Friday, June 28, 2013
Wednesday, June 26, 2013
Science, Religion and Philosophy
Science, Religion and Philosophy
Science looks for the reason behind
everything and is not satisfied until it finds the answer.
Philosophy's goal is unity.
Throughout the history, its concern has been to find a common ground to unify
humanity.
Religions evolve around supreme
personalities.
The true Spiritual path includes all
three aspects.
The true Spiritual path does not
promote blind faith. Like science, it encourages to seek and helps to find the
answers.
The true Spiritual path requires a
supreme personality, namely the ' Guru ', who guides and helps the disciple
throughout his/her spiritual journey.
The true Spiritual path, through the
knowledge of one supreme, almighty God, can bring unity among mankind and
eventually the unification between 'Atman and Paramaatman', the soul and
universal soul.
'Rajan Sachdeva'
Friday, June 21, 2013
What seems to be weak......
Nothing is so flexible like the water, although appears to be weak.
But in time could penetrate the
hardest rock.
What seems to be light, in time
conquers the heavy,
What seems to be weak, in time
conquers the strong.
Although, every one seems to know
these facts,
Few people are ready to apply them
in life.
Thursday, June 20, 2013
The Self .... Ashtavakra Gita
O Master,
Tell me how to find
Detachment, wisdom, and freedom!
Child,
If you wish to be free,
Shun the poison of the senses.
Seek the nectar of truth,
Of love and forgiveness,
Simplicity and happiness.
Earth, fire and water,
The wind and the sky -
You are none of these.
If you wish to be free,
Know you are the Self,
The witness of all these,
The heart of awareness.
Set your body aside.
Sit in your own awareness.
You will at once be happy,
Forever still,
Forever free.
You have no caste.
No duties bind you.
Formless and free,
Beyond the reach of the senses,
The witness of all things.
So be happy!
Right or wrong,
Joy and sorrow,
These are of the mind only.
They are not yours.
It is not really you
Who acts or enjoys.
You are everywhere,
Forever free.
Forever and truly free,
The single witness of all things.
But if you see yourself as separate,
Then you are bound.
"I do this. I do that."
The big black snake of selfishness
Has bitten you!
"I do nothing."
This is the nectar of faith,
So drink and be happy!
Know you are one,
Pure awareness.
With the fire of this conviction,
Burn down the forest of ignorance.
Free yourself from sorrow,
And be happy.
Be happy!
For you are joy, unbounded joy.
You are awareness itself.
Just as a coil of rope
Is mistaken for a snake,
So you are mistaken for the world.
If you think you are free,
You are free.
If you think you are bound,
You are bound.
For the saying is true:
You are what you think.
The Self looks like the world.
But this is just an illusion.
The Self is everywhere.
One.
Still.
Free.
Perfect.
The witness of all things,
Awareness
Without action, clinging or desire.
Meditate on the Self.
One without two,
Exalted awareness.
Give up the illusion
Of the separate self.
Give up the feeling,
Within or without,
That you are this or that.
My child,
Because you think you are the body,
For a long time you have been bound.
Know you are pure awareness.
With this knowledge as your sword
Cut through your chains.
And be happy!
For you are already free,
Without action or flaw,
Luminous and bright.
You are bound
Only by the habit of meditation.
Your nature is pure awareness.
You are flowing in all things,
And all things are flowing in you.
But beware
The narrowness of the mind!
You are always the same,
Unfathomable awareness,
Limitless and free,
Serene and unperturbed.
Desire only your own awareness.
Whatever takes form is false.
Only the formless endures.
When you understand
The truth of this teaching,
You will not be born again.
For God is infinite,
Within the body and without,
Like a mirror,
And the image in a mirror.
As the air is everywhere,
Flowing around a pot
And filling it,
So God is everywhere,
Filling all things
And flowing through them forever.
The Self - Ashtavakra Gita
Tell me how to find
Detachment, wisdom, and freedom!
Child,
If you wish to be free,
Shun the poison of the senses.
Seek the nectar of truth,
Of love and forgiveness,
Simplicity and happiness.
Earth, fire and water,
The wind and the sky -
You are none of these.
If you wish to be free,
Know you are the Self,
The witness of all these,
The heart of awareness.
Set your body aside.
Sit in your own awareness.
You will at once be happy,
Forever still,
Forever free.
You have no caste.
No duties bind you.
Formless and free,
Beyond the reach of the senses,
The witness of all things.
So be happy!
Right or wrong,
Joy and sorrow,
These are of the mind only.
They are not yours.
It is not really you
Who acts or enjoys.
You are everywhere,
Forever free.
Forever and truly free,
The single witness of all things.
But if you see yourself as separate,
Then you are bound.
"I do this. I do that."
The big black snake of selfishness
Has bitten you!
"I do nothing."
This is the nectar of faith,
So drink and be happy!
Know you are one,
Pure awareness.
With the fire of this conviction,
Burn down the forest of ignorance.
Free yourself from sorrow,
And be happy.
Be happy!
For you are joy, unbounded joy.
You are awareness itself.
Just as a coil of rope
Is mistaken for a snake,
So you are mistaken for the world.
If you think you are free,
You are free.
If you think you are bound,
You are bound.
For the saying is true:
You are what you think.
The Self looks like the world.
But this is just an illusion.
The Self is everywhere.
One.
Still.
Free.
Perfect.
The witness of all things,
Awareness
Without action, clinging or desire.
Meditate on the Self.
One without two,
Exalted awareness.
Give up the illusion
Of the separate self.
Give up the feeling,
Within or without,
That you are this or that.
My child,
Because you think you are the body,
For a long time you have been bound.
Know you are pure awareness.
With this knowledge as your sword
Cut through your chains.
And be happy!
For you are already free,
Without action or flaw,
Luminous and bright.
You are bound
Only by the habit of meditation.
Your nature is pure awareness.
You are flowing in all things,
And all things are flowing in you.
But beware
The narrowness of the mind!
You are always the same,
Unfathomable awareness,
Limitless and free,
Serene and unperturbed.
Desire only your own awareness.
Whatever takes form is false.
Only the formless endures.
When you understand
The truth of this teaching,
You will not be born again.
For God is infinite,
Within the body and without,
Like a mirror,
And the image in a mirror.
As the air is everywhere,
Flowing around a pot
And filling it,
So God is everywhere,
Filling all things
And flowing through them forever.
The Self - Ashtavakra Gita
Wednesday, June 19, 2013
Faith verses Gyana (Knowledge)
Organized and evolved religions
teach the confirmation of faith in the old existing ideas and dogmas.
While the true spiritual masters
provides the 'Gyana, the knowledge of 'Atman' and 'Paramatma ' (Individual
and Universal Soul), they also encourage their followers to use their wisdom to
understand the Truth, and to gain personal experience to strengthen their
faith.
Most people just keep doing what
they have seen their parents and ancestors doing. They simply follow the
traditions of their religious community without trying to understand them.
Religion, to most people, simply
means to follow traditions and to perform rituals.
Though, the sages and Gurus in the
past and present have repeatedly told us not to follow rites and rituals
blindly.
“Do not believe in anything simply
because you have heard it. Do not believe in anything simply because it is
spoken and rumored by many.
Do not believe in traditions because
they have been handed down for many generations.
But after observation and analysis,
when you find that it agrees with reason and is conducive to goodness,
then accept it and live up to it."
~ Gautama Buddha ~
Unfortunately, most people, instead
of striving for the knowledge, simply choose to follow the leaders.
Sant Kabeer ji says :
' जहँ मार्ग पंडित गए , पाछे गई वहीर
इक औघट घाटी राम की तहँ चढ़ रहयो कबीर "
" Jehi Maarg Pandit gaye,
Paachhe gayi vaheer
Ik Aughat ghaati Raam ki, Tehn chadh
rahyo Kabeer"
“The crowds of lay-men follow the
Pundits (religious leaders) blindly.
The path to the valley of God is
extremely hard, and Kabeer is climbing up (this high mountain, thru Gyana and
Guru's Kripa).”
Liberation cannot be achieved
just by following tradition and rituals.
"Kurute ganga saagar gamanam,
vrata paripaalanamathavaa daanam .
Gyaana vihinah sarvamatena, muktim
na bhajati janmashatena. "
(Adi Shankrachaarya- Bhaj Govindam 17)
“One may go to Gangasagar where the
river Ganga meets the ocean, observe fasts, and give away riches in charity !
Yet, the one who is devoid of the
'Gyana', cannot attain ' Mukti ' (Salvation) even at the end of a hundred
births."
(Adi Shankrachaarya- Bhaj Govindam 17)
Truth is to be known, realized and
experienced. Only then we can be liberated.
How can we achieve such Gyana
? Lord Krishna tells us the way:
" Tadviddhi Pranipatena,
Pari-Prashnena Sevayaa
Updekshyanti Te Gyanam,
Gyaninastatva Darshinah "
"Learn that (the truth) by
humble reverence, by Inquiry and by rendering service (unto Guru)
The men of knowledge who have seen
the truth, will teach you that Gyana (knowledge)”
To achieve this knowledge, the '
Gyana', We need to approach the ' enlightened one ', who knows the 'truth' and
can reveal to us.
Sat Purakh jin jaaneaa, Satguru
Tiska Naao.
Tis ke Sang Sikh udhrai, Nanak Hari
gun Gao. (SGGS Page 286)
(The one who knows the true Lord, is
called the true Guru.
In his company, O' Nanak, disciple
is saved, singing the praise of Lord.)
(SGGS Page 286)
According to Sant Namdev ji, singing
Lord's praise without seeing Him, may not bring us the bliss and contentment we
want.
“Jab Dekha, Tab gaava, Tau Jan
Dheeraj Paava".
(Whosoever, when, sees, and then
sings (His praises),
Such a person becomes contented and blissful)
" Gur Prasaadi Jaaniaa , Jan
Naama sehaj Samaaniaa "
By the grace of the Guru, I realized
(the Gyana)
Thus, this humble man
"Naama" is absorbed in the Celestial Lord.
Faith, which is based on 'Gyana',
and strengthened by personal experience, brings happiness and ever-lasting
peace.
Such a faith cannot be shaken or
shattered.
By surrendering to God's will in
complete faith after achieving this knowledge, the "Brahm Gyaana",
one becomes liberated, even while living in this world.
'Rajan
Sachdeva'
Tuesday, June 18, 2013
Who are you ? Who am I ? From where do we come ?
"Who are you ? Who am I ?
From where do I come ?
Who is my mother, who is my
father ?
Ponder thus deeply, look at
everything as essence-less
and give up the world as an idle
dream."
(Adi
Shankarachaarya - Bhaj Govindam : 23 )
" Is Man kau koi khojahu Bhaayi
Tan Chhootay Man kahaan Samaayi
"
( Sant Kabeer ji SGGS Page 330)
Search for this 'Mind ', O'
people.
When it escapes from the body, where
does the mind go?
Originals :
Iti paribhaavaya sarvamasaaram, vishvam tyaktvaa svapna vichaaram. "
(Adi Shankaracharya - Bhaj Govindam : 23)
ਇਸੁ ਮਨ ਕਉ ਕੋਈ ਖੋਜਹੁ ਭਾਈ ॥
ਤਨ ਛੂਟੇ ਮਨੁ ਕਹਾ ਸਮਾਈ ॥੪॥
(ਰਾਗੁ ਗਉੜੀ ਗੁਆਰੇਰੀ ਅਸਟਪਦੀ ਕਬੀਰ ਜੀ )
Friday, June 14, 2013
The Cockroach Theory for Self Development
The Cockroach Theory
for Self Development
At a restaurant, a cockroach suddenly flew from somewhere and sat on a lady. She started screaming out of fear. With a panic stricken face and trembling voice, she started jumping, with both her hands desperately trying to get rid of the cockroach.
Her reaction was contagious, as everyone in her group also got panicky.
The lady finally managed to push the cockroach away but ...it landed on another lady in the group.
Now, it was the turn of the other lady in the group to continue the drama.
The waiter rushed forward to their rescue.
In the relay of throwing, the cockroach next fell upon the waiter.
The waiter stood firm, composed himself and observed the behavior of the cockroach on his shirt.
When he was confident enough, he grabbed it with his fingers and threw it out of the restaurant.
Sipping my coffee and watching the amusement, the antenna of my mind picked up a few thoughts and started wondering, was the cockroach responsible for their histrionic behavior?
If so, then why was the waiter not disturbed?
He handled it near to perfection, without any chaos.
It is not the cockroach, but the inability of the ladies to handle the disturbance caused by the cockroach that disturbed the ladies.
I realized that, it is not the shouting of my father or my boss or my wife that disturbs me, but it's my inability to handle the disturbances caused by their shouting that disturbs me.
It's not the traffic jams on the road that disturbs me, but my
inability to handle the disturbance caused by the traffic jam that disturbs me.
More than the problem, it's my reaction to the problem that creates chaos in my life.
Lessons learned from the story:
Do not react in life. Always respond.
The women reacted, whereas the waiter responded.
Reactions are always instinctive whereas responses are always well thought of, just and right to save a situation from going out of hands, to avoid cracks in relationship, to avoid taking decisions in anger, anxiety, stress or hurry.
At a restaurant, a cockroach suddenly flew from somewhere and sat on a lady. She started screaming out of fear. With a panic stricken face and trembling voice, she started jumping, with both her hands desperately trying to get rid of the cockroach.
Her reaction was contagious, as everyone in her group also got panicky.
The lady finally managed to push the cockroach away but ...it landed on another lady in the group.
Now, it was the turn of the other lady in the group to continue the drama.
The waiter rushed forward to their rescue.
In the relay of throwing, the cockroach next fell upon the waiter.
The waiter stood firm, composed himself and observed the behavior of the cockroach on his shirt.
When he was confident enough, he grabbed it with his fingers and threw it out of the restaurant.
Sipping my coffee and watching the amusement, the antenna of my mind picked up a few thoughts and started wondering, was the cockroach responsible for their histrionic behavior?
If so, then why was the waiter not disturbed?
He handled it near to perfection, without any chaos.
It is not the cockroach, but the inability of the ladies to handle the disturbance caused by the cockroach that disturbed the ladies.
I realized that, it is not the shouting of my father or my boss or my wife that disturbs me, but it's my inability to handle the disturbances caused by their shouting that disturbs me.
It's not the traffic jams on the road that disturbs me, but my
inability to handle the disturbance caused by the traffic jam that disturbs me.
More than the problem, it's my reaction to the problem that creates chaos in my life.
Lessons learned from the story:
Do not react in life. Always respond.
The women reacted, whereas the waiter responded.
Reactions are always instinctive whereas responses are always well thought of, just and right to save a situation from going out of hands, to avoid cracks in relationship, to avoid taking decisions in anger, anxiety, stress or hurry.
(From: Unknown source)
Friday, June 7, 2013
The illusions ( By: Gary Taneja)
| By : Gary Taneja | 7:38am Jun 6 |
Here is a great compilations of illusions:
The illusion of inhabiting a separate body.
The illusion of having a separate mind.
The illusion that happiness comes from maximizing pleasure and minimizing pain.
The illusion that we are alone in the universe, cut off from a higher power or intelligence.
The illusion of death as a great ending.
The illusion that life isn't fair, due to random chance and accidents.
The illusion that physical objects are the measure of what is real.
The whole basis of 'Braham Gyan - God Knowledge" is to burn these illusions to cinders - these illusions are the basis of all our delusional thinking and its accompanying suffering. The second part then should lead us to the awakening or birth to our true self - 'the silent witness'. As part of this journey to an awakened state we start to rely and depend on our True Self for everything - contemplating this new reality through awareness based Simran, seeking opportunities for bliss versus seeking happiness and becoming more at peace with everything and everyone.
In a great post that Rajan ji wrote yesterday he explained that as a Gyani Bhakta we seek a relationship with the "personal God" through devotion and worship of the living Guru and prayer and sublimation to Nirankar. The three S's are a great compilation of practices to make this transformation happen.....May Baba ji bless all his devotees to make this transformation in this life time...
The illusion of inhabiting a separate body.
The illusion of having a separate mind.
The illusion that happiness comes from maximizing pleasure and minimizing pain.
The illusion that we are alone in the universe, cut off from a higher power or intelligence.
The illusion of death as a great ending.
The illusion that life isn't fair, due to random chance and accidents.
The illusion that physical objects are the measure of what is real.
The whole basis of 'Braham Gyan - God Knowledge" is to burn these illusions to cinders - these illusions are the basis of all our delusional thinking and its accompanying suffering. The second part then should lead us to the awakening or birth to our true self - 'the silent witness'. As part of this journey to an awakened state we start to rely and depend on our True Self for everything - contemplating this new reality through awareness based Simran, seeking opportunities for bliss versus seeking happiness and becoming more at peace with everything and everyone.
In a great post that Rajan ji wrote yesterday he explained that as a Gyani Bhakta we seek a relationship with the "personal God" through devotion and worship of the living Guru and prayer and sublimation to Nirankar. The three S's are a great compilation of practices to make this transformation happen.....May Baba ji bless all his devotees to make this transformation in this life time...
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