From: "Arisudan Deva"
To: am-global@earthlink.net
Subject: To Improve Sadhana
Date: Sat, 18 Feb 2012 20:07:05 +0000
Baba
== TO IMPROVE SADHANA ==
Namaskar,
If you are sitting in your own older automobile and admiring your neighbor's fancy, new car - internally wishing that it were yours - are you then going against the code of asteya (non-stealing)?
The answer is: YES.
So says Baba in His historic Patna discourse from 1971. That is the exact example that Baba Himself has given.
In that same discourse Baba raises many other new and unique points related with asteya that apply to our daily life.
As His disciples we should all familiarise ourselves with His expanded teachings on asteya so as to enhance our practical knowledge base gained from His monumental book, "Jiivan Veda" or "A Guide to Human Conduct" (Jamalpur 1957).
By this way, our sadhana will certainly improve.
Baba says, "...Without yama and niyama, sadhana is an impossibility..." (Supreme Command)
Baba outlines that everyone in this world desires expansion (vistara) - all want to expand. This is the common feeling and inherent tendency of every human being.
But as Baba points out, not all expansion is in accordance with yama and niyama. Certain types of expansion run contrary to the code of asteya. In that case, one will not be able to progress on the path of sadhana, nor be a moral citizen in society.
We then need to understand what type of expansion is proper, and what not.
Baba says that expansion in the psychic world is very good. There is no problem with this. Baba furthermore states that by proper expansion in the psychic world the aspirant will become one with Saguna Brahma.
Baba also states that expansion in the spiritual world is also of great value and it has no drawbacks. By the proper approach, through spiritual expansion the sadhaka will become one with Nirguna Brahma.
So in these two planes - psychic and spiritual - expansion will further one along the path of dharma -- sadhana.
The tricky aspect is if one chases after expansion in the physical sphere. That is when all the problems occur.
As Ananda Margiis - as sadhakas - we understand that we live in this world for the sake of adjustment only. This is not our permanent abode; this is not our eternal shelter; all the things of this world are transitory. There is no sense in collecting things which will not stay with us. This we all understand.
For that reason, we are (mostly) not allured nor enamoured with accumulating and collecting more and more mundane possessions or wealth. At least we should not be enticed in this direction.
Because we understand in our heart that we have come onto this earth to serve and please Parama Purusa and His creation. He is our Goal, not any mundane item like property, money, cars, women, gold, or prestige.
However, those without a higher goal in life will naturally try to satisfy their desire for expansion by chasing after physical pabulum. This leads to hoarding, greed, corruption, and so many other problems.
Tragically, now this is what most people are doing because capitalism is in vogue - wherein the material world is looked upon as everything, the be-all and end-all of life.
Baba says, "In capitalism the psychology of the acquisition of material wealth, be it land, money, metal or other property, strongly predominates. Such crude psychic urges and psychic pabula remain unchecked and unbridled in capitalism and turn into a hungry profit motive in the market system. As a result, traders, industrialists and business people suffer from the psychic disease of accumulating more and more wealth by any means, even to the point of depriving other human beings of their basic requirements...The inhuman exploitation causes the mass-level deprivation of millions of people. The curse of capitalism engulfs the whole of society. Thus capitalism is anti-human." (PNS-12)
This entire defective approach of goading one's inherent desire for expansion toward mundane things is against the code of asteya, as people are constantly desiring to own things that do not belong to them.
From top to bottom, it is a flawed approach to life and those who get stuck in this mode of living suffer from a severe psychic disease, and their future is not at all bright.
All this and more Baba describes in the about quote and in so many of His discourses. By this manner, such persons are going against the code of asteya and ruining their human existence.
To take the matter one step further, chasing after physical expansion leads to steya (stealing) in two ways.
Firstly, as described above, greedy people will always harbor the idea to grab more and more physical wealth. They will try and capture more money or land or whatever to the degree that they deprive others. This is one type of stealing.
The second type is that those who have been exploited up to the bone will then wander this earth in a penniless and hungry condition. In turn, they will resort to stealing in order to merely survive on this earth. They will steal for their next meal.
The first type of stealing - i.e. unbridled over-accumulation of physical wealth - is due to a misguided and greedy intellect. The individual is at fault.
The second type of stealing - i.e. theft out of want - is due to severe exploitation. In that case the society is at fault as those impoverished persons had no other course of action in order to stay alive. They were forced to steal in order to even eat.
Both of these conditions - both of these types of stealing - are not at all befitting of our human society and should be eliminated entirely.
There are two basic solutions to these types of steya (theft).
Firstly, we are to teach sadhana to each and every person and by this way they will get the idea that this human life is not meant for running after mundane things and physical wealth. Rather we are to live in proper adjustment in this world so that all can goad their minds toward psychic and spiritual pursuits.
By teaching sadhana then people will get the idea that in their personal lives they should seek psycho-spiritual expansion. That will eliminate steya in individual life.
If we merely tell people not to steal but fail to give them the practical approach of sadhana, then they will steal secretly. So that will not work.
The second aspect is to propagate the ideals of Prout and thereby make society healthy. Then people will not roam around in halfway starving condition wondering how they are going to get their next meal.
Only Prout guides people that expansion should get aimed toward the field of spirituality. With this idea as the banner of human life, then asteya will certainly be properly practiced in life and all will get right expansion. Everyone's sadhana will be better as that is what they cherish most in life, not a new swimming pool, Mercedes-Benz, or a large mansion.
Baba says, "PROUT is a socioeconomic philosophy to help take humanity from imperfection to perfection. To move towards the Supreme Entity is a continuous process for one and all. At the end of this process, you will become one with the Supreme Entity." (PNS-17)
By Baba's grace He has given us the right teachings in life so that the mind will be goad toward the benevolent Goal. In that case - unhindered by various afflictions - one will flow effortless forward on the path of sadhana.
Baba says, "The easiest way of practising asteya, as in the case of all other principles of Yama and Niyama, is auto-suggestion. If people, right from the childhood, remember these codes and remind themselves what is correct, they will not go astray when they grow up – even in the midst of temptations – and they will be able to maintain the high standard of thoughts and character." (GHC)
Namaskar,
Arisudan
To: am-global@earthlink.net
Subject: To Improve Sadhana
Date: Sat, 18 Feb 2012 20:07:05 +0000
Baba
== TO IMPROVE SADHANA ==
Namaskar,
If you are sitting in your own older automobile and admiring your neighbor's fancy, new car - internally wishing that it were yours - are you then going against the code of asteya (non-stealing)?
The answer is: YES.
So says Baba in His historic Patna discourse from 1971. That is the exact example that Baba Himself has given.
In that same discourse Baba raises many other new and unique points related with asteya that apply to our daily life.
As His disciples we should all familiarise ourselves with His expanded teachings on asteya so as to enhance our practical knowledge base gained from His monumental book, "Jiivan Veda" or "A Guide to Human Conduct" (Jamalpur 1957).
By this way, our sadhana will certainly improve.
Baba says, "...Without yama and niyama, sadhana is an impossibility..." (Supreme Command)
ALL WANT EXPANSION
Baba outlines that everyone in this world desires expansion (vistara) - all want to expand. This is the common feeling and inherent tendency of every human being.
But as Baba points out, not all expansion is in accordance with yama and niyama. Certain types of expansion run contrary to the code of asteya. In that case, one will not be able to progress on the path of sadhana, nor be a moral citizen in society.
ABOUT PHYSICAL, PSYCHIC, AND SPIRITUAL
EXPANSION
We then need to understand what type of expansion is proper, and what not.
Baba says that expansion in the psychic world is very good. There is no problem with this. Baba furthermore states that by proper expansion in the psychic world the aspirant will become one with Saguna Brahma.
Baba also states that expansion in the spiritual world is also of great value and it has no drawbacks. By the proper approach, through spiritual expansion the sadhaka will become one with Nirguna Brahma.
So in these two planes - psychic and spiritual - expansion will further one along the path of dharma -- sadhana.
The tricky aspect is if one chases after expansion in the physical sphere. That is when all the problems occur.
PROBLEMS WITH PHYSICAL EXPANSION
As Ananda Margiis - as sadhakas - we understand that we live in this world for the sake of adjustment only. This is not our permanent abode; this is not our eternal shelter; all the things of this world are transitory. There is no sense in collecting things which will not stay with us. This we all understand.
For that reason, we are (mostly) not allured nor enamoured with accumulating and collecting more and more mundane possessions or wealth. At least we should not be enticed in this direction.
Because we understand in our heart that we have come onto this earth to serve and please Parama Purusa and His creation. He is our Goal, not any mundane item like property, money, cars, women, gold, or prestige.
However, those without a higher goal in life will naturally try to satisfy their desire for expansion by chasing after physical pabulum. This leads to hoarding, greed, corruption, and so many other problems.
Tragically, now this is what most people are doing because capitalism is in vogue - wherein the material world is looked upon as everything, the be-all and end-all of life.
Baba says, "In capitalism the psychology of the acquisition of material wealth, be it land, money, metal or other property, strongly predominates. Such crude psychic urges and psychic pabula remain unchecked and unbridled in capitalism and turn into a hungry profit motive in the market system. As a result, traders, industrialists and business people suffer from the psychic disease of accumulating more and more wealth by any means, even to the point of depriving other human beings of their basic requirements...The inhuman exploitation causes the mass-level deprivation of millions of people. The curse of capitalism engulfs the whole of society. Thus capitalism is anti-human." (PNS-12)
This entire defective approach of goading one's inherent desire for expansion toward mundane things is against the code of asteya, as people are constantly desiring to own things that do not belong to them.
From top to bottom, it is a flawed approach to life and those who get stuck in this mode of living suffer from a severe psychic disease, and their future is not at all bright.
All this and more Baba describes in the about quote and in so many of His discourses. By this manner, such persons are going against the code of asteya and ruining their human existence.
WORKS IN TWO DISTINCT DIRECTIONS
To take the matter one step further, chasing after physical expansion leads to steya (stealing) in two ways.
Firstly, as described above, greedy people will always harbor the idea to grab more and more physical wealth. They will try and capture more money or land or whatever to the degree that they deprive others. This is one type of stealing.
The second type is that those who have been exploited up to the bone will then wander this earth in a penniless and hungry condition. In turn, they will resort to stealing in order to merely survive on this earth. They will steal for their next meal.
The first type of stealing - i.e. unbridled over-accumulation of physical wealth - is due to a misguided and greedy intellect. The individual is at fault.
The second type of stealing - i.e. theft out of want - is due to severe exploitation. In that case the society is at fault as those impoverished persons had no other course of action in order to stay alive. They were forced to steal in order to even eat.
Both of these conditions - both of these types of stealing - are not at all befitting of our human society and should be eliminated entirely.
SOLUTIONS
There are two basic solutions to these types of steya (theft).
Firstly, we are to teach sadhana to each and every person and by this way they will get the idea that this human life is not meant for running after mundane things and physical wealth. Rather we are to live in proper adjustment in this world so that all can goad their minds toward psychic and spiritual pursuits.
By teaching sadhana then people will get the idea that in their personal lives they should seek psycho-spiritual expansion. That will eliminate steya in individual life.
If we merely tell people not to steal but fail to give them the practical approach of sadhana, then they will steal secretly. So that will not work.
The second aspect is to propagate the ideals of Prout and thereby make society healthy. Then people will not roam around in halfway starving condition wondering how they are going to get their next meal.
Only Prout guides people that expansion should get aimed toward the field of spirituality. With this idea as the banner of human life, then asteya will certainly be properly practiced in life and all will get right expansion. Everyone's sadhana will be better as that is what they cherish most in life, not a new swimming pool, Mercedes-Benz, or a large mansion.
Baba says, "PROUT is a socioeconomic philosophy to help take humanity from imperfection to perfection. To move towards the Supreme Entity is a continuous process for one and all. At the end of this process, you will become one with the Supreme Entity." (PNS-17)
BABA'S BLESSING
By Baba's grace He has given us the right teachings in life so that the mind will be goad toward the benevolent Goal. In that case - unhindered by various afflictions - one will flow effortless forward on the path of sadhana.
Baba says, "The easiest way of practising asteya, as in the case of all other principles of Yama and Niyama, is auto-suggestion. If people, right from the childhood, remember these codes and remind themselves what is correct, they will not go astray when they grow up – even in the midst of temptations – and they will be able to maintain the high standard of thoughts and character." (GHC)
Namaskar,
Arisudan
PRABHAT SAMGIITA
"Tumi eso, tumi eso a'ma'r ghare..." - P.S. 3190
Purport:
Baba, please grace me by coming in my abode. I am waiting constantly for You, ceaselessly, after lighting the lamp of hope in my heart.
Baba, You are always so gracious. By Your grace-compassion I receive You in my dreams. By Your grace, I get You there. And when I wake up I continue thinking of Your tales and talks. Baba, You are so gracious, Your love is painted on every pore of my mind and heart.
Baba, I always remember You; even if I try to forget You still I remember You. When I yearn for You strongly then in my heart I feel pain in that longing. It is then that the thought comes that I should forget You-- because by that way at least it will be peaceful. But it is impossible for me; I cannot forget you.
Baba, You always reside in the deep core of my heart. The whole universe is saturated with Your divine love. You shower Your causeless grace on everyone. Baba, please come in my mental abode; You are my everything...
"Because we understand in our heart that we have come onto this earth to serve and please Parama Purusa and His creation. He is our Goal, not any mundane item like property, money, cars, women, gold, or prestige."
ReplyDeleteWoman??? Are they not part of his creation??
Dear Anonymous,
ReplyDeleteIgnorant people cannot understand the proper spirit - they also claim that cocaine, heroin, and drugs are the creation of Parama Purusa. Therefore...
But those things are not the goal of an aspirant nor are they for the sadhaka's enjoyment or indulgence. Bliss only comes in the spiritual realm, not any mundane. Women and men are not created for sexual enjoyment, but rather for procreation.
Those who do not know AM philosophy talk in such an ignorant manner.
Namaskar,
Sudhakar