Oneness amid differences

Monday, 27 June 2020

Quote from the True Charm and Power of Vedanta

 Christianity in the West is already experiencing, under the impact of the modern challenge, an unprecedented ferment and questioning resulting in a sincere quest, on the part of the various Christian denomination, for the universal spiritual content of the Christian religion underlying its denominational specialties and exaggerations and forging thereby an ecumenical Christian unity. The success of the noble quest will entirely depend on increasing emphasis on the sruti aspect of Christianity and the soft pedalling of the Smriti elements and this is what is being done by the denomination concerned and with very hopeful results. It is difficult to isolate from among the complex factors, the Vedantic contribution to the healthy development. if its content driver from the inescapable world conditions crated by modern science and technology its stimulus and direction can largely be traced to the silent but powerful influences proceeding from the spread of Vedantic ideas in the West in the wake of the tumultuous  ovation that greeted Swmi Vivekananda when he addressed the historic Parliament of Religions in Chicago in 1893 Said he in that memorable address.

Oneness amid differences

The Speaking Tree | India | ET

By Mukul Shri Goel

Every human being is inherently different and thinks differently. According to Indian spirituality, all living beings in the universe are bound to Nature through the three modes of nature — sattva, goodness; rajas, passion; and tamas, darkness — and the ratio of these in a person influence his temperament and contribute to his personal differences. At the workplace, these inherent differences may express themselves as differences in aptitude or differences in problem-solving approaches; such differences shape the lens through which we look at the world. Similarly, in spirituality, these differences dictate the unique spiritual path that each being takes towards Self-realisation.

While a person’s inner nature is not easily understandable, many of us have a habit of categorising and assessing others on the basis of perceptible parameters like professional achievements, social status, political power, religious affiliation, and/or family relationships. Because such categorisation indicates our own attachment to materialism, the sooner we start transcending our superficial personal differences, the sooner we can recognize the oneness — the same divine element present in all beings. We must remember that even our tiniest decisions and thought processes mould the universe for the next moment. Our interactions have a say in forming our disposition and they also affect the people around us.

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 epl wet fort no 9,10 scored a goal, wi scored 10/197

Free will and determinism

Monday, 20 June 2020

 

 Quote from the True Charm and Power of Vedanta

 

Tools dwelling in the very midst of ignorance yet vainly fancying themselves to be wise and learned, go round and round staggering like blind men led by the blind.

            From what we have seen of Sri Krsna , we realize that he was a man of wisdom and the world around him looked up to him for guidance. As I have often pointed out , Krsna was always detached deep in the midst of things yet keeping his mind above the things Emerson, when discussing the ideal life paraphrases a famous sloka of the Gita and says that it is easy to lose oneself in the crowd or to be calm when alone, but the ideal man is one who remaining and functioning in society keeps his head in solitude . if when the world orders we weep and if when the world orders we smile, it is but a very ordinary thing, but perfection comes only when even in a market-place the mind is kept calm . Otherwise it is one sided development only.

            While Arjun is in confusion , Krsna is clam and speaks with a smile, knowing fully well that he could remove it. So, to surrender to such a person is to ensure our progress . here the disciple is a great soul and the teacher too; and when a great disciple is facing a great teacher, we expect the statement of a life-giving thought as the issue of that contact. The Katha Upanisahd(i.II, 7) referees to this in these words; ascarya vakt kausao say labdha ascarya janata kusalanuvsista –when a wonderful disciple and a wonderful teacher come together, there is born great wisdom. Arjuna accepts therefore , Sri Krsna as his guide . It, after examining the credentials of a person in all aspects and finding him worthy , we surrender ourselves to him , we are safe in his hands . on the contrary , if we give away our independence into the hands of any and every person without discrimination there si every chance of our running ourselves . in this country we have to take notice of this . where there are many gurus and a few disciples, you do not know to whom to surrender. There is a beautiful verse which makes a caustic remark about this state of things.

Free will and determinism

The Speaking Tree | ET

BY NARAYANI GANESH

 

In classical physics, everything is mechanistic, pre-determined and, therefore, predictable and controlled, in a world where sensory experiences are perceived as reality. But quantum physics says that ‘pre-determined behaviour’ could be subject to change when there is molecular uncertainty. Are we products of the determinate variables in particle physics and so live a pre-destined, pre- determined life? Or could we exercise free will and change things?

 

George Ellis, professor in the department of mathematics, University of Cape Town, says that while on the one hand we talk of the predictable, mechanistic universe that classical physics is premised on, on the other hand, we have quantum physics at the micro level, where Heisenberg’s Uncertainty Principle overturns the theory of determinism. A mechanistic universe with a physically determined trajectory may submit to uncertainties where nothing can be predicted with certainty.

 

In the biological universe too, it is not only physical DNA that determines life’s trajectory. Yes, scientists did discover that the DNA molecule contains codes that indicate our genetic inheritance from our forefathers. Yet, it is seen that not all those who are carrying information that predisposes them to specific conditions show evidence of its manifestation. Why?

 

This is because there are other parameters and changing conditions that come into play, like nurture, the environment, mental attitude and free will. This is what spiritual masters call the art of altering your karma — through exercise of free will, you could redesign your ‘destiny’.

 

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 : 7th Heaven moment of the week  in f1 V.Botas no 77 won a podium , in epl Burnley no 9 scored a goal, Southampton no 9,  scored a goal, Tottenham Harry kane no 10 scored a goal

Monday, 13 June 2020

 The journey called life

Quote from the True Charm and Power of Vedanta 

The Vedanta Philosophy

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The Vedanta philosophy, as it is generally called at the present day, really comprises all the various sects that now exist in India. Thus there have been various interpretations, and to my mind they have been progressive beginning with the dualistic or Dvaita and ending with the non-dualistic or Advaita. The word Vedanta literally means the end of the Vedas-the Vedas being the scriptures of the Hindus! Sometimes in the West by the Vedas are meant only the hymns and rituals of the Vedas . But at the present time these parts hae almost gone out of use, and usually by the word Vedas in India, the Vedanta is meant . all our commentators . when they want to quote a passage from the scriptures as a rule Quote from the Vedanta which has another technical name with the commentators –the Shrutis Now all the books known by the name of the Vedanta were not entirely written after the ritualistic portions of the Vedas For insane one of them –the Isha Upanishad-forms the fortieth chapter of the yajur Veda, that bring one of the oldest parts of the Vedas. There are other Upanishads which from potions of the Brhamanas or ritualistic writings and the rest of the Upanishads are independent not comprised in any of the Brhamanas or other parts of the Vedas but there is no reason to suppose that they were entirely independent of other parts for, as we well know, many of these have been lost entirely and many of the Brahmans hae become extinct . so it is quit possible that the independent Upanishads belonged to some Brahmans which in course of time fell into disuse, while the Upanishads remained. These Upanishads are also called Forest Books or Araynyakas.

The journey called life

The Speaking Tree| ET

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BY DADA J P VASWANI

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One day, as I was walking through the woods, savouring the solitude, I recalled what my master, Sadhu Vaswani, said., ‘Life is brief. Our stay upon this earth is but for a few days.’ People tend to forget that life is ephemeral. Sometimes, I think they do not realise that they themselves are mortal! They speak and act as if they will live forever; they want to possess things — possess things permanently! They cling to their possessions as if they own them for eternity.

 

People often put a question to me, ‘What is the purpose of our life if we are supposed to live without our wealth and possessions?’ Others want to know, ‘Why should we not fight for what legitimately belongs to us? That would be only fair and just.’

 

True, you must claim what you think is your own, as long as it does not break homes, bifurcate families and bring disharmony and turbulence in life. Most people live life on the surface. They live a superficial life, unaware of the goal or the meaning of their life. This life is given to us not to possess and own, but to love and give and share whatever we have with those less fortunate than we are.

Life is too short; why should we waste our precious time in conflicts, quarrels and court cases? Instead, we should patch up all our differences and live in harmony with one another, for time is running out for all of us. Death can claim us at anytime; and then, it may be too late.

 

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 f1 V.Botas no 77 won a podium , in epl Liechester no 9 scored two goals

 

 

You are the Supreme Self

Life is never irksome or arduous to us when we gain this larger view-point. We are no longer afraid of living , nor are we afraid of dying. All fear springs from the narrow side of our nature. Egotism, selfish greed and ignorance, these are what cause fear. The large-minded, selfless man is never afraid. There can be no fear in our heart except when we are selfish. If a man walks with God and feels his heart a part of God’s heart, nothing can frighten him. There are certain orthodox teachings which declare it to be sacrilegious to claim that we are a part of the Divine, but did not Christ teach this? Did He not say; “Be ye perfect even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect”? Also in the Upanishads we read; “Thou art That”-thou art in essence one with infinite and unalterable being. is not this the theme sounding through all spiritual the theme sounding through all spiritual teachings-that unless we become God like, we cannot enter into conscious union with God; Unless we become truly living we cannot conquer death?

MondQuote from the True Charm and Power of Vedanta

Reincarnation and Immortality

Over coming fear of Deathay, 6 June 2020

Quote from the True Charm and Power of Vedanta

Reincarnation and Immortality

Over coming fear of Death

 

We all have the power to conquer death but not in the physical sense. The material man would like to prolong his earthly life indefinitely. That is not possible. The combination of material elements whish make up this physical body must dissolve sooner or later, but within this combination there is something finer, less destructible-the causal body, which will out last with gross body. Our thoughts , our aspiration , our desires and feelings , our thirst for martial things and our yearning for the spiritual are all contained in this and according to the measure of the spiritual or the material do we obtain what are deserve. Our future destiny is wholly moulded by ourselves. You may say. It we mould our own destiny, which does God do? But even granted that He moulds it, we still supply the material out of which He shapes it, He is not an arbitrary, partial, revengeful Deity.

 

You are the Supreme Self

The Speaking Tree  India, Lifestyle, Roots & Wings | ET

By Dada J P Vaswani

 

Within each one of us, there are two selves: the lower self and the higher Self. The lower self is the self of passion and pride, lust and hatred, greed, resentment and ill-will, jealousy and envy.

 

All these base passions go to make up the lower self. May I tell you what our problem is? It is that many of us have identified ourselves with this lower self of the passions. We think of it as our own true Self. We allow it to dominate our thoughts and actions.

 

We go to it again and again, and submit to its dictates. We follow its impulses like obedient servants; that is why we have amongst us, thieves, frauds, forgers, fakes, criminals, liars and murderers. That is why the world today is rocked by wars, violence, hatred, strife, intolerance and prejudice.

 

All these negativities are the outcome of the baser emotions, of man’s lower self in ascendancy. Let me say to you, this lower self may dominate us often; but it is a tiny pathetic thing. This lower self is only a part of the story of man — in fact, it is less than a fraction.

 

For, within each one of us is a higher Self — the true Self that the Gita refers to as the Atman. Each one of us is the Atman — the indestructible, eternal Self, the Self of utter truth and bliss that we call ‘sat chit ananda’.

 

There have been, and are, people who have realised their Oneness with the Supreme Self. This is what we are in reality, the highest self, which is a spark of the Supreme 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 f1 V.Botas no 77 won f1, in epl Liechester no 9 scored two goals