What is Insanity ?

We Must Walk the Path

Useless Memories

Yesterday, I wanted to record some music on my iPhone but it said “memory full”. I was advised 
that I should delete some old, not so useful material to make some memory available for the new 
or more important stuff.

It made me think that our mind is also full of countless old memories. 
Some are useful and some are useless.
We have stored so much useless information in our brains that it cannot accept any new ideas.
We need to 'unlearn' and delete whatever is of no use to us anymore. Then only we can store 
more new and useful thoughts.
Only by reducing our wants and worldly desires, we will be able to fill our mind 
with divine thoughts.

                                        'Rajan Sachdeva'

How To Succeed in Life

The best way to succeed in life -
is to act on the advice you give to others.

सुमिरन एवं संसारिक विचार

जब कुंआँ खोदा जाता है तो पहले सिर्फ मिट्टी निकलती है 

फिर कीचड़ यानि पानी मिली हुई मिट्टी ...... 

फिर गंदा - मिट्टी से भरा हुआ पानी  ........ 

लगातार प्रयास करते रहने से मिट्टी और गंदगी कम होती जाती है 

और अंत में साफ़ शुद्ध जल प्राप्त होता है 

ऐसे ही जब हम सुमिरन करने बैठते हैं तो मन में इधर उधर के विचार 

अधिक आने लगते हैं 

लेकिन प्रयास करते रहने से धीरे धीरे सांसारिक विचार कम होने लगते हैं 

और मन शांत  होने लगता है

सुमिरन जितना अधिक होगा, मन का दर्पण उतना ही साफ़ और पवित्र होगा 

और स्वयं - तथा परमात्मा का चित्र उतना ही स्पष्ट उभरने लगेगा 

Light of Enlightenment

In Holy Scriptures, 'Darkness' represents ignorance and 'Light' represents Gyan or Enlightenment.

A famous indigenous prayer:

               “Tamaso Ma Jyotir Gamaya”

 From darkness (ignorance) - Lead me towards Light (enlightenment)

In Gurubani also, ignorance is compared with darkness and Gyana with the Prakaash or Light.

              “Gyan anjan gur diya agyaan andher vinash

               Hari kirpa te sant bheteya, Nanak man pargash”

                                                               (Gurubani) 

However, we know that light cannot pass through a rock or a stone but it can pass through the diamonds. 

The hearts that are like stones and rocks, the light of Gyana cannot enter inside them. It stays on the outer surface. It is the clear and transparent glass or crystal, that the light can enter into. 
When the process of wiring and connection to the source of light is completed then the room can be illuminated instantly just by turning on a switch - But a long and proper process has to be completed before it happens. Similarly, when the process of clearing the mind is completed, it can be illuminated with the light of Gyana.... Instantly. 
So, our effort should be to make our heart and mind clear and transparent so the light of Gyana can enter in and make it bright and shine.

                         Another aspect of light........ Inside versus outside.
When we are driving and someone turns a very bright light inside the vehicle, the outside vision becomes very poor. Similarly, when the light within is illuminated the vision towards outer world becomes dim. Brighter the light within, less desires and cravings for the materialistic world.

                                      Another very important element 

Nevertheless, we must remember another very important element of this analogy of ‘Light and Gyana’.
We need light to see the path. 
But the light does not ‘walk’ for us. We do.

We need lighting for cleaning the house. 
But the light does not clean.... We do.
Light shows us where the dirt is; what needs to be cleaned, fixed, moved, or discarded, and we have to do the work, put our effort to do the cleaning. If our house, even after turning on the lights is not clean, then it’s our fault… not of the light. 
Even after the Gyana, if our mind is still cluttered with old useless and impractical ideas - if our priorities are still based on the wrong concepts, and we are unable to accept the ‘Reality’, then whose fault is it?

                                               ‘Rajan Sachdeva’

Is Enlightenment a Process or a Sudden Leap?

Some say it's a process.

We need to put our effort – start the  ‘process’ and gradually, with continuous practice, we will achieve ‘enlightenment- and eventually become ‘Giani’ or ‘Enlightened’.

It’s like making Dahi or Yogurt from milk. We start the process and in right environment; under favorable conditions and temperature - it happens –over a period of time, it turns into yogurt.

Though, it turns into yogurt by itself, but nevertheless, it requires a ‘process’ and effort to start that process, favorable conditions and certain period of time as well.

Some will argue…. we can only start the process... watch and adjust the environment, the conditions. But yet, it may or may not happen. It may or may not turn into yogurt.

We can start the process of growing plants by putting the seeds in the ground and by making the conditions favorable; providing enough water and light. Yet some seeds come out of the ground and grow to their full capacity, while some others don’t.

Hence there is also ‘Grace’ – not just the ‘process’.

Others say Enlightenment is not a process at all.

It's a sudden leap.

It's not created or acquired …it just happens.

And it happens instantaneously.

Just like some rocks under certain conditions become diamonds. It's not a process or evolution that every rock or stone will someday turn into a diamond. Some do, some don't.

When boiling milk comes in contact with few drops of lemon juice or any highly acidic liquid, it splits instantaneously - water and paneer (cheese) are separated – not over time, but immediately.

Both the arguments seem logical. 

Who is right? Which logic or argument is accurate?

It depends on individuals. 

Since each individual is different and unique, their needs and requirements are also different. It depends on the status of mind of the seeker.

King Janak instantaneously became ‘Enlightened’, and immediately saw and felt himself one with the 'Creator' (Ashtavakra Gita), while Arjun needed lot of convincing, removal of doubts - guidance about 'process', and ‘time’ as well - to understand and attain the ‘Gyana’ (Bhagavad Gita)

  

                                     ‘Rajan Sachdeva’

तो सत्य क्या है ?

मैं जो कुछ देखता हूँ

सुनता हूँ 

छूता हूँ 

महसूस करता हूँ 

यह सब अगर मिथ्या है 

तो सत्य क्या है ?

तेरी आँखें,

तेरे अबरू 

तेरे आरिज़ 

तेरे लब 

तेरी मुस्कान 

तेरी लचक 

यह सब अगर मिथ्या है

तो फिर सत्य क्या है ?

जिस दिन मन उस सत्य को पा लेगा 

तो  सदियों से सँजोया 

ये सपना टूट जाएगा 

मोह  छूट जाएगा 

बंधन टूट जाएगा 

 और  तब ......

 शांत, निष्चल - निष्कृत्य हो जाएगा 

 सत्य को पाकर सत्य में खो जाएगा 

 अंततः सत्य ही हो जाएगा 

                                   "डॉक्टर जगदीश सचदेवा"

                                              मिशिगन - यू. एस. ए. 

अबरू           Eyebrows 

आरिज़          Cheeks 

 लब              Lips
निष्कृत्य        Inactive
अंततः           Finally, eventually

To Satya kya hai ? (What is the Truth then ?)

Main jo kucch dekhtaa hoon
Suntaa hoon
Chhutaa hoon
Mehsoos kartaa hoon 
Ye sub agar 'Mithyaa' hai 
To Satya kya hai ?

Teri aankhen
Tere abroo
Tere aariz
Tere lub
Teri muskaan
Teri lachak
Ye sub agar 'Mithyaa' hai 

To phir Satya kya hai ?

Jis din man us Satya ko paa lega 
To sadiyon ka sanjoyaa 
ye sapnaa toot jayega 
Moh chhoot jayega 
Bandhan toot jayega 

Aur ......
Man shaant, nishchal, 
nish-kratya ho jayega 
Satya ko paakar Satya me kho jayega 
Antatah Satya hi ho jayega 
          

                          By: Doctor Jagdish Sachdeva
                                 Michigan, USA

Abroo                 Eyebrows
Aariz                  Cheeks
Lub                     Lips
Shaant                Peaceful
Nishchal             Stable
Nish-Kratya        Inactive
Antatah              Finally, eventually

मैं सोचता हूँ ज़माने को क्या हुआ या 'रब

मैं सोचता हूँ ज़माने को क्या हुआ या 'रब
किसी के दिल में मुहब्बत नहीं किसी के लिये

चमन में फूल भी हर एक को नहीं मिलते
बहार आती है लेकिन किसी किसी के लिये

उन्हीं के शीशा -ए -दिल चूर चूर हो के रहे
तड़प रहे थे जो दुनिया में दोस्ती के लिये

हमारी ख़ाक को दामन से झाड़ने वाले
सब इस मुक़ाम से गुज़रेंगे ज़िंदगी के लिये

हमारे बाद रहेगा अँधेरा महफ़िल में 
चिराग़ लाख जलाओगे रौशनी के लिये 

                                   (Writer unknown)