== STORY FOR THE BIRDS? ==
Namaskar,
One Buddhist type of story about a crow has been printed in a book written
by one of our wts. In so doing, the wt was attempting to use that crow
story to explain Baba's teachings. And really, the whole endeavour is quite
interesting.
Kindly read the following and decide for yourself if the crow story aptly
represents the teachings of AM-- the teachings of Ananda Sutram about bliss.
BABA'S DIVINE TEACHING ABOUT BLISS
First, let us go to the source-- Baba's original guideline. And then we can
see how far that crow story is applicable. In His Ananda Sutram, Baba
neatly defines what is bliss:
2-3 Sukhamanantama'nandam
Meaning: Infinite Happiness is Bliss
So Baba's teaching is quite clear: Infinite happiness is bliss. 'Sukham'
means happiness; 'anantam' means 'infinite'; and 'anandam' means 'bliss.
And in the very next sutra Baba explains that that infinite happiness or
bliss is gotten by attaining Him-- by goading the mind towards Brahma,
towards that limitless Divine Entity, Parama Purusa.
And, verily, this point every Ananda Margii is aware about: To get bliss
one must channelise the mind towards Him. That is how our kiirtan and
sadhana systems work. And that is what we all try and do: Elevate the mind
to the Supreme and immerse ourselves in His bliss.
We do not follow any Buddhist approach as they do not goad the mind towards
Parama Purusa by using a mantra as we do. Instead they try to empty the
mind by not thinking anything. That is their blind approach.
Whereas in AM we sit in sadhana and focus the mind towards Parama Purusa
using our mantra. But Buddhist practitioners sit and just try not to think
anything. But according to Baba, that type of sadhana is ludicrous because
there is no Goal. In Buddhist meditation, their so-called goal is a
'vacuum'-- a state of nothingness, which they feel comes from
thoughtlessness.
So that is not our way. That is not AM sadhana.
Rather, in the Marga we channelise our desires and longing unto Him. This
is our approach.
And that is the spirit of sutra 2-3: Sukhamanantama'nandam, meaning
'Infinite Happiness is Bliss'.
WHAT OUR WT DID
In their own way, however, in their "Commentary" on Ananda Sutram, one Wt
tried to explain sutra 2-3 by using that story about one crow. And that
story we are going to review.
Please remember that the whole intent of this wt's "Commentary" book is to
elucidate Baba's teachings of Ananda Sutram. That is the only and sole aim.
Hence any story appearing in this "Commenary" book, must serve that end:
Explaining and clarifying Baba's teachings from Ananda Sutram.
And any story that veers from that path obviously has no place in a
"Commentary" type of book as it will be misleading and fallacious. Because
the wt's aim in the "Commentary" book is to explain Baba's sutram-- not
just share one unrelated story which is misleading.
So when our wt has placed that crow story in their "Commentary" book in
order to explain sutra 2-3 about bliss, then we should all see if it is
working or not.
THE CROW STORY
Here then is that crow story that one wt has published in their
"Commentary" book.
And remember this story is supposed to represent Baba's sutra about bliss
and how human beings get infinite happiness or bliss by goading their mind
towards Parama Purusa. That is what this crow story must indicate--
otherwise it will not properly represent Baba's guideline.
Now comes the 'crow story' as it appears in the "Commentary" book:
"A crow found a thick piece of bread and was flying off to its nest with
it, when a flock of crows started pursuing it, hungry for the bread. The
crow flew as fast as it could until, dead tired, it dropped the bread and
landed on the branch of a tree, finally attaining perfect rest and
tranquility. So human beings, too, will only attain peace when they give up
desires for the perishable things of the world."
That concludes the 'crow story' written by one WT in their "Commentary" book.
UNRAVELING THE CROW TALE
Unfortunately, the above crow story, which is supposed to be about
attaining bliss, moves in the totally opposite direction.
Because anybody can see that in the story the crow became scared and
fearful and thus dropped the bread. And then that crow was just depressed
and frustrated as it sat on its own branch, hoping and waiting to get
another opportunity.
So this type of story about the frustrated crow has nothing to do with the
attainment of bliss. It has nothing to do with 'sukham' or 'anandam'.
Because that crow did not get bliss-- just it sunk in frustration, tension,
and disappointment.
In their own misguided way, that wt is trying to say that because that crow
left its desire for bread therefore it got bliss. But even if that crow
really did leave its desire for bread, that state is not bliss. Because
without ideating on Parama Purusa & attaining Him, bliss does not come.
2-4 Anandam Braham ityahuh
Meaning: This ananda is called Brahma
Hence Brahma is bliss and without attaining Brahma one cannot get bliss.
So by emptying the mind one cannot get bliss. Only in that case one will
enter into a vacuum, or state of thoughtlessness, and suffer as one type of
negative microvita-- videhaliina.
That is why by giving up its bread that crow did not get bliss-- not even
close. Just it became frustrated and upset. Hence that crow story strays
far off the mark.
The main point being that human beings do not get bliss by giving up their
desires. This is not our way. In AM, our daily practice is to goad the mind
towards Parama Purusa. That is the real essence of Baba's teaching from
Ananda Sutram about the attainment of bliss.
FAILURE OF THAT "COMMENTARY" BOOK
So the whole use of that crow story in that "Commentary" book is a complete
flop. It goes nowhere-- rather it leads in a negative direction. Because
instead of depicting Baba's true formula for attaining bliss, the crow
story offers one outlandish teaching that will only lead one towards
frustration, misery, and regret.
Hence the wt who wrote the crow story and placed it in their "Commentary"
book drifted far, far from the goal. Because the whole purpose of that
so-called Commentary book is to clarify Baba's divine teachings, yet that
very crow story fails miserably in this regard.
And this crow story is not an isolated incident. The so-called Commentary
book is littered with false stories-- page after page-- that have nothing
to do the dharma of AM. Just as that crow story has nothing to do with
attaining bliss.
BABA'S WARNING ABOUT INTERPRETING SCRIPTURE
That is why Baba warns us that only those whose minds are pointed on AM
ideology should engage in explaining His teachings like those in Ananda
Sutram. Otherwise one will make a mess and turn the whole thing in the
wrong direction.
Baba says, "The scriptures should always be interpreted by qualified
scholars, competent philosophers, and penetrating thinkers. If one tries to
interpret a profound scripture with superficial knowledge, the interpreter
appears ridiculous and the audience is confused."
"There are some people who are neither scholars, nor philosophers,
nor penetrating thinkers, but merely wander about interpreting scriptures
as a means of livelihood. They utterly fail to present the proper matter in
the correct perspective before the audience...[and] do more harm than good
to the society."
"[They] interpret the scriptures just to exhibit their intellect-- to
procure for themselves a certificate of erudition. They remain far from the
living spirit of the scriptures." (NSS)
Hence in His above guideline Baba adamantly warns us of the messy scene
that occurs when an unqualified person attempts to explain His divine
teachings.
And that tragedy is exactly what has happened when one wt used that crow
story to "explain" Baba's teaching about bliss. As Baba says, "the [wt]
interpreter appears ridiculous and the audience [general public] is confused."
Just it is His grace that those doing AM sadhana did not get swayed or
misguided by that silly crow story. Rather, every Ananda Margii understands
the reality about how to attain bliss: Goad the mind towards Him.
BABA'S BLESSING
By Baba's grace He has shown us the real pathway towards bliss-- and this
every Ananda Margii is experiencing in their life.
Baba says, "You will have to channelize all your physical, psychic and
spiritual faculties, all your hopes and aspirations, longings and desires,
towards that Supreme Entity." (AMIWL-11)
Baba says, "When sa'dhakas...channelize all their propensities towards
Purus'ottama, they become united with Him and attain His greatness
[bliss]." (AMIWL-6)
Namaskar,
Mirabai
Note 1: FOOLISHNES OF UNRELATED STORIES
Telling unrelated stories about the subject at hand does not bring any
clarification-- just confusion. Telling that 'crow story' to explain about
bliss is no different than one geography professor telling about the
importance of going north but then going south. Or it is like someone
proposing to talk about the space shuttle mission but then in their lecture
they only talk about one mouse hole. Such is the foolishness of using that
'crow story' to describe the attainment of bliss.
Note 2: LIKE TRYING TO MAKE A JAGRTI IN A FISH FACTORY
It commonly happens that those reading books from other philosophies stray
far from the path when they try to explain Baba's teachings. Because their
mind gets filled with all that other junk and it oozes out whenever they
try and speak about AM.
It is just like trying to make an AM jagrti in a fish factory.
Irregardless, the foul stench of fish will permeate each and every corner
of that jagrti. There is no way to escape it.
Same then is a mind that is filled with other misguided philosophies.
Whenever they speak those dogmatic ideas will permeate their each and every
sentence and syllable, just like how one wt used that crow story to tell
about bliss.
That is why it is Baba's strict guideline from acarya diary that before
reading other books one should first sincerely study and understand the
teachings of AM. Then they will not get swayed by the misguided rantings of
other teachings like Buddhism etc.
Hence one must not pollute then mind by filling it with fallicious
philosophies. Unfortunately that is what happened to the confused wt who
used that ludicrous crow story to explain Baba's divine teachings about
bliss.
In that case their mind is no different from one fish factory.
Note 3: WHO IS BEHIND THIS LUDICROUS CROW STORY
The wt who wrote that crow story and put it in her so-called Commentary
book on Ananda Sutram is Didi Ananda Mitra. The crow story is there in her
"explanation" of sutra 2-3. That is why many are calling for this book to
be tossed aside once and for all. Because instead of guiding others about
the veracity of Baba's teachings, her so-called Commentary of Ananda Sutram
drifts into the abyss of ignorance by using ridiculous philosophies and
tales like the crow story. This mess happens throughout Didiji's entire
"Commentary" book.
Note 4: THE GLORY OF OUR AM TEACHINGS
Our AM ideology is the panacea for all the world's problems so any attempt
to explain His teachings should reflect this grandeur.
Baba says, "A correct spiritual ideology is the only solution to the
problems confronting the world. From this perspective we can call Ananda
Marga ideology the philosophers' stone. Just as the philosophers' stone is
meant to transform everything into gold, Ananda Marga ideology can, most
definitely, find a just and rational solution whenever it is applied to any
problem." (POD #36)
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Only Remedy
Baba says, "It is the duty of all human beings and especially those who are
devotees, it is their mandatory duty to always think that, 'I am a machine
and the controller is Parama Purusa. He is the machine man and I have to
work according to His desire. I have to fulfill His desire. This body of
mine is a machine and it belongs to Him. This is His machine and this
machine has to do His work.' If one constantly thinks in this way then the
vanity of action will never sprout. This is the only path to save oneself
from vanity. One has to think 'I am just one machine; I am a tool and
according to His desire I have to work'."
(SS-16 (H), p. 81, DMC Agra 19 Feb 84)
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