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Raja Janaka
Spiritual (Story) Message for the Day – Raja Janaka by Sri Swami Sivananda
| **Baba Times Digest© | 5 November 2014 19.16 EST | New York Edition** |
Raja Janaka – by Swami Sivananda
Divine Life Society Publication: Inspiring stories by Swami Sivananda
Raja Janaka once commanded a Brahmin who committed a serious crime to leave his dominion at once. The Brahmin said: “O Rajan, kindly tell me the extent of your dominion. Then I will leave your state and settle down in the dominion of another Rajan”. Janaka did not say anything in reply. He sobbed heavily. He reflected seriously. Then he swooned suddenly. He came back to his senses after fifteen minutes. He then said: “I have inherited the state of my father. It is under my control, but nothing belongs to me exclusively. I cannot find my exclusive dominion anywhere, not even in Mithila and in my own progeny. Now real wisdom has dawned in me. I am now under the impression that either I have no dominion at all or all is my dominion. Either this body is not mine or the whole world is mine, and similarly that of others too. O best of the twice-born! This is my firm conviction. Stay in my dominion as long as you like and enjoy.”
The Brahmin asked: “O king! What has made you regard this kingdom as not yours or all as yours? How have you renounced the feeling of ‘mine-ness’ in this kingdom of your ancestors, which you are ruling?” Janaka replied: “Everything is perishable on the physical plane. Life is evanescent. Everything passes away. I could lay my finger on nothing which I could call as mine. I remembered the Vedic text: ‘It was anybody’s property.’ I reflected in this manner and so I have given up the idea of ‘mine-ness’. Hearken carefully now as to how I see my dominion everywhere. I have no desire for the objects that give good smell: so I have conquered the earth. I have no desire for tasty things, beautiful forms, soft cushions or beds, or music: therefore I have conquered water, fire, air and ether. I do not desire anything for the mind, it is therefore under my perfect control. I do actions for the Devas, ancestors, for all beings and for those who come to my door.”
Then the Brahmin smiled and said: “O king! I am Dharma in disguise. I have come to learn something about you. You are the only person to turn this wheel, the name of which is Brahman, the spoke of which is reason, which never turns back and which is kept to its course by the quality of goodness as its circumference.” (Anugita: Ch. 17).
Excerpts from: Raja Janaka – Inspiring stories by Swami Sivananda
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Mind Conquest – Ten Important Methods
Spiritual Message for the Day – Mind Conquest – Ten Important Methods by Sri Swami Sivananda
| **Baba Times Digest© | 4 November 2014 14.07 EST | New York Edition** |
Mind Conquest – Ten Important Methods
Divine Life Society Publication: Control of The Mind by Sri Swami Sivananda
Mind is a bundle of Vasanas (desires) and Sankalpas (thoughts, imagination). Mind is a bundle of Raga-Dvesha (likes and dislikes). Annihilation of mind is Mano-Nasa.
Manolaya is temporary absorption of the mind. This cannot give Moksha. The mind can come back again and wander in sensual objects. Manonasa alone can give release or Moksha.
BY VICHARA
How is the mind purified, brought under control and how are its activities stopped, and how is it annihilated? Here are some useful and practical points. Mind can be controlled and annihilated by Vichara or enquiry of ‘WHO AM I?’. This is the best and most effective method. This will annihilate the mind. This is the Vedantic method. Realise the unreality of the mind through philosophical thinking.
BY ERADICATION OF EGO
Eradicate the feeling of egoism. Ego is the seed of the tree of mind. - I thought is the source of all thoughts. All thoughts are centred on the little - I. Find out what the little - I is. This little - I will dwindle into airy nothing. It will be absorbed in the Infinite - I or Para Brahman, the source for the little - I or Ahamkara (egoism).
The Sun of Self-realisation is fully seen when the cloud of ego disappears.
BY VAIRAGYA
Vairagya (dispassion) is another method for annihilating the mind. It is distaste for objects of sense-pleasures by finding out the defects in the sensual life. Objects are perishable. Sensual pleasure is momentary and illusory.
BY ABHYASA
Abhyasa or practice is another method. Concentrate the mind by fixing it on Brahman. Make it steady. Abhyasa is ceaseless meditation. This leads to Samadhi.
BY NON-ATTACHMENT
Asanga or non-attachment is a sword to destroy the mind. Take the mind away from objects. Detach Attach. Detach it from the objects and attach it to the Lord. Do this again and again. The essence of the seed of the sprout of world-experience, which is desire, can be destroyed by the fire of non-attachment.
BY VASANAKSHAYA
Vasanakshaya is another method. Vasana is desire. Renunciation of desires leads to Vasanakshaya. This will lead to annihilation of mind (manonasa). Desire for objects of pleasures is bondage; giving it up is emancipation. Desire is the most essential nature of the mind. Mind and egoism are synonymous.
BY PRANAYAMA
Vibration of Prana causes movement of the mind. It gives life to the mind. Pranayama or control of Prana will stop the activities of the mind. But it cannot destroy the mind to its roots like Vichara.
BY CONTROL OF THOUGHTS
Control the thoughts or Sankalpas. Avoid imagination or day-dreaming. The mind will be annihilated. Extinction of Sankalpas alone is Moksha, or release. The mind is destroyed when there is no imagination. The experience of the world illusion is due to your imagination. It vanishes away when imagination is completely stopped.
BY EQUANIMITY AND BALANCE
Mental renunciation of possessions is another method. The absolute experience can also be realised if you learn to be in a state of thought-suspending Samadhi.
Attainment of equanimity is another method. Be balanced in pain and pleasure, heat and cold, etc.
BY DEVOTION AND SERVICE
Japa, Kirtan, prayer, devotion, service of Guru and study are also means to annihilate the mind.
He alone experiences everlasting peace and Eternal Bliss who has transcended the mind and rests in his Own Satchidananda Atman.
Excerpts from: Mind Conquest – Ten Important Methods - Control of The Mind by Sri Swami Sivananda
If you would like to purchase the print edition, visit: The Divine Life Society E-Bookstore
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Mental Peace through Non-Attachment
Spiritual Message for the Day – Mental Peace through Non-Attachment by Sri Swami Sivananda
| **Baba Times Digest© | 3 November 2014 15.52 EST | New York Edition** |
Mental Peace Through Non-Attachment
Divine Life Society Publication: Achievement of Peace by Sri Swami Sivananda
The subject of non-attachment is of universal importance.
Attachment is the most powerful weapon of Maya for binding the Jivas to the Samsaric wheel of birth and death. You would have never come into this world, had it not been for attachment.
The attachment first starts with this physical body. Then all other attachments crop up. Then comes relationship of father, mother, brother, sister, wife, son, friend, etc.
One may be attached to a place, person, or an object. Wherever there is attachment, there is the idea of Mineness or Mamata. Attachment is a kind of very strong glue that binds the mind with the objects. Why does the mind get attached to objects or persons? Because it finds pleasure in objects or persons. Wherever there is pleasure, the mind gets attached there. It is attached to wife, son, house, property, money or a friend, because the mind finds pleasure in these objects.
Attachment is the root cause for human sufferings. It is the product of effect of ignorance or Avidya. It is a modification of nescience or ignorance.
It is attachment that brings us again into this Mrityuloka. The seeds of attachment are ingrained in the subconscious mind. We have to obliterate or fry up all these seeds through right thinking, Vichara and Atma-jnana. We have to cut all these illusory attachments through the sword of non-attachment or Vairagya. The Gita says, - Asangasastrena dridhena cchitva - Cut this tree of Maya with the sword of non-attachment. (Chapter XV)
Develop internal Vairagya by understanding the illusory nature of this world. Remember the pains of this Samsara, viz., birth, death, old age, diseases and miseries of this world. Place before the mind the glorious life in Atman and the immense bliss of a spiritual life. Remember the Saints and Yogins and Jnanis like Sri Sankara, Mansoor, Shams Tabriez, Jnana Dev and their teachings. Slowly the mind will be weaned from sensual objects. It can be gradually turned towards God and higher things. Have recourse to Satsanga.
Do Atma-Vichara. Meditate daily. That man who has no attachment in this world, is the most happy man. He is God Himself. His joy is indescribable. He must be adored.
Excerpts from: Mental Peace through Non-Attachment - Achievement of Peace by Sri Swami Sivananda
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Be God-Oriented
Spiritual Message for the Day – Be God-Oriented by Sri Swami Chidananda
| **Baba Times Digest© | 2 November 2014 18.28 EST | New York Edition** |
Be God-Oriented
Divine Life Society Publication: Essentials of The Higher Values of Life by Sri Swami Chidananda
A ll the things can be directed to that one and only Being, the sole Source. In That only can be obtained, lasting and permanent happiness, unalloyed, unmixed, total happiness, enduring, eternal happiness, happiness that would not decrease or change. That is Brahman, That is God, That is the Kingdom of heaven. Direct your entire being towards That. Direct your mind, intellect, emotions, sentiments towards That, make all your activities God-oriented by spiritualising them.
You may ask: ‘All said and done, how can I implement it? Why should I do so? I am involved in this world. All my friends and associations are here. I have attachment for them, all sorts of feelings for them. I am fully involved in my surroundings and the situations I face. This is a familiar ground for me. I belong to this world and this world is mine; so I naturally flow towards it. It is something most natural, something easiest to do for me. But now you are asking me to reverse that process and connect myself to that unknown Being, whom I do not know, who is absolutely unfamiliar and completely unknown entity for me. How can I ever do it? There is a funny proverb in Tamil: How can I know about the cremation ground until I die myself?
‘How I can know That which is all perfect, bliss absolute, absolute unmixed peace and happiness? How can I think about It? How can I meditate upon It? It is easiest for me to think of my mother or father, television or cassette-player, a cricket bat or ball because they are a part of my life. I have not to make any effort or undergo any training to think about them. But I don’t know that unknown, unfamiliar Being. How can I have any love or affection, inclination or longing for That? How can I relate myself to It? When I don’t know what It is, how can I meditate on It?’
True, your problem is genuine. But the solution is quite simple:Detach from here, attach There.
‘But how to do it is a big problem. It is quite easy to attach myself here, because everything here is familiar to me. But how to think of That?’
So first of all, you should get yourself familiar, get yourself acquainted, to That whom you want to worship, love, adore, on whom you want to meditate upon, towards whom you want to move.
How you can get yourself thoroughly acquainted with That? There are three different ways. The first is the heredity. If you are born in a family where both the mother and father are devotees and they are doing_puja,_and_kirtan,_singing devotional songs, reading about the_lilas_of the Lord and the lives of saints, talking about Him, you will automatically develop love for Him.
Secondly, if you are not born in such a family, you should think about our rich heritage, you should get yourself acquainted with it by reading the spiritual books. There is a unique tradition in all the parts of India. There are some people whose sole occupation and allocation is to master the scriptures and to go to various places and narrate, expound and elucidate them. This is a part of Indian way of life. So even an illiterate villager also knows some philosophy; he knows about Shabari, Ahalya and many such characters. He knows about_Bhakti_, he knows about God’s grace.
Our scriptures are abound in_stotras_and_stutis_, hymns and paeans of the Lord, glorifying Him. We develop great admiration and adoration, great reverence and veneration for the supreme Being. If you listen to the glories, grandeur and greatness of God and the desirability of that wonderful Experience of attaining that Being and attaining the supreme Bliss, Peace and Happiness, and going beyond all sorrow and suffering, it will create in you a longing for God, for that Experience and your life will certainly be changed.
Thirdly, once your taste is developed in this direction due to your family background and upbringing or through listening to the Scriptures, you develop a strong desire to acquire more knowledge. So you begin to read and study our great scriptures in your leisure hours, prepare your own personal notes and discuss the finer points with like-minded friends. You slowly build up your own library of inspiring literature. What you argued to be unknown and unfamiliar becomes known and so close to your heart that you will spend most of your spare time on That and you don’t like to waste your time on the worldly things. Now, you like to read about It, you like to think about It, you like to talk about It and you like the company of people with such tendency only. Now unknown That becomes your best friend and guide, the remote becomes the closest, He becomes a part of your life, you cannot live without Him.
Excerpts from: Be God-Oriented - Essentials of The Higher Values of Life by Sri Swami Chidananda
If you would like to purchase the print edition, visit: The Divine Life Society E-Bookstore
If you would like to contribute to the dissemination of spiritual knowledge please contact the General Secretary at: generalsecretary@sivanandaonline.org
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Samskaras – the In-built Impressions
Spiritual Message for the Day – Samskaras – the In-built Impressions by Sri Swami Chidananda
| **Baba Times Digest© | 1 November 2014 15.12 EST | New York Edition** |
Samskaras – the In-built Impressions
Divine Life Society Publication: Essentials of The Higher Values of Life by Sri Swami Chidananda
Samskaras, the Root-Cause of the Problem: No other being except man has the problem because only man has a thinking mind. He has the ability to interpret a meaning out of every sense perception. Everything a man sees, hears, touches, tastes or smells evokes different kinds of psychological and emotional reaction in the fields of desires and sentiments. Had there been no such reaction, there would not have been any problem. But he does evoke reactions, and the problem begins. A man is in bondage only because there are desires in the mind, because there are cravings in the mind, because there are attachments in the mind, because the mind is never content. The main reason for this is our_samskaras,_the mechanism of impressions of such sense experiences, such sense enjoyments in the past, and the_vasanas,_the propensity to such experiences and enjoyments, and inclination for repeating them in the present and in the future.
_Samskaras_are the in-built impressions in the mind like the grooves of different sounds on a gramophone record. What is its nature? What happens if you put your thumb on an ink-pad and then press it on a paper? Exactly the same impression has been reproduced and will remain intact even after a thousand years. But it is inert; it does not reproduce by itself more impressions and has no other effect. But the impressions in the mind are different; they are not inert, they are living impressions, they remain alive in the_chitta,_the mind-stuff. They have an effect, they exercise pressure for repeating the experience. They are living impressions and have the potential of generating desires. They create a desire for exactly the same sense experience as one had it previously. There may be_shubha-samskaras_which are good for you or_ashubha-samskaras_which are not good for you.
When you play a gramophone record it reproduces the song exactly as it was recorded. But it cannot produce the voice that produced it. It only plays back. But what is the nature of the_samskara?_ When a particular sense-experience is repeated over a prolonged period, it not only creates a latent dormant tendency and a desire in that direction, but that tendency becomes a_vasana. Vasana_ may be_shubha-vasanas_or_ashubha-vasanas,_auspicious and positive or inauspicious and negative.
The_samskaras_are living and dynamic impressions. So when you are put in a similar type of situation, they become active and powerful and you are impelled to go after the same sense experience. They are so circumventing to temptations that they compel you to that experience. They are also called seed impressions as they are like seeds produced by previous experience and are capable to reproduce that experience like a seed producing a tree similar to the one from which it has originated. So long a seed is lying in isolation, in an unfavourable ground, it remains inert. But if you give it a favourable ground beneath the fertile earth and water it regularly, it starts growing; it becomes a little seedling and then comes out a sprout with a few leaves also; and if the favourable circumstances continues it ultimately becomes a big tree similar to that from which that seed was produced. The new tree produces more seeds and every seed has a potential to produce the same type of tree again and again. Such continuous chain reaction is the nature of_samskara_.
The human mind, with its imagination, has potential of completely reproducing the same condition or the psychological state of being. This impels the mind to go and indulge in that sense experience and enjoyment. It is because of these_samskaras_and_vasanas_that a man is propelled towards the sense objects, get attached to them, craves for them, wants to indulge in them, possess them, keep them, snatch them away from others.
The mind has four-fold aspects:
1) In the form of reasoning intellect,
2) In the form of imagining, remembering and desiring mind,
3) In the form of feeling mind having emotions and sentiments,
4) In the form of the assertive ego. Once a desire arises, it is the ego principle which asserts: ‘I want it, I will obtain it, I will enjoy it, I will do this, I will do that.’ It now propels the body into activity. The root cause of all the actions is ego.
All these different modifications of the psychological level of the human nature are totally outward-going and make you a part and parcel of the outward world. So you are enslaved by the desires for the outer objects and forget your own real nature, your own real identity completely. You undergo all sort of emotions, elevation, depression, satisfaction, dissatisfaction, fulfilment, disappointment, etc. All these positive and negative experiences are due to your propelling yourself outside through four aspects of your interior psyche. This has created for you a big range of a net spread by your desires to catch the birds of sense pleasures.
Dva suparnaa sayujaa sakhaayaa
Samaanam vriksham parishasvajaate;
Tayoranyah pippalam svadvattyan-
Ashnann-anyo abhichaakasheeti.
[Two birds that are ever associated and have similar names, reside on the same tree. Of these, one eats the fruit of divergent tastes, and the other looks on without eating._Mundaka Upanishad_3-1-1.] Why the second bird is caught in the net of_karmas_and their fruits? Sankaracharya says, it is due to_avidya-kama-karma-vasana-aashraya-lingopadhi;_it is due to delusion, passion or desire, activities, craving on account of clinging to the adjunct of the body. So you become full of_raga, dvesha, klesha, kalaha,_passion, desire, anger, envy, jealousy, intense craving, dejection, despair, disappointment. One moment you are up, one moment you are down. Now you are constantly in the wide range of outward propelling desires and that keeps you in a state of flux and confusion. This causes the problem.
Excerpts from: Samskaras – The Root-Cause of the Problem - Essentials of The Higher Values of Life by Sri Swami Chidananda
If you would like to purchase the print edition, visit: The Divine Life Society E-Bookstore
If you would like to contribute to the dissemination of spiritual knowledge please contact the General Secretary at: generalsecretary@sivanandaonline.org
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The Divine Destination
Spiritual Message for the Day – The Divine Destination by Sri Swami Chidananda
| **Baba Times Digest© | 31 October 2014 15.04 EST | New York Edition** |
The Divine Destination
Divine Life Society Publication: Essentials of The Higher Values of Life by Sri Swami Chidananda
Your destiny is to transcend the sorrow and suffering, pain and misery, defects and imperfections and to attain the state of glorious Perfection that is characterised by Bliss-absolute, Peace-profound. Perfection, Peace and Bliss. This is your birth-right. You are given this human birth only to attain that state. You are the heir of that profound Experience of unalloyed, unmixed, hundred per cent pure Bliss, a distilled quintessence of absolute Bliss. That Bliss, that Peace, that Happiness is imponderable. It does not come from any source, It does not depend on any object. That Bliss, that Peace, that great sense of Perfection, that Light is known as Brahman, God, Bhagavan, Paramatman, Allah, Khuda. We call It the Kingdom of Heaven or the Kingdom of God. You may call It by any name, no matter what name, label or appellation you give It, It is that great Experience absolute where all the sorrows disappear, where all the doubts vanish, where all the questions disappear. It is transcending them all, It is transcending all sorrow, pain, grief, suffering, delusion and bondage. You are in a state of absolute freedom and fearlessness.
The Goal of human life is That. You have full potential for attaining It. It is your birth-right. You are given this human birth to attain That. That Experience is called_Kaivalya Moksha Saamraajyam_. That is to be kept as your Goal. Your efforts to attain That should never be postponed for_Jaatasya hi dhruvo mrityuh_(Certain is the death for the born. B.G. II-27). You should not be tempted and diverted into side-channels. There is nothing anywhere else. They are like water of mirage. You should know and remember always,duhkhaalayam-ashaashwatam[the place of pain and is non-eternal. B.G. VIII-15]. There is not an iota of real happiness here.
All these are fundamental truths. All the different schools of Vedanta whether it is the Absolute Monism of Sankaracharya, or Qualified Monism of Ramanujacharya or Pure Dualism of Madhvacharya or Dual-nondual Doctrine of Nimbarkacharya or Pure Dualism of Vallabhacharya or_Achintya Bhedabheda_of Gauranga Mahaprabhu, all of them declare these truths. They all tell this is a passing world; one day you have to die. You do not belong to this world, you are only a traveller. The human life is a great journey towards that grand Goal. It is not to be wasted after petty things. If your life is properly directed and properly used,you can attain That in this very life.__You can attain Immortality, eternal Bliss and Peace at the end of your life.
This is the quintessence of the Indian Philosophy. Contemplate on this. Don’t be lost in nomenclature and unnecessary details.You should know the heart of philosophy: You are Divine, you are the Immortal Atman. You are given this human birth to regain that Experience of your lost Divinity. Do it now. Do not postpone.
The message of the day is:
1) Remember always the death.
2) Do not fall prey to the attractions of petty things.
3) You are given this human birth to regain your lost Divinity. The goal of life is to attain It.
4) Do it now. Be up and doing.Uttishthatha Jagrata. Awake, arise! Do not stop till the goal is reached.
God bless you all.
Excerpts from: The Divine Destination - Essentials of The Higher Values of Life by Sri Swami Chidananda
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Buddha’s Four Truths
Spiritual Message for the Day – Buddha’s Four Truths by Sri Swami Chidananda
| **Baba Times Digest© | 30 October 2014 17.38 EST | New York Edition** |
Buddha’s Four Truths
Divine Life Society Publication: Essentials of The Higher Values of Life by Sri Swami Chidananda
When Buddha attained the Illumination, he discovered four great truths pertaining to the human life:
1) Life is full of suffering;
2) The cause of the suffering is craving, desire (trishna);
3) The possibility of complete cessation of the suffering by destroying desire; and
4) The way to bring about the ultimate cessation of the suffering.
The first step is to become convinced that this world is an abode of sorrow and suffering. The next step is to know the cause of the suffering. Once we know the cause of the suffering, there is an unending hope for the mankind. Because, once you remove the cause the suffering will end. The suffering is an effect. Once the cause is removed the effect does not arise at all, it is automatically eliminated. Once you know the cause, you can find out by one way or the other, some device to remove it. The first discovery everyone knew; but so long as they do not know the cause of the suffering, people live with it thinking I can be happy with the coexistence of sorrow.
The third discovery is also very important. All these sufferings are not unavoidable or inevitable. They are not permanent. If the sufferings were eternal, if there had been no possibility of ending the sufferings, the question of finding a way to end them would have not arisen at all. But Buddha discovered that we can put an end to all the sufferings. He assured us that this is certainly possible.
Lastly, Buddha discovered the way to end all the suffering and putting completely an end to all the suffering. It is called The Noble Eight-fold Path. Like the eight-stage path to Liberation given by Maharshi Patanjali in his Yogasutras, Buddha has also discovered an eight-fold path to cessation of suffering: right views, right intention, right speech, right action, right livelihood, right effort or endeavour, right mindfulness and right meditation. Like in Yogasutras, Buddha also gives minute details of each of these. The first one is Right View and Buddha gives ten aspects of it.
Today I am telling this to reiterate that death is inevitable. Therefore, be alert! Be up and doing. Apply yourself quickly to whatever you have to do. Fulfil all your obligations and duties.Be up and doing on the path of Liberation, on the path of Divine Perfection, the great grand, glorious Goal of human life. You have to apply yourself to that Goal right now. What is that comes in your way as an obstacle? The delusion of happiness here. Convince yourself firmly that there is no happiness here and there can never be happiness here. This world is petty abode of_janma-mrityu-jaraa-vyaadhi-duhkha_(the evils of birth, death, old age, sickness and pain. Gita XIII-8), an abode of sorrow, sufferings and unhappiness only.
You are enslaved by the sense objects only if you think that there is some pleasure, some happiness in them. But once you discover their true nature, you are free. But once you are convinced that there is no happiness here, you are no longer deluded, you are no longer made fool of by the sense objects, you are wise. Through all these attractions you can remain untouched and unaffected by them. You will say: ‘Yes, I know your nature. You can no longer fool me.’ You become established in_anasakti,_total detachment. Even if you are surrounded by hundreds of attractive objects of pleasures, you are not perturbed. You know their real nature and so cannot be deluded. You go through your life as a master of the situation and not as a slave to every attractive sense object of name and form. You are the in-charge of your life.
If you have realised these truths, you become totally detached. Now you are steadily, serenely advancing to the Goal, absolutely unaffected by the sense objects. The basis of your detachment is discrimination and wisdom. You know that there is nothing in them; now they cannot enslave you.
A mother was frightening a little boy by covering the bush with a black cloth and was saying: ‘Don’t go there. A devil is hiding there.’ The father thought that she is unnecessarily frightening the child, this is a bad psychology. The son will afterwards be always afraid. So one day he took the child near the bush and removed the cloth and said: ‘Look, there is no devil here.’ The child told his mother: ‘Now you can never make me afraid of that black cloth. I know there is nothing in it. I know its real nature.’
Like that once you know the real nature of the world through constant discrimination, it will never be able to dupe you, delude you. You will no more be afraid of it. Now you can proceed straight towards the target like an arrow shot from the bow.
All the philosophers tell us that our tenure here is temporary, we are not residents of this earth plane, we are just the travellers. Our life is a journey with a definite destination. The important point is that you should always remember the Destination, the Goal. There is no thought about the discomforts and hardships.
Excerpts from: Buddha’s Four Truths - Essentials of The Higher Values of Life by Sri Swami Chidananda
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The World Is an Abode of Unhappiness (Maya-Bazaar)
Spiritual Message for the Day – The World Is an Abode of Unhappiness (Maya-Bazaar) by Sri Swami Chidananda
| **Baba Times Digest© | 29 October 2014 17.26 EST | New York Edition** |
The World Is an Abode of Unhappiness
Divine Life Society Publication: Essentials of The Higher Values of Life by Sri Swami Chidananda
What it is that diverts us away from our goal? What is it that deceives and dupes us and makes a fool of us? What is it that makes us repent and regret that I have not done what I should have done? When the time of departure comes, you are very sad thinking: ‘I have not been able to do what I ought to have done, I have not been able to become what I wish I had become.’
It is the deceptive attractions of the sense objects all around us. They entice us saying: ‘Come, come! You will get all the happiness from us’. Some beautiful sight says, ‘You will get happiness from me.’ Some pleasant, attractive sound, smell, taste or touch says, ‘Come, come! You will get happiness from me.’ So, all our time and all our energy are consumed by numerous attractive objects of this wondrous supermarket of_Maya-bazaar._Your attention is scattered through the five holes of senses.
You do not realise that this is only a delusion and there is not an iota of real happiness in these objects. It is only some momentary pleasant nervous sensation. It is not a real happiness. Such pleasant experience is purely a gross, primitive, biological process and a phenomenon common to all the animals. When a sense object comes in contact with the related sense organ, the tactile nerve catches the sensation and sends a message to the central nervous system which passes the message to the brain and the brain feels a momentary pleasant sensation. You are now hooked by this sensation, you are enslaved. All these pleasant sensations are momentary and depend on the proper functioning of the apparatuses. Even if any one of them, a sense organ, the connecting nerve or the receiving centre in the brain is impaired, there is no sensation pertaining to that sense faculty. If you have lost the sensation of taste, you will not be able to experience any taste, even if the most delicious dish is given to you. If your optic nerve has become week, the most beautiful sight will have no impact on you even though your eyes may remain open.
How long does this experience of pleasant sensation last? You are eating your favourite tasty dish. So long as the food is in the mouth there is the pleasant sensation. But once it goes in, it is all over. In a flash of a moment the sensation disappears. But who thinks about this? If you ponder over it, if you analyse it impartially, you will realise that it is only a purely biological nervous sensation and this cannot be called real happiness. But we are duped by it and we interpret it as happiness and we waste our life in chasing the sense objects. Can there be a greater folly? It is a great blunder. It is not wisdom. There is no happiness here. On the contrary He who created all these, says:
Ye hi samsparshajaa bhogaa duhkhayonaya eva te;
Aadyantavantah Kaunteya na teshu ramate budhah.
[The enjoyments that are born of contacts are only generators of pain, for they have a beginning and an end, O Arjuna! The wise do not rejoice in them. B.G. V-22]
He makes it quite plain that all the enjoyments arising out of the contact of any sense object are the source of sorrow and pain only, there is no happiness in them. This is the second great truth given by Lord Krishna in Gita. This is a scientific and analytical way of looking at the problem.
He puts this truth in a general form also. He says, ‘O Arjuna! Do you know what is the nature of this world? It is_duhkhaalayam-ashaashwatam_[the place of pain and is non-eternal. B.G. VIII-15]. This world is a world of transitory objects with names and forms. The transitory objects cannot give you lasting, eternal, real happiness. This world is an abode of misery and sorrow.’
In a negative way, He describes the characteristics of this world as:Anityam-asukham lokam imam[this impermanent and unhappy world. B.G. IX-33]. This world is characterised by a total lack of happiness. The senses are_duhkhayonaya eva te_, generators of pain. Again and again He reiterates this great truth that there is only pain and sorrow that you can obtain from this world.
Excerpts from: The World Is an Abode of Unhappiness - Essentials of The Higher Values of Life by Sri Swami Chidananda
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Strive for The Goal of Life, Right Now
Spiritual Message for the Day – Strive for The Goal of Life, Right Now by Sri Swami Chidananda
| **Baba Times Digest© | 28 October 2014 15.50 EST | New York Edition** |
Strive for The Goal of Life, Right Now
Divine Life Society Publication: Essentials of The Higher Values of Life by Sri Swami Chidananda
The truth that all of you must always remember and which you cannot afford to forget even a single day of your life is proclaimed at the very beginning of Lord Krishna’s teachings in Bhagavad-Gita. That great truth is: The absolute certainty of death. You should ponder over the importance of this truth: ‘In what way this concerns me? How should I relate myself to this great truth?
Jagadguru Purnavatara_Bhagavan Krishna says,_Jaatasya hi dhruvo mrityuh(Certain is the death for the born. II-27). He told this to Arjuna in order to bring him out of delusion, in order to take him out of nervous break-down, in order to bring him out of the weeping condition. He asks, ‘For whom are you weeping? If you don’t kill them, do you think that they will live for ever? Even at this moment many are being born and many are dying. This is the plain truth of life. Why don’t you realise it fully? What is the use of breaking your head for something which is inevitable, for the truth which cannot be changed or altered?’
What was Arjuna’s delusion? He thinks: ‘All these people will die in the battle-field.’ All of them had to die, death is inevitable for all of them. But Arjuna thinks: ‘If he does not fight they will not die, they will live.’ Krishna says: ‘What a foolish notion! Whether you fight or not, all are going to die and you too will die.’
The lesson is: If we do not recognise and realise the certainty of death very plainly and clearly, and if we do not accept this truth in living our daily life, we are also living in delusion. We do not want to face the hard reality of life. If we are living our life setting aside this truth, we live our life in a state of ignorance and delusion. The root cause of all sorrow is this delusion. When someone near to us dies, we are dismayed and despaired as if something most unexpected has happened. But it is not at all unexpected. Lord Krishna clearly says: ‘Everyone who is born has to die.’ The time of death is most uncertain; but sooner or later everyone has to die. This truth is based on the actuality and we must accept it and always remember it.
Let us now see the constructive dimension of this truth. In what way it can be useful to us? If we recognise this first truth so forcefully brought out by Lord Krishna in Bhagavad-Gita wisdom teachings and if we always keep it in mind, we will never postpone anything that is important, we will never postpone our duties, we will never say: ‘I will do my duty later’. Who is sure of tomorrow? Then how can you say: ‘I will do it tomorrow?’ It is said,alone you come and alone you go back. It is so correct from one point of view. But if we look from another point of view, one is never alone. From the very moment an individual_jivatma_is born, it is never alone; it is always accompanied by the Lord of Death. The whole life is a slow process of death, a constant march towards death. With every breath, with the passing of every moment, we are moving closer to death. You are never alone; the shadow of death always accompany you. The Lord of Death takes away your life every moment, little by little. At the last moment, he takes away the_pranas_and goes away and the body becomes lifeless.
If you recognise this truth: One day this life will terminate, one day I will die, I will not be here. I must ponder over this and resolve: ‘Whatever I have to do, I must apply myself to it now itself, right at this moment; I will never postpone it to tomorrow.’ Now you cannot be a loser. You are free from the delusion of tomorrow. Guru Maharaj used to say: Never say I will do it tomorrow. Tomorrow is the most deceptive word. There is no such thing like tomorrow. If you postpone something on tomorrow and go to sleep today; but when you wake up, it is already today and not tomorrow. God’s ration is_today_only; tomorrow is our concept.
Past is finished, it has slipped from your hands and you cannot recover it again. There is no use projecting your important work and duty in future, because it has not yet come, it is not in your hands. What you have in your hands is_now,_the present moment only. Remember this always, every moment of your life.
You should always remember the death; remember that this life must terminate one day and you have to leave this world. Therefore resolve with firm determination: ‘I will attain whatever I have to attain, whatever the goal of life I have. Right now, from this moment itself I shall engage myself in it,_I shall strive for the goal of life, right now._I will attend to all my aspiration, duties and obligations, my_kartavya karmas._Let me apply myself to it right now calmly and quietly, without tension or anxiety. I shall not postpone it, I shall not show any laziness or lethargy.’
God has wonderful sense of justice and has given to all of us enough time. Everyone has twenty-four hours a day, the same ration to everyone without any discrimination. Whether you are a professor or doctor, a big man or a beggar, you have the same ration. If you plan your time properly, there is time for everything and everything can be achieved in this life itself.
There is an English writer called Arnold Benett. He has written a wonderful book, ‘How to live on 24 hours a day?’ It implies that no one really lives for all the 24 hours a day. We fritter away little, little moments from morning to evening. This book proves that if you can make use of those moments which are unnecessarily wasted on trifle, irrelevant things, you have enough time for everything.
So, the very first truth proclaimed by Bhagavad-Gita is of great importance. You must live with full awareness that one day the life must end in death. Therefore, whatever you have to do, should be done right now. Start doing it right now. You cannot afford to remain idle and waste away the precious time. Time wasted is the time lost forever; you can never get it back; you can never use it. Time does not give you a second chance. Whatever you have to do, whatever effort and exertion you have to put forth to achieve the goal, you have to do it right now. In this way, you will be able to achieve what has to be achieved.
Excerpts from: Strive for The Goal of Life, Right Now - Essentials of The Higher Values of Life by Sri Swami Chidananda
If you would like to purchase the print edition, visit: The Divine Life Society E-Bookstore
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Aparokshanubhuti – Direct Experience
Spiritual Message for the Day – Aparokshanubhuti – Direct Experience by Sri Swami Chidananda
| **Baba Times Digest© | 27 October 2014 15.20 EST | New York Edition** |
Aparokshanubhuti – Direct Experience
Divine Life Society Publication: Essentials of The Higher Values of Life by Sri Swami Chidananda
What does the direct Experience mean? All the knowledge a human individual gathers in this material world is through the perception of senses. If you have a good hearing faculty you gather knowledge through all kinds of sounds; you can distinguish all types of sound, all types of speech, words, etc. Similarly, if you have a perfect faculty of seeing, your cognition of the entire world is through sight. In the same way, you are able to perceive heat and cold, soft and hard through the sense of touch. Similarly you perceive the world through the sense of smell and the sense of taste. So, whatsoever you know about the world right from the birth onwards, is through the five senses of seeing, hearing, touching, smell and taste in the form of roopa, shabda, sparsha, gandha and rasa. (Appearance, speech, touch, smell and taste) These are the five dimensions of your cognition. These are five types of experiences through which you perceive the whole world and acquire all the knowledge. So this is indirect knowledge, it comes through one of the senses or a combination of them. If any one of these senses is absent, that part of perception is absent. A person born blind has no perception of colour, form and appearance. That aspect of the world does not exist for him at all.
In direct Knowledge the senses play no role. Aparokshanubhuti, the direct Knowledge arises only when the senses are completely still. The senses are useless for direct Knowledge. As a matter of fact the senses are the main obstacle in direct Knowledge, they come in the way of the direct Knowledge. It arises without the medium of these senses, when the senses are totally still, the mind is desireless and when the seeker enters a very subtle state of higher consciousness. One just experiences in the depth of one’s own consciousness, one’s own real Self, transcending the material world and its cognition. That is the direct Experience. That is the Aparokshanubhuti.
In some wondrous era in our ancient history, the seers had the great Experience and came face to face with the Truth, came face to face with the Ultimate Reality. The moment they entered into the direct Experience, they were amazed, they were struck-dumb; because, there was a total transformation of their whole consciousness and they became filled with the Light. The darkness of ignorance vanished instantaneously, all doubts, all questions vanished forthwith. They experienced the total Knowledge; everything became clear straightway; no more any questions, any doubts, remained. That Knowledge is known as Brahma-jnana and the knower is known as a jnani. Thus, whatever is to be known became known to them. The origin and the source of the universe and the man, also became known to them. They became the very embodiment, the very personification of Knowledge itself.
Excerpts from: Aparokshanubhuti – Direct Experience - Essentials of The Higher Values of Life by Sri Swami Chidananda
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