Baba
Best time to teach dharma
Namaskar,
Sadguru Baba places great importance on education - and, in particular, imparting neo-humanistic education to children in Ananda Marga primary schools. That is why Baba gives tremendous emphasis to the creation of a maximum number of primary schools. It is not that Baba merely wants us to have more primary schools than high schools. The difference is far greater than that. First, we are to create Ananda Marga primary schools in every village across the entire globe - down to the block level. When that is complete then - and only then - can we consider creating more high schools, colleges, and universities.
Per Sadguru Baba’s direction, the priority lies in the creation of ideal primary schools. That has the greatest impact on the overall development of a person. At a young age children need to be instilled with the values of neo-humanism and that will positively shape their entire life. Remember, every religion indoctrinates innocent young kids into their communal theological preachings. They start at an extremely young age, and that keeps them for the course of their life. That is how they spread their teachings. We should pay heed.
https://anandamargauniversal.blogspot.com/
Teaching AM dharma: When kids are young ready to learn
We should not miss the opportunity to instill a neo-humanistic system of education when those kids are young. That will bring monumental yield. If we don’t, our pracara will suffer drastically and the number of margiis and sympathizers will be very low.
Ananda Marga philosophy states, “We must start primary schools throughout the entire world to create a spiritual urge amongst the little pupils. I am not in favour of starting colleges; I am in favour of starting primary schools. In the entire world we have got one degree college at Ananda Nagar and thousands of kindergarten schools. That is why it is desirable in the first phase to start many primary schools instead of colleges. Merely opening high schools and colleges without a proper system of education will not serve the purpose. Rather, thousands of kindergarten and primary schools must be started with this new system of education, to create a spiritual urge amongst children throughout the entire world.” (1)
This is the approach to change the society: Impart the teachings of neo-humanism and universal dharma to primary school aged children. At that time their minds are open, flexible, and ready to grasp those teachings.
Whereas it is very difficult, almost impossible, to untrain dogmatic adults and make them into margiis. Young students in our Ananda Marga primary schools will easily become sympathizers and margiis. By this way, so many from the general public will come close. It is through primary schools that the masses can be brought into the fold of Ananda Marga ideology. That is why there is a great need for a maximum number of primary education centers.
https://anandamargauniversal.blogspot.com/
Ideal formula for creating margiis
As soon as a primary school is created in any locale, that has a big effect on the number of Ananda Margiis in that region. The first generation that the school is in operation the ground is made fertile. Within a few years, those students grow up and become sympathizers and supporters of Ananda Marga - and some try hard to follow Sixteen Points and become bonafide Ananda Margiis. The big change comes in the very next generation. Those kids grow up with parents who are eager for their children to learn dharmic guidelines. And those kids flourish in our Ananda Marga primary schools and readily become Ananda Margiis. They do Ananda Marga pracara, bring their friends, set up clubs, organise community events, and perform social service activities. Following this pattern, in a short while there will be many margiis in that area. This is the formula for creating and generating margiis in regions where people are not inclined to take initiation and enter into Ananda Marga.
The whole family is connected with the small child. When a primary school is started then teachers and administrators invariably become linked with the family and those family members can easily become sympathizers and sometimes margiis too. Remember, the parents are far more involved with the lives of their small kids than with their high school or college-aged children. Parents will drop off and pick up their small children at the school on a daily basis, while over the course of an entire year those parents may never even go once to the high school. So with primary schools, the whole family is involved and that is why the creation of primary schools is very, very important.
https://anandamargauniversal.blogspot.com/
Conclusion
We see these days how kids raised in a materialistic environment are not inclined towards spiritual inquiry and progress. The root cause is a system of education that is matter-centered. So we should be vigilant to build up more and more primary schools as by this way we will create a whole generation of children and adults whose minds are inclined towards proto-psycho spirituality. In that stage they will be ready to learn Ananda Marga philosophy, meditation, neo-humanism, and bhagavad dharma.
Namaskar,
in Him,
Anandeshvar
~ In-depth study ~
Those who scare children are not well-wishers
Ananda Marga philosophy states, “The method of extracting work by terrorizing the minds of children is not only made use of by a particular type of teacher, it is also often still more harmfully practised by parents. They frighten their children, tell them lies, engage in scurrilous brawls before them, and deceive and torment them; but they still expect that some day their children will become respectable members of society – that their children will bring glory to their family name. When their children are reluctant to drink milk or sleep, they terrify them by invoking imaginary goblins or frightful ghosts. Children initially have no fear, yet a fearful panorama is played out before them. Through this practice the parents may achieve some temporary gain, but even if the children wait a lifetime, they can never be compensated for the harm done to them. Even when these same children attain young adulthood, the thought of ghosts will not leave their minds – ghosts will become their permanent companions.” (2)
Ananda Marga philosophy says, “For this purpose we should have a two-fold approach. For the purpose of training this turbulent mind, what is to be done? One is to get proper education, one is to be imparted with proper education — not general education — in the gospel of, in the idea of Neo-Humanism. This will help human beings in training the mind. And at the same time spiritual practice should go on for proper psychic remoulding. This is what we require most. There is no alternative.” (3)
Baba's order: No co-education after adolescence
Here following in yellow highlight is Baba’s Procedural Order which states that our Ananda Marga schools must not be co-ed once children have reached the age of puberty.
A’NANDA MA’RGA PRACA’RAKA SA’MGHA (Central)
A’NANDA NAGAR
PLO no. 1A/4.2.1969
As per rules, co-education is allowed in our Schools up to Standard V. but boys who are learning in Std. V or below but have crossed twelve years of age will not be permitted to study in any of our lady managed Schools. Similarly girls who are learning in Std. V or below but have crossed 12 years of age, shall not be allowed to study in our Schools (for boys).
Feb 4, 1969
Note: Standard V is the equivalent of 5th grade or 5th class in the western system.
Why the need for gender-separated classrooms once children reach adolescence? This will aid greatly in the transfer of knowledge as students will focus on the lesson and not be diverted towards the opposite sex etc.
Example of worthless teachers
Here Baba guides us that our teachers in our Ananda Marga schools must represent the ideals of neo-humanism; every school must be taught or led by bonafide Ananda Margiis. But these days 50% of teachers in our Ananda Marga schools are non-margiis and about 5% of them smoke. This is a very bad situation.
Ananda Marga philosophy guides us, “Speaking of ideals, yet another point comes to my mind, and that is the moral character and conduct of teachers. Many teachers demonstrate a flagrant lack of restraint over their language. There are also teachers who, after discussing the abuses and evils of intoxicants in the classroom, immediately go outside and start smoking. This sets an extremely bad example. If the teachers would just use intoxicants, without saying anything about them, it might not be so bad. But this approach naturally encourages the students to be undisciplined. They will think that the use of such things must be enjoyable, and that their teachers deprive them so that they can enjoy them alone.” (4)
Ananda Marga philosophy states, “It must be the teachers’ responsibility to impart knowledge, teach restraint in social life, and give instruction about all the various aspects of collective endeavour, but the parents will have to take on most of the responsibility for the moral and spiritual education of the child.” (5)
We should enroll our own children in AM schools
Baba verily put His own laokik family members in Ananda Marga schools. His example is enough to show us that this is the way to proceed. When discussing schooling with others then we must recommend our Ananda Marga neo-humanistic system of education. And we should enroll our own children. Other alternative schools do not possess the requisite curriculum, nor all-round qualities of our neo-humanistic educational system. Due to the lack of a proper education, the present society could not develop in the right way.
https://anandamargauniversal.blogspot.com/
We should never be shy to wave the flag of Ananda Marga education. Rather it is our explicit duty to make everybody aware about the beauty and utility of the system of neo-humanistic schools:
Ananda Marga philosophy states, “It is the birthright of everybody to march in this universal march, to move along this path of righteousness. Just show the path to all– just tell them, ‘Oh, human beings, the path is ready for you, you just come!’ Whoever is endowed with a human mind and a human body is entitled to follow this path.” (6)
School with non-margii teachers defeats the purpose
Before 1990, we had only a few high schools approved by Baba - and then after 1990 certain opportunistic and ignorant wts started making many more highs schools relying almost exclusively on non-margii teachers. Verily such high schools sprouted up all over the place like weeds after a rainstorm. But this is not the right approach. Some workers did this for money and glory, and some did this because they did not know Guru’s teaching about the need for maximum primary schools. But here, all should be clear, the way forward is to create more and more primary schools with proper Ananda Margii teachers who can implement a neo-humanistic curriculum. Making a primary school with non-margii teachers defeats the purpose of making a neo-humanistic school.
https://anandamargauniversal.blogspot.com/
References
1. Discourses on Neohumanist Education: Prama - 4
2. Human Society - 1, Education
3. Prout in a Nutshell – 18, Humanity Is at the Threshold of a New Era
4. Human Society – 1, Education
5. Human Society – 1, Education
6. Neo-Humanism in a Nutshell – 1, Existential Flow and Its Culminating Point
* * *
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 ==
Workings of avidya
Ananda Marga ideology says, "It is a fact that the force of Avidyá disturbs a spiritualist more than it disturbs an ordinary person. Various situations arise in life such as material difficulties, family unrest, abundant wealth, tremendous reputation, acute financial distress, or extreme humiliation. Sádhakas will have to bravely confront these mundane situations....They must never think in terms of retreat – it would be fatal, for the Avidyá force would stab them as soon as their backs were turned. In all circumstances one must continue the process of sádhaná to gradually enhance one's latent psychic and spiritual power.” (1)
Note: In this world, if you do bad things, then vidya maya will come and try to disturb you. If a new thief tries to commit a robbery, then vidya creates fear in your mind that you will be arrested and sentenced to jail. And if you do good things, then avidya maya will come and disturb you more fiercely. If you do sadhana then avidya maya will become furious and attack you in one or more of the below mentioned ways:
- material difficulties
- family unrest
- abundant wealth
- tremendous reputation
- acute financial distress
- extreme humiliation
So the only way is to fight back. If a sadhaka gets a lot of money or prestige, or undergoes acute financial distress, then they should be vigilant and pointedly understand that this is the trap of avidya maya. And they should be more strict in Sixteen Points. But we see before our very eyes that so many sadhakas after facing the above situations become pseudo-margiis or leave the path of Ananda Marga entirely. If you watch carefully, you will see that various people get the Sadguru and the path of tantra only to run away due to material difficulties, family unrest, abundant wealth, tremendous reputation, acute financial distress, or extreme humiliation, as well as other related reasons.
Reference
1. Ananda Marga Ideology & Way of Life - 8, The Supreme Question – 1
== Section: Important Teaching ==
Common point of ignorance
Here following is an English summary of Baba’s teaching from Shabda Cayanika - 10, originally given in Bengali.
When one suddenly finds any jewel - any rare and costly jewel - then immediately they pick it up and keep it close to their breast - leaving everything else behind, forgetting all other things, not even caring about their prestige. As far as possible one then keeps it hidden from others. Among all the jewels, the most precious is Parama Purusa.
Note: The common trait amongst all humans is that they love themselves the most. If they are inside of a burning building then first they will run out to save themselves, and then think about saving others. Even a loving mother who dotes on her small infant will think first about saving her own life. Because people are most protective of their own existence. For them that is most precious. What people fail to realise is that their own unit “I-feeling” is embedded in something greater than themselves. That’s to say, Parama Purusa is their greater self as He has taken His seat deep within their inner “I”. But due to the darkness of avidya maya, people fail to realise this truth. So they run after a plethora of worldly temptations, but never get satisfied. Whereas, the moment they get a small taste of Parama Purusa, then they do not want anything else. When by His grace, the sadhaka becomes fully ensconced in sadhana then they feel fully satiated and do not want anything else. And verily that is why they have been blessed with human life: To do sadhana and attain Him. In that case, no mundane attraction can ever bring satiation. Only the infinite Entity Parama Purusa can satisfy one’s yearning. And verily, Parama Purusa is not far; rather, He is your most precious and nearest One, embedded within. The aspirant should think that, “Parama Purusa is mine and mine alone.” And one should cultivate that feeling in their sadhana and hold Him in a deep embrace. Then one’s life will be successful.
== Section: Important Teaching ==
Importance of military
Prout philosophy states, “Everywhere in the manifested or unmanifested universe there is a ceaseless fight going on between Vidyá and Avidyá. For running a government we require strong military and police forces, for in society there is also the fight between Vidyá and Avidyá. Even within one’s self such a fight will continue. Those countries which cry for disarmament are also preparing within for war. Even after the establishment of a universal government we will require military and police forces for maintaining peace.” (1)
Reference
1. Prout in a Nutshell - 15, Talks on Prout
== Section: Important Teaching ==
Ananda Marga has spread across many different planets
Ananda Marga ideology states, “जहाँ एक छोटे-से शहर में [आनन्दमार्ग धर्म का ] छोटा-सा एक ‘nucleus’ था, वह nucleus तो उतना ही रह गया | मगर दायरा अब छोटा-सा शहर नहीं; समूचा दुनिया और सिर्फ़ यह नहीं, अब तो यह ग्रह-ग्रहान्तर में भी फैल गया है | फैल रहा है | फैलता जाएगा |” [मार्गियों की गूँज "बाबा, बाबा, बाबा !"] (1)
Here below is an English summary of Baba’s above Hindi teaching.
The small nucleus of Ananda Marga dharma which we first started in Jamalpur has extended its circumference far beyond the limited frontiers of that small town, and has now spread not only all over the world, but it has spread across many different planets and still it is spreading and will go on spreading.
Reference
1. Spiritual Truth Surpasses Everything, V7-14 (E), MGD 3 January 1979 Patna
== Section: Important Teaching ==
Blindness, ignorance, & fear in religious worship
Unfortunately, ignorant, superstitious people cannot see through the fog of avidya maya - and see Parama Purusa. The following is a description about gods & goddesses that are mostly worshipped in Bengal.
Ananda Marga philosophy states, “In many cases people are devoted to upadevatás out of fear and sometimes they are worshipped in the hopes of obtaining something. Banabibi [The Lady of the Forest] is there to save one from the grasp of the tiger. Besides her, there is Dakśińa Ráya; out of fear of cholera people worship Olái Cańd́ii; out of fear of smallpox they worship Shiitaládevii; out of fear of snakes, Manasá. These are all upadevatás. The women of a household will sometimes worship Lakśmii year-round to bring happiness in the family; Śet́erá as well as Suvacanii is worshipped in the ritual peace ceremony; Śaśt́hii and Niila are worshipped to bring welfare to one’s children; and out of fear of illness Shmashánkálii and Rakśekálii are worshipped. In Sanskrit they are all classified as upadevatás because they are not Parama Puruśa, the object of meditation in the spiritual world. Besides these, there are many other upadevatás such as Mangalacańd́ii, Áshánbibi, Satyapiira, etc. Upadevatás are also called folk [laokik] gods and goddesses. Some of them have dhyána mantras and some do not; some of them also have dhyána mantras in the local or state language and some do not have that either. In many cases the gods and goddesses of the Buddhist and Jain eras came or are coming to be worshipped as upadevatás in the post-Buddhist and post-Jain eras.” (1)
What bhaktas do
Ananda Marga philosophy states, “Those spiritual aspirants who follow the paths of knowledge, action and devotion, of course, do not bow their heads to upadevatás. They practise the sádhaná of the singular Parama Puruśa.”
“Some people call ghosts upadevatás out of excessive fear, that is, they accept them as minor gods and goddesses lest they be angered by being called ghosts. In Sanskrit, however, the word upadevatá is not used to mean “ghost” – for ghosts the word apadevatá is used. Upa means “near” and apa means “just opposite”. Apadevatá means “one whose nature is just opposite to that of a god”.” (2)
Reference
1. Shabda Cayanika - 2, Ui to Uluka (Discourse 9)
2. Shabda Cayanika - 2, Ui to Uluka (Discourse 9)
== Section: Prabhat Samgiita ==
बाबा, तुम्हें याद करते हुये मैं तुम्हारा कार्य करता जाऊँगा,
तुम्हारी सेवा करता जाऊँगा
प्रभात संगीत 2181: तोमारे स्मरिया, सुपथ धरिया कोरिया जाबो आमि तोमारी काज...
भावार्थ
बाबा, तुम्हें याद करते हुये मैं सत्य के रास्ते पर चलता जाऊँगा । इस प्रकार कार्य करता जाऊँगा, तुम्हारी सेवा करता जाऊँगा, और तुम्हारी इच्छा पूरी करता जाऊँगा । हे मेरे मन के परमप्रिय रत्न ! मैं तुम्हारी कृपा से हमेशा तुम्हारी ही ओर बढ़ता जाऊँगा । मैं भूतकाल और जड़ता को भूलकर सबप्रकार की कुप्रथाओं को दूर फेक दूँगा। हे मनोराज! मैं तुम्हारी निकटता पा-लूँगा ।
हे परमपुरुष ! तुम्हारी कृपा से अब मैं अपनी स्वार्थपरता को पैर की एक ठोकर से चूर चूर कर दूँगा । मैं सब की आवश्यकताओं की ओर ध्यान दॅूंगा और सबकी सेवा में ही अपने को व्यस्त रखूंगा । आज के बाद मैं यह नया विचार अपने मन में हमेशा चिंतन करूंगा कि सबकी भलाई ही मेरी भलाई है । आज आज से मैं स्वार्थी नहीं रहॅूंगा ।
हे परमपुरुष ! बाबा! तुम्हारी कृपा से तुम्हारे बारे में सोचते हुये , तुम्हारे प्रेम और महानता से तुम्हारे ही समान हो जाऊँगा । मेरी संकीर्णता नष्ट होकर मेरा पूरा अस्तित्व व्यापक हो जावेगा । तुम्हारे आनन्द दायी स्पर्श से मेरा पूरा अस्तित्व आनन्द से स्पन्दित हो जायेगा । तुम जैसा आशीष दोगे उसी के अनुरूप मैं रूपान्तरित हो जाऊँगा । मैं तुम्हारी इच्छानुकूल तुम्हारी ही सेवा करूँगा ।
बाबा! तुम्हें याद करते हुए मैं साधना सेवा और त्याग पूर्वक सच्चाई के पथ पर बढ़ता जाऊँगा।
टिप्पणी- मनोराज, परम पुरुष का एक नाम है जिसका अर्थ है जो मन में निवास करता है।
Note: As every sadhaka knows one may serve Parama Purusa in three realms. Rendering service to society is serving Parama Purusa in the physical sphere. Singing kiirtan is serving Him in the psychic sphere. And dhyana sadhana is serving Him in the spiritual realm.
== Section 3: Links ==
Postings to ReadStory: kiirtana saved us
Ista mantra workings
Prepping for teenage years
Comer: enfoque basado en principios
Baba's grace: spreading of AM ideology
Posture of full surrender
Fundamental spiritual teachings
