We reached a stage where we cannot think of our life without heavy dosage of entertainment. One of the dictionary meanings of entertainment is “agreeable occupation for the mind”. Our mind doesn’t likes to die away. It has to always have some occupation. With out occupation, it will cease to exist. But we never asked the question, what is mind? What are its functions? How the functions of minds are initiated? We never bothered for such questions. With out even attempted for knowing how we are functioning, we find great pride on calling ourselves as educated.
Entertainment is a major business. Even if we can live without entertainment, our economy may not be able to sustain without the business of entertainment and its supplements at its current way of functioning. If we can look a bit deeply, we see the major component of our life requirement which overuse the resources of earth is the entertainment component. When we make enormous noise about global warming, deforestation, etc, we must also understand how far we are responsible for such things by the name of our own entertainment. Due to the way we lived our life until now, it is very natural that we see only a fragment of any problem, especially when we are also a cause of that problem.
If we look into our life, almost 99% of our available time is spent on either work or entertainment. We call this as living. Even for the work, probably more than 30% of the population works for entertainment and related industry. On the other hand work is for entertainment and then remaining time spent on entertainment. What a contradiction (??).
One of the functions of brain which keeps us engaged is the function of perception. The entire creation is available within us to be perceived. But unfortunately, due to our inattention, we lost the capability of such perception. On the other hand, the quality of perception of our brain is dampened by our inattention to happenings within us. Hence we are forced to keep our brain active with respect to perception with external activities. We have made all our essential activities of our life as routine activities. When the brain performs routine activities, we lose our attention and hence the perception of activity being performed. Now we need some other activity, which is not routine, hence entertainment – We are badly in need of entertainment due to our complete inattention. Our need for entertainment is just due to our inattention to happenings within us and around us. We are over consuming the resources of earth just for our entertainment and then make noise for global warming, deforestation, etc. Are we culprits or victims? We are the culprits for our inattention and we are victims of our own inattention. When we ourselves are the culprits, are there any sense in making such noises as global warming and deforestation? Without making any attempt to eliminate the inattention which is the root cause of all these global warming and trying to plant few trees here and there make any real sense? Are we hiding our responsibility of being attentive by making some noise about global warming and planning some trees here and there and still continue to overuse the resources of earth for our own entertainment?
The above discussion does not suggest that one should not look for any entertainment or against taking mitigation activities such as planting trees. If one does such mistake, the mind will become totally dump and dull – we need entertainment at our current level of maturity and current way of living. But entertainment alone is not living – the purpose of living is not just entertainment. One should transcend entertainment, if looking for truth or the real nature of existence or even the purpose of our life. It is possible only if we understand our urge for entertainment and its real function in our life.
Wednesday, March 3, 2010
Sunday, February 28, 2010
Selfishness
When one is interested in spirituality and working to understand truth or true nature of existence, one must understand selfishness. If we do not understand it in its true sense, possibly we will remain away from truth or the real nature of existence. This is because the understanding is based on our knowledge, ideas, psychological conditionings, etc. In that sense, there is no understanding in its true sense. That is the reason truth is available only to the minds which cease to exist! The understanding is only to cease the existence of mind itself and any understanding which does this function is close to truth or reality! And most importantly, must understand that this understanding itself is due to our selfishness and is true to only for ourselves. This is because, we reach this understanding by our mind, and no two minds at this thinking level are same.
We consider the word selfishness as a bad word. Almost every one of us never likes to have the tag of ‘selfish person’ attached with us. In reality are we unselfish? What makes us to make such claim?
Any one, whose mind operates in the field of ego cannot be other than selfish, whatever be that persons activities – be it serving for oneself or serving for the deprived or serving for any community or serving for God or serving for peace or whatever it may be. It is complete selfish activity. Probably we may have to understand ‘self’ to understand this statement.
At the psychological level, the qualities with which we identify us are our ‘self’. Every one of us likes to attach as much as qualities with us or we likes to identify ourselves with as many as qualities as we can. We may like to attach the quality of education with us and try to identify ourselves as ‘educated’, whether we are educated or not in the real sense of education. When we see our neighbor is struggling, we worry for them and help them to the extent possible for us. This extent of possibility varies for each one of us. Out of this help, we derive a sense of satisfaction which is within the field of operation of our mind. Basically we help our neighbor just because we need that satisfaction, which is a pure selfish activity. We are not helping our neighbor as the neighbor really need our help, but help the neighbor for our own satisfaction of helping somebody. That is the reason for the extent of help varies with individual. With that help if we want to attach the tag unselfishness with us, then that may be the height of selfishness – our desire for ‘unselfish’ tag is built on the suffering of our neighbor.
Does it mean we should not help others if we want to be unselfish? It is not the point of above discussion. Help the needy person with the complete understanding that we are actually not helping the other person, but we are actually helping us – performing that help to satisfy ourselves, probably due to the suffering we have on seeing the suffering of others. If we are not suffering on seeing the suffering of others, we are not going to help those others. Hence the help arises from us towards stopping our suffering, not to (in real sense) stop the suffering of those others.
If this is the case, why are we ashamed of being called as selfish? It could be because we started focusing our mind only at physical level. Seldom have we asked questions beyond physical level. Even we ask questions beyond physical level, we expect to get some answers with authority, which can never happen. The possibility normally we consider for getting answers for such questions is our knowledge, which is just our ideas, beliefs, morality etc. In such case we cannot go beyond much than the physical level. Hence we are forced to stay with in the realm of physical. This could be the reason that our idea of selfishness cannot go beyond physical level. At this level, keeping some thing with us when we really see somebody is in real need for that thing is mere selfish act. Even if we are in need of some item and if we see another person is also in need of that same item, and give away that item to the other person in spite of our need for that item is unselfish. But these are at physical level. What we are discussing here is not this selfish or unselfish act. At that level, the truth is that we are all selfish and we have to be selfish until we are in the field of operation of mind. Hence we need not be ashamed of being selfish. Unless we understand this fact, we can not transcend the field of selfishness.
When one enters into this understanding, which is true at psychological level, one reaches far close in the domain of spirituality, in search of truth, in search of the real nature of existence.
We consider the word selfishness as a bad word. Almost every one of us never likes to have the tag of ‘selfish person’ attached with us. In reality are we unselfish? What makes us to make such claim?
Any one, whose mind operates in the field of ego cannot be other than selfish, whatever be that persons activities – be it serving for oneself or serving for the deprived or serving for any community or serving for God or serving for peace or whatever it may be. It is complete selfish activity. Probably we may have to understand ‘self’ to understand this statement.
At the psychological level, the qualities with which we identify us are our ‘self’. Every one of us likes to attach as much as qualities with us or we likes to identify ourselves with as many as qualities as we can. We may like to attach the quality of education with us and try to identify ourselves as ‘educated’, whether we are educated or not in the real sense of education. When we see our neighbor is struggling, we worry for them and help them to the extent possible for us. This extent of possibility varies for each one of us. Out of this help, we derive a sense of satisfaction which is within the field of operation of our mind. Basically we help our neighbor just because we need that satisfaction, which is a pure selfish activity. We are not helping our neighbor as the neighbor really need our help, but help the neighbor for our own satisfaction of helping somebody. That is the reason for the extent of help varies with individual. With that help if we want to attach the tag unselfishness with us, then that may be the height of selfishness – our desire for ‘unselfish’ tag is built on the suffering of our neighbor.
Does it mean we should not help others if we want to be unselfish? It is not the point of above discussion. Help the needy person with the complete understanding that we are actually not helping the other person, but we are actually helping us – performing that help to satisfy ourselves, probably due to the suffering we have on seeing the suffering of others. If we are not suffering on seeing the suffering of others, we are not going to help those others. Hence the help arises from us towards stopping our suffering, not to (in real sense) stop the suffering of those others.
If this is the case, why are we ashamed of being called as selfish? It could be because we started focusing our mind only at physical level. Seldom have we asked questions beyond physical level. Even we ask questions beyond physical level, we expect to get some answers with authority, which can never happen. The possibility normally we consider for getting answers for such questions is our knowledge, which is just our ideas, beliefs, morality etc. In such case we cannot go beyond much than the physical level. Hence we are forced to stay with in the realm of physical. This could be the reason that our idea of selfishness cannot go beyond physical level. At this level, keeping some thing with us when we really see somebody is in real need for that thing is mere selfish act. Even if we are in need of some item and if we see another person is also in need of that same item, and give away that item to the other person in spite of our need for that item is unselfish. But these are at physical level. What we are discussing here is not this selfish or unselfish act. At that level, the truth is that we are all selfish and we have to be selfish until we are in the field of operation of mind. Hence we need not be ashamed of being selfish. Unless we understand this fact, we can not transcend the field of selfishness.
When one enters into this understanding, which is true at psychological level, one reaches far close in the domain of spirituality, in search of truth, in search of the real nature of existence.
Thursday, February 25, 2010
Education
When we say educated people we generally refer people like us who had completed some academics and acquired some university degrees or diplomas. Are we really educated? The so called uneducated are really uneducated with respect to us who are generally considered as educated? What could be the attributes of really educated one?
One of the dictionary meanings of education is “the act or process of imparting or acquiring general knowledge, developing the powers of reasoning and judgment, and generally of preparing oneself or others intellectually for mature life.” This definition may be interpreted according to the idea of the person who is looking for the definition of Education. Here we may try to interpret with respect to the ideology discussed throughout this blog.
When we consider ourselves as educated, we must be living a matured life compared to the so called uneducated. Are we really living a life which is matured than any of so called uneducated person? Probably, we may be living a life of better physical comfort due to the earning power provided by the academic learning we had. If we stripe out the physical comfort from our life, the quality of life which we are living has no difference at all with respect to the quality of life of so called uneducated. We have all the psychological sufferings of so called uneducated person and that person is having all the psychological joy of what we are having. Whatever academic qualifications we acquired are just for earning our livelihood through a profession. Due to the circumstances, the so called uneducated person was unable to learn his profession through a structured way, but such a person also learned some profession and earning the livelihood. Such a person may not be earning as much as we are earning, but that person also learned some profession and earning bread and butter from that profession like us, where we are earning our bread and butter- may be little more, from the profession we learned from schools and universities. Hence classifying a person as educated or uneducated based on academic qualification may not be the right method of classification.
Are we living a matured life due to the education we had? What is a matured life? If we stripe out the physical comfort from the field of education, a matured life may be a life with the understanding of oneself. None of us may be having any understanding of what we are. If we have the slightest understanding of ourselves, the quality of our life must be altogether different from what we are living now – the endless suffering from each and every action of us. We don’t even have the understanding of ourselves to recognize the suffering as we suffer – but much later, suffer on thinking about the suffering! With respect to our ability to understand ourselves, we are much similar to the so called uneducated person. In that case, are we really educated?
Are we any different from so called uneducated person with respect to handling the life situations? – Be it handling our fears, be it handling our desires, be it handling our anger, be it handling our lust. Of course, every one of us handles it differently on outer layer due to the difference in our basic structure. But fundamentally, there is no difference between us and the so called uneducated with respect to handling such life situations. We have fear of life, death, security – exactly same as that of so called uneducated. We get anger when our ego is hurt – we don’t understand our ego, exactly same as the so called uneducated and so on. In that case, are we really educated?
Then, how can we get educated? We can be educated only when we ask questions about each and every aspect of our life and life situations, and find answer for those questions by ourselves. Find answers by ourselves – Not the answer from our parents, teachers, scriptures, Gurus or from anybody else. If the answer is from our parents, it is the answer for the life situation of our parents – not for our life situations. If the answer is from a Guru, it is the life situation of our Guru- not our life situations. If the answer is from a scripture, it is the answer for the life situation of the author of that scripture – not our own life situations. It is we ourselves to educate our selves. The academics are just a means for facilitate this education. Even with out the academics, one can be educated. If we can find answers for our life situations by ourselves, without reference to anybody else or anything else, we will be having at least some understanding about ourselves. This understanding – even the slightest understanding can entirely change our life process. If it happens, we can claim ourselves as educated. But at that stage, we may not be having any need for such claim! – We will be really living a matured life!
One of the dictionary meanings of education is “the act or process of imparting or acquiring general knowledge, developing the powers of reasoning and judgment, and generally of preparing oneself or others intellectually for mature life.” This definition may be interpreted according to the idea of the person who is looking for the definition of Education. Here we may try to interpret with respect to the ideology discussed throughout this blog.
When we consider ourselves as educated, we must be living a matured life compared to the so called uneducated. Are we really living a life which is matured than any of so called uneducated person? Probably, we may be living a life of better physical comfort due to the earning power provided by the academic learning we had. If we stripe out the physical comfort from our life, the quality of life which we are living has no difference at all with respect to the quality of life of so called uneducated. We have all the psychological sufferings of so called uneducated person and that person is having all the psychological joy of what we are having. Whatever academic qualifications we acquired are just for earning our livelihood through a profession. Due to the circumstances, the so called uneducated person was unable to learn his profession through a structured way, but such a person also learned some profession and earning the livelihood. Such a person may not be earning as much as we are earning, but that person also learned some profession and earning bread and butter from that profession like us, where we are earning our bread and butter- may be little more, from the profession we learned from schools and universities. Hence classifying a person as educated or uneducated based on academic qualification may not be the right method of classification.
Are we living a matured life due to the education we had? What is a matured life? If we stripe out the physical comfort from the field of education, a matured life may be a life with the understanding of oneself. None of us may be having any understanding of what we are. If we have the slightest understanding of ourselves, the quality of our life must be altogether different from what we are living now – the endless suffering from each and every action of us. We don’t even have the understanding of ourselves to recognize the suffering as we suffer – but much later, suffer on thinking about the suffering! With respect to our ability to understand ourselves, we are much similar to the so called uneducated person. In that case, are we really educated?
Are we any different from so called uneducated person with respect to handling the life situations? – Be it handling our fears, be it handling our desires, be it handling our anger, be it handling our lust. Of course, every one of us handles it differently on outer layer due to the difference in our basic structure. But fundamentally, there is no difference between us and the so called uneducated with respect to handling such life situations. We have fear of life, death, security – exactly same as that of so called uneducated. We get anger when our ego is hurt – we don’t understand our ego, exactly same as the so called uneducated and so on. In that case, are we really educated?
Then, how can we get educated? We can be educated only when we ask questions about each and every aspect of our life and life situations, and find answer for those questions by ourselves. Find answers by ourselves – Not the answer from our parents, teachers, scriptures, Gurus or from anybody else. If the answer is from our parents, it is the answer for the life situation of our parents – not for our life situations. If the answer is from a Guru, it is the life situation of our Guru- not our life situations. If the answer is from a scripture, it is the answer for the life situation of the author of that scripture – not our own life situations. It is we ourselves to educate our selves. The academics are just a means for facilitate this education. Even with out the academics, one can be educated. If we can find answers for our life situations by ourselves, without reference to anybody else or anything else, we will be having at least some understanding about ourselves. This understanding – even the slightest understanding can entirely change our life process. If it happens, we can claim ourselves as educated. But at that stage, we may not be having any need for such claim! – We will be really living a matured life!
Friday, January 29, 2010
Ancient Wisdom
The scriptures of any culture are the treasure of history of that culture. They give great insight into the nature of that culture in ancient times. They are the treasure of ancient wisdom of that culture. They could be the stepping stone for our own inner evolution, if we understand and see the purpose of those scriptures. Most of these scriptures poetically elaborate the inward movement of that culture. If we like to use and benefit from those scriptures, we must understand the structure of them. We must also understand our current level of inner movement and at what level the scriptures fit into our inner movement. Unless we understand these basic things and apply them appropriately, those scriptures will be like any other story or myth.
Unfortunately in these days, probably starting from last few hundred years, an undue sacredness is attached to these scriptures. Of course, they are sacred texts if we know its position in our inward movement. If not, for sure, they are just like any other mythical texts. These texts just reserve the importance and respect of any tool used for certain purpose. When the purpose is achieved there is no need for the tool and the tool will be a burden for further journey. If we don’t understand this and start giving far more importance to the tool than the purpose, we can never reach the purpose instead we will compromise on purpose due to our urge to protect the tool.
Those who established themselves firmly in their inward journey must already know this for sure. But for those who are just starting their inward journey may divert from their path due to the noise created and spread across by illusionary and distracted minds about the sacredness of these scriptures and their conditioned ideas about the need to protect these scriptures from invaders. Due to high decibel noise of media on these days and their urge on commerialisation of anything saleable, these loud noises are easily reaching every one and invoking the sentiments of beginners of inner journey. Unless these types of sentiments are not transcended they can not continue the real inward journey.
In this Indian culture, so much of wisdom spread across the length and breadth, but we are unable to take it in the right context and we are not able to capitalize the great opportunity available for us to evolve further. The fact is that we should have our own wisdom to discriminate and get the scriptures which can supplement our inward journey with respect to our current positioning in inward journey.
Another aspect of this ancient wisdom is that almost all of them are poetic in nature. With respect to Indian culture, most of the scriptures are in Sanskrit, which is supposed to be a subtle language. As a common person or beginner of inward journey, we may not be able to understand the subtle meaning of these scriptures. Here is where we encounter real problem. We need to rely entirely on the commentators of these scriptures. It is the only option almost all the beginners of inward journey are having.
The scriptures must be expressed by saints who experienced the truth. As the experience of truth must be much beyond regular life experiences, there can not be any words in any languages to express the truth. Hence the truth can be expressed by poetic expression only. By definition, poetry is one which allows the listener to enter into a world of his own imagination by providing some leads on the subject, keeping remaining part as subtle and leaving for the imagination of reader/listener. The reader/listener of poetry has to imagine the expression of poetry based on limitation of imaginative power of individuals on the subject of that poetry. It never expresses the subject in a straight forward way. And the truth can not be expressed in straight forward manner as it is not like the regular worldly experiences and hence words are not available in any languages to express it in a straight forward manner.
Like poetry, our scriptures also have to be interpreted to get the subtle meaning. Here is the problem. We do not understand the language in which the scriptures are expressed. Hence we can not use our imagination power to understand the experience of what is expressed in scriptures and have to depend on commentators of those scriptures. Who ever interpreted the scriptures expressed it based on their worldly experience and related imagination power. Hence we do not know, what is expressed by the commentator is same as the subtle meaning imposed on that original scripture. This is where we need to have our own wisdom.
For example, recently I came across the Sanskrit word “Aagama”. In general, the meaning of this word in the context used there is expressed as knowledge gained from ancient scriptures, teachers and learned people. This is the meaning we hear in general for this word. Another meaning stated by another commentator was that it is the knowledge we have when we born, which is the knowledge we inherited at our birth. Our brain already has the knowledge of past within it, when we born. Now which one I consider as the real meaning of the word “Aagama”. If I never encountered the second meaning expressed above, I have to accept the widely propagated first meaning and hence have to handle the conflicts arises within me due to the illogicality of this meaning within the context of few other verses and hence the conflict between this verses of scripture and other verses.
The point here is that not that the first meaning is wrong and second one is correct or vice versa. But it is based on the imagination and the expression of that commentator only we are getting the explanation of that scripture. Unless we understand this constraint and then try to understand the scripture, the possibility is that we never ever learn the scriptures in its true sense, but live in an illusionary pride that we have learned the scriptures. This pride itself is sufficient to completely wipe away us from the path of inward travel.
Another example is that there are innumerable commentaries available for Baghavad Gita. If we read few of them, the chances are that 50% of them are expressed with dualistic concept and 50% of them are expressed in non-dualistic concept. Hence, if a reader of these commentaries is not using his/her wisdom, he/she can never understand the meaning of real Baghavad Gita. Instead only the conditioning or belief system or idea of the commentator alone can be understood and which will be taken as the conten of Baghavad Gita.
The point is that we have to approach the treasure of our ancient wisdom only with a sense of openness, non-identification with that wisdom and with the capacity to leave them behind and move forward when we are ready to do so. In this case, they are truly ancient wisdom. If not they are also like any other junk.
Unfortunately in these days, probably starting from last few hundred years, an undue sacredness is attached to these scriptures. Of course, they are sacred texts if we know its position in our inward movement. If not, for sure, they are just like any other mythical texts. These texts just reserve the importance and respect of any tool used for certain purpose. When the purpose is achieved there is no need for the tool and the tool will be a burden for further journey. If we don’t understand this and start giving far more importance to the tool than the purpose, we can never reach the purpose instead we will compromise on purpose due to our urge to protect the tool.
Those who established themselves firmly in their inward journey must already know this for sure. But for those who are just starting their inward journey may divert from their path due to the noise created and spread across by illusionary and distracted minds about the sacredness of these scriptures and their conditioned ideas about the need to protect these scriptures from invaders. Due to high decibel noise of media on these days and their urge on commerialisation of anything saleable, these loud noises are easily reaching every one and invoking the sentiments of beginners of inner journey. Unless these types of sentiments are not transcended they can not continue the real inward journey.
In this Indian culture, so much of wisdom spread across the length and breadth, but we are unable to take it in the right context and we are not able to capitalize the great opportunity available for us to evolve further. The fact is that we should have our own wisdom to discriminate and get the scriptures which can supplement our inward journey with respect to our current positioning in inward journey.
Another aspect of this ancient wisdom is that almost all of them are poetic in nature. With respect to Indian culture, most of the scriptures are in Sanskrit, which is supposed to be a subtle language. As a common person or beginner of inward journey, we may not be able to understand the subtle meaning of these scriptures. Here is where we encounter real problem. We need to rely entirely on the commentators of these scriptures. It is the only option almost all the beginners of inward journey are having.
The scriptures must be expressed by saints who experienced the truth. As the experience of truth must be much beyond regular life experiences, there can not be any words in any languages to express the truth. Hence the truth can be expressed by poetic expression only. By definition, poetry is one which allows the listener to enter into a world of his own imagination by providing some leads on the subject, keeping remaining part as subtle and leaving for the imagination of reader/listener. The reader/listener of poetry has to imagine the expression of poetry based on limitation of imaginative power of individuals on the subject of that poetry. It never expresses the subject in a straight forward way. And the truth can not be expressed in straight forward manner as it is not like the regular worldly experiences and hence words are not available in any languages to express it in a straight forward manner.
Like poetry, our scriptures also have to be interpreted to get the subtle meaning. Here is the problem. We do not understand the language in which the scriptures are expressed. Hence we can not use our imagination power to understand the experience of what is expressed in scriptures and have to depend on commentators of those scriptures. Who ever interpreted the scriptures expressed it based on their worldly experience and related imagination power. Hence we do not know, what is expressed by the commentator is same as the subtle meaning imposed on that original scripture. This is where we need to have our own wisdom.
For example, recently I came across the Sanskrit word “Aagama”. In general, the meaning of this word in the context used there is expressed as knowledge gained from ancient scriptures, teachers and learned people. This is the meaning we hear in general for this word. Another meaning stated by another commentator was that it is the knowledge we have when we born, which is the knowledge we inherited at our birth. Our brain already has the knowledge of past within it, when we born. Now which one I consider as the real meaning of the word “Aagama”. If I never encountered the second meaning expressed above, I have to accept the widely propagated first meaning and hence have to handle the conflicts arises within me due to the illogicality of this meaning within the context of few other verses and hence the conflict between this verses of scripture and other verses.
The point here is that not that the first meaning is wrong and second one is correct or vice versa. But it is based on the imagination and the expression of that commentator only we are getting the explanation of that scripture. Unless we understand this constraint and then try to understand the scripture, the possibility is that we never ever learn the scriptures in its true sense, but live in an illusionary pride that we have learned the scriptures. This pride itself is sufficient to completely wipe away us from the path of inward travel.
Another example is that there are innumerable commentaries available for Baghavad Gita. If we read few of them, the chances are that 50% of them are expressed with dualistic concept and 50% of them are expressed in non-dualistic concept. Hence, if a reader of these commentaries is not using his/her wisdom, he/she can never understand the meaning of real Baghavad Gita. Instead only the conditioning or belief system or idea of the commentator alone can be understood and which will be taken as the conten of Baghavad Gita.
The point is that we have to approach the treasure of our ancient wisdom only with a sense of openness, non-identification with that wisdom and with the capacity to leave them behind and move forward when we are ready to do so. In this case, they are truly ancient wisdom. If not they are also like any other junk.
Tuesday, January 19, 2010
Self Identity
For some reason, we tend to strive for self identification. This may be to fill the emptiness which we are unable to live with due to many self-developed reasons. Most of these identifications are with the qualities we believe as we are having. It may be like I am a kind person, I am an angry person, I am a person of integrity, and so on. We also start identifying with objects and persons, which we believe as we are possessing. I am the owner of this house, I am the leader/member of this team, I am this nationality, I belong to this community, I belong to this culture, and so on.
The sense of pride is the driving force for these identifications. In cases, when we are unable to get identifications which cannot provide any sense of pride, we may tend to identify ourselves with some negative aspects thru’ which we may try to establish an image of some sort of self importance.
Once we establish some identity, we have the urge to sustain that identity. Here the conflicts start arising – Another way for building conflicts within us. In some cases, the very identity itself brings in conflicts with it. If we can understand the mechanism of self identity we may probably understand the worth/worthlessness of self identity. If we find it is worthlessness, probably we may be able to live without having any urge for self identity and the struggle for sustaining it. If we find it is worthy, possibly we can find a method to have self identity, yet untouched by the conflicts.
Possibly our urge for self identification is genetically transferred to us; for our basic survival some sort of self identification may be required – for example to identify the needs and dangers we may need some identification about ourselves. The food we earned the shelter we earned, the money we earned, the job we do, and so on. But when it enters into the psychological level it starts giving problems – it has already entered into psychological level.
Pride and feeling of security must be the factors fueling the desire for self identification. I want to be this and I want to be that are probably due to desire of pride and I need to be this and I need to be that are due to the desire of security.
In one aspect, while we identify ourselves with something, we generally consider just the positive aspect of that thing which we identify ourselves with. This is one of the serious reasons for the conflicts arising due to identifications. For example, when we identify ourselves with certain culture, we generally quote the positive aspects of that culture only. We break the object of identification into pieces and pick up few of those pieces which are suitable for the pride to be obtained from that identification. We just ignore all other pieces of that subject of identification. In our desire for the feeling of pride with the identification, we forget that the identification is complete only when we identify ourselves with the subject as a whole. In any culture there were many scholars and sages at the same time there were many, many ignorant ones. In any culture, there were admirable quality and at the same time there were distrusted qualities as we witness today. When we identify ourselves with the culture, invariably we select the fragment which has only the scholars and sages and consider them as our ancestors. But we fail to recognize the ignorant people of those times in that culture are also our ancestors.
Here is the source of conflict. We tend to believe that the culture we belong was full of scholars and sages and it is we who are ignorant. But the fact remains that there were ignorant people in those days as the culture has it today. Also the culture has scholars and sages today as it had in the past. Due to this basic problem in understanding the reality, we compare the ignorant of today with the sages of those days. With this unmatched comparison, there is no possibility to avoid conflicts with respect to such identification. Probably we are indifferent to such conflicts due to the “thick skin” we got due to our lifestyle.
The problem of identification is almost same as explained above. All our identification limits with only the positive aspect of the subject with which we are identifying ourselves. This is due to the fact that we have immense urge to identify ourselves with something to keep ourselves psychologically alive.
If we identify ourselves with the whole being of the subject of identification, that will be entirely different from the fragmented identification explained above. Such an identification may carry us to a different dimension of perception altogether. At such level of identification, there cannot be any sense of pride. Such identification cannot be due to our desire to be pride or secured. This is because we are identifying ourselves with the whole being of that subject, including the positive, negative, good, and bad qualities of the subject of identification. Under such identification, there cannot be the sense of either proud or shame. At such level of identification, there will not be any conflicts with in us and hence all our actions will be free from conflicts. It will be pure action.
With a fragmented identification, such a level of pure action will be just in our imagination. We may follow any idea, any guru, and any religion, perform any rituals – But the fact remains that we are identified with the fragments of what we are following. For example, when we are follower of a Guru and if some one talks bad about that Guru, the most probable reaction may be loosing our temper. This is the same with our ideas, our religion, and our rituals with which we are identified ourselves. The reason is that we fragment those ideas and then identify ourselves with that idea which is more suitable for our self identification and sustaining that identification. We never try to see the truth or the wholeness of the thing which we identify ourselves. When we completely identify ourselves completely with the subject, we know the truth of it, wholeness of it. At that level of understanding there will not be any reaction with in us. There will be only pure action.
And if we can be away from any sort of identification, that may take us to another dimension of perception. When we have no urge to be identified with anything, a vast amount of our energy is saved. This is because there is no struggle with in us to feel proud, to sustain the feeling of proud. Hence naturally there will not be any conflicts within us and as a result all our energy available for useful purpose than solving our conflicts.
The sense of pride is the driving force for these identifications. In cases, when we are unable to get identifications which cannot provide any sense of pride, we may tend to identify ourselves with some negative aspects thru’ which we may try to establish an image of some sort of self importance.
Once we establish some identity, we have the urge to sustain that identity. Here the conflicts start arising – Another way for building conflicts within us. In some cases, the very identity itself brings in conflicts with it. If we can understand the mechanism of self identity we may probably understand the worth/worthlessness of self identity. If we find it is worthlessness, probably we may be able to live without having any urge for self identity and the struggle for sustaining it. If we find it is worthy, possibly we can find a method to have self identity, yet untouched by the conflicts.
Possibly our urge for self identification is genetically transferred to us; for our basic survival some sort of self identification may be required – for example to identify the needs and dangers we may need some identification about ourselves. The food we earned the shelter we earned, the money we earned, the job we do, and so on. But when it enters into the psychological level it starts giving problems – it has already entered into psychological level.
Pride and feeling of security must be the factors fueling the desire for self identification. I want to be this and I want to be that are probably due to desire of pride and I need to be this and I need to be that are due to the desire of security.
In one aspect, while we identify ourselves with something, we generally consider just the positive aspect of that thing which we identify ourselves with. This is one of the serious reasons for the conflicts arising due to identifications. For example, when we identify ourselves with certain culture, we generally quote the positive aspects of that culture only. We break the object of identification into pieces and pick up few of those pieces which are suitable for the pride to be obtained from that identification. We just ignore all other pieces of that subject of identification. In our desire for the feeling of pride with the identification, we forget that the identification is complete only when we identify ourselves with the subject as a whole. In any culture there were many scholars and sages at the same time there were many, many ignorant ones. In any culture, there were admirable quality and at the same time there were distrusted qualities as we witness today. When we identify ourselves with the culture, invariably we select the fragment which has only the scholars and sages and consider them as our ancestors. But we fail to recognize the ignorant people of those times in that culture are also our ancestors.
Here is the source of conflict. We tend to believe that the culture we belong was full of scholars and sages and it is we who are ignorant. But the fact remains that there were ignorant people in those days as the culture has it today. Also the culture has scholars and sages today as it had in the past. Due to this basic problem in understanding the reality, we compare the ignorant of today with the sages of those days. With this unmatched comparison, there is no possibility to avoid conflicts with respect to such identification. Probably we are indifferent to such conflicts due to the “thick skin” we got due to our lifestyle.
The problem of identification is almost same as explained above. All our identification limits with only the positive aspect of the subject with which we are identifying ourselves. This is due to the fact that we have immense urge to identify ourselves with something to keep ourselves psychologically alive.
If we identify ourselves with the whole being of the subject of identification, that will be entirely different from the fragmented identification explained above. Such an identification may carry us to a different dimension of perception altogether. At such level of identification, there cannot be any sense of pride. Such identification cannot be due to our desire to be pride or secured. This is because we are identifying ourselves with the whole being of that subject, including the positive, negative, good, and bad qualities of the subject of identification. Under such identification, there cannot be the sense of either proud or shame. At such level of identification, there will not be any conflicts with in us and hence all our actions will be free from conflicts. It will be pure action.
With a fragmented identification, such a level of pure action will be just in our imagination. We may follow any idea, any guru, and any religion, perform any rituals – But the fact remains that we are identified with the fragments of what we are following. For example, when we are follower of a Guru and if some one talks bad about that Guru, the most probable reaction may be loosing our temper. This is the same with our ideas, our religion, and our rituals with which we are identified ourselves. The reason is that we fragment those ideas and then identify ourselves with that idea which is more suitable for our self identification and sustaining that identification. We never try to see the truth or the wholeness of the thing which we identify ourselves. When we completely identify ourselves completely with the subject, we know the truth of it, wholeness of it. At that level of understanding there will not be any reaction with in us. There will be only pure action.
And if we can be away from any sort of identification, that may take us to another dimension of perception. When we have no urge to be identified with anything, a vast amount of our energy is saved. This is because there is no struggle with in us to feel proud, to sustain the feeling of proud. Hence naturally there will not be any conflicts within us and as a result all our energy available for useful purpose than solving our conflicts.
Friday, January 15, 2010
Rituals
For most of us, the life has become ritualistic. We perform many rituals; without even knowing the purpose and meaning of those rituals, but pretend as we know them. We create some opinion within us about rituals and then think that opinion as our knowledge about rituals. We fail to recognize that such knowledge is illusionary and hence there is no meaning for those rituals we are performing, what so ever it be.
And for many of us, spirituality means performing some rituals. Most of those rituals are handed over to us from our parents and few of them we developed ourselves and few of them we modified for our convenience.
Have we ever thought about for what are we doing these rituals? This question is not to provide answer for anybody else, but for ourselves. If we ever asked this question ourselves, for sure we might have at least started to find out the answer, if not already found the answer. If we really have the urge to find an answer for this question, we must set aside the beliefs, opinions, knowledge handed over by somebody else etc. If we are not setting aside these things away from us, we will find an immediate answer for this question, which is already in our memory and for sure that answer will definitely sustain our action, in this case, support our rituals.
Are we doing the rituals for mere satisfaction or self gratification? If so, is it not a mere illusionary satisfaction? Why do we need such illusionary satisfaction? Is it because, we are afraid of facing reality? Whether we are afraid or not we have to face the reality. When it is so, why do we face the reality with a fear and hiding the fear behind the rituals? If these are not the reasons for our rituals, are we expressing our thanks to the Supreme Being by way of rituals? Why should we express our thanks to the Supreme Being? Any way we are expressing our thanks to the Supreme Being, if such thing is there, by way of living our life…. By way of supporting other life forms in this earth… the other life forms created by the same Supreme Being. why should we express our thanks by means of rituals, where we fail to live our life given by the supreme being… destroying the other life forms and destroying the anchor for sustaining our life and other life forms…., who is going to accept our expression of thanks by way of rituals, when we are trying to defeat the very source of existence? Are we able to perceive the rituals and its effects – not the illusionary effect, in our living? If not- that is the most probable answer, for what other purpose are we performing those rituals?
Please be understand that the above questions are not asked against rituals and supporting the argument against rituals. It is just to understand the need for being with the rituals, if at all we are performing any rituals. If we are being with what we are doing, they are no more rituals. In such case they are our way of life, meaning we are having complete integrity with our actions and our perceptions. When such thing happens, it is no more ritualistic action. It becomes our life. But are we in such a state. If we are performing the rituals for thanks giving, all our actions should be in that direction. We will not be wasting any thing which is in this earth for the support of something else. We use anything to the extent we need it and leave the rest for others to use. The same way we readily offer ourselves to use for the need of something else or somebody else (Does not mean anybody can use us for any purpose. It is a subtle statement). Such a state is possible only when one is with pure Love.
Are we having such a state of Love or are we having any intention to have such a state of Love? If not, all our rituals are just rituals and not our life. We are not having the perception of such rituals and hence they are meaningless. For majority of the population, the rituals are for pure self interest, probably with the warping of God or Spirituality over it. Hence, there is no use out of that except an illusionary satisfaction, an illusionary psychological security.
Probably, the Indian culture may say the rituals are based on Vedas, the scriptures of Indian culture. If we see the evolution of Vedas, only the earlier parts of Vedas are talking about rituals. The Vedas in the later part of time line moved from rituals to freedom. When the fact itself is that Vedas evolved gradually from rituals to complete freedom, why should we still be bonded with the ritualistic part of Vedas. Why don’t we move to the evolved part of Vedas? And the Vedas are aged more than seven thousands years. If we consider 40 years as one generation, we are 175 generations ahead of the age of Vedas. With such a long generation gap, we should have been evolved much, much deeper level and in fact Vedas must be very preliminary scriptures for us. Indeed it happened until about few hundred years ago. Our culture supported the evolution of so many philosophies, which support the entity of God as well as rejecting the entity of God. All of them were taking the humanity closer to reality in different angles. But, now we are dragged to nowhere and we have lost the advantage of evolution of 175 generations.
Why is it so? If we really enquire it into it we may be able to find out an answer. Probably we will be able to get back to the right track in the evolution journey. In that journey, the rituals of today may become a part - not as rituals but as our life, the way of living. What we need is just the urge to find out! And the urge to have a life of integrity!
And for many of us, spirituality means performing some rituals. Most of those rituals are handed over to us from our parents and few of them we developed ourselves and few of them we modified for our convenience.
Have we ever thought about for what are we doing these rituals? This question is not to provide answer for anybody else, but for ourselves. If we ever asked this question ourselves, for sure we might have at least started to find out the answer, if not already found the answer. If we really have the urge to find an answer for this question, we must set aside the beliefs, opinions, knowledge handed over by somebody else etc. If we are not setting aside these things away from us, we will find an immediate answer for this question, which is already in our memory and for sure that answer will definitely sustain our action, in this case, support our rituals.
Are we doing the rituals for mere satisfaction or self gratification? If so, is it not a mere illusionary satisfaction? Why do we need such illusionary satisfaction? Is it because, we are afraid of facing reality? Whether we are afraid or not we have to face the reality. When it is so, why do we face the reality with a fear and hiding the fear behind the rituals? If these are not the reasons for our rituals, are we expressing our thanks to the Supreme Being by way of rituals? Why should we express our thanks to the Supreme Being? Any way we are expressing our thanks to the Supreme Being, if such thing is there, by way of living our life…. By way of supporting other life forms in this earth… the other life forms created by the same Supreme Being. why should we express our thanks by means of rituals, where we fail to live our life given by the supreme being… destroying the other life forms and destroying the anchor for sustaining our life and other life forms…., who is going to accept our expression of thanks by way of rituals, when we are trying to defeat the very source of existence? Are we able to perceive the rituals and its effects – not the illusionary effect, in our living? If not- that is the most probable answer, for what other purpose are we performing those rituals?
Please be understand that the above questions are not asked against rituals and supporting the argument against rituals. It is just to understand the need for being with the rituals, if at all we are performing any rituals. If we are being with what we are doing, they are no more rituals. In such case they are our way of life, meaning we are having complete integrity with our actions and our perceptions. When such thing happens, it is no more ritualistic action. It becomes our life. But are we in such a state. If we are performing the rituals for thanks giving, all our actions should be in that direction. We will not be wasting any thing which is in this earth for the support of something else. We use anything to the extent we need it and leave the rest for others to use. The same way we readily offer ourselves to use for the need of something else or somebody else (Does not mean anybody can use us for any purpose. It is a subtle statement). Such a state is possible only when one is with pure Love.
Are we having such a state of Love or are we having any intention to have such a state of Love? If not, all our rituals are just rituals and not our life. We are not having the perception of such rituals and hence they are meaningless. For majority of the population, the rituals are for pure self interest, probably with the warping of God or Spirituality over it. Hence, there is no use out of that except an illusionary satisfaction, an illusionary psychological security.
Probably, the Indian culture may say the rituals are based on Vedas, the scriptures of Indian culture. If we see the evolution of Vedas, only the earlier parts of Vedas are talking about rituals. The Vedas in the later part of time line moved from rituals to freedom. When the fact itself is that Vedas evolved gradually from rituals to complete freedom, why should we still be bonded with the ritualistic part of Vedas. Why don’t we move to the evolved part of Vedas? And the Vedas are aged more than seven thousands years. If we consider 40 years as one generation, we are 175 generations ahead of the age of Vedas. With such a long generation gap, we should have been evolved much, much deeper level and in fact Vedas must be very preliminary scriptures for us. Indeed it happened until about few hundred years ago. Our culture supported the evolution of so many philosophies, which support the entity of God as well as rejecting the entity of God. All of them were taking the humanity closer to reality in different angles. But, now we are dragged to nowhere and we have lost the advantage of evolution of 175 generations.
Why is it so? If we really enquire it into it we may be able to find out an answer. Probably we will be able to get back to the right track in the evolution journey. In that journey, the rituals of today may become a part - not as rituals but as our life, the way of living. What we need is just the urge to find out! And the urge to have a life of integrity!
Sunday, December 20, 2009
Integrity
One of the dictionary meanings of the word Integrity is, ‘The quality or condition of being whole or undivided’. The basic necessity for a fulfilled life! If we ever have done any root cause analysis for any of our problems, for sure, we shall reach a point that the lack of integrity in our life and living is the root cause. The lack of integrity is due to our desires, attachments, possessiveness…
Psychologically, we are not whole. We have divided ourselves into numerous fragments – each fragment representing a small part of ourselves. We are the collection of such fragments. When we ourselves are fragments, integrity is not possible for us. On the other hand, there cannot be integrity in our life until the time we exist as fragments.
For anything and everything we have certain ideas and opinions. Once we have the ideas and opinions, we are already identified ourselves with those ideas. With that identification, each ideas and opinions are just a fragment of us. We see anything with respect to these fragments and act on anything with the fragmented knowledge gained by seeing based on ideas/opinions. Hence the action cannot be the action of intelligence, but the action of fragmented knowledge. When we act with a fragmented knowledge, we cannot gauge the necessity of that action. In fact, we cannot act, we can only react! When we act on anything without the understanding of its necessity, the outcome will be an accident. If the outcome of this accident is positive with respect to us, we celebrate and if it is negative we suffer.
When we act with integrity, all our actions will be pure and effortless. It is out of understanding of the necessity of our action. Such action does not require any effort from us.
When there is no space or interval between our thoughts, words, and actions, integrity will be established in our life. In general, almost every one of us, probably with very few exceptions, thinks something, talk something else, and act in totally different manner. The reason for this is that we do not understand the space between thoughts, words, and our actions and hence do not realize the changes happening with in that space. Due to our lack of understanding of that space, something else may enter between the spaces and hence our thoughts, words, and action are disintegrated. Such a life with disintegrated thoughts and actions is a totally disintegrated life. Suffering is inevitable in such a way of living. If we are of the type that we never complain about our sufferings, the current way of living is fine. But if we are complaining about our sufferings, the first thing we should do is correct ourselves from this disintegrated life.
For understanding the space between the thoughts, words and action, we need to have perception – Perception of our thoughts, perception of what we speak, and perception of what we do. Perception is possible only when we keep ourselves alive or when we are really living. Perceiving is living! In our current way of living, complete perception may not be possible at once. But it is possible to have perception when we keep ourselves attentive. The trap here is that if we are not able to be attentive, we may start cursing ourselves which does more harm than help. In such situations, just be aware of that inattentiveness – Which can take our perception to new levels. The basic requirement here is the understanding of need for such attentiveness and our willingness to be attentive. Once we have the understanding and willingness, integrity is our being and the space, if any, between our thoughts and action are no more occupied by anything else and hence in reality there is no space between our thoughts and action. It is a single integrated activity!
It is not a tough task to understand that whatever problems we have in our personal level or religious level or national level or global level – the basic reason is lack of integrity within the responsible personnel. For our problems, we are the responsible one. For religious problems, the so called religious leaders are responsible personnel. For national problems, the political leaders are responsible personnel and so on.
We expect those who lead us should have the quality of integrity. But are we having integrity within us. If we are totally disintegrated, what value do we have on our expectation that others should have integrity? – Whoever it may be. We are the society, we are the nation. If we are disintegrated, the society/nation is disintegrated for sure. But we may ask, if I establish integrity within myself, will be the integrity of society established? Such question is an immature question – can be asked by a mind which cannot grasp the quality of integrity within it.
Integrity is not about having a set of moral qualities. A mind entangled with morality cannot possibly understand the quality of integrity. The conflicts arises within the mind due to the urge to comply with the moral values takes away the integrity. A mind with chattering desires may not be able to have the quality of integrity. It is not that one should not have desire, but should not be within the prison of desires. A mind with fears and beliefs cannot have the quality of integrity. Fear and belief divide us into tiny fragments.
If we want the quality of integrity within our society, within our political establishments, within our religious establishments, the basic need is that we should be a person with the quality of integrity. If we don’t have integrity within us and expect others should have that quality is equivalent to that of an act of violence. When we have the quality of integrity within us, the very presence of integrity within us spread around us. The integrity within the society is thus started forming. If certain small percentage of population lives with integrity, the whole of society will prosper due to the ripple effect. Why don’t you and I start that change?
Psychologically, we are not whole. We have divided ourselves into numerous fragments – each fragment representing a small part of ourselves. We are the collection of such fragments. When we ourselves are fragments, integrity is not possible for us. On the other hand, there cannot be integrity in our life until the time we exist as fragments.
For anything and everything we have certain ideas and opinions. Once we have the ideas and opinions, we are already identified ourselves with those ideas. With that identification, each ideas and opinions are just a fragment of us. We see anything with respect to these fragments and act on anything with the fragmented knowledge gained by seeing based on ideas/opinions. Hence the action cannot be the action of intelligence, but the action of fragmented knowledge. When we act with a fragmented knowledge, we cannot gauge the necessity of that action. In fact, we cannot act, we can only react! When we act on anything without the understanding of its necessity, the outcome will be an accident. If the outcome of this accident is positive with respect to us, we celebrate and if it is negative we suffer.
When we act with integrity, all our actions will be pure and effortless. It is out of understanding of the necessity of our action. Such action does not require any effort from us.
When there is no space or interval between our thoughts, words, and actions, integrity will be established in our life. In general, almost every one of us, probably with very few exceptions, thinks something, talk something else, and act in totally different manner. The reason for this is that we do not understand the space between thoughts, words, and our actions and hence do not realize the changes happening with in that space. Due to our lack of understanding of that space, something else may enter between the spaces and hence our thoughts, words, and action are disintegrated. Such a life with disintegrated thoughts and actions is a totally disintegrated life. Suffering is inevitable in such a way of living. If we are of the type that we never complain about our sufferings, the current way of living is fine. But if we are complaining about our sufferings, the first thing we should do is correct ourselves from this disintegrated life.
For understanding the space between the thoughts, words and action, we need to have perception – Perception of our thoughts, perception of what we speak, and perception of what we do. Perception is possible only when we keep ourselves alive or when we are really living. Perceiving is living! In our current way of living, complete perception may not be possible at once. But it is possible to have perception when we keep ourselves attentive. The trap here is that if we are not able to be attentive, we may start cursing ourselves which does more harm than help. In such situations, just be aware of that inattentiveness – Which can take our perception to new levels. The basic requirement here is the understanding of need for such attentiveness and our willingness to be attentive. Once we have the understanding and willingness, integrity is our being and the space, if any, between our thoughts and action are no more occupied by anything else and hence in reality there is no space between our thoughts and action. It is a single integrated activity!
It is not a tough task to understand that whatever problems we have in our personal level or religious level or national level or global level – the basic reason is lack of integrity within the responsible personnel. For our problems, we are the responsible one. For religious problems, the so called religious leaders are responsible personnel. For national problems, the political leaders are responsible personnel and so on.
We expect those who lead us should have the quality of integrity. But are we having integrity within us. If we are totally disintegrated, what value do we have on our expectation that others should have integrity? – Whoever it may be. We are the society, we are the nation. If we are disintegrated, the society/nation is disintegrated for sure. But we may ask, if I establish integrity within myself, will be the integrity of society established? Such question is an immature question – can be asked by a mind which cannot grasp the quality of integrity within it.
Integrity is not about having a set of moral qualities. A mind entangled with morality cannot possibly understand the quality of integrity. The conflicts arises within the mind due to the urge to comply with the moral values takes away the integrity. A mind with chattering desires may not be able to have the quality of integrity. It is not that one should not have desire, but should not be within the prison of desires. A mind with fears and beliefs cannot have the quality of integrity. Fear and belief divide us into tiny fragments.
If we want the quality of integrity within our society, within our political establishments, within our religious establishments, the basic need is that we should be a person with the quality of integrity. If we don’t have integrity within us and expect others should have that quality is equivalent to that of an act of violence. When we have the quality of integrity within us, the very presence of integrity within us spread around us. The integrity within the society is thus started forming. If certain small percentage of population lives with integrity, the whole of society will prosper due to the ripple effect. Why don’t you and I start that change?
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