Baba
Confused Wts
Namaskar,
Key aspects of this letter are geared towards non-margiis. Those not on the path of Ananda Marga sadhana are attracted by various dogmas. And we want them to stop and think and consider what they are doing.
How east & west can learn from each other
Non-margiis of the west should learn from the east that there is a goal of life and that goal is Parama Purusa. At the same time those non-margiis in the west should maintain their work ethic and dexterity in the material sphere. While in the east, those non-margiis should learn the physical dexterity and material inclination from the west, without losing sight of their spiritual goal. They should continue their tradition and practice in the realm of intuitional science etc.
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Just as the teachings of Prout are not solely for Ananda Margiis but also for the society-at-large, similarly the teachings in this letter are directed towards non-margiis as well. Already Ananda Margiis have all the do’s and don’ts of Sixteen Points and Ananda Marga philosophy to follow, while non-margiis are in a vacuum. The unfortunate result is that the common people of east and west are primarily rushing towards each others’ dogmas. That is why this letter is for them. Side by side, this letter is also for those few in AMPS who get caught up in non-margii life and forget about the true ideals of Ananda Marga.
Falling prey to western pseudo-culture
Ananda Marga philosophy says, "The East, throughout its development, has maintained a subjective [spiritual] approach, whereas western countries put great stress on objective [materialistic] development. Too much emphasis on either one of these approaches is not conducive to the all-round growth of the society." (1)
Unfortunately, some of our people from the east become enamoured by the glitz and show of western pseudo-culture. And they are drawn to some of the allurements of the western materialism, and / or they begin indulging in dogmatic and unhealthy habits such as only using blotting paper (toilet paper) to clean themselves after clearing their bowels.
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Many general, typical citizens from India leave behind their sentient ideals, like vegetarian diet and gender-separation, upon coming in contact with the west, and instead adopt all kinds of degrading habits - junk food, junk drinks, and junky lifestyle etc.
Taking so-called holy dips in dirty Ganges
Likewise, some from the west, upon coming in contact with the east & Ananda Marga, start thinking that all eastern philosophies are great. And hence without a second thought, they become die-hard advocates of the dogmatic ways of Buddhism or Hinduism etc. The mere mention of Buddhist teachings and they become star-struck, when in fact Baba has shown countless aspects of Buddhism to be nothing but dogma.
Or some of our overseas Dadas start making dogmatic pilgrimages from one ashram to another when visiting the east. No doubt they stop in on Ananda Marga somewhere along the way but the bulk of their trips get filled with visits to this or that ashram like the Ramakrsna Mission, the dogmatic wandering monks of Rishikesh, or any number of so-called saints like "the mother". While still some even rush to take holy dips in the polluted Ganges during the dogmatic gathering of the Khumba Mela.
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Here we are not talking about all overseas Dadas - but unfortunately some fake ones do like this. Even one of our overseas Dadas never fails to make a trip to India without taking a few days of so-called spiritual refuge at the Yogananda (SRF) centre in Ranchi. And upon leaving their gates he begins propagating their ideals - lost in the confusion that all eastern teachings are great, no matter which dogmatic guru they came from. No doubt, some few go for purely purposes of tourism, but many go for the attraction and fascination of that dogma. Otherwise what is the need to run from one ashram to the next when this globe is filled with so many other tourist attractions.
Some submerge in dogmatic rituals
So they go to those dogmatic centers and leave giving hugs of thanks to one and all and basking in the so-called blessings of those dogmatic monks who have gotten rich off their donations. Nowadays, countless western citizens go and become absorbed in dogmatic rituals and pujas. And, as noted above, some overseas Dadas also fall in this way.
In this manner, some completely misunderstand Guru's direction about what to learn from the east and west and just twist things in an entirely different way - copying each other's dogmas. Whether from east to west or from west to east - this kind of dealing is all leading in the wrong direction.
Let us consider the whole issue in this following way. Suppose someone gives the suggestion to eat a mango. It does not mean that one will eat all the peelings of the mango and then ingest the pit. Doing like that is sheer foolishness, as that is neither the spirit nor intention of the suggestion. Rather a balanced minded person will understand that he should eat the pulp. That is the sweetness.
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What to learn from east & west
As most realise, Baba is guiding us that we should follow the inherent attitudes or spirit of east and west - not their philosophies or materialistic dealings. Considering the true spirit, we should work industriously in the external world that is the best quality of the west. At the same time one should give proper importance to spiritual pursuits and that is the best quality of the east. That is the attitude or spirit of east and west that should be appreciated.
Ananda Marga philosophy guides us, "We can build up an ideal society only on the basis of a happy adjustment between the subjective approach and the objective adjustment. Here is the greatness of A'nanda Ma'rga ideology." (2)
Ananda Marga philosophy says, "Ananda Marga is a revolution. It is not only a spiritual revolution but also an economic, social and mental revolution. The economic system, the social structure, the trend of thinking, and the spiritual practices prescribed in our Ananda Marga are not only new but something quite different from the established ideas and practices in these spheres of life." (3)
Worst is swallowing dogmas of east or west
Baba's teaching is that there should be proper synthesis of east and west - each borrowing and adopting the other's good points. That essentially means appreciating each others' attitudes - not blindly accepting and copying each others' dogmas and degrading life practices.
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We should emulate the west's efficiency and hard-working manner in the material sphere and eliminate any laziness in the physical realm. But instead people are just copying the sensual art, cinema and all the pseudo-culture of the west. Likewise we should adopt the introversial science of the east, but instead people are just following ritualistic dogmas from the various Indian religions etc. So the entire approach needs to be straightened out.
Here Baba warns us, "The East, throughout its development, has maintained a subjective approach, whereas western countries put great stress on objective development. Too much emphasis on either one of these approaches is not conducive to the all-round growth of the society." (4)
Baba's guideline is that there should be a proper balance and harmony between the eastern and western extremes. Neither should we fall into Mr. Adam Smith's vision that money and material wealth are the be-all and end-all of life. Nor should we drift into Shankaracarya's manner that this entire expressed world is an illusion. Rather we are to follow our AM ideal of subjective approach (movement towards Parama Purusa) through objective adjustment (managing material life). That means adhering to a sadhana-oriented and spiritually-based life, without neglecting the fundamentals for living in this expressed world.
By this we can understand that the attitude of the west is toward materialistic development (objective) and the attitude of the east aims at spiritual development (subjective). So these basic attitudes should be synthesized and then a good outcome will result. Below Baba guides us what our approach should be.
Ananda Marga philosophy states, "We can build up an ideal society only on the basis of a happy adjustment between the subjective approach and the objective adjustment. Here is the greatness of A'nanda Ma'rga ideology." (5)
Learn AM teachings first
Baba's dharmic guideline to one and all is that first we are to learn in depth about Ananda Marga philosophy and then only after becoming deeply grounded in our own teachings of Ananda Marga then one can begin to review other philosophies. And why review other philosophies? Not to get something from them but rather to use our knowledge of Ananda Marga to tear down the dogmas of those teachings and expose the inherent defects of those lowly and dogmatic approaches - whether they be the dogmatic Semitic religions (i.e. Judaism, Islam, and Christianity) or Buddhism, Hinduism, Zen etc. That is the great spirit of Baba's guideline: To learn the dharma of Ananda Marga and then with that pointed mind clearly and rationally expose the dogmas of all other teachings. All done to highlight the greatness of Ananda Marga and lead humanity on the path of dharma.
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Ananda Marga ideology guides us, "Ananda Marga alone is dharma and all the rest are sectisms." (6)
Ananda Marga philosophy states, "A correct spiritual ideology is the only solution to the problems confronting the world. From this perspective we can call Ananda Marga ideology the philosophers' stone. Just as the philosophers' stone is meant to transform everything into gold, Ananda Marga ideology can, most definitely, find a just and rational solution whenever it is applied to any problem." (7)
Namaskar,
In Him,
Gautam Torelli
~ In-depth study ~
Sadguru Baba says, "Ananda Marga is a revolution. It is not only a spiritual revolution but also an economic, social and mental revolution. The economic system, the social structure, the trend of thinking, and the spiritual practices prescribed in our Ananda Marga are not only new but something quite different from the established ideas and practices in these spheres of life." (8)
Importance of subjective approach
Baba says, "On all other days they are to remain balanced between objective adjustment and subjective approach. On these days of fasting, however, on these days of upavasa, one remains in closer proximity to the Lord than to one's mundane duties." (9)
In Baba’s above teaching, He is giving us two basic pathways. First, He is guiding us that in our daily life there should be a proper balance between our worldly duties and spiritual life, i.e. subjective approach through objective adjustment. And second, on days of upavasa, Baba’s directive is that one should primarily focus on sadhana, i.e. subjective approach. There is no third approach. That means there are no days where we exclusively focus on worldly dealings, i.e. objective approach. So Baba’s above teaching wholly refutes the notion that one should “adjust” with the mundane world by compromising on one’s spiritual values. There is no scope to ever give up the subjective approach - i.e. God-centered outlook.
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Sadly, nowadays, Indian city life has been overrun by western pseudo-culture. The styles, the habits, the talk, the movies are mirror images of western pseudo-culture. And it is the youth who are most affected.
Tell story of great fake yogiis
All are probably aware that two revered Dadas of Indian origin tragically lost their lives - and see the connection. Both, unfortunately, succumbed to illnesses that may have been caused or severely exacerbated by chemicals used in western snack (junk) foods etc. Certainly these are not the only two to suffer in this manner. The problem is systemic and all should be aware.
In addition, one Avt would regularly tour and stay in various dogmatic ashrams when in India and tell the story of great fake yogiis. And then he would return back to his place of posting and tell story after story about what he learned there including fake yoga asanas and dogmatic stories etc. For weeks he would talk about this with margiis at dharmacakra etc.
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Though here again, Dadaji is not the only one prone to this - many have been doing this over the years. So this is a point of awareness so everyone can evaluate the situation and grow.
References
1. Prout in a Nutshell - 18, Talks on Education – Excerpt C
2. Prout in a Nutshell - 18, Talks on Education – Excerpt C
3. A Few Problems Solved - 7, Ananda Marga – A Revolution
4. Prout in a Nutshell - 18, Talks on Education – Excerpt C
5. Prout in a Nutshell - 18, Talks on Education – Excerpt C
6. Subhasita Samgraha - 1, The Call of the Supreme
7. Problems of the Day, Point #36
8. A Few Problems Solved - 7, Ananda Marga – A Revolution
9. Ananda Vacanamrtam - 6, Upavása
* * *
The below sections are entirely different topics, unrelated to the above material.
They stand on their own as points of interest.
* * *
== Section 2: Prabhat Samgiita ==
"Ke ghumiye áche, tumi jáno, d́ák diye jáo..." (Prabhat Samgiita #2179)
Purport:
My Parama Purusa, You are well aware about who is sleepy and drowsy in following 16 points, has lost the path of divine refulgence, sadhana, service, and sacrifice, and who has drifted from the cosmic Goal, drowning in materialism; You always call and show them the right way. As the Saviour and Controller of the whole universe, with Your infinite compassion, You lovingly show the proper path to those crying bitterly in misery so they can proceed on their forward journey. You are the Sadguru who knows everything.
Baba, all created beings under the blue sky are within Your expansive mind. You listen to their grieving and laughter - their sadness and joy.
Those sinners who remain forgetful about You as well as those great bhaktas who are always calling You with deep adoration full of longing and tears, You shower Your divine grace on all - without any differentiation. Parama Purusa, Your krpa is for everyone, but some do not realise that You are gracious on them, whereas bhaktas realise this supreme truth. Baba, Your greatness and glory is beyond explanation…
== Section 3: Important Teaching ==
Sad plight of those involved in materialism
Ananda Marga ideology states, "Human beings are animate beings, they are not animals. What is the difference between the two? Animals remain obsessed with the gratification of their crude propensities; they only try to satisfy their cruder kośas. That is why in the minds of animals, what to speak of the supreme question, even questions related to the mundane world do not arise. Human beings, however, are (and herein lies the main difference between them and animals) mind preponderant beings. They possess the capacity of subtle thought which helps them find answers to increasingly complex questions, answers which have helped them to increase their dominance over nature. The same subtle thinking power has helped humans to attain Brahma, the Source of all psychic thought, and the final answer to all queries. It is the characteristic of all animate beings to seek joy and composure. For animals, that means the fulfilment of the crude propensities, but humans, by virtue of their developed thinking power, seek the deeper joys of life through the constant perfection of the subtle branches of relative knowledge. In the process of self-abnegation they take their psychic thinking back to its Supreme Source and get established in eternal bliss. Those for whom the pursuit of the crude pleasures of life is the be-all and end-all of existence should never be categorized as human beings." (1)
Reference
1. Ananda Marga Ideology Way of Life - 8, The Supreme Question – 1
Ananda Marga ideology states, "Human beings are animate beings, they are not animals. What is the difference between the two? Animals remain obsessed with the gratification of their crude propensities; they only try to satisfy their cruder kośas. That is why in the minds of animals, what to speak of the supreme question, even questions related to the mundane world do not arise. Human beings, however, are (and herein lies the main difference between them and animals) mind preponderant beings. They possess the capacity of subtle thought which helps them find answers to increasingly complex questions, answers which have helped them to increase their dominance over nature. The same subtle thinking power has helped humans to attain Brahma, the Source of all psychic thought, and the final answer to all queries. It is the characteristic of all animate beings to seek joy and composure. For animals, that means the fulfilment of the crude propensities, but humans, by virtue of their developed thinking power, seek the deeper joys of life through the constant perfection of the subtle branches of relative knowledge. In the process of self-abnegation they take their psychic thinking back to its Supreme Source and get established in eternal bliss. Those for whom the pursuit of the crude pleasures of life is the be-all and end-all of existence should never be categorized as human beings." (1)
Reference
1. Ananda Marga Ideology Way of Life - 8, The Supreme Question – 1
== Section: Important Teaching ==
How to become on with Parama Purusa
Ananda Marga ideology says, “When the pleasure-seeking unit mind blindly runs after unit-objects, Puruśa also gets smitten by the same mental attributes. He appears to be as if in bondage. But when the unit mind shuns its attraction for mundane objects and accepts that Supreme Puruśa as its only pabulum, it gets an opportunity to become one with the Cosmic Mind, giving up its finitude. With the attainment of the witness-ship of the Integral Mind it becomes one with the Puruśottama. In the absence of bondage of enjoyership (Bhoktábhava) the unit mind attains emancipation from all kinds of fetters.” (1)
Note: This is the essence of human life. When one is no longer allured by worldly attractions and sincerely directs the mind towards Parama Purusa, then one can become one with Him. This is the aim of sadhana and the path of yoga - realising Him. He is within but people are not aware. When, through sadhana, this ignorance is removed, then one truly feels they are Parama Purusa. And that is realisation, i.e. the feeling in the heart and mind that, "I am Brahma." At first one must impose this idea in their sadhana, but as one involves more deeply in their meditation then by His grace that feeling develops from within. Then sadhana is very blissful and one has advanced along the path of spirituality, by His grace.
Reference:
1. Ananda Marga Ideology and Way of Life - 6, The Primordial Cause of Creation
== Section: Comment ==
Re: Silent Action is useless in some situations
Namaskar,
Let me tell you very frankly these people [i.e. some Wts] are very audacious. Completely shameless creatures.
They don't bear good moral character what to talk of spirituality.
There r many incidents, I heard about these people, which I can't mention. I feel ashamed of talking to such people.
Such people are stigma in the name of spirituality or the saffron cloth.
in Him,
S
- Here is a link to the initial letter on this topic - SA is useless in some situations
== Section: Bangla Quote ==
এই যে তার বিরক্তিটা, এটা
"এই উত্তর খুঁজার মাধ্যমেই মানুষের হয় চলেছে আধ্যাত্মিক মানসিক এবং স্থূল-জাগতিক রিদ্ধি | কারুর, “কেনওকে” জ়োর করে দাৰিয়ে রাখা চলৰে না | অনেক সময় দেখা যায়, যে শিশু তার অনুসন্ধীপ্সার জন্য ৰড়দের জিজ্ঞাস করছে---"ৰাৰা, এটা কেন ?" "দাদা, এটা কেন ?" "মা, এটা কেন ?" তারা যতক্ষণ উত্তর জানে ও ৰলে দেন, আর যখন তারা উত্তর জানেন না, তখন বিরক্তি প্রকাশ করে ৰলেন যে---"কি ছেলেটা কেবল, কেন কেন করছে ।" অর্থাৎ এই যে তার বিরক্তিটা, এটা আর কিছু নয়, এটা তার অজ্ঞতার অভিপ্রকাশ |" (1)
Reference
1. প্রতিসংবেদী, Pratisamvedii, NP,DMC, 6 November 1967 Agartala
"এই উত্তর খুঁজার মাধ্যমেই মানুষের হয় চলেছে আধ্যাত্মিক মানসিক এবং স্থূল-জাগতিক রিদ্ধি | কারুর, “কেনওকে” জ়োর করে দাৰিয়ে রাখা চলৰে না | অনেক সময় দেখা যায়, যে শিশু তার অনুসন্ধীপ্সার জন্য ৰড়দের জিজ্ঞাস করছে---"ৰাৰা, এটা কেন ?" "দাদা, এটা কেন ?" "মা, এটা কেন ?" তারা যতক্ষণ উত্তর জানে ও ৰলে দেন, আর যখন তারা উত্তর জানেন না, তখন বিরক্তি প্রকাশ করে ৰলেন যে---"কি ছেলেটা কেবল, কেন কেন করছে ।" অর্থাৎ এই যে তার বিরক্তিটা, এটা আর কিছু নয়, এটা তার অজ্ঞতার অভিপ্রকাশ |" (1)
Reference
1. প্রতিসংবেদী, Pratisamvedii, NP,DMC, 6 November 1967 Agartala
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