We like to adapt certain habits, but struggle to leave certain other habits. We suffer on either case. We are not suffering due to the habit in all cases, but due to our desire and struggle to either adapt or forgo certain habits. Definitely certain habits have advantages to carry on our day-to-day life. This advantage is there only when we are at certain fixed plane of life. If we want to elevate ourselves to another plane, habits are hindering for that progress. Habits take away our awareness on our doing.
Habits are genetically transferred to us as well as we ourselves are developing our own habits and for the future generations. Whatever habits genetically transferred to us are within unconscious level of our mind and hence we are not at all aware of it, unless we identify them with great effort. Neither have we recognized that we are having such habits. Such habits, usually almost everyone in the society are having hence we start believing that they are our natural way of being. For example, the way we are eating is a habit inherited from our parents. The survival instincts may be the habits inherited from the long history of life.
Need not specify the habits we develop ourselves, we are aware of that. Habits are the activities we do very frequently. Due to its application it just goes into our mind over and over and hence pushed deep into our mind – our sub conscious level of mind. Our conscious part of mind is a very thin layer usually – which we are aware of. We may be aware of certain part of our subconscious, but it does not require our awareness to bring forth its action. This is the reason habits makes us dull, even though they helps us to carry on our lives very easily in certain cases.
If habits take over our life, we will not be having any conscious control over our life. This is due to the fact that habitual activities are carried out by our subconscious, rather than our conscious mind. Due to the technologies, now days our life is so easy, some habitual activities are sufficient to carry on most part of our lives. When this happens, without understand the real need for activities, due to the subconscious urge, we tend to carry on certain activities. Moreover the subconscious follow a pattern. If the situation deviates a little bit from the pattern, we cannot identify that difference, but the subconscious execute the activity as usual pattern. On the other hand, we are losing control over our activities and hence life.
On one side habits makes our life easy, while on the other side it takes away our control over our own life. This does not mean we should not develop any habits. On the contrary we should develop another habit of doing even the habitual activities within the field of our consciousness. If we can do this, it may be a great achievement in the path of spirituality or self-knowledge.
It may be explained in this way also. Spirituality is all about expanding our awareness. This means, it is about expanding our consciousness. On the other hand it is about penetrating subconscious and converts it to consciousness and then penetrates further within our mind and then converts that also into our consciousness, until reaching the core of our mind.
Once we can reach that level – reach the core of our mind, there is nothing we can do in this world. At the same time there is nothing we can’t do in this world. Both seem to be logical on considering the depth of our mind.
Sunday, April 18, 2010
Tuesday, April 13, 2010
Why Spirituality?
May be an interesting question! But we have to define spirituality before attempting to answer this question. This is because each one may be having their own understanding of spirituality. Hence providing an answer for this question without defining this term (with respect to what is written here) may be a futile exercise.
For sure, spirituality is not referred here as an act of worship. Worship may be a tool for spirituality for somebody in the path of spirituality. For somebody else in the path of spirituality, the act of worship may be an unnecessary one and for them anything relevant to worship may be an act of dragging themselves away from spirituality.
Prayer – definitely cannot have any relevance to spirituality. It may be a prayer towards the unknown entity called as God or prayer towards known entities called Godmen/women or prayer towards Gurus and so on. In general prayer is a form of begging – to an unknown entity. In any form, prayer is far away from spirituality. May be for someone, in some sense, prayer may also be a tool for spirituality.
Rituals are widely considered as part of spirituality. Today, almost every one calling themselves as spiritualist are mere performers of rituals. And the pettiest part is that many of them even not having the slightest understanding of those rituals except some constructed meaning. In real sense they are not spiritualists. Of course, rituals may be a tool for spirituality, at certain plane.
Then what is spirituality? In a simple statement, spirituality is a search for truth. The word ‘truth’ may represent the true nature of simplest subject with/within/near/around us or the complicated nature of existence itself. If we are able to understand and perceive the true nature of simplest subject, we may not be far away from knowing the true nature of this infinite existence; for that the simple subject is an integral part of the existence itself.
Very rarely we know about the truth of any subject. We know only the thought construct about any subject. The subject may be any physical object or any relationships or anything else exists here. For example, when we see a table, we just see the dimension, colour, weight and similar qualities we sense about that object by our senses and the mind construct an idea about that table. This is our knowledge about that table. We rarely know the background, true information about that table. The wood used for that table, the person created that table are just two of many variables about the truth of that table. Now, the nature of the tree which provided wood for that table and the qualities of the person who made that table are further derived variables, upon constructing this way, to find the true nature of this table, we may have to go up to the time of creation and/or complete nature of existence. Knowing all these things construct the true nature of that table. Without knowing these, parameters we can never be able to understand the real nature of that simple object in front of us.
Why the shit we need to know the real nature of that table, if it involves so many unpredictable, unperceivable parameters? What use does it have for us? Is it not sufficient if we know how to use that table? If knowing such truth is spirituality, why the hell we need spirituality? – Very much valid questions!
Before trying to answer these questions, we must understand one thing. We are constructed in such a way that we need to get answer for any questions arises within our mind. Unless we get some answer – a convincing answer, our mind cannot rest. The mentally ill (so called) people are those who have many such unresolved questions and resultant conflicts within them, which might have taken away their awareness completely. (It is what I think, not sure about the medical/psychological background to state it authoritatively.) It may be the nature of human mind. The super-natural power God must have been invented to answer these questions – A very simple answer, God provided this and that means we are satisfied. Unfortunately, this simple answer leaves many unanswered questions within as long as we have a trace of logical thinking within us– for most of these questions we know partial answer through our own experience. The remaining part of the answer superimposed on the idea of God may not go along well with our experience and hence a conflict arises within us. Those who try to resolve these conflicts enter into the field of spirituality. Others just live with those conflicts, which in turn produces new conflicts and then a chain of conflicts – on those conflicts, our pleasure and pain are constructed and maintained.
For a person, who is not yet submerged into the chain of pain and pleasure or who is capable of peeping out of this chain surely start to get many questions on whatever that person see/perceive in the world – for example, the table itself. For understanding the table, one has to probe into unlimited questions – the artistic nature of table, the materialistic nature of table, the origin of its artistic nature, the origin of its materialistic nature, how the material form developed, how the artistic form developed, what are all the supports for the development of its artistic form/materialistic form…….. Never ending questions!
The optimistic part of this probing is that once we start getting some understanding in some of these questions, the remaining understanding comes to us as a clear stream. Once we have reasonable understanding of this simple object – table, we have the reasonable understanding of the whole creation and existence itself. When we have reasonable understanding of existence, almost all the conflicts within us evaporate like a water drop on an intensive fire.
When we are free from conflicts…………. Need not repeat here! We know it! That is why Spirituality!
For sure, spirituality is not referred here as an act of worship. Worship may be a tool for spirituality for somebody in the path of spirituality. For somebody else in the path of spirituality, the act of worship may be an unnecessary one and for them anything relevant to worship may be an act of dragging themselves away from spirituality.
Prayer – definitely cannot have any relevance to spirituality. It may be a prayer towards the unknown entity called as God or prayer towards known entities called Godmen/women or prayer towards Gurus and so on. In general prayer is a form of begging – to an unknown entity. In any form, prayer is far away from spirituality. May be for someone, in some sense, prayer may also be a tool for spirituality.
Rituals are widely considered as part of spirituality. Today, almost every one calling themselves as spiritualist are mere performers of rituals. And the pettiest part is that many of them even not having the slightest understanding of those rituals except some constructed meaning. In real sense they are not spiritualists. Of course, rituals may be a tool for spirituality, at certain plane.
Then what is spirituality? In a simple statement, spirituality is a search for truth. The word ‘truth’ may represent the true nature of simplest subject with/within/near/around us or the complicated nature of existence itself. If we are able to understand and perceive the true nature of simplest subject, we may not be far away from knowing the true nature of this infinite existence; for that the simple subject is an integral part of the existence itself.
Very rarely we know about the truth of any subject. We know only the thought construct about any subject. The subject may be any physical object or any relationships or anything else exists here. For example, when we see a table, we just see the dimension, colour, weight and similar qualities we sense about that object by our senses and the mind construct an idea about that table. This is our knowledge about that table. We rarely know the background, true information about that table. The wood used for that table, the person created that table are just two of many variables about the truth of that table. Now, the nature of the tree which provided wood for that table and the qualities of the person who made that table are further derived variables, upon constructing this way, to find the true nature of this table, we may have to go up to the time of creation and/or complete nature of existence. Knowing all these things construct the true nature of that table. Without knowing these, parameters we can never be able to understand the real nature of that simple object in front of us.
Why the shit we need to know the real nature of that table, if it involves so many unpredictable, unperceivable parameters? What use does it have for us? Is it not sufficient if we know how to use that table? If knowing such truth is spirituality, why the hell we need spirituality? – Very much valid questions!
Before trying to answer these questions, we must understand one thing. We are constructed in such a way that we need to get answer for any questions arises within our mind. Unless we get some answer – a convincing answer, our mind cannot rest. The mentally ill (so called) people are those who have many such unresolved questions and resultant conflicts within them, which might have taken away their awareness completely. (It is what I think, not sure about the medical/psychological background to state it authoritatively.) It may be the nature of human mind. The super-natural power God must have been invented to answer these questions – A very simple answer, God provided this and that means we are satisfied. Unfortunately, this simple answer leaves many unanswered questions within as long as we have a trace of logical thinking within us– for most of these questions we know partial answer through our own experience. The remaining part of the answer superimposed on the idea of God may not go along well with our experience and hence a conflict arises within us. Those who try to resolve these conflicts enter into the field of spirituality. Others just live with those conflicts, which in turn produces new conflicts and then a chain of conflicts – on those conflicts, our pleasure and pain are constructed and maintained.
For a person, who is not yet submerged into the chain of pain and pleasure or who is capable of peeping out of this chain surely start to get many questions on whatever that person see/perceive in the world – for example, the table itself. For understanding the table, one has to probe into unlimited questions – the artistic nature of table, the materialistic nature of table, the origin of its artistic nature, the origin of its materialistic nature, how the material form developed, how the artistic form developed, what are all the supports for the development of its artistic form/materialistic form…….. Never ending questions!
The optimistic part of this probing is that once we start getting some understanding in some of these questions, the remaining understanding comes to us as a clear stream. Once we have reasonable understanding of this simple object – table, we have the reasonable understanding of the whole creation and existence itself. When we have reasonable understanding of existence, almost all the conflicts within us evaporate like a water drop on an intensive fire.
When we are free from conflicts…………. Need not repeat here! We know it! That is why Spirituality!
Thursday, March 25, 2010
Acceptance
We, at least in our current way of living, can do any activity only after our acceptance. Exceptions may be the activities of brain that doesn’t require our thoughts, like breathing. On the other hand, any activities coming out of our thoughts should necessarily have our acceptance – It may be our willful acceptance or forced acceptance. If there is a need for acceptance, obviously there are options to accept and reject. If there are no options available, then the only possibility is getting into action. In such cases, there is no question of acceptance. It is possible to reach such a state only when we are out of the field of thought. Until then, if we say there is no option, it is just an escape from our inaction – the truth is that we accepted the wrong option.
Options are available only when we attach qualities with the subject of identification and then apply comparison into the subjects. As noted in the previous discussion, quality is required for identification and it is basically our knowledge about subject. When we attach ourselves with the qualities we identify or our knowledge, comparison is unavoidable. Comparison differentiates subjects. On the other hand, comparison is a differentiator.
Comparison is inevitable as long as we are bonded with our knowledge about the subject. When we are not sufficiently free from our knowledge, we look into any subject with our bondage with our own knowledge – In such cases, we perceive the subject as a projection of what we already know about that subject. We can never be able to perceive the true nature of that subject. Almost every one of us views the subject with our own bondage with our own knowledge. Hence each one of us perceives the subject as extension of our own knowledge – but not the true nature of that subject. Hence argument on any subject is utter childishness and shows off our immaturity. Does it mean, there is no discussion required on any subject? This is not the message conveyed here! Discussion is required to the extent to help all the parties involved to be able to perceive another dimension of the subject. It is possible only when we understand that we are bonded with our knowledge. In such a discussion, there is neither any acceptance nor any rejection. There is only another dimension of understanding!
How to be free from our knowledge? It appears to me that freedom from knowledge is possible only by acquiring knowledge. Freedom from knowledge is possible only with our inquisitiveness. If we never ask the basic questions to ourselves, which can shatter our beliefs, we can never obtain freedom from our own knowledge. The bondage with our knowledge is not just the bondage we ourselves created. It is a bondage created and preserved by our ancestors for so many thousands of years transmitted to us genetically along with the bondage created by our grandparents, parents and we ourselves. Hence it is natural that it needs a great effort from us to break this bondage.
If our ancestors preserved that bondage, why should we break it? Only our understanding and knowledge can answer this question. This is where we need knowledge! We need knowledge to understand the need for attaining freedom from our own knowledge. We can acquire this knowledge only by questioning ourselves. Neither our current education system teaches us such questioning ability nor our environment encourages us to obtain such capability. Hence, it may be a great challenge to acquire such questioning ability. But it is a possibility available to every one of us – It depends on our acceptance of which of the multiple options available to us. It depends on our willingness to transcend the field of acceptance, our willingness to transcend the field of choices, willingness to transcend the field of comparison, willingness transcend the field of our own knowledge. And more importantly, our uncompromised desire to enter into the field of limitless joy.
When we understand very clearly that our acceptance at various levels for various options available to us until now, is the basic reason for what we are now, we will be free from all our qualities - jealous, pride, self-centeredness, anger, desires, etc. We are the qualities we acquired through out our life. When our qualities are dissolved, we ourselves are dissolved. What an easy way to leave the cycle of life! What a series of complications we added into that easy path!
Options are available only when we attach qualities with the subject of identification and then apply comparison into the subjects. As noted in the previous discussion, quality is required for identification and it is basically our knowledge about subject. When we attach ourselves with the qualities we identify or our knowledge, comparison is unavoidable. Comparison differentiates subjects. On the other hand, comparison is a differentiator.
Comparison is inevitable as long as we are bonded with our knowledge about the subject. When we are not sufficiently free from our knowledge, we look into any subject with our bondage with our own knowledge – In such cases, we perceive the subject as a projection of what we already know about that subject. We can never be able to perceive the true nature of that subject. Almost every one of us views the subject with our own bondage with our own knowledge. Hence each one of us perceives the subject as extension of our own knowledge – but not the true nature of that subject. Hence argument on any subject is utter childishness and shows off our immaturity. Does it mean, there is no discussion required on any subject? This is not the message conveyed here! Discussion is required to the extent to help all the parties involved to be able to perceive another dimension of the subject. It is possible only when we understand that we are bonded with our knowledge. In such a discussion, there is neither any acceptance nor any rejection. There is only another dimension of understanding!
How to be free from our knowledge? It appears to me that freedom from knowledge is possible only by acquiring knowledge. Freedom from knowledge is possible only with our inquisitiveness. If we never ask the basic questions to ourselves, which can shatter our beliefs, we can never obtain freedom from our own knowledge. The bondage with our knowledge is not just the bondage we ourselves created. It is a bondage created and preserved by our ancestors for so many thousands of years transmitted to us genetically along with the bondage created by our grandparents, parents and we ourselves. Hence it is natural that it needs a great effort from us to break this bondage.
If our ancestors preserved that bondage, why should we break it? Only our understanding and knowledge can answer this question. This is where we need knowledge! We need knowledge to understand the need for attaining freedom from our own knowledge. We can acquire this knowledge only by questioning ourselves. Neither our current education system teaches us such questioning ability nor our environment encourages us to obtain such capability. Hence, it may be a great challenge to acquire such questioning ability. But it is a possibility available to every one of us – It depends on our acceptance of which of the multiple options available to us. It depends on our willingness to transcend the field of acceptance, our willingness to transcend the field of choices, willingness to transcend the field of comparison, willingness transcend the field of our own knowledge. And more importantly, our uncompromised desire to enter into the field of limitless joy.
When we understand very clearly that our acceptance at various levels for various options available to us until now, is the basic reason for what we are now, we will be free from all our qualities - jealous, pride, self-centeredness, anger, desires, etc. We are the qualities we acquired through out our life. When our qualities are dissolved, we ourselves are dissolved. What an easy way to leave the cycle of life! What a series of complications we added into that easy path!
Wednesday, March 10, 2010
Quality
We attach qualities to each and every thing we see and then use that quality to identify any subject. Without quality, identification of any sort is not possible. The physical identification of anything is through our basic senses and the brain attaches the quality required for identification. As soon as the brain senses something through sense organs, it compares the sensed subject and finds at least a quality from memory to attach with subject. For the brain to attach a quality with any subject, it must have previous knowledge about certain qualities of that subject. If there is no previous knowledge of the quality of subject under observation, the brain cannot identify or perceive that object. This may be one of very basic understandings which are required for anyone wishing to travel in the path of intelligence into the field of spirituality. For understanding this, we need to have some understanding about knowledge also.
Now the basic question arises out of this is that what is our knowledge about qualities? Are there any absolute qualities which everyone knows exactly the same way? These may be very difficult questions to answer. But one can find the answer oneself, provided probe this questions with certain openness, with the understanding that our knowledge itself is derived from what we already knows and what we will find out will also be derived from what we are already knowing. Unless we understand this and sufficiently free from our knowledge, the finding will just be a projection of what we already know and viewing multiple dimensions is not at all possible.
We never question about our knowledge. We never probe how we attained that knowledge. We always consider our knowledge as final. We never realize that what we knew or what we will know is the continuation of what we already knew. If we do not know anything at all now, there is absolutely no possibility of any knowledge in future. On the other hand, if at all we know anything absolute, then only there is a possibility of absolute knowledge. On the other hand, knowledge is continuous. Now, we starts identify ourselves with the knowledge we acquired. Once this starts happening, we will have deep attachment with what we know and look into anything else within the constraints of that attachment. We look into anything with in the field of our knowledge. Unless we break this attachment with the knowledge we acquired, there is absolutely no possibility of learning or perceiving totally new. If we really understand this to the core of our being, the very quality of ourselves will change completely. It may not be a change which others can observe, but a clear change within ourselves, which entirely changes the way we live our life.
So, the quality we attach with any subject to identify that subject entirely depends on our knowledge. The subject under observation may be physical object or certain ideas or philosophies or Guru or God…. or any other thing which our thought can conceive. There is a concept called “Freedom from Known” or “Freedom from Knowledge”. This has been put forwarded by J. Krishnamurti in a raw and blunt manner, even though it was available in certain ancient Indian philosophies. When we are attached to our knowledge, we always stick to what we know. We refuse to see the subject from another perspective. With that knowledge, we are in certain egoistic state which will not allow us to see the subject from another perspective. The same objects have as many numbers of perspectives as the number of persons viewing that subject. And even for a very simple physical subject, this is true. One may see the color of that subject, another one size, another one physical composition, and another one may be chemical composition and so on and so on. As long as we refuse to see the same object free from the knowledge we have about that subject, another perspective of that subject is not possible.
Hence there may not be anything called quality. It may be just our perspective of the subject. If we are attached to our knowledge, we will be having limited perspective of the subject. As we gain freedom from our own knowledge, there is a possibility of looking into the object from another perspective or probably during each instant of observation of that subject the observation may be with a new perspective. When we are free from our knowledge about the subject, we may be seeing many, many perspectives of the same object. When we are free from all our knowledge, everything in the existence may be perceived with unlimited perspectives which may be the height of ecstasy.
Now the basic question arises out of this is that what is our knowledge about qualities? Are there any absolute qualities which everyone knows exactly the same way? These may be very difficult questions to answer. But one can find the answer oneself, provided probe this questions with certain openness, with the understanding that our knowledge itself is derived from what we already knows and what we will find out will also be derived from what we are already knowing. Unless we understand this and sufficiently free from our knowledge, the finding will just be a projection of what we already know and viewing multiple dimensions is not at all possible.
We never question about our knowledge. We never probe how we attained that knowledge. We always consider our knowledge as final. We never realize that what we knew or what we will know is the continuation of what we already knew. If we do not know anything at all now, there is absolutely no possibility of any knowledge in future. On the other hand, if at all we know anything absolute, then only there is a possibility of absolute knowledge. On the other hand, knowledge is continuous. Now, we starts identify ourselves with the knowledge we acquired. Once this starts happening, we will have deep attachment with what we know and look into anything else within the constraints of that attachment. We look into anything with in the field of our knowledge. Unless we break this attachment with the knowledge we acquired, there is absolutely no possibility of learning or perceiving totally new. If we really understand this to the core of our being, the very quality of ourselves will change completely. It may not be a change which others can observe, but a clear change within ourselves, which entirely changes the way we live our life.
So, the quality we attach with any subject to identify that subject entirely depends on our knowledge. The subject under observation may be physical object or certain ideas or philosophies or Guru or God…. or any other thing which our thought can conceive. There is a concept called “Freedom from Known” or “Freedom from Knowledge”. This has been put forwarded by J. Krishnamurti in a raw and blunt manner, even though it was available in certain ancient Indian philosophies. When we are attached to our knowledge, we always stick to what we know. We refuse to see the subject from another perspective. With that knowledge, we are in certain egoistic state which will not allow us to see the subject from another perspective. The same objects have as many numbers of perspectives as the number of persons viewing that subject. And even for a very simple physical subject, this is true. One may see the color of that subject, another one size, another one physical composition, and another one may be chemical composition and so on and so on. As long as we refuse to see the same object free from the knowledge we have about that subject, another perspective of that subject is not possible.
Hence there may not be anything called quality. It may be just our perspective of the subject. If we are attached to our knowledge, we will be having limited perspective of the subject. As we gain freedom from our own knowledge, there is a possibility of looking into the object from another perspective or probably during each instant of observation of that subject the observation may be with a new perspective. When we are free from our knowledge about the subject, we may be seeing many, many perspectives of the same object. When we are free from all our knowledge, everything in the existence may be perceived with unlimited perspectives which may be the height of ecstasy.
Wednesday, March 3, 2010
Entertainment
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.
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.
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!
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