Sunday, July 31, 2016

SADHANA PAD SUTRA 35

                    AHIMSA   PRATISHTHAYAM  TAT  SANIDHYAU  VAIR  TYAGAH

WHEN  NONVIOLENCE  IS PERFECTLY  ESTABLISHED  (YOGI) HAS  POWER TO GET RID
                  OF ANIMOSITY  IN (ANYONE) THAT    COME IN HIS CONTACT

     We were told to cultivate the nonviolence in our mind and action ,and think positively . So now for next 11 Sutras  we are told the FRUITS that will be seen when one has perfected various YAMAS. So this one tells us that we or Yogi has no violent thoughts, never and under any circumstances ,he has power to get rid of any animosity that anyone may have . Here when it is stated 'anyone' it means any human being or animal.
      This meaning must be carefully understood as it could be misconstrued. One condition to achieve this power or get the fruit of following the 'nonviolence' to perfection, is that THE NONVIOLENCE MUST BE BE 100%.One should have no thought even under any condition ,certainly no violent action. When we see someone or here about some news , we react to it . Let me give an example. We know about a serial killer . Then some one tells us that the jury gave him life sentence or capital punishment. Ordinarily one will have reaction . And it will be 'he got what he deserved !'But that is not nonviolence . When the reaction is I wished he was in counselled in early stages or had better childhood or was in contact with great sage and this violence would have never occurred. So under any condition , no matter how much justified by common man or society,the Yogi or someone who has perfected the art of nonviolence, he will never have any thought of hurting anyone.(let alone hurting physically and no matter how much he deserves according to our society.)
      When we come in contact with such a person , our violent thoughts will disappear. Even the cruel animals will not act violent.
(NOTE- I know this sounds to be too good , only because we have not come across ANYONE who has achieved this level of NONVIOLENCE )

Saturday, July 30, 2016

SADHANA PAD SUTRA 34

VITARK  HIMSADAYAH  KRUTA  KARITA  ANUMODITA  LOBHA  KRODHA  MOHA

PURVAKA  MRUDU  MADHYA     ADHIMATRA  DUKHA ADNYAN  ANANTA  FALA  ITI

                                                            PRITIPRAKSH  BHAWANAM
   THOUGHTS THAT PROMOTE COMMITTING VIOLENCE ETC, IS VITARKA, THESE COULD BE DIRECT,INDIRECT OR PERMITTED OR ENCOURAGED , ANGER GREED OR DELUSION CAN AGGRAVATE THIS (VIOLENCE), AND THE ACTION COULD BE MILD , MODERATE OR SEVERE.THESE VITARK CAUSE UNENDING PAIN AND INCREASE IGNORANCE , AND LAST (THROUGH LIFE AND DEATH CYCLES).SO THE ASPIRANT SHOULD DO PRATIKSHA BHAVAN OR POSITIVE THINKING.
     
     This sutra looks complicated , but it is not once we understand the complicated language and the premise that we should know and accept. So we will have thoughts of violence . This could be through in thought or physical . This could be direct or indirect or permitted or encouraged. Let us take some example . When we someone , we have a positive or a negative thought or may be neutral i we have not known that person . So if we had negative experience of that person , we will have a negative thought . We may wish some harm to him , may be that he would fail in an examination or should not get promotion or success n the business etc. So this is a violence in thought. If we get a bad thought and not act upon it it is lees in severity than if we act upon the thought. So if we think he should not get promotion in the job , it is mild violence in thought. But now we act and tell his superior that he is bad or not trustworthy etc , we re doing more severe violence . Let  us say we injure him so he can not go for the interview , then it is severe  form of violence. So this is mild , moderate and severe , and DIRECT.
     But now take same example . We do not do anything our self but ask some one to inform the superior to tell bad things or employ gundas to hurt him , this is indirect violence. One can take example of eating meat. Killing our self , having butcher kill and then being cooked by some one else would be direct and indirect form of violence. In the same example if some one is beating the person and we do not stop it , it is encouraged or permitted form of violence.I often see parents who do not eat meat , but promote or allow there kids or guests to eat the meat in their home . This is indirect or encouraged violence.
    If one has greed or anger or has delusion , then he or she is more likely to do violence. If I am mad at someone and he shows up , I am more likely to be violent. If I have some kind of greed-say I myself or my relative is competing for the same position or job or contract , then I am more likely to be violent.Think about what BHIMA did in Mahabharata after killing Dushhashan.He drank the blood of his enemy!
     This also hold true for every other YAMAi.e telling truth, not stealing or celibacy, not hoarding .So our action could be mild or moderate or severe . We may lie to get off work by telling a lie that we are sick which is mild form in case of murder. Same thing can be said about all other YAMAS. And anger , greed and delusions will make it worst.
   So now we are told that we need to combat these thoughts by having positive thought . This is called PRATIKSHA BHAVAN . So we should think that myself or my relative is better and will get the contract or the job or promotion on his own qualifications without resolving to the violence . If one also has less attachments to mortal things in this world , we will not have as many bad thoughts as we would if continue to not follow the YAM AND NIYAMA . So if we are not involved in sense organ pleasures, we are less likely to get mad , greedy and act violent.
    One can easily understand the degree or severity of our action in case of celibacy or hoarding or stealing . Then one can easily cultivate positive thoughts to combat them .This will start happening as one gets more success in meditation . So more strictly one follows these Yamas , more easy it is to do meditation and more one does the practice of meditation, easier it becomes to follow them .
       

Friday, July 22, 2016

SADHANA PAD SUTRA 33

                          VITARKA  BADHANE  PRATIKSHA  BHAWANAM

       WHEN CONTRARY FELLINGS OR THOUGHTS-VITARK  ARISE , THEY ARE

NEUTRALISED BY GOOD THOUGHTS , THIS IS CALLED PRATIKSHA BHAWANAM

     In the previous Sutras we were told about various YAMAS  and NIYAMAS. i.e. what to DO and not DO . These were related to our day to day life and behavior. But as imperfect we are , we are going to have thoughts or even behavior that is contrary to what we should do . We should not HURT anyone ,or we should always tell truth. If we see someone that has misbehaved in the past or borrowed money or hurt us, when we see him or her, we are going to have bad thoughts about them . and may be we may even act. So here comes the advice from this SUTRA. Instead of allowing the mind to ponder on the bad thoughts , we are asked to counter them with good thoughts . This process is called Pratiksha Bhawan. We should not justify the thoughts or the actions .We may think that may be there was unavoidable reason that someone who borrowed money , has not been in position to return it Instead of killing a roach , we can throw it out .
      I am not sure we can do this all the time . And I am sure we will fail and will have the bad thoughts or do wrong actions . But if we can be successful in sometimes , we will improve . Contrary thoughts can be good thoughts or thoughts about law of karma in the beginning. But in future  it will happen automatically and at a latter state, we will not have bad thought at all.  

Saturday, July 16, 2016

SADHANAPAD SUTRA 32


    SHAUCH,  SANTOSH,  TAPAH,  SWADHYAYA,  ISHWARPRANIDHANI, NIYAMAH

    SHAUCH OR PURITY OR CLAENLINESS,,SANTOSH OR SATISFACTION OR

    CONTENTMENT, TAPAH OR AUSTERITY, SWADHYAYA OR STUDY OF SCRIPTURES,

     ISHWAR PRANIDHAN OR SURRENDER TO GOD  ARE NIYAMAH.

     We were told about the YAMAH or things that we should not do . We should not hurt any one , we should not tell a lie, we should not steal, we should not engage in sexual activity ,(without need for procreation ) and we should not do hoarding. These were the YAMAH. So now we are told about the things that we should DO .So we have 2 sets of suggestion in our behavior.These could be considered as 10 commandments of Christianity The difference between the YAMA and NIYAMA are that the the YAMA are external behavior while the NIYAM are what we should do in our internal behavior.So not to tell a lie or not to hurt anyone etc are all how we should behave with the society . While we should keep our body and mind CLEAN is more internal than it's relationship to society.
     So the SHAUCH is the cleanliness of our body , mind and intellect. If the physical body is not clean then we may have physical sickness and then we will not be in position to get better mentally.So keeping body physically clean is very important . If we look at the scriptures there are many external requirements as to how and when we should take shower. But it may be practically impossible. One can not take shower after each bowel movement. So EXTERNAL cleanliness is not as important as INTERNAL. On should keep our thoughts CLEAN. If we have SATWIK food then it helps the MIND to be quite and calm and not agitated. So when one eats meat or spicy, food -one which has lot of garlic or onion, it is not good.Out intellect should be also be clean. We should not be using our intellect to create violence.In modern society we should not use our intellect to create violent video games or Internet porn , or weaponry or developing schemes  to cheat someone.
     The next one is SANTOSH or satisfaction with what we have or got. We are often frustrated with our own life and tend to blame our LUCK or GOD or someone else . But in reality we CREATE our own life and future, (if one believes in reincarnation).This does not mean one should not make any efforts to improve upon our own condition. But it means we should not be greedy or do hoarding or be unhappy if we do not succeed in getting better condition.As it is said in GEETA , we should offer our all fruits of our actions to GOD .
    The next 3 are TAPA,SWADHYAY and ISHWAR-PRANIDHAN. These 3 are called KRIYAYOGA. These are related to how we improve our min and get one with GOD.Mental and physical endurance is TAPAH , the study of scripture is SWADHYAYA and unconditional surrender to GOD is ISHWAR- PRANIDHN . This last one is where we develop an attitude where we stop thinking our self as DOER and accept the fact that we have RIGHT to action , but not to the FRUITS of action. So if we take out 'I' from our actions then we do not get frustrated if do not get success. Our usual surrendering to the God is CONDITIONAL and it occurs only when we are in trouble and WANT something . Here we are told to surrender to God without any problem , desire or ego . 

Sunday, July 10, 2016

SADHANA PAD SUTRA -31

  JATI  DESH  KALA  SAMAYA  ANAVACHHINNAH  SARWABHAUMA  MAHA  VRATAM


(PREVIOUSLY  MENTIONED)  YAMAS  OR  RESTRAINS  IN BEHAVIOR  BECOME
                                                                                                                                                         
GREAT  VOWS  WHEN  NOY ARE  NOT  LIMITED  BY  CAST, PLACE, TIME  OR

                                                      CIRCUMSTANCES

      We were told that the restrains that we need to follow during our day to day life will help us in achieving our goal or the Samadhi . But the religion realizes that in the life of ordinary man or woman , who are married , have jobs and have family and live in society and not secluded junjle, can not follow these restrains 100%of the time . So when one does follow them to a 'T', then it is called MAHA VRATA or great vows .
     There are going to be situations when one can not follow these restrains all the time , 100%, especially when we live in society Say for example when some one is at a job like judge , he has to rule on cases where he or she may have to rule on cases and give punishment or death penalty. So the exceptions may be due to JATI or caste , DESH or place , KALA or Time and lastly SAMAYA -THE CIRCUMSTANCES ..
     We all know the exceptions , but we are told 4 different things where we may have problem following these Yamas. We saw how JATI or caste (king or butcher or merchant etc) may not be in position to follow. The same holds true as far as place is concerned. One may be travelling and may not have vegetarian food . In India the wheat or rice are seasonal crops and even though they are available  through out the year , many families will buy it for the entire year at one time. So he may have to do the collection -may be considered as hoarding .
    So under special circumstances which can be separated under 4 categories, of caste , place , time and certain circumstances , one may have to deviate . By doing this we can still get better , but to achieve ultimate goal we will have to follow it 100% with no exception .

Saturday, July 2, 2016

SADHANA PAD SUTRA 30 CONTINUED

   The last one of the Yama in this Sutra is Aparigrah. As one can see all the Yamas are restrained .One should not do this or that . So these are for personal behavioral changes .One should not hurt or kill , one should not lie, one should not steel , one should not ehgage in sexual activity and now lastly ONE SHOULD NOT DO HOARDING which is Aparigrah.
     We do tend to COLLECT things in our life time . Just go or any garage sell or go to your own garage . We will finds things that we collected over period of time which either has no use or minimal use . We sometimes go meeting and bring home things like pens or pads that we never use . But we also tend to collect things that we DO USE and need . But do we really need all these things? It reminds me of my own personal experience . I had no job and my residency was to start in 3 months . So I had lot of free time and not much money . So I went a friend's apartment . He had to go for job next morning and I was in the apartment with another friend who also had no job . So when we were done with the morning tea, I was checking out the kitchen cabinets to see if there was anything that we could cook for breakfast or the lunch. To my surprise I found out dozen tooth brushes. I was not sure as to why this single guy would have 12 tooth brushes . So when he came home ,I asked him as to why did he buy so many tooth brushes . The answer was they were on sell!This is hoarding , but not of a worst kind as tooth brushes are not in shortage. When one collects things that are in shortage and others can not get them as we brought them , then it is worst kind o hoarding. The problem with collecting things is more we collect more we think about it and then worry about it and then can not concentrate on meditation. (I am not talking about collecting grains that people in India .but I am talking about collecting gold and silver and diamonds and collectible items etc.) So the lastof the YAMAS tell us not to do hoarding .   

Friday, July 1, 2016

SADHANPAD-SUTRA 30 CONTINUED

   We have been talking about the various behavioral restrictions or modifications in the Sutra 30 . So there are 5 of them . The next or the 4th one is BRAHMACHARY, or abstinence from sexual pleasure . This one is quite difficult ,especially for ordinary person who has family. But  one has to understand the process of the desires that lead us to the sexual act . Human beings are the only animals with exception of Apes that engage in sexual activity. The story of the Adam and Eve is most illustrative . The way in which it is explained in the Christianity is not the way I interpret it.When I ask  as to what is the sin that we are born with, no one can answer. The sin that Adam and Eve did was to engage in to the act of sex WITHOUT NEED FOR PROCREATION. I don't know if before this act Adam and Eve were reproducing Asexually or not . But the forbidden fruit is the sexual intercourse. So after the act or eating the fruit, they started covering their bodies .(as otherwise looking at each other naked would arouse them sexually.)
     Certainly today one does not have power to reproduce asexually as human beings . So engaging in the sexual activity is essential part as otherwise the mankind will not survive. This may be the reason why God created natural sexual  attraction between Man and the Woman .So one must limit the sexual act to sexual reproduction only . This sounds quite limiting. So if one could limit the activity to marriage partner , it will help . But today we are having sexual encounters without marriage  or even any intention of getting married. This is not conducive to meditation. But even thinking about sex is not good and should be avoided. But we go through a process when a man and woman see each other. So 'PREKSHAN' is the looking or 'checking ' out man or woman . Then if we like what we see , then we think about her or him -called 'SMARAN' . So repeated SMARAN or thought will lead to 'MANA' or getting deeply rooted in the mind . This leads to 'talk' about the man or woman called 'KIRTAN'. So one starts talking about the bodily parts or voice or dress or having sexual jokes or talk about acts .This will lead to 'KELI' or playing games , dating , going to movie or restaurant , holding hands ,  or engaging in to sexual talk. Once this is successful then comes 'SANKET', where one gives indirect indication of desire to have  sex. And the last one is actual act of SEX . One must avoid going down this path or the sleeper slope. So if one avoids the first one then the next will not occur. In today's society one can not avoid contact . So if we avoid repeated thinking and unnecessary contact and talk , then we can be successful.
   To do sexual act only when we want to have children , is very difficult but if one can do that , it will greatly enhance the ability to meditate .