Wednesday, 29 June 2011

Middle Path



I finally admitted to M.B.A which is said to be a very rigorous program exclusively for the people who can handle pressure capable of meeting deadline and very competitive. After coming here I can say this requirements are quite true.But to what extant? Does doing good in life means becoming a machine? How we define success?Does being successful is being robot?
                     Well handling pressure and meeting deadline are unavoidable but being competitive I don't agree there are ways to bypass it and still do equally good in our career.Wondering how? Let me explain.
              We always regard nature of universe and human life as permanent ,happy and free. But in reality we know that life in this world, be it normal activities,  relationships in society or be it our own body and mind give dissatisfaction. And if we think we realize that everything is impermanent, things constantly rise and fall ,come and go and this human life is so uncomfortable. 
                Now what are the ways we adapt to get out of this uncomfortable state of mind though all this actions are subconsciously taken and need keen awareness on our part to recognize them. First a person can become competitive to an extant that to be ahead of everyone is his sole purpose in life. This competition give him motivation to work more he start achieving success and feel powerful( power is the emotion that is difficult to control by genius like RAVANA he lost his conscious(vivek) ).After feeling powerful you try to achieve even more and technically one try to be a machine but why? If you scan up now you will understand whole process and you find that just because you feel human life impermanent you try to be a machine.
                    Is there a way out? I will say yes. We  just have to scan how this power in us to do something great in life generated . I will explain this with a story though boy in story share different profile from my counter parts here.  boy of 10th class go out to prepare for a eng. entrance of which he know nothing but he is so care free that nothing bother him nether comp. nor his declining. On contrary to all the expectation from him that he get a II in his profile he just somehow manage to pass the 12th exam in second division take admission in XYZ engg. college but with time he started thinking that he has to do something good in life something which is recognized he start preparing for MBA entrance again the objective is same to get a II in profile he generated motivation power work hard enjoy working. But this time it is different  he was fully aware what he is doing power is controlled by him he managed to make 96+ in Entrance. He is now in MBA curriculum now what is the difference . controlling the power and becoming slave of power.
                        Now how can one control the power or save one self from becoming slave of it. Answer lies in  Gautam Bhudda "The middle path". here middle means neutral upright and centered . It means to investigate and penetrate the core of life and all thing with a upright non biased attitude . It give emphasis to human thought and action in dealing with natural environment.It is concerned with the relationship between thoughts and behavior , and the relationship between behavior and its consequences. It is the art of observation and stay aware so that when ever power try to take control you can stop it. I found Buddha is only philosopher who for satisfaction in life do not suggest to leave worldly pleasures and become a saint that is another extreme .
                           Now we have two extreme one is leave everything your desire and ambition as well and become saint another is as we discussed become machine. apart from this 2 extreme there is third way that is middle path which need you to be just aware and control subconscious.And finally


           
"The Tathagatha avoids the two extremes 


           and talks about the Middle Path. 


           What this is, that is; this arises, that arises.


           Through ignorance volitional actions or karmic formations are conditioned. 


          Through birth, decay, death, lamentation, pain etc. are conditioned. 


          When this is not, that is not; this ceasing, that ceases.


          through the complete cessation of ignorance, volitional activities or karmic formations cease.  


         Through the cessation of birth, death, decay, sorrow, etc. cease."

(Samyuktagama, Chapter 12)

Friday, 10 June 2011

Spirituality A Broader Perspective.

       

                   I am from a small but a kind of religious family.We use to pray daily go to temple, But from the childhood .  I  have very basic questions in my mind like why there is bell in temple what is the relation between a tika and God though I like to have a tika(a small one ). why shoes not allowed in temple why only people go to temple only after taking bath. I know it is our values that we got from our religion but do you think this values worth to possess . Well my answer is a utter no let me give u a logic.
                                       Who is God? This question is not specific to any religion I am asking about how you define God . A supreme power Omnipotent And omnipresent I think everyone agree with this definition me too. Now if he is omnipotent he must have created this universe and every thing in it. our shoes as well then why he have problem with shoes he have created us then why he have problem with us coming to temple without bath. I don't think he has any .Infact if he is omnipresent why we have to go to temple to worship.
           I know this article is about spirituality but to learn something new we have to unlearn so many things. I am talking about rituals. If we go deep we will understand why this rituals made and what is the purpose to make them. In Hindu religion we have categorization of society on the basis of the work they do .All educated and intelligent people come under the bhramin category .It is so unfortunate to see that this bhramin use their intelligence to fool others and made this rituals so that people and even king use to pray them and their bad intention give rise to so many superstitions even today people give lakhs of rupees to built a temple to accommodate god who have all this universe to live but this same people are reluctant to keep water bowl on their roof for birds.
            Spirituality is a style of life this is broad.In this way it is opposite to religion which is bookish and covered by rituals. In a ideal way it is spirituality must not follow any custom this must be natural . Variation is essence of world so we must enjoy it rather then afraid from it. But in contrast religion categorize us divide us make us feel that we are different and superior than others and forgot that all other creatures are also created by same god.
                      We always give example of unbelievable things to prove the existence of god and to deepen our trust in him. But if you pay attention to your breath you will realize that breathing is not a conscious activity  if I am taking breath ,Who is taking breath for me or breath is an event happen to me . And by observing this I realize that I need not have to imagine god with 3 faces to believe him ,my breath in itself is a miracle.