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Thursday, September 5, 2019

Harmful competition: take a look


Baba

Harmful competition: take a look

Namaskar,

Ananda Marga ideology says, “You know there are different divisions in propensities." (1)




Above, a cigar ash competition is going on. For more on this, please see note 1.                                                                                         

Humans beings have have so many propensities (i.e. mental occupations)—up to 1000 vrttis. And these can be broadly divided into four categories.


Suffering is in the beginning and also in the end


#1 Kliśt́á vrtti (beginning suffering, end suffering): Those who choose to move on the path of kliśt́á vrtti engage in endeavours which are uncomfortable and painful from the very beginning up to the very end, and the end result is also bad. 

Ananda Marga ideology says, “The propensities that become the cause of pain in the beginning and also in the end are called Kliśt́á. Suppose, for instance, someone is travelling without a ticket. There is a heavy rush in the train. Naturally he will have to undergo suffering and inconvenience. If the checking staff come, another misery befalls. So here the pain is in the beginning and also in the end. This action of his is Kliśt́á-vrtti.” (1)

Some squish themselves and battle the crowds to visit a holy land and then get trampled to death in a stampede. Likewise, suppose a thief was undergoing hardship walking in a hailstorm and then got arrested by the police. In both of these instances the beginning and end is bad—problematic. So these are related with kliśt́á vrtti.




Happy in beginning but suffering in end


#2 Akliśt́á Kliśt́á vrtti (beginning pleasure, end suffering): Those who choose to move on the path of akliśt́á kliśt́á vrtti, engage in actions which start out as pleasant and joyful, but yield very bad results. There are many activities and works that fall in this category.

For example, if one is eating rasagolla (sweets) in their house but then later on they suffer from constipation, gas, and bloating. That act started out as enjoyable but concluded as something painful. Also smoking and drinking etc come in this category. So these are related with akliśt́á kliśt́á vrtti.

Same is the case with those who enjoy dancing and partying all night, and then have to suffer the ill effects of fatigue and nausea the next day. So these are related with akliśt́á kliśt́á vrtti.



Suffering in beginning but happy in end


#3  Kliśt́á Akliśt́á vrtti (beginning suffering, end pleasure): Those who choose to move on the path of kliśt́á akliśt́á vrtti, engage in actions which start out as uncomfortable or painful, but yield very positive and beneficial results.

For instance, eating bitter foods like neem leaves may not be a pleasant experience but the overall effect is very good as the blood, gums, liver, and kidneys are greatly benefited. Similarly, studying hard for an examination is not easy and may likely involve discomfort and even suffering. But in the end, getting success in the exam is a very positive outcome. So these are related with kliśt́á akliśt́á vrtti.




Happy in beginning & bliss in end


#4  Akliśt́á vrtti (beginning pleasure, end pleasure): Those who choose to move on the path of akliśt́á vrtti engage in actions which are blissful right from the start, and yield blissful results. Which endeavour is like that? Sadhana or intuitional practice. Sadhana with bhakti is very soothing and filled with anandam. It starts blissfully, continues blissfully, and concludes blissfully; and the final outcome is also blissful. So these are related with akliśt́á vrtti.

Most often, human beings involve in such types of works and hobbies which fall in the first three groups. And due to this they suffer a lot of pain in their life.  But those who are fortunate utilize their human potentiality to pursue dharmic engagements that fall in this fourth category. They learn sadhana, practice it, and see everything as Brahma. By that way, they always do good things and make their lives happy through spiritual practice. If worldly works are done while ensconced in brahmacarya, then that makes even worldly works blissful. But the main thing is to keep a sadhana oriented life—that is the best utilization.


Conclusion


For Parama Purusa everything is blissful beginning to end. Humans have all four of these types of vrttis or mental occupations. But Parama Purusa only has one. For Him everything is blissful from beginning to end. If one does sadhana, that comes in the category of aklista vrtti because the beginning, middle and end—everything is blissful. By doing sadhana life becomes full of anandam.

In Him,
Dharmadeva



Note 1: About the above photo


The person in the above photo falls in the first category—kliśt́á.  That woman chose to involve in a cigar smoking competition. A contestant participates in the longest ash competition during the annual cigar festival in Havana, so she is forced to inhale a lot of smoke. Due to the pressure of this competition, she is uncomfortable smoking that cigar, but she is doing it in hopes of getting victory. The goal is to generate the longest ash in the shortest time, without letting the ash break and fall down. But the end result of such a competition is lung cancer. So that activity is problematic from beginning to end. This is the worst category. So many human engagements fall in this category, unfortunately.

Those who misuse their bodies in the actions of categories 1-3, they directly degenerate to animal life after their demise. No one should misuse their body by work which is illustrated in these first three categories.




Suffering + 5 more

Baba

Suffering
   
Namaskar,

BABA says, “People often hold Parama Purusa responsible for calamities that befall them, but in fact they alone are responsible, as the suffering of fate is only reaction of their own previous actions. How can Parama Purusa be responsible? Human beings themselves are answerable for their fate as it is their actions alone which create it. They alone will have to bear the consequences of all their actions. No one else can substitute for them. Their good deeds beget good result, while bad ones beget bad results, and they will have to experience both without exception. This is the law of Prakrti and no one can change this law.” (1)

Regarding the above quote I can only say that it is cent per cent correct, "Avashymev bhoktavyam krata karma shubhashubham" (अवश्यमेव भोक्तव्यं कृत कर्म शुभाशुभम ).

Unit beings are the cause

Every individual is responsible for his own action and consequent reaction. There is no role of Parama Purusa in this regard. Those who blame Parama Purusa as partial, unkind and inflicting suffering are not correct. They should read Baba's discourse on "Theory of Action" from which most of the above quotes are referred.
https://anandamargauniversal.blogspot.com

The reason for their misunderstanding on this matter is that they do not know their original action for which they undergo the reaction in present life. In general, people undergo reactions of past lives in a gradual manner therefore they do not find enough time in a particular life to exhaust all the reactions of past lives and they leave their body creating new reactions of this life. When they again get new life they are again required to undergo past reactive momenta  first, and in such a situation they generally say "I am doing good work but getting bad results, God is unkind etc" . In this way the samskaras continue to function. Parama Purusa wants to finish it soon, but they are the reactive momenta of all the living beings which prevent Him do that.

Therefore Parama Purusa is not responsible for the pleasure or pain of living beings as they are the reactions of their own actions of past lives. Parama Purusa in His role of Hari definitely showers compassion on those working sincerely and still facing troubles due to past samskaras, and reduces his reactions. This shows He is not merciless.

Conclusion

The ultimate desire of Parama Purusa is to finish this drama (i.e. creation of universe) as soon as possible but they are the samskaras / reactive momenta of all the living beings that are keeping alive all these things. Once Baba referred following shloka from Shiva Puran:

स्वागमैः कल्पितैः त्वंगच जनान मद्विमुखान कुरु
माम च गोपय येन स्यात श्रष्टिरेशोत्तरोत्तरा।

"Swagmaih kalpitaih twangcha janan madvimukhan kuru
Mamchagopay yen syat shrastireshottrottra."

In this way, unless each individual exhausts his full reactive momenta, the Sagun Brahma has to maintain this universe as His physical body; He cannot be freed even if He may be trying to be liberated as soon as possible.
https://anandamargauniversal.blogspot.com

Respectfully,
Dr T.R. Sukul

Reference
1. Ananda Marga Elementary Philosophy, What Is My Relation with the Universe and the Cosmic Entity?


*        *        *

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 ==

You are my Father

"Pitá mátá bandhu sakhá, ándháre áloka vartiká'..." (Prabhat Samgiita #0218)

Purport:

Parama Purusa, You are my most intimate and loving One and so close. You are my Father,  my Mother, my Friend, as well as my eternal Companion. My Dearmost, You are my everything - my One and only - and that divine lamp of refulgence, always guiding me along the proper path in life. You are everywhere. No one is ever alone or helpless. You are ever-present carefully watching over everyone and always residing in my heart.

Refrain / Repetition: In the cimmerian darkness of my life You are the bright luminescence who guides me always. When I am immersed in darkness, confused, and lose the path, You are there to save me. You are that bright light always leading me along the proper path.

Baba, my Supreme Entity, with Your infinite compassion, no matter how difficult the circumstances are, You are always present to provide a gentle touch. In the thorns of sorrow, You are the lotus. In the burning suffering, You are that refreshing, calm, cool balm of sandalwood. Divine One, You are the ultimate Savior and touchstone for those who lost everything. When one has incurred terrible loss, then in that bleak hour You are the only shelter and that Great Entity which transforms everything into a shining jewel. By Your touch, unit beings become divine. That is Your causeless grace. Ever-Present Entity, You are the best of everything. In the beautiful rose garden where all the flowers are aromatic and fragrant, You are the most gorgeous, beautiful garland -  the most illumined Entity in this vast universe.

Refrain / Repetition: In the cimmerian darkness of my life You are the bright luminescence who guides me always. When I am immersed in darkness, confused, and lose the path, You are there to save me. You are that bright light always leading me along the proper path.

Baba, the Supreme Entity, You are the final Cause of everything. You are the Source as well as the Origin. Because You are, I am. You are the breath of my very life. Without You, my whole existence is meaningless. You are my Dearmost and my everything. You alone are the eternal lamp of my heart. Please keep me in Your loving shelter...

Refrain / Repetition: In the cimmerian darkness of my life You are the bright luminescence who guides me always. When I am immersed in darkness, confused, and lose the path, You are there to save me. You are that bright light always leading me along the proper path.

Note For Prabhat Samgiita #0218:

[1] In the thorns of sorrow, You are the lotus: Here it is described how even when people are surrounded by struggle and strife then Parama Purusa is there to comfort them, just like how on a thorny stem, the lotus flower blooms. (Note: The stem of the lotus plant is very thorny, yet always the flower blooms on top.)


== Section 3: Important Teaching ==

Rulers impose curriculum & Proutistic response

Prout philosophy says, "The British wanted to bring the entire Indian race under their colonial grip to make the people slaves. They reformed the old educational system of India and bluntly introduced the English system of education. The English education system was contrary to that of India, because it was based on an objective approach and the complete denial of the subjective approach. The British colonial masters educated the subjugated race on the lines of their own education system, and produced a peculiar group of people who were neither Indian nor civilian nor serviceable. These so-called educated people of India were a complete departure from the mass of Indians in their habits, behaviour, thoughts, modesty and personal integrity. That is why a gulf of difference developed between the so-called educated people and the village people of India. By applying these subtle tactics, a group of people in India became European in attitude although they were Indian in colour, and this group were instrumental in perpetuating the British Raj in India."

"The British colonialists applied the same tactics in China. The Chinese people, before the Kuomintan regime, were laborious and dexterous as well as religious. But by introducing opium, the British made the entire Chinese race inactive and indolent. Afterwards the communists, under the leadership of Mao Zedong, killed the religion of the Chinese people and deprived them of their práńa dharma. In this way, the British and the communists brought the entire Chinese race under their grip."

"PROUT does not want to turn the hands of the clock back. PROUT does not reject the western educational system. But at the same time, the western education system utterly failed to inculcate a sense of morality, reverence and a high standard of behaviour among the students of India during the time of the British Raj. That is why in PROUT’s system of education, we stress the need to start “Ashramic Schools” in every village of India. If this is done, the corrosive tendency introduced by the British can be checked at an early stage. In the post-independence period of India, the leaders and educationists could not deeply understand the prevalent crisis of the Indian education system. This crisis was largely due to the defective British education system which was fundamentally against the práńa dharma of the Indian people. All the attempts to reform the education system proved futile and led the nation towards further degradation. This was because India’s educationists could not reform the education system according to the práńa dharma of the Indian people. Our Ananda Marga school curriculum is based on the práńa dharma of the people of India."

"...During the British rule, both in the social and spiritual spheres, the people were deprived of their práńa dharma. Some so-called western educated people even now look down upon villagers for their simplicity and na ivete. These so-called educated people were misguided away from práńa dharma because they were denied any subjective approach in the western education system. This is why such people have failed to become one with the mass." (1)

Reference
1. Prout in a Nutshell - 18, Talks on Education – Excerpt B


== Section ==

Materialism: Last एक century में मनुष्य-समाज का सर्वनाश

“भक्ति-विहीन मनुष्य ज्ञान की चर्चा कर रहे हैं, लोग कहते हैं---"बड़े ज्ञानी हैं, ख़ूब जानते है |" तो ज्ञानी से कुछ होगा ? नहीं होगा | क्यों नहीं होगा ? यह जो ज्ञान, परमार्थ-विहीन ज्ञान, यह तो एकदम जड़ ज्ञान | और जड़ ज्ञान भी आख़िर तक मनुष्य को जड़ बना देगा, और कुछ नहीं | जड़-दर्शन मनुष्य को जड़ बना देता है | Last एक century में इस तरह के [जड़]दर्शन के कारण मनुष्य-समाज का सर्वनाश हो गया | मनुष्य जड़ता की ओर गए, materialism की ओर अधिक झुके, सही बात उन्हें मालूम नहीं हो सकी | अब, मानवता को इस ख़तरनाक जड़-दर्शन से बचाना है | लोग ज्ञान समझ लिए इसी को | यह ज्ञान नहीं है, यह ज्ञान का जञ्जाल है |

प्रेयस्करा ह्येषा बुद्धिः सा बुद्धिः प्राणघातिनी |
श्रेयस्करा ह्येषा बुद्धिः सा बुद्धिः मोक्षदायिनी ||

यह जो बुद्धि, यह जो ज्ञान, यह प्रेय की ओर मनुष्य को ले जाएगा | केवल खाना-कपड़ा | अरे खाना-कपड़े के ऊपर में भी एक मनुष्य है---जिनके दिल की भूख मिटानी है | इस [जड़]दर्शन से सो होनेवाला नहीं है |”
[यह बाबा के कैसेट से सीधे लिखा गया, बाबा का यह असली प्रवचन, अमृतोपदेश है। सर्व विदित है कि आनन्द मार्ग हिन्दी पुस्तकों में छपे प्रवचन तो नक़ली प्रवचन हैं, असली नहीं] (1)


Reference
1. GD 13 September 1978 Patna


== Section ==

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Why should I keep or break with the old traditions?

"Pseudo-spirituality cannot help us in our free thinking either, for our thinking is badly affected by dogma. When a human being sits alone and thinks, if the person thinks for the collective interest, then such thoughts are proper; but usually people do not think in this way. Usually they lament over the worn-out skeletons of the past. “This was done by, this was imposed by, our forefathers – when our forefathers have said this, why should I break with the old traditions? It was written in this way in the scriptures; and moreover if I follow these old conventions and traditions, what is the harm?” These types of dogmatic and dogma-ic thoughts will naturally stifle the free flow of human thought. And that is why whenever there is dogma, human thinking cannot be free; and for want of, for paucity of, free thinking, there cannot be any proper psycho-spiritual progress either. So here what we want is perfect spirituality and not pseudo-spirituality. Pseudo-spirituality cannot promote the cause of human welfare; the seed of welfare does not lie there. The seed of welfare cannot exist where the seed of dogma exists." (1)

Note: In His above teaching, Baba guides us that pseudo-spirituality severely hampers one's progress on the path of true spirituality. Unfortunately, we see some instances of this taking shape in our Ananda Marga.

For instance, a few Ananda Margiis born into Hindu families copy their ancestors on the point of annual shraddha ceremonies. Confused sadhakas feel that as their forefathers did like this so they should carry on the tradition. Thus each year confused sadhakas organise programs and mass feedings in the name and honour of their deceased relatives. But this goes wholly against Guru's mandate and guideline. Tragically, their mind has been stifled; these confused sadhakas cannot see this matter in a dharmic way. Just some confused sadhakas are stuck on their old, dogmatic family tradition of observing annual shraddha ceremonies.

Same is the case for those who follow so-called mahaprayan. Some confused sadhakas think that, "In the past my ancestors honoured their gurus and teachers by making a yearly shraddha ceremony so I should do this too.” In their confused state the thought arises, “Now my Guru is gone so I should organise an annual death day / tomb worship / shraddhainjali commemoration." In that way some emulated the dogmatic religious worship carried out by their forefathers and re-created that in our Ananda Marga. That is the tragedy which has occurred. As this runs wholly contrary to our Ananda Marga teachings.

Here again, the ill effects of pseudo-spirituality from old traditions have caused the mind to freeze and overlook all logic and reasoning. In Ananda Marga, Parama Purusa is the Guru, and He is eternal. Then where is there scope for so-called mahaprayan. There isn't; it is utterly baseless.

But when the mind is blocked by pseudo-spirituality one cannot think freely on such matters. Hence some become prone to dogma. Sadly, some confused sadhakas think they are getting benefited by such annual shraddha ceremonies and so-called mahaprayan programs, when in fact such confused sadhakas are ruining their own spiritual progress.

Reference
1. A Few Problems Solved - 5, Pseudo-Spirituality and Neohumanism
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== Section ==

A new chapter in human history - Ananda Vanii #1

“The Supreme Spirit within humanity, neglected for ages, has awakened today. This awakening will initiate a new chapter in human history. You will all be the pioneers of the new trend.”

Note: The above is one of Baba’s original Ananda Vaniis. These original and true Ananda Vaniis are unique, eternal guidelines that stand as complete discourses in and of themselves. They are unlike Fake Ananda Vaniis which are fabricated by most of the groups - H, B etc.


== Section 4: Links ==


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