Just Like Happiness of Drug Addicts

From: "Will Chaucey" To: am-global@earthlink.net Subject: Just Like Happiness of Drug Addicts Date: Sat, 04 Apr 2009 22:19:17 +1000 Baba 

== JUST LIKE HAPPINESS OF DRUG ADDICTS ==

Namaskar, Right now there are so many vices and intoxicants that cloud the mind and keep people far from the truth. But the worst drug of all is the one known as "materialism." It is the drug of materialism that has bound billions of people on this earth and kept them from attaining spiritual realisation. It is the drug of materialism that makes people work night and day to earn a few pennies or buy a new car. It is the drug of materialism that makes people so concerned about their prestige and reputation. And the list goes on and on. People spend so much energy and time in pursuit of their materialistic longings. The interesting thing is that materialists are basically happy - in a cheap sort of way, even though they are not getting the main thing in life: Parama Purusa. Such is the power of materialism to intoxicate and dull the mind of the jiiva. The crowing glory of human life is to realise Him and bask in His bliss, yet matter-centered people are totally satisfied spending their days chasing after shiny metal objects, paper money, sensual desires, and all the many shades of materialism. As Ananda Margiis we should be extremely aware of this drug and be vigilant to warn others about it as well.

MATERIALISM IS SO STRONG

The tidal pull and intoxicating allurement of materialism is so strong that even intelligent people, who employ a strong sense of logic and reasoning in other aspect of their lives, never ever question the essence of materialism. A university professor may question the ethics of the medical world, a world leader may clearly analyse the cause of poverty, and top-notch scientist may discover new ways that human cells function, but these people and so many others never stop and think how materialism dominates their daily life. Such persons do backflips - i.e. anything and everything - in order to get a higher post, receive a better salary, or get an accolade or praise. Their days vigorously pass in this way - happily so. Their keen minds never question the ephemeral nature of this world or how they are swallowed up by materialistic desires.

THIS WORLD IS JAGAT

Baba reminds us in so many discourses that this material world is jagat - it is a passing show. Everything comes and goes - it is all moving - nothing is permanent. Baba says, "As everything in this universe is moving ceaselessly, this world is called jagat. The root verb gam plus the suffix kvip make up the word jagat, which literally means “that whose very characteristic is constant mobility”....As everything in this universe is always in a state of motion, nothing is dhruva [permanent], everything is adhruva [fixed].... Whatever you witness in this universe is only that aspect of the creation which is within the scope of time, place, and person, that is, within the three strands of relativity. Whichever way we look, we see only the external dynamism of everything, and as we witness this external dynamism, we feel pleasure when we get something, we feel pain when we lose something." (SS-21) All the various objects and desires of this world are fleeting in nature. A brand new car gets destroyed in an accident, retirement savings vanish into nothing, one's mother and father pass into the void of death, even one's own body gets old and dies. This phenomenal world is merely a passing show. Yet, the mass of human beings on this earth spend all their time totally immersed in chasing after fleeting objects. Because of the intoxicating allurement of materialism, most of the time they are happy doing this. What people do not realise or entirely understand is that whatever they get in this world will one day be gone, or they themselves will be gone. There is no third option from a materialistic perspective. Even then people gleefully chase, chase and chase after their materials desires as if that will grant them lasting happiness.

THEIR STATE OF MIND IS JUST LIKE...

The condition of such jiivas is no different from farm animals. Those animals are quite happy eating grass all day and rolling around in the sun. They get all they need: Food, water, grooming, medical care - in that way they are very satisfied and content. And they remain content even up to two minutes before the time they are eventually slaughtered. Similarly, the mass of human beings are delighted and pleased with their material allurements. They think, "This is great." But in truth, their state of mind and level of awareness is no different from animals on the farm. In both cases, their satisfaction stems from the intoxicating blindness of materialism. Thus it is silly for human beings to get caught up in such a state - but it happens. Haven't we all seen it.

BABA'S WARNING

Here is Baba's strict warning about life in this material sphere.

Smaran'a nitya anityata'm

Baba says, "You should remember always that you have come here for a short span. You won’t remain in this world for a long period. You may remain here say for ninety or hundred years or say for one hundred and fifty years...So you should always remember that you have come here for a very short span. It is just like a waiting room of a railway station. You remain there for a short period and when the train comes, you leave the waiting room. This world is just like that waiting room. You are to remain here for a very short span." (AV-12) Due to the force of maya many people think that everything is permanent. They do not think their eternal abode is somewhere else. They fail to realise that this world is not their final destination. They certainly understand that they go on vacation for a short period or that they go to the office for a limited period of time, but about their own life they think it will last forever and that they will always remain here on this earth. This is the prevailing notion and many live by this dictate. Such is how maya clouds their powers of perception and reasoning. This is the root cause of human blindness and why people so easily become slaves to this material world, drug addicts of this passing show. As margiis and disciples of Baba, we are to always remember that this entire external expression is ephemeral, not eternal truth. That is the meaning of Baba's warning, smaran'a nitya anityata'm.

BABA'S BLESSING

Only by the grace of Parama Purusa can we escape from this intoxication of materialism and live a life befitting that of a true human being. We have to be sincere and sadhana and ask for His grace. In our second verse of Guru Puja, it is said:

“Ajina'natimira'ndhasya jina'na'injana shala'kaya'.”

Baba says, "You know that an eye ointment is applied with a stick (“Shala'ka'” means stick). Now, all the microcosms are parts of that Noumenal Entity, all are actually parts and particles of that Supreme Entity, but due to ignorance, due to the darkness of ignorance, they cannot see what is what and which is which. That is why they require the ointment of spiritual knowledge. Guru (with a stick) applies the ointment of spiritual knowledge to their eyes." (AV-3) By Guru's then then one can begin to understand what is right and what is wrong and what is the goal. Then and only then does real human life begin, by His grace. Namaskar, Vinay