Chapter 23 Fundamentals of Vedants contd...

https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1BjhpY6Q-Z2BmOgmK3kGB9_Mw8NXPOmq7


contributed by SD

Chapter 23 The Fundamentals of Vedanta 04/19/20

https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1qlT9uVT4U4fFopSQhmtR0rm28y9llC8EzlUgsnzH8mg/edit?usp=sharing

Contributed by RV

March 28, 2020 Chapter 18 What is Culture? Chapter 19 What makes a Man?

What Makes a man

  Today we started the session with recapping what is culture. 

In Chapter 18 we learnt about 4 types of man, the first one 'Stone man' has no plans, no passion and no attachment to life. The second one,  'Plant man' has a minimal basic emotion or feeling for others, the third one 'Animal man' is desire ridden and  ego-centric, his activities are mainly guided by  feelings and impulses,  and finally man is best in creation having maximum capacity of emotion and feelings to embrace the world. 

In Chapter 19 we learnt about what is Essence of Man, How the physical body, mind and intellect constitutes the personality of the man. Swamiji explains how human mechanism is like electric bulb heater or fridge without the electricity. They are useless. Similarly the consciousness functions through body mind intellect.

Contributed by Mr.. S

March 15, 2020 EBalavihar class Chapter 18 What is Culture?

We started the class with a recap of Chapter 15 Science and Religion, Chapter 16 What is Religion? and Chapter 17 Vitals of a Nation. Then we moved onto reading and discussing Chapter 18 What is Culture?

Chapter 18 discussed about how culture is developed when a set of people live for a long period of time in a particular geographical area. The climatic and the geographical conditions and the environment influenced the people and determined their values of life and a culture is set. Swami Chinmayananda gives an example of differences in the character of people in the East and West. East provided a plentiful land and so there was tranquility and love in the people in the East whereas materialism took roots in the West and created a fundamental trait of conquest, fighting and procuring. Thus, quality of culture depends upon the type of values followed by people. The difference in culture lies in the values and virtues of life entertained by the people.

We also read about Religion and how Religion must adapt to the changing times and conditions, otherwise civilization of a society deteriorates. We discussed about Veda Vyasa and some of his important works in Hindu tradition, the Vedas, Puranas and other important works like the Mahabharata, to translate cultural and religious values so civilization flourishes for mankind.

Indian Culture has survived the test of time because of the enduring and universal nature of its values and because in times of need, we have had mahatmas emerge to guide us.

Contributed by RA

Chapter 15 Science and religion, Chapter 16 What is religion? Chapter 17 Vitals of a nation.

Chapter 15 Science and religion.

We learned about the four stages of the development of human intellect. In the Age of perception or The age of Gazing, we see things but do not ask questions. In the Age of observation, we are asking questions and looking for causes. These causes need not be linked by any logic, they could be mere superstitions. In the Age of scientific inquiry, we find causes that are linked by data, facts, and logic. The final stage is the Age of Contemplation, when we are asking questions beyond what we can link by directly verifiable logic. We start asking questions about the giver of the natural lows and the creator of the Universe etc.

These four stages need not be four periods in history. These stages can coexist as new areas of observations start their journey through these stages at different times.

Chapter 16 What is religion.

Religion is a combination of ritualism and philosophy.  Philosophy gives religion a purpose, a meaning. Ritualism gives religion a structure which makes it possible to pursue its goals. Without its philosophy religion is nothing but superstition.  Without ritualism religion is madness. 

Even other areas such as science have its philosophy, and its ritualism.

Chapter 17 Vitals of a nation.

Economics, scientific progress, and politics form the backbone of a country. However, by themselves they do not define a nation. A nation needs a common cause. A nation needs a sense of discrimination amongst its people towards its actions. Philosophy explores this purpose and when philosophy is translated with practical living it becomes religion.

A nation is comprised of individuals and the nature and texture of their mental equipment determines their nature and in turn the nature of the nation. Religion works on the minds of individuals and by inculcating good values, helps improve the nation.

Blog post contributed by SD

Chapter 14 Harmony and Poise Chapter 10: Mechanism of Action

Chapter 14 Harmony and Poise

Today, human beings live in an age of confusion and tension. External challenges persecute an individual and make life full of agitation and sorrow. Therefore, to bring about success and joy in life, the only way left is to control the subjective confusions and intelligently develop one’s inner equipment to face difficult situations. The life of harmony can be lived by rising above our limited egocentric view, and expanding our mind to accommodate a constant awareness of the totality of the world, the entirety of mankind and the vastness and wholeness of the universal problems. To merge one’s individual life with the resonant cadence of the whole is to bring about a harmonious and happy existence.

-MS

Chapter 10   MECHANISM OF ACTION

Our desires and thoughts are rooted in our vasanas. Our vasanas decide what we pay attention to and what catches our eye. The vasanas determine our actions too. However, human beings have the unique opportunity to override the vasanas with self effort. Vasanas are like etchings on a Gramophone record. The song that comes out is what is already etched out. However , we can erase and recarve the etching , but only with persistent effort.

 The great seers looked inwards and paid attention to minds activity and analysed the source and movement of thought and action. The above image shows the mechanism of action originating.

Sensation/ Contact :  Our senses perceive the world. If we are alive we perceive. We might look at a rasgulla and look at the shape , color etc. We might appreciate that they are well made. Or look at a sunset and appreciate. Nothing wrong.

Thought:  After a fraction of second of gap, thought comes in. It creates an image of us eating and enjoying the rasgulla. Or maybe it comes in creating an image of us enjoying the sunset everyday. 

As soon as the image is formed, desire to fulfill the image is born and ready.

      4. Once the desire is born, it will dictate our actions. It becomes the goal.

If we pay attention we can catch the gap before thought comes in to talk to us or create the image. Just paying attention to it gives us the power to delay the thought. If this happens, then we control the thoughts and hence the desire and not the other way around. Just the experience that this is how desire moves in itself is an achievement. We persistent effort we can extend that gap and not become slave of desires.

Meanwhile our vasanas are the ones that determine how our senses perceive and also how thoughts move. But if we can pay attention and increase that gap, the vasanas will get weaker and weaker. Just like camphor burns itself out to leave nothing but fragrance, our vasanas will burn out leaving the divinity within us.

Contributed by RV

Chapter 10- The Mechanism of Action Chapter 11- The Law of Karma Chapter 12 The play of Mind . Chapter 13: Fundamentals of Living : Wednesday, January 22, 2020

Wednesday, January 22, 2020

We started the class with 'Guru Stotram' and recap of Chapter 10 - The Mechanism of Action

Man's Vasanas (tendencies) drive his attitude and actions, and define his individuality. When the habits remain unfulfilled, they create discontentment and unhappiness. 

Unlike other living creatures, man is gifted with the unique ability to exercise self-control and choose his actions. 

Our scriptures provide guidance on how to control our mind and help overcome our Vasanas, unhappiness; and realize our inner divine nature. 

This is similar to Camphor being lit in front of God. When the camphor burns away, we experience the Lord and His divinity..Man's self-effort (Purushartha) will help him channel his desires, thoughts and actions in the right path.

Chapter 11: The Law of Karma

Continuing with the discussion on Vasanas that influence man's desires and actions, we got introduced to the 'Law of Karma'. It is not just based on past experiences in life and destiny that unfolds (The law of Destiny) , but is a law that covers the past, present and future...

Man's past actions or karma drive his present status. If a man has had pure and noble thoughts and experiences since his birth, he will exhibit good nature, if he has had vicious experiences, he will assume those qualities. He has no control on the past that has gone by and greatly influenced his present...

However, man is gifted with the capacity to choose how he responds in the present, to be able to carve out his future. This is called self-effort or 'purusartha'. Choosing the path of good (shreyas) in present, and exercising it with self-effort will make his future better than his present. 'What' one meets in life is destiny and 'how' he meets it, is self-effort

The combination of self-effort and destiny, and its effect is explained through the example of a log of wood.

When a log of wood flows in water, it moves at the same speed as water which is 2 mph. If a motor is fitted to the log of wood that has a speed of 10 mph, movement of the log will now depend on its direction and the flow of river. When directed downstream log will move at 12 mph and when directed upstream log will move at 8 mph. 

Law of Karma does not mean we do not have a choice. It means that man can make a conscious and honest effort to respond to present situations and modify his future for good. Here again, our scriptures help with the formula for right living..

Chapter 12: The Play of Mind

Religion is often misconstrued as a set of belies and superstitions but it provides a technique of practical living. 

For eg: Religion suggests not to cut nails after sunset. Come to think of it, using sharp blades in the absence of light can hurt someone :)

Man's reaction to his life experiences are based on the quality and texture of his mind, and intellect equipment. 

To a scientist, the world is a place of discovered and undiscovered, to a peasant the world insignificant with nothing spectacular, to a poet, the same world is a scenic place. All objects remaining the same, man's inner equipment drives his reaction.

The world is perceived differently by each person, similar to pattern changes in a kaleidoscope based on individual vision. Our religious gurus have suggested 'Master the mind and you master the world' to experience the world in its true form.

Still man wishes to see some quotient of external beauty in this world. To address this, there are three groups of people serving the mankind - Economists that provide wealth and prosperity to people, Politicians that help people co-exist and Scientists that design things for man to use and enjoy.

Even with all this abundance bestowed on man, he is constantly thinking of his sufferings and sorrows. 

Religion gives us three eternal values to help man tame his thoughts and feelings and view the world with positivity - Brahmacharya (self-control), Ahimsa (non-injury) and Satyam (truthfulness)

Chapter 13: Fundamentals of Living

Continuing with three eternal values that enable to master his mind, and thereby master the world, we discussed them in detail...

Brahmarcharya (self-control) at the physical level means exercising self-control  and not over-indulge. 'Enjoy the world, but not let the world enjoy you' . We discussed the concept of Suppression vs. Sublimation. Rather than total denial of enjoyments, we should experience them in moderation..

Ahimsa (non-injury) is at the mental level. However, note that the operation performed by a surgeon to save someone's life is not cruel, it is done with a good and noble intent.

Satyam (truthfulness) is at the intellectual level. Man should live up to his ideals and conviction at all times, than give into temptations.

Blog post contributed by SP