What you feel is true

Monday, 25 June 2018

What you feel is true

The Speaking Tree | Spirituality | ET

By Kailash Vajpeyi

The doctrine of epistemology lays emphasis on our ability to cognise reality and its sources. As a theory of knowledge, epistemology also underlines methods of cognition, truth and ways of attaining it. Unlike materialism, epistemology looks for a higher reality as against apparent reality. It asserts that cognition is reflection of some mystical idea that needs to be discovered with the help of perception as things are not what they appear to be.

Cognition is the process of reflection and reproduction of reality in our mind. In the process, we acquire knowledge and the innate nature of truth. Jaimini’s Mimansa school believed in the self-inherent authority of the Vedas. Verbal testimony of shabda was regarded as the only means by which knowledge could be obtained.

At the root of cognition, there is a complicated dialectical process taking place in different forms, having its own degrees of development. Cognition begins with sense perception of things. Sensation, perception, notion, investigation and observation of phenomena are essential ingredients of epistemology. Sensations bring man in touch with the external world.

Discovering the flip side of reality is the main task of epistemology. What we take to be true is what we believe. What we believe is based upon our perception, what we perceive depends upon what we look for. What we look for, in turn, depends on what we perceive. What we perceive determines what we believe. What we believe determines what we take to be true. What we take to be true is our reality.

DISCLAIMER : Views expressed above are the author's own.

Quote from the True Charm and Power of Vedanta

7. Works are neither black nor white for the yogis; for others they are threefold- black, white and mixed.

when the Yogi has attuned perfection, his actions, and the Karma produced by those actions, do not bind him, because he did not desire them . He just works on he works to do good, and he does good, but does not care for the result and it will not come to him, But, for ordinary men, who have not attained to that highest state works are of three kinds, black (evil actions) white (good action) and mixed. Courtesy RjaYoga

But, if He exists?

I drive joy There was a doctor in Benaras who spent 7 minutes in the morning and evening for mediation on God. Knowing this, his colleagues and friends laughed at him. One day they argued that he was wasting ten precious minutes on something, which he had been misled into believing. The doctor replied, “Well, if God does not exist, I agree that I am wasting ten minutes a day. But, if He exists? I am afraid you are wasting your entire lifetime. I prefer to waste ten minutes rather than a lifetime. Why should you grudge me the 10 minutes joy that I derive 4m.

ILLUSTRATED REVIEW : 7^th Heaven moment of the week In Fifa world cup Portugal no 7 scored a goal, Nigeria’s no 7 scored two goals,South Koreas no 7 scored a goal,   England no 9 Harry kane scored a Hatrick.

True worth of Income

Monday, 18 June 2018

True worth of Income

The Speaking Tree   ET

By Anant G Nadkarni

Every action has a reaction however good or bad, right or wrong, visible or invisible. This is a law of Nature. Depending on the motivation and kind of action, the result could be beneficial or harmful. Whether the action was initiated out of greed or need, all processes have their own outcomes.

Lord Krishna says in the Bhagavad Gita, “One has a right to perform tasks but is not at liberty to accrue the fruits of action.” Viewed in isolation, one could easily be tempted into believing that as a rule, all ‘fruits of action are forbidden’. If an action has no outcome at all, there is something fundamentally wrong.

At a more universal level, activities and resultants are integrated and driven together by the same energy. Therefore, actions should find their fullest expression, be acknowledged for what value they add, and made evident for their worth.

Today, there is a need to become responsible, truthful and efficient in all the many little things we do and become really useful as we serve others and ourselves. J R D Tata once said, “The wealth gathered by Jamsetji Tata and his sons in half a century of industrial pioneering formed but minute fraction of the amount by which they enriched the nation. The whole of that wealth is held in trust for the people and used exclusively for their benefit. The cycle is thus complete; what came from the people has gone back to the people many times over.” The pleasure in earning truly lies in its distribution.

DISCLAIMER : Views expressed above are the author's own.

Quote from the True Charm and Power of Vedanta

Our cosmic connections

 Spirituality | ET

By Pranav Khullar

For aeons, the sky — particularly the night sky — has fascinated and intrigued humankind. Carl Sagan writes of how “…the Cosmos is all that is or ever was or ever will be…the greatest of mysteries”. Different cultures have found different patterns in the sky that to each have special connotations.

Astronomers and astrologers have varying notions of the movement of planets. Religious calendars of different faiths are either lunar- or sun-based systems. Dreamers and poets are drawn to the sky, and we all seem to look up instinctively either in thanksgiving or in trouble. Ironically enough, it is one of the few meeting places left where scientific enquiry and religious faith seem to coalesce naturally.

The sky has been the driving metaphor for our metaphysical speculation: of how we need to reach out beyond our ego, and understand the essential oneness of all under a common sky.

In comprehending the vastness of the universe, we would realise there is a greater purpose to our lives than in merely living out a self-centred and fragmented existence. Mythologist Joseph Campbell writes of our remarkable metaphorical shift from an interest in the sky above to a parallel vastness of the soul within.

The reaching out also reflects our deepest urge to be at peace with ourselves and with the world. It is the recognition of oneness under a common sky, together with inner yearning for the truth of the Self, that will revive our cosmic consciousness, bringing us closer to one another and with Self.

DISCLAIMER : Views expressed above are the author's own.

But, if He exists?

I drive joy There was a doctor in Benaras who spent 7 minutes in the morning and evening for mediation on God. Knowing this, his colleagues and friends laughed at him. One day they argued that he was wasting ten precious minutes on something, which he had been misled into believing. The doctor replied, “Well, if God does not exist, I agree that I am wasting ten minutes a day. But, if He exists? I am afraid you are wasting your entire lifetime. I prefer to waste ten minutes rather than a lifetime. Why should you grudge me the 10 minutes joy that I derive 4m.

ILLUSTRATED REVIEW : 7^th Heaven moment of the week In Fifa world cup French no 7 Griezman scored a goal,  in moto gp no 99 won a podium.

Ego and humility

Monday, 11 June 2018

Ego and humility

 Spirituality | ET

By Parmarthi Raina

Ego gives us our identity: “I am an Indian. I am a businessman. I live in Delhi.” From ego stems pride and vanity: “I am learned in the shastras and so I am superior to others.” Such aperson is vain. A true spiritualist is humble.

Chaitanya Mahaprabhu has said that a true spiritualist is as humble as a blade of grass—no matter how many people trample it, it remains unaffected. Cultivating humility is to see the Supreme residing in each and every living entity and to treat everyone equally.

Adi Shankara, the proponent of advait Vedanta, showed his greatness when he not only admitted his mistake in having chastised a sweeper but accepted him as his guru. One day, while making his way to the Sri Vishvanatha temple at Kashi, he saw a sweeper, broom under his arm, coming from the opposite direction along the same path. Succumbing to long-standing tradition, the Brahmin in Shankara spontaneously called out to the sweeper, “Move away. Move away.” The sweeper, however, stood his ground and gently asked Shankara, “Is there difference in the space in a golden pot and the space in a mud pot? Is there difference in the one Consciousness (God) that is in the hearts of each living entity?”

Shankara understood at once that the sweeper was reminding him that within the chaste Brahmin and the sweeper resides the same Brahmn and, therefore, Shankara was, in reality, the same as him, the difference being only in outer appearance.

DISCLAIMER : Views expressed above are the author's own.

Quote from the True Charm and Power of Vedanta

Who carries our karmas after death — atma, mind, chitta or buddhi? — Rajinder Singh, 78, Patiala

■ Chitragupta is said to be the accounts keeper of our karmas. The word ‘chitra’ means picture and ‘gupt’ means secretly. Hence, Chitragupta is like a hidden CCTV camera which keeps recording secretly all our good and bad deeds.

In reality, Chitragupta is not a person, but our own consciousness, which gathers impressions of all our samskaras. Not only bodily actions but even thoughts get stored in our consciousness.

Just as there is smoke in fire, every action has consequences, some of which we experience in this birth and some are carried forward to our next birth.

There are innumerable karmas,the consequences of which we never forbear and experience completely in just one birth. These get stored in our chitta, consciousness. Chitta is not a place in our body but it takes the form of impressions in our prana.

At the time of death, our prana gathers all the powers of the body, along with all the powers of the senses,mind,intellect and ego. The prana then exits the body of the deceased, and prepares for its onward journey into a new one. Since chitta stores impressions of all our actions, it takes these impressions along with it,when it departs from the body.

As long as the impressions of our samskaras are stored in our chitta, the birth-death cycle continues. But when the practitioner cleanses his mind and makes it shine with the pristine sparkle of a sphatika, crystal, he arrives at the state of mukti, liberation or freedom from the cycle of birth and death.

It’s our karmic impressions that are responsible for rebirth. So when these impressions cease to exist, there will be no births. This is the state of liberation.■

But, if He exists?

I drive joy There was a doctor in Benaras who spent 7 minutes in the morning and evening for mediation on God. Knowing this, his colleagues and friends laughed at him. One day they argued that he was wasting ten precious minutes on something, which he had been misled into believing. The doctor replied, “Well, if God does not exist, I agree that I am wasting ten minutes a day. But, if He exists? I am afraid you are wasting your entire lifetime. I prefer to waste ten minutes rather than a lifetime. Why should you grudge me the 10 minutes joy that I derive 4m.

ILLUSTRATED REVIEW : 7^th Heaven moment of the week In French open no 7 won runnerup,  in  football lagalxy no 9 scored two goals ,  

Ask right questions

Monday, 04 June 2018

Ask right questions

 India | ET

The nature of the world is neither pleasant nor unpleasant. It is what it is: without labels, without bias. It is how you relate to it from your past conditioning that makes the world appear in particular ways. Incidents have no meaning by themselves, unless meanings are superimposed through thoughts. And the same incident can cause entirely different thoughts in different people. This is because they’re projecting or superimposing their own mental baggage on the screen, then watching the scene through their own mental filters. When they do this, it distorts the picture of reality.

External situations are not the cause but rather a reflection of what you hold within. No incident or situation is a problem by itself; it becomes a problem because we are viewing it through the filters of our limiting beliefs. Experiences that we go through in life are just like mirages. If we have to see through the mirage, then we need to break through its very cause. The background that makes things appear frightening needs to be destroyed so that the truth can be seen clearly.

 So, how can this be done? It is by learning the art of asking the right questions in various situations; questions that will lead you from the obvious to the deeper transcendental Truth. Such inquiry can break through illusions that appear in various circumstances, so that you can smile when faced with illusion, without getting deluded.

Once we learn the art of right questioning, we can apply it whenever we are caught up in an illusory maze.

DISCLAIMER : Views expressed above are the author's own.

Qoute from True Charm and power of Vednata

Mind control & salvation

Spirituality | ET

By Amar Singh

Mind is the veil that hides reality from you. Sivabala Yogi’s teachings are based on his direct experience of reality. A thorough understanding of the mind’s nature and functioning is essential for a serious seeker.

He emphasised that the individual mind, as the fountainhead of selfishness, is the basic cause of human suffering and unhappiness; also, the cure lies in the mind itself as it has the power to overcome it. The aim of spiritual effort must be to absorb the mind in its source and destroy its independent existence.

He says liberation is attained by making the mind totally silent; that is, thought-free.

Sri Sivabala Yogi taught the path of silence to control the mind. A competent guru is one who has divine sanction and can take an aspirant to the final experience of Self-realisation. He should have compassion to teach and nothing to do with name, fame or wealth.

Development of divine qualities is very essential for spiritual growth. Divine qualities like love, devotion, power to discriminate, detachment, contentment and humility are inherently present in every mind.

They could be developed by a guru’s grace and self-effort. Sincere aspirants should practice meditation with devotion and love, combined with spirit of selfless service. Mental strength develops with regular and sincere practice and not by a quirk of fate. The only worthwhile activity of an aspirant is to know the Truth; the rest is worthless. A moment spent in remembering God is far more rewarding than a lifetime wastedunder the influence of maya.

DISCLAIMER : Views expressed above are the author's own.

But, if He exists?

I drive joy There was a doctor in Benaras who spent 7 minutes in the morning and evening for mediation on God. Knowing this, his colleagues and friends laughed at him. One day they argued that he was wasting ten precious minutes on something, which he had been misled into believing. The doctor replied, “Well, if God does not exist, I agree that I am wasting ten minutes a day. But, if He exists? I am afraid you are wasting your entire lifetime. I prefer to waste ten minutes rather than a lifetime. Why should you grudge me the 10 minutes joy that I derive 4m.

ILLUSTRATED REVIEW : 7^th Heaven moment of the week, In motogp 2 Lornzo baldasri no 7 won a podium,  in motogp no Lorenzo no 99 won a podium , in Nba gsw won first match by 10