Baba
Evaluating life
Namaskar,
Progress means moving forward; however, to move forwards one has to have an idea of what the destination is. If you are at point A and you do not know where you want to finally end up, then wandering around at high speed is not progress, although you are moving. If you are at point A then you have to have the desideratum in mind. And if you move ahead keeping this destination at the forefront then that is pro-gress. And if you move away from the cherished aim then it is re-gress.
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How blind materialists gloat
Remember, wandering around is not progress. And running around not knowing the desideratum is also not progress. Moving towards the wrong destination is also not progress. To truly progress one has to know where the journey starts and where it ends. You started in saincara, and now you are in pratisaincara, and you have to go to the culmination of pratisaincara. You are a human being, so it is obvious you are in the last leg of pratisaincara. In this stage, your progress is depending upon serious efforts in sadhana. If by sadhana you are getting closer psycho-spiritually to Parama Purusa then that is progress.
Those who make materialism their aim and pursue mundane objectives and accumulation etc are regressing. Unfortunately, in this material world, wrong has been declared as right, and right as wrong. That is why although most confused people are regressing, they gloat that they are progressing. That is tragic.
One beggar used to sit under the bridge, and when he would drink excessively he would loudly proclaim that he was the president of the country. Similar is the case with those who waste their life in mundane gains, yet boast that they are progressing. Our duty is to open the eyes of such blind people and guide them about what is real progress.
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Progress only in spiritual sphere
The singular, one-pointed aim of human life is to advance towards that Cosmic Purusa. This is the great endeavour of human existence. For this reason, Baba guides us that actual progress can only occur in the spiritual stratum - i.e. when by dint of one's sadhana and by His grace the radius or distance between the sadhaka and Parama Purusa is decreased. So coming closer to Parama Purusa is the only progress.
Whatever "advancements" one makes in the physical and mental spheres do not count as true progress. For example, if one gets a big job promotion that is only a sign of worldly change with respect to time, place, and person. Such a promotion in and of itself does not bring one any closer to Parama Purusa. It may even create a huge amount of vanity where one begins to forget Parama Purusa. So what to speak of progress - that job promotion may be anti, if the result is that one moves further away from Parama Purusa.
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Baba's entire teaching is that actual progress means moving towards the Supreme Nucleus - towards Parama Purusa. And that can only be done in the spiritual realm.
Ananda Marga ideology says, "Actual development, actual progress, cannot be in the realm of physicality or in the psychic world. Actual progress is where the proximity to Parama Purus'a is increasing -- that is, going closer to Parama Purus'a. That is progress. But while moving in this way, if the mind remains in that position, if the a'tma', spirit, remains in that position, only man invents new dress, and television, or radio, or so many teleprinters, and so many newer vehicles, is it progress? No. Progress is -- what? When he comes near this point. That is the only progress."
"So there can be progress only in the spiritual sphere. In physical and psychic spheres there cannot be any progress. You will be where you were. Only when your spirit, your a'tman, your soul, comes closer to the starting point, that is the only progress, that's why there can be progress only in the spiritual stratum. Do you follow?"
"...Spirituality means that which helps you in moving towards that goal from where you started your long journey. To go back to the original home after passing through so many lives, is the spiritual practice and spiritual progress." (1)
Conclusion
Here again is Sadguru Baba's guideline on the point of true progress.
Ananda Marga ideology says, "We must remember that actual progress can be made only in the spiritual stratum. There cannot be any progress in the physical stratum, or the physico-psychic stratum, or even in the psychic stratum. Whatever is known as progress is actually change of place and nothing more."
"Always remember, human life is very meaningful, and human beings can make it more meaningful through their own efforts. You have got human life. By dint of your actions and your sa'dhana' you will increase the value of your human life. Why should you live like ordinary humans? Become extraordinary! Extraordinary people ultimately raise themselves to divinity. That is, humans become devata's [gods], and devata's become Parama Brahma."
"As you have got a human body, utilize it at every moment. Let there be maximum utilization of your very existence. Make your existence great by dint of your extraordinary action. Your life will become more and more meaningful if you do more and more work and more and more meditation." (2)
In Him,
Brahmasvarup
~ In-depth study ~
Just a well-dressed monkey
Ananda Marga ideology guides us, “So there can be progress only in the spiritual sphere. In physical and psychic spheres there cannot be any progress. You will be where you were. Only when your spirit, your átman, your soul, comes closer to the starting point, that is the only progress, that’s why there can be progress only in spiritual stratum.”
“Could you follow?”
“In physical spheres? No. Suppose a man, his mentally is just like that of a monkey, and he wears a good silken dress, yes, and using an ultra-modern vehicle, but has there been any progress? He is in a monkey state, not in [laughing] human stage. Hmm? So well-dressed monkey.” (3)
References
1. Ananda Vacanamrtam - 14,Kiirtana and Dance / The Psychic Order
2. Subhasita Samgraha - 24, Incantation and Human Progress
3. Ananda Vacanamrtam - 14, Kiirtana and Dance / The Psychic Order
* * *
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 ==
Prout philosophy says, “There are several forms of governmental structure, and among them the democratic structure is highly appreciated [by some persons]. Democracy is defined as “government of the people, by the people and for the people.” But in fact it is the rule of the majority. Hence democracy means “mobocracy” because the government in a democratic structure is guided by mob psychology. The majority of the society are fools; wise people are always in a minority. Thus, finally democracy is nothing but “foolocracy”.” (1)
Note: Given the present political climate around the world, democracy is the best option. But democracy does have its shortcomings. Currently, the chief criteria for voting is age. If one has reached a certain age then that makes them eligible to vote. Yet we all know that age alone does not certify that one is truly qualified to vote in a mature and meaningful manner. To cast a meaningful vote, socio-political awareness is needed.
However, nowadays this is a very delicate issue. People feel that all should be allowed to vote - not just a select few. Because, since long, in the name of a selecto-electoral system, voting rights were only given to the dominant group. For instance, in the US, only white males were allowed to vote for nearly two centuries. Relatively recently, after an extended battle, voting rights were granted to women, African-Americans, and others etc. That is why today, if you mention the benefits of the selecto-electoral system, people become terrified. They think that only the ruling group will have voting rights and all others will be subjected to unfair treatment. They feel they just eradicated that misery and now you want to bring it back.
Yet as society advances, people will realise the need to have a socially and politically conscious electorate. One should have sufficient knowledge of the various parties and what their platforms are. If such a system is properly implemented, and really only socially and politically conscious people can vote, then the world will be a different place. There will be so many positive changes. In due course it is going to happen.
Unfortunately, because of the shortcomings in the present-day system, the majority of voters are fools. Hence, democracy is nothing but foolocracy.
Reference
1. Prout in a Nutshell Part 5, Discourses on Prout
== Section: Important Teaching ==
Ananda Marga philosophy states, “Negative microvita cannot influence a person’s mind at all when one’s mind is moving in the higher cakras. They cannot even fully control the body, although they can have a negative influence to some extent. If a person in a state of meditation keeps his or her mind concentrated at a higher cakra for a long time, and immediately after that negative microvita carried by the smell inference enter the body, these negative microvita cannot overpower the person, but they can do so partially. But if the mind moves towards crude objects, at that time the negative microvita do not spare the person – they will attack the person severely.” (1)
Note: Parama Purusa is the Supreme Controller and negative microvita fall under His jurisdiction. And by His grace, good sadhakas are never adversely affected by negative microvita.
So only confused people think that negative microvita works independently of Parama Purusa. Most often, this is a result of some kind of religious dogma that’s been carried forth since childhood. Unfortunately, it is very difficult to remove the dogma of Satan from the mind when a person has been raised in such an environment. That is why even a few good margiis are confused on this point and view negative microvita as some kind of Satan. But that is neither rational nor consonant with Ananda Marga ideals.
The Semitic religions do not have any philosophy - just theology. And that is self-contradictory. Their theological approach states that Satan is all-powerful and works independently of God. But according to our Ananda Marga philosophy, Satan does not even exist; and, God alone is all-powerful and the Supreme Controller of everything. He lords over both positive and negative microvita. Everything is controlled by Parama Purusa. To fully understand this, however, one must study all of microvita philosophy. In closing, it has been proven here that Satan and negative microvita are not the same thing.
Reference
1. Microvita in a Nutshell, “Disembodied Souls and Microvita – Excerpt A”
== Section: Important Teaching ==
Oblivious of exploitation
Namaskar,
These days fish justice is a common phenomenon in society. Sadly, those who are exploited the most don't even know that they are being exploited. For example, capitalists are exploiting in all spheres of life, but the common people think that those capitalists are helping them. In the US and many places, the people think that those big corporations are providing jobs, food, and stability, and are thus doing a great service to society. Yet those capitalists are doing this for their own selfish profit motive; they have no regard for the common people.
In our Proutistic outlook, we know that the entire property of the cosmos belongs to Parama Purusa, but the common people in materialistic areas think that those wealthy people are fortunate and blessed - regardless of how they acquired their riches and fortune.
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How blind people think
In India, the people think that the super rich did some great virtue in their past life and that accounts for their tremendous wealth in this life. And those same commoners believe that, “I am poor because of my past misdeeds.” So they accept the tyranny of those capitalists.
The west is exporting pseudo-culture everywhere by various media. Yet naive people think that the west is helping them and they feel proud and glorified by adopting western pseudo-culture. But, by that way, those simple communities are being degenerated and swallowed whole by those big capitalist entities.
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Conclusion
So wherever you look exploitation is going on. Yet the people are not aware. That is the sad state of affairs these days. Mass awakening is needed to turn this situation around. When people become cognizant of the presence of exploitation, then the tides will begin to turn in the right direction.
In Him,
Harideva
There are examples of fish justice. In Samskrta literature different words and analogies have been formed based on the characteristics of various creatures. The below teaching on fish justice is one such example. The main purpose is to educate the public about the inherent qualities of those animals and demonstrate how this concerns our human society. To this end, in Samskrta literature, there is an abundance of words and phrases related with the natural world, i.e. animals, birds, and various other creatures.
Here below is an English summary of Baba’s original teaching from Shabda Cayanika in Bengali:
The reign of fish is known as matsya-nya'ya (fish justice). Fish justice means a disorderly, unjust condition where the strong eat the weak. When this situation arises in our social life then we say that in society fish justice is going on. (English summary) (1)
Reference
1. English summary of Shabda Cayanika - 20 Bangla, disc 156
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