Baba
Misunderstanding / fallacy / confusion about culture
Namaskar,
Commonly people think there are so many cultures: African, European, Native American, Chinese, Russian, Indian etc. Indeed, various terms like multi-cultural, plurality of cultures, bicultural, cultural pluralism etc are very commonly used. People think humans differ according to their own "separate culture". It is often thought that there are many different cultures on this planet.
In that case, people look upon others as being different. They aim to tolerate differences, yet ultimately feel that "such persons are not like me - they are foreign - we can live together by tolerating differences - but their culture is different from my culture."
http://anandamargauniversal.blogspot.com/
According to Baba's teachings, this is neither correct nor should this be our outlook. We must embrace one and all as our own and cultivate feelings of love and cordiality - not tolerance. Human culture is one - not many. As Ananda Margiis, we must fully understand Baba's sublime teachings on culture, and gain clarity on how human culture is one.
What is culture
First and foremost, according to Baba Shrii Shrii Anandamurti ji, culture is the collective name of various human expressions: approach to education, eating and food, way of salutation and greetings, types of songs, ways to dance, raising children, social interactions, responsibility toward others, values and social norms, style of dress, friendships etc. Every human group has these kinds of expressions. Some of which have been addressed below. The sum total of all these expressions is known as culture.
Baba says, "Culture…is the collective name of different expressions of human life." (1)
Human culture is one: greetings
Let's examine a few practical examples to better understand what is culture.
As we know, when people meet, they greet each other. This practice of humans greeting each other when they meet is pervasive. It happens everywhere. A person in the hills of North Korea greets their friend; and, a person from a valley in California greets their friend. In both cases, in some way, they greet their relations. This is a common practice. This is culture. And because it is everywhere, culture is one.
http://anandamargauniversal.blogspot.com/
Certainly, people from different lands may express their greetings differently, but those different ways of greeting do not stand as different cultures, but rather as cultural expressions.
For instance, in Ananda Marga we do namaskar or pranam; in some lands, people bow to one another; in other countries people wave their hand and say hello; in some places people say shalom; in other lands people embrace one another or kiss; and many resort to handshaking also. Thus there are many ways that people greet each other. But these various types of greetings do not represent different cultures. The act of greeting is itself human culture and singular; and, the various ways that greetings are done are various cultural expressions.
Human culture is singular
So culture is the act of greeting, irrespective of how it is done. On this point, all human beings share a common thread; they all greet one another. The practice of greeting a friend or neighbor etc is shared by all peoples in all lands. The very act of greeting another person is itself our human culture. Thus, human culture is singular - not many.
Some may try and bifurcate the society by dividing people into this culture or that culture. But, in truth, there is a common thread that is shared among all. The act of greeting a fellow human being is one such common point. Again, there may be various ways of greeting a friend, but, in reality, people from all various places are all doing the same thing, i.e. performing greetings.
http://anandamargauniversal.blogspot.com/
It should be very clear that the greeting itself is culture, while the way people greet one another is a cultural expression, which may be innumerable but culture itself is one. That is how human culture is one - not many.
Here we have to remember that internally humans are one, and human culture is singular in number; only externally there are a multitude of cultural expressions and variations.
Human culture is one: expressing one's happiness
Let's take another example: All over the world people express their joy or happiness. This expression of happiness is common to all. This is culture. If someone is happy in Thailand then they express their happiness, and if someone is happy in Alaska or Siberia then they too express their happiness. Expressing happiness is the culture of human beings: When they are happy then they express themselves in some way.
It may be through art, dance, laughter, drama, music and so many ways. But human happiness itself is a common point everywhere. So human beings are one, irrespective of their geographical area. Because their culture is one, i.e. when they are happy they express their joy.
And they may do this in various ways: some may laugh loudly; others might just smile; some might dance half naked in the street; while still others might decorate their dress with flowers. Around the globe, people express their happiness differently.
http://anandamargauniversal.blogspot.com/
Cultural expression is different in various lands
People of Thailand may dance in a way different from residents of Alaska or Siberia. But that difference in style is the cultural expression of that area. Human culture is one: To express happiness.
One should not confuse culture and cultural expression. Culture is the trunk of the tree and the cultural expression refers to all those branches, and limbs that stem off of the main tree trunk. So human culture is one, i.e. expressing happiness when they are happy.
In other words, in different lands, people express their joy or happiness in various ways. Some sing, some dance, some clap, some whistle, some smile, some laugh, some slap hands, and others hug. There are so many ways people express their happiness. These variations are not culture, but rather local cultural expressions which are different in various lands. The main theme is that when they are happy, they express their happiness. That is common everywhere. That is culture and that is one.
All human beings are one, and human culture is one: (a) everyone greets, (b) everyone expresses happiness, and (c) many practices can be included in this list such as feeding their loved ones, working, bathing, caring for children, expressions of sorrow, decorating the home, constructing buildings, celebrating during festivals, conducting funerals, feasting with loved ones etc.
http://anandamargauniversal.blogspot.com/
Irrespective of their so-called caste, language, so-called race or geographical areas, literate or educated, all are part of the same human culture. Everyone greets, everyone expresses happiness, and everyone feeds their loved ones etc. Thus, inherently, human culture is one. By superficial review, it may seem like people live in different cultures and express themselves according to different cultural tenets, but these are just local variations of our singular human culture. And we call these local variations as cultural expressions.
Conclusion
The conclusion is that fundamentally human culture is one and there are various local differences and those differences are not cultural distinctions but rather cultural expressions. Internally human culture is one, and on the external plane we see a range of cultural expressions. But all those expressions are rooted in one human culture.
Namaskar,
In Him,
Harahar vyomvyom
Summary outline
- Culture: The collective name for all of the different expressions of life -- good and bad, both.
- Within culture, the good expressions are called “samskrti”, whereas the bad expressions are called “krśt́i”.
- The particular expressions of life which are considered beneficial to others are called saḿskrti.
- The particular expressions of life which are not considered beneficial to others are called krśt́i.
~ In-depth study ~
Unfortunately, nowadays, some people attempt to divide humanity by highlighting differences in expressions and using those differences as proof that people are intrinsically different and that human culture is many. They think others are alien and "not like me." But this is not the right approach. We must adhere to Baba's below guideline and eradicate such feelings of difference and encourage feelings of unity through social mixing and revolutionary marriages.
http://anandamargauniversal.blogspot.com/
Ananda Marga philosophy says, "Culture is an ambiguous term. It is a collective expression of social life and is of composite structure. The Sanskrit words for culture are samskrti and krśt́i. Samskrti is used in a good sense and krśt́i in a general sense. There are certain prima facie local variations, but there is no difference in the subterranean cultural flow of the human society. The difference is external and not internal. Culture is one for the entire world. Common factors for the entire humanity (that is, culture in the true sense of the term) should always be encouraged, but prima facie differences should never be encouraged. Those who encourage these differences help the fissiparous tendencies which endanger human progress. To establish a cosmopolitan cultural outlook, we have to wipe out prima facie differences through matrimony and other socio-economic blendings." (2)
Ananda Marga philosophy states, “Although according to perfect logic the culture of all humanity is one and indivisible, the exponents of isms do not understand this. They prefer to assert that the different sets of script and language, behaviour and habit, and local variations in expression, are actually the constituents of human culture.” (3)
Ananda Marga propagates culture as one
Ananda Marga wants to unite all and form one human society. This is one of our main themes: to unite all human beings.
Human culture is, by definition, one. It is singular. As Ananda Margiis, we propagate this truth - i.e. that human culture is one - to bring about one human society. Side by side we are to introduce people to more refined and sentient cultural expressions.
When people start thinking human culture to be one it will be very easy to unite all humans. Then peace can be brought on this earth. Disunity invites violence. People divide humanity on the basis of various platforms including culture. By that way so many problems surface. Propagating the truth that human culture is one is how we can unite humanity and bring peace.
http://anandamargauniversal.blogspot.com/
Human society is one and culture is one: If we forget this fact and instead think, "I am different, or that person is different" etc, then we will never be able to live together. We should always remember that human culture is one.
Ananda Marga ideology states, "The more human beings live in unity, shoulder to shoulder, the greater the welfare of the human race will be." (4)
One should not confuse culture and cultural expressions. Culture is the trunk of the tree and the cultural expressions refer to all those branches, and limbs that stem off of the main tree trunk. Internally human culture is one, and on the external plane we see a range of cultural expressions. But all those expressions are rooted in one human culture.
References
1. Prout in a Nutshell - 15, Talks on Prout
2. Prout in a Nutshell - 5, Discourses on Prout
3. Prout in a Nutshell - 4, Ism and Human Progress
4. A Few Problems Solved Part 3 - Human Society Is One and Indivisible – 3
* * *
The below sections are entirely different topics, unrelated to the above material.
They stand on their own as points of interest.
* * *
== Section 2: Prabhat Samgiita ==
Note: Only those who sincerely practice the 6th lesson of sahaja yoga meditation can understand this song in the depths of their heart.
Nácera tále chande gáne, ucchal holo áji dhará,
háráno diner háráno sure, sabái holo mátoyárá..." (Prabhat Samgiita #0401)
Purport:
Today the entire world is exuberant with joy - filled with rhythmic dances and enchanting melodies of kiirtana and bhajan. Parama Purusa Baba has come. Those sweet tunes of by-gone days have returned, and those songs that are full of bhakti are divinely intoxicating for all. Everyone is twirling in His bliss.
O' bhaktas, come one, come all - place spiritual collyrium in your eyes so you can see Him clearly. Thread garlands and fill your baskets with the fragrance of flowers to offer Him. Colour everyone with the hues of pollen of your heart; fill them with aroma of marigolds, and make your surroundings aromatic for His auspicious reception in delight.
Today, in the festival of spiritual refulgence, all hearts have accepted Him as their own, their most loving One. Attaining the Citcor, the pollen of the mind is dancing in bliss. With the arrival of Parama Purusa everything is blissful. Baba has come. It is His grace upon all...
Note for Prabhat Samgiita #0401:
[1] Citta-cor / Chit-chor / Citcor: In His role as 'Citcor', Parama Purusa is the Thief or Stealer of the bhakta’s mind. How does He steal the mind? He captivates their mind and attracts the bhakta by His exquisite spiritual charm - whereby the sadhaka cannot think of anything or anyone else. The sadhaka has lost control of his own mind: It incessantly and unknowingly rushes towards Parama Purusa. The One who makes this happen is Citcor - the Stealer of the mind.
And to some degree this happens in the mundane realm as well, though it is degenerating and not long-lasting. There are numerous worldly examples where a person's mind is stolen. For instance, if they lost money, if they are infatuated with mundane attraction, if they are anxious about something - in all such cases when the person's mind runs again and again in that direction. So to some degree their mind has been stolen. The person's mind is no longer their own - they do not have control over it. Over and over, their mind is thinking of something - yet that something is not eternal but rather short-lived. So the effect is degenerating. Because their “I-feeling” has become attached to something mundane. In the real sense that is not citcor, but rather a reflection of a reflection of the stage of citcor.
The Entity that causes someone to lose control of their mind is Citcor - the stealer of the mind. And this is a deeply spiritual state. In the sphere of bhakti, only Parama Purusa is Citcor. The sadhaka thinks of Him, unknowingly. Always the mind is goaded in that direction. Even if the bhakta intentionally tries not to think in this way, still his mind becomes ensconced in the thought of the Supreme, i.e. Parama Purusa. This is an elevating experience and has a wholly beneficial result.
Ultimately, when this condition climaxes, in that culminating state the unit mind - the jiiva'tma - becomes one with the Supreme Consciousness.
Lastly, another name of Citcor is Makhan Cor (Butter Thief).
A number of dogmatic worshipers think that Lord Krsna is a butter-thief and they portray Lord Krsna as a small child who has stolen butter whereby the child Krsna is eating a lot of saturated fat. The sages tried to teach the common people with analogies but due to a very low standard the people took it in a literal way until finally it became an entrenched dogma. They do not like to hear the real truth of the matter.
== Section 3: Important Teaching ==
Glimpse into the future
Ananda Marga Ideology guides us, "I have also said that in the future the number of vrttis may further increase. The more complicated social life, family life, the realm of thought and the realm of intellect become, the more vrttis will develop. For example, the vrtti, cunningness, may be expressed in many more ways. To fulfil their desires, people will develop different types of cunningness which may become different vrttis in future. For example, the cunningness required to procure an object by devious means, the cunningness needed to give a promise knowing full well that one will never keep it, and the cunningness required to trick someone into believing that one did not tell a lie when in fact one did tell a lie, may all become separate vrttis in future.”
"Thus, in the future, as people’s thought processes become more complicated, many new vrttis will develop. The number of vrttis may not stay at fifty. Just imagine the situation that will arise in the future as a result of humanity’s ever increasing thirst for knowledge. To meet these developments the nerve cells and nerve fibres will have to become more complex. Consequently, the human cranium will become larger and the size of the head will increase. The hands and feet will become weaker and weaker and human beings may even lose the ability to walk. Today, the human toes have almost stopped functioning – in spiritual actions we have almost no use for them – whereas at one time, when we used to walk on four legs, we used our toes as much as our fingers. The front legs were used less and less, and were transformed into arms, and thus these days it has become almost impossible for us to crawl on all fours.”
“There was a time when humans would run on four legs, but today they cannot do that. After a time, children feel uncomfortable crawling around on all fours and try to walk on their hind legs. In the initial stages, when they try to stand up, they soon fall down. Again they stand up, again they fall down. When they finally develop the habit of standing on two legs, there are corresponding changes in the physical structure so that the use of their arms becomes less. In the future, the legs will be used less and less and the capacity to move on them will decrease. The arms will become thin, and the head will become abnormally large.” (1)
Reference
1. Ananda Vacanamrtam-8, Sádhaná, Abhidhyána and Kiirtana
== Section: Important Teaching ==
Prout philosophy states, "Those who shudder at the sight of various social vices and lament, “Everything is lost; righteousness is gone; morality has vanished…” should realize that among all the causes behind this so-called all-round degeneration, social injustice is the principal one."
"Because of injustices against women with respect to their social rights and because women are economically crippled, a section of women is compelled to take to prostitution. Although there are many causes of this profession, these are the main two."
"Ananda Marga recognizes that women are as dignified human beings as men. Ananda Marga, in addition, wants to encourage women to be economically independent of men. The system in which characterless men swagger about in society while fallen women are denied proper opportunities despite their sincere desire to lead an honest life, can never be supported by justice. Women who desire to lead an honest life must be given a respectable place in society." (1)
Reference
1. Problems of the Day, Point #13
== Section: News (Feb 21, 2019) ==
News: Rudrananda is ready to devour AM / Sweden property
Namaskar,
Rudrananda needs money so he has put the AMPS bakery business in Sweden up for sale. in the next phase, he will sell the entire Wt Training Centre in Sweden. Watch for more news reports about this.
in Him,
Jiivesh
(Johann Svenson)
== Section: News (July 25, 2018)==
Re: For better care: Shyamananda wants to shift to Durg
Namaskar,
Due to neglect and deficient care, Shyamananda ji is interested in changing his residence at Ananda Nagar and instead staying with Mantracetanananda. At the same time Shyamananda harbours some concerns of facing backlash by H group. But by Shyamananda ji's statement it is clear he wants to leave Ananda Nagar. He has spoken with Manatracetanananda and expressed his desire to seek care in Durg. This demonstrates that Shyamananda is not fully satisfied with present situation at the SDM building at AN. That is why he is strongly considering leaving. Kindly wait for more info on this developing story.
in Him,
Keshava
Note: Here is a link to the news posted in Hindi - click & scroll down to section three.
- Here is link to the original report in English - Murder case history & Shyamananda health status
== Section: Important Teaching ==
Root query of spirituality
Ananda Marga ideology guides, "Those who have fallen today may become evolved people, great personalities in the future – mahápuruśas. This is why no one should ever be disappointed in life. Parama Puruśa is calling everyone and He will continue to call everyone: all shall find a safe shelter on His loving lap. He does not hate or neglect anyone. Hence the only answer to the question, “kasya tvam” – “Whom do you belong to?” – is: “I belong to Parama Puruśa, to Him and Him alone, because I have come from Him and I am in Him, and finally I will return to Him.” And the only answer to the question, “Kuta áyátah” – “From where have you come?” – is: “I have come from Parama Puruśa and I will go back to Him. He is my permanent abode.”" (1)
Reference
1. Subhasita Samgraha - 12, To Whom Do You Belong? Where Do You Come From?
== Section 4: Links ==
