== STAND OF AM: ENDING LIFE PREMATURELY ==
Namaskar,
In our Ananda Marga, human life is regarded as something invaluable and
highly treasured. The gift of human life is not easily gotten and once
achieved it should be used to follow the path of bhagavata dharma. This we
all know and are doing.
So just as our Marga protects the rights of the baby and is against
abortion, similarly we support the idea that one's life should not be
curtailed prematurely-- without an ideal in mind.
Because sometimes human life gets prematurely curtailed due to extreme
circumstances. From time to time this happens and that is what is discussed
here below.
SELF-IMMOLATION VS SUICIDE
It is not uncommon that people get confused between the terms:
self-immolation and suicide. In AM though, self-immolation has a deeper
meaning; self-immolation is not achieved just by lighting oneself on fire.
That alone is not self-immolation according to our spiritual way of thinking.
The reasoning behind this is very simple and clear. The act of
self-immolation is intrinsically linked with one's ideation and outlook. If
at the time when someone leaves their body they have true cosmic ideation,
then that person becomes one with Brahma. And with that ideation only does
it qualify as self-immolation.
If however that cosmic ideation is not present at the time of leaving the
body-- and instead one is following a narrow-minded or dogmatic approach,
then that person will become the object of what they were thinking. Means
they will convert themselves into crudeness. So if one kills themselves
while in that distinctly lower state of mind, such a death is the sinful
act of suicide-- not the higher ideal of self-immolation.
EXAMPLE FROM ANANDA MARGA
For example when our Dadas did self-immolation in the past during the
1970s, their mind was infused with Cosmic ideation. They did not have any
group, party, national, or any sectarian religious interest. Rather they
died exclusively for the great cause of Bhagavad Dharma. And because the
ideation of the Great was dominating in their mind, then they became one
with Parama Purusa.
Whereas if the thought of some narrow party or nation is flooding one's
thought waves at the time of one's demise, then that person will become
transformed directly into matter etc. Their approach is suicide and they
will become negative microvita. Because that action was devoid of ideation
on Parama Purusa.
CLEAR-CUT DIFFERENCE
Thus there is no question of dilemma or misunderstanding about the
difference between self-immolation and suicide. This point is crystal clear
point. If one's ideation is supreme then the result is also supreme; and if
one's way of thinking is narrow then the result is narrow, i.e. negative
microvita.
So it is quite clear that in the ongoing cases of self-destructive bombings
in the name of Islam or Judaism etc, then those dogmatic persons committed
suicide. And they became negative microvita.
Here following are various teachings & explanations which Baba has give
about this topic.
SUICIDE IS SAME AS HOMICIDE
First and foremost, according to Baba's guideline, suicide itself is
condemnable. Because when Parama Purusa has given a human body, and because
of any reason if someone purposefully kills themself, then they are
inviting the same amount of sin as if they were killing another human being
(homicide).
The point is that when Parama Purusa has supplied this human body, nobody
has the right to destroy it by demolishing themselves. If anybody kills
oneself, it means in future they will not be graced by new human life.
For example, if you give a pen a paper to one very small 6 month old
infant, and then the baby tears up the paper and throws it away on the
ground, and chews the pen and throws it outside the window. Then his loving
parents will think that this baby is not yet ready for those things. Let it
grow more, then I will provide these materials.
Same way, Parama Purusa does not grant new human life to people after they
commit suicide. Rather, the died person will have to wait a very, very long
period. Even as long as millions of years. Because when someone has
committed suicide, it may take millions of years to wander as negative
microvita. So killing oneself is an abominable act.
BABA IS AGAINST SUICIDE
In His discourses Baba has clearly warned for people not to commit suicide.
Specifically in the book Microvita in a Nutshell, Baba addresses the topic of
disembodied souls. And there he has given a graphic explanation about the
negativity of suicide:
Baba says, "People who commit suicide due to humiliation, psychic distortion,
frustration or the overpowering influence of excessive attachment, anger,
greed, vanity, jealousy, etc. get the status of kabandha yoni after death.
Wherever these entities happen to see other human beings under the spell of
psychic derangement, they incite them to commit suicide." (MVNS p.100)
So this Kabandha is one type of negative microvita. According Baba's
teaching, such unholy acts like the miner's suicide in Bolivia was done
under the spell of those ghastly microvita.
Even then some ignorant persons think that by destroying their existence
they will become historical or eternally famous. But I think this is one
type of psychic disease. Nothing more. And it is well known all around the
globe. In general as well as in Ananda Marg society. That, committing
suicide is not some type of glorified action. Rather it is a negative,
psychic disease. It is done by very weak, disturbed, tense, fragile
persons. Those who have strong mind, they never invite such negative
thoughts.
Anyhow, because of any reason if any person commits suicide then surely
they do not get human life again easily. By the story which Baba narrated
in Shabda Cayanika part 2, this picture is very clear. Where Baba is
describing that the British official officer "Sahib" killed himself. And so
many years passed, and his unembodied soul was living in that government
bungalow. And when Baba in his tour visited that bungalow, then because of
His divine compassion Baba blessed the Sahib. Otherwise the Sahib would
have been still under punishment. Even though he was feeling deep
repentance of the crime of suicide which he did.
STORY FROM SHABDA CAYANIKA
Here is that excerpt from Shabda Cayanika where the Sahib who committed
suicide is describing his terrible fate.
"Today I realize what a horrendous mistake I made. ...This path of suicide
that I have taken to save my honour has crudified me so much that even
after such a long time I cannot find any deliverance. These days I am
utterly helpless. ...Oh, what a painful bondage! Is there no path left open
to me to attain peace! Is there no ointment I can apply which will soothe
the burning of my bondage!" (SC-2 p.66)
Thus it is only Baba's causeless grace that He granted him (the Sahib) a
better life.
SUICIDE IS TOTALLY NEGATIVE
So all these above Baba's teachings clearly demonstrates that in a weak
moment, nobody should invite their own disaster by committing suicide. Not
only that, it is our duty as a true devotee of Baba to guide others when
they are feeling depressed or devastated or unsure of themselves. Thus we
hould be prepared and warn them that committing suicide invites long-term
rreparable damage. And that 'long-term' means thousands and thousands of
years of punishment. Because the life span of negative microvita is not
limited to ten, twenty, or one hundred years. But far longer than that.
So the entire act of committing suicide is meek and cowardly. Look in this
way. Nowadays all around, in general society, serious negativity is going
on. Their food habits, dogma, and communal rights, and innumerable
problems. And they do not have any proper ideology to move on in the right
direction. So in this situation, our duty is to guide them and bring on the
proper path.
LEAD OTHERS ONTO THE PATH OF LIFE (DHARMA)
So when we are seeing the very low standard of general society where so
many people are mentally imbalanced, then we must never encourage this type
of cowardice mentality. Rather with a full voice of courage and compassion
we should guide them in the proper direction.
Because the duty of sadvipras is to recognise and undergo the problem and
then gain victory. Because, in Ananda Sutram, Baba says "Badha'...laksye".
Means obstacles are the helping force to reach to the Goal.
So suicide is one sinful act that goes against the essence of humanity and
it should never be confused with the higher ideal of self-immolation. (See
Note 3 and Note 4)
Of course since we have all adopted the sanctified path of AM, then our
success in all the spheres of life is guaranteed.
Baba says, "Ananda Marga is that path of progress, and that is why Ananda
Marga is the only alternative for the preservation of human existence and
civilization." (PNS-6, p. 62)
Namaskar,
Manindra
Note 1: FOLLOWING STANDARD OF AM
In AM we have our own unique understanding of particular words. And
the surrounding society may have a different way of explaining the same
term. In this way a word can take on multiple definitions and usages. But
we should never indulge in those other interpretations.
For example, general society members may tell that self-immolation
is any form of self-induced death. But in our Marga we will never agree to
such a statement because our understanding of self-immolation is related
with our spiritual outlook. And like this there are many such examples
where words or phrases in the general society take on a vastly different
meaning than how we use the term in AM.
For instance: yajina. In Hindu society yajina means throwing rice
into the sacrificial fire whereas in AM yajina is a complete system of
serving the entire society-- from plants to the great rishis. Here is
another example. Take the case of dharma. In AM dharma has the special
meaning of bhagavad dharma, related with vistara, rasa, seva and tadsthiti.
But the surrounding sectors of society have a different understanding where
all day long they are talking about Hindu dharma, or Musselman dharma, or
Christian dharma. So when we say dharma we are talking about a
universalistic approach based on spiritual values whereas the general
society in India uses dharma in accompaniment with any of the dogmatic
religions.
And like this the same type of differences can be pointed out for
so many terms such as shraddha, dharmacakra, puja, and so many others. So
in AM we have our understanding based on the sublime teachings of Taraka
Brahma and in the outside society they use the term according to local
social habits etc. The conclusive point is that when we use any term then
always it is based on the standard of AM. And in this letter that we are
following with respect to the term self-immolation.
Note 2: VARIES FROM COUNTRY TO COUNTRY
In various countries suicide is viewed differently. In Japan committing
suicide is not treated as a crime. But in India, it is a crime. Although if
the person has died, then that is over. But in Britain, if the person is
alive or dead then the person is responsible and it is a punishable
offense. But the overriding idea is that whatever the laws and social
viewpoints may be, according to cardinal human values suicide is sin.
Note 3: MICROVITA
There are seven types of microvita. Some are positive, some are negative.
But those who are very crude, negative, demonic type of people, those who
are engaged in harming others in their whole life, after their demise they
will become pretayoni. Very negative, nefarious type of microvita. They
inspire others to do very negative and dirty things. So this pretayoni is
one of the lowest categories of very negative microvita, which does not
come in even the ordinary negative type of microvita...Pretayoni means
"most detrimental one". Kabandha is one of them, which inspires others to
commit suicide in their weak moment. For more information, please read the whole
article "Disembodied Souls and Microvita".
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Think On This
Baba says, "Human Society is one and indivisible, don't try to divide it.
Each and every individual should be looked upon as the manifestation of the
Cosmic Entity." (Ananda Vanii, #21)
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