Self-killing: repercussions & prevention
Namaskar,
These days because of the spread of materialism, and the psychic diseases that come with it, euthanasia is gaining more traction. Some are thinking that it should be legalized around the globe.
In the past, because of pressure from the various religions, euthanasia was banned. But nowadays, religion has lost its hold in many parts of the world; so some have started raising this point of euthanasia - assisted suicide. They think human existence is just something purely mundane where there is no soul or mind, just static materials. That is the unfortunate and misguided outlook of today’s so-called civilized world.
In Ananda Marga philosophy, our approach is 180 degrees, diametrically opposite. We view human life as a part life - connected to one big life. There is birth, death, and rebirth; the cycle continues until one achieves salvation, by His grace. So each life is meaningful and is part of a greater whole; each birth is based on one’s prior life experiences.
https://anandamargauniversal.blogspot.com/
So every person should utilise their strength for their all-round progress as long as they survive. Destroying one's existence is itself a sin.
The slippery slope of accepting euthanasia
If euthanasia becomes accepted in the general society then one of the inevitable offshoots is that some will feel psychic pressure to eliminate themselves and end their existence. For instance, suppose Raju and Tom are living in the same locale and are suffering from similar diseases - i.e. Alzheimer's syndrome. Suppose Tom decides to opt for euthanasia for himself. Tom thinks that he does not want to be a burden to his friends or family, neither a financial burden nor a day-to-day burden. So he thinks that the best thing is to simply rid himself from this earth by choosing the path of assisted suicide.
Hearing about Tom’s situation and decision, Raju may feel psychologically pressured to do the same as Tom. Because there will be newspaper articles and talk shows on TV about how those like Tom are sacrificing their lives for the good of society. Such heroes like Tom have opted for euthanasia rather than burden their families, friends, and the overall healthcare-medical system. Such persons like Tom will be praised and glorified for their selflessness. Naturally then, people like Raju will also feel pressure to do the same, i.e. euthanasia or assisted suicide.
https://anandamargauniversal.blogspot.com/
That is the slippery slope we are inviting by legalising and accepting euthanasia. People may stand around and claim that Raju wanted to end his life, but those who understand Raju's mind and heart will know that Raju felt intense social pressure to do this; it was not his desire.
Not only that, if euthanasia becomes an accepted social norm, even if a person is feeling mildly frustrated or a little bit upset, such as because their jewelry was stolen or because they got into an argument with their spouse, then to "fix" the situation and put an end to their worries they may walk to the local clinic after lunch and euthanise themselves.
From terminally ill to mildly frustrated
Here the point is that once euthanasia is approved for the terminally ill then naturally in due course it will be approved for the non-terminally ill. In which case, for all kinds of petty issues, people may resort to euthanasia. First a terminally ill cancer patient is given access to euthanasia, and then someone with minor back pain may exercise their option for euthanasia, until finally it is approved and accepted for people who are physically fine but are mentally stressed or anxious.
That is the negative progression we are inviting by approving and accepting euthanasia. And this is a direct result of a life based on materialistic values where selfishness, greed, money - not cardinal human values - dominate the societal landscape.
https://anandamargauniversal.blogspot.com/
What is the answer
In contrast, those with a spiritual outlook always find hope and refuge in Parama Purusa. Instead of drowning in their own petty, mundane issues that may lead one towards euthanasia, a sadhaka will surrender everything at the feet of Parama Purusa. This will bring tremendous relief and inspiration in life. One will always feel cared for and loved.
So no matter how desperate things get, when drowned in any problem or difficulty, a sadhaka will say, “O’ Parama Purusa please grant me strength to serve You.” In that case, a true sadhaka can never think of doing euthanasia or any type of assisted suicide etc.
Tragically those with a materialistic outlook can never conceive of this idea - they are prone to defective tendencies like suicide. And verily nowadays we see that as materialism spreads and gets more deeply embedded in the human psyche, greater numbers of people are turning towards self-destructive means like euthanasia. This is the nadir point of human thought: annihilating oneself. Thus it is imperative that all understand the inner spirit of one’s human life and its utilisation.
https://anandamargauniversal.blogspot.com/
Ananda Marga philosophy says, "The only aim of life is spiritual practice – the realization of the Supreme. But the body, composed of the five fundamental factors, and the mind, which is related to this body, are in this physical world. So spiritual practice cannot be sustained by ignoring this physical world. People will have to conduct their lives in such a way that their mundane duties are properly discharged without disturbing their spiritual practice, which is the primary goal of life. Thus people will have to continue their spiritual practice as the primary mission in life, and at the same time fulfil their worldly responsibilities, considering them to be allotted by God." (1)
If one kills themselves they ruin their future
There is no positive aspect of euthanasia. It is a faulty plan and foolhardy approach; and instead of solving one’s problems it exponentially multiplies them. Their situation will become worse as assisted suicide itself is a sin. Whereas if they remain alive they have every opportunity to lead a life of supreme fulfillment and realisation.
Here is the formula:
(a) They should do sadhana and ideate on the Supreme. That is what human life is for and if one has sufficient strength that is what is to be done - not assisted suicide / euthanasia.
(b) By doing sadhana one will cleanse themselves of their negative samskaras and sins and develop a tranquil and blissful life outlook. One’s future will be bright.
(c) Whereas those who succumb to the dark and morose passageway of assisted suicide incur sin by this very act. They invite one disastrous negative samskara to loom over their future which they will invariably have to face in the future when they are reborn as an animal or plant - or even worse, converted into negative microvita etc.
(d) So what to speak of solving their problems, those who fall prey to euthanasia multiply their woes and incur more sin.
(e) Thus with whatever strength one has one should adopt the path of sadhana and sublime spirituality, and goad the mind unto Parama Purusa.
https://anandamargauniversal.blogspot.com/
Make life successful
May we all live with the notion that we have come here to serve Him. Then we are sure to lead a successful life, unperturbed by the comings and goings of worldly life.
Ananda Marga ideology states, “Progress along the path of devotion is sweet and smooth. However the one who advances only a short way along the path of knowledge is soon assailed on all sides by the laments of the parched desert. No matter what the nature of one’s sa’dhana’ might be, one will have to practice sa’dhana’ in this world; one will not get the opportunity after death. It is up to you to choose between the path of divinity and the path of animality. But remember, the highest fulfillment in life lies in Brahma sa’dhana’. The attainment of immortality lies in the pursuit of this path. Only through Brahma sa’dhana’ can one properly evaluate life and attain genuine progress. The fulfillment of a bud lies in its unfoldment, not in its withering. Those who spend life in the pursuit of limited mundane objects allow the bud of their lives to wither, and regress along the path of negative pratisaincara to suffer the eventual miserable plight of becoming as inert as bricks, stones or iron, what to speak of dogs or cats. This process of crudification will lead to the total annihilation of their latent humanity. An intelligent person should not follow the path of annihilation, but the path of spiritual unfoldment. The pursuit of dharma is the path leading to progress. Life reaches a glorious culmination and supreme fulfillment only in this pursuit of dharma.” (2)
Conclusion
Remember, if one prematurely kills themselves, they will not get the opportunity to again get human life. Rather after death they will be reborn as an animal or a plant. Such is the horrible fate of those who resort to euthanasia or assisted suicide.
Ananda Marga philosophy states, “This suicide is not deliberately done by the people. Those who commit suicide, do it when their mind is in a negative state. It is unnatural. Therefore, Sadvipras will remove this unnaturalness with the blows of their hammers. None can check it.” (3)
Namaskar,
In Him,
Nikhil Verma
Ananda Marga ideology states, “There are some people who die after fasting for thirty or forty days. The members of their community think that they have attained salvation thereby, but one cannot attain salvation by fasting in this way.” (4)
~ In-depth study ~
Horrors of suicide
Baba says, "People who commit suicide due to humiliation, psychic distortion, frustration or the overpowering influence of excessive attachment, anger, greed, vanity, jealousy, etc. get the status of kabandha yoni [negative microvita] after death. Wherever these entities happen to see other human beings under the spell of psychic derangement, they incite them to commit suicide." (5)
The character in the Shabda Cayanika story states, "Today I realize what a horrendous mistake I made. ...This path of suicide that I have taken to save my honour has crudified me so much that even after such a long time I cannot find any deliverance. These days I am utterly helpless...Oh, what a painful bondage! Is there no path left open to me to attain peace! Is there no ointment I can apply which will soothe the burning of my bondage!" (6)
Story about dying father & son
A margii medical student from Gwalior once went to Delhi to see Baba. During that PC, Baba recounted one fateful event from years earlier.
The margii (who at this time had yet to be initiated) was visiting his father who was terminally ill with cancer and on death’s row. The father asked his son to grant him just one wish.
The father said, “Before I ask, I want you first to promise to carry out my wish. Do you promise?”
The son said, “Yes father, I promise.”
The father made his final request to his son: “Please give me a powerful drug that will take my life.”
The young son was shocked and in a quandary as to what to do. The dilemma forcefully gripped his mind and sent him into a stark downward spiral – a state of deep depression. Overwrought, the young son then decided to take his own life as he could neither bear watching his father die slowly nor could he agree to his father’s request to end his life. So the young man stood at the edge of the Yamuna river just on the cusp of ending it all. His guilt was too much to bear. In that dark night, a strong voice in the distance suddenly shook the young man from this act and that stranger safely led the young man back to his house.
https://anandamargauniversal.blogspot.com/
Time passed and that young doctor became a margii.
In PC, Baba asked the him, “Who saved you that night when you were contemplating suicide?” The young margii was surprised by the question, because he did not tell anybody about his attempted suicide. In India attempted suicide is crime so for that reason also he hadn’t mentioned it to anyone. So he wondered how Baba knew about this. He thought that Baba must be the Supreme Entity. And the young margii felt that Baba Himself had come to rescue him.
Baba went on to explain in that PC that as a doctor he should not feel guilty about not agreeing to his father’s request to end his life. A doctor’s duty is to serve and help a patient survive. Never should one assist another in dying. Rather one should feel blessed to be able to serve the patient in life.
Hearing this, the margii felt completely relieved and revived, and thereafter carried out his medical duties courageously and faithfully.
References
1. Namah Shivaya Shantaya, Shiva's Teachings – 2 (continued) (Discourse 13)
2. Ananda Marga Ideology and Way of Life, part 8 - The Supreme Question – 2
3. A Few Problems Solved Part 6, The Three Causes of Sin
4. Ananda Marga Ideology & Way of Life - 10, Ideation on Brahma
5. Microvita in a Nutshell, Disembodied Souls and Microvita – Excerpt A
6. Shabda Cayanika, part 2, Discourse 9
== Section: Important Teaching ==
Example of very weak mind
Namaskar,
Whatever may be the reason, but there are many Wts who have captured a significant post in AMPS, yet they have a very weak mind. And this is due to neglect of sadhana. Here is further evidence of this: In reportings, RDS, and IRSS meetings etc, these Wts argue on meaningless points, and in knee-jerk reaction yell, threaten, verbally abuse, and even worse; they may try to physically attack their subordinates. And while doing so, their face becomes red, their hands tremble, and their blood pressure goes up, and from their mouth spews extremely dirty language.
This type of scene is not hidden in their inner chamber only. Near Ananda Marga jagritis where non-Margiis are living, they know very well. Because they see and hear this type of filth often. This is unfortunate, but it is happening. And the reason is, lack of sadhana. You can also see practically; put some cameras around your nearby Ananda Marga jagrti.
Conclusion
Those who are weak cannot control their organs. Whatever emotion arises gets executed by the organs and later on that person repents when they reflect on and analyse the situation. But those who are ideal sadhakas, their organs are controlled by their mind. When the mind approves, their organs will act, otherwise not.
Namaskar,
In Him
Anandasagar
Baba says, "यह बात सोचनी है कि---"जितना जो कुछ भी word मेरे मुँह से निकल रहा है, वह परमपुरुष का मन्त्र है |" तब क्या होगा ? मनुष्य कुभाषा से मुँह को अपवित्र नहीं करेंगे, शरमाएँगे | मुँह से गाली निकालना उनके लिए सम्भव नहीं होगा | इसलिए मैंने कहा कि....गाली मत दो | उससे तुम्हारा मुँह अपवित्र हो जाएगा |" ["मन पर नियन्त्रण कैसे", V28-04, V32-05, V24-09, GD 3 January, 1971 Patna]
Now kindly review the below exchange on WhatsApp and see for yourself whose mind is weak due to a lack of proper sadhana.
~ Below image courtesy of WhatsApp Forums ~
~ Above image courtesy of WhatsApp Forums ~
== Section: Important Teaching ==
Human society is one and indivisible
“Human society is one and indivisible, don’t try to divide it. Each and every individual should be looked upon as the manifestation of the Cosmic Entity.” (Ananda Vanii #21)
Ananda Marga philosophy states, “You see, in the psycho-physical sphere, many people are guided by – rather goaded by – dogmas. Dogmas have taken root in the human mind. People cannot get rid of these false ideas because they have been injected into their minds since childhood. As a result, one human society is divided into different nations, and one nation is divided into different religions; religions also have different castes, and caste also have different sub-castes – what kind of situation is this? We have only learned how to divide and subdivide humanity, and we never learned how to unite the people. This is all due to the defective teachings of dogmas.” (1)
Note 1: True Ananda Vaniis have a number whereas Fake Ananda Vaniis do not - just as a fake car license plate has no number. By this way, you can easily recognise a Fake Ananda Vanii.
Reference
1. A Few Problems Solved - 7, Renaissance in All the Strata of Life
== Section: Important Teaching ==
People began to use them as medicine-4
Ananda Marga philosophy states, "Where medicines were not effective as external ointments, it became necessary to rub them on the skin or on the nerves where they could be absorbed through the pores. People discovered these rubbing medicines somewhat later. These massage or rubbing ointments were the discovery of a later stage."
"Where there was any poisonous effect of the rubbing ointment, there was no recourse but to use it externally. However, people learned to use them without any poisonous effect in the form of liquid medicines by dissolving them in water or other liquid solvents."
"There are certain ointments which, if ingested in small doses, have no poisonous effect, but which may have a poisonous effect if taken in large doses. Human beings learned to use them by licking them so that they could act effectively through the nerve fibres. They used to swallow those medicines after licking them with the tongue for a long time. Because the quantity is very small there is no harmful effect; rather one gets the full benefit. Such medicines are called avaleha [licking] in Ayurveda."
"People even discovered some medicines that develop certain special beneficial qualities when mixed with other specific substances. In other words, the same medicine when mixed with substance “a” became a medicine for headaches, when mixed with substance “b” became a medicine for diarrhea, and when mixed with substance “c” became a medicine for respiratory ailments. In this case, people gave the name anupána [ingredient] to the substances “a,” “b” and “c”. That is, by discovering that the medicinal qualities varied according to the different anupánas, people began to use them as medicines." (1)
Reference
1. Shabda Cayanika, Kulya to Kuvela (Discourse 34)
== Section : Important Teaching ==
Create true human beings, not buildings
Ananda Marga philosophy states, "While dharma in the true sense of the term is based on logic and the realizations of great sádhakas [spiritual aspirants], religion, or dharmamata, is based entirely on irrational blind faith. So religions are always sheltered within dogma. While the propagation of dharma goes on spontaneously, for the propagation and establishment of dogma-based religions, the financial power of the vaeshyas [capitalists] and the intellectual prowess of the vipras [intellectuals] is inevitably needed. What we observe from the history of humankind is that the religions which have come so far have, without exception, taken shelter under the wings of capitalism. While money has been spent lavishly for the construction of beautiful places of worship, money has never been arranged for food, clothing, housing, education and medical care for the welfare of the poor. While for four full years all the state revenues of Orissa were spent for the construction of the Konark temple, during that period not a penny was spent for human welfare. Needless to say, the history of all countries is replete with such examples." (1)
In His above teaching, Baba points out how in the past the dogmatic religions spent their money on material pursuits such as the construction of the Konark temple, while the common people languished in utter poverty, half-naked and hungry. A similar state of affairs has befallen our AMPS where all emphasis is on material construction rather than a man-making mission.
#1: AMPS needs human beings.
#2: So many ashrams and MUs are empty - now AM needs human beings not buildings.
#3: Those donating to those buildings and types of construction etc are all fools.
#4: Because they are preparing those sites for non-margiis.
#5: Due to lack of occupancy by AMPS others will take over those buildings; that is what happened with the ashrams of other religions.
#6: In Bihar, Kabir followers had tens of thousands of MUs and now everything is occupied by Bhumihar.
#7: So remain alert we need humans.
Reference
1. Ráŕh: The Cradle of Civilization, Ráŕh – 6
== Section 3: Links ==
Festival - Niilkantha Divas - 12 Feb 2024
Recent postings
Other topics of interest
