We cannot call the power of control an absolute power; we may call it “dominion status”. By virtue of this power, the unit mind directly controls the nerve fibres and nerve cells of the unit body. As the unit mind is controlled by the Cosmic Mind, Parama Puruśa controls the nerve fibres and nerve cells of the human body indirectly. If He so desires Parama Puruśa can also control them directly, too. In that case the entire physical structure of a human being will be vibrated by the cosmic vibrations of Parama Puruśa, causing the function of the unit mind to remain suspended for that period. This state can be called the samádhi of non-inferential bliss. During this samádhi spiritual aspirants sádhakas enjoy divine bliss directly from the Cosmic Mind without the help of inferences or tanmátras. Under normal circumstances human beings enjoy blissful feelings in the nerve cells and fibres and later in the mind; but during the samádhi of non-inferential bliss, the blissful vibrations are created directly in the mind because the Macrocosmic mind does not require any fixed medium – He can use anything as His medium.” (1)
Note: Human beings have been blessed with free will - i.e. the power to choose and decide upon their course of action. With that freedom comes the responsibility to face the consequences of one’s misdeeds. In that way, every person is held accountable for their own actions and there is no scope to blame others for one’s bad deeds.
In contrast, animals are fully bound; they are governed by nature. They are not free and cannot act independently. They merely carry out what the Cosmic Entity has designed them to do according to their own vrttis. So animals are completely pre-programmed and cannot decide anything on their own. And there is no scope to blame them for their actions - they do not incur any bad samskaras during their life as an animal.
Reference
1. Ananda Marga Philosophy in a Nutshell - 4, The Samádhi of Inferential and Non-Inferential Bliss
== Section: News from o3 August 2018==
Nairobi news exploitation
Namaskar,
Here is a brief overview of some of the comings and goings in Nairobi sector:
In Him,
Amrta’
Here are some of Guru's related teachings for Wts:
- Wt conduct rule: “One should always be ready to sacrifice oneself for the ideology." (1)
- Wt conduct rule: “You will always be accustomed to lead a hard and industrious life.” (2)
- Wt conduct rule: “One should leave all sorts of luxuries.” (3)
- Wt conduct rule: “One should adjust with the minimum requirements of life.” (4)
- Wt conduct rule: “Supervisory workers will have to take proper care of each of their supervised stuff in all respects.” (5)
References
1. 37 Workers Rules, Point #37
2. Fourteen Points, Point #6
3. 37 Workers Rules, Point #6
4. 37 Workers Rules, Point #37
5. Six Additional Rules, Point #2
Namaskar,
Here is a brief overview of some of the comings and goings in Nairobi sector:
#1: SS Nairobi Diiptimayananda has effectively transferred all Dadas out of Nairobi Headquarters in Kenya so now he is all alone in the jagrti to mingle as he likes. Verily he is the SS, DS, RAWA, Principal in all schools, in-charge of children's home etc. Right now not a single Indian Wt from Ranchi side is in Kenya except Diiptimayananda.This is an ongoing, developing story - kindly stay tuned for more of the forthcoming details.
#2: Diiptimayananda was able to arrange all this because he is a big stooge of Rudrananda and GS. By giving lots of money to Rudrananda etc, Diiptimayananda has gotten them to transfer Wts out of Kenya one by one.
#3: Essentially Diiptimayananda paid Rudrananda and GS Dada to send all those Wts to “other” (i.e. poorer) countries of Nairobi sector like Ghana, Tanzania, Rwanda, South Africa, Uganda, and other African nations - anywhere but Kenya. Step-by-step Diiptimayananda has gotten them all removed from the Nairobi HQ.
#4: In that way Diiptimayananda can sit there and enjoy all the spoils by himself without others around to poke their nose into his affairs. Dada doesn't want other Wts to work in Kenya because he wants to use all the resources and be free to do as he likes.
#5: For those not aware, Kenya is the “USA” of Nairobi sector. There is more cash, more riches, more margiis, more projects, more resources, and more funds. In his selfish condition, SS Diiptimayananda wants all that for himself.
In Him,
Amrta’
Here are some of Guru's related teachings for Wts:
- Wt conduct rule: “One should always be ready to sacrifice oneself for the ideology." (1)
- Wt conduct rule: “You will always be accustomed to lead a hard and industrious life.” (2)
- Wt conduct rule: “One should leave all sorts of luxuries.” (3)
- Wt conduct rule: “One should adjust with the minimum requirements of life.” (4)
- Wt conduct rule: “Supervisory workers will have to take proper care of each of their supervised stuff in all respects.” (5)
References
1. 37 Workers Rules, Point #37
2. Fourteen Points, Point #6
3. 37 Workers Rules, Point #6
4. 37 Workers Rules, Point #37
5. Six Additional Rules, Point #2
== Section: Important Teaching ==
Name of Hindu religion before Shankaracarya
Before Shankaracarya the name of the Hindu religion was Árśa Dharma. For support please see this below teaching from Baba.
Ananda Marga philosophy states, "About 2500 years ago, when the sun of Árśa Dharma was about to set, when it was limited to a series of cruel sacrifices and ritualistic ostentations, without any devotion or idealism, a simmering discontent brewed in the hearts of honest, intelligent and rational people. They could not express their suppressed agony – that this lifeless, substanceless dharma was like a fruit without any pulp, unable to satisfy the deep hunger of the human heart. In fact, in most cases it was only a handful of people, motivated by the instinct of greed, who were beating the drums of dogma and ruthlessly exploiting innocent people." (1)
Reference
1. Namah Shiváya Shántáya, Disc: 18
== Section: Important Teaching ==
Importance of local industry
Prout philosophy says, "In the field of industry, the necessity of both small-scale and large-scale industries will have to be accepted. For example, the requisite amount of yarn needed to meet the demand for cloth in a self-sufficient unit may be produced by many big yarn mills. Here the production of yarn can be treated as a large-scale industry, and with the help of this industry, numerous small-scale industries will prosper. Viable weavers' cooperatives can be established, centred on each yarn mill. Weavers will then get the opportunity to weave cloth while remaining in their own homes. They will no longer be required to leave their homes at the call of a distant large-scale industry. At the same time the weaving industry will not suffer even during times of war, because everything will be within easy reach."
"The acceptance of both small-scale and large-scale industries does not mean that old machinery is to be encouraged. With the development of science, advanced machinery will have to be utilized. The attempt to stop the use of sugar by advertising the benefits of molasses, or to campaign against mill-made cloth by extolling the virtues of khadi, is senseless. As long as advanced mechanization and scientific decentralization have not been adopted, molasses, hand-spun cloth and similar enterprises should be encouraged, and their importance to the rural economy must be accepted.
"Where industrialization is intended to plunder profits, obviously the policy of decentralization is not likely to be supported. But where industrialization is intended to meet the requirements of society, there can be no objection to the policy of decentralization." (1)
Reference
1. Problems of the Day, Point #8
== Section: Important Teaching ==
Know your 50 occupations
Here are the first 49 propensities of the human mind...
Ananda Marga philosophy states, “dharma (psycho-spiritual longing), artha (psychic longing), káma (physical longing), mokśa (spiritual longing), avajiṋá (belittlement of others), múrcchá (psychic stupor, lack of common sense), prashraya (indulgence), avishvása (lack of confidence), sarvanásha (thought of sure annihilation), kruratá (cruelty), lajjá (shyness, shame), pishunatá (sadistic tendency), iirśá (envy), suśupti (staticity, sleepiness), viśáda (melancholia), kaśáya (peevishness), trśńá (yearning for acquisition), moha (infatuation), ghrna (hatred, revulsion), bhaya (fear), asha (hope), cinta (worry), cesta (effort), mamata (mineness), dambha (vanity), viveka (conscience), vikalata (mental numbness due to fear), ahamkara (ego), lalata (avarice), kapatata (hypocrisy), vitarka (argumentativeness to the point of wild exaggeration), anutapa (repentance), śad́aja (sound of peacock), rśabha (sound of bull), gándhára (sound of goat), madhyama (sound of deer), paiṋcama (sound of cuckoo), dhaevata (sound of donkey), niśáda (sound of elephant), oṋm (acoustic root of creation), hum (sound of arousing kulakuńd́alinii), phat́ (putting theory into practice), vaośat́ (expression of mundane knowledge), vaśat́ (welfare in subtler sphere), svaha (performing noble actions), namah (surrender to the Supreme), vis'a (repulsive expression), amrta (sweetness in expression), apara (mundane knowledge)...” (1)
And the 50th propensity and the only vrtti a sadhaka should seek is: para (spiritual knowledge).
References
1. Yoga Psychology, Glands and Sub-Glands
== Section 4: Links ==
Story: Baba corrects my kiirtana
Distinction: pápa vs sin
Right pose for meditation
We only salute Parama Purusa
Identificar el dogma
Degrees of bhaktas
