Dark Path

Date: 21 Jan 2009 23:14:27 -0000 From: "Gregory Hamick" To: am-global@earthlink.net Subject: 

== DARK PATH ==

Namaskar, In this extreme era of gross materialism, the society is spiraling downwards into a bottomless chasm. There may seemingly be many explanations for this but ultimately the root cause behind this horrific degeneration is singular, i.e. one. And here it is... In various discourses, Baba warns us that in this era of peak materialism, money is regarded as the cream of the life. That is the most cherished thing. And for money, people are willing to do anything and everything. This we see happening day in, day out. And this brings their total destruction.

SEE WHAT THEY ARE DOING TO GET $$$

For example, people will make themselves or their spouse naked and sell the pictures; they will kill their wife; they will sue their children; they will sell their daughters; they will cheat anybody, anytime. In sum, in this havoc ridden era of materialism people will do anything & everything to get money. >From prostitution to gambling, from arms dealing to drug trafficking, from lawyering to junk bond selling, from heaven to hell people are willing to go to any extreme for the sake of the dollar. Any day one can open the newspaper, go on the web, or take a look around town and see all these things going on. Some are legal and some are illegal, but much of what people are doing in the name of acquiring money is totally outrageous-- and destructive, either to themselves or others. But for their own selfish desire to acquire wealth they do like this.

WHAT IS HAPPENING ALL AROUND

Here is another way of looking into the matter. No doubt people resort to innumerable illegal concoctions to make money such as: Drug trafficking, child pornography, gangs, extortion, stealing, smuggling, etc. But there are countless legal ways that have been invented where people sell their souls to make money. That means they indulge in crude and lowly dealings to make money and they think it is ok since it is legal. Now in so many places gambling has become legal and the latest projection is that in a couple years legalised gambling will exceed $100 billion dollars. Then, of course, in some countries prostitution has also become legal. Plus in the US, one of the biggest sectors of the economy is the weapons industry. Where agencies sell arms and promote wars various "third-world" nations in order to make a strong economy. This is one of the favoured tactics of the US. Then there are the usual array of various commodities such as cigarettes, meat, alcohol, harmful medical drugs etc-- all of which are legal but have a very harmful effect on the society. But to make money people pass their days and years engrossed in such things.

WHY THIS IS HAPPENING

Why has it become such the rage and so easy to make huge amounts of money doing crude and degenerated things. Primarily because that is the path of least resistance. All have come from animal life and it is easy to submerge themselves in satisfying their base propensities. So if someone puts pornography on the web, they a huge sector of the population will chase after that. Because their mind easily runs in that direction. And seeing such pornography leads to the further degeneration of the society. Perhaps that is why Baba has unleashed this following statement blasting the ways of capitalism etc. Baba says, "Crude materialism has done much harm to human society during the last one century. It has misguided the entire human society, it has converted human beings into animals." (AV-2)

JUST INVITING THEIR OWN DESTRUCTION

Tragically & typically, common people think that by getting money-- by hook or by crook-- then they are paving their golden future. This is their misguided outlook. When in reality they are thrusting themselves onto path of death and destruction as they sink backwards onto the path of negative pratisaincara-- converting themselves into stone etc. Baba says, "If a person continually gloats over crude material things, his entire existence will be converted into crude matter. In mythology the story goes that Ahalya' was converted into a stone due to his constant crude ideation. So people who accept matter as their goal, totally denying the existence of Parama Purus'a, tread the path of degeneration and become prakrtiliina devayonis [negative microvita] after death." (APH-6, 'Ekendriya-1) Hence by rampantly chasing headlong after money, people totally ruin their human existence and their future is bleak, if not torturous. And that is what the bulk of the population is doing nowadays.

WE ANANDA MARGIIS SHOULD BE CAREFUL MUST FOLLOW PATH OF RIGHT LIVELIHOOD

Thus as Ananda Margiis, we should be extremely careful and conscientious on this matter. We should ensure we do not adopt this same harmful path that is being followed by countless people around the globe. That is why now more than ever we should pay strict adherence to Baba's guideline of samyak ajiiva (right livelihood). Gaining money through any type of sinful or anti-social means is not at all good for one's development. Baba says, "So one must have a clean occupation, that is, one must not do anything antisocial, one must not encourage anything antisocial, anything that goes against collective interest. That is samyak a'jiiva in physical sphere. One may earn money by selling wine. One may earn money by stealing. These are not samyak a'jiiva. Your occupation should be neat and clean -- not going against the interest of the society." (AV-30) So Baba wants that we have a healthy and clean way of earning a living-- and certainly most margiis are doing that. Even then, the pressures to go counter to this mount each and every day as all around us people stoop to depraved levels in order to make a buck. But we should not be tempted or allured.

MORE OF BABA'S WARNINGS

And all these following quotes also lead in the same direction. Namely that indiscriminately running after money will ruin one present life and destroy one's future. This is Baba's explicit warning. Unfortunately around the globe all are chasing after the supposed glories of American materialism. Little do they know that already, the US population has become sunk in soot-- in the pool of selfishness, where countless suffer from depression, anxiety, obesity, and so many physical and mental diseases. So one should beware and pay heed to Baba's following warnings: Baba says, "You may know some people whose minds always run after money. You might have asked them to sit down for a while and have a chat, and been surprised by their excusing themselves, saying they were so busy and had to rush off to the stock exchange. If their pursuit of money is hampered in any way, if it eludes their grasp, if they are totally severed from it, their minds will lose their base and they will die." (APH-6, 'Ekendriya-3') Baba says, "Do not be extrovertial, do not go ahead towards your own destruction since once you have fallen into the grip of crudeness it is well-nigh impossible to get released from it. The abyss shall devour you and you shall miss the pole star of your life." (SS-1, p.20) Baba says, "All crude objects on which people base their hopes and aspirations will certainly disappear one day, for the nature of this relative world is 'ta agacchati sah gacchati' - whatever comes goes. When people are deserted by their crude objects of desire they are eaten away by frustration and disappointment, and die a miserable death. (APH-6) Baba says, "I heard that once, when the currency was devalued, a wealthy jute merchant suddenly died because all the aspiration of his life were based on money. He could not face the prospect of having to part with his cherished object of desire." (APH-6) Thus none should get duped by the horrific ways of materialism.

OUR LIVELIHOOD SHOULD BE PURE

As Ananda Margiis we should keep ourselves neat and clean and guide the society as well. All should earn a clean living and pass their days doing virtuous deeds like serving others, practicing sadhana, and inspiring others along the path of welfare. And by Baba's grace this is what is going on in our Marga; many are progressing along this benevolent path. And none should step backwards into the mud of materialism-- which is surrounding us in all directions. Baba says, "Unscrupulous people earn a lot of money from actions which are by nature sinful and harmful for the world. Human beings should not earn their livelihood in this way. Their means of livelihood should be pure and sacred and should not harm anyone." (AV-7)

BABA'S BLESSING

By Baba's grace, under the banner of neo-humanism & Prout our human society will flourish. Where none should be allowed fall prey to the false hopes and dangerous avenues of materialism. All should be encouraged to advance on the sentient path in all the realms of life. By His grace that day is fast approaching. Baba says, "Today or tomorrow the entire world will accept PROUT as the only panacea for all of the world's mundane and supramundane ailments. There is no alternative." (PNS-17, p.30) Namaskar, Gurumurti

*************************************** WT Conduct Rule: Dealings

Baba says, "Supervisory workers will have to take proper care of each of their supervised staff in all respects." (Pt #2 of 'Six Additional Rules') Note: This is a very significant rule but these days supervisory bosses are more focused on emptying the pockets of their subordinates. This is the only "care" they do. In future when standard of devotion in supervisory workers is higher, these rules are likely to be followed in which case the situation will be better.

== Section 2 ==

~ I Remember Everything But My Ista Mantra ~

"A'mi a'r  kaono kichu bhuli na', shudhu bhule tha'ki tavo na'm..." (P.S. #838)

Purport:

O' Parama Purusa, it is so unfortunate and painful that I do not forget anything mundane; but I always forget Your divine name. I cannot remember it constantly, because worldly things always come in my mind. And those mundane things I always remember, only I forget Your name. O' my Dearmost, please grace me. I want to remember Your name all the time - within each and every breath and respiration - but alas I forget. O' Divine Entity, although I don't chant Your name and remember You, even then I can see that You love me. By Your grace, I always feel Your love, especially when I look towards You. You are very charming and gracious.

O' Parama Purusa, You are the most magnificent One. When by Your grace the stars shower from Your heavenly effulgent bosom, then the effulgence from those particles fills my heart with divine ecstasy.

 

Baba, the Parama Purusa, You are the most compassionate One. The divine love which You have poured in my heart - the affection that You saturated in my mind - always vibrates my being and brings me to the divine world. The melody that You played within my mind, in its tune, today I do sastaunga pranam to You again and again with that very tune and melody which You have resonated in my heart & mind. 

O' my Lord Baba, please shower Your causeless grace on me so that I always chant Your divine name...

  

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