Baba
Seeking immortality
Namaskar,
Since the very beginning, human beings have been seeking immortality. Some sought the fountain of youth, while others relied on miracle cures in nature or boons from the gods. Today, humanity believes it has found its ticket to immortality: modern medical science. People think by replacing their organs - one after another - the day is not far when they will command their own life's destiny and longevity. Indeed the rich and wealthy think that medical science is on the cusp of curing each and every ailment.
Such materialists have already fallen into the false hope that what they have in this world will last forever, so now their inner heart's desire is to find a materialistic pathway for their own immortality. However far they are willing to openly admit this or not, but their entire life approach speaks to this desire. They have put all their stock in it. Such a misguided estimation is nothing but fool's paradise.
https://anandamargauniversal.blogspot.com/
In Ananda Marga, Baba has given the correct analysis and solution to this issue of immortality. As margiis we should understand both the place and limitations of today's medical science - and know the proper way to become immortal.
One transplant after another
There is no doubt about it: Medical science has progressed. If a knee goes bad, it is replaced by a new one. If your kidney becomes diseased, then one may get a transplant. If the heart becomes problematic, no problem, they can rebuild it, replace it, or insert a machine. The advances of medical science are quite staggering and impressive.
Indeed, there are lots and lots of options and new discoveries in today's world of modern medicine. So many organs can be replaced and transplanted. And this science is only going to become more refined and more developed. Even then, modern medicine has its limitations. It may extend life a few years and even increase the quality thereof, but it cannot make a person immortal. That can never, ever happen. The dreamy vision of such materialists is bound to burst into pieces.
https://anandamargauniversal.blogspot.com/
The important point: the brain transplant
The key matter in all of this is that every organ - including the brain - will die, at some point in time or another. And while most decaying or dead organs can be replaced and one can go on living, when the brain dies, this is not possible. When the brain dies then that is the end of that human life. If the brain is replaced, then that individual will be an entirely different person - with an entirely different personality and with a whole new set of samskaras.
The brain is an organ - it is subject to death - replacing it does not extend the life of that person. That is Baba's distinct formula. (Reference: 'The Omnipotent and Omnipresent Consciousness' & so many other discourses) So no matter how far medical science advances, no matter how tall the desire is of such materialists, there is no hope that human life can become immortal. The brain is subject to disease and death and replacing it will not renew that human life.
Indeed today with the rising complexity of human life, brain diseases are on the rise: dementia, schizophrenia, strokes, etc. Some basic treatment can be successfully attempted, but after all the brain will die one day and when it does it cannot be replaced as a means to regenerate that particular human life.
https://anandamargauniversal.blogspot.com/
Conclusion
Ananda Marga ideology says, "It is absolutely meaningless to attempt to attain immortality or absolute bliss in any way other than by ideating on the Eternal one." (1)
In this world everything is changing. What looks new today will be old tomorrow. Humans long to get some status that remains forever. These days that gets expressed more in the physical world. Yet many forget that everything in this expressed world is transitory. What to say about human beings, this planet also will not last forever. The aging of this physical body cannot be stopped. Humans cannot live for thousands of years. People will change all their organs and joints etc, but the brain cannot be changed. The culminating idea is that humans should concentrate more on the psychic and spiritual plane. With the help of sadhana when the mind merges into Parama Purusa, one will become eternal, i.e. nitya.
Namaskar,
in Him,
Tattvadarshrii Deva
~ In-depth study ~
Human body will take form of a monkey
(#1) Here below Baba explains that replacing the brain means creating a new human being with its own unique personality.
Ananda Marga philosophy says, "The brain cannot be replaced, for it is a brain with a particular set of sam'ska'ras, and hence replacement of the brain would mean replacement of the personality. The brain is a collection of nerve cells, the totality of which is the personality. It is not possible to change the brain without changing the nerve cells and consequently the personality." (2)
(#2) Here Baba states that replacing the brain means creating an entirely new person.
https://anandamargauniversal.blogspot.com/
Ananda Marga philosophy guides us, "We know, too, that medical science has helped people immensely in the past, continues to help them in the present and will continue to help them in the future. Medical and surgical developments have helped people to increase their longevity in the past and likewise continue to do so today. If people can successfully forestall ageing and death by replacing old glands with new ones, what more could they want? Medical science is now capable of doing this. One of the reasons that the physical body dies is that its glands become old and weak. Hence death can be delayed if a person's glands are replaced." (3)
Ananda Marga philosophy says, "Of course humans beings will not achieve immortality by temporarily cheating death or by increasing their longevity a little, because they possess another thing: the brain. From this brain emanate psychic feelings such as “I exist” and “I do.” When the brain becomes old and worn out due to age as well as constant use, it naturally decays and distorts information. If the entire brain is replaced, the whole human personality will undergo radical changes. In such cases it will have to be considered that the former person has died and a new person has taken birth." (4)
Ananda Marga philosophy guides us, "Through proper scientific research, it will be possible to bring about a change in the glandular structure of the body. As a consequence even a dishonest person will be able to become an honest one. But the previously acquired saḿskáras [reactive momenta] of the mind will not change. Although this process may change the flow of a person's pratyayamúlaka karma [original actions], the flow of his or her saḿskáramúlaka karma [reactions to original actions] will not be affected. The brain is the receptacle of the mind, and the mind is the receptacle of the saḿskáras. Now, if the brain is replaced, the mind, with all its reactive momenta, will have to take a completely new receptacle, in which case the person will be an entirely new being. If through some scientific process a person's brain is replaced with a monkey's brain, the person will cease to be the owner of that human body. From the standpoint of psychology, he or she will not be human at all and the body will gradually take the form of a monkey's body. The secretions from the glands will also become similar to the secretions from the glands of a monkey's body." (5)
The case then is quite clear. Because the brain is a bodily organ subject to disease and death, and because transplanting the brain would mean the creation of an entirely different and new human being, there is no question of anyone gaining immortality in this material world. It is absolutely impossible, and no phenomenal medical discovery can change this fact.
https://anandamargauniversal.blogspot.com/
Only path of immortality
Here Baba tells us the secret of how to attain immortality.
Ananda Marga ideology says, "Except for Parama'tma', all objects of this universe are mortal. So to be established in immortality, what will one have to do? One will have to awaken one’s pointed intellect, and in due course that awakened pointed intellect will merge into Supreme Consciousness, Parama Caetanya. This is the state of attainment of immortality." (6)
The only way to attain immortality is by goading all one’s psychic and spiritual potentialities towards the Supreme and taking shelter in Him.
References
1. Ananda Marga Ideology and Way of Life - 7, The Highest Category of Devotion
2. Prout in a Nutshell - 15, Talks on Prout
3. A Few Problems Solved-2, Synthesis and Analysis
4. A Few Problems Solved-2, Synthesis and Analysis
5. A Few Problems Solved-2, Synthesis and Analysis
6. Subhasita Samgraha - 21, Dhruva and Adhruva
* * *
The below sections are entirely different topics, unrelated to the above material.
They stands on their own as points of interest.
* * *
== Section: Important Teaching ==
Wt Health issue
Note: This section is not for those who don't have concern for our Wts.
Namaskar,
Sadguru Baba says, “In the world today a handful of people who do no physical work, but live by their wits, have appropriated to themselves most of the wealth of humanity, so they are able to buy comparatively expensive foods, and use them to satisfy their taste buds. As a result, they, on the one hand, swell with unnecessary fat, while, on the other hand, those people doing hard manual labour are forced to live in poverty and deprived of the ghee, butter and sweets they need to maintain their bodies...So my point is that obesity is primarily a disease of well-off, non-labouring society.” (1)
Overweight Didi
Morbidly overweight Didi
High-salaried office workers, rich businessmen and parasitic politicians are those who suffer most from obesity…. Another distinguishing mark of such people is that they are most greedy for those foods which are most fattening; that is, when invited outside, they will never even by mistake eat much in the way of vegetable preparations – instead they will eat a lot of luci, fish, meat and sweets. As they grow older and their livers become weak, they will lose that voracious appetite. Then they will sorrowfully say to people that they cannot consume food as they used to. Their muscles become flaccid and they begin to suffer from acidity, constipation or intestinal troubles. Fat accumulated on the chest affects the heart and lungs and makes it difficult for these organs to function.” (1)
Problem of obesity is prevalent amongst our female Wts
Sadly, the problem of obesity is prevalent amongst our Wts as well.
Here above this morbidly overweight Didi is far too large to properly teach asanas to others. Our yogic nuns should be an example to society for how to lead a healthy life. And kaoshikii and asanas are a vital component of human health. But when people see grossly overweight Didis - like the one pictured above - they think ours could not possibly be the proper path. Because a yogic nun should represent the ideals of yoga.
And it is true that, conservatively speaking, 90% of our Wts Didis are not regular in asanas and 60% do not fast. And verily that is the problem. In our organisation so many WT Didis are suffering from high blood pressure and cholesterol, heart disease, diabetes etc.
Nowadays, the Bangalore training centre for Wts Didis is very low - barely any new blood is entering our Wt ranks. And many of the Didis in uniform are obese. Thus we are facing a deficit situation with our workers. We are losing existing workers faster than we are gaining new ones. All in all it is an unfortunate state of affairs.
Margiis are requested to participate in fixing this problem. When you see an such Wt patient then politely try to convince them that their existence is very meaningful and they should cure themselves from this ailment of obesity by strictly adhering to the do’s and don’ts from Guru’s Yogic Treatments book.
In Him,
Viina
References
1. Yogic Treatments, Obesity
== Section: Important Teaching ==
How to rid the mind of depression & thoughts of suicide
Due to lack of a higher goal, if even a small problem arises, people get frustrated and lose interest in life. Those without a spiritual goal lack higher values, and therefore get overwhelmed when they face any of life’s difficulties. For human welfare, the propagation of spirituality is extremely important. If one has a higher goal then they will never commit suicide, no matter the circumstances.
Baba's original guideline
Ananda Marga ideology guides us, “एक ही भावना से, एक ही तरह की चर्चा तथा ज़िक्र से monotony आ जाती है | जिनमें आध्यात्मिक साधना नहीं है, बुढ़ापे में वे कहते हैं—”अब मरना ही अच्छा है |” जिनमें आध्यात्मिक साधना नहीं है, कम उम्र में भी मन पर अधिक चोट लगने से अथवा चोट लगने की शङ्का रहने से मनुष्य ख़ुदकुशी कर बैठते हैं, आत्महत्या तक कर देते हैं | क्यों जी ? न, higher pursuits नहीं है | मन में monotony आ जाती है | Applied psychology में मैं ऐसा ही कहूँगा |”
“तो, इस monotony से बचने का उपाय क्या है ? न, मन को एक ऐसा object चाहिए, mind के objective counterpart में एक ऐसा विषय चाहिए जो कि अनन्त हो | अर्थात् जिसके contact में आने से मनुष्य के मन में कभी भी किसी भी हालत में monotony नहीं आएगी—हमेशा नया, नवीन, नवीनतर, नवीनतम | परमपुरुष एक ऐसी सत्ता हैं, जो हमेशा नूतन हैं, हमेशा नवीन हैं | इसलिए life की monotony से बचने के लिए आध्यात्मिक साधना हर इनसान के लिए फ़र्ज़ है | रुहानी तरक़्क़ी के लिए तो फ़र्ज़ अवश्य ही है; Life की monotony से बचने के लिए भी यह फ़र्ज़ है |” (1) (Kya' Dharma Vaeyas't'ika Jiivana ka' U'rdhva-Sam'vega Hae, athava' Sa'magrika Vishva ka' Tristariiya Mukti Sopa'na Hae? Subhasita Samgraha, Part 15, Chapter 02 (H) DMC 29 July 1980 Ranchi)
English summary of Baba's above Hindi teaching
Life becomes monotonous if one is merely engrossed in mundane thinking and worldly works all day long. When non-sadhakas, i.e. those not doing sadhana - reach old age, they say, "Now it is better to die." Even youths who do not do spiritual practices commit suicide when they suffer from feelings of despair etc. Why is this the case? According to applied psychology, I would say it is because they don't have any higher pursuits; hence, the lonely and desperate feelings of sheer monotony consume their mind.
Now, what is the way to prevent such monotony? The objective counterpart of the mind should have such an object which is infinite. Indeed, by coming in contact with such an infinite object of ideation, people will never harbour feelings of monotony - not in any case. That object [Parama Purusa] is ever new, newer, and newest. Parama Purusa is that Entity who is ever new, always new. Therefore, it is the duty of every person to do spiritual practices and prevent any feelings of monotony in life. For spiritual progress, certainly it is everyone’s bounden duty to do sadhana. Verily, by your sadhana you will be able to protect yourself from falling prey to any type of depressed outlook, where one thinks life has lost all its meaning.
Reference
1. Kya' Dharma Vaeyas't'ika Jiivana ka' U'rdhva-Sam'vega Hae, athava' Sa'magrika Vishva ka' Tristariiya Mukti Sopa'na Hae? Subhasita Samgraha, Part 15, Chapter 02 (H) DMC 29 July 1980 Ranchi
== Section: Important Teaching ==
Recipe to avoid backlash and uprisings
Ananda Marga philosophy states, “If human beings lack the basic physical necessities of life they will not be able to follow higher pursuits. You will find that a person’s sense of discrimination is disturbed if he or she is confronted with only a little physical hardship. If an intellectual becomes angry, he or she may utter insentient words. Hence, the shortage of physical wealth results in restlessness and causes the loss of people’s sense of discrimination, and then people naturally tend towards brutality. It is because of this that communism has tended towards brutality. This is the underlying psychic reason.” (1)
Note: Here we apply Guru’s above teaching in two fundamental arenas: (a) the general society, and (b) one’s familial environment.
First, in order to keep peace and tranquility in society, Baba has explained that everyone’s basic living requirements must be met. If this is not achieved, there will be anger, fury, and unrest on the streets. For instance, if there is a shortage of grain and people do not have enough to eat, then riots often erupt. And at the time of an economic depression, crime increases. Verily if the people are hungry, homeless, lacking medical care, or any other type of shortage for their existential survival, then there is going to be trouble. The people will not remain calm, rather there will be an outbreak of violence, and even a rash of criminal activity - or both. Whenever there is a shortage of physical necessities, people quickly resort to sin or crime. To build up a healthy society, the minimum requirements must be met - otherwise there will not be harmony in the social sphere.
Second, if those whom you are living or working with do not have their physical needs met, then the overall atmosphere and relations will be ruined. So when with your close people or colleagues, it is important to ensure their existential needs are met. If they have not slept or eaten, then that is not the time to engage them in dialog and debate. They will be irritable, easily angered, and at their worst. So one should ensure that those around you are fed, rested, and have their basic needs met. If that is done, then one can engage in other realms with them. Sadly, due to a basic lack of awareness, so many simple interactions lead to horrible incidents of domestic violence and workplace feuds etc - all due to a lack of physical support etc. When in reality, this can be easily avoided.
In Him
Diipti
Reference
1. A Few Problems Solved - 6, The Three Causes of Sin
== Section 2: Links ==
Other topics of interest
