Ananda Marga Universal Forum: 01/12/26

Baba

Suffering & samskara theory

Namaskar,

Ananda Marga philosophy says, "It is important to clarify here that the actual form of suffering is not predetermined. It cannot be said what might be the actual reaction of a particular action. It is not preordained that if one commits theft his things of the same value will be stolen as a reaction. The suffering is measured in terms of mental suffering to the extent which was inflicted on others by stealing their property. Thus the measure of experiencing the result of an action is mental and is in terms of pleasure and pain, and the actual form of experience has relatively no importance." (1)

Cosmic law of suffering

Let’s take a look at a few scenarios. Some (Jain religious theologians) see a person bleeding by the side of the road and think that they should not interfere because that person is burning their ripe samskara. But, according to Ananda Marga ideology, that is not the proper outlook. As far as possible, we should always help relieve someone's suffering, because that person can undergo that samskara purely in the psychic realm. It need not take physical expression. Thus we should always be vigilant to come to the aid of those who are suffering. Certainly we should always aim to relieve them.
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Yet no matter how much we attempt to alleviate their suffering, the cycle of samskara will spin onward and in some way, shape, or form they will experience the fruit of their past actions in the psychic realm—either through humiliation, depression, anger, frustration, disappointment or some other way.

Action, reaction, fate, & blaming God

Here below Baba gives a grand summary of our samskara theory with the culminating idea being that humans alone are responsible and accountable for the reactions they must experience. There is no question of blaming God or anyone else.

Ananda Marga philosophy says, "People often hold Parama Puruśa 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 Puruśa be responsible?" (2)

Eye for an eye?

Many commonly believe that samskara theory follows the parameter: An eye for an eye etc. That is to say if someone was pushed down from a tree then it means that in the past that same person pushed someone else from the tree. Or if someone got in an accident and lost their leg then that means in the past that same person caused someone else to lose a leg.
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But Baba clearly guides us that AM samskara theory does not work in that way. The physical actions are not the defining point. The physical expression need not be the same at all. Rather, it is the psychic effect that is the determining factor. The degree of psychic pain inflicted on others is the amount of psychic pain one will have to undergo. The physical expression thereof may reflect in a myriad of ways, or perhaps not at all. Because it is the degree of psychic pain and distress that is the key aspect.

Conclusion

We should also bear in mind that the amount of pain one inflicts upon others is the amount of pain one will have to face plus interest. It may be physical or purely psychic, but one will have to face that degree of suffering along with the interest. The poor may starve and lack the basic necessities. But even then, regardless of how much money one has, rich people will have to undergo the suffering of a terminal disease and also in the psychic plane.
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In closing, here are some examples of mental suffering: If a widow’s only son dies she will suffer terribly; or a professional lawyer or doctor may get exposed for his indiscretions in front of all his peers. And he may lose his stature and social standing—thereby undergoing much suffering in the mental realm. So the formula is: The degree of pain or pleasure you cause unto others is the degree of pleasure and pain—plus interest—you will experience. And that suffering may be physico-psychic, or purely psychic.

Namaskar,
in Him,
Satyendra

Humans responsible for own deeds

Ananda Marga philosophy says, "Human beings keep on performing new actions also, while experiencing the reactions of previous actions. This experiencing of the result of previous actions is called the unknown future or … (adrśt́a). One experiences the result of one’s actions in a subsequent life and cannot then recollect the actions whose results bring happiness and grief, because a person’s memory is not large enough to remember or know the deeds of their past lives. Reactions which humans experience were collected in previous lives, and in present life they cannot make out the cause of such experiences, and hence term these experiences as fate or the unknown future. People often hold Parama Puruśa 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 Puruśa 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 results, while bad ones beget bad results, and they will have to experience both without any exception. This is the law of Prakrti and no one can change this law." (2)

How religious priests befool

Here below Baba gives us a graphic example of how those paid religious priests (vipras) befool and manipulate the masses into accepting their lot in life.

Those priests tell that, "You are poor now because of your fate. Behave properly this time and you will be assured a better position in the future. You will be rich in your next life and / or bask in the glory of the afterlife. So do not complain now, just work hard and you will be rewarded in the future. Serve your master faithfully—that is the way to redemption."
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This is the psychology and theatrics that such priests employ to quell the disappointment, despair, and anger of the masses. So those low-paid employees should not complain or protest their meagre compensation by those capitalists. This paves the way for the ruling capitalists to crank their exploitative machinery into high gear.

Ananda Marga philosophy says, "The boot-licking Vipras of the capitalist trick the hungry Shúdras or workers into believing that poverty is a result of their previous misdeeds. Hence they will have to be prepared to wait until their next life before receiving the inexorable decree of fate. This makes a group of people passive fatalists. On the other hand, it paves the way for the ruthless exploitation of the capitalists." (3)

References
1. Ananda Marga Elementary Philosophy, What Is My Relation with the Universe and the Cosmic Entity?
2. Ananda Marga Elementary Philosophy, What Is My Relation with the Universe and the Cosmic Entity?
3. Ananda Marga Philosophy in Nutshell - 4, Prápta Vákya and Ápta Vákya

== Section 2: Prabhat Samgiita ==

Confusing preya & shreya

Note: Only those who sincerely practice the higher lessons of sahaja yoga meditation can understand this song in the depths of their heart.

"Tomáre cáhite giá bhúl kare,tava varadán ceyechinu..." (Prabhat Samgiita #0733)

Purport:

Parama Purusa, when I reached Your doorstep to have Your darshan and ask for para’bhakti then due to my foolishness, I just asked You for some boons. So I could not get You. This was my mistake. I requested something from You, but failed to ask for You Yourself. It is akin to wanting the vast ocean but by one’s own blunder only receiving a small drop of saline water.

Baba, that time I did not understand the difference between matter and Parama Purusa. I could not distinguish between what is preya and what is shreya. Due to my ignorance, I was thinking that the intelligent approach was to get fruit from the tree, and not try to get the tree itself. But now I understand it would have been far better to have gotten the tree, because it is the tree that produces all the fruit.

Note for 2nd stanza: The basic idea is that the sadhaka feels repentance for not giving importance to spirituality, i.e. shreya. Rather he thought that he could gain eternal peace by accumulating a lot of mundane wealth, i.e. preya. The sadhaka thought that by offering large donations to the religious priests he could get the blessings of the great sages, accumulate virtue, and reserve a place in heaven. With that confusion, the sadhaka figured, “There is no need for me to concern myself with the Sixteen points, penance, sadhana, and following the various conduct rules and regulations, i.e. the path of shreya. By visiting so-called tiirthas like Ananda Nagar and Tiljala, and getting the blessing of monks, I can achieve everything. So there is no need to follow yama and niyama, i.e. shreya.” That is the faulty frame of mind of some sadhakas. So here the poet is using the analogy of the fruit tree to represent Parama Purusa. But in today’s social milieu, the common folks wrongly think that with money (preya), one can get everything. That is what is depicted in the second stanza.

Baba, whatever worldly blessings You bestowed upon me with Your left hand, due to Your liila, in the course of time with Your right hand You took back all those boons. So in the end, I was just a beggar and unsatisfied. On the one side You gave me worldly attributions and on the other side I lost my peace and tranquility. The root cause is that these mundane allurements are not permanent. Today they are, and tomorrow they are not. So whatever transient items You gave, in due course they decayed and disappeared. After all these losses and gains, the final outcome is nil - zero. O’ Parama Purusa, by Your grace today I hear Your flute playing this eternal message: “O’ bhakta, remember, I am always with you, caring for you, watching over you, providing whatever is necessary, and ensuring your welfare. So you need not ask for anything.”

Baba, by Your grace, today I realise I should never ask anything mundane from Parama Purusa. Whatever I need You will bestow upon me. Rather, I should utilize my precious time in singing Your name...

== Section: Video ==

AMUC Video -> It All Began that Day

Namaskar,

We are pleased to share with you a new video on the AMUC channel entitled, "IT ALL BEGAN THAT DAY! The history of the FIRST INITIATION of Lord Shrii Shrii Anandamurti ji."

==> In this video, Sadguru Baba recounts the historic and auspicious occasion of the first initiation into Ananda Marga sadhana in 1939 and what that means for the greater humanity.

Ways to use this: In addition to watching this as a traditional video, try also playing it solely for the audio aspect whereby you may listen while doing asanas, mundane chores and kitchen work, outdoor walking / exercise etc.