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)
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