Man is a slave to the five senses of touch, smell, sight, taste and hearing which in turn are responsible for the actions of lust, anger, greed, attachment and ego.
In animals and the lower species one sense is dominant that gains control.
A moth, for example, is governed by the sense of sight, to the extent of burning itself to death in the heat of a flame or bright light.
Fish, on the other hand, are governed by the sense of taste; and although happily swimming about in the water, yet they will rise to the angler's bait--only to be caught on the hook and die in agonies of torment, flapping around gasping for air.
The large black bumblebee has a very strong sense of smell, and through this easily loses his life to a certain tropical flower that has the ability to close its petals over any insect entering within it.
The sense of hearing is overpowering in a deer. Hunters play a certain tune on a special drum, hearing which the deer is drawn helplessly towards it in ecstasy of that sound, until it quietly lays its head down upon the drum and, of course, is captured.
In the male elephant the sense of touch is very strong (mating). In order to capture or kill it, hunters prepare a large pit and cover it with leaves and then station a female elephant nearby. When the male scents the female, he loses all caution and rushes toward her and falls into the pit which lies in his path. It then spends its life in captivity or killed for its tusk.
So, it is noted that when even a single sense out of the five is ruling and overpowering, it can bring death or slavery.
Take a pause and contemplate on this :
What then will be the condition of us human beings who are slaves to all of these five senses?
a
a
Tuesday, April 8, 2008
Thursday, April 3, 2008
Thoughts and their Consequences
Here is a poem by Bhagat Trilochan written in the Guru Granth Sahib.
He describes the relationship between the thought pattern in the mind just before a person dies and the consequence of that thought.
At the very last moment, one who thinks of his wealth( Greed ), and dies in such thoughts, will be reincarnated over and over again, in the form of serpents.
O sister, do not forget God's Name.
At the very last moment, one who thinks of his children( Attachment ), and dies in such thoughts, will be reincarnated over and over again as a pig.
At the very last moment, one who thinks of his houses and mansions( Ego), and dies in such thoughts, will be reincarnated over and over again as a ghost.
At the very last moment one who thinks of God, and dies in such thoughts, says Trilochan, that man will be liberated;
He describes the relationship between the thought pattern in the mind just before a person dies and the consequence of that thought.
At the very last moment, one who thinks of his wealth( Greed ), and dies in such thoughts, will be reincarnated over and over again, in the form of serpents.
O sister, do not forget God's Name.
a
At the very last moment, he who thinks of women(Lust),and dies in such thoughts, will be reincarnated over and over again as a prostitute.
At the very last moment, one who thinks of his children( Attachment ), and dies in such thoughts, will be reincarnated over and over again as a pig.
At the very last moment, one who thinks of his houses and mansions( Ego), and dies in such thoughts, will be reincarnated over and over again as a ghost.
At the very last moment one who thinks of God, and dies in such thoughts, says Trilochan, that man will be liberated;
God will abide in his heart.
The Ocean & the Rain Drop
When you are in the ocean, before birth, you are part of the ocean, you have no identity, you are the ocean itself, but then the cosmic wind stirs the waves and you become separated from the ocean as spray, you become absorbed into the clouds and form into a raindrop.
For a brief moment in time you think that you are separate from the ocean, that you have a separate identity and purpose, but then the rain falls and you return to the ocean.
That is the nature of human life.
We are temporarily separated from the Source of our being but we will all return one day to the Source from which we came.
- Sai Baba
For a brief moment in time you think that you are separate from the ocean, that you have a separate identity and purpose, but then the rain falls and you return to the ocean.
That is the nature of human life.
We are temporarily separated from the Source of our being but we will all return one day to the Source from which we came.
There are four important questions that we all should consider -
a
Who am I?
Where did I come from?
How long will I be here?
Whither am I going?
Whither am I going?
- Sai Baba
Sunday, March 16, 2008
Karmas
Karma is responsible for birth, existence, and death.
It holds sway over all stages of life as the very deity of human existence.
It is responsible for joy and sorrow.
Karma (action) is the very life breath of a human. Every human being has to undertake karma keeping in mind the possible result of the karmas.
This is the most important duty of a human being. As the karma, so will be the result. One has to keep good health, not merely physical health but mental health too.
Thoughts and resolutions should also be healthy. Good thoughts result in good karmas. When one undertakes karmas with evil thoughts, the result will also be bad.
Who made the bats to hang from the branches of a tree with their heads downward ? Has anyone tied them upside down out of hatred? No, it is their fate.
Likewise, nobody can escape from the consequences of karma. A human being does bad karmas, entertains bad thoughts, and ultimately encounters bad results.
On the other hand, one who entertains good thoughts and undertakes good karmas enjoys good results. It is not possible to get good results by doing bad deeds.
A small example: when one writes correct answers for the questions in an examination, one will get good marks, and vice verse.
Undertaking bad deeds denotes animal tendency. One has to analyze at every stage whether one is behaving like a human being or an animal. When you indulge in bad deeds, even your neighbours will restrain you, saying, "Being born as a human, why do you behave like an animal?"
Thus, one is ridiculed and punished even by a fellow human being. When one resort to evil deeds, one need not have to wait for long till God decides to mete out the punishment.
By doing a bad deed, a good result cannot be achieved;
By doing a good deed, bad results will not accrue;
Having planted a lime sapling, can you obtain a mango fruit ?
By planting a mango sapling, can you get a lime fruit?
a
Friday, March 14, 2008
Truth to Ponder......
Right from the time of getting up till going to bed, we struggle to acquire wealth.
We spend all our mental and physical energy on amassing wealth. We undergo many difficulties in the process.
Our mind is confused, and Divinity is forgotten.
It is an endless struggle.
What kind of peace, pleasure, and comfort can we enjoy in this struggle for wealth?
a
We spend all our mental and physical energy on amassing wealth. We undergo many difficulties in the process.
Our mind is confused, and Divinity is forgotten.
It is an endless struggle.
What kind of peace, pleasure, and comfort can we enjoy in this struggle for wealth?
a
Saturday, February 2, 2008
Three Men & A Landlord
Once upon a time in a small town, there lived a rich landlord. He was well known for his generosity and kindness.
In that same town, there were three young men who decided to ask the landlord for some assistance to help them tide over their difficult period.
Now each of them went separately to meet the landlord and made their request accordingly.
The first man walked into the landlord's mansion and rudely gestured to the guards at the gate of his desire to meet the landlord.
Upon meeting him, the man said, "I am in need of some money. Please give me a thousand dollars."
The landlord was taken aback at this man's impudence and remarked,
"What ! You are demanding the money from me as though I owe them to you. How dare you ? Anyway since its my policy never to turn anyone away, here are fifty dollars ....you may go along."
The man walked away with the fifty dollar note.
A few days later the second man walked up to the landlord's mansion and with folded hands, begged the guards at the gate to let him meet the landlord.
When the landlord came, the man quickly bowed his head and with his folded hands said, " Sir, my greetings to you."
The landlord requested him to take a seat and then asked the man what was his problem.
The man then said, " Sir, please help me. I have not been able to get a job and my family has not had a good meal for some days now."
The landlord took out two hundred dollars and handed them to the man.
"Here take this and get yourself and your family a good meal...tomorrow morning come to my factory and i will arrange some work for you."
The man was very happy and grateful to the landlord.
Finally the third man decided to visit the landlord, but before that he made some research on the attributes and qualities of the landlord. His mind was convinced that the landlord was a noble and high soul.
He felt no desire to ask for any help but the thought of having just a glimpse of the landlord was sufficient for him.
One evening as he walked past the landlord's mansion, he politely asked the guards at the main gate if he could just stand by the side of the road in order to catch a glimpse of the landlord as he drove past in.
Unknown to the man, the landlord was taking a stroll nearby and overheard the man's request. He gestured the guard to let the man in.
The man was excited, with hands folded and beaming with joy, he exclaimed,
"Sir, i am so grateful to have the opportunity to meet you in person. I have heard about your noble qualities. The holy books say that men of charitable and kind disposition are verily the manifestations of God on earth ; it would be my good luck to spend some time in your presence."
The landlord replied, "Oh why not - i would be happy to spend some time with you, too. Come in and we shall have dinner together."
The landlord offered the man a hearty meal.
As they sat down to eat together, the landlord said, " Now please tell me what can i do for you."
The man replied,
"Sir, I merely came to meet such a noble personage that you are. You have shown your kindness and offered me this rich food ; for this i am so thankful. What more do i need from you ? Thank you... you have shown extraordinary kindness towards me. May God bless you! "
The landlord liked the man's simple nature and offered him a pleasant surprise.
"Do you see this huge farmland out there," the landlord said as he pointed towards the window.
"I need someone to look after the affairs of my land. Would you like to work for me ? You will stay at the farm house on my land and everything you need will be taken care of."
The man was at loss of words, and with tears streaming down his cheeks, accepted the landlord's generosity.
Now let us draw an analogy of the above story with our relationship with God.
The Creator, God or Almighty is similar in nature to the kind and generous landlord featured in our story.
In this world, there are three classes of people who approach Him, with their various desires and in a myriad of prayers.
The first in this class are those who are entrenched in greed, vanity, arrogance and desires.
They demand the objects of worldy enjoyment from God. Since they have some good sense to approach God , He grants them some portion of their desires.
(even these very soon pass away, just as the fifty dollar note given by the landlord to the first man will not last forever)
The next type are those who pray to God for the relief from the sufferings of this world.
They are sincere, truthful beings who abide by His will and stay within the rules of the creation.
The Creator grants them relief from suffering and bestows on them wealth and happiness.
Finally there are those rare souls who merely pray to God - not for any desires - but to be with Him only.
The Creator is highly pleased with this spirit of renunciation, of desirelessness and of self-surrender.
Therefore, God makes this rare soul eat His own food - He grants him Supreme Devotion to Himself. Over and above this, the soul lives in God's Abode forever as a liberated sage.
In that same town, there were three young men who decided to ask the landlord for some assistance to help them tide over their difficult period.
Now each of them went separately to meet the landlord and made their request accordingly.
The first man walked into the landlord's mansion and rudely gestured to the guards at the gate of his desire to meet the landlord.
Upon meeting him, the man said, "I am in need of some money. Please give me a thousand dollars."
The landlord was taken aback at this man's impudence and remarked,
"What ! You are demanding the money from me as though I owe them to you. How dare you ? Anyway since its my policy never to turn anyone away, here are fifty dollars ....you may go along."
The man walked away with the fifty dollar note.
A few days later the second man walked up to the landlord's mansion and with folded hands, begged the guards at the gate to let him meet the landlord.
When the landlord came, the man quickly bowed his head and with his folded hands said, " Sir, my greetings to you."
The landlord requested him to take a seat and then asked the man what was his problem.
The man then said, " Sir, please help me. I have not been able to get a job and my family has not had a good meal for some days now."
The landlord took out two hundred dollars and handed them to the man.
"Here take this and get yourself and your family a good meal...tomorrow morning come to my factory and i will arrange some work for you."
The man was very happy and grateful to the landlord.
Finally the third man decided to visit the landlord, but before that he made some research on the attributes and qualities of the landlord. His mind was convinced that the landlord was a noble and high soul.
He felt no desire to ask for any help but the thought of having just a glimpse of the landlord was sufficient for him.
One evening as he walked past the landlord's mansion, he politely asked the guards at the main gate if he could just stand by the side of the road in order to catch a glimpse of the landlord as he drove past in.
Unknown to the man, the landlord was taking a stroll nearby and overheard the man's request. He gestured the guard to let the man in.
The man was excited, with hands folded and beaming with joy, he exclaimed,
"Sir, i am so grateful to have the opportunity to meet you in person. I have heard about your noble qualities. The holy books say that men of charitable and kind disposition are verily the manifestations of God on earth ; it would be my good luck to spend some time in your presence."
The landlord replied, "Oh why not - i would be happy to spend some time with you, too. Come in and we shall have dinner together."
The landlord offered the man a hearty meal.
As they sat down to eat together, the landlord said, " Now please tell me what can i do for you."
The man replied,
"Sir, I merely came to meet such a noble personage that you are. You have shown your kindness and offered me this rich food ; for this i am so thankful. What more do i need from you ? Thank you... you have shown extraordinary kindness towards me. May God bless you! "
The landlord liked the man's simple nature and offered him a pleasant surprise.
"Do you see this huge farmland out there," the landlord said as he pointed towards the window.
"I need someone to look after the affairs of my land. Would you like to work for me ? You will stay at the farm house on my land and everything you need will be taken care of."
The man was at loss of words, and with tears streaming down his cheeks, accepted the landlord's generosity.
Now let us draw an analogy of the above story with our relationship with God.
The Creator, God or Almighty is similar in nature to the kind and generous landlord featured in our story.
In this world, there are three classes of people who approach Him, with their various desires and in a myriad of prayers.
The first in this class are those who are entrenched in greed, vanity, arrogance and desires.
They demand the objects of worldy enjoyment from God. Since they have some good sense to approach God , He grants them some portion of their desires.
(even these very soon pass away, just as the fifty dollar note given by the landlord to the first man will not last forever)
The next type are those who pray to God for the relief from the sufferings of this world.
They are sincere, truthful beings who abide by His will and stay within the rules of the creation.
The Creator grants them relief from suffering and bestows on them wealth and happiness.
Finally there are those rare souls who merely pray to God - not for any desires - but to be with Him only.
The Creator is highly pleased with this spirit of renunciation, of desirelessness and of self-surrender.
Therefore, God makes this rare soul eat His own food - He grants him Supreme Devotion to Himself. Over and above this, the soul lives in God's Abode forever as a liberated sage.
Friday, February 1, 2008
The Beggar's Bowl
An emperor was coming out of his palace for his morning walk when he met a beggar.He asked the beggar, 'What do you want?'
The beggar laughed and said, 'You are asking me as though you can fulfill my desire!'
The king was offended. He said, 'Of course I can fulfill your desire.What is it? Just tell me.'
The beggar said, 'Think twice before you promise anything.'
The emperor insisted, 'I will fulfill anything you ask. I am very powerful ; what can you possibly desire that I cannot give to you ?'
Actually the beggar was the emperor's past life spiritual master. He had promised the emperor in the previous life, that he would return and awaken the emperor to the reality of this existence.
The beggar then replied, 'It is a very simple desire. You see this begging bowl? Can you fill it with something?'
The emperor said, 'Of course!'
He called one of his ministers and said, 'Fill this man's begging bowl with some coins.'
The minister went and returned with a bag of gold coins and poured it into the bowl.The gold coins rolled into the bowl and then disappeared.
No matter how much he poured, it would disappear and the begging bowl would always remain empty.
The crowd in the palace gathered to watch this "magician's show". By and by the rumor went throughout the whole capital, and the crowd swelled.
The prestige of the emperor was at stake. The emperor then said to his ministers, 'If the whole kingdom is lost, I am ready to lose it, but I cannot be defeated by this beggar.'
Diamonds and pearls and emeralds were brought and poured into the bowl ; by now the kingdom's treasuries were becoming empty. The begging bowl seemed to be bottomless.
Everything that was put into it - everything! - immediately disappeared and went out of existence. Finally it was late evening, and the people were standing there in utter silence.
The emperor dropped at the feet of the beggar and admitted his defeat.
"Please just tell me one thing..." the emperor begged. "You are victorious - but before you leave, just fulfill my curiousity.What is this begging bowl made of ?"
The beggar laughed and said, 'It is made up of the human mind. There is no secret. It is simply made up of human desire.'
This understanding transforms life.
Go into any one desire. What is the mechanism of it? First there is a great excitement, great thrill, adventure. One feels a great kick.
Something is going to happen, you are on the verge of it.
Then you have the car, you have the yacht, you have the house, you have the woman, and suddenly all is meaningless again.
What happenend ?
The human mind has dematerialised it.
The car is standing in the driveway, but there is no excitement anymore.
The excitement was only in getting it. This intoxicating desire makes one forget our inner nothingness. When the desire is fulfilled, the car in the driveway, the person in bed, the money in the bank account - all that excitement disappears.
Again the emptiness is there, ready to eat us up in search of the next must have 'thing'.
The human mind creates another desire to escape this yawning abyss.
That is what drives us from one desire to another. It is an endless cycle that causes one to remain a "beggar" forever.
One's whole life proves it again and again - every desire creates a sense of frustration.
When the goal is achieved, one needs another desire.
The beggar laughed and said, 'You are asking me as though you can fulfill my desire!'
The king was offended. He said, 'Of course I can fulfill your desire.What is it? Just tell me.'
The beggar said, 'Think twice before you promise anything.'
The emperor insisted, 'I will fulfill anything you ask. I am very powerful ; what can you possibly desire that I cannot give to you ?'
Actually the beggar was the emperor's past life spiritual master. He had promised the emperor in the previous life, that he would return and awaken the emperor to the reality of this existence.
The beggar then replied, 'It is a very simple desire. You see this begging bowl? Can you fill it with something?'
The emperor said, 'Of course!'
He called one of his ministers and said, 'Fill this man's begging bowl with some coins.'
The minister went and returned with a bag of gold coins and poured it into the bowl.The gold coins rolled into the bowl and then disappeared.
No matter how much he poured, it would disappear and the begging bowl would always remain empty.
The crowd in the palace gathered to watch this "magician's show". By and by the rumor went throughout the whole capital, and the crowd swelled.
The prestige of the emperor was at stake. The emperor then said to his ministers, 'If the whole kingdom is lost, I am ready to lose it, but I cannot be defeated by this beggar.'
Diamonds and pearls and emeralds were brought and poured into the bowl ; by now the kingdom's treasuries were becoming empty. The begging bowl seemed to be bottomless.
Everything that was put into it - everything! - immediately disappeared and went out of existence. Finally it was late evening, and the people were standing there in utter silence.
The emperor dropped at the feet of the beggar and admitted his defeat.
"Please just tell me one thing..." the emperor begged. "You are victorious - but before you leave, just fulfill my curiousity.What is this begging bowl made of ?"
The beggar laughed and said, 'It is made up of the human mind. There is no secret. It is simply made up of human desire.'
This understanding transforms life.
Go into any one desire. What is the mechanism of it? First there is a great excitement, great thrill, adventure. One feels a great kick.
Something is going to happen, you are on the verge of it.
Then you have the car, you have the yacht, you have the house, you have the woman, and suddenly all is meaningless again.
What happenend ?
The human mind has dematerialised it.
The car is standing in the driveway, but there is no excitement anymore.
The excitement was only in getting it. This intoxicating desire makes one forget our inner nothingness. When the desire is fulfilled, the car in the driveway, the person in bed, the money in the bank account - all that excitement disappears.
Again the emptiness is there, ready to eat us up in search of the next must have 'thing'.
The human mind creates another desire to escape this yawning abyss.
That is what drives us from one desire to another. It is an endless cycle that causes one to remain a "beggar" forever.
One's whole life proves it again and again - every desire creates a sense of frustration.
When the goal is achieved, one needs another desire.
The day we understand that our desires are the cause of our down fall (from the spiritual point of view) only then will come the turning point in our life.
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