Date: Tue, 07 Jun 2011 17:39:59 -0500
From: Sudarshan
To: am-global@earthlink.net
Subject: Accusing God of Being Lazy
Baba
Baba says, "Prayer is the act of asking for a favour with earnestness. It also means a solemn petition addressed to the Supreme Being for certain benefits. One prays to God for something which one does not possess or thinks one does not possess. One asks God for these favours with the faith that He alone can bestow everything and by His mere wish all wants can be satisfied. By prayer or by begging one wants to awaken His wish so that one may be granted the things one lacks. Does not one’s attempt to rouse the wish of God to fulfil these needs, upon careful and rational thinking, appear to be a reminder to God to give one something of which God has kept one deprived? It would otherwise not be necessary to remind Him in prayer of that thing or to try to arouse His wish to give. For instance, if one is in need of money, one would, with the faith that God alone can give, pray to Him for the favour of giving one money. Does not this request show God’s fault in keeping one in want of money, when He alone can give it? God alone is blamed for it, and by praying to Him for money one is precisely pointing out to Him His partiality in not giving one the money one needed. Therefore, prayer or asking for favours from God is only pointing out to the Sole Giver His mistakes in the distribution of His favours. It only presumes lack of impartiality in Him, and that is why He is blamed for making some very rich and others very poor. Praying to God for favours is only to bring to His notice the charge of partiality levelled against Him. When prayer leads to such a conclusion, it is only ignorance to ask for favours. One who performs actions will also bear the consequences, and blaming God for it as His partiality is not going to save one from bearing the consequences." (Ananda Marga Elementary Philosophy, How Should Human Beings Live In This World?)
Baba says, "Prayer is also a mockery of the Ultimate Being or God. Prayer is a solemn petition addressed to the Supreme Being for certain benefits. On rational thinking, does not one’s attempt to rouse the wish of God to fulfill one’s needs appear to be a reminder to God to give one something which God had deprived one of? This, in fact, casts aspersion on Him." (Supreme Expression - I)
Then in Ananda Sutram Baba says:
Purport: It is useless to pray to God for something, for He is sure to give what is necessary. Solicitation or importunity in the name of worship is nothing but toadyism and flattery. (Ananda Sutram 3-11)
Thus under no condition or circumstance are we to pray to Parama Purusa. We are not to ask for any mundane boon from Parama Purusa. In the various dogmatic religions, each and every day they pray for this or that: For victory over their enemies, for money to build a mosque, church or temple, for more followers, and so many things.
In our Marga, we do not pray for anything. All we can do is ask for devotion - we never pray for anything.
“O Parama Puruśa, grant me devotion – that devotion which will enable me to love you every moment in newer and still newer ways. For you are endless and your expressions are also endless. If I learn how to love You, I will be able to love You in endless ways. My life will become effervescent with the sweet rhythms of the infinite. My life will attain its highest fulfilment.” (Namámi Krśńasundaram, Disc: 26)
Namaskar,
Sudarshan
In a very recent email, one person did prayer to Baba. The margii's intention was heartfelt and sincere, even then his expression is not proper. We should use words and terms which Baba Himself approves. We should not use words like prayer which is a way of accusing and blaming Parama Purusa. Again the below writer had the purest of intentions - and we realise that - so he should not feel wounded in any way. The only point is that he should use words which reflect his inner devotional feeling. When that is done then one will never use the word "pray".
On 06/07/2011 01:06 AM, A'nanda Ma'rga Praca'raka Sam'gha wrote:
From: Sudarshan
To: am-global@earthlink.net
Subject: Accusing God of Being Lazy
Baba
== ACCUSING GOD OF BEING LAZY & NEGLECTFUL ==
Namaskar,
We all know that as Ananda Margiis, we do not pray. Baba guides us in Ananda Sutram and in so many discourses that prayer is not proper.
Prayer implies that:
(a) Parama Purusa is not doing His job properly;
(b) Parama Purusa is lazy or slack in executing His duty;
(c) Parama Purusa is negligent and does not realise what needs to be done;
(d) I - the unit being - need to remind Parama Purusa about what to do;
(e) And so many more inadequacies and faults of Parama Purusa.
By prayer one is accusing, blaming and finding fault with Parama Purusa and His entire working style.
People commonly pray for all kinds of reasons: O Lord, please grant me wealth; O Lord, I pray that I will gain victory in my court case; O Lord, I request that you find a suitable person to marry my daughter; O Lord, grant me the top mark on my examination; and people pray for so many things, mundane or otherwise.
All of these ways of prayer are utterly deficient for they imply that Parama Purusa is not omniscient and that He needs to be told what to do.
We all know that as Ananda Margiis, we do not pray. Baba guides us in Ananda Sutram and in so many discourses that prayer is not proper.
Prayer implies that:
(a) Parama Purusa is not doing His job properly;
(b) Parama Purusa is lazy or slack in executing His duty;
(c) Parama Purusa is negligent and does not realise what needs to be done;
(d) I - the unit being - need to remind Parama Purusa about what to do;
(e) And so many more inadequacies and faults of Parama Purusa.
By prayer one is accusing, blaming and finding fault with Parama Purusa and His entire working style.
People commonly pray for all kinds of reasons: O Lord, please grant me wealth; O Lord, I pray that I will gain victory in my court case; O Lord, I request that you find a suitable person to marry my daughter; O Lord, grant me the top mark on my examination; and people pray for so many things, mundane or otherwise.
All of these ways of prayer are utterly deficient for they imply that Parama Purusa is not omniscient and that He needs to be told what to do.
Baba says, "Prayer is the act of asking for a favour with earnestness. It also means a solemn petition addressed to the Supreme Being for certain benefits. One prays to God for something which one does not possess or thinks one does not possess. One asks God for these favours with the faith that He alone can bestow everything and by His mere wish all wants can be satisfied. By prayer or by begging one wants to awaken His wish so that one may be granted the things one lacks. Does not one’s attempt to rouse the wish of God to fulfil these needs, upon careful and rational thinking, appear to be a reminder to God to give one something of which God has kept one deprived? It would otherwise not be necessary to remind Him in prayer of that thing or to try to arouse His wish to give. For instance, if one is in need of money, one would, with the faith that God alone can give, pray to Him for the favour of giving one money. Does not this request show God’s fault in keeping one in want of money, when He alone can give it? God alone is blamed for it, and by praying to Him for money one is precisely pointing out to Him His partiality in not giving one the money one needed. Therefore, prayer or asking for favours from God is only pointing out to the Sole Giver His mistakes in the distribution of His favours. It only presumes lack of impartiality in Him, and that is why He is blamed for making some very rich and others very poor. Praying to God for favours is only to bring to His notice the charge of partiality levelled against Him. When prayer leads to such a conclusion, it is only ignorance to ask for favours. One who performs actions will also bear the consequences, and blaming God for it as His partiality is not going to save one from bearing the consequences." (Ananda Marga Elementary Philosophy, How Should Human Beings Live In This World?)
Baba says, "Prayer is also a mockery of the Ultimate Being or God. Prayer is a solemn petition addressed to the Supreme Being for certain benefits. On rational thinking, does not one’s attempt to rouse the wish of God to fulfill one’s needs appear to be a reminder to God to give one something which God had deprived one of? This, in fact, casts aspersion on Him." (Supreme Expression - I)
Then in Ananda Sutram Baba says:
3-11. Prárthanárcaná mátraeva bhramamúlam.
Purport: It is useless to pray to God for something, for He is sure to give what is necessary. Solicitation or importunity in the name of worship is nothing but toadyism and flattery. (Ananda Sutram 3-11)
Thus under no condition or circumstance are we to pray to Parama Purusa. We are not to ask for any mundane boon from Parama Purusa. In the various dogmatic religions, each and every day they pray for this or that: For victory over their enemies, for money to build a mosque, church or temple, for more followers, and so many things.
In our Marga, we do not pray for anything. All we can do is ask for devotion - we never pray for anything.
“O Parama Puruśa, grant me devotion – that devotion which will enable me to love you every moment in newer and still newer ways. For you are endless and your expressions are also endless. If I learn how to love You, I will be able to love You in endless ways. My life will become effervescent with the sweet rhythms of the infinite. My life will attain its highest fulfilment.” (Namámi Krśńasundaram, Disc: 26)
Namaskar,
Sudarshan
Note: WHAT HAPPENED IN A RECENT EMAIL
In a very recent email, one person did prayer to Baba. The margii's intention was heartfelt and sincere, even then his expression is not proper. We should use words and terms which Baba Himself approves. We should not use words like prayer which is a way of accusing and blaming Parama Purusa. Again the below writer had the purest of intentions - and we realise that - so he should not feel wounded in any way. The only point is that he should use words which reflect his inner devotional feeling. When that is done then one will never use the word "pray".
On 06/07/2011 01:06 AM, A'nanda Ma'rga Praca'raka Sam'gha wrote:
---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: Event and Shows <eventandshows@gmail.com>
Date: Fri, Jun 3, 2011 at 12:20 PM
Subject: [AMPS Desk] Re: Fwd: Shráddha Ceremony of Acarya Nigamananda Avadhuta !
To: ampsteam <ampsteam@googlegroups.com>
"WE SHALL ALL PRAY TO OUR BELOVED BABA, FOR HIS SOUL TO REST IN PEACE"
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