Reply to: anandamargauniversal1@yogasamsthanam.net
Note: This letter is only for those who have reverence for Sadguru Baba Shrii Shrii Anandamurti ji and try to learn and follow His Ananda Marga ideology.
Namaskar,
Our tantric code is based on a high ideal wherein even the language reflects an outlook based on spiritual realization and selfless sacrifice and service. Sadly, this ethic is wholly absent in materialistic communities. And that deficit is also reflected in those languages. Here following are a few of the many terms that are a product of a superficial materialistic way of thinking and / or a lustful male mind-set.
Violent words towards cat
(a) 'Kill two birds with one stone': This is one of numerous terms that reflect a superficial, uncaring, materialistic attitude that reflects the idea that this whole creation is just something for one’s own personal enjoyment and selfish indulgence. The phrase means getting two jobs done at the same time, but it is a heartless expression. Whatever pain or hardship others have to suffer - whether it be people, animals, or plants - all that is secondary to the self-indulgent pleasure derived by the materialist. In a similar way of thinking there is the phrase 'more than 1 way to skin a cat' - which is a heartless way of saying that there is more than one answer to every problem.
(b) 'Sell yourself - Sell it': In this era of gross materialism, it is not just goods and material items that are sold. One must also sell ideas or even yourself. No longer does one try to convince others to get their point across. Rather, one sells it. Whether the other party understands or not is irrelevant. So long as one can sell the idea that is enough. The buying and selling mentality of materialism has invaded even the depths of one's psyche.
Examples: how good actions also colored with bad terms
(c) 'Don’t put all your eggs in one basket': This refers to the concept of not limiting oneself to a single option in life. But why correlate this notion with the embryo or offspring of a chicken. Are chickens mere commodities with no existential value of their own. Have chicken eggs been created solely for human consumption - have humans become so ego-centric. Certainly there are better - more sentient - ways to express this concept.
(d) 'Rosehip': What is the need to give a name to an herb that links that herb with a particular body part. This is yet another sensual expression of modern-day materialism. Is the only way to make this herb appealing to relate it with the mid-section of human being? There is a never-ending fascination with the allurement of the physical body in modern, western / materialistic society.
(e) 'Overkill': The social meaning of this is doing a particular task to a degree far more than is needed such as cleaning a spotless floor 3 more times, or tying down a 3kg object with ropes that were designed to hold 1,000kg. But in materialistic societies, where violence is rampant and killing is popular theme in movies, the term overkill was invented, as if to say that you already killed something - it is dead and lifeless - so there is no need to kill it anymore than that. So do not overkill it.
And there are numerous more terms.
Lowly mind creates lowly words
In our male dominated western society, language has been formed to reflect many lower types of ideas. That is why phrases and terms like 'plug and socket' get switched over into 'male and female' etc. And while it is pervasive in the west, we cannot claim that all are affected. Rather, individual and communities around the globe are affected to the degree they have become victims of materialism and the resulting pseudo-culture values and expressions.
In that case, the dominant male culture dictates events according to male satisfaction, or sensual male desires. Where words and phrases are regularly used to objectify the female body and / or portray a tamasik, sensual way of thinking etc. Just like the term 'lady's finger' was made to represent the common Hindi word Bhindi, also known as the vegetable okra. Or this male-dominated society borrowed the sensual female related term 'bra' or 'brassiere' to depict the mundane cover that fits over the front of an automobile.
Ananda Marga is spiritual society - should avoid negative terms
In this way, unfortunately, the English language - and other languages - are littered with so many of these types of expressions and innuendos: Where normal everyday events get described and named according to the landscape of the female body.
Altogether all these words and phrases are the expression of a low mind. It is a degenerated way of thinking whereby the collective debased mind submerges in a negative thought pattern. And mostly the cause is current era of our male-dominated society.
Our Ananda Marga society is spiritually based and that sentient and effulgent quality should reflect in all our expressions of individual and collective life. And we should not let ourselves get caught up in nor affected by the use of such degrading terminology that has become so pervasive all around the globe.
Conclusion
In His historic discourse, 'Renaissance In All the Strata of Life', Baba directs us that we are to guide the society and bring a renaissance in all the spheres of existence from language and linguistic expression to politics to economics to culture to spirituality and more. So language is also one key factor that should be purified, refined and made more sentient. Here following is Baba's call for a renewal in all the realms.
Ananda Marga ideology states, "The scope of the Renaissance movement is vast, and you will have to start your work from this very moment: It brooks no delay." (1)
Namaskar,
In Him,
Shanti Reynolds
~ In-depth study ~
Reason for shortage of spiritual words in English language
Here below Baba is guiding us that language develops according to need based on life experience. Linguistic expression develops according to day to day engagements.
For instance, those Inuit tribes in Alaska developed a language rich with words about snow but with a dearth of vocabulary for hot-weather activities; similarly those communities from the landlocked desert have a plethora of words about dry, desert living and suffer from a shortage of words about oceanography etc. In the same manner, those communities that grew out of the confines of materialism have a gross abundance of terms describing sensual life, and have an extreme dearth - or even no words at all - of terminology depicting spiritual life. If a people have no idea what savikalpa samadhi is then there is no cause for them to create such a word.
Words are created based on a community's sphere of engagement in a particular realm of life. That is what Baba is expressing in His below teaching.
Ananda Marga ideology states, "Perhaps you know – especially those of you who study philology, or deal with the science of phonetics and vocabulary – that a language in its infancy starts with a very limited vocabulary. Later, the more the community using this limited word-stock advances in different spheres of practical life, the more enriched the vocabulary becomes, but if that community lacks the will to advance, their vocabulary will not grow..."
"I have just said that as a community passes through various phases in different spheres of life, its collection of words simultaneously increases. The language of monkeys will serve as an example. It is a fact that monkeys have their own language. Among the different species of monkeys there are those who remain in the jungles and forests. As they hardly ever come in contact with human beings, they have little knowledge and few words in their stock, perhaps thirty to forty words. They do not need to create compound words; they manage well enough by uttering certain significant expressions using sounds such as kiun, kun, kin, kain." (2)
Guidelines for how to create new words
However, in Ananda Marga we always bring everything into a positive light. Because Baba graciously gives solutions for each and every problem. So in the response to the current trend of debased language, Baba has given special encyclopedia(s) and grammar books - such as Laghu Nirukta and Shabda Cayanika etc - and included within them are guidelines for how to create new words. Thus He has granted us the opportunity to invent and formulate proper sentient words which were otherwise lacking in the language. So this is one special new technique given by Baba. And this will be very beneficial for society. Because just as the standard of mind affects the quality of language, similarly oral and linguistic expression in all its forms affects the development of mind.
Ananda Marga ideology states, "Good company, good books, good literature, good songs, kiirtanas (devotional chanting) elevate the mind and the mind becomes sanctified." (3)
A linguistic comparison
Here are some basic & qualitative differences between oriental and occidental language. As this gives some insight as to how languages are formed.
Uniqueness of the sanskrit language
As Ananda Margiis, by Baba's grace we have gotten opportunity to bring the Sanskrit language into our everyday vocabulary. Because certainly this is a beautiful and subtle language-- with its own internal and unique meaning. As we have all seen there are numerous Sanskrit terms which have no direct corollary word in the western languages like English.
For example such important and deeply meaningful words like mantra, upavasa, dharma, and sadhana etc-- none of these words have an appropriate English synonym. No doubt certain words are used such as incantation, fasting, religion, and meditation etc. But these all fall short of the mark; they sacrifice to some or more degree the true meaning of the term. And Baba clearly points out that these English terms do not carry the real spirit of the corresponding Sanskrit words.
Ananda Marga ideology states, "There is no proper English word for the Sanskrit word 'mantra'. We use the word 'incantation' for mantra, but it is not a proper word for the Sanskrit term." (4)
And regarding the word upavasa Baba again points out the deficit of the corresponding word in English.
Ananda Marga ideology states, "'Upavasa' - on these days of fasting, what are all spiritual aspirants to do? Mentally they should live near their Lord...these days are known as 'upava'sa'. The word 'fasting' does not represent the proper sense or proper spirit." (5)
More examples how English is incapable
Likewise dharma is often translated as religion; yet as Ananda Margiis we all know the term 'religion' is entirely insufficient to represent the Sanskrit word 'dharma'. And even the word sadhana has no English counterpart. In common circles the English word meditation is used. But that is unable to express the proper meaning of the Sanskrit term sadhana.
And same is the case with the Sanskrit word Is't'a. In that case also the applied English term 'goal' does not carry the distinctive meaning of the term I'sta'. Rather a whole collection of words are needed to attempt to carry the spirit of the term Is't'a. But even by using a half-a-dozen English terms or more, still they fail to reflect the real sense, spirit, and vibration of the term Is'ta.
Ananda Marga ideology states, "What's the meaning of Is't'a? Is't'a means 'loving', 'favourite', 'dear', 'attractive', 'goal', 'terminus', 'desideratum'. There are so many imports for that single term Is't'a." (6)
So we see that in so many cases the English vocabulary is basically incapable of reflecting spiritual ideas which are neatly expressed in a single Sanskrit term.
The idea is that language itself is a reflection of the mental standard of a given society. And when the Sanskrit language itself was developed during an era when the psychic standard was quite high, then there is a tremendous number of words for expressing subtle spiritual ideas. Whereas in English, that scope is not present; if anything, the English language is prone in the opposite direction, especially these days where it is marred by extreme materialism.
And indeed the above letter presents a few phrases and terms from the English language that reflect the prevailing materialistic outlook of the day. And verily there are countless more examples.
References
1. Prout in a Nutshell - 9, Renaissance in All the Strata of Life
2. A Few Problems Solved - 7, The Faculty of Knowledge – 1
3. Microvita in a Nutshell, Mobility and Movement of Microvita
4. Ananda Vacanamrtam - 23, Oṋḿkára and Iśt́a Mantra
5. Ananda Vacanamrtam - 6, Upavása
6. Ananda Vacanamrtram - 23, Oṋḿkára and Iśt́a Mantra
How avidya maya tries to ruin sadhakas
Ananda Marga ideology states, "The avidyá force declares war on those whose desire or inclination is towards vidyá; this gives rise to a hostile tendency in the recesses of their minds, against which they have to struggle. At home the husband, wife or the other members of the family become dissatisfied with them, and create various obstacles. In the field of their activities the opportunities arise for depravity, meanness, bribes etc., and they have to maintain their self-control. The locusts of desires come swarming in to destroy the very bud of their sádhaná. So they must carefully avoid such temptations for their own safety. But those whose movement is truly towards vidyá, who are determined to follow the path of vidyá by sacrificing their all, will eventually become immune to all obstacles. No amount of scornful taunts or diatribes will be able to check their lightning speed. They will emerge victorious, weathering and defying all storms, and eventually stand firm and erect like the Himalayas; and the storms and squalls will rebound back in disappointment."
"When the Sádhaka or the spiritual aspirant will stand untrammelled and resolute, with the courage of his conviction, and self-confidence, all snags and dangers will gradually wither away – will timidly disappear from his path...Obstacles are the concomitants of sádhaná, struggling is a good sign. By these obstacles sádhakas can understand that their spiritual practice is on the right track. Spiritual philosophy comes into being only when sádhakas struggling with avidyá’s hindrances, vindicates their move towards Brahma after defeating the base propensities of avidyá by their own intellect and judgment." (1)
References
1. Subhasita Samgraha - 3, Supreme Benevolence and Mundane Pleasure
Recent Postings Other topics of interest
Baba
Filthy vocabulary?
Note: This letter is only for those who have reverence for Sadguru Baba Shrii Shrii Anandamurti ji and try to learn and follow His Ananda Marga ideology.
Namaskar,
Our tantric code is based on a high ideal wherein even the language reflects an outlook based on spiritual realization and selfless sacrifice and service. Sadly, this ethic is wholly absent in materialistic communities. And that deficit is also reflected in those languages. Here following are a few of the many terms that are a product of a superficial materialistic way of thinking and / or a lustful male mind-set.
Violent words towards cat
(a) 'Kill two birds with one stone': This is one of numerous terms that reflect a superficial, uncaring, materialistic attitude that reflects the idea that this whole creation is just something for one’s own personal enjoyment and selfish indulgence. The phrase means getting two jobs done at the same time, but it is a heartless expression. Whatever pain or hardship others have to suffer - whether it be people, animals, or plants - all that is secondary to the self-indulgent pleasure derived by the materialist. In a similar way of thinking there is the phrase 'more than 1 way to skin a cat' - which is a heartless way of saying that there is more than one answer to every problem.
(b) 'Sell yourself - Sell it': In this era of gross materialism, it is not just goods and material items that are sold. One must also sell ideas or even yourself. No longer does one try to convince others to get their point across. Rather, one sells it. Whether the other party understands or not is irrelevant. So long as one can sell the idea that is enough. The buying and selling mentality of materialism has invaded even the depths of one's psyche.
Examples: how good actions also colored with bad terms
(c) 'Don’t put all your eggs in one basket': This refers to the concept of not limiting oneself to a single option in life. But why correlate this notion with the embryo or offspring of a chicken. Are chickens mere commodities with no existential value of their own. Have chicken eggs been created solely for human consumption - have humans become so ego-centric. Certainly there are better - more sentient - ways to express this concept.
(d) 'Rosehip': What is the need to give a name to an herb that links that herb with a particular body part. This is yet another sensual expression of modern-day materialism. Is the only way to make this herb appealing to relate it with the mid-section of human being? There is a never-ending fascination with the allurement of the physical body in modern, western / materialistic society.
(e) 'Overkill': The social meaning of this is doing a particular task to a degree far more than is needed such as cleaning a spotless floor 3 more times, or tying down a 3kg object with ropes that were designed to hold 1,000kg. But in materialistic societies, where violence is rampant and killing is popular theme in movies, the term overkill was invented, as if to say that you already killed something - it is dead and lifeless - so there is no need to kill it anymore than that. So do not overkill it.
And there are numerous more terms.
Lowly mind creates lowly words
In our male dominated western society, language has been formed to reflect many lower types of ideas. That is why phrases and terms like 'plug and socket' get switched over into 'male and female' etc. And while it is pervasive in the west, we cannot claim that all are affected. Rather, individual and communities around the globe are affected to the degree they have become victims of materialism and the resulting pseudo-culture values and expressions.
In that case, the dominant male culture dictates events according to male satisfaction, or sensual male desires. Where words and phrases are regularly used to objectify the female body and / or portray a tamasik, sensual way of thinking etc. Just like the term 'lady's finger' was made to represent the common Hindi word Bhindi, also known as the vegetable okra. Or this male-dominated society borrowed the sensual female related term 'bra' or 'brassiere' to depict the mundane cover that fits over the front of an automobile.
Ananda Marga is spiritual society - should avoid negative terms
In this way, unfortunately, the English language - and other languages - are littered with so many of these types of expressions and innuendos: Where normal everyday events get described and named according to the landscape of the female body.
Altogether all these words and phrases are the expression of a low mind. It is a degenerated way of thinking whereby the collective debased mind submerges in a negative thought pattern. And mostly the cause is current era of our male-dominated society.
Our Ananda Marga society is spiritually based and that sentient and effulgent quality should reflect in all our expressions of individual and collective life. And we should not let ourselves get caught up in nor affected by the use of such degrading terminology that has become so pervasive all around the globe.
Conclusion
In His historic discourse, 'Renaissance In All the Strata of Life', Baba directs us that we are to guide the society and bring a renaissance in all the spheres of existence from language and linguistic expression to politics to economics to culture to spirituality and more. So language is also one key factor that should be purified, refined and made more sentient. Here following is Baba's call for a renewal in all the realms.
Ananda Marga ideology states, "The scope of the Renaissance movement is vast, and you will have to start your work from this very moment: It brooks no delay." (1)
Namaskar,
In Him,
Shanti Reynolds
~ In-depth study ~
Reason for shortage of spiritual words in English language
Here below Baba is guiding us that language develops according to need based on life experience. Linguistic expression develops according to day to day engagements.
For instance, those Inuit tribes in Alaska developed a language rich with words about snow but with a dearth of vocabulary for hot-weather activities; similarly those communities from the landlocked desert have a plethora of words about dry, desert living and suffer from a shortage of words about oceanography etc. In the same manner, those communities that grew out of the confines of materialism have a gross abundance of terms describing sensual life, and have an extreme dearth - or even no words at all - of terminology depicting spiritual life. If a people have no idea what savikalpa samadhi is then there is no cause for them to create such a word.
Words are created based on a community's sphere of engagement in a particular realm of life. That is what Baba is expressing in His below teaching.
Ananda Marga ideology states, "Perhaps you know – especially those of you who study philology, or deal with the science of phonetics and vocabulary – that a language in its infancy starts with a very limited vocabulary. Later, the more the community using this limited word-stock advances in different spheres of practical life, the more enriched the vocabulary becomes, but if that community lacks the will to advance, their vocabulary will not grow..."
"I have just said that as a community passes through various phases in different spheres of life, its collection of words simultaneously increases. The language of monkeys will serve as an example. It is a fact that monkeys have their own language. Among the different species of monkeys there are those who remain in the jungles and forests. As they hardly ever come in contact with human beings, they have little knowledge and few words in their stock, perhaps thirty to forty words. They do not need to create compound words; they manage well enough by uttering certain significant expressions using sounds such as kiun, kun, kin, kain." (2)
Guidelines for how to create new words
However, in Ananda Marga we always bring everything into a positive light. Because Baba graciously gives solutions for each and every problem. So in the response to the current trend of debased language, Baba has given special encyclopedia(s) and grammar books - such as Laghu Nirukta and Shabda Cayanika etc - and included within them are guidelines for how to create new words. Thus He has granted us the opportunity to invent and formulate proper sentient words which were otherwise lacking in the language. So this is one special new technique given by Baba. And this will be very beneficial for society. Because just as the standard of mind affects the quality of language, similarly oral and linguistic expression in all its forms affects the development of mind.
Ananda Marga ideology states, "Good company, good books, good literature, good songs, kiirtanas (devotional chanting) elevate the mind and the mind becomes sanctified." (3)
A linguistic comparison
Here are some basic & qualitative differences between oriental and occidental language. As this gives some insight as to how languages are formed.
Uniqueness of the sanskrit language
As Ananda Margiis, by Baba's grace we have gotten opportunity to bring the Sanskrit language into our everyday vocabulary. Because certainly this is a beautiful and subtle language-- with its own internal and unique meaning. As we have all seen there are numerous Sanskrit terms which have no direct corollary word in the western languages like English.
For example such important and deeply meaningful words like mantra, upavasa, dharma, and sadhana etc-- none of these words have an appropriate English synonym. No doubt certain words are used such as incantation, fasting, religion, and meditation etc. But these all fall short of the mark; they sacrifice to some or more degree the true meaning of the term. And Baba clearly points out that these English terms do not carry the real spirit of the corresponding Sanskrit words.
Ananda Marga ideology states, "There is no proper English word for the Sanskrit word 'mantra'. We use the word 'incantation' for mantra, but it is not a proper word for the Sanskrit term." (4)
And regarding the word upavasa Baba again points out the deficit of the corresponding word in English.
Ananda Marga ideology states, "'Upavasa' - on these days of fasting, what are all spiritual aspirants to do? Mentally they should live near their Lord...these days are known as 'upava'sa'. The word 'fasting' does not represent the proper sense or proper spirit." (5)
More examples how English is incapable
Likewise dharma is often translated as religion; yet as Ananda Margiis we all know the term 'religion' is entirely insufficient to represent the Sanskrit word 'dharma'. And even the word sadhana has no English counterpart. In common circles the English word meditation is used. But that is unable to express the proper meaning of the Sanskrit term sadhana.
And same is the case with the Sanskrit word Is't'a. In that case also the applied English term 'goal' does not carry the distinctive meaning of the term I'sta'. Rather a whole collection of words are needed to attempt to carry the spirit of the term Is't'a. But even by using a half-a-dozen English terms or more, still they fail to reflect the real sense, spirit, and vibration of the term Is'ta.
Ananda Marga ideology states, "What's the meaning of Is't'a? Is't'a means 'loving', 'favourite', 'dear', 'attractive', 'goal', 'terminus', 'desideratum'. There are so many imports for that single term Is't'a." (6)
So we see that in so many cases the English vocabulary is basically incapable of reflecting spiritual ideas which are neatly expressed in a single Sanskrit term.
The idea is that language itself is a reflection of the mental standard of a given society. And when the Sanskrit language itself was developed during an era when the psychic standard was quite high, then there is a tremendous number of words for expressing subtle spiritual ideas. Whereas in English, that scope is not present; if anything, the English language is prone in the opposite direction, especially these days where it is marred by extreme materialism.
And indeed the above letter presents a few phrases and terms from the English language that reflect the prevailing materialistic outlook of the day. And verily there are countless more examples.
References
1. Prout in a Nutshell - 9, Renaissance in All the Strata of Life
2. A Few Problems Solved - 7, The Faculty of Knowledge – 1
3. Microvita in a Nutshell, Mobility and Movement of Microvita
4. Ananda Vacanamrtam - 23, Oṋḿkára and Iśt́a Mantra
5. Ananda Vacanamrtam - 6, Upavása
6. Ananda Vacanamrtram - 23, Oṋḿkára and Iśt́a Mantra
* * *
The below sections are entirely different topics, unrelated to the above material.
They stand on their own as points of interest.
* * *
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 ==
How avidya maya tries to ruin sadhakas
Ananda Marga ideology states, "The avidyá force declares war on those whose desire or inclination is towards vidyá; this gives rise to a hostile tendency in the recesses of their minds, against which they have to struggle. At home the husband, wife or the other members of the family become dissatisfied with them, and create various obstacles. In the field of their activities the opportunities arise for depravity, meanness, bribes etc., and they have to maintain their self-control. The locusts of desires come swarming in to destroy the very bud of their sádhaná. So they must carefully avoid such temptations for their own safety. But those whose movement is truly towards vidyá, who are determined to follow the path of vidyá by sacrificing their all, will eventually become immune to all obstacles. No amount of scornful taunts or diatribes will be able to check their lightning speed. They will emerge victorious, weathering and defying all storms, and eventually stand firm and erect like the Himalayas; and the storms and squalls will rebound back in disappointment."
"When the Sádhaka or the spiritual aspirant will stand untrammelled and resolute, with the courage of his conviction, and self-confidence, all snags and dangers will gradually wither away – will timidly disappear from his path...Obstacles are the concomitants of sádhaná, struggling is a good sign. By these obstacles sádhakas can understand that their spiritual practice is on the right track. Spiritual philosophy comes into being only when sádhakas struggling with avidyá’s hindrances, vindicates their move towards Brahma after defeating the base propensities of avidyá by their own intellect and judgment." (1)
References
1. Subhasita Samgraha - 3, Supreme Benevolence and Mundane Pleasure
== Section 3: Links ==
Recent Postings Other topics of interest
More important letters
Reply to: anandamargauniversal1@yogasamsthanam.net
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This email contains three sections:
1. Posting: Filthy vocabulary?
2. IT: How avidya maya tries to ruin sadhakas
3. Links
©2017 Ananda Marga Universal Forum. All rights reserved. Ananda Marga Universal Forum content is the intellectual property of Ananda Marga Universal Forum or its third party content providers. Ananda Marga Universal Forum shall not be liable for any errors or delays in content, or for any actions taken in reliance thereon. Any copying, republication or redistribution, part or full, of Ananda Marga Universal Forum content, including by framing or similar means, is against the court of law and expressly prohibited without the prior written consent of Ananda Marga Universal Forum.
1. Posting: Filthy vocabulary?
2. IT: How avidya maya tries to ruin sadhakas
3. Links
