Human-Potential
Every entity of nature in existence has potential. This potential or potency in entities of nature is due to their being energized. Nature is energized due to its being saturated in Space. Space itself is the absolute-energy.
Potential of an entity of nature means - This much it can do, and no more!
For example - a stone is an entity in existence. What is the stone's potential? What can it do at the maximum? There are many kinds of stones - of different sizes, of different appearances, of different mineral-content, of different attributes. Irrespective of appearance and attributes of all stones in the world - can we say something about stone-kind? Something that would distinguish stone-kind from vegetation-kind, animal-kind, and human-kind? If we are able to say something about stone-kind this way - it would indicate stone-kind's potential. It would also be the definition of stone. The empirical observation of stone can't recognize stonekind's potential. One can't recognize stonekind's potential through its dissection, through exploding it, through compressing it, or through seeing it under microscope - as it would still be mere empirical observation.
There is more to observing than empirical-observation. The observer needs to be there for observation to happen. Human-being is the observer. Jeevan - the conscious-entity - is capable of observing. Human-being is a combined expression of jeevan and body. Human-being is capable of observing. Human-being can observe existence upon awakening - all that is. This is human-potential. Nothing more, nothing less!
An awakened human-being is the benchmark for evaluating potential of every entity in existence. A stone's potential is evaluated by a human-being through observing it. This observation could be partial or complete - based on the observer's potential. Partial-observation is limited to empirical-aspects - i.e. appearance and attributes. Complete-observation is observing the entirety of stone - not only its empirical-aspects but also its true-nature and dharma. Inability of complete-observation in human-being is illusion. Ability of complete-observation in human-being is awakening. Living with incomplete-observation (or illusion) leads to conflicts. Living with complete-observation (or awakening) leads to resolution. Extant of observation determines human-potential. Awakening and Illusion are two possible states of human-potential. Awakening and Illusion are like two sides of a coin. If Awakening is - Illusion is not. If Illusion is - Awakening is not. Awakening dispels Illusion.
Another important point to note is, Stone is - irrespective of the observer (human-being). Stone is a combined-expression of its appearance, attributes, true-nature, and dharma. Stone's true-nature is composition and decomposition. Stone's dharma is - to be, or to exist. It is not possible to stop a stone's being. It is not possible to annihilate stone. Howsomuch one may break a stone, it would not be possible to make the constituents disappear. This inalienability of stone is its dharma. True-nature indicates the purpose of stone's being in existence. Why should stone be? True-nature of an entity is the purpose of its being in existence. True-nature of any entity in existence is the way that entity realizes co-existence with all other entities in existence. Stonekind realizes coexistence through composition and decomposition. That's why stone is. This comes in human-observation.
Existence is naturally inclined. There is a directionality in existence. This natural-inclination or directionality gets evidenced as emergence of natural-orders. Matter-order, Pranic-order, Animal-order, and finally humankind as Knowledge-order. Every entity of nature is with directionality or natural-inclination. There is progress in existence - and natural-orders are statuses of this progress. Each natural-order has a way for having its cyclicality - which ensures its continuation of its being as tradition. Matter-order has cyclicality through constitutional-conformance. Each atom is a distinct constitution. Through composition and decomposition there are cyclicalities in matter-order. The directionality or natural-inclination in matter-order gets evidenced as an earth's getting enriched with heavier atoms with progression. The formation of soils, rocks, gems, and metals - and their subkinds... and they are all inter-linked through composition and decomposition. The directionality in matter-order also gets evidenced as emergence of water on an earth. Emergence of water is a fine example as natural-evidence of coexistence-principle. The two totally distinct kind of materials (hydrogen and oxygen) - one of which burns, and other abets burning, come together to actualize water - which exhibits a totally different kind of conduct. Water quenches thirst of all beings in existence - while neither hydrogen nor oxygen can quench thirst, even partially! Emergence of water is the basis for pranic-beings to come about.
Pranic-order has more potential than Matter-order. Pranic-order entities can grow or replicate their own kind, while matter-order entities can't grow or replicate their own kind. Growth/replication is inalienable to pranic-order. This growth/replication happens through process of seeding. It is not possible to stop a plant's growth/replication - as long as it is. To grow is inalienable for plantkind - and therefore to grow is the dharma of pranic-order. Plant-order is rooted in Matter-order - and its cyclicality of growth/replication is tied up (related) with matter-order (soil, water, air). Pranic-cell is the unit of Pranic-order. Pranic-cells have pulsation - they can breathe. Pranic-cells have pranic-sutras - with the method of pranic-entity's formation. The directionality of nature gets affected as successive-refinement in this method. And accordingly numerous kinds and subkinds of vegeatations, shrubs, trees - came into being. This "coming into being" is not about "creation" - it is emergence in nature due to its inclination. This "coming into being" is not "accidental" - it is purposeful for emergence. The purpose of pranic-order (or its true-nature) is to realize co-existence through nourishment and dessication. Some vegetations nourish the bodies of animalkind and humankind. While others are poisonous - and they dessicate the bodies of animalkind and humankind.
Pranic-order and Matter-order together is called "inert-nature". Inert-nature as a whole has natural-inclination for emergence of conscious-nature. Atom is the basic-unit of inert-nature. Progress in atom leads to emergence of conscious-atom or jeevan. Conscious-atom (jeevan) is constitutionally-complete - or its constitution is fulfilled, and there is no possibility for any emission or insertion into its constitution. Conscious-atom (jeevan) is with activities that are qualtiatively distinct from inert-nature.
Conscious-entity is combination of activities of choosing, thinking, visualizing, knowing, and experiencing. These activities of jeevan get expressed through living. Living requires jeevan's coexistence with body. Jeevan enlivens body - animal-body or human-body. Body is a bio-physical formation of inert-nature. Jeevan is able to express only desire to live through animal-bodies - and expresses living according to specie. The "potential" of an animal-specie is to live according to the specie. "Wanting to live" is inalienable from an animal-being - therefore "to live" is its dharma. True-nature of some animal species is cruel, while for others it is uncruel - and that's how these species realize their purpose in coexistence. Animalkind as a whole is capable of realizing coexistence with rest of the nature through instinctual-living - and evidence natural-balance. That's the potential of animalkind. Potential of animalkind is more than that of pranic-order and matter-order. The later natural-order has the potential of previous natural-orders and more. The successive emergence in existence is out of coexistence - and not out of struggle.
Successive-refinement in pranic-cells lead to emergence of human-body. Animalkind itself projects humankind into being. Human-body has fully-developed brain, and when jeevan enlivens it - it becomes able to express imagination. Imagination is a combination of conscious-activities of choosing, thinking, and visualizing. Imagination is a conscious-phenomenon - of jeevan. Imagination is the activity of jeevan. Imagination is a reality! Imagination makes a human-being distinct from animals. Imagination seeks fulfillment. It inexhaustibly seeks fulfillment. This is innate to human-being. This expectation of fulfillment (or happiness) is natural to human-being. Human-being is with natural-expectation of happiness.
Imagination is the potential ("worth") of human-being - before its awakening. Imagination is the ability to observe. Imagination can observe more than what could be called empirical-observation. Empirical-observation also happens through imagination. Imagination is more than logic and mathematical-modeling on top of empirical-observation. Imagination is the power to innovate and visualize. Imagination is at the root of all feats of engineering and art. Imagination is the reason humans live differently from animals. Whatever humankind has done in its history thus far, ever since it emerged on Earth, from jungle-age to information-age - are outcomes of human-imagination.
Still, living in the purview of imagination is not fulfilling to human-being. There is more to human-potential than imagination. Imagination is naturally-inclined for knowledge. There are dormant activities in jeevan about knowing - which hold the key for realization of complete human-potential. These dormant activities in jeevan about knowing can get activated through study in coexistence. Imagination itself is the need to know in human-being. Study in co-existence requires use of imagination. Imagination can get aligned with knowledge through study in co-existence.
Study in Coexistence is the way human-being can achieve its potential - from living in purview of imagination, to living in purview of knowledge. Living in purview of knowledge is also called - human-consciousness or humanness. Living in purview of imagination is not qualitatively distinct from living like animals - therefore it is also called animal-consciousness.
Imagination is the potential of student. Knowledge is potential of teacher. Teacher inspires and guides through knowledge. Student enquires, seeks clarification through imagination. Study is never in isolation. Study happens with teacher which has experienced in coexistence. In the absence of guidance and inspiration study is not. In the absence of guidance and inspiration only blue-sky exploration is. Study is a definitive process - qualitatively different from blue-sky exploration of trial and error. Madhyasth-Darshan is a proposal for Study in Coexistence.
Human-being is the projection of natural-inclination in existence. Human-being is naturally-inclined for achieving knowledge - that's why human-imagination seeks fulfillment. Imagination is the "worth" of a human-being until it achieves awakening. Imagination is what a human-being (before awakening) can do, and no more. Positively speaking - Imagination is human-being's potential before its awakening. Study in Coexistence is about "paying attention" to the realities in existence through an inspired-imagination. It is to become an "observer" of existence. Experience in Coexistence is the point of fulfillment of imagination. It is a qualitative-improvement in one's consciousness. This shift in consciousness is irreversible. This is achieving the potential for living with strength, courage, and generosity. It is also called - awakening. An awakened human-being has the maximum potential in existence. This is the reason - an awakened human-being is the benchmark for evaluating potential of all other entities of nature. Potential of Knowledge that human-being achieves thus can realize divinity - as combined expression of kindness, grace, and compassion. Human-beings alone exhibit divinity through their conduct or living upon achieving the potential of knowledge.
Achieving the potential of awakening is the beginning of self-realization by human-being - as living with justice, dharma, and truth. This would entail humankind's moving from information-age to knowledge-age.
Source: Madhyasth Darshan, while studying it.
Thursday, March 11, 2010
Thursday, February 18, 2010
Manifestation, World, Pervasiveness, and Purpose - Chapter 12
Manifestation, World, Pervasiveness, and Purpose - Chapter 12 (Manav Vyavhar Darshan)
This is an attempt to translate chapter-12 - titled "लक्षण, लोक, आलोक, एवं लक्ष्य" - of Manav Vyavhar Darshan by Baba Shree A. Nagraj Sharma.
* Study is of Manifestation, World, Pervasiveness, and Purpose.
definitions:-
1. Manifestation:- Appearance, Attributes, True-Nature, and Dharma of entities of nature is called manifestation.
2. World:- Combination of conscious and inert nature is called world.
3. Pervasiveness:- Knowledge itself is pervasiveness.
4. Purpose:- The effort and experimentation for experiencing the union based on an entity's present-status is called purpose.
* Study is the activity of Seeing the World with knowledge. Study is seeing the entirety and its acceptance as movement towards experience (of student) in with (teacher's guidance as) experience-centric method.
* Purpose is either enjoyment, incidental-union, or experience in knowledge.
* The purpose of enjoyment is through activities of sensory-gratification (food, sleep, fear, and sex) and also activities for attaining progeny and prosperity.
* The purpose of incidental-union is influencing the public with some acquired capabilities or faculties - along with attaining acclaim (for humane-deeds).
* A human-being attached to sensory-gratifications desires fulfillment of one sensory-activity through another - which is impossible to achieve. A sensory-activity cannot be fulfilled by another sensory-activity - as it can either lead to decline or enhancement of first sensory-activity.
* All inert-activities are incomplete. An incomplete cannot attain fulfillment by acquiring another incomplete. Possibility of fulfillment is only upon experiencing in justice, dharma, and truth.
* The efforts that yield success (of experiencing in knowledge) through incidental-union can realize purity of human-ness - which naturally conserves humanness. The success of incidental-union is by experiencing the eternal-union.
* Experiencing the eternal-union by human-being is complete Awakening. Such awakened beings are sources of inspiration for awakening of others. This itself is called tradition of awakening.
* Study is observing, examining, and surveying the union of causality, quality, and quantity. Study is familiarization with Truth.
* The differences in views are due to incompleteness in above union.
The differences are the cause for opposition, conflict, revolt, hatred, counter-hatred, scepticism, terror, slavery and maliciousness, exploitation and war - in that order.
At the root of differences there have to be more than one sides of argument. If all of them are wrong, or at least one of them is wrong - then conflict is inevitable. If all are right, in that state there is no possibility of any conflict.
* The difference in purpose accepted gets manifested as differences in conduct and thoughts.
* The purpose is determined by seeing self, other, and circumstances.
* The decision-making by self is either complete or incomplete. The direction towards reality is "complete" decision, and direction towards illusion is "incomplete" decision.
* The study of purpose of living (vivek) and direction of living (vigyan) rooted in knowledge-essence are efforts towards reality. All other efforts are towards illusion.
* Human-effort is as work and behaviour.
* Human-actions of living and livelihood - with right and wrong intent - determine its future events and actions.
* Family is an expression of good or bad character - and accordingly are its accomplishments.
Posted by Rakesh Gupta
This is an attempt to translate chapter-12 - titled "लक्षण, लोक, आलोक, एवं लक्ष्य" - of Manav Vyavhar Darshan by Baba Shree A. Nagraj Sharma.
* Study is of Manifestation, World, Pervasiveness, and Purpose.
definitions:-
1. Manifestation:- Appearance, Attributes, True-Nature, and Dharma of entities of nature is called manifestation.
2. World:- Combination of conscious and inert nature is called world.
3. Pervasiveness:- Knowledge itself is pervasiveness.
4. Purpose:- The effort and experimentation for experiencing the union based on an entity's present-status is called purpose.
* Study is the activity of Seeing the World with knowledge. Study is seeing the entirety and its acceptance as movement towards experience (of student) in with (teacher's guidance as) experience-centric method.
* Purpose is either enjoyment, incidental-union, or experience in knowledge.
* The purpose of enjoyment is through activities of sensory-gratification (food, sleep, fear, and sex) and also activities for attaining progeny and prosperity.
* The purpose of incidental-union is influencing the public with some acquired capabilities or faculties - along with attaining acclaim (for humane-deeds).
* A human-being attached to sensory-gratifications desires fulfillment of one sensory-activity through another - which is impossible to achieve. A sensory-activity cannot be fulfilled by another sensory-activity - as it can either lead to decline or enhancement of first sensory-activity.
* All inert-activities are incomplete. An incomplete cannot attain fulfillment by acquiring another incomplete. Possibility of fulfillment is only upon experiencing in justice, dharma, and truth.
* The efforts that yield success (of experiencing in knowledge) through incidental-union can realize purity of human-ness - which naturally conserves humanness. The success of incidental-union is by experiencing the eternal-union.
* Experiencing the eternal-union by human-being is complete Awakening. Such awakened beings are sources of inspiration for awakening of others. This itself is called tradition of awakening.
* Study is observing, examining, and surveying the union of causality, quality, and quantity. Study is familiarization with Truth.
* The differences in views are due to incompleteness in above union.
The differences are the cause for opposition, conflict, revolt, hatred, counter-hatred, scepticism, terror, slavery and maliciousness, exploitation and war - in that order.
At the root of differences there have to be more than one sides of argument. If all of them are wrong, or at least one of them is wrong - then conflict is inevitable. If all are right, in that state there is no possibility of any conflict.
* The difference in purpose accepted gets manifested as differences in conduct and thoughts.
* The purpose is determined by seeing self, other, and circumstances.
* The decision-making by self is either complete or incomplete. The direction towards reality is "complete" decision, and direction towards illusion is "incomplete" decision.
* The study of purpose of living (vivek) and direction of living (vigyan) rooted in knowledge-essence are efforts towards reality. All other efforts are towards illusion.
* Human-effort is as work and behaviour.
* Human-actions of living and livelihood - with right and wrong intent - determine its future events and actions.
* Family is an expression of good or bad character - and accordingly are its accomplishments.
Posted by Rakesh Gupta
"Feeling Good" versus "Being Good"
"Feeling Good" versus "Being Good"
Human-being expresses consciousness. Each human-being accepts his being alive. Expression of this alive-ness (or consciousness) is multi-dimensional for a human-being - is also well-known. When we compare alive-ness of an animal versus alive-ness of a human-being - it is clear that a human-being expresses its alive-ness in more dimensions than any animal. One clear distinction between humans and animals is the expression of imagination in humans. Human-being uses imagination, and that's the way its expression in living continuously evolves, making humankind qualitatively distinct from animals. The second distinctive and defining trait in humans is - expectation of happiness. Each human-being is inalienable from this expectation of happiness.
All human-activities - as doing, saying, and thinking - are with use of imagination and with expectation of happiness. This is the starting point of this study of Jeevan Vidya (madhyasth darshan).
Human-being's expectation of happiness and its imagination - in its entire history - has only been limited to recognition of "feeling good" or "feeling bad". "Feeling bad" clearly doesn't meet the expectation of happiness. "Feeling good" also doesn't meet the expectation of happiness. The reason for this is - whatever feels good starts feeling bad after some time. There is no continuity in feeling good. So one tries in some other ways for feeling good through use of imagination. That effort also lands up in failure. Denial of "feeling good" or "feeling bad" and seeking "equanimity" between the two also don't result in any lasting-accomplishment. This is the root of sorrow in human-living. The plane of consciousness in which a human-being is living today, it is not possible to achieve continuity of happiness. Despite being humans, we are living in animal-consciousness. And that's the root-cause of our sorrow.
"Feeling Good" is not "Being Good".
"Being Good" and thereby "Living Good" is the plane of human-consciousness.
Study of Madhyasth-Darshan addresses the point of fulfillment of human-imagination. Unless human-imagination is fulfilled it will continue seeking happiness in "feeling good" - which is in the purview of sensory-gratification. Sensory-gratification is with material-goods - and with this mindset struggle for them becomes inevitable. The collective human-mindset, human-made systems are manifestation of this hangup with "feeling good". It is not a secret anymore that where collective human-mindset is heading. Humankind has made its own survival under threat due to this hangup of "feeling good".
Fulfillment of human-imagination is when imagination gets aligned with realities - as they are. Study is the process of aligning human-imagination with the realities. The realities are in existence. There is no reality outside of existence. Existence is - all that is. Existence needs to be studied for fulfillment of imagination.
Study happens with guidance of one who has experienced the realities. In the absence of guidance, it is not study - it becomes an exploration, or groping in the dark. Guidance inspires the imagination of student to see the realities - as the guide sees them. Study is like - one lamp lighting another... Study is never in isolation. Study is an expression of co-existence of teacher and student. Study happens in the light of teacher's experience. Teacher's imagination is experience-centric - which is potent-enough to guide and inspire. Student's imagination is fired up with the "need to know" - for its fulfillment. Study is the union of student and teacher - which leads to student's getting "lighted up" like the teacher.
Study is student's getting established with acceptances of realities. Study is movement towards "being good". Madhyasth-Darshan proposes all realities in existence are expression of co-existence principle. Study is to get aligned with the existence - as expression of co-existence.
"Being Good" is the state of human-being upon achieving the point of fulfillment of its imagination. This is also called "anubhav" - or experiencing in knowledge-essence. "Anubhav" is the accomplishment of study in co-existence. "Being Good" is an irreversible shift in one's consciousness - that has continuity. There is no other way for achieving anubhav, there is no other way of achieving fulfillment of imagination - apart from studying existence.
"Being Good" is the basis of "Living Good". "Being Good" is to be harmonious within self. "Living Good" is living in harmony with one's relationships. "Living Good" is inspiration for others for "Being Good". This is the way a humane-tradition of goodness gets realized.
source: madhyasth-darshan, while studying it...
Posted by Rakesh Gupta
Human-being expresses consciousness. Each human-being accepts his being alive. Expression of this alive-ness (or consciousness) is multi-dimensional for a human-being - is also well-known. When we compare alive-ness of an animal versus alive-ness of a human-being - it is clear that a human-being expresses its alive-ness in more dimensions than any animal. One clear distinction between humans and animals is the expression of imagination in humans. Human-being uses imagination, and that's the way its expression in living continuously evolves, making humankind qualitatively distinct from animals. The second distinctive and defining trait in humans is - expectation of happiness. Each human-being is inalienable from this expectation of happiness.
All human-activities - as doing, saying, and thinking - are with use of imagination and with expectation of happiness. This is the starting point of this study of Jeevan Vidya (madhyasth darshan).
Human-being's expectation of happiness and its imagination - in its entire history - has only been limited to recognition of "feeling good" or "feeling bad". "Feeling bad" clearly doesn't meet the expectation of happiness. "Feeling good" also doesn't meet the expectation of happiness. The reason for this is - whatever feels good starts feeling bad after some time. There is no continuity in feeling good. So one tries in some other ways for feeling good through use of imagination. That effort also lands up in failure. Denial of "feeling good" or "feeling bad" and seeking "equanimity" between the two also don't result in any lasting-accomplishment. This is the root of sorrow in human-living. The plane of consciousness in which a human-being is living today, it is not possible to achieve continuity of happiness. Despite being humans, we are living in animal-consciousness. And that's the root-cause of our sorrow.
"Feeling Good" is not "Being Good".
"Being Good" and thereby "Living Good" is the plane of human-consciousness.
Study of Madhyasth-Darshan addresses the point of fulfillment of human-imagination. Unless human-imagination is fulfilled it will continue seeking happiness in "feeling good" - which is in the purview of sensory-gratification. Sensory-gratification is with material-goods - and with this mindset struggle for them becomes inevitable. The collective human-mindset, human-made systems are manifestation of this hangup with "feeling good". It is not a secret anymore that where collective human-mindset is heading. Humankind has made its own survival under threat due to this hangup of "feeling good".
Fulfillment of human-imagination is when imagination gets aligned with realities - as they are. Study is the process of aligning human-imagination with the realities. The realities are in existence. There is no reality outside of existence. Existence is - all that is. Existence needs to be studied for fulfillment of imagination.
Study happens with guidance of one who has experienced the realities. In the absence of guidance, it is not study - it becomes an exploration, or groping in the dark. Guidance inspires the imagination of student to see the realities - as the guide sees them. Study is like - one lamp lighting another... Study is never in isolation. Study is an expression of co-existence of teacher and student. Study happens in the light of teacher's experience. Teacher's imagination is experience-centric - which is potent-enough to guide and inspire. Student's imagination is fired up with the "need to know" - for its fulfillment. Study is the union of student and teacher - which leads to student's getting "lighted up" like the teacher.
Study is student's getting established with acceptances of realities. Study is movement towards "being good". Madhyasth-Darshan proposes all realities in existence are expression of co-existence principle. Study is to get aligned with the existence - as expression of co-existence.
"Being Good" is the state of human-being upon achieving the point of fulfillment of its imagination. This is also called "anubhav" - or experiencing in knowledge-essence. "Anubhav" is the accomplishment of study in co-existence. "Being Good" is an irreversible shift in one's consciousness - that has continuity. There is no other way for achieving anubhav, there is no other way of achieving fulfillment of imagination - apart from studying existence.
"Being Good" is the basis of "Living Good". "Being Good" is to be harmonious within self. "Living Good" is living in harmony with one's relationships. "Living Good" is inspiration for others for "Being Good". This is the way a humane-tradition of goodness gets realized.
source: madhyasth-darshan, while studying it...
Posted by Rakesh Gupta
Jeevan Vidya - Solution for present Human-Condition
It is common-observation that there has been a continuous-change in the way human-specie has gone about living ever since it first emerged on Earth. In the last 20-30 years itself we can see there are huge changes in the way a human-being used to live, versus how it is living today. Why does it change? How does it change? It is important that we get answers to these questions – since the present collective-direction of this change is heading for a disaster.
First characterization of present human-situation is “Climate-change”. It’s not a doomsday talk when we talk of climate-change. Earth is indeed ailing - and with that humankind’s survival is threatened. Earth’s ailing condition is caused by humankind. What is the solution for this – technological or spiritual? Should we go back to the old ways of living? Most countries of the world have recognized the fact that if we continue with this rate of climate-change, humankind will not survive.
Second characterization is “Criminality and Wars”. Ever since humankind emerged on this Earth until now, it has always been at war within and between groups and has led to two World Wars. Presently, terrorism and low intensity warfare are affecting many parts of the world. The entire world is under the grip of fear of terrorism and criminality. When terror would strike again, and where, and how big – we don’t know. What is the solution for this – technological or spiritual? How many more countries will need to be bombed?
Third characterization is “Conflicts within Humankind”. There are major ideological divides, sectarian divides, language divides – and each division is adamant that its side is “right” and the other side is “wrong”. Even within a family there is no real convergence – or meeting of minds. Conflict at the level of individual is as lack of integrity. The Individualism – whether for spiritual or for material ends – only results disharmony in human-relationships. Families and social-fabric at large is disintegrating; there is mistrust in one’s own family-members and neighbours. What is the solution for this – technological or spiritual?
The three characterizations of present human-situation are evident for all of us to see. We may be very busy in whatever we are doing, and we may think that these problems are so big that it is impossible for a “common-man” to solve them. Sometimes we even try to justify by turning a blind-eye towards these – leaving it to “hope” that some scientific-innovation will make everything alright, or we leave it to fate. This is an assessment of our present situation – and the need to rethink. We – the human-specie – live out our understanding. In other words - we do, what we know or believe is right. Whatever humankind has known or believed has led it to its present situation. If we want to change this situation, we will need to rethink. The level of consciousness which has resulted in this situation is incapable of giving solution for coming out of it. This is the need of alternative.
Jeevan Vidya is based on research-outcome of Baba Shree A Nagraj Sharma. It is proposed as alternative for rethinking about everything, and presents solution of the present human-condition.
Everything needs to be looked at afresh – the way we understand this mineral world, the way we understand the plant-world, the way we understand animal-world, the way we understand humankind, the way we determine right and wrong, the way we understand family, the way we understand society, the way we understand production, the way we understand health, the way we understand success, the way we understand beauty, the way we understand justice, the way we understand role of state, the way we understand God – EVERYTHING needs to be looked at afresh.
Human-being has forever wished and tried to understand this world – i.e. human-being has tried to define and describe inert and conscious nature, itself, and God. There are many schools of thought prevalent which give their versions of how they understand this world. These schools of thought can be broadly classified as Idealism and Materialism. Materialism believes physiochemical-matter to be the only reality – and recognizes human-being also to be a material composition. It believes consciousness (the expression of living) emerges from physiochemical matter as its structural-function. Idealism believes supreme-consciousness (or God) to be the only reality – and matter gets born from it. Materialism line of thinking is supported and advanced by advents of Science. Idealism line of thinking is supported and advanced by advents of religions. Both ideologies give their own logics, practices, and experiments to establish their claims. However, the result of whatever they may have said, done, and believed is there before us - characterised by the three situations described above. It is also worth noting that the destructive tendencies of humankind only increased with advent and progress of science in last 200 years or so. Humankind needs alternative of Science to come out of present-situation.
Jeevan-Vidya is study of self, its activities, its purpose, and how it can realize its fulfillment. It is the study of human-being and its relationships with the rest of existence. It is the study of existence – as infinite nature saturated in the limitless space. Jeevan Vidya recognizes existence to be co-existence – at all levels of its expression. It is the study for recognizing the essence of harmony in existence. It brings attention to the natural-expectation of happiness (or harmony) in every human-being. The expectation of happiness is the defining trait of a human-being – which it can’t be alienated from. This is the starting point for study of Jeevan Vidya.
All human-activities are with the expectation of happiness. One tries to seek fulfillment of this expectation from whatever one believes as “right”. Irrespective of beliefs – reality of existence is. Unless human-being’s knowledge and beliefs are in alignment with the reality – there is no way for it to realize its natural-expectation of happiness, of being in harmony. Jeevan-Vidya is study of natural-evidences.
Jeevan-Vidya is the study of natural-state of entities of nature, and how the principle of co-existence gets expressed by them. Human-being also is an entity of nature – the way stones, plants, and animals are entities of nature. Jeevan Vidya brings attention to the directionality or natural-inclination in existence – which leads to emergence of plant-order from material-order, animal-order from plant-order, and finally humankind from animal-order - and within humankind this directionality is there as expectation of harmony.
Jeevan Vidya recognizes human-specie to be qualitatively distinct from animals – and recognizes it to be in knowledge-order – the specie which has the need to know. The need to know is the natural-expectation of happiness in humankind. Human-happiness is directly connected with its need to know. Human-being tries to fulfill its need to know through use of imagination and free-will – the two traits which are not there in animals. The efforts of stilling the imagination or free-wheeling it – have not succeeded in accomplishing the point of its fulfillment. Human-imagination has remained unfulfilled in its history – and this unfulfillment (or lack of knowledge) in humankind has got imposed on rest of the nature – resulting into the situation where we are today.
Jeevan Vidya proposes that - Human-imagination can only be fulfilled by understanding realities as they are. It is a proposal for understanding realities in existence – as they are.
Humankind's collective-understanding gets reflected in its culture, tradition, civilization, and human-made systems. Education is one such human-made system – with which we transfer to our children the essence of what we have understood. Education is a basic human-need. Unlike animals, which can live harmoniously just through their instincts – humans have a need to learn and understand. Even if schools are not there – we will need to impart education to our children for them to be wise, honest, and responsible. Content of prevalent education is the main issue. Education needs to address the natural-expectation of humankind - i.e. happiness. The content of prevalent education needs to be humanized.
Humane-education alone can bring about the humane mindset. Education is the primary factor in building mindset. Most of us are directly or indirectly involved in Education processes. If faulty-education can do colossal damages, the humane-education can do wonders! Humane mindset alone will stop excesses on rest of the nature - and the wounds inflicted by humankind on Earth will begin to heal. Humane mindset alone can stem the humankind's greed. It's not about going back to old ways of living, and to live with denial of senses. It is about acquiring a new mindset - i.e. the "humane" mindset - in which senses remain naturally-controlled. There is no technological solution for the climate-change situation. The exploitative and profiteering mindset is incapable of arriving at solutions that can realize universal-good. It's only with humane-mindset, we can make technology purposeful. It is with understanding of coexistence - one gets the appreciation of the thread of complementariness in natural-orders, and becomes able to naturally realize its complementariness towards nature. It is not possible to solve climate-change situation through legislative controls. It is possible to solve it through changing the education system.
Criminality is absence of wisdom. It is a reactionary mindset. It is not possible to eliminate criminality from the world by building stricter laws for punishing criminals or by building tighter security systems. A crime cannot be stopped by doing retaliatory crime on the criminal. This will only increase crime. The present education is building a maniacal mindset for profit, sex, and consumption - which is only increasing crime. Terrorism and Wars are crimes at bigger scale. Humanized education alone can build the mindset of justice - which is free of criminality.
At the root of formation of any community or religion is the expectation of freedom from fear. The biggest fear is fear of inhumanness in other. This fear is the root-cause of conflict - as ever-rising walls of "mine" and "other". Fear is the root-cause of fundamentalism. Fear is illusion - it is inability to see realities as they are. Fear breeds conflicts. Fear or illusion can only be dispelled by right-education or humane-education. Family is the first expression of natural human-organization. The family-relationships are purposeful - and that purpose is to realize justice there. Human-needs - psychological and material - are determined in a family. In the absence of fulfilled relationships in family, a human-being becomes destructive, anti-social or criminal. A resolved and prosperous family alone can be complementary to the society. This is the only way for realizing the vision of united-humankind - as freedom from Conflicts within Humankind.
In this way, Jeevan-Vidya proposes solution - as humanization of education - for present human-condition characterized by climate-change, criminality, and conflicts. Humanization of Education is to incorporate the study of human-being, human-purpose, and co-existence into mainstream education.
Jeevan Vidya proposal is being taken to common public through seven day workshops – called Jeevan Vidya shivirs. The seven day shivir familiarizes the participants with the essential aspects of this proposal, and its possibilities. Many efforts are in progress across the country for incorporating this proposal into regular education curriculums. The most significant efforts are happening at Chhatisgarh – where State Education is proactively training its educators, and redesigning the curriculum for its implementation in secondary level education. Many technical colleges are conducting jeevan-vidya shivirs for their faculties, staff, and students – which is gaining large grounds of acceptance, and people are making choices in their lives in favor of humanness, in favor of co-existence, in favor of natural-balance. Dr A P J Abdul Kalam came in contact with Jeevan-Vidya, and he talked about it in Independence Day Speech in 2006. Jeevan-vidya appeals to people from all backgrounds since it addresses the core-issue for human-living – its happiness.
This proposal has the solution for the present human-condition. This proposal addresses "common people" like all of us. It is a call for awakening our consciousness. Let's wake up, before it is too late!
- presented in the capacity as student of this proposal.
Posted by Rakesh Gupta
It is common-observation that there has been a continuous-change in the way human-specie has gone about living ever since it first emerged on Earth. In the last 20-30 years itself we can see there are huge changes in the way a human-being used to live, versus how it is living today. Why does it change? How does it change? It is important that we get answers to these questions – since the present collective-direction of this change is heading for a disaster.
First characterization of present human-situation is “Climate-change”. It’s not a doomsday talk when we talk of climate-change. Earth is indeed ailing - and with that humankind’s survival is threatened. Earth’s ailing condition is caused by humankind. What is the solution for this – technological or spiritual? Should we go back to the old ways of living? Most countries of the world have recognized the fact that if we continue with this rate of climate-change, humankind will not survive.
Second characterization is “Criminality and Wars”. Ever since humankind emerged on this Earth until now, it has always been at war within and between groups and has led to two World Wars. Presently, terrorism and low intensity warfare are affecting many parts of the world. The entire world is under the grip of fear of terrorism and criminality. When terror would strike again, and where, and how big – we don’t know. What is the solution for this – technological or spiritual? How many more countries will need to be bombed?
Third characterization is “Conflicts within Humankind”. There are major ideological divides, sectarian divides, language divides – and each division is adamant that its side is “right” and the other side is “wrong”. Even within a family there is no real convergence – or meeting of minds. Conflict at the level of individual is as lack of integrity. The Individualism – whether for spiritual or for material ends – only results disharmony in human-relationships. Families and social-fabric at large is disintegrating; there is mistrust in one’s own family-members and neighbours. What is the solution for this – technological or spiritual?
The three characterizations of present human-situation are evident for all of us to see. We may be very busy in whatever we are doing, and we may think that these problems are so big that it is impossible for a “common-man” to solve them. Sometimes we even try to justify by turning a blind-eye towards these – leaving it to “hope” that some scientific-innovation will make everything alright, or we leave it to fate. This is an assessment of our present situation – and the need to rethink. We – the human-specie – live out our understanding. In other words - we do, what we know or believe is right. Whatever humankind has known or believed has led it to its present situation. If we want to change this situation, we will need to rethink. The level of consciousness which has resulted in this situation is incapable of giving solution for coming out of it. This is the need of alternative.
Jeevan Vidya is based on research-outcome of Baba Shree A Nagraj Sharma. It is proposed as alternative for rethinking about everything, and presents solution of the present human-condition.
Everything needs to be looked at afresh – the way we understand this mineral world, the way we understand the plant-world, the way we understand animal-world, the way we understand humankind, the way we determine right and wrong, the way we understand family, the way we understand society, the way we understand production, the way we understand health, the way we understand success, the way we understand beauty, the way we understand justice, the way we understand role of state, the way we understand God – EVERYTHING needs to be looked at afresh.
Human-being has forever wished and tried to understand this world – i.e. human-being has tried to define and describe inert and conscious nature, itself, and God. There are many schools of thought prevalent which give their versions of how they understand this world. These schools of thought can be broadly classified as Idealism and Materialism. Materialism believes physiochemical-matter to be the only reality – and recognizes human-being also to be a material composition. It believes consciousness (the expression of living) emerges from physiochemical matter as its structural-function. Idealism believes supreme-consciousness (or God) to be the only reality – and matter gets born from it. Materialism line of thinking is supported and advanced by advents of Science. Idealism line of thinking is supported and advanced by advents of religions. Both ideologies give their own logics, practices, and experiments to establish their claims. However, the result of whatever they may have said, done, and believed is there before us - characterised by the three situations described above. It is also worth noting that the destructive tendencies of humankind only increased with advent and progress of science in last 200 years or so. Humankind needs alternative of Science to come out of present-situation.
Jeevan-Vidya is study of self, its activities, its purpose, and how it can realize its fulfillment. It is the study of human-being and its relationships with the rest of existence. It is the study of existence – as infinite nature saturated in the limitless space. Jeevan Vidya recognizes existence to be co-existence – at all levels of its expression. It is the study for recognizing the essence of harmony in existence. It brings attention to the natural-expectation of happiness (or harmony) in every human-being. The expectation of happiness is the defining trait of a human-being – which it can’t be alienated from. This is the starting point for study of Jeevan Vidya.
All human-activities are with the expectation of happiness. One tries to seek fulfillment of this expectation from whatever one believes as “right”. Irrespective of beliefs – reality of existence is. Unless human-being’s knowledge and beliefs are in alignment with the reality – there is no way for it to realize its natural-expectation of happiness, of being in harmony. Jeevan-Vidya is study of natural-evidences.
Jeevan-Vidya is the study of natural-state of entities of nature, and how the principle of co-existence gets expressed by them. Human-being also is an entity of nature – the way stones, plants, and animals are entities of nature. Jeevan Vidya brings attention to the directionality or natural-inclination in existence – which leads to emergence of plant-order from material-order, animal-order from plant-order, and finally humankind from animal-order - and within humankind this directionality is there as expectation of harmony.
Jeevan Vidya recognizes human-specie to be qualitatively distinct from animals – and recognizes it to be in knowledge-order – the specie which has the need to know. The need to know is the natural-expectation of happiness in humankind. Human-happiness is directly connected with its need to know. Human-being tries to fulfill its need to know through use of imagination and free-will – the two traits which are not there in animals. The efforts of stilling the imagination or free-wheeling it – have not succeeded in accomplishing the point of its fulfillment. Human-imagination has remained unfulfilled in its history – and this unfulfillment (or lack of knowledge) in humankind has got imposed on rest of the nature – resulting into the situation where we are today.
Jeevan Vidya proposes that - Human-imagination can only be fulfilled by understanding realities as they are. It is a proposal for understanding realities in existence – as they are.
Humankind's collective-understanding gets reflected in its culture, tradition, civilization, and human-made systems. Education is one such human-made system – with which we transfer to our children the essence of what we have understood. Education is a basic human-need. Unlike animals, which can live harmoniously just through their instincts – humans have a need to learn and understand. Even if schools are not there – we will need to impart education to our children for them to be wise, honest, and responsible. Content of prevalent education is the main issue. Education needs to address the natural-expectation of humankind - i.e. happiness. The content of prevalent education needs to be humanized.
Humane-education alone can bring about the humane mindset. Education is the primary factor in building mindset. Most of us are directly or indirectly involved in Education processes. If faulty-education can do colossal damages, the humane-education can do wonders! Humane mindset alone will stop excesses on rest of the nature - and the wounds inflicted by humankind on Earth will begin to heal. Humane mindset alone can stem the humankind's greed. It's not about going back to old ways of living, and to live with denial of senses. It is about acquiring a new mindset - i.e. the "humane" mindset - in which senses remain naturally-controlled. There is no technological solution for the climate-change situation. The exploitative and profiteering mindset is incapable of arriving at solutions that can realize universal-good. It's only with humane-mindset, we can make technology purposeful. It is with understanding of coexistence - one gets the appreciation of the thread of complementariness in natural-orders, and becomes able to naturally realize its complementariness towards nature. It is not possible to solve climate-change situation through legislative controls. It is possible to solve it through changing the education system.
Criminality is absence of wisdom. It is a reactionary mindset. It is not possible to eliminate criminality from the world by building stricter laws for punishing criminals or by building tighter security systems. A crime cannot be stopped by doing retaliatory crime on the criminal. This will only increase crime. The present education is building a maniacal mindset for profit, sex, and consumption - which is only increasing crime. Terrorism and Wars are crimes at bigger scale. Humanized education alone can build the mindset of justice - which is free of criminality.
At the root of formation of any community or religion is the expectation of freedom from fear. The biggest fear is fear of inhumanness in other. This fear is the root-cause of conflict - as ever-rising walls of "mine" and "other". Fear is the root-cause of fundamentalism. Fear is illusion - it is inability to see realities as they are. Fear breeds conflicts. Fear or illusion can only be dispelled by right-education or humane-education. Family is the first expression of natural human-organization. The family-relationships are purposeful - and that purpose is to realize justice there. Human-needs - psychological and material - are determined in a family. In the absence of fulfilled relationships in family, a human-being becomes destructive, anti-social or criminal. A resolved and prosperous family alone can be complementary to the society. This is the only way for realizing the vision of united-humankind - as freedom from Conflicts within Humankind.
In this way, Jeevan-Vidya proposes solution - as humanization of education - for present human-condition characterized by climate-change, criminality, and conflicts. Humanization of Education is to incorporate the study of human-being, human-purpose, and co-existence into mainstream education.
Jeevan Vidya proposal is being taken to common public through seven day workshops – called Jeevan Vidya shivirs. The seven day shivir familiarizes the participants with the essential aspects of this proposal, and its possibilities. Many efforts are in progress across the country for incorporating this proposal into regular education curriculums. The most significant efforts are happening at Chhatisgarh – where State Education is proactively training its educators, and redesigning the curriculum for its implementation in secondary level education. Many technical colleges are conducting jeevan-vidya shivirs for their faculties, staff, and students – which is gaining large grounds of acceptance, and people are making choices in their lives in favor of humanness, in favor of co-existence, in favor of natural-balance. Dr A P J Abdul Kalam came in contact with Jeevan-Vidya, and he talked about it in Independence Day Speech in 2006. Jeevan-vidya appeals to people from all backgrounds since it addresses the core-issue for human-living – its happiness.
This proposal has the solution for the present human-condition. This proposal addresses "common people" like all of us. It is a call for awakening our consciousness. Let's wake up, before it is too late!
- presented in the capacity as student of this proposal.
Posted by Rakesh Gupta
This is what I believe!
This is what I believe!
It has been about 5 years since I came in contact with this proposal of Jeevan Vidya. I often seek answer to this question - What is Jeevan Vidya, really? Is it something I believe in, or is there something more to it? Is it an activist-movement? Is it a religion? Is it a "moral-science" sermon? Is it some "cult" around a person?
I am not a very well-read person, and my exposure to science and spirituality is dilettante-level - at best. I would describe myself to be very "normal" kind of a guy - someone who never quite went against the mainstream. I tried to do whatever seemed "right" at any point of time - whether it was preparing for IIT in 1987-88, struggling for grades there, finding a job after passing out, preparing for CAT (and not getting through), seeking foreign assignments and promotions in job, seeking some solace in religion, watching movies, trying to meet parents expectations, getting married in an arranged way, having a daughter, seeking joy in our family-living, pursuing a hobby of painting, and all the time hoping that there should be some "meaning" in all that is happening around me. There is nothing "special" about this life of 39 years.
I had heard of "Jeevan Vidya" from a friend of mine - who used to be with me at IIT, and also we used to share a house at Bangalore. I was not indisposed towards it, and was overall receptive to the idea. I attended a couple of shivirs of Jeevan Vidya - but I remained quite "untouched" really. This is not to undermine the sincerity and knowledge of the shivir prabodhaks - but that's what happened (or didn't happen) with me. In the course of events, I got the set of books of Madhyasth-darshan - and tried to read them... They didn't make sense really in the beginning, the language was Hindi - but wasn't the "regular kind" of Hindi. Job used to be hugely boring for me, but I didn't have any other way to live... What else to do? Where else to go?
In the course of events, another friend advised me to go and meet Nagraj ji at Amarkantak. And as it happened, in Nov 2004 - I went to Amarkantak - a completely strange place for me - along with my wife and daughter, and knocked the door of a dharmshala where Nagraj ji used to stay then. It was perhaps the most unusual and unexpected thing for me to do. It seems almost bizarre - when I think of it now... Nagraj ji - Baba as he is affectionately called - started off by introducing himself. He said, that he had achieved samadhi and sanyam - and with that he has seen existence, and that's what he teaches. He stated this as a matter of fact - and then said, "You see, human-being in its history has always tried seeking trust - but it never really found it. I have found the root of trust, and it is in self, and that happens when self experiences in co-existence, and I can teach you that." It was a heady kind of feeling - I wasn't quite game for this sort of thing.... But it was happening, I was getting hooked. I observed him keenly while his treating the patients (he is an ayurvedic doctor), talking to his family members, getting his feet massaged, reading newspaper, meeting visitors, enjoying snacks... Very normal kind of person - no pretensions. I didn't understand what was happening... He wasn't saying anything "high funda" or spiritual kind of stuff... but still he made sense, whole lot of sense....
I concluded, I could trust him - completely.
There were no airs about him. He would make me sit on his bed beside him, and would lean to listen to what I was saying - since he is a little hard of hearing... Here he was 50 years senior to me, and saying with authenticity that - I know! And that - You can know too! It moves me to tears thinking of my fortune and plight!
In the last 5 years, I must have met him 30 times or so - and I don't remember a day when I have been without thinking about this... We must have talked about everything under the Sun, about the Sun, - and beyond... And my respect and reverence for him has grown, every time. And now I and my family find ourselves to be making some decisions about our future based on this.
Jeevan Vidya is a framework for disseminating the knowledge-essence that Nagraj ji found through his research.
Jeevan Vidya is a proposal for knowing. It is knowing for living with harmony. Knowing is not for the knowing's sake - as a scholarly exercise... It is knowing for living.
It is the wisdom to live a resolved life, and a prosperous life.
It is the wisdom for living fully - without gaps, without compromises.
I believe in it - completely. I don't know it, fully yet... I haven't experienced it. I am not living it, fully yet... That's all I can say, honestly. There are other beliefs. Nagraj ji says that this proposal is alternative to those, and he also says that those beliefs don't lead up to knowing - and living. I believe in that too. I have nothing "against" people following those beliefs. My parents also believe in something different from what's proposed in jeevan vidya.
In this blog, I share - what I believe! Study is the link between believing and knowing. I am studying this proposal of Madhyasth Darshan. Here I share with other students of this proposal, what I am studying - with the hope that they may find my notes useful. It is not a propaganda.
People from all beliefs are welcome to examine what is being said here - as explanation of self, existence, and humanness. If they don't find this agreeable - they can leave it (with hope that they come back to it without getting turned off by my half-baked status). If they find it agreeable, and feel the need to explore more - I will be happy to share what I possibly can.
Posted by Rakesh Gupta at 2/10/2010 1 comments
Tuesday 9 February 2010
Believe to Know
We do, what we believe in. We justify the events that happen around us to strengthen our beliefs. We identify with our beliefs. If someone says something contrary to our beliefs - then we feel that our identity is under threat. Then we say that the other is wrong, we try to find flaws in other's statements, we ridicule other, we become defensive, or we become agressive. We feel that if our belief is proven wrong, then we will have nothing to hold on to... When we see other's proposal to be stronger (and heart in heart "right") - we try to assimiliate it into our belief, or we try seeking common-ness between our belief and this.
It is not possible to actualize convergence or unity in humankind - if each of us is going to be adament to our own beliefs. Individualism and Sectatrianism is at the root of all conficts in humankind.
Irrespective of our beliefs - the reality is. Beliefs are about reality - but reality is irrespective of beliefs. Beliefs can have variety. But Reality doesn't have variety.
Reality can be experienced by human-being as a result of right-education.
It is possible to achieve convergence and unity in humankind only when we human-beings experience the reality - as it is.
When one experiences the reality - it is not a matter of belief any more. It is to say with authenticity that it is so.
When a person-A who has experienced the reality, goes about communicating it to person-B - person-B has to believe that person-A is authentic in what he is saying. If he doesn't believe this way, there is no communication between the two. If person-B tries to mix and match his old beliefs with what person-A is saying - the communication is not possible between the two.
That's the need to believe in the process of education. The use of logic is there only till one comes to the point of believing.
Study begins after believing in what's being told as the Principle (or explanation of reality) by the person who has experienced the reality. Before that, logic is there. Argument and counter-argument is there.
Study is not a lonely pursuit. It is with the guidance of teacher - who has experienced the reality. It is the union of need to know and have known. Study culimates in the student also having known the reality.
Student believes to know.
Experiencing is the point of fulfillment of knowing and believing.
- based on Madhyasth-darshan, while studying it.
Posted by Rakesh Gupta
It has been about 5 years since I came in contact with this proposal of Jeevan Vidya. I often seek answer to this question - What is Jeevan Vidya, really? Is it something I believe in, or is there something more to it? Is it an activist-movement? Is it a religion? Is it a "moral-science" sermon? Is it some "cult" around a person?
I am not a very well-read person, and my exposure to science and spirituality is dilettante-level - at best. I would describe myself to be very "normal" kind of a guy - someone who never quite went against the mainstream. I tried to do whatever seemed "right" at any point of time - whether it was preparing for IIT in 1987-88, struggling for grades there, finding a job after passing out, preparing for CAT (and not getting through), seeking foreign assignments and promotions in job, seeking some solace in religion, watching movies, trying to meet parents expectations, getting married in an arranged way, having a daughter, seeking joy in our family-living, pursuing a hobby of painting, and all the time hoping that there should be some "meaning" in all that is happening around me. There is nothing "special" about this life of 39 years.
I had heard of "Jeevan Vidya" from a friend of mine - who used to be with me at IIT, and also we used to share a house at Bangalore. I was not indisposed towards it, and was overall receptive to the idea. I attended a couple of shivirs of Jeevan Vidya - but I remained quite "untouched" really. This is not to undermine the sincerity and knowledge of the shivir prabodhaks - but that's what happened (or didn't happen) with me. In the course of events, I got the set of books of Madhyasth-darshan - and tried to read them... They didn't make sense really in the beginning, the language was Hindi - but wasn't the "regular kind" of Hindi. Job used to be hugely boring for me, but I didn't have any other way to live... What else to do? Where else to go?
In the course of events, another friend advised me to go and meet Nagraj ji at Amarkantak. And as it happened, in Nov 2004 - I went to Amarkantak - a completely strange place for me - along with my wife and daughter, and knocked the door of a dharmshala where Nagraj ji used to stay then. It was perhaps the most unusual and unexpected thing for me to do. It seems almost bizarre - when I think of it now... Nagraj ji - Baba as he is affectionately called - started off by introducing himself. He said, that he had achieved samadhi and sanyam - and with that he has seen existence, and that's what he teaches. He stated this as a matter of fact - and then said, "You see, human-being in its history has always tried seeking trust - but it never really found it. I have found the root of trust, and it is in self, and that happens when self experiences in co-existence, and I can teach you that." It was a heady kind of feeling - I wasn't quite game for this sort of thing.... But it was happening, I was getting hooked. I observed him keenly while his treating the patients (he is an ayurvedic doctor), talking to his family members, getting his feet massaged, reading newspaper, meeting visitors, enjoying snacks... Very normal kind of person - no pretensions. I didn't understand what was happening... He wasn't saying anything "high funda" or spiritual kind of stuff... but still he made sense, whole lot of sense....
I concluded, I could trust him - completely.
There were no airs about him. He would make me sit on his bed beside him, and would lean to listen to what I was saying - since he is a little hard of hearing... Here he was 50 years senior to me, and saying with authenticity that - I know! And that - You can know too! It moves me to tears thinking of my fortune and plight!
In the last 5 years, I must have met him 30 times or so - and I don't remember a day when I have been without thinking about this... We must have talked about everything under the Sun, about the Sun, - and beyond... And my respect and reverence for him has grown, every time. And now I and my family find ourselves to be making some decisions about our future based on this.
Jeevan Vidya is a framework for disseminating the knowledge-essence that Nagraj ji found through his research.
Jeevan Vidya is a proposal for knowing. It is knowing for living with harmony. Knowing is not for the knowing's sake - as a scholarly exercise... It is knowing for living.
It is the wisdom to live a resolved life, and a prosperous life.
It is the wisdom for living fully - without gaps, without compromises.
I believe in it - completely. I don't know it, fully yet... I haven't experienced it. I am not living it, fully yet... That's all I can say, honestly. There are other beliefs. Nagraj ji says that this proposal is alternative to those, and he also says that those beliefs don't lead up to knowing - and living. I believe in that too. I have nothing "against" people following those beliefs. My parents also believe in something different from what's proposed in jeevan vidya.
In this blog, I share - what I believe! Study is the link between believing and knowing. I am studying this proposal of Madhyasth Darshan. Here I share with other students of this proposal, what I am studying - with the hope that they may find my notes useful. It is not a propaganda.
People from all beliefs are welcome to examine what is being said here - as explanation of self, existence, and humanness. If they don't find this agreeable - they can leave it (with hope that they come back to it without getting turned off by my half-baked status). If they find it agreeable, and feel the need to explore more - I will be happy to share what I possibly can.
Posted by Rakesh Gupta at 2/10/2010 1 comments
Tuesday 9 February 2010
Believe to Know
We do, what we believe in. We justify the events that happen around us to strengthen our beliefs. We identify with our beliefs. If someone says something contrary to our beliefs - then we feel that our identity is under threat. Then we say that the other is wrong, we try to find flaws in other's statements, we ridicule other, we become defensive, or we become agressive. We feel that if our belief is proven wrong, then we will have nothing to hold on to... When we see other's proposal to be stronger (and heart in heart "right") - we try to assimiliate it into our belief, or we try seeking common-ness between our belief and this.
It is not possible to actualize convergence or unity in humankind - if each of us is going to be adament to our own beliefs. Individualism and Sectatrianism is at the root of all conficts in humankind.
Irrespective of our beliefs - the reality is. Beliefs are about reality - but reality is irrespective of beliefs. Beliefs can have variety. But Reality doesn't have variety.
Reality can be experienced by human-being as a result of right-education.
It is possible to achieve convergence and unity in humankind only when we human-beings experience the reality - as it is.
When one experiences the reality - it is not a matter of belief any more. It is to say with authenticity that it is so.
When a person-A who has experienced the reality, goes about communicating it to person-B - person-B has to believe that person-A is authentic in what he is saying. If he doesn't believe this way, there is no communication between the two. If person-B tries to mix and match his old beliefs with what person-A is saying - the communication is not possible between the two.
That's the need to believe in the process of education. The use of logic is there only till one comes to the point of believing.
Study begins after believing in what's being told as the Principle (or explanation of reality) by the person who has experienced the reality. Before that, logic is there. Argument and counter-argument is there.
Study is not a lonely pursuit. It is with the guidance of teacher - who has experienced the reality. It is the union of need to know and have known. Study culimates in the student also having known the reality.
Student believes to know.
Experiencing is the point of fulfillment of knowing and believing.
- based on Madhyasth-darshan, while studying it.
Posted by Rakesh Gupta
The Union in Existence - Chapter-11 of Manav Vyavhar Darshan
The Union in Existence - Chapter-11 of Manav Vyavhar Darshan
This is an attempt to translate chapter-11 - titled "योग" - of manav vyavhar darshan by Baba Shree A. Nagraj Sharma.
* Union in Existence is of two kinds - (1) Eternal, (2) Incidental.
* Attachment to Incidental-Union itself is the Root-cause of Illusion.
* Experience in Co-existence (upon awakening), Experience rooted Thoughts (upon awakening), and Experience rooted Behaviour (upon awakening) are as "Eternal Union" (in jeevan).
* Incidental-Union is of two kinds - (1) Homogeneous (2) Heterogeneous.
* Incidental-Union of two entities of same kind is Homogeneous-Union. Incidental-Union of two entities of different kinds is Heterogeneous-Union.
* An entity of nature progresses (towards awakening) or declines only because of incidental-unions.
* Incidental-Union that results in Progress is called Favourable-Union (or Coincidence). Incidental-Union that results in Decline is called Unfavourable-Union.
* Human-being who realizes the Experience in Truth, with Dharma based Thinking, and with Justice based Behaviour is in Divine-Consciousness; Human-being who (is with Experience in Truth and) realizes Dharma based thinking and Justice based Behaviour is in Godly-Consciousness; Human-being who (is with Experience in Truth and) realizes Justice based Behaviour is in Human-Consciousness; and Human-being who is with Thinking and Behaviour of Injustice due to attachments of Illusion is in Animal-Consciousness.
* One who wastes something, will naturally lose it.
* Human-being wastes its power, intelligence, looks, position and wealth due to its attachment to illusion.
* The necessary principle for humankind is "conservation of humanness" - which is justice. Adherence to this principle leads to emergence of perfect-harmony. Conversely, the unnecessary principle for humankind is "exploitation of humanness" - which is injustice. Adherence to this principle leads to emegence of disharmony.
* Non-accumulation, Affection, Wisdom, Spontaneity, Trust, and Restraint in Speech and Thought leads to Intellectual-Harmony. Physical-relationship in the purview of Marriage, Rightfully earned Wealth, and Kindness leads to Behavioural-Harmony.
On the contrary - Accumulation, Hatred, Unwisdom, Pretention, Fear, and Unrestraint in Speech and Thought leads to Intellectual-Disharmony. Immorality, Wrongfully accumulated Wealth, and Cruelty leads to Behavioural-Disharmony.
* Human-being experiences happiness or sorrow based on its adherence or non-adherence to necessary-principle.
* The strengthening or weakening of entire relationships and contacts, objects and subjects, forms and intents happens as human-being lives the principle of co-existence. A human-being's recognizing and understanding the distinction between necessary and unnecessary principles for humanness is called study in co-existence, and implementing the necessary principles at all levels of one's living is self-realization.
* A human-being can be recognized to be living at the level of individual, family, society, state, nation, and inter-nation. Another way to recognize levels is - individual, family, undivided-society, and universal-orderliness. Third way of recognizing levels is as ten-staged human-orderliness, with family as initiation of knowledge-based natural human-organization.
* The necessary principle for human-living is Justice. Justice is a manifestation of Dharma. Dharma is a manifestation of Truth. Basis of Truth is Coexistence. Experience in Coexistence itself is Bliss. Bliss is the state of an Awakened-Self. Awakening of human-self is the necessary-principle for humane tradition. This is the plane of awakened human-living. Such living is good for human-being.
* Jeevan's progression towards awakening is its living with desire to live, and continuously working towards the objective of attaining awakening.
* The unnecessary principle for human-living is Injustice. Injustice itself is absence of Dharma. Absence of Dharma itself is Untruth. Untruth itself is disharmony. Disharmony itself is Sorrow. Sorrow itself is Animal-Consciousness. Animal-Consciousness is unnecessary-principle for humankind. Animal-Consciousness is the plane of illusion - which is bad for humankind.
* Universally realizable rule at the level of Society is called Principle. Principle when realizing at the level of human-made systems is called Justice. Justice when realized at international-level as resolved-policies is called Dharma. Dharma when realized at universal-level is called Truth. Truth when realized at the level of infinite universes is called God and Co-existence. Human-being's experiencing God's Presence is called Bliss. Bliss brought into human-behaviour is called Awakened Living.
* Happiness, Peace, Contentment, and Bliss - are four states of Happiness.
* Principles that strengthen the four states of happiness are necessary. Principles that weaken the four states of happiness are unnecessary. Entire humankind is awaiting, expecting, experimenting, and effortful for experience of happiness.
* The principle of humane-conduct is called Justice, Natural-state and progressive behaviour is called Dharma, Reality is called Truth, Pervasive Space is called God, Omni-dimensional Resolution is called Bliss, Adherence to necessary-principles is Awakened Living, Absolute power is called Space.
* Atma has the possibility of experiencing the Lord of the World; Buddhi and Chitta has the possibility of Seeing the World; Vritti and Mun have the possibility of doing Behaviour with Justice.
* Intellectual-state devoid of doubt and illusion is called Complete-Resolution; Willfull inner and outer behaviour is called Conduct; and Universally realizable rule is called Principle.
* Uncertainty is called Doubt, and Unreal is called Illusion.
"May Universal-Goodness Prevail"
Posted by Rakesh Gupta
This is an attempt to translate chapter-11 - titled "योग" - of manav vyavhar darshan by Baba Shree A. Nagraj Sharma.
* Union in Existence is of two kinds - (1) Eternal, (2) Incidental.
* Attachment to Incidental-Union itself is the Root-cause of Illusion.
* Experience in Co-existence (upon awakening), Experience rooted Thoughts (upon awakening), and Experience rooted Behaviour (upon awakening) are as "Eternal Union" (in jeevan).
* Incidental-Union is of two kinds - (1) Homogeneous (2) Heterogeneous.
* Incidental-Union of two entities of same kind is Homogeneous-Union. Incidental-Union of two entities of different kinds is Heterogeneous-Union.
* An entity of nature progresses (towards awakening) or declines only because of incidental-unions.
* Incidental-Union that results in Progress is called Favourable-Union (or Coincidence). Incidental-Union that results in Decline is called Unfavourable-Union.
* Human-being who realizes the Experience in Truth, with Dharma based Thinking, and with Justice based Behaviour is in Divine-Consciousness; Human-being who (is with Experience in Truth and) realizes Dharma based thinking and Justice based Behaviour is in Godly-Consciousness; Human-being who (is with Experience in Truth and) realizes Justice based Behaviour is in Human-Consciousness; and Human-being who is with Thinking and Behaviour of Injustice due to attachments of Illusion is in Animal-Consciousness.
* One who wastes something, will naturally lose it.
* Human-being wastes its power, intelligence, looks, position and wealth due to its attachment to illusion.
* The necessary principle for humankind is "conservation of humanness" - which is justice. Adherence to this principle leads to emergence of perfect-harmony. Conversely, the unnecessary principle for humankind is "exploitation of humanness" - which is injustice. Adherence to this principle leads to emegence of disharmony.
* Non-accumulation, Affection, Wisdom, Spontaneity, Trust, and Restraint in Speech and Thought leads to Intellectual-Harmony. Physical-relationship in the purview of Marriage, Rightfully earned Wealth, and Kindness leads to Behavioural-Harmony.
On the contrary - Accumulation, Hatred, Unwisdom, Pretention, Fear, and Unrestraint in Speech and Thought leads to Intellectual-Disharmony. Immorality, Wrongfully accumulated Wealth, and Cruelty leads to Behavioural-Disharmony.
* Human-being experiences happiness or sorrow based on its adherence or non-adherence to necessary-principle.
* The strengthening or weakening of entire relationships and contacts, objects and subjects, forms and intents happens as human-being lives the principle of co-existence. A human-being's recognizing and understanding the distinction between necessary and unnecessary principles for humanness is called study in co-existence, and implementing the necessary principles at all levels of one's living is self-realization.
* A human-being can be recognized to be living at the level of individual, family, society, state, nation, and inter-nation. Another way to recognize levels is - individual, family, undivided-society, and universal-orderliness. Third way of recognizing levels is as ten-staged human-orderliness, with family as initiation of knowledge-based natural human-organization.
* The necessary principle for human-living is Justice. Justice is a manifestation of Dharma. Dharma is a manifestation of Truth. Basis of Truth is Coexistence. Experience in Coexistence itself is Bliss. Bliss is the state of an Awakened-Self. Awakening of human-self is the necessary-principle for humane tradition. This is the plane of awakened human-living. Such living is good for human-being.
* Jeevan's progression towards awakening is its living with desire to live, and continuously working towards the objective of attaining awakening.
* The unnecessary principle for human-living is Injustice. Injustice itself is absence of Dharma. Absence of Dharma itself is Untruth. Untruth itself is disharmony. Disharmony itself is Sorrow. Sorrow itself is Animal-Consciousness. Animal-Consciousness is unnecessary-principle for humankind. Animal-Consciousness is the plane of illusion - which is bad for humankind.
* Universally realizable rule at the level of Society is called Principle. Principle when realizing at the level of human-made systems is called Justice. Justice when realized at international-level as resolved-policies is called Dharma. Dharma when realized at universal-level is called Truth. Truth when realized at the level of infinite universes is called God and Co-existence. Human-being's experiencing God's Presence is called Bliss. Bliss brought into human-behaviour is called Awakened Living.
* Happiness, Peace, Contentment, and Bliss - are four states of Happiness.
* Principles that strengthen the four states of happiness are necessary. Principles that weaken the four states of happiness are unnecessary. Entire humankind is awaiting, expecting, experimenting, and effortful for experience of happiness.
* The principle of humane-conduct is called Justice, Natural-state and progressive behaviour is called Dharma, Reality is called Truth, Pervasive Space is called God, Omni-dimensional Resolution is called Bliss, Adherence to necessary-principles is Awakened Living, Absolute power is called Space.
* Atma has the possibility of experiencing the Lord of the World; Buddhi and Chitta has the possibility of Seeing the World; Vritti and Mun have the possibility of doing Behaviour with Justice.
* Intellectual-state devoid of doubt and illusion is called Complete-Resolution; Willfull inner and outer behaviour is called Conduct; and Universally realizable rule is called Principle.
* Uncertainty is called Doubt, and Unreal is called Illusion.
"May Universal-Goodness Prevail"
Posted by Rakesh Gupta
Freedom from Conflict (Part-3)
Freedom from Conflict (Part-3)
This is continuation of attempt to translate chapter-10 - titled "क्लेश मुक्ति" - of manav vyavhar darshan by Baba Shree A. Nagraj Sharma.
* A completely awakened human-being realizes justice in its behaviour, and resolution in its thinking.
* Human-experience is only in Existence expressed as Co-existence (as against being "somewhere else"). A human-being that is free of illusion - experiences in co-existence as experience of truth. Whole of jeevan (buddhi, chitta, vritti, and mun) then becomes experience-centric, and this is the beginning of principle-centered living.
* Thinking (that happens in jeevan) and Behaviour (that happens with an enlivened body) both get received with expectation by jeevan (in mun).
* The effect of experience in co-existence (in atma) on thinking (in vritti) is behavioural-mediation - which gets evidenced as Justice and Dharma.
* The effect of experience in co-existence (in atma) on buddhi is unwavering-conviction of truth.
* Justice, Dharma, and Truth are different manifestations of Experience in Co-existence (in atma).
* Experience in Co-existence itself gets manifested as Justice in human-behaviour. Experience in Co-existence itself gets manifested as Dharma in human-thinking. Experience in Co-existence itself is ultimate Truth in human-experience.
* Behavioural-Mediation is the capability in self (jeevan) of mediating between positive and negative behaviours - and realize Justice. Thought-Mediation is the capability in self (jeevan) of mediating between positive and negative thoughts - and realize Resolution. Experience-Mediation is the capability in self (jeevan) of experiencing each and every being's saturation in pervasive-space.
* Atma gets awakened upon experiencing in pervasive-space; buddhi and chitta get awakened upon attaining the capability of presenting resolution; vritti and mun get awakened upon attaining the capability of realizing justice in behaviour.
* Unattachment to illusion is freedom from the burden of doing. This is in the form of acceptance in self that it can still d
This is continuation of attempt to translate chapter-10 - titled "क्लेश मुक्ति" - of manav vyavhar darshan by Baba Shree A. Nagraj Sharma.
* A completely awakened human-being realizes justice in its behaviour, and resolution in its thinking.
* Human-experience is only in Existence expressed as Co-existence (as against being "somewhere else"). A human-being that is free of illusion - experiences in co-existence as experience of truth. Whole of jeevan (buddhi, chitta, vritti, and mun) then becomes experience-centric, and this is the beginning of principle-centered living.
* Thinking (that happens in jeevan) and Behaviour (that happens with an enlivened body) both get received with expectation by jeevan (in mun).
* The effect of experience in co-existence (in atma) on thinking (in vritti) is behavioural-mediation - which gets evidenced as Justice and Dharma.
* The effect of experience in co-existence (in atma) on buddhi is unwavering-conviction of truth.
* Justice, Dharma, and Truth are different manifestations of Experience in Co-existence (in atma).
* Experience in Co-existence itself gets manifested as Justice in human-behaviour. Experience in Co-existence itself gets manifested as Dharma in human-thinking. Experience in Co-existence itself is ultimate Truth in human-experience.
* Behavioural-Mediation is the capability in self (jeevan) of mediating between positive and negative behaviours - and realize Justice. Thought-Mediation is the capability in self (jeevan) of mediating between positive and negative thoughts - and realize Resolution. Experience-Mediation is the capability in self (jeevan) of experiencing each and every being's saturation in pervasive-space.
* Atma gets awakened upon experiencing in pervasive-space; buddhi and chitta get awakened upon attaining the capability of presenting resolution; vritti and mun get awakened upon attaining the capability of realizing justice in behaviour.
* Unattachment to illusion is freedom from the burden of doing. This is in the form of acceptance in self that it can still d
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