My understandings of Jainism

Poem: kshamaSagar Ji क्षमासागर जी

2011-10-28T20:02:00.001-07:00

जैसे बङा है क्षीरसागर, जिसका कोई अन्त नहीं

ऐसी भरी है तुममे क्षमा, जिसकी कोई सीमा नहीं

करूणा सागर, दया सागर, कितने ही तेरे नाम धरूं

शब्द पढ़ जायें सीमित, कैसे इनमें भक्ति भरूं

वाणी कोमल, कठिन चर्या, कर्म परिक्षा ले रहे

ज्ञान खङग लेके सजग तुम, इसमें सफ़ल हो रहे।

जिनवाणी माता के दुलारे, तुम उसके प्यारे पुत्र हो

तुमको दिलाये ऐसे गुरूवर, जिनकी विद्या असीम हो

इन्द्र, नरेन्द्र तुम नाम लेकर, सदा धन्य हो जाते हैं

तुम्ही उत्तम, तुम्ही मंगल, तुम्हारे गुणो को वें गाते हैं

तुम आत्मा में सजग रहकर, सदा समता रखते हो

सब मित्र और शत्रु से, एक ही मैत्री रखते हो

बन जाऊं तुम जैसा, कैसा वो दिन होगा

निज आत्मा में रच पच जाऊं, तभी असली सुख होगा

करूणा, मैत्री, वात्सल्य भावो से, भिगा दूं इस तन मन को

क्रोध, भय थर थर कांपे, जगा दू मैं दस धर्मों को ।

पंचमकाल में करो साधना, तुम्ही मेरे गुरूवर हो

मुझको भी तुम दे दो दीक्षा, धन्य तभी यह जीवन हो

Dhoti is very environment friendly

2011-04-16T18:08:00.000-07:00

We have multiple options to wear - jeans, pants, Pajama, Dhoti. Out of these I have found Dhoti to be most environment friendly. Below are the reasons:

With Jeans if waist size increases/decreases we have to find another Jeans. But Dhoti it is not a problem, one can keep the same Dhoti because one can tie the knot according to the waist size.
With Jeans/Pajama if height increases, we have to find another Jeans/Pajama. But Dhoti again the height is something which can be changed.
Dhoti is just a piece of cloth, so manufacturing a Dhoti has least number of steps and less machines are needed. While for jeans/pajama when one sew it- more machines are needed and there is waste of cloth also.

For above reasons, one can keep the Dhoti till it is worn out and also can give to others without thinking the waist size or height of others.

Therefore, lets switch to Dhotis :)

Poem2: Sahajanand Varni Ji

2011-04-07T12:06:00.000-07:00

लुट लुट जाऊं तुम चरणॊं में, कब दिन ऐसा आयेगा

मिट मिट जाऊं तुम चरणो में, तब गजब हो जायेगा

मैने तुमको पूजा हमेशा, क्योंकि तुम ज्ञानी विरागी हो

तुमने दिखाया मैं भी विरागी, अब कैसे ये राग रह पायेगा

जाननहार अस्तित्व मेरा, कभी समझ ना पाया था

कोई ना मेरा, कोई ना किसी का, यह राज ना जान पाया था

सब द्रव्य से निराला था मैं , ऐसा कभी ना माना था

खुद को रूपी, रागी मानकर, अनन्त काल बिताया था

अब तो नाम लिया है तेरा, वीरागी बनना मेरा निश्चित है

निश्चित है मुक्ति, निश्चित है मोक्ष, अनन्त सुख भी निश्चित है

धुन लगाऊं तेरे गुण की, तो कैसे ना मुक्ति पाऊंगा

समस्त पुदगल, समस्त राग, छोङकर निज पद जाऊंगा

राह दिखाई तुने ऐसी, जिसमें कोई कंकङ ना हो

सुख सागर में डुबकि लगाने, कि अब कोई कसर ना हो

मिटा दूंगा सारा अज्ञान मैं, अब नाम लिया मैने तेरा

राग को छोङू, द्वेष को तोङूं, निजधाम है बस मेरा

तात्विक जगत का नक्शा दिखाया, ऐसा तेरा ज्ञान महान

बलि बलि जाऊं तुझ चरणों पर, मिल जाये मुझे निजधाम

12 Bhavana

2010-12-10T10:17:00.000-08:00

अनित्य भावनाः

राजा राणा छत्रपति, हाथिन के असवार ।

मरना सबको एक दिन, अपनी अपनी बार ॥

अशरण भावनाः

दल बल देवी देवता, माता-पिता परिवार ।

मरती विरियाँ जीव को, कोइ न राखनहार ॥

संसार भावनाः

दाम बिना निर्धन दुखी, तृष्णा-वश धनवान ।

कहूं न सुख संसार में, सब जग देख्यो छान ॥

एकत्व भावनाः

आप अकेलो अवतरैं मरै अकेलो होय ।

यूं कबहूँ इस जीव को, साथी सगा न कोय ॥

अन्यत्व भावनाः

जहाँ देह अपनी नहीं, तहाँ न अपनो कोय ।

घर सम्पति पर प्रकट ये, पर हैं परिजन लोय ॥

अशुचि भावनाः

दिपै चाम-चादर मढ़ी, हाड़ पींजरा देह ।

भीतर या सम जगत मैं, और नहीं धन-गेह ॥

आस्रव भावनाः

मोह-नींद के जोर, जगवाही घूमे सदा ।

कर्म – चोर चहूं ओर, सरवस लूंटे सुध नहीं ॥

संवर भावनाः

सतगुरू देय जगाय, मोह-नींद जब उपशमै ।

तब कछु बनै उपाय, कर्म-चोर आवत रुकै॥

निर्जरा भावनाः

ज्ञान-दीप तप-तैल भर, घर शौधे भ्रम छोर,

या विध बिन निकसै नहीं, बैठे पूरब चोर ॥

पंच महाव्रत संचरण समिति पंच परकार,

प्रबल पंच इन्द्रिय विजय धार निर्जरा सार ॥

लोक भावनाः

चौदह राजु उतंग नभ, लोक पुर-संठान ।

तामैं जीव अनादि तैं, भरमत हैं बिन ज्ञान ॥

बोधि-दुर्लभ भावनाः

धन-कन कंचन राज-सुख, सबहि सुलभ करि जान ।

दुर्लभ है संसार में, एक जथारथ ज्ञान ॥

धर्म भावनाः

जाँचे सुर-तरु देय सुख, चिंतत चिंता रैन ।

बिन जाँचे बिन चिंतये, धर्म सकल सुख दैन ॥

Gary Francione: His Speech and my interaction with him

2010-08-12T12:05:00.000-07:00

I got the opportunity to attend JCNC 10th Anniversary last weekend, which had series of talks by multiple speakers for 2 days. The first talk and most impressive talk I attended was by Gary Francione. Here are the key points talked about:

Ahimsa and Anekantavad: Ahimsa is the main principle of Jainism. Some people consider Anekantvaad to the main principle, but that is not correct - Ahimsa is the main principle of Jainism.
Anekantvaad: Anekantvaad is misinterpreted by many people. Some people think everything is justified because it is considered correct by someone or the other. This is not right. The concept of Anekantvaad is not that there is no truth but that truth is complicated. The doctrine arose to explain that the existents in Jainism (soul, matter, and non-material substance), cannot be known except by kevali because all aspects of Dravya, Guna, and Paryaya, cannot be known. Gary explained it by the example of Gold, and how this concept came to counter arguments of Sankhyamata and Buddhism. Moreover, Anekantavada is a doctrine that derives from Ahimsa, not the other way around. I was impressed after listening to the real concepts of Jainism from an American.
Connection in Jainism and Christianity: Gary talked about the great concepts told by Jesus Christ- 'Love thy neighbour' etc. And explained that such concepts were foreign to the prevailing views when Jesus lived. Jainism is the only religion in the East which had similar concepts and he was convinced that Jesus must have had some interaction with Jains and that's how many of these these great concepts came to the West in the name of 'Christianity'.
Karma and helping others: Gary talked about that Karma theory does not prohibit us from helping others. We can not say that others are suffering because of their Karma and we do not need to help them. He supported helping others and I was amazed to see that he supported his argument from scriptures of both Digamber and Shwetamber tradition- Panchastikaya, Tatvaarth Sutra and an Aagam granth (forgot the name).
Donation and Recognition: Gary pointed out that in the West people donate but do want to have recognition, while in Jainism it is recommended to donate and not satisfy our Maan Kashaya by getting recognition. This reminded me of the Sholaka in Tatvaarth Sutra- One donates to get rid of greed and help others. Also a phrase prevalent in my hometown Saharanpur for anonymity during donation: जब दान एक हाथ से दे, तो दूसरे हाथ को भी पता नहीं पङना चाहिये कि दान दिया (When one donates by one hand, his other hand should not get to know that the donation has been done.) Actually it applies not to just donation, but any good thing we do- we should keep it to ourselves and not seek recognition.
Taking Milk is Himsa: Gary explained how milk and milk related products case huge sufferings and killing of cows and should be avoided completely by Jains. In early days (3000 years back), there could be a possbility of not having Ahimsa in taking milk (although he doubted it), but taking milk in USA and anywhere else causes certain Himsa to 5 sensed beings and should be 100% avoided by the Jains. I could not agree more, and also stopped eating milk and Ghee for now, and vowed myself to buy only organic
Gary said Micchami Dukkadam many times and emphasized that he was very concerned as a non-Indian about not offending Jains when he talked about Jain concepts.

I was impressed by the knowledge of Gary about Jainism, considering that he is an American and still learnt so much about Jainism. However I was unsure about his point of connection between Christianity and Jainism and finally got around 1 hour to talk to him on the lunch table. Parag Ji, Mahavir Ji were also there and following points were discussed:

Christianity and Jainism: I did talk to him how he felt that compassionate words of Jesus were influenced by only Jainism and why not by Hinduism/Buddhism, which also had elements of compaasion and nonvoilence. Gary replied that the way love is explained by Jesus is only found in Jainism. Hinduism and Buddhism associate our actions with Ahimsa, but not the mind and speech. While Jainism talks about Ahimsa for actions, speech and mind and that is how there should be connection in Christianity and Jainism and he himself was convinced that Jesus must have had encounter with Jains before spreading the wisdom words in the west.
His story of getting influenced by Jainism: He shared his story of how he got influenced by Jainism. He visited a slaughterhouse, and after seeing the voilence, he felt deeply about nonviolence. After searching for concept of Non Voilence he came across literature of Mahatma Gandhi who supported non voilence, and then realized Gandhi Ji learned about non voilence from Shrimad Raj Chandra Ji, who was follower of Jainism.
He took a teachers training for Preksha Dhyaan and has a great respect for Samani Ji, Acharya Mahapragya Ji and Gurudev Chitrabhabu Ji.
He told us when he walks he ensure he does not step any ants or grass. He used an old car with multiple dents, and does not replace it in order to follow Aparigraha
He read the spiritual scripture Samaysaar 5 times, and does not consider that there are any fundamental differences in Digamber and Shwetamber sect.
It was interesting to note that he knew the Jain terminology like GunaSthaan, Kashaya, Micchami Dukkadam, Ahimsa, Aparigraha, Karma and much more.
It considered himself very fortunate to get into Jainism, and wanted to be reborn as a Gujarati, so he can understand both Hindi and Gujarati in his next birth.

It was amazing to see an American knowing and appreciating Jainism so much. It motiviated me to not to use animal products (milk etc), and be more serious in following Ahimsa and Aparigraha.

Micchami Dukhadam

Pujya Ganesh Varni Ji on Hinduism and Jainism

2010-06-16T20:08:00.001-07:00

Below is excerpt from 'Meri Jeevan Gatha- 1' Page 83-88 by Ganesh Prasad Varni Ji. This is about how he had discussion about Dharma with a Hindu Scholar. A good logical discussion on Dharma including Jainism and Hinduism:

एक दिन मैं क्वान्स कालेज मे न्याय के मुख्य अध्यापक जीवनाथ मिश्र के निवास स्थान पर गया और प्रणाम कर महाराज से निवेदन किया कि "महाराज! मुझे न्यायशास्त्र पढना है यदि आपकी आज्ञा हो तो आपके बताये समय से आपके पास आया करूं।" मैने एक रूपया भी उनके चरणो में भेंट किया।

    पण्डितजी ने पूछा-"कौन ब्राहमण हो?" सुनते ही अन्तरंग को चोंट पहुंची। मन में आया - "हे प्रभो! यह कहां की आपत्ति आ गई?" अवाक्‌ रह गया, कुछ उत्तर नहीं सूझा। अन्त में निर्भीक होकर कहा - "महाराज! मैं ब्राहमण नहीं हूं और न क्षत्रिय हूं, वैश्य हूं, यद्यपि मेरा कौलिक मत श्रीराम का उपासक था- सृष्टिकर्ता परमात्मा में मेरे वंश के लोगो की श्रद्धा थी और आज तक चली भी आ रही है, परन्तु मेरे पिता की श्रद्धा जैन धर्म में दृढ हो गयी तथा मेर विश्वास भी जैन धर्म में दृढ हो गया। अब आपकी जो इच्छा हो, सो कीजिये।"

    श्रीमान नैयायिक जी एकदम आवेग में आ गये और रूपया फ़ेंकते हुये बोले- "चले जाओ, हम नास्तिक लोगो को नहीं पढाते। तुम लोग ईश्वर को नहीं मानते हो और न वेद में ही तुम लोगो की श्रद्धा है, जाओ यहां से।" मैने कहा - "महाराज! इतना कुपित होने की बात नहीं। आखिर हम भी तो मनुष्य हैं, इतना आवेग क्यों? आप तो विद्वान हैं साथ ही प्रथम श्रेणी के माननीय विद्वानो में मुख्यतम हैं। आप ही इसका निर्णय कीजिये- जबकि सृष्टिकर्ता है तब उसने ही तो हमको बनाया है। तथा हमारी जो श्रद्धा है उसका भी निमित्तकारण भी वही है। कार्यान्तरगत हमारी श्रद्धा भी तो एक कार्य है। जब कार्यमात्र के प्रति ईश्वर निमित्तकारण हैं तब आप क्यों हमको घूसते हो? ईश्वर के प्रति कुपित होना चाहिये। आखिर उसने ही तो अपने विरूद्ध पुरूषो की सृष्टि की है या फ़िर यों कहिये कि हम जैनो को छोङकर अन्य का कर्ता है और यथार्थ में यदि ऐसा है तो कार्यत्व हेतु व्याभिचारी हुआ। यदि मेरा कहना सत्य है तो आपका हम पर कुपित होना न्यायसंगत नहीं।"

    श्री नैयायिक जी महाराज बोले - "शास्त्रार्थ करने आये हो?" मैने कहा - "महाराज! यदि शास्त्रार्थ करने योग्य पाण्डित्य होता तो आपके सामने शिष्य बनने की चेष्टा क्यों करता? खेद के साथ कहना पङता है कि आप जैसे महापुरूष भी ऐसे - ऐसे शब्दो क प्रयोग करते हैं जो साधारण पुरूष के लिये भी सर्वथा असंगत है। वही मनुष्यता आदर्णीय होती है जिसमें शान्ति मार्ग की अवहेलना ना हो। आप तर्क शास्त्र में अद्वितीय विद्वन हैं फ़िर मेरे साथ इतना निष्ठुर व्यव्हार क्यों करते हैं?"

    नैयायिक जी तेवरी चढाते हुये बोले - "तुम बङे धीठ हो जो कुछ भी भाषण करते हो उसमें ईश्वर के अस्तित्व का लोप कर एक नास्तिक मत की ही पुष्टी करते हो। मैने ठीक ही तो कहा है कि तुम नास्तिक हो-वेद निन्दत हो, तुमको विद्या पङाना सर्प को दूध और मिश्री खिलाने के सदृश होगा। गुङ और दूध पिलाने से क्या सर्प निर्विष हो सकता है? तुम जैसे हठग्राही मनुष्यो को न्याय विद्या का पण्डित बनाना नास्तिक मत की पुष्टी करना है। जानते हो - ईश्वर की महिमा अचिन्त्य है। उसी के प्रभाव से यह सब व्यवहार चल रहा है। यदि यह न होता तो आज संसार में नास्तिक मत की प्रभुता हो जाती।" नैयायिक जी यही कहकर ही सन्तुष्ट नहीं हुये, डेस्क पर हाथ पटकते हुए जोर से बोले - "हमारे स्थान से निकल जाओ।"

    मैने कहा - "महाराज! आखिर जब आपको मुझसे संभाषण करने की इच्छा नहीं तब अगत्या जाना ही श्रेयस्कर होगा। किन्तु खेद होता है कि आप अद्वितीय तार्किक विद्वान होकर भी मेरे साथ ऐसा व्यवहार करते हैं। मेरी समझ में तो यही आता है कि आप स्वयं ईश्वर को नहीं मानते और हमसे कहते हो कि तुम नास्तिक हो। जब ईश्वर की इच्छा के बिना कोई कार्य नहीं होता तब हम क्या ईश्वर की इच्छा के बिना ही हो गए? नहीं हुए तब आप जाकर ईश्वर से झगङा करो कि आपने ऐसे-ऐसे नास्तिक क्यों बनाए जो कि आपका अस्तित्व ही स्वीकार नहीं करते। आप मुझसे कहते हैं कि चूंकि तुम वेद-निन्दक हो अतः नास्तिक हो,परन्तु अन्तर्दृष्टि से परामर्श करने पर मालूम हो सकता है कि हम वेद के निन्दक है या आप? वेद मै लिखा है-"मा हिंस्यात्सर्वभूतानि" अर्थात यावन्त: प्राणिन: सन्ति ते न हिंस्या:-जितने प्राणी है वे अहिंस्य है। अब आप ही बतलाइये कि जो मत्स्य-मांसादिका भक्षण करें, देवता को बलि प्रदान करे और श्राद्ध में पितृतृप्ति के लिए मांसपिण्ड का दान करें वो वेद को न मानने वाले हैं या हम लोग, जो कि जलादि जीवो की रक्षा करने की चेष्टा करते हैं। ईश्वर की सृष्टी में सभी जीव हैं तब आपको क्या अधिकार है कि सृष्टिकर्ता की रची हुई सृष्टि का घात करें और ऐसे-ऐसे निम्नांकित वाक्य वेद में प्रक्षिप्त कर जगत को असन्मार्ग में प्रवृत्त करें-

यज्ञार्थं पशवः सृष्टा यज्ञार्थं पशुघातनम्‌ ।
अतस्त्वां घातयिष्यामि तस्माद्यज्ञे वधोऽवधः ॥

और इस "मा हिंस्यात्सर्वभूतानि" वाक्य को अपनी इन्द्रिय तृप्ति के लिए अपवाद वाक्य कहें? खेद के साथ कहना पङता है कि आप स्वयं तो वेद को मानते नहीं और हम पर लांछन देते हैं कि जैन लोग वेद के निन्दक हैं।" पण्डित जी फ़िर बोले - "आज कैसे नादान के साथ संभाषण करने का अवसर आया? क्यों जी, तुमसे कह दिया ना यहां से चले जाओ, तुम महान असभ्य हो, आज तक तुममे भाषण करने की भी योग्यता ना आयी, किन ग्रामीण मनुष्यो के साथ तुम्हारा सम्पर्क रहा? अब यदि बहुत बकझक करोगे तो कान पकङकर बाहर निकाल दिये जाओगे।" जब पण्डितजी महाराज यहा बात कह चुके तब मैने कहा - "महाराज! आप कहते है कि तुम बङे असभ्य हो, ग्रामीण हो, शरारत करते हो, निकाल दिये जाओगे। महाराज! मैं तो आपके पास इस अभिप्राय से आया था कि दूसरे ही दिन उषाकाल से न्याय शास्त्र का अध्ययन करूंगा, पर फ़ल यह हुआ कि कान पकङने की नोबत आ गयी। अपराध क्षमा हो, आप ही बताइये असभ्य किसे कहते हैं? और महाराज! क्या यह व्याप्ति है कि जो ग्रामवासी हो वें असभय ही हों, ऐसा नीयम तो नहीं जान पङता, अन्यथा इस बनारस नगर में जो कि भारत वर्ष में सन्स्कृत भाषा के विद्वानो का प्रमुख केन्द्र है गुण्डाब्रज नहीं होना चहिए था और यहां पर जो बाहर से ग्रामवासी बङे-बङे धुरन्दर विद्वान काशीवास करने के लिये आते हैं उन्हे सभ्य कोटि में नहीं आना चहिए था। साथ ही महाराज आप भी तो ग्रामनिवासी ही होंगे। तथा कृपा कर यह तो समझा दीजिये कि सभ्य का क्या लक्षण है? केवल विद्या का पाण्डित्य ही तो सभ्यता का नियामक नहीं है, साथ में सदाचार गुण भी तो होना चाहिये। मैं तो बारम्बार नतमस्तक होकर आपके साथ व्यवहार कर रहा हूं और आप मेरे लिए उसी नास्तिक शब्द क प्रयोग कर रहे हैं! महाराज! संसार में उसी का मनुष्य जन्म प्रशंसनीय है जो राग-द्वेष से परे हो। जिसके राग-द्वेष की कलुषता हो वह चाहे बृहस्पति तुल्य भी विद्वान क्यों ना हो ईश्वर आज्ञा के प्रतिकूल होने से अधोमार्ग को ही जानेवाला है। आपकी मान्यता के अनुसार ईश्वर चाहें जो हो, परन्तु उसकी यह आज्ञा कदापि नहीं हो सकती कि किसी प्राणी के चित्त को खेद पहुंचाऊ। अन्य की कथा छोङो, नीतिकार का भी कहना है की -

"अयं निजः परो वेति गणना लघुचेतसाम्‌ ।
उदारचरितानां तु वसुधैव कुटुम्बकम्‌ ॥"

   परन्तु आपने मेरे साथ ऐसे मधुर शब्दो में व्यवहार किया कि मेरी आत्मा जानती है। मेरा तो निजी विश्वास है कि सभ्य वही है जो अपने ह्रदय को पाप-पंक से अलिप्त रखे, आत्महित में प्रवृत्ति करे। केवल शास्त्र का अध्ययन संसार-बन्धन से मुक्त करने का मार्ग नहीं। तोता राम-राम उच्चारण करता है परन्तु राम के मर्म से अनभिज्ञ ही रहता है। इसी तरह बहुत शास्त्रो का बोध होने पर भी जिसने अपने ह्रदय को निर्मल नहीं बनाया उससे जगत का क्या उपकार होगा? उपकार तो दूर रहा, अनुपकार ही होगा। किसी नीतिकार ने ठीक ही कहा है-

"विद्या विवादाय धनं मदाय
शक्तिः परेषां परपीङनाय।
खलस्य साधोर्विपरीतमेतत्‌
ज्ञानाय दानाय च रक्षणाय॥"

    यद्यपि मैं आपके समक्ष बोलने मे असमर्थ हूं, क्योंकि आप विद्वान हैं, राजमान्य हैं, ब्राहमण हैं तथा उस देश के हैं जहां ग्राम-ग्राम में विद्वान हैं। फ़िर भी प्रर्थना करता हूं, कि आप शयन समय विचार कीजियेगा कि मनुष्य के साथ ऐस अनुचित व्यवहार करना क्या सभ्यता के अनुकूल था। समय की बलवता है कि जिस धर्म के प्रवर्तक वीतराग सर्वज्ञ थे और जिस नगरी में श्री पार्श्वनाथ तीर्थंकर का जन्म हुआ था, आज उसी नगरी में जैन धर्म के मानने वालो का इतना तिरस्कार।"

   उनके साथ कहां तक बातचीत हुई बेकार है। अन्त में उन्होने यही उत्तर दिया कि यहां से चले जाओ, इसी में तुम्हारी भलाई है। मैं चुपचाप वहां से चल दिया।

Shastra Mangalacharan

2010-06-16T18:40:00.001-07:00

ओं जय जय जय। नमोस्तु नमोस्तु नमोस्तु।

णमो अरिहंताणं, णमो सिद्धाणं, णमो आयरियाणं,

णमो उवज्झायाणं, णमो लोए सव्वसाहूणं॥

ओंकारं बिन्दुसंयुक्तं नित्यं ध्यायन्ति योगिनः |

कामदं मोक्षदं चैव ओंकाराय नमो नमः ||

अविरल-शब्द धनोद्य प्रक्षालित सकल भूतल मल-कलंका।

मुनिभिरुपासित-तीर्था सरस्वती हरतु नो दुरितान्‌

अज्ञानतिमिरान्धस्य ज्ञानांजन शलाकयाः ।

चक्षुरुन्मीलितं येन तस्मै श्री गुरवे नमः ॥

श्री परम गुरवे नमः। परंपराचार्य श्री गुरुवे नमः ।

सकल कलुष विध्वंसकं, श्रेयसां परिवर्धकं, धर्म-समबन्धकं,

भव्य-जीव-मन: प्रतिबोध-कारकमिदं शास्त्रं

श्री रत्नकरण्डक श्रावकाचारं नामधेयं, अस्य मूलग्रन्थकर्तारः

श्री सर्वज्ञदेवास्तदुत्तर-ग्रन्थ-कर्तारः श्री गणघर-देवाः

प्रतिगणधरदेवास्तेषां वचनानुसारमासाद्ये श्री समन्त्रभद्राचार्येण

विरचितं, सर्वे श्रोतारः सावधानतया श्रण्वंतु।

मंगलं भगवान वीरो, मंगलं गौतमो गणी ।

मंगलं कुन्दकुन्दाद्यो, जैन धर्मोऽस्तु मंगलं ॥

________________

शास्त्र पठन में मेरे द्वारा यदि जो कहीं कहीं

प्रमाद से कुछ अर्थ वाक्य पद मात्रा छूट गयी

सरस्वती मेरी उस त्रुटी को कृपया क्षमा करे

और मुझे कैवल्यधाम में माँ अविलम्ब धरे

वंचित फल दात्री चिंतामणि सादृश मात तेरा

वंदन करने वाले मुझको मिले पता मेरा

बोधी समाधी विशुद्ध भावना आत्मसिद्धि मुझको

मिले और में पा जाऊ माँ मोक्षमहा सुख को

जा वाणी के ज्ञान से सूजे लोकालोक ।

सो वाणी मस्तक नमो सदा देत हूं धोक ॥

Poojan in words of Ganesh Prasad Varni Ji

2010-06-05T15:37:00.000-07:00

Below is excerpt from 'Meri Jeevan Gatha- 1' Page 31-35 by Ganesh Prasad Varni Ji. This is about how he did Pooja to Arihant Bhagwaan. This is great inspiration to how we should Poojan:

हे प्रभो। यद्यपि आप वीतराग सर्वज्ञ हैं, सब जानते हैं, परन्तु वीतराग होने से चाहें आपका भक्त हो चाहे भक्त ना हो, उस पर आपको न राग होता है और न द्वेष। जो जीव आपके गुण में अनुरागी है उनके स्वयमेव शुभ परिणामों का संचार हो जाता है और वें परिणाम पुण्यबन्ध में कारण हो जाते हैं। तदुक्तम-

इस्ति स्तुतिं देव! विधाय दैन्याद्‌
चरं न याचे त्वमुपेक्षकोऽसि
छाया तरूं संश्रयतः स्वतः स्यात्‌
कश्छायया याचितयात्मलाभः

यह श्लोक धनंजय सेट ने श्री आदिनाथ प्रभु के स्तवन के अन्त में कहा है। इस प्रकार आपका स्तवन कर हे देव! मैं दीनता से कुछ वर की याचना नहीं करता; क्योंकि आप उपेक्षक हैं। 'रागद्वेषयोर्प्रणिधानमुपेक्षा' यह उपेक्षा जिसके हो उसको उपेक्षक कहते हैं। श्री भगवान उपेक्षक हैं, क्योंकि उनके राग-द्वेष नहीं है। जब यह बात है तब विचारो, जिनके राग-द्वेष नहीं उनकी अपने भक्त में भलाई करने की बुद्धि ही नहीं हो सकती। वह देवेंगे ही क्या? फ़िर यह प्रश्न हो सकता है कि उनकी भक्ति करने से क्या लाभ? उसका उत्तर यह है कि जो मनुष्य छायादार वृक्ष के नीचे बैठ गया, उसको इसकी अवश्यकता नहीं कि वृक्ष से याचना करे- हमें छाया दीजिये। वह तो स्वयं ही वृक्ष ने नीचे बैठने से लाभ ले रहें हैं। एवं जो रूचिपूर्वक अर्हंतदेव के गुणों का स्मरण करता है उसके मन्द कषाय होने से स्वयं ही शुभोपयोग होता है और उसके प्रभाव से स्वयं शान्ति का लाभ होने लगता है। ऐसा निमित्त-नैमित्तिक सम्बन्ध बन रहा है। परन्तु व्यवहार ऐसा होता है जो वृक्ष की छाया। वास्तव में छाया तो वृक्ष की नहीं, सूर्य की किरणो का वृक्ष के द्वारा अवरोध होने से वृक्षतल में स्वयमेव छाया हो जाती है। एवं श्री भगवान के गुणो का रूचिपूर्वक स्मरण करने से स्वयमेव जीवो के शुभ परिणामो की उत्पत्ति होती है, फ़िर भी व्यवहार में ऐसा कथन होता है कि भगवान ने शुभ परिणाम कर दिये। भगवान को पतितपावन कहते है अर्थात जो पापियों का उद्धार करे उनका नाम पतितपावन है... यह कथन भी निमित्तकारण की अपेक्षा है। निमित्त कारणो में भी उदासीन निमित्त है प्रेरक नहीं, जैसे मछली गमन करे तो जल सहकारी कारण हो जाता है। एवं जो जीव पतित है यह यदि शुभ परिणाम करे तो भगवान निमित्त है। यदि वह शुभ परिणाम ना करे तो निमित्त नहीं। वस्तु की मर्यादा यही है परन्तु उपचार से कथन-शैली नाना प्रकार की है। 'यथा कुलदीपकोऽयं बालकः, मणवकः सिंहः'। विशेष कहां तक लिखे? आत्मा की अचिन्त्य शक्ति है। वह मोहकर्म के निमित्त से विकास को प्राप्त नहीं होती। मोहकर्म के उदय में यह जीव नाना प्रकार की कल्पनायें करता है। यद्यपि वे कल्पनाएं वर्तमान पर्याय की अपेक्षा तो सत हैं परन्तु कर्मोदय के बिना उनका अस्तित्व नहीं, अतः असत हैं। पुदगल द्रव्य की भी अचिन्त्य शक्ति है। यही कारण है कि वह आत्मा के अनन्तज्ञानादि गुणो को प्रकट नहीं होने देता और इसीसे कार्तिकेय स्वामी ने स्वामिकार्तिकेयानुप्रेक्षा में लिखा है कि--

'कापि अपुव्वा दिस्सइ पुग्गलदव्वस्स एरिसी सत्ती।
केवलणाणसहावो विणासिदो जाइ जीवस्स॥

'अर्थात पुदगल द्रव्य में कोई अपूर्व शक्ति है जिससे कि जीवका स्वभावभूत केवलज्ञान भी तिरोहित हो जाता है।' यह बात असत्य नहीं। जब आत्मा मदिरापान करता है तप उसके ज्ञानादि गुण विकृत होते प्रत्यक्ष दिखाई देते हैं। मदिरा पुदगल द्रव्य ही तो है।
अस्तु,

यद्यपि जो आपके गुणो का अनुरागी है वह पुण्यबन्ध नहीं चाहता, क्योंकि पुण्यबन्ध संसार का ही तो कारण है, अतः ज्ञानी जीव, संसार का जो भाव है उसे उपादेय नहीं मानता। चारित्रमोह के उदय में ज्ञानी जीव के रागादिक भाव होते हैं, परन्तु उनमें कर्तत्व बुद्धी नहीं। तथाहि-

'कर्तव्यं न स्वभावोऽस्य चितो वेदयितृत्ववत।
अज्ञानादेव कर्तायं तदभावादकारकः॥'

'जिस प्रकार कि भोक्तापन आत्मा का स्वभाव नहीं है उसी प्रकार कर्तापना भी आत्मा का स्वभाव नहीं है। अज्ञान से ही यह आत्मा कर्ता बनता है। अतः अज्ञान के अभाव में अकर्ता ही है।'

अज्ञानी जीव भक्ति को ही सर्वस्व मान तल्लीन हो जाते हैं, क्योंकि उससे आगे उन्हें कुछ सूझता ही नहीं। परन्तु ज्ञानी जीव जब श्रेणी चढने को समर्थ नहीं होता तब अन्यत्र - जो मोक्षमार्ग के पात्र नहीं उनमें, राग ना हो इस भाव से तथा तीव्र रागज्वर के अपगम की भावना से श्री अरिहन्तादि देव की भक्ति करता है। श्री अरिहन्त के गुणों में अनुराग होना यही तो भक्ति है। अरिहन्त के गुण हैं- वीतरागता, सर्वज्ञता तथा मोक्षमार्गका नेतापना। इनमें अनुराग होने से कौन सा विषय पुष्ट हुआ? यदि इन गुणों से प्रेम हुआ तो उन्ही की प्राप्ति के अर्थ तो प्रयास है। सम्यकदर्शन होने के बाद चारित्रमोह का चाहे तीव्र उदय हो चाहे मन्द उदय हो, उसकी जो प्रवृत्ति होती है उसमें कर्तत्व बुद्धि नहीं रहती। अतएव श्री दौलतराम जी ने एक भजन में लिखा है कि -

'जे भव-हेतु अबुधिके तस करत बन्ध की छटाछटी'

अभिप्राय के बिना जो क्रिया होती है वह बन्ध की जनक नहीं। यदि अभिप्राय के अभाव में भी क्रिया बन्धजनक होने लगे तब यथाख्यात चारित्र होकर भी अबन्ध नहीं हो सकता, अतः यह सिद्ध हुआ कि कषाय के सद्भाव में ही क्रिया बन्ध की उत्पादक है। इसलिये प्रथम तो हमें अनात्मीय पदार्थों में आत्मीयता का अभिप्राय है और जिसके सदभाव में हमारा ज्ञान तथा चारित्र मिथ्या हो रहा है उसे दूर करने का प्रयास करना चाहिये। उस विपरीत अभिप्राय के अभाव में आत्मा की जो अवस्था होती है वह रोग जाने के बाद रोगी के जो हल्कापन आता है तत्सदृश हो जाती है। अथवा भारापगम के बाद जो दशा भारावाही की होती है वही मिथ्या अभिप्राय जाने के बाद आत्मा की हो जाती है और उस समय उसके अनुपामक प्रशम, संवेग, अनुकम्पा और आस्तिक्य आदि गुणों का विकास आत्मा में स्वयमेव हो जाता है।

Mahatama Gandhi Ji: Miscellaneous Quotes

2010-05-14T18:59:00.001-07:00

Mind: Control over the mind is alone necessary, and when that is attained, man is free like the king of the forest and his very glance withers the enemy.

Passive Resistance: Kings will always use their kingly weapons. To use force is bred in them. They want to command, but those who have to obey commands do not want guns; and these are in a majority throughout the would. They have to learn either body-force or soul-force. Where they learn the former, both the rulers and the ruled become like so many madmen: but where they learn soul-force, the commands of the rulers do not go beyond the point of their swords, for true men disregard unjust commands. Peasants have never been subdued by the sword, and never will be. They do not know the use of the sword, and they are not frightened by the use of it by others. That nation is great which rests its head upon death as its pillow. Those who defy death are free from all fear. For those who are labouring under the delusive charms of brute-force, this picture is not overdrawn. The fact is that, in India, the nation at large has generally used passive resistance in all departments of life. We cease to co-operate with our rulers when they displease us. This is passive

Education: Our ancient school system is enough. Character building has the first place in it and that is primary education. A building erected on that foundation will last.

Gandhi Ji: How to tackle a robber

2010-05-14T18:50:00.000-07:00

Quoting Gandhi Ji:

"Let us proceed a little further. That well-armed man has stolen your property; you have harboured the thought of his act; you are filled with anger; you argue that you want to punish that rogue, not for your own sake, but for the good of your neighbours; you have collected a number of armed men, you want to take his house by assault; he is duly informed of it, he runs away; he too is incensed. He collects his brother robbers, and sends you a defiant message that he will commit robbery in broad daylight. You are strong, you do not fear him, you are prepared to receive him. Meanwhile the robber pesters your neighbours. They complain before you. You reply that you are doing all for their sake, you do not mind that your own goods have been stolen. Your neighbours reply that the robber never pestered them before, and that he commenced his depredations only after you declared hostilities against him. You are between Scylla and Charybdis. You are full of pity for the poor men. What they say is true. What are you to do? You will be disgraced if you now leave the robber alone. You therefore, tell the poor men: "Never mind. Come, my wealth is yours, I will give you arms, I will teach you how to use them; you should belabour the rogue; don't you leave him alone." And so the battle grows; the robbers increase in numbers; your neighbours have deliberately put themselves to inconvenience. Thus the result of wanting to take revenge upon the robber is that you have disturbed your own peace; you are in perpetual fear of being robbed and assaulted; your courage has given place to cowardice. If you will patiently examine the argument, you will see that I have not overdrawn the picture. This is one of the means. Now let us examine the other. You set this armed robber down as an ignorant brother; you intend to reason with him at a suitable opportunity: you argue that he is, after all, a fellow-man; you do not know what prompted him to steal. You, therefore, decide that, when you can, you will destroy the man's motive for stealing. Whilst you are thus reasoning with yourself, the man comes again to steal. Instead of being angry with him you take pity on him. You think that this stealing habit must be a disease with him. Henceforth, you, therefore, keep your doors and windows open, you change your sleeping-place, and you keep your things in a manner most accessible to him. The robber comes again and is confused as all this is new to him; nevertheless, he takes away your things. But his mind is agitated. He inquires about you in the village, he comes to learn about your broad and loving heart, he repents, he begs your pardon, returns you your things, and leaves off the stealing habit. He becomes your servant, and you find for him honourable employment. This is the second method. Thus, you see, different means have brought about totally different results. I do not wish to deduce from this that robbers will act in the above manner or that all will have the same pity and love like you, but I only wish to show that fair means alone can produce fair results, and that, at least in the majority of cases, if not indeed in all, the force of love and pity is infinitely greater than the force of arms. There is harm in the exercise of brute force, never in that of pity."

Gandhi Ji: About Lawyers and Doctors

2010-05-13T19:02:00.000-07:00

About Lawyers:

The lawyers, therefore, will, as a rule, advance quarrels instead of repressing them. Moreover, men take up that profession, not in order to help others out of their miseries, but to enrich themselves. It is one of the avenues of becoming wealthy and their interest exists in multiplying disputes. It is within my knowledge that they are glad when men have disputes. Petty pleaders actually manufacture them. Their toots, like so many leeches, suck the blood of the poor people. Lawyers are men who have little to do. Lazy people, in order to indulge in luxuries, take up such professions. This is a true statement. Any other argument is a men pretension. It is the lawyers who have discovered that theirs is an honourable profession. They frame laws as they frame their own praises.

They decide what fees they will charge and they put on so much side that poor people almost consider them to be heaven-born.

Why do they want more fees than common labourers? Why are their requirements greater? In what way are they more profitable to the country than the labourers? Are those who do good entitled to greater payment? And, if they have done anything for the country for the sake of money, how shall it be counted as good?

About Doctors:

Doctors have almost unhinged us. Sometimes I think that quacks are better than highly qualified doctors. Let us consider : the business of a doctor is to take care of the body, or, properly speaking, not even that. Their business is really to rid the body of diseases that may afflict it. How do these diseases arise? Surely by our negligence or indulgence. I overeat, I have indigestion. I go to a doctor, he gives me medicine, I am cured. I overeat again, I take his pills again. Had I not taken the pills in the first instance, I would have suffered the punishments deserved by me and I would not have overeaten again. The doctor intervened and helped me to indulge myself. My body thereby certainly felt more at ease; but my mind became weakened. A continuance of a course of medicine must, therefore, result in loss of control over the mind.

I have indulged in vice, I contract a disease, a doctor cures me, the odds are that I shall repeat the vice. Had the doctor not intervened, nature would have done its work, and I would have acquired mastrey over myself, would have been freed from vice and would have become happy.

Hospitals are institutions for propagating sin. Men take less care of their bodies and immorality increases. European doctors are the worst of all. For the sake of a mistaken care of the human body, they kill annually thousands of animals. They practise vivisection. No religion sanctions this. All say that it is not necessary to take so many lives for the sake of our bodies.

These doctors violate our religious instinct. Most of their medical preparations contain either animal fat or spirituous liquors; both of these are tabooed by Hindus and Mahomedans. We may pretend to be civilized, call religious prohibitions a superstition and wantonly indulge in what we like. The fact remains that the doctors induce us to indulge, and the result is that we have become deprived of self-control and have become effeminate. In these cirsumstances, we are unfit to serve the country. To study European medicine is to deepen our slavery.

It is worth considering why we take up the profession of medicine. It is certainly not taken up for the purpose of serving humanity. We become doctors so that we may obtain honours and riches.

They decide what fees they will charge and they put on so much side that poor people almost consider them to be heaven-born.

Gandhi Ji: How India was portrayed wrongly

2010-05-13T18:52:00.000-07:00

From Hind Swaraj:

Macaulay betrayed gross ignorance when he libelled Indians as being practically cowards. They never merited the charge. Cowards living in a country inhabited by hardy mountaineers and infested by wolves and tigers must surely find an early grave. Have you ever visited our fields? I assure you that our agriculturists sleep fearlessly on their farms even today; but the English and you and I would hesitate to sleep where they sleep. Strength lies in absence of fear, not in the quantity of flesh and muscle we may have on our bodies.

There is a charge laid against us that we are a lazy people and that Europeans are industrious and enterprizing. We have accepted the charge and we therefore wish to change our condition. Hinduism, Islam, Zoroastrianism, Christianity and all other religions teach that we should remain passive about worldly pursuits and active about godly pursuits, that we should set a limit to our worldly ambition and that our religious ambition should be illimitable. Our activity should be directed into the latter channel.

Slavery of Luxuries (विषय-कषाय) in current civilization

2010-05-13T18:43:00.000-07:00

Mahatama Gandhi said: "Formerly, men were made slaves under physical compulsion. Now they are enslaved by temptation of money and of the luxuries that money can buy. .. This civilization takes note neither of morality nor of religion. ..after twenty years' experience, I have come to the conclusion that immorality is often taught in the name of morality. ... Civilization seeks to increase bodily comforts, and it fails miserably even in doing so.

This civilization is irreligion, and it has taken such a hold on the people in Europe who are in it appear to be half mad. They lack real physical strength or courage. They keep up their energy by intoxication. They can hardly be happy in solitude. Women, who should be the queens of households, wander in the streets or they slave away in factories. ..If you will sufficiently think over this, you will entertain the same opinion and cease to blame the English. They rather deserve our sympathy."

This is so true.. which we definitely see happening in the last 3-4 centuries in India.. and the world overall.

Also important thing is.. even after realizing this, Gandhi Ji does not have any hatred feelings for the English.

Affect of Computer on Society

2010-05-12T17:37:00.000-07:00

Computer is a curse to society. It is making globalization happen at a rapid race.

Serious impact on respect system: In Indian culture, we used to take knowledge from our teachers, parents, friends and society. And we used to have respect for them. Now since we have computers, we get all the knowledge/information from computer, and we have less value for our teachers and parents. This way computer in the future will break the backbone of respect system in our society.
Interaction with neighbours: Because of TV and computer, we do our entertainment and fill our needs through them and we do not need our neighbors. In ancient Indian culture, there used to be a strong bond between neighbors. TV and computer are big criminals to devastate that culture.
Wrong knowledge: In earlier system, parents or teachers used to tell us knowledge acording to our Prakriti(nature). And used to tell us the right thing specific to us. Now one can get all good and bad things from internet, and many times people divert towards more bad than good. Therefore computer is a bad thing for a healthy society.

Computer is a curse to Human race. Like TV, computer is doing bad things to Indian youth and kids. If computer is to be used, it should be used only for the purposes where it is beneficial. Computer should be limited to only organizations and not to the masses.

Affect of Television on Society

2010-05-12T17:34:00.000-07:00

One sees sex and voilence on TV, and remains glued to it. Its affects are on social interaction with neighbour and 5 Paap.

Interaction with neighbour: Because everybody is busy watching TV, so no time to interact with neighbours. It hampers one's development of human values by interacting with neighbours. It hampers development of tolerance because of all kind of neighbours. The whole structure of society has changed because of TV
Sex, Voilence and other Paap: Because one watches all kind of bad things, it increases bent towards Paap.

Values are learnt from living people and stories

2010-05-12T17:23:00.000-07:00

I have always believed that one can purify his heart by learn the right thing logically. For example, in order to fulfill oneself with compassion, one should learn how compassion is useful logically. In order to be devoid of anger, one should learn why anger causes us problems logically.

Recently, I have learnt that rather than theory, the greater impact is done by the living examples who live those qualities. For example, in order to learn morality we do not need to go to school and learn all the theorems and axioms of morality- rather we should stay with a person with high moral.

Staying with someone who is living example of the right character, is the path to get the right character. Also, one should read about the great personalities in past of great character. Stories and our ideal persons play a big role in our development of our character.

Poem - VidyaSagar Ji Maharaj

2010-02-27T18:47:00.000-08:00

Acharya Vidya Sagar Maharaj Ji ke CHarno me prarthana:

चरणो मे वन्दन है प्रभुवर, अगर धूल चरणो की मिल जाये

आपका पथ पालन करू, तो क्या आश्चर्य अगर महावीर भी मिल जायें

वीतरागता का मार्ग बताते, सृष्टि का सत्य स्वरूप बताते

उस दृष्टि से विश्व को देखू, तो क्या आश्चर्य अगर संसार मिट जाये

तुम चरणों मे लिपट जाऊं, ऐसा सौभाग्य कब आये

तुम आशीष मिल जाय, तो क्या आश्चर्य संयम प्रकट हो जाये

तुम उंगली पकङ कर चलू, ऐसा सौभाग्य कब होगा

तुम अमृत वचन का पालन करू, तो क्या आश्चर्य सत्य प्रकट हो जाये

विश्व रहस्यों को जानने वाले, तुम आत्मा को जानने वाले

तुम मार्ग पर निकलू, तो क्या आश्चर्य शुद्धात्मा प्राप्त हो जाये

Small Poem(Prose)- The world is free

2010-02-20T20:42:00.000-08:00

There are no relations in the world.

There are no fathers, no mothers

No sons and daughters

No wives and husbands

No uncles and aunts

No brothers and sisters

No friends and enemies

Everybody gets according to his karma,

Everyone is just a cashier!

Everyone is free

Poem - प्रभु तुमसे मिलने का मन करता है

2010-02-20T20:36:00.000-08:00

इस अनन्त संसार में, अपना दिखे ना कोय

अपनेपन को पाने हेतु, प्रभु तुमसे मिलने का मन करता है।

अनेक दिशायें दिखाईं देती, सत्य जाने भाग्यशाली कोय

सत्य मार्ग पता करने को, प्रभु तुमसे मिलने का मन करता है।

परिवार यात्रा पर्यटन यात्रा, संसार यात्रा छोङी ना कोय

अब आखिरी यात्रा करने के लिये, प्रभु तुमसे मिलने का मन करता है।

प्रभु तुम ना मिले अभी तक, ना कुन्दकुन्द ना वर्णी जी

ज्ञानियों का अकाल मिटाने को, प्रभु तुमसे मिलने का मन करता है।

तर्को वितर्को के तीरो ने, मेरा सीना विदीर्ण कर डाला है

अब सत्य के मरहम लगाने को, प्रभु तुमसे मिलने का मन करता है।

यह विरह अब सही नहीं जाती, तुम तक रस्ता दिखाई पङता नहीं

अज्ञान की जंजीरे तोङ कर, प्रभु तुमसे मिलने का मन करता है।

अब तो दरश दे दो प्रभुवर, अब तो मुझे शरण दे दो प्रभुवर

तुम्हारे चरणो मे रहने, प्रभु तुमसे मिलने का मन करता है।

हे सीमंधर। हे वीर प्रभू। हे चौबीसो जिन। हे बीस प्रभु।

अनन्त काल के पाप लिये, ये पथिक तुम नाम तक पहुंचा है अब

अब महायात्रा जो तुमने बतायी, उस पर चलने का मन करता है

तुम आशिर्वाद पाने को, प्रभु तुमसे मिलने का मन करता है।

Dosh doshi ko hi dikhte hain

2010-02-10T10:45:00.001-08:00

From Jinendra Varni Ji's pravachan:

Krodhi ko sabhee krodhi dikhe hain.

Maani ko sabhee maani dikhte hain

Maya ko sabhee mayavi dikhte hain

Lobhi ko sabhi lobhi dikhte hain

matlab hamare ko agar dosh doosre me dikhte hain, tau wo dosh hamare me hain

Stretch in Kriya

2010-02-06T20:11:00.000-08:00

I should stretch myself in taking Vows. I have not been taking vows to 'not to do things'. I should take vow for following things:

1. Not check emails regularly

2. Practice celibacy

3. Not having desire of good food etc.

4. Not having desire of good health

etc

It seems I just do not have inclination in taking vows, and my Kundli also supports it.

Vow does not mean, that I should not do it while having desire within. But I need to get rid of desire by having the true insight into things.

Vow should not create disappointment, but should create spiritual bliss within. Because it reduces the bonds.

Hey Lord, you are the knower of all visions. You know all the secrets of universe. By bowing down to you, multiple saints have attached detachment and ultimate spiritual bliss. Please bless me with the right Kriya, Vows and right methodology.

Quoting Aamir Khan on selfishness

2010-01-12T14:50:00.001-08:00

Here is Aamir Khan's comments: "“From the time the child is born, we subconsciously instill in him a spirit of competition and children grow up with this feeling of competitiveness. As a result, we end up developing a society, which thinks only of itself, we think selfishly"

Reference: http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/articleshow/5435059.cms

The changes should be gradual

2009-12-30T16:53:00.000-08:00

All the changes in the life should be gradual. Whether we do it for good or for bad. If we change it fast, usually we get some side effects which results in repulsion to continue it further and we bring ourselves back to original.

Gradual changes helps us be aware of the changes, their impact and motivates us to keep doing in the right direction.

All sudden changes are bad in life. A sudden change could be anything like changing food habit, meditation habits, dharma rituals, changing locations, change in family. Such change either happen at outer level, family level, physical level or emotional level. This change creates some turbulence in our mind, and since body is also connected with mind- body gets turbulent as well. This turbulence in a way help us to see the things with a newer perspective, which is needed with the change, but at the same creates emotional turbulence and takes away our peace of mind.

Therefore changes should be gradual. And if any sudden changes happen- we need to meditation, pray extra to make sure our peace does not get disturbed.

How to take bath

2009-12-25T06:41:00.000-08:00

As I learnt from Arun Bhaiya Ji:

One should not use shower since it wastes a lot of water.

One should use a bucket, and if one wants to use warm water- its temperature should be almost same as body temperature.
The cup to bath should be small- should have only around 100 grams of water in it. Since it helps save water. If bugger cup is used, then we just fill it whole and lot of water just goes waste.
One can take bath in only 1-2 litre.
Instead of soap one can use multani mitti to take bath.
One very good to take path is a sponge(thick cotton cloth of around 1 ft by 0.5 ft), and dip it first and then scrub the whole body, and then wash it. And do it 4-5 times. This would help save water, opens body pores, give far more freshness, and good for non-voilence as well.

Chakra Dhyaan as told by Arun Bhaiya Ji

2009-12-24T11:05:00.000-08:00

Chakra Dhyaan -1 : 7 colors 7 chakra - 3 minutes each. Focus on energy flowing upward
Chakra Dhyaan -2: Also have Panchparmeshti dhyaan as follows:

Muladhara - red traingle
Swadhisthana - orangle waves
Manipura - Namo LoyeSavaSahunam (visualize Muni Bhagvaan at the chakra)
Anahata - Namo Uvajhayanam (visiualize Upadhyaaya Bhagwaan at the chakra)
Vishuddha - Namo Aayariyaanam (visualize Acharya Bhagwaan at the chakra)
Ajna - Namo Arihantanam (visualize Arhant Bhagwaan with Samosharan at the chakra)
Sahasrara - Namo Sidhanam (visualize Sidha Bhagwaan at the chakra

Poem: Good and Bad

2009-12-23T22:29:00.001-08:00

जन्म लिया स्त्री कोख से, सोचा कितना दर्द सहा उसने मेरे कारण
सुख मिला मुझे उसकी सेवा से, सोचा कितना सुख मिला उसके कारण

निर्भयता मिलि, सोचा कितना सुख मिला पिता के कारण
डांट पङी, सोचा कितना दुख मिला पिता के कारण

स्कूल के विद्यार्थीयों में, मैं जब हिलने डुलने लगा
कैसे संगी से सुख दुख मिलता, यह सब सीखने लगा

माता पिता अरू गुरूऒं ने, बार बार ये समझाया
आसपास के मासूम जीवो को, अच्छा बुरा देखना बतलाया

सिद्धहस्त करने चले थे, हम स्कूल में जीने की कला को
मगर अच्छे बुरे का बोझ, वहीं से सीखता चला आया

विद्या सीखी और कला, कैसे अच्छे बुरे को पहचानू
अच्छे से प्रेम करू, और बुरे को अपना ना मानू

तोङ दिया अखण्ड दुनिया को, दो भागो मे इस तरह
एक को नाम दिया अच्छा, दूसरे को बुरा समझ दुतकार दिया

जब सिद्धहस्त हुआ इस हुनर में, फ़िर नयी कलाओ का समय आया
बुरे और अच्छे के, नयें नयें प्रयोगो में चित्त लगाया

धर्म, जाति, मित्र, व्यक्ति, शहर, देश, भोजन और काल
मकान, दुकान, मन्दिर, मस्जिद, सबको दो भागो में चीर डाला

अच्छे का अच्छा करता रहा, बुरे से मैं दूर रहा
अगर बुरा मिल जाये तो, उससे इर्ष्या, क्रोध खूब करा

व्यक्ति को उसके रूप रंग से, अच्छे बुरे में तोल डाला
थोङा धर्म पङ लिया तो, उसमें भी अच्छा बुरा ढूंढ डाला

ना कोई अच्छा ना कोई बुरा, सब अन्दर का मैल था
अन्दर तो धोया नही, कल्पनाओं में सारा जगत धो डाला

Some points..

2009-12-20T19:56:00.000-08:00

Shift from 4th -> 5th Gunashtaan: The shift which happens from 4th to 5th Gunasthaan: In 4th the person was using his body for Bhog. Now he uses it for Dharma.
Paropakaar: When a person thinks 'This body is mine', 'The money is mine'- then he only uses these for himself. When he does not have mine-ness for these things, he lets them to be used by others. And then the real Paropakaar happens.

Poem: Gyaan

2009-12-02T13:16:00.001-08:00

ना मात मेरी, ना पिता मेरा, ना पत्नी मेरी ना ये घर
पूत मेरा ना, ना ये सामान, सबसे अलग मेरा घर ।

ना दुकान, ना घोङे गाङी, ना मित्र ना समाज
ना मरता ना जीता मैं, किसी के ना आऊं काज ।

ना मैं छोटा, ना मैं बङा, ना मैं उंचा ना नीचा
ज्ञान मात्र ही मेरी सीमायें, वही अस्तित्व है मेरा ।

ना मैं काला ना मैं गोरा, ना कमजोर ना बलवान
ना वात पित्त कफ़, इन सबसे भिन्न मैं भगवान ।

ना मैं भारतीय, ना अमेरिकी, ना पता कोई मेरा
ना कोई घर है ना मकान, ज्ञान ही सर्वस्व मेरा ।

ना कोई झगङा, ना कोई प्रेम, ना मेरा कोई मतभेद
ना प्रतिस्पर्धा, ना ग्लानि, ना मेरा लेन और देन ।

ना प्रेम है, ना घृणा है, ना कर्ता ना भोक्ता
ज्ञान लम्बाई, ज्ञान चोङाई, ज्ञान जितना ही मोटा ।

दुनिया रहे दुनिया में, ज्ञान रहे ज्ञान में
ज्ञान रहे सदा एक प्रमाण, वो मैं त्रिकाल घाम।

Poem: Story of 'Baniya'

2009-12-02T10:15:00.000-08:00

कविता का शीर्षक: बनिये की कहानी

बनिया चाहे मुनाफ़ा, चाहें दिन हो या रात
जो दे दे परम सुख, वही बनिये का भगवान ।

कोई बन्ध मेरा नहीं, जाना नहीं ये राज
दूसरो को अपना मानकर, किया सत्यानाश ।

बाजार जाके कुछ रूपे देकर, ले आये सामान
उसे अपना मान ले, गया चित्त का आराम ।

जिस घर मे आया वो, माना अपना घर
अपने को भूल गया, हो गया जैसे जङ ।

बियाह के लाया किसी जीव को, लिये फ़ेरे सात
पण्डित बोले ये तेरी है, दे दी सत्य को मात ।

ज्ञाता से भोक्ता बना, झेले प्रेम प्रहार
ऐसा पङा बन्धन में, भूला आत्मज्ञान ।

बच्चे किये बङे फ़िर, लगी उनकी भरमार
ज्ञाता से कर्ता बना, कर्मो की हुई बोछार ।

बैठे दुकान पर सारा दिन, कमायें पैसे चार
’मेरा पैसा’ रटता रहे, कहां दिखे प्रभु द्वार ।

एक दुकान से दूसरी दुकान, एक भव से दूसरा
ठोकर खाये फ़िरता रहूं, यही वर्तान्त है मेरा ।

7 Tatva - another perspective

2009-11-24T05:47:00.000-08:00

Jeeva =

the one who lives

Ajeeva =

he one who does not live

Asrava=

Starting to create new Bandha

Bandha=

The emotional bondage with family, relatives, friends and society.
The emotional bondage with house etc
The emotional bondage with our identity in our wisdom, opinions, memory, ambitions, achievements, imgage in society etc.
If we do not like some one, that is also an attachment.
If we buy something, we think that there is bond with the object. Like household objects.

Sanvar=

Not creating new Bandha (association with body and outer objects)

Nirjara=

Breaking up exisiting attachments by practicing equanimity and getting rid of desires etc
By idenitifying onself in the observer.

Moksha=

When there is no attachment with body, family etc. All world looks same to the observer.

Examples of Vibhaav of Soul

2009-11-23T13:37:00.001-08:00

Gunsthan
Krodh
Maan
Maya
Pride
Memory
Judgments
Change in Knowledge Screen
Imaginations
I-ness
Planning
Ambitions
Comparison
Past Grievances
Achievements
Trying to impress someone
Fear of life and death
love
my intelligence/ achievements
my opinions
my research
my family
my looks
approval of something
disapproval of something

Meditation techniques

2009-11-20T15:59:00.000-08:00

Go from whole body from top to bottom:

Visualize consciousness at every place
Visualize love (Maitri, Karuna, Pramod) at every place
Visualize Bhakti at ever place
VIsuale - "Jo hota hai use hone do" at every place of the body.
Visualize equanimity at every place (= Vipassana)

Guru Shishya Tradition

2009-11-13T21:12:00.001-08:00

India had a wonderful tradition of Guru and Shishya, which I have always considered to be the best mode of teaching. The teacher who had the knowledge in his heart used to transfer it to its disciple. This was like a mutual induction. The heart of the Guru vibrates with knowledge and with his compassion the disciple's heart also get into the same tunes. And resonance of bliss happens, which is experience by only two- the teacher and disciple. And only the two can understand.

There is no give and take relationship here. It is 'give only' relationship. For Guru, it is always to give. And for disciple too. The Guru gives knowledge and disciple gives respect. The knowledge which disciple acquires is just a side product. His respect and devotion to the Guru is only where his heart lies.

In current world, we say we can't find a Guru. The question is how can we really find a Guru. How can a Guru appear to a dead heart, which we carry in the current times.

The education of current times buried our heart deep down somewhere. We never acquired the knowledge, we always bought the knowledge in exchange of dead bills of dollars and rupees. And this never let our hearts blossom with respect and devotion. And now when we seek out for a Guru, the devotion and thirst is all dead from the dead heart which has lost the strings which used to vibrate earlier with compassion and respect. And which always learnt to give. And which did not know the new phenomenon of 'give and take'.

And now when we have no devotion, how can we find a compassionate Guru come to us!

My experience with Art of living course Part 1

2009-10-12T15:43:00.001-07:00

I just had 3 day course on Art of living Part 1. It was a wonderful experience meeting volunteers from the organization and going through the process where they talk about how to get rid of bad thoughts/emotions using breathing techniques, and also learnt many wise ideas through their talks. Anybody who has inclination in spirituality, or want to live in spiritual bliss should definitely do the course.

Some learning/quotes from the course:

· When we are in past, we have sorrow and regret. And when we are in future, we have expectations, greed. When we are in present, we are happy.

· What is the first sign of stress? You lose your smile. (- Guru Ji)

· There are two kind of thoughts: One which clings for long. And one which comes and go. Usually when we are in thinking - sometimes we just keep thinking on one thing for a long. We cling to it, and some times we just keep changing our thoughts. If we are changing our thoughts, then is relatively better.

· If someone uses you, it is good. At least you are useful, rather than always worried about that nobody should use me.

· How to make the world happy? You yourself become happy. Your happiness will spread sphere of happiness around you.

· If you fight your bad thoughts, they will come back strongly. If you be just aware of it, they will go away.

Experiences:

· During the course, I experiences, we all have same lives. We all go through same kind of joys and sorrows. All have the same soul, and we all make various faces and shape. Then why do we hate each other. We should love everybody, and have compassion for others.

· During one exercise, I felt no difference in me and others. I am a soul and so others are. Then why do I lose love for others- why do I hurt others. This reminds me of one sentence from Mahatma Gandhi's autobiography- "The best way to revert to some bad thing which other has done to you, is to do good to him". And seems I have always been judging others for them being bad or good, while the truth is 'everyone else is my image, and nothing else'.

· After the Sudarshan Kriya, we were asked to lay down. And I was having some emotions going on in my head, and I think I could feel those emotions the way I never did before. I think I am more skilled now in being aware of my emotions/thoughts.

Support of Breathing techniques in Jain Scriptures:

The course talks about breathing techniques to keep emotional state in control. Hinduism and Jainism both support the breathing techniques.

Here is a reference from Gyanarnav Scripture in Jainism, which was written around 10 centuries back, Chapter- प्राणायम वर्णन

However it has been mentioned, that Pranayam is not the ultimate goal, one needs Pranayam to win over his ‘Mann’ and then he should adopt advanced meditation techniques to attain complete detachment from the world, and attain perfect bliss.

Quote of the day

2009-09-20T06:13:00.000-07:00

Live like a new born baby.

Gandhi's Test, which he gave to all Indians

2009-09-10T15:32:00.000-07:00

"I will give you a talisman.

Whenever you are in doubt or when the self becomes too much with you, apply the following test:

Recall the face of the poorest and weakest man
you have seen and ask yourself
if the step you contemplate is going to be of any use to him.
Will he gain anything by it?
Will it restore him to a control over his own life and destiny?

In other words,
will it lead to freedom for the hungry and spiritually starving millions?

Then you will find your doubts and your self melting away"

Fault finding attitude

2009-08-27T22:18:00.000-07:00

While progressing in this human birth, I realize there are many bad qualities I have- for example I am narrow minded, selfish, greedy, impatient, in-tolerant, disrespectful at times. As soon I realize my mistakes I try to correct it. For example, if I had been narow minded, I was happy that way till I realized it. And as I realize I fantazise telling others about the right way, and at the same time when I see someone being narrow minded, I start pondering about his faults.

This has been happening not just with one thing, but anything I learn. When I try to lower my pride, I start finding faults in others who keep a big pride. When I try to be compassionate, I start finding faults in others who are not. When I want to proceed on the path to dharma, I start finding fault in others who do not realize that path to Dharma is good.

So it seems it is one step front and one step back. One step front, because I found something good and corrected myself, and one step back because I start finding fault in others. So overall there is no progress.

I think I can get rid of it only once I have love for all living beings and start looking them as a living being, and have compassion for their faults. I do not know when I would be able to achieve such state.
(Related quality in Jainism: Samyakdrishti has a quality 'Upguhan' which means not looking at fault of others.)

Mahatma Gandhi Quotes Part 1

2009-08-21T16:34:00.000-07:00

From the autobiography of Mahatma Gandhi Ji:

बड़ों के दोष न देखने का गुण मुझ में स्वभाव से ही था । बाद में इन शिक्षक के दूसरे दोष भी मुझे मालूम हुए थे । फिर भी उनके प्रति मेरा आदर बना ही रहा । मैं यह जानता था कि बड़ों का आज्ञा का पालन करना चाहिये । वे जो कहें सो करना करे उसके काजी न बनना ।
श्रवण का वह दृश्य भी देखा, जिसमें वह अपने माता-पिता को काँवर में बैठाकर यात्रा पर ले जाता हैं। मन में इच्छा होती कि मुझे भी श्रवण के समान बनना चाहिये ।
इन्हीं दिनों कोई नाटक कंपनी आयी थी और उसका नाटक देखने की इजाजत मुझे मिली थी। उस नाटक को देखते हुए मैं थकता ही न था। हरिशचन्द का आख्यान था । उस बारबार देखने की इच्छा होती थी । लेकिन यों बारबार जाने कौन देता ? पर अपने मन में मैने उस नाटक को सैकड़ो बार खेला होगा । हरिशचन्द की तरह सत्यवादी सब क्यों नहीं होते ? यह धुन बनी रहती । हरिशचन्द पर जैसी विपत्तियाँ पड़ी वैसी विपत्तियों को भोगना और सत्य का पालन करना ही वास्तविक सत्य हैं ।
मेरी राय हैं कि घनिष्ठ मित्रता अनिष्ट हैं, क्योंकि मनुष्य दोषों को जल्दी ग्रहण करता हैं । गुण ग्रहण करने के लिए प्रयास की आवश्यकता हैं । जो आत्मा की, ईश्वर की मित्रता चाहता हैं, उसे एकाकी रहना चाहिये, अथवा समूचे संसार के साथ मित्रता रखनी चाहिये । ऊपर का विचार योग्य हो तो अथवा अयोग्य, घनिष्ठ मित्रता बढ़ाने का मेरा प्रयोग निष्फल रहा ।\
पत्नी पति की दासी नहीं, पर उलकी सहचारिणी हैं, सहधर्मिणी हैं , दोनो एक दूसरे के सुख-दुःख के समान साझेदार हैं , और भला-बुरा करने की जितनी स्वतंत्रता पति को हैं उतनी ही पत्नी को हैं ।
इस प्रकार की शान्त क्षमा पिताजी के स्वभाव के विरुद्ध थी । मैने सोचा था कि वे क्रोध करेंगे, शायद अपना सिर पीट लेंगे । पर उन्होंने इतनी अपार शान्ति जो धारण की , मेरे विचार उसका कारण अपराध की सरल स्वीकृति थी । जो मनुष्य अधिकारी के सम्मुख स्वेच्छा से और निष्कपट भाव से अपराध स्वीकार कर लेता हैं और फिर कभी वैसा अपराध न करने की प्रतिज्ञा करता हैं, वह शुद्धतम प्रायश्चित करता हैं ।
नीति का एक छप्पय दिल में बस गया । अपकार का बदला अपकार नहीं, उपकार ही हो सकता हैं , यह एक जीवन सूत्र ही बन गया । उसमे मुझ पर साम्राज्य चलाना शुरु किया । अपकारी का भला चाहना और करना , इसका मैं अनुरागी बन गया । इसके अनगिनत प्रयोग किये। वह चमत्कारी छप्पय यह हैं :
पाणी आपने पाय, भलुं भोजन तो दीजे
आवी नमावे शीश , दंडवत कोडे कीजे ।
आपण घासे दाम, काम महोरोनुं करीए
आप उगारे प्राण, ते तणा दुःखमां मरीए ।
गुण केडे तो गुण दश गणो, मन, वाचा, कर्मे करी
अपगुण केडे जो गुण करे, तो जगमां जीत्यो सही ।
(जो हमें पानी पिलाये , उसे हम अच्छा भोजन कराये । जो हमारे सामने सिर नवाये, उसे हम उमंग से दण्डवत् प्रणाम करे । जो हमारे लिए एक पैसा खर्च करे, उसका हम मुहरों की कीमत का काम कर दे । जो हमारे प्राण बचाये , उसका दुःख दूर करने के लिए हम अपने प्राणो तक निछावर कर दे । जो हमारी उपकार करे , उसका हमे मन, वचन और कर्म से दस गुना उपकार करना ही चाहिये । लेकिन जग मे सच्चा और सार्थक जीना उसी का हैं , जो अपकार करने वाले के प्रति भी उपकार करता हैं ।)

Poem: मेरे वीर प्रभु

2009-08-14T13:13:00.000-07:00

मेरे वीर प्रभु:

मैं सुदामा तुम कृष्ण, कैसे आऊं तुम द्वार
लाज मारे चरण ना बङे, ना हो दहलीज पार

कुएं का मेंडक कुएं मे रहे, ना देखे उसके पार
कहां भाग्य मेरे प्रभुवर, जो आऊं तुम दरबार

इन्द्र आयें दरबार तुम्हारे, करे तुम दर्शन
मैं अभागा दूर से ही, नाम लेके करू कीर्तन

मुनिवर अपने पवित्र ह्रदय में, लेते तुम्हारा नाम
मेरे काले ह्रदय में, कैसे बिठाऊ तुम्हे भगवान

शक्ति नहीं प्रभु कि कर लूं तुम वचनो का भान
शब्द गम्भीर मुझको लगे, क्योंकि मैं निपट अजान

तुम अंगुलि पकङ के, लायो निज दरबार,
कहां मुझ मे सामर्थ, जो करूं दहलीज भी पार

तुम देशना सरल करी, बतायो कल्याण पथ
मैं तो अविवेकी हमेशा से,सेवा विषय कुपथ

तुम नाम जपता रहू, पाऊ तीन रतन
२४ भगवान के मार्ग पर, हो जाऊं अर्पण।

Quote of the day

2009-08-12T08:35:00.001-07:00

From my office colleague: "I believe that one should define their own criteria for, happiness, satisfaction and success. Then most what you get from others sound most like background noise"

How can I trust myself?

2009-07-09T16:53:00.000-07:00

As a kid I used to solve problems and always found out that the elders can solve it better. So my perception developed that as I have more and more experience I can find the 'right solutions'.

And this gave me a deep inspiration to keep solving problems to enhance my skills to that extent that I can find the right solutions consistently.

However my perception changes now, when at the age of 30, I got to interact with elders. And I realize that even after so much experience they are not able to find the right solutions. Their understandings and opinions keep changing, which brings my opinions, undertsanding in circle of doubt. Now, it makes me wonder how can I really trust the correctness of my understandings and findings.

This just does not bring untrust in me, but the human race in general. The human race keeps finding solutions and not able to find the right one always.

Since I can not trust myself, the question is whom I can really trust, so that I can do the right thing. And it seems the only one whom I can trust is the Omniscient, and the Gurus who know what Omniscient says. Since The Omniscient knows the entire world, and the laws through which the world works, only HE can be 100% trustworthy to tell the right things, and the right path for me and for anybody.

Therefore it only makes sense to surrender oneself to the Omniscient, and that is the right thing to do. And that is the only thing which I can think I trust myself on.

Poem: मेरे गुरू - पूज्य जिनेन्द्र वर्णी

2009-07-07T11:14:00.000-07:00

पूज्य जिनेन्द्र वर्णी जी महाराज:

अमृत बिन्दु जहां-जहां पङे, वहां-वहां अमृत होये।
गुरू नजर जिस जिस पर गिरे, उस उस मे गुरूता होये॥

पङा पथ पर मैं दुर्बुद्धी, अनादि से ज्ञानहीन।

अब तो प्रभु चरण रज लगा दो, करदो मिथ्याहीन॥

पथिक तुम्ही हो, सन्त तुम्ही हो, जानो विश्व का ज्ञान।

मु्झको तुम वाणी सुलभ हुई, फ़िर भी मैं रहा अजान

अब तो सन्तेश्वर हाथ पकङ्कर, लेलो अपने साथ।

तुम नाम दिन रात जपू, करू जो आप कहो नाथ॥

ना विवेक है, ना ज्ञान है, है बस एक अज्ञान

ना चारित्र है, ना संयम है, फ़िर भी किया मान॥

प्रभु अगर अब नही, पकङोगे मेरा हाथ,

कोई नहीं तुमको पूजेगा, नहीं कहेगा नाथ ॥

तुम वचन से उबर गये, नर, पशु और चोर

कोई कारण नहीं कि, मुझे दो इस दुनिया मे छोङ

कैसे करू प्रार्थना अब मै, कि ले लो मुझे अपने संग

अल्प बुद्धि हू, अल्प मति हू, जानू ना भक्ति के ढंग

मुझे मालूम है, कि शरण तुमने दी है भर भर

जाने क्यों मैं रहा अछूता, इस संसार मे अटक कर

अब एक तुम्ही सहारा हो, तुम्ही प्रभु, तुम्ही ईश्वर

एक बार कृपा कर दो, दे दो अमरता का वर॥

श्रद्धान, ज्ञान, और चारित्र

2009-06-24T14:30:00.001-07:00

I have been thinking about the differences in three important properties of soul - ज्ञान, श्रद्धान and चारित्र. On the surface they look trivial, but as one starts analyzing, they start getting hazy and sometimes leads to confusion to me.

Yesterday, I was thinking about the three properties and seems I got some more insight to it. I am picking an example here to explain my understanding. Let us say someone has been bad to me since my childhood. And I develop a belief that the guy is bad. So here I know(ज्ञान) the guy, and know(ज्ञान) the bad deeds he has done to me. And I know(ज्ञान) the consistent repitition of bad deeds he has done to me. So I conclude (or come to know(ज्ञान)) that he is a bad guy. Now this ज्ञान which came out as a conclusion is called 'faith' or 'श्रद्धान'- which is actually ज्ञान about how he is to me, however we use the word 'श्रद्धान' instead of ज्ञान.

The question arises if श्रद्धान is actually a ज्ञान, then why do we use two different words- श्रद्धान and ज्ञान. Why not just use ज्ञान?

It seems that ज्ञान which comes from senses and the thought process is all called as ज्ञान. While the ज्ञान about things mentioned below are considered in the bracket of श्रद्धान - what is mine, what is not mine, who is the supreme soul, what happens after death, who am I, what is purpose of life, what is the right path to happiness etc.

So श्रद्धान and ज्ञान both are ज्ञान, however the word 'श्रद्धान' is used for ज्ञान about some specific kind of areas, which are described above.

Now about चारित्र: When I see the guy- I get to know(ज्ञान) him, and I also get to know(ज्ञान) his badness from my memories. And that ज्ञान about his badness towards me, causes 'द्वेष' Kashaya to surface and that is चारित्र.

So seems ज्ञान, श्रद्धान, and चारित्र are all interrelated, and actually revolves around ज्ञान.

Expectation contour

2009-06-04T11:11:00.000-07:00

I have been thinking about the psychological causes behind our Raag and Dwesh. In one of my earlier posts after having discussion with Dhanendra ( Link to post ), I have written the following:

"Question: If someone is acting unfair to me. Should I have bad feeling for him.

Answer: No. because he is unfair because of his upbrining. And hence the real cause if his parents. And why his parents taught him wrong things - because they were taught badly by their experiences and their own teaching. So now the real cause is something else. It seems there is a big chain of cause and effect relations- so we can not just blame the person who is acting unfair to me."

I have been always wondering why knowing above truth decreases our bad feelings about someone who is acting fair to us. The reason seems to be that after above reasoning we realize the truth, and it diffuses our expectations of him being fair to me.

I realize that we usually have a contour of expectations. We have a perception of right and wrong. And from our experiences, while interacting with others, we build a set of expectations with others. As an example: If we know 100 people in our life, we associate some kind of 'goodness' and 'badness' with them. And according to this association and our "wisdom" of rightness/wrongness, we build expectations from the people. These expectation are not bounded only to these 100 people, but in fact to the whole world. We have general expectations from a stranger, a political, a humanitarian, a scientist, a businessman etc. I am calling these set of expectations, which is associated with various people, as 'Expectation Contour'.

Now let see when we get bad or good feelings.

We have bad feelings when something happens which is against the expectation contour.
And we have good feelings when things happen according to expectations or they surpass expectations.
We have mixed feelings when part of things happen according to expectations and part do not.

Dynamics of Expectation contour: Our expectation contour keeps changing as our understanding about other persons change. And accordingly our good feelings/bad feelings change.

Example: If we meet a rude person we have a bad feeling. Later when we know that he is orphan and could not inculcate love within him because he did not get love from his parents. Our bad feelings turn into compassion for him.

Expectations of a knowledgeable person:
A knowledgeable person would not have any bad/good feelings. Let us see what a knowledgeable person would have:

Either he will know know what is going to happen. In this case there is no reason for good/bad feelings. This happens in omniscience state.
He would not know what is going to happen. And therefore all happenings will be acceptable to him.
He would have some kind of estimates or guesses. After he has the outcome, he would not blame others for what happened. But he would know that his estimate/guess was wrong.

In either of above cases there is no room of good or bad feelings for a knowledgeable person.

Difference in the knowledgeable and un-knowledgeable person: There is a big difference in the expectation contour of un-knowledgeable and knowledgeable person. An un-knowledgeable person would want to see the world according to his expectation/estimate contour, while a knowledgeable person would want to see his expectation/estimate contour according to the reality.

Quotes in meditation

2009-05-19T21:54:00.000-07:00

Source: जैन धर्म का ऐतिहासिक क्रम (डा उदित प्रभा उषा)

"खेद का विषय यह है कि आज ध्यानयोग के उपक्रम तो बहुत चलते हैं किन्तु ध्यानाभ्यास के पूर्व जैसी कायिक, मानसिक तैयारी होनी चाहिये उस पर बहुत कम लक्ष्य दिया जाता है। यही कारण है कि क्षण भर के लिये जब तक साधक ध्यान में बैठता है, तब तक शान्ति मिलती है, उठने पर विलुप्त हो जाती है।"

How to conquer Anger and Worry

2009-03-31T15:54:00.000-07:00

In order to get rid of stress and worry one should get rid of his expectations first.

With every stress, worry- there is an expectation or attachment behind- which when does not get fulfilled, it results in stress, worry.

Wrong path: Directly trying to get rid of stress and worry. It does not work.

Right path: Identify the attachment or expectation which was hurt, and caused the anger, worry. Then try to win the attachment.

Details of the right path:
In order to get rid of worry, anger, one needs to get rid of expectation or attachment first. Getting rid of worry does not work directly.

In order to get rid of expectation or attachment, one needs to realize that he is complete in himself as a spirit. If one considers himself as a body he would not be able to realize that he is complete in himself. As an alternative, he should realize he is better off without the thing/condition he has attachment towards.

In order to realize himself as complete, he needs to realize the true nature of spirit. Also that he does not need any worldly thing to reach his true potential. And hence there is no expectation needed from any worldly thing.

Steps: So here are the steps in straightforward manner:

First I realize that I am a spirit, who is complete in itself. And I do not need anybody else. I do not need anybody now, neither in future. Also I never needed in the past.
Second, the above step will remove all attachments and expectations from all worldly things including body, family, car etc, including the attachments which are causing me stress.
Thirdly, it will remove all the stress and worry produced by above things.

There are no ideal conditions in life

2009-03-31T13:07:00.000-07:00

It seems there are no ideal conditions in life. We need to achieve our goals in whatever circumstances we have. The idea to wait for ideal circumstances is a flop policy.

The Lords Swami Parswanaath, Swami Mahavira did not wait for the ideal conditions, but they did their effort with whatever circumstances they had. Whether they had to suffer Kamath upsarg or whether Swami Mahavira was in form of lion.

There are two kind of 'best possible efforts':
1. Actual 'best possible efforts': These are the actual best possible efforts
2. Pseudo 'best possible efforts': These are the best actual efforts which one thinks one can. And one may be wrong here in terms of realizing his potential.

For a householder, he should not wait for the ideal conditions to pop up. He should become a saint, and if he can not- then he should break the boundaries of 'his notion of best possible efforts' and reach to the real boundaries. If we just do efforts within out notion of best possible, then there would be no progress since that is what we have been doing.

In words of Acharya Tulsi's words :
"ज्यों ज्यों चरण बङेंगे आगे, स्वतः मार्ग बन जायेगा,
हटना होगा उसे बीच में, जो बाधक बन जायेगा,
रूक ना सकेगी, मुङ ना सकेगी,
सत्य कान्ती की उज्जवल धारा,
प्रभु तुम्हारे पावन पथ पर, जीवन अर्पण है सारा"

Problems with Western medical science

2009-03-26T17:38:00.000-07:00

(Source: Deepak Chopra Wellness Radio - January 3rd, from intent.com : http://www.intent.com/podcasts/2009/01/15/deepak-chopra-wellness-radio-january-3rd#comments)

In order to heal a living being, Science tries to understand the body and tries to fix it by using scientific laws. However the living being is combination of spirit and body, and the problems which manifests in body is combination of mechanical laws followed by the body and how spirit influenced the body. Therefore Science is not able to find the right solution.

Holistic approach: Look at body and spirit both
Body- exercising, food, living style etc
spirit- happy, relation with family and child, excitement towards life etc.

Mother teresa - In final analysis

2009-03-19T19:24:00.000-07:00

People are often unreasonable, illogical, and self-centered; Forgive them anyway.
If you are kind, people may accuse you of selfish, ulterior motives; Be kind anyway.
If you are successful, you will win some false friends and some true enemies; Succeed anyway.
If you are honest and frank, people may cheat you; Be honest and frank anyway.
What you spend years building, someone could destroy overnight; Build anyway.
If you find serenity and happiness, they may be jealous; Be happy anyway.
The good you do today, people will often forget tomorrow; Do good anyway.
Give the world the best you have and it may just never be enough;
Give the world the best you have anyway. You see, in the final analysis, it's all between you and God; It was never between you and them anyway.

(from Wayne dyer's lecture: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=50Ql5w-YXBY&feature=related )

Problem inside, but looking solution outside

2009-03-19T19:07:00.001-07:00

There was a guy whose key fell inside house, and there was electricity cut and he could not see the key. However there was street light outside- so he went out and started looking for the keys outside.

The same way we have troubles inside, while we look for remedy in outer world, and in others. We have hate for someone- Instead for finding remedy for it, we start looking for remedy for who we have hate for.

Meeting with Acharya Vidyanand Ji

2009-03-19T18:49:00.000-07:00

Like a big tree is outcome from a small seed, similarly a great achievement which follows great actions is outcome from a noble thought. I was in India in december'08, and I had this noble thought to have Darshan of Acharya Vidyanand Ji. I have heard a lot about Him from Pt. Narendra Prakash Ji whom I met during Das Laxan.

I went to KundKund Bharati in Delhi, which was a very good building sorrounded by green trees and full of serenity. There was a big building, and a big lawn in the front. At a corner of lawn there was a small hut where Acharya Shree sits from 3 to 3:30 in the afternoon. I reached there 15 minutes early and waited for him to come. I was watching the hut, some Jain magazine which were resting in the hut, and enjoying the peace.

At around 3 PM Acharya Shree Ji comes, and asks me where I had come from. I gave him a nice introduction about my residence and my interest in religion. He asks me to wait, and then strolls around the garden and then comes to the hut, and takes His seat. And I start my usual questions and answers about Jainism.

After a warm up of questions and answers about 'Darshan', 'Gyan' etc, I ask him - "I have been reading SamayaSaar Ji, but I am not able to understand it. What should I do?"

He replied - "I was in Calcutta for some number of years and was close to the library which had thousands of books and read a lot. It needs a lot of reading." And then he pauses and adds, "One needs to understand spirituality of other religions in order to appreciate the dharma told by Mahavira."

A story: Division on the basis of races

2009-03-17T15:34:00.000-07:00

Once upon a time, there was a shepherd, who had many sheeps. A person from a distant country came to visit him, and wanted to know about his sheeps.
He asks- "How much do your sheeps eat in a day"
Shepherd: "I have so many sheeps. Which ones you want to know about - white ones or black ones?"
Person: "White ones"
Shepherd: "exactly 3.5 pounds a day"
Person: "And back ones?"
Shepherd: "3.5 pounds a day"

The person is perplexed. He asks : "How much do your sheeps travel in a day"
Shepherd: "Which ones - white ones of black ones?"
Person: "Lets say white ones"
Shepherd: "I have measured it, and they exactly walk 6 miles a day"
Person: "And what about the black ones"
Shepherd: "They also do 6 miles"

The person gets more perplexed. He asks: "How much wool do your sheeps produce in a season?"
Shepherd: "Which ones - white ones or black ones?"
Person: "Lets say white ones"
Shepherd: "I have measured it, and they produce exactly 6 pounds of wool in a season"
Person: "And what about the black ones"
Shepherd: "They also do 6 pounds"

The person gets irritated and asks - "First I ask you a question and you ask me whether I want to know for white ones or black ones. And ultimately you tell me same for both of them. Then why do you ask whether it is for the white ones or black ones?"
Shepherd: "There is a reason behind it. It is because I have raised the white one. I have nurtured them."
Person: " Ohh I understand it now. And how about the black ones?"
Shepherd: "Actually, I have raised them too!"

The moral of the story is that there is actually not a difference in the white ones and black ones- it is we who make difference in our mind by dividing things on the bases of colors. Eseentially they are all same.

All have the same soul, and their form is not that important. While what we look at is just the form and keep dividing on the basis of back, white, mexican, colorful etc. And on the basis of caste - brahamin, kshatriya, vaishya, shudra. Or Jain, Hindu, Sikha etc. Or man, woman, animal etc. Essentially all of them are same souls.

(Inspired by a lecture of Wayne Dyer)

Cooperation vs Competetion

2009-03-16T16:21:00.001-07:00

(Inspired from book- 'You'll see it, when you believe it' - by Wayne Dyer. Page 26)

We have this desire to be better than others. And this desire stems from the fact that we care what others think of us. Lets see why we do that.

We are mix of our natural self and unnatural self. Natural self is our inherent properties like Gyaan, Sukha etc. And Unnatual self is our anger, our knowledge acquired in life, our looks, our possessions etc.

A Gyaani identifies himself with his natural self and an agyaani identifies himself with his unnatural self. A Gyani wants to achieve spiritual qualities and therefore want to attain Moksha. On the other hand an agyaani wants to attain the best 'unnatural qualities to soul' which are considered great worldly. If he can not achieve best then he wants to best in his local community. And if he can not be best in his local community, then he wants to atleast maintain an average standard locally. And this gives him a sense of relativism- and ignite competetion in him. Also he like to laugh at the bad qualities of others because that gives him a good feeling.

On the other hand for a Gyaani- he wants to attain spiritual qualities, and since the goal is Moksha- being good locally does not give him satisfaction. 'Relativistim' does not exist in his dictionary, since he has absolute goals to achieve moksha. When he look at others- he look at their 'goods' to follow, and look at 'bads' as compassion.

To summarize:

Gyaani believes in co-operation while agyaani believe in competetion.
Gyaani believes in compassion while agyanni believes in thinking about bad qualities of others and hate them.
Gyaani corrects others if they go on the wrong track, while agyaani makes fun of them.

Cause and Effect relation in between soul and body

2009-03-11T19:36:00.000-07:00

Here are the cause and effect relations in between soul and body as per Text Moksha Marg prakshak Ji, Page 80-81, Chapter 4:

Knowledge: As windows helps us know what is outside. Similarly senses and Mann helps the soul gain knowledge.
Making voice: As a flute guy pumps out air, and the flute makes sound, similarly soul does the motion and sound comes from body.
Motion in body by soul: As a driver moves his hands and legs, and accordingly the car moves. Similarly soul moves and accordingly body moves.
Motion in soul by body: As the car moves by quake outside, and the driver moves. Similarly soul moves by the movement of body by external causes.
Body's response to soul's emotions: When soul does emotions, the body responds accordingly. When soul has anger, the eyes turn red. When soul is happy, the face smiles etc.
Souls pleasure/happiness with bodily changes: With heat or cold, the body temperature goes up or down. And soul gets happy/sad with changes of temperature because of Moha.
Changes in body with age: As age increases, the body expands or contracts.

Analogy with driver and Car:

Color: As someone drives a red car- it does not mean that the driver is red. Similarly, if a spirit is in a red body, it does mean the spirit is red. So it mean I am neither black of white.
Weight: As someone drives a small car sometimes, and othertimes drive a heavy truck. It does not mean the person gets light or heavy. Similarly, the spirit does not have a weight- it is the body which has the weight.
Kula: As someone goes to a Toyota showroom, and buys a toyota camry car. After 2 years he junks the car, and then go to a Honda one and buys a Honda accord. And after 5 years he junks the Honda one, and gets a Ford one. It does not mean that he belonged to Toyota lineage, and then Honda and then Ford. Similarly, a spirit gets a body from varous families. That does not mean the soul gets the kul of Brahamn, Kshatriya etc.
Disease: Lets say the car break down on the Freeway and you can not move because of it. Does that mean you are broken down? Similarly, a disease happens in a body- that does not mean the car is diseased.

Analogy with bike:

Male/Female: There are two kind of bikes- one is male and other is female bike. If a man rides a female bike, does that mean he will become female. Similarly, a soul does not become male or female with the kind of body it rides.

Why does a speaker do discourses on Dharma

2009-03-07T00:49:00.001-08:00

Possible reasons:

As a desire to be recognized.
As a desire to feel better than other
To show others the right path to reduce their sorrows and brings them the bliss

A speaker needs to contemplate where does he fall in.

Desire to be better than others

2009-03-07T00:47:00.000-08:00

We have this hidden desire to make ourselves feel better than others. This desire comes from the 'Maan and lobh Kashaya- emotions of pride and greed'.

This desire manifests itself in various ways :

We like to listen or talk bad about poeple around. Because internally it makes us feel good because it satisfies our desire to be better than others. This behaviour is against the 'Upguhan' guna of Samyakdrishti.
We get fond of praise from others. Since we want to feel better- praise is something we really like. And we do so many things to get the praise from others to make ourself feel better.

Mera pana (My-Ness)

2009-03-07T00:26:00.000-08:00

What do we mean when we say - "this is mine"

The work 'Mine(mera)' is used in two contexts by an Agyaani:
1. Ownership: When we own something. Example: my money, my son etc
2. When we have 'sanyog' with something. Example: my country, my caste etc

Lets think- what do we mean by ownership. When we say - that we own something, it means I can make decisions for the thing. For example if I own my house - it means I can change my house according to my will. And if I say I own my wife- it would mean I can make her do what pleases me. If I say I own 20 crores, I mean I have the money at my disposal and I can do what I want.

However, this is a wrong belief. Because I do not own things- I can do what I want until my antaraya karama kshyopksham and sata vedniya are favorable. When they are unfavorable, the same object cease to remain in my control. Therefore my expectation from the object does not hold, because my control only possible if favorable karma is there.

The favorable karma is there for some amount of time, and this makes one think that he owns stuff which is actually wrong.

Analysis on 'Body is mine':
Ifr we just think that I have physical attachment with body, then it makes sense. But if I start thinking that i have control it in the future also and I can make it do what I want, then I am wrong.

Because of favorable Karma, I may have some freedom to do things as I want. However this does not mean ownership.

When one knows above fact then he gets detached with body and object around. Since the attachment was there when he had expectations and therefore desires.

Bollywood spoils us

2009-03-02T22:22:00.003-08:00

Bollywood shows us a good image of materialistic world. And makes us feel that is the right thing and this inspires us set goals towards that. And that spoils us.

Problems which money can't solve

2009-03-02T22:22:00.001-08:00

We pile up money. So much that we think we are secure. But unfortunately even from worldly point of views, the money does not solve so many problems for us. It just solves us the problem of basic necessaties and satisfying sensory pleasures. It can not help solving my bad relations with my friends or siblings. One can not choose his kid with the help of money. One can not bring satisfaction, perservance and other good qualities with the help of money. Then why the heck one spends so much effort in piling the money which is not needed.

A story

2009-03-02T22:18:00.000-08:00

There was a guy, who wanted to know the truth. He explored around the world to listen to the people who claimed to know the truth and the path to ultimate bliss. The information filled him with cloud of questions and stifled him in a world of confusion leading to nowhere. Sphered by dark, suffocated by doubts, the only thing he could ask for was - a divine light.

And comes a Guru with a torch of knowledge to rescue him. He disperses the clouds and breaks the sphere of dark. Enlightened, the guy sings in joy in the rain of right knowledge. Expands his wings of knowledge he starts to learn the world by flying high and salutes the feet of Guru.

Gradually the light gets clearer and clearer, until the guy gets confident. Now he know the truth and next step is the journey towards the path to ultimate bliss.

Misfortune strikes with mix of immaturity! Now the guy listens to sermons of the Guru with less devotion. Because he is overconfident, also can figure out the minute faults in the preaching by the Guru. The old habit of negative thinking from multiple births persist, and it hampers his progress towards the path. Because now he is happy and satisfied with his achievements and deviates in the directions of negativities because of not having strong pursuit of the path to bliss.

Emotional world and Physical world

2009-02-14T16:39:00.001-08:00

It seems we live in two worlds - emotional world and physical world.

Physical world are the objects for which we have emotions. For example- body, parents, wife, son, siblings, friends, house, city, possessions etc.
Emotional world consists of emotions we have for the physical world, and also imaginations for its future, and pasts. The imaginations for the future would include our possible planning for the future, bracing ourselves for unexpected incidents etc.

In our journey of life through various births and deaths- it is the emotional world and its consequences (karma) which we carry along, and not the physical one. For example: When we do good to someone because of love or compassion- It is not the 'someone' who goes along with us, but the emotions of love or compassion goes along with us.

When we hate someone and want to do bad to him. It is not the 'Him' who will go along- but just the consequesnces of emotions.

Then whey do hate or love someone ---- ? It does not make sense in the world where soul in inherently detached because of no longterm attachments.

On other angle, our physical world today is manifestation of what our emotional world was in the past. When someone do good to us- it is not 'someone' who is doing good- but our Punya who is doing good. And when Punya ends, the 'someone' shows his/her bad face. And because of 'not having wisdom' we start blaming him/her, and not hold my past emotional world responsible for it. If we start our past emotional world responsible, then we would only want to go emotionalless from there.

When one understands this secret- his love and hate towards physical world starts diminishing. And therefore emotional world also starts diminishing. And the pure sublime rises, bringing endless bliss and knowledge .

Their world is small

2009-02-09T16:37:00.000-08:00

There seems like a rough scale associated with living beings. The scale consists of their number of senses, knowledge, time and emotions. This scale is rough because there are many exceptions to it.

As living being has a less senses, he has less knowledge, less age and specific emotions do not last longer. Their world is smaller.

For example -

1. An Ant in the kitchen has a small body and less understanding of the world around. For him the world would be where it stays and how does the food smell. Sense of hearing, and the landscape of whole house is also not known to him.
2. For a more advanced living being like a fly, the world is little bigger. He can move around and know more. His age is more, and the world gets a little bigger.
3. For a more advanced living being like a child, the world is little bigger - he has more knowledge. And for an elder human, the knoweldge is even more and has more understanding of the world and that gives them ability to have longer lasting emotions.
4. For a dev, it would be even more- as his age and knowledge is more. However the 'Dwesh emotions' are less in them, because they are in 'comfortable zone'.

The world is crap - eastern, western or whatever

2009-02-09T16:36:00.001-08:00

It seems no solution is perfect.

Every culture has some problem or other. In eastern world, they brag about their tradition and strong family system- but it has own problems. The rich tradition binds a free bird, puts the shackles, hampers independence and free thoughts. And also innovations.

On the other hand, western brags about their independence. But it opens avenues for the sins, and hampers on morality.

Seems nowhere it is perfect solution-may be because the world is not perfect. And only perfect state is liberated one. Since there is no perfect solution in the imperfect world.

5 Samvaya

2009-01-27T13:20:00.000-08:00

There are 5 factors, which are responsible for the way world is moving. In other words, for any event to happen there are 5 factors:

1. Swabhaav: It is the nature of objects, or the set of laws an object follows.
2. Nimitt: It is the external agent influencing the object
3. Purusharth: It is the effort of the object itself
4. Kaal: the time when event happens
5. Bhavitavya: The event which is destined

If we look at it- actually there is just one factor 'Swabhaav of objects' which is responsible for the way world is moving. However to explain further, 2 more factors are added- Nimitt and Purusharth. Now Nimitt and Purushart are both part of Swabhaav, but added to elaborate the things. Also to show that there is a relation which exists in between the objects. The way a object gets transformed is dictated by its Pururath and Nimitts around. Purushart of the object is part of its Swabhaav, and similarly 'Nimitt relation' which other objects are making, is part of there swabhav. Because Swabhaav of an object is actually 'the set of rules which an object follows'. And Nimittik and Purushart happen following those rules and therefore Nimitt and Purushart are part of Swabhav.

Even after knowing above three factors namely Swabhaav, Nimitt, Purusharth- this is not clear whether the movement of world gets determined. Swabhav, Nimitt and Purushart together makes the world a very well determined system. To explain that, 2 Samavaya are added- Kaal and Bhavitavya. Kaal tells us that a particular even would happen only when time comes. And Bhavitavya tells us that at a particular instant, what happens is what is destined or what is 'bhavitavya'.

In scriptures -

When they talk when an event is going to happen- they use the language- 'when time comes then the event will happen'
And when some people do effort to achieve some goal- they use the language- 'they are making the efforts, but the achievement would be what is destined or what is in the Bhavitavya'.

Essentially there is only one factor 'Swabhav'. Only to elaborate more the added 'Nimitt' and 'Purusharth'. And further to avoid any confusions 'Kaal' and 'Bhavitavya' are added.

Proving Mahaveer Swami was omniscient

2009-01-22T15:25:00.000-08:00

Conversation in between two persons to find whether Mahaveer really exisited and omniscient:

Non Believer: How do we know whether Mahavir Swami really existed?

Believer: He did. People during those times saw this and passed it on to the new generations.

Non Believer: It may have happened that some one created just hype, and there was actually nobody with the name Mahavir in those times.

Believer: Just imagine if we want to do that kind of thing in current time, would we be able to do it? Lets say we want to create an imaginary person 'XYZ' and propogate around that XYZ exists. It will not be possible, since people will be able to figure it out.

And let us say we are able to succeed in propagating it, then there would be a set of people who would not agree with us without really seeing 'XYZ', and would create scriptures telling that either XYZ does not exist, or not seen by the masses. None of above things happened to Mahavir. Nobody refuted his existence. The contemporary schools of religions like Buddhism and Hindu schools accpeted his exisitence. Hence there is no question that he really existed.

Non Believer: Okay, I agree that he exisited. But how do I assure that he was omniscient.

Believer: Okay.. Let us imagine in current times a person 'ABC' who is actually not omniscient, but he himself starts propagating that he is omniscient. In that case there would be three ways people would react to it:
a. One category is people who will start worshipping him.
b. Second category is people who will outrightly reject it, and do not agree to it.
c. Third category is peope who will get curious and go to meet him to test his omniscience.

The first category of people will start following him. Second category may talk about their rejectence around- but they are not worth listening to.

The third category will meet him and test his omniscience. And if they are not satisfied, they will propogate their doubts around. And disprove his omniscience based on the facts they saw. And this way the hyprocrisy of ABC will be known. And nobody will believe 'ABC'.

With Mahavir, there was no third category who disproved his omniscience. People who came over were able to see their previous and next 7 births. And were able to get satisfactory answers to all questions.

It is not at all possible for someone, who is not omniscient, to be on the earth and claim that he is omniscient. His hypocrisy will be broken very soon. One who is on the ground, has to be omniscient in order to claim that he is omniscient.

And the most important thing is - Arihants are the only living omniscient soul who stay on the ground. In no religion other than Jainism, had the omniscient preaching on the ground. They all have messengers or God in some other form coming down to the ground.

Non Believer: Great. I salute Mahavir and his omniscience.

Is it right to have Goal to achieve something

2009-01-15T16:39:00.000-08:00

There is a difference in folowing two things:

Setting a goal to achieve something
Setting a goal to put efforts to achieve something

The first goal can only be set by Mithyadrishti, because he does not know that it is not in his hand to achieve something.

The second goal is set by Samyagdrishti, because he knows he can only put efforts, and the achievement actually depends on various factors which are not in his hand.

This also supports the Hindu teaching - Karmanyavadhikarastu Maa Faleshu Kadachanah.

Western Education and Satisfaction

2009-01-10T17:39:00.000-08:00

Western education teaches us to optimize things. In all engineering problems, we learn how can we optimize things.

And by solving these problems we get this attitude of optimizing things in all aspects of life. And the same things happens with career also- we want to optimize life to get the best out of career and lose the family life and Dharma.

This attitude increases greed and takes us away from satisfaction, which has been an inherent element in Indian culture.

Trip to Acharya VidyaSagar

2008-12-20T03:53:00.000-08:00

I present my trip details and learnings from my first and only visit to Acharya Shree Vidya Sagar Ji Maharaj's Sangh.

I got fortunate to have my first Darshan of my life to Acharya VidyaSagar Ji Maharaj's Sangh in Ramtek, Nagpur. I started on 14th Dec'08 in the morning from Delhi to take flight till Nagpur and then took taxi to reach Ramtek Jain temple at around 1:30 PM, where VidyaSagar Ji Maharaj was present with 40 Munis in his Sangh.

I got a room in DharamShala and then attended Acharya Shree's pravachan at 3:30. His Pravachan was towards the spiritual side, and some of highlights were as follows:

Knowing that my soul has capability of attaining KevalGyaan is Samyakgyaan.
Do we dream of getting kevalgyaan in night?
As a small agarbatti gives good odors to the whole room, the same way Atma has the capability to have knowledge of whole world.
A chip is used to stabilize a rock which further is used in the foundation of a building. And people usually focus on the building, take picture of it, paint it. But nobody looks at the chip at the bottom which is an important factor in stabilizing the building.

During the pravachan, I was hearing people doing Jayakara of Acharya Shree - "Jay Jay Gurudev". And on the words of Acharya Shree people were hearing as if he is an angel come down from a sacred place to preach them. And I could sense the deep devotion of people by their body language and jaykara.

Acharya Ji's face was the most calm face I had ever seen in my life. His face was oozing out compassion for the whole world. It seemed that, if there any negative emotion would come to him, it would be like a small wave in a calm spring, which comes and vanishes in no time. For some moments I felt I can spend my whole life just looking at him.

After then I roamed around the temple to see the place, saints are staying. There were many rooms around the temple where saints were staying. And they were all crowded by people, who were asking them questions. I was trying to find someone whom I can talk to, but seemed I did not know anybody there and could not interact to anyone. To add to my misery, my cell phone roaming was not working.

I went to bed as early as 7 pm, then woke up next day. In the morning I saw the Maharaj Ji coming to take Ahaar, and Jain Shravak and Shravikas were lined up to give Ahaar to Mharaj Ji, and were full of devotion.

I visited a saint in the afternoon. He also had a background in engineering. I chatted with him on Dharma. I asked him - how good he finds sainthood. He told me that it is far less miserable than a householder life. For a householder- one misery goes, and many miseries come along; while for a saint there are no miseries. There are 2 kind of miseries- physical and mental. Mental miseries make people suffer more than physical miseries. And householders have 80% mental miseries, which are gone in sainthood. And rest physical miseries are gone by controlling emotions. Also he told me that many people only emphasize attaining knowledge. While there should be equal emphasis on to practice, which I realized I personally am lacking.

Then I roamed around and in the room there was a young man asking questions to saint about what soul is, and what is the purpose of life. I also sat close to them to listen to their talk to get some learnings. I was deeply impressed about the keenness of the young man to understand his real self, and the clarity of the saint while explaining it. After asking I learnt that the saint was in the Sangh for 33 years. Later I talked to the young man and found that he was keen on taking Brahamcharya for life.

Then I roamed around and saw the saints face full of happiness and completely stress free. And I could sense the devotion they had for Acharya Shree.

In the afternoon, Ashok Bhai and Abhaya Ji took me close to Acharya Vidyasagar maharaj Ji. And I got to touch his feet, which I had never imagined I would ever be able to. I got blessings from him to have Dharma-Vridhhi. He asked me to take care of Bhaksha-Abhaksha.

In the evening at 6 pm, I again got chance to meet Acharya Shri. Ashok Bhai took me inside where there were around 10 people. Some of them were doing his VaiyaVritii. Then some people left the room and we were 5 people in the room surrounding Acharya Ji. I was doing his VaiyaVritti. And we started asking questions - following things were discussed:

Soul/Body: I asked him that it is easy to understand things like motor engine, the economy of word etc. But it seems very tough how soul functions in the body.
He answered by saying that it is very easy. He used analogy of current and bulb to explain soul and body.
Education: He made comments on education these days. He told these days we do not have teachers, we have speakers. He told the connection extablishes when a teacher says 'Shabash' to the child, and the child reverts with respect for the teacher. This lacks in present education by speakers etc.
Vision and television: He explained by saying Vision is 'act of seeing', and Television is something which brings things from a distance. Science is all engaged in television and not in the vision which is the property of soul- and should be focussed on.
Telepathy: He talked about telepathy. He told that telepathy only happens to someone emotionally bound. For example, when a mother remebers her child- the child gets Hichki. He explained that Mano vragana vibration occurs by remembering the child and they strike the child and telepathy occurs.

Next day I gave Ahaar to a saint. I was surprised to see he did not take any fruit. Later I was told that none of the saint is taking fruits in the Sangh, since it is expensive and one Shravak made a bad comment and they stopped taking fruit. For one mistake done by a Shravak in worshipping, Acharya took a Prayashchit to take just 10 Anjuli. And again nobody understood at that time why he was taking less Ahaar.

I left the place in the afternoon. And I was more than satisfied to visit him. I was personally thinking when I would be fortunate to become a saint, but seemed my time is too far- may be in next births. I could very well extrapolate- how Moksha state would be infinitely full of bliss, when the saints are so blissful.

pics: Please click on the pic below to view all the pictures.

VidyaSagar Ji Sangh in Ramtek

Fear of Dhyaan, Bhavana

2008-12-07T02:10:00.001-08:00

Sometimes we have fear that we should not dhyaan, or Bhavana. Because we think the intensity would be high when we do it for the first time, but as we do it continously the intensity decreases. And this is practically seen- when we do the dhyaan for the first time the intensity is high and then the intensity decreases. And sometime people conclude that this is how Dhyan mechanism works. But actually conclusion is wrong.

As we keep doing dhyaan and Bhavana, the intensity actually keeps increasing, if one has complete faith in it, and it gives immediate results. And the immediate results are seen only when one know how to do Dhyaan and Bhavana and how does it help.

For example: When one does Pindastha Dhyaan, one can notice the spiritual advantages and worldly advantages. And as he does more, he find more improvement in himself. And this motivates the Sadhak to do more. More dhyan and bhavana purifies one more, and keeps the day peaceful and calm.

Your way our of Case- Dr Wayne Dyer

2008-12-05T02:58:00.000-08:00

In Wayne Dyer words: Book 'You will see it, when you believe it. Page 72-72':

"Remind yourself of how to improve at anything you wish to accomplish in the world of form. For instance, practicing the piano for two hours a day will improve your piano playing. Hitting a bucket of golf playing each day at a practice tee will improve your golf game. Imaging is the equivalent of practice in the world of formless. Before going to sleep at night practice getting an image into your mind of precisely what you want for yourself. If it is to be more physically fit, practice seeing yourself exactly the way you would like to appear. Let the image get fixed in your mind. Remind yourself to do this several times during the day too. The work here is to iuse your thoughts to focs on positive images, to grow from the perfect person you have chosen to be up to even higher levels of present-moment-perfection. Do not think yourself as imperfect. Get the image in your mind of precisely what you would love to be and you will find
that you will automatically start acting on that new image. In other words, begin to act as if you already are where you would like to be, and the action will follow automatically"

My questions and comments on above:

Now the above has some parallelism with Jainism path to Salvation as well. In Pindastha (5 Dharana ) Dhyaan, one imagines his karma getting removed, and attain the state of Sidhha. Also a Sadhak has love for his pure state and want to achieve it. Also it is said - only by considering one to be free from karma, one can be free from karma. If one considers himself to be bonded by karma, he can never get free by karma. I think here, the essense is one should focus on the swabhaav of aatma, which is free from karma. And only focussing on that one can be free from karma.

It seems there is some truth in the statement of Dr Wayne Dyer above, but I am not able to clearly correlate it with the spiritual path to Moksha.

Also in Jainism- there are no path, where one considers himself to be saint, or a Pratimadhari, or a Sidhha. In Dhyaan state, one consider himself as Sidha as recommended in Pindastha Dhyaan. According to WeyneDyer, considering the 'saint image' in one's mind will help him achieve that- however in Jainism there is no recommendation like that. In jainism, 'bhavana' to become a saint/SidhhaPratimaDhari Shravak is highly recommened. To look at Jainism, for example to become a saint, it is recommended to (1) do Bhavana of becoming saint, (2) do Vaiyavritii of Muni, (3) bhakti of Muni, (4) and has to be convinced that being Muni is the right thing, which is part of right knowledge. All these elements are missing in wayne Dyer's approcach. Wayne Dyer approcach is to consider himself to be like muni, and keep that image in mind. His approach seems little different- not sure if that would be useful. But it seems there is some truth and some parallism with Jainism- though I could not crealy figure it out until now, though I am getting a hazy idea.

Dreams

2008-11-22T04:48:00.000-08:00

Here by dreams I mean the thoughts which we have about the future. I do not mean the dreams seen while sleeping. The inspiration is from the first chapter of 'You'll see it When you believe it' by Wayne, Dyer.

We all dream. Before every action there is a dream. First there is a though process, and then there an action. The thought process which happens before the action really take place, is what I am calling dream here.

Dreams are important. If we do not dream, we would not be able to translate then into forms.

What we dream, it comes true. Our personality is defined by what we dream. Actually it is not entirely correct that what we dream really comes true. It also depends on Punya-Paap we have in stock.

Dreams and goals: Dreams follow the goals. Also dreams follow what one likes or dislikes. Dreams follow around what one wants to be, and around his role models.

Short term vs long term dreams: We have 2 kind of goals- short term goals and short term goals. And the dreams which follow them are short term, and long term dreams. For example - a good housholder has long terms dreams of getting Moksha, and short term dreams of getting his children getting married.

Are dreams important?: Dreams are very important. Because dreams are around some state of myself in future, and also about some other objects. And there is attraction/repulsion associated around those states. And this attraction/repulsion causes influx of Karma which helps brings form in future accroding to Karma theory. For example: One who dreams about Moksha, will influx Punya which will help him tranform into Moksha state in near future.

Good vs Bad dreams: Some dreams are good, and some are bad. Lets see some examples:

1. If we do lot of Punya, and dream of some high worldly position for the Punya- it is called 'Nidaan' in scriptural language.

2. If we dream of becoming God with all His infinite qualities, this is done in 'Pindastha Dhyaan'.

3. If we dream of sinful activities, it is called 'Rodra Dhyaan'.

So we can categories dreams in two- good dreams, bad dreams.

Lets see what kind of dreams a householder and saint have:

Dreams of a bad householder: To understand the dreams of a bad householder we need to understand his goals. His goals are to attain name, fame, prosperity, sensory pleasure etc. And his dream revolve around it and the way to achieve it. Attaining above things involve sinful activities, and his dreams revolve around that also.

Dreams about family for Householder: Since a householder is engaged with his family, and hence he has dreams about his family. Foowing are the usual dreams in householder state:
· Dreams on getting a good wife
· Dreams of having sensory pleasure activities
· Dreams of raising their kid.
· Dreams of kid excelling and do them proud.
· Have fun in life.
· Have a good house.
· Have a good oldage
· Have children taking care of them in oldage.
· Wife obeying him.
· Having no conflixts at home.

Good Householder: His long terms dreams are to go to Moksha, and also has short term dreams in household.

Best Dreams: Lets see what dreams are best ones:
· Thinking oneself to have the company of spiritually advanced persons(saints etc).
· Thinking oneself to be getting rid of impurities and getting purer.
· Thinking oneself to be in the purest state like Sidha bhagwaan.
· Thinking oneself to be completely detached from the world.
· Thinking onself of taking Diksha and become Saint, to get rid of internal attachments
· Thinking onseelf to take Pratima to do less sins and purer state.
These kind of dreams will become true sooner or later. And along with these dreams one has love/respect for the persons who have attained this state- the Saints and Gods.

Conclusion: The bottom line is what kind of dreams one should have, and what one should not have. A householder should try to spend time in 'Best Dreams" described above, along with his short term dreams.

Labeling

2008-11-20T10:14:00.000-08:00

These are my learnings from the book - The Erroneous Zones:

We usually want to describe an object with the adjectives. And the interesting thing is that we observe those properties which are uncommon.

For example- If I go to visit Niagra fall, and someone asks me- how was the water. I would say it was very thunderous etc. However I won’t sat is y it was in liquid state etc- since those properties are assumed and always there in any water.

Now same thing applies to living beings as well. We keep labeling others and ourselves.

Labeling: We use labels to describe others and ourselves. Here are examples of labels:
o I am shy
o I am poor at Mathematics
o I am poor/good at cooking.
o I am clumsy, uncoordinated
o I am unattractive/attractive etc
o I am unorganized, meticulous, sloppy etc
o I am forgetful, careless, irresponsible etc.
o I am Italian, Chinese etc
o I am bossy, pushy, authoritarian etc
o I am old, middle aged, tired etc.
o From religious texts:
· I am human
· I am king/poor
· I am intelligent
· I am a man
· I am happy/sad

Why do we label ourselves?:
In the human society, people interact with each others- make them friends, enemies. DO business with them, develop relations etc. All these are based on the properties people exhibit. Hence those properties become very important, and hence labeling comes into play to communicate ourselves to others, and also to describe others. And depending on labels one builds relations with others.

What is fundamental mistake in labeling:
We do not make any mistake while we label water. For example when we label Niagra fall water to be thunderous, we also know that is made of the same H2O molecules, which the tap water at my home is made of.

However, when it comes to living beings, we human race do not have a clear understanding the real nature of soul. We take the labels to be inherently existing in the soul. For example-
i. This person is very greedy
ii. I am an honest person
iii. It is natural to get attracted when a man looks at a beautiful woman.
iv. It is not good to befriend an person with angry behavior.
v. We should not employ a person with bad attitude.
vi. We should befriend a person who is trustworthy.
vii. The police system in India is full of corruption.
viii. 911 is a very reliable service.

We do label people, and think it is their inherent nature, because we have just looked at some number of properties in them. However it turns out that in our past lives, we have lived through all kind of personalities which we see in our day today life. Therefore we can conclude that all of the properties described above are not inherent in the soul. The inherent nature of soul is to just 'know'. All labels are temporary, which we mistakenly consider to stay inherent in a person.

Fallacies of Language:
The language is not powerful. What we say is actually not what is the correct thing. When we go to a conference room, and someone has already booked it- we ask him "Do you have this room?", and the people inside says - "Yes, we have this room". The literal meaning of 'I have this room' is not what is actually correct. The truth is that they have the room booked for couple of hours, and that is what they really mean. And we also understand the right thing even by a wrong literal sentence. 'Yes, we have this room' shows as if they have this room forever.

On similar lines we use the sentences like 'I am a brave person' etc. A knowledgeable person understands the right meaning behind it, while a fool misinterprets it.

What is the affect of labeling:
Labeling has strong effects. We do the label for following person:
i. Labeling Myself
ii. Labeling Others

Labeling to both categories has their own affects:
i. Labeling Myself: Labeling myself has deep affects in us. Examples:
i. If a young lad get the responsibility of his entire family in his early age. Signs of maturity starts showing up on his face. His way of talking, walking starts reflecting the depthness in his attitude.
ii. If someone label himself as thief- his physical and conscious dimensions both changes. He starts fearing from people, and his gait and everything else changes.
iii. If someone considers himself sick, then his sickness is tough to go. While if he considers himself inherently healthy- sickness starts going away.
iv. Conclusion: Law: The way we label ourselves- similar kind of properties are attracted by us, and opposite properties start getting repelled.
v. Example:
1) If we label yourself Gyayak, then gyaan darshan will come to us, and raag-dwesh get repelled.
2) If we label our self as angry person, anger will come to us, and detachment will get away from us.
3) If we label ourselves as criminal, the anger and other properties of criminal will stay in us and may start increasing.
4) If we label ourselves as honest person, then honesty will prevail in me, and dishonesty will not come close.
ii. Labeling others: By labeling other I create unnecessary raag-dwesh Bhaav in others.

Is Gyayak the right label?:
That is inherent nature, and that is only ever permanent label. And by knowing and thinking about the inherent nature, one attains his true nature. And all unnatural things go away.

Learnings from Pt Narendra Ji

2008-10-25T17:11:00.000-07:00

His quotations:
· पंडिताई पल्ले पङी, पूर्व जन्म को पाप।
औरन को उपदेश दे, कोरे रह गये आप॥

· ज्यों तिल में तेल है, ज्यों चकमक मे आग।
तेरा साई तुझ मे, जाग सके तो जाग॥

· संयम बंधन का कारण नहीं है, बंधन का उपाय है।
· Tapa is feast for soul, and fast for the body

क्षमा (Forgiveness):

We can not stay angry for long, but can stay calm for a long time. It means anger is not our natural state, but forgiveness is our natural state.

On Saints:
In having a situation-
· if someone abuses:
○ He has just abused by name, family. And I am soul, and I have no name, family; then why do I take ill of what he said.
· If he abuses again:
○ He abused using words, and words are pudgal. And pudgal is different that soul. Then why do I take his abuse.
· If he called me thief:
○ I have been thief in last births, then why do I take ill of him.
· If he abuses me again:
○ He is abusing me and getting happy. Why do I stop him and obstruct his happiness.
· If he abuses again:
○ Let him abuse. How long will it give. Let him give, and not stop him and keep patience.
· If he abuses again:
○ Saint tried to abuse, but could not find any 'bad word' in his dictionary to return the abuse.

On Anger:
Anger is the root of all bad things:
○ Fight happens in brothers because of anger
○ Fight happens in master and servant because of anger.
○ Fight happens in two nations because of anger.

Anger is compared to blind person. As a blind person can not see who is before him. Similarly, an angry person can not see what is right and wrong.

Anger increase the route in Sansaar.

Example: In one birth Kamath did anger towards ParasNaath, and it kept continuing till multiple births.

While anger, thoughts of dharma do not occur. As one can not see his reflection in a boiling water, similarly one can not find his real self while he is angry.

Look at yourself, if you want to become Mahaveer.

Satya Vachan:

· Words are stronger than Atom bomb. It was the words which made people to motivate to use atom bomb.
· Using positive words:
○ If someone dies, we do not say he died- we say - "उसका स्वर्गवास हो गया"
○ If someone's husband dies, we say - "उसकी मांग सफ़ेद हो गयी"
○ If someone is blind, we call him "सूरदास, or प्रज्ञाचक्षु"
○ Using polite words:
§ Calling clerk as 'बाबू’
§ Calling servant as 'ठाकुर’
§ Calling भंगी as 'हरिजन’
§ Calling someone's home as 'दौलतखाना’
§ Calling my home as 'गरीबखाना’
○ Not using loud speakers outside temple. It distrubs others.
○ Do not use words, which does not sound sweet to other.
○ Doctor does not speak to patient that he may die.
· Words which have compassion inside, and full of love are 'सत्य’
· No matter how many animousioty we have with someone, we should not stop talking. One day the knot of द्वेष will open up.

Sanyam:
· Sanyam bandhan naheen hai, bandhan se bachne ka upaaya hai

Kshamavani:

It needs reduction of all 4 Kashaya in order to ask forgiveness.
- Anger: Only one has got rid of anger, only then one can forgive someone
- Pride: Only one has got away with pride, one can ask forgiveness
- Deceipt: In kshamawani, we says I want to do 'maitri' with all world. And one can do 'maitri' only when he does not have deceipt.
- Greed: In kshamawani, we say we do not want to have 'bair' with someone. And 'bair' happens when we have some greed.

Summary on Deepak Chopra's book

2008-10-23T06:58:00.000-07:00

I read the Deepak Chopra's book 'Perfect Digestion' during my flight from California to India, and put down the summary below.

Chapter 1: Quantum mechanics of Digestion

· The human body is not a solid, particulate, static, fragmented, "frozen sculpture" that exists in isolation from the rest of nature. Rather, Ayurveda recognizes the body as part of the natural continuum. From this point of view, the human body is a dynamic field of energy. It is constantly participating in an exchange with the larger of field of energy that surrounds it, which comprises the rest of universe.
· In recent years, quantum physics has provided us with these some basic insights into the nature of human functioning. The body is made up of atoms. And what are atoms? It may be easiest to think of them as particles whirling at lightening through vast empty spaces-colliding, disintegrating, darting back and forth-but atoms are not really particles in the sense that pebble is a particle of rock or a twig is a piece of tree. Rather, they are minute fluctuations of energy in the infinite expanse of energy that modern physics calls the unified field. It is from the unified field that all natural forces emerge, giving rise to an entire material universe, including your body.
· Fundamentally, your body is as void of matter as is intergalactic space. It may be surprising to realize that an apparently solid mass of living, breathing matter is in reality mostly empty space-nothing more than a perceptual illusion, a reflection of the more basic underlying intelligence that structures the entire universe. It may be surprising, but nature's truth often is.
· Atoms in our body keep replacing.
○ 98% atoms in anatomy were not there a year ago.
○ Bones are recreated in a 3 month - brand new.
○ New liver is created every six weeks
○ Even in brain, specific atoms of carbon, hydrogen, nitrogen and oxygen are totally different from what they were one year ago.
○ In digestive tract, stomach linen is created every 4 days.
· Human body is complex system:
○ Everyone of the thousands of processes inviolved in the healing of a superficial wound is incredibly complex and incompletely understood.
· Intelligence in the body:
○ Ayurveda recognizes the intelligence that exists in every organ in every cell of the body.
· Effect of food vs Emotions:
○ A specific food can have produce diarrhea and cramping within a few hours, feelings such as stress or anger can have a more long-term effect.

Chapter 2: Digestion and the Ayurvedic Doshas

· 3 Doshas:
○ 'Dosh' = Governing agent. They are ultimate, irreducible metabolic principles that regulate the flow of intelligence throughout the physiology.
○ Ayurveda defines 3 doshas- Vata, Pitta, Kapha
§ Vata: Controls all movements
§ Pitta: responsible for metabolism and digestion
§ Kapha: governs the structure of body.
○ Characteristics of 3 Dosha:
§ Vata:
□ Light, thin, build
□ Performs activity quickly
□ Irregular hunger and digestion
□ Etc
§ Pitta:
□ Medium build
□ Shart hunger and thirst, string digestion
□ Etc
§ Kafa:
□ Solid powerful
□ Steady energy
□ Tranquil, relaxed
□ Etc
§ Kafa are considered to be best.

Chapter 3: Understanding your digestive tract

· Digestive Fire (Jathragni):
○ The small intestine has the digestive fire, and the small intestine is called 'grahani' in Sanskrit. 'Grahani' means 'one which grasps things'. Small intestine, by the process of absorption, "grasps" the essence of foods, and it is here that food is metabolized on the level of its nutritional intelligence.
○ Not following good eating practices damage the digestive fire.

Chapter 4: How to make friends with your gut

· Vata type- variable digestive fire
· How to increase digestive fire:
○ Breathing deeply for several minutes- Pranayam
○ Digestive fire is diminished by:
§ Long hours of sleep
§ Low physical activity
§ Oily food
§ Sweet food
· When to eat:
○ One should eat when one has burning sensation in his gut. If one eats at this time, the food is propery digested. If not ate at such time, the food is converted to fat and toxins.
· Ojas and Ama:
○ Ojas:
§ What is Ojas: It is a biochemical located in between the consciousness and physiology.
§ In Cherak's words: It is the ojas which maintains all living beings by its saturation, and without ojas no life of creature exists. Ojas is the initial essence of embryo and also the essence of its nourishing material. It enters first into caraic cycle and if it is destroyed it leads to destruction. It is the sustainer of life in the heart, it is the cream of the nutrient fluids in the body.
§ By increasing the ojas, one can rebuild oneself into the physical manifestation of strength and good health.
○ Ama:
§ What is Ama: It is of sticky substance and has a marked tendency to obstruct the channels through which ojas normally flows.
§ Increase of Ama means less energy, problems with digestion etc.
§ Many problems with digestion are caused by Ama.
§ Visible sign of Ama: white coating on the tongue. When it is present on tongue it is also present throughout the digestive canals of the body.
□ The channels are not only conduits for blood, lymph and nutrients from food, but for the flow of energy itself.
· Experimental evidence of relation of emotion vs digestive health:
○ Book: Gastrointestinal health, Steven Peiken
§ An army surgeon was able to study a patient who, as a result of a gunshot wound, had developed a permanently open passage between the interior of his stomach and the surface of his body. Over the course of prolonged observation it became obvious that the patient's emotional state caused variations in the coating that protects the stomach lining, the mucosa. When the patient was emotionally upset, there was also an increase in the production of acid and a slowing of normal stomach contractions, so that scid-rich secretions remained int the stomach longer than usual. Severe irritation resulted.
· The below bullet points cover instructions from various chapters in the book
· How to strengthen digestion:
○ Eat in settled and quiet atmosphere
○ Take a few minutes to rest quietly after your meal.
§ One should sit or lie down for few minutes, so that the digestion process can start easily.
○ Always sit down to eat.
○ Don't eat when you are upset
○ *Don't eat when you are not hungry. (from previous section in chap 4)
○ Avoid overeating:
§ One should eat 3/4 of his stomach, which gives feeling of satisfaction without any sensation of having overeaten.
○ Avoid cold foods and cold drinks:
§ Cold foods and drinks damage digestive fire.
§ A Ayurvedic herbal tea called 'Vata tea' is a good substitute for cold drinks.
○ Don’t talk while chewing food.
○ Eat at a moderate pace.
○ Do not eat until preceding meal has been digested.
○ Favour meals with freshly cooked foods
§ Although many people believe that raw foods are a good source of dietry fiber, Ayurveda points out that raw foods are harder to digest and are more likely to irritate the colon. A certain amount of raw food, sch as salad, are fine to include with diet.
○ Avoid eating milk, cream, butter until the IBS symptoms are in control. (However Vata people should take milk etc, because it helps fight with the dryness in the body.)
○ Ghee is soothing to digestion, if taken in small quantities.
○ Ayurveda recommends avoiding cucumbers, green leafy vegetables such as spinach and kale, sprouts of any sort, and grapes. (page 51)
○ Coffee, tea, chocolates should be avoided.
○ Corbonates beverages of any sort should be avoided.
○ Pomegranate is good for diarrhea associated with IBS.
○ Lassi is very good to treat IBS symptoms.
○ In meals, heavier food should be eaten earlier and then lighter foods.
○ Aroma therapy: The following aromas are good-
§ For Vata types: basil, orange, clove
§ For Pitta types: sweet, cool aromas like sandalwood,rose, mint, cinnamon
○ After bowel movement one should do massage of sesame oil as part of daily routine.
§ Rejuvenates the skin
§ Tones the muscles
§ Eliminates impurities
§ Promotes youthfulness
§ Complete massage instructions are given on page 76-77
○ Lunch should be heavy at aroun 12:00- 12:30. The sun is at the top, and this time is middle of Pitta period. And Pitta is responsible for digestive fire. And since Sun is at the top, it also aids in digestion.
○ Breakfast is not necessary according to Ayurveda. If needs it should be light like milk and cereal. Since the sun is rising, there is less support from environment to digest heavy food.
○ Dinnertime, the sun is setting and there is less digestive powers than the lunch time, but more than breakfast. Example: hot soup and bread, hot cereals, assorted vegetables.
○ Ayurvedic daily routine: (page 81)
§ Mornings 6 AM to Noon
□ Wake up
□ Take warm water
□ Urinate and unforced bowel movement
□ Brush teeth
□ Seasame oilo massage
□ Breathiung meditation
□ Shower using warm water, neither hot or cold
□ Exercise
□ Light breakfast (if needed)
□ 30 minute morning walk
§ Noon
□ Lunch
□ Few miunutes rest after lunck
□ 5-15 mins of walk
□ Breathing meditation in late afternoon or early evening
§ Evening
□ Moderate dinner
□ Few miunutes rest after dinner
□ 5-15 mins of walk
□ Bedtime
○ One should chew more- it produces more saliva which triggers the production of other digestive substances.
· How to eliminate ama:
○ Upvaas: One day each week on liquid diet
○ Sipping hot water: Like hot water is used to clean things, similarly ama, which is sticky and greasy, can be cleaned my sipping hot water every 30 minutes.
§ The water should be really hot, that one has to blow air to sip it in.
§ The quantity of water is not important, than the frequency of water.
§ 3-4 times a day sipping is not enough.
§ Thermal container is best to keep the boiling water in to sip the day through.
· Ayurvedic herbs to improve digestion:
○ Amalaki
○ Bibihitaki
○ Chitrak
○ Dhanyaka
○ Lavanga

Chapter 5: Diet and the art of determining what to eat

· Measure of value of food in east vs west:
○ West: West believes that the food can be understood by evaluating its material qualities like protein, carbohydrates, fats, minerals, cholestrol, vitamins, calories etc.
○ East(Ayurveda): Ayurveda in addition to above, also considers food's intelligence value. Techniques to find food's intelligence:
§ Taste:
□ Sweet
□ Sour
□ Salty
□ Pungent
□ Bitter
□ Astringent
§ Above sequence reflects the which one is metabolized first.
□ It implies sweet should be taken first
□ Salad should be taken last
§ A balanced diet always have all tastes present.

Chapter 6: The role of your emotions

· Self-referral vs Object-referral:
○ Self-referral: This simply means you look inward, inside yourself, in order to influence your next behaviour or action. In our society, self-referral is very uncommon.
○ Object referral: It is very common in our society. In this an individual relies on external cues to determine behaviour.
· What to do when have overwhelmed feelings:
○ When you feel upset, pause for a moment and allow your attention to settle on the sensations occuring in your body. If you close your eyes for a few seconds, your mind will immediately be attracted to some particular are of physiology, perhaps your stomach or heart. Just remain your senstations to be there for few minutes. Gradually you will discover that the physical sensation begins to moderate. When you open your eyes, you will find that the emotional component has also diminished. (Page 65)
· Sound, aroma therapy has also been talked about.

Chapter 8: Exercise

· Common mistakes about exercises:
○ Performing too little exercise or none at all
○ Performing exercises that don't suit them
○ Overexercising
· The Ayurvedic principal is not "no pain, no gain" but "no strain produces maximum gain".
· Marmas: Marmas in Ayurveda are described as the meeting places of consciousness and physiology.
○ There are 107 Marmas, and some more details are given in page 86-87

Chapter 9: Constipation, Diarrhea, and Intestinal Gas

· Constipation
· Diarrhea
· Intestinal Gas:
○ One should chew while keeping mouth open.
○ One should eat more slowely and with less conversation

On Love

2008-10-07T16:03:00.000-07:00

Love is unconditional. Conditions are only there in business. Since there are not conditions in love- there is no business in love.

In business when you give something, you take equal amount back. But when you give love, you do not expect anything return.

In business when you give something, you lose it. But when you give love, it also increases within you.

All energy, mass transfer follows conservation. But there is no conservation in love. You give love, it increases in you too. Others love you, and it increases in them too.

There are no expectations in love. Parents love their kids not that they will serve them in their old age- but because they just love them. Even in the old age kids gets to bed, the parents still love them, and take care of them.

Like a farmer sows so many seeds, and do not expect all of them to grow. Same a big hearted person sow seeds of love in many people and do not expect to be loved back, since love is not business.

Some one who loves his family along with himself is commendable.
Someone who loves his neighbors is more commendable.
Someone who loves his state people is more commendable.
Someone who loves his country men is more commendable
Someone who loves all humans around the world is more commendable
Someone who loves all living beings including animals, humans, fire, water, plants is the most commendable.

Why problems does Spirituality solve

2008-09-26T19:42:00.000-07:00

Recently after meeting with Pandit Narendra Ji and Dr Parasmal Ji, I got inspired to read Adhyatam(Spirituality), and here are my findings.

We have lot of problems in our life, and spirituality helps us solve those problems:

Example of problems which spirituality helps solving:

Parasnaath bhagwaan was troubled with Kamath, who was being too unfair with Bhagwaan ji for multiple births. And still Bhagwaan Ji could retain himself equanimity. How?
A youth does not get a job because of unfair rules by the govt.
A person gets in a bad family condition..
A person is innocent and still judged wrongly and put into jail.

In above conditions, how can one retain equanimity- that is answered by Spirituality. And equanimity is needed to get happiness and bliss for now, and forever.

(Gaatha of Samayasaar referred by Dr Parasmal JI from Samayasaar Ji: 6,36,73,104,100, kalash- 51,205)

Respect with equal people

2008-09-23T19:27:00.000-07:00

We meet 3 kind of people:

People with more qualities than us
People with less qualities than us
People with almost same qualities as us.

When a knowledgeable person finds someone with more qualities, he has respect for him. However when a fool finds someone with more qualities, he has jealousy.

When a knowledgeable person finds someone with less qualities, he has compassion/Vatsalya bhaav for him. However when a fool finds someone with less qualities, he looks down upon him.

Now the tricky situation is when two people meet with almost same qualities. In this case, both of them should respect each other. For example, when two saints meet, they both do 'Namostu' to each other.

The mutual respect in equal level goes in friends, classmates, collegues at work, neighbours etc.

Continuity of emotions and objects around

2008-09-23T13:49:00.000-07:00

Emotions are continuous. Once a emotion happens, it keeps itself alive and stays for some time. For example: Because of some incidence, if we have strong anger towards someone, the anger remains for some time. The object of anger may change later. We see many people who get angry because of some cause, and they vent out their anger on someone else.

Now the interestng this is that in addition to emotions being continuous, they also bring the objects around which favors/supports the emotions. For example, if one does anger, the anger will continue and will help gather the bad objects around which will keep the anger emotion alive in the person. Similarly, if one does love, the love will continue, and will help gather the good objects around which will keep the love emotion alive in the person.

Lets see it with general rules:

Raag: If one has lot of love inside. His momentum of love will continue, and he will get surrounding objects which will support his love.
Dwesh: If one has hatred inside. In other words- if one has personality who keep finding faults, and keep fighting with others. His momentum of 'dwesh' will continue, and he will get surrounding objects which will support his hate.

Examples:
Ravana did bad by kidnapping Sita- his bad emotions continued in Naraka, and there he got the objects which are making his emotions continue.
If one does decipt (Maaya), he become an animal. And there he is in surrpunding where decipt is done in a great deal. So here Maya continues, and he will get surroundings and form which help his Maya to continue.

Therefore, if we see favourable/unfavourable objects around us, it is because of the emotions we did in the past. Also we need to note, the objects include family, friends, enemy, surroundings, and our body as well.

EFT Steps

2008-09-22T21:37:00.000-07:00

Here are the steps I learnt from JayaShree

1. Close eyes and say it loud your emotions. For example: "I have to go to India and have to face lot of work pressure. I have a good work and life balance here."

Sey it around 3-4 times, and observe your body and emotions. You may feel some part of body tense.

2. Now close eyes and start tapping. And while tapping focus on your feelings, and accept it. they will go away, and the stress in body which was identified in step 1 will also go away. tapping points- karate chop point, top of head, eyebrow, side of eye, below eye, below nose, collar bone, below armpit, above stomach, left hand top wrist, left hand below wrist, right hand top wrist, right hand below wrist, below navel.

3. take 3 big breaths to complete the cycle

Another pointers for EFT:

"Even though I have a bad manager, I deeply and completely acept him being the way he is. Because he is because of the way worlkd is and also depending on my karma and nature. So I accept the reality., and be happy."

Vipasana meditaiton vs EFT

2008-09-19T18:48:00.001-07:00

In Vipasana mediation, one keeps looking at the emotions and things which keep revolving in him, and this observation finally leads in getting these out of the way.

Similarly in EFT, one recognizes his emotions and accepts them, and it helps in getting them out.

Does this analogy make sense.. Any comments here by the readers?

Positive thinking

2008-09-19T18:47:00.001-07:00

Positive thinking:

It turns out that positive thinking does wonders. Some examples are below:

Glass is half full and half empty. A knowledgeable person focusses on the half fulness of the glass, and not the empty one.
A saint has great qualities and may have some glitches. A knowledgeable person focusees on the attributes he has, and ignores the glitches he has. On a even more positive note- the person does 'sthapana' of a great muni in the saint in front of him and respect him.
Parents have many qualities and some mismatch because of generation gap. A knowledgeable person focusses on the love his parents have for him, and ignore the generation gaps.

With above examples it seems that positive thinking helps immediately. However there are postive thinking which helps one in long term as well. For example:

Looking at other girls as mother and sister. In words in tradition Indian culture, one calls an aged woman as 'Chachi' or 'Tai', and a same age girl as 'behen Ji' or 'didi'.
Seeing God in idol made of rock. In Maharaaj Tarun Sagar Ji's words- "You proceed 4 steps and the God proceeds 1000 steps towards you. Similarly, you proceed to temple, and the God comes to temple from Sidhaalaya." And doing Sthapana of God in idol bring the wonders in the emotional world of the Saadhak.

Other examples:

Forgiveness:

If someone accuses us covertly, he should be forgiven because he did not resort to physical voilence. If he did resort to beating, he should be forgiven because he did not kill us. If he did attempt to kill us, he should be forgiven because he did not distract us from the religious path.
If someone does bad to me- you feel good that my karma got outfluxed.

Satisfaction for what i have.

Samyakdrishti and Positivie thinking:

The upguhan guna of Samyakdrsihti supports positive thinking.

Positive thinking, Positive words and Positive deeds:

Positive thinking, words and deeds go together. If one has positive thinking, the words would be positve as well, and so the deeds would be.

Overdo of positive thinking:

It turns out their is scope of overdo of positive thinking. If one does something bad, and still justifies- it is overdo of positive thinking. One should repent and make corrective actions for the bads he has done. However, one should not carry forward too much the bad he has done, that it brings him emotionally too low to come back up again.

Belief vs Conduct: One knows the goods and bads in others, but only looks at good to keep the thinking 'positive'.

Soul is like a mirror

2008-09-08T19:16:00.001-07:00

The natural state of soul is like a mirror. How?

Camera plate vs Mirror: This is the example illustrated by Pt Narendra JI. A Camera plate gets the impression of the picture, when it is exposed to it. And the impression remails. Now if it is exposed again, the picture will get distorted.

While a Mirror has entirely different behaviour. There is no impressions which remains on the mirror. Things reflect and go.

Similarly the swabhaav of soul is- like a mirror - it just knows. If it does Raaga or Dwesh, the thoughts of the object lingers on and the feelings remain. While if the soul just remain Gyaata Drishti- no impression remains. The 'lingering on' of emotions is actually not the swabhaav of Aatma, but it comes because of 'conitnuity of emotions'. When something is unfavorable, soul gets sad, when something is favorable, soul gets happy- this is not the nature of soul. This is Raag-Dwesh, which Soul has been having habit of, from infinite years. This is impurity and soul behaves like a camera plate in this case. While its natural state is like a mirror. A Gyani knows the difference, and hence his screen remains like a mirror.

On Sensory pleasures

2008-09-08T19:00:00.000-07:00

Sensory pleasure stick us to the world. They do not let us leave the world, and do not let us make efforts of Moksha. A person gets decieved by the 'good looking' sensory pleasure object, but in the back there is a thorn which makes him stick to world, and cuts off his path to Moksha.

Examples:

One eats tasty food, and does Hinsa while doing. The food tastes good, but the hinsa he does, makes sure that he does not come out of Sansaar.
One makes a home to give comfort of his body. And the 'home' makes sure that he has to sufficient Hinsa to outflux all his Punya, and go into Papa.
Other examples are of fish, Bhavara, elephant etc, which I read from Shastra Shree Subhashit Sandoha Ji.

Continuity of emotions

2008-09-08T18:54:00.001-07:00

Emotions are continuous. The chain(loop) continues, as it is clear from the following examples:

How chain starts:

If I fought in a war, and got defeated because of having less developed weapon- I will keep thinking how to make the weapons, the same thinking process may continue across births.

If I do not like non-veg people, because of my some bad experience with one of them- the emotion will continue across births.

If I die falling from a hight cliff- the fear of heights will trouble me even in the next births.

If I become a big shot, and I gain lot of respect, and start negating others. The Sanskaar of pride will continue across births.

Predicting how my emotions would have started:

1. If I have negative emotions when I work with stubborn people, it means I had bad experience with stubborn people in past.

2. If I have voilence instincts, it means I did some voilence in the past.

How to tackle emotions:

First we should recognize the emotions, and recognize it as foreign and not natural. And it will start vanishing slowly.

Why there are less scholars in Digamber now

2008-09-08T18:44:00.001-07:00

Earlier there were joint families. Couple of men from the family used to earn and others used to live happily. And some of the men used to devote their lie in religion by reading and becoming a scholar. Now 'needs' have increased, and people want to go nuclear. Everyone has to fight for a good living and 'increase of needs' adds more to it. (Learnt from Pt Narendra Ji.)

Jainism on Globalization

2008-09-08T18:40:00.000-07:00

Globalization connects the world. And Deshvrata, and Digvrata limits our scope- limits the boundaries.

Actually because of Globalization, the inspiration for Paap and sensory pleasure increases. With no globalization, one looks for his bride, job and education within a certain area. Now with Globalization, one has a broader choices to look from, and makes every effort to get the best which he can. It increases his desires, and take towards the wrong direction.

Looking at the goods, and ignore the bads

2008-09-08T18:37:00.001-07:00

I should be unaffected whether the other people are good or bad. I should be only the knower. However the 'dwesh emotions' inside make me look at Dosh sometimes more than the Guna.

One instance of not looking at the Dosh: Vishnu Kumar Muni. He saved the saints not because he had Dwesh for the 3 Brahamins, but the Vatsalya for the Saints. And therefore the Brahamins once he saved the Saints.

Similarly, one should look at the good qualities, and not the bad ones. Actually the world is how it is- we do not care whether someone has a good or bad quality. However, since we have to achieve good qualities, we look only for qualities to emulate from. And ignore the bad ones.

The continuity of emotions make us have hatred or love when we see something bad or good. While a knowledgeable person makes a wise decision to just look at the good, because that is what he wants within him.

On War

2008-09-05T19:00:00.000-07:00

Problems with Wars:

Wars create all kind of problems:

Make so many widows
So many poeple killed
The badly injured have a very bad life to live.
War causes war: The affected people's anger increases to take revenge, and hence War causes war- and the loop never ends.

Is war ever justified?

Actually we do war to counter the balance of old deeds, and keep adding new balances. The balances will never get cleared unless we stop doing war, and engage ourself in peace. Therefore peace is the only solution.

However as a local solution to protect our people, war is justified. That war is not inspired as a hatred feeling for enemy, but because of attachment with our people. Because of our attachment, we protect them and defend ourself, and while defending the enemy may get killed and it will fall in 'Virodhi Hinsa'. But this war should be avoided as well, and one should become saint and get complete peace, come what may!!

War Instincts:

Current movies, and comic characters like Superman etc justies war, when it is done for something good. But it flares up the killer(or voilence) instinct in one, and cause Anger. The viewer starts believing that war is always justified for a good cause. He forgets, war is only partly justified when one is Shravak depending on the situation, and as a goal war has to be avoided completely as a saint.

Question for Tackling anger by irritation

2008-09-05T18:51:00.001-07:00

We have anger because of two reasons:

If someone does something bad to us.
Is someone has a behavior, which I do not approve or I do not like. And I have interaction with this person, and after finding this behavior I start having some kind of irritation(or anger) towards him. Let me give some examples:

I do not like someone who is stubborn, and do not listen to others. And when I find his stubbornness I just start having some kind of irritation.
I do not like someone who is character-less. And when I make a friend, and find out that he does not have a sound character, I start having some kind of irritation.
My family member, who does thing in some specific way, and I do not like it. Though it does not hurt me, but I just do not like the way he/she does the things.
When I see someone who is breaking the queue and try to get in- no matter it is not going to get me late significantly.
People who do not follow instructions.
etc

Everybody has freedom to be what they want to be. I have no right to be angry for how people are. But still I feel irritated. My question is how to tackle this kind of anger.

EFT on Forgiveness

2008-09-03T15:45:00.001-07:00

http://www.emofree. com/Articles2/ forgiveness- technique- fogelman. htm?WT.seg_ 1=N_Jun30_ Feature2

By Loren Fogelman, M.Ed., CADCI

Life has many lessons to offer us. Personal

growth is about trying to be the best that you can be. During this

process we are challenged to be vulnerable and to take risks. As we

strive to grow we are likely to come across events where we become stuck.

There is an overwhelming sense of guilt and shame that is attached to

some of the choices and actions that we have taken.

The feelings of guilt and shame place a heavy burden on us and might keep us

from continued personal growth. Guilt is how you feel about an event and

shame is how you feel about yourself. People tend to be much harder and

critical of themselves than they would be of another person. Being able

to forgive yourself and accept what has happened in the past is difficult, but

possible.

When working with my clients, I teach them about the four aspects of the

forgiveness technique. EFT is the ideal tool for forgiveness. First

a specific event needs to be identified where you have blamed yourself.

Identify a event where you continue to feel hurt, pain or suffering for what

you did. Rate the level of intensity, from 0 to 10, that you have

concerning that event. Do you feel the emotion anywhere in your body?

If you do, then describe it or be aware of what it is you are feeling.

That will be your frame of reference to test if you have resolved the

issue.

The first part of forgiving yourself is to acknowledge that you “missed the

mark.” You did not act like you might have wanted to act. The set

up and statements I have are general. I encourage you to give the event a

title as if you were using the Movie

Technique and use that phrase instead of saying “this event.”

Even though I acted this way and have never been able to forgive myself for

it and let myself down with my behavior…

Eyebrow: I acted this way

Side of eye: I have not been able to forgive myself for this event

Under eye: I let myself down

Under nose: This event has continued to play in my mind over and over again

Chin: I cannot let this event go

Collarbone: I know what I did was wrong

Under Arm: I have held onto the guilt and shame from this event for a long

time

Top of head: Being able to forgive myself for this event feels impossible.

The second part of the forgiveness technique is to say that you are sorry for

what you did.

Even though I hurt myself so much; how can I ever expect to be forgiven for

that? I choose to accept what happened and to forgive myself for hurting

myself and others

Eyebrow: I am sick over what I did; how can I ever forgive myself?

Side of eye: I am sorry for what I did.

Under eye: I can never forget what I did. There are some things I can

never forgive myself for.

Under nose: At the time, I was doing the best I could given the

circumstances.

Chin: I have continued to beat myself up for what I did in this event.

I resent myself for hurting myself or others. It is better for me

to be hidden behind my wall so I don't hurt anybody again.

Collarbone: I am sorry for what I did and open to the possibility that I

might be able to forgive myself.

Under Arm: I hurt myself and others by what I did in this event. If I

could treat myself or others that way, then I am undeserving of being forgiven,

loved, or cared for.

Top of head: I am willing to consider the possibility that I am a better

person today and am sorry for this event that happened in the past.

At this point, check in with yourself to see if there has been any change

concerning the guilt and shame that you had when you thought about this event.

Has the intensity changed? If you felt the guilt and shame in your

body, has the feeling stayed the same or has that changed? If there is

anything remaining, what is it that you think you might be holding onto?

Have you found that you have begun to shift your focus to a different aspect of

the event? If so, try to keep your focus on the original aspect in order

to clear that and get that to a 0 level of intensity first.

After you have been able to say that you are sorry, the next step is to make

amends. Making amends means you are willing to go above and beyond steps

you would normally take with the person that has been hurt to show that you are

aware that you have missed the mark, have learned from the event and are

willing to repair the relationship. Sometimes the person that was hurt is not

available.

At that point, choose to do something that would be symbolic or charitable that

you would not normally do. The focus is on the intent of the action.

If you find resistance to making amends and taking action that will help

with forgiveness, then tap on the resistance. You might find that you are

not really ready to let go of your shame and guilt. Or another aspect

might have surfaced and you need to go through the first two parts of this

before moving onto this next step. Here are suggestions for tapping to relieve

the resistance to forgiveness.

Even though a part of me is stuck and continues to blame myself and is not

ready to let go of my guilt and shame concerning this event, I am willing to

consider letting go of past hurt and pain and to trust in my goodness.

Eyebrow: I am willing to consider letting go of past hurt and pain.

Side of eye: I realize that there is goodness in me.

Under eye: I am willing to take a risk and to let go of my guilt and shame.

Under nose: My guilt and shame have helped to protect me and a part of me

is scared to remove those protective feelings.

Chin: I am willing to take a risk and to forgive myself for what I have

done.

Collarbone: I believe that I can change and I am willing to relieve the

feelings of guilt and shame that I have had for so long concerning this event.

Under Arm: I believe that I can learn to trust myself again.

Top of head: I am willing to consider trusting in my goodness.

At this point, you have gone through three of the steps toward forgiving

yourself. The fourth part of the forgiveness technique is about the

future. At some point in the future, you are likely to be faced with a

similar situation. This will be an opportunity to take corrective action.

When you are in this similar event, make the correct choice where you can

“hit the mark.” Once you have done that then you will be in a position to

truly forgive yourself.

Use the forgiveness technique to resolve one incident at a time. Focus on

areas where you have hurt yourself or someone else and need to forgive yourself.

Once you have removed the events with the most charge, you will find that

other events might surface as might different aspects of the same event.

Use EFT for all the different aspects. As you do this, you are

likely to find that you will be feeling more confident and your energy will be

lighter.

Loren Fogelman, M.Ed., CADCI

Perseverance v. Being Stubborn

2008-08-26T13:34:00.000-07:00

Source: http://www.angelfire.com/rings/ladypp/perseverance.html

DEFINITIONS

Perseverance - To go on resolutely in spite of opposition, importunity, or obstacles; to remain unchanged or fixed in a specified character, condition, or position; to stick with something, especially something difficult or challenging

Being stubborn - Bring unreasonably or perversely unyielding; mulish; unyielding and unopen to reason; performed or carried on in an obstinate or rigid manner; difficult to handle, manage or treat

COMPARISONS

Going forward vs. Stonewalling

Working toward something vs. Refusing to do something

Having a positive goal vs. Having a negative goal

Making something happen vs. Not permitting something to happen

EXAMPLE

Henry Ward Beecher said, "The difference between perseverance and obstinacy is that one comes from a strong will, and the other from a strong won't."

Selina persevered in her goal of becoming a teacher. She kept at it despite a lot of obstacles. At one point she had to stop and take a job to pay the tuition. At another time, her study was interrupted when her husband was transferred. To get her degree and become a teacher took a lot of time, energy and money, but she persevered and achieved her goal.

Evan was stubborn and withholding in his relationship with Esmerelda. He would not give her what she wanted under any circumstances. He would ask her where she wanted to go for dinner. She would say, "Mexican food." He would say, "No." She would ask him to suggest something and he would say again, "No, you choose." Then the game would start again. Evan was impossible and "mulish."

KEY POINT

It's good to persevere, and not good to be stubborn. When you persevere, you are working toward a positive goal that's attainable. You are flexible and creative in pursuing possible alternatives toward your goal.

When you're being stubborn, you're either being negative to yourself (refusing to give up when you should), or to others (refusing to do what they want or to give them what they want), or to something (being in denial and refusing to face the facts).

BENEFITS

When you persevere, you make things happen. When you're being stubborn you just stop things from happening. Persevering accomplishes something. Being stubborn accomplishes nothing.

RELATED DISTINCTIONS

Being open to new possibilities vs. Saying no to new possibilities

Making suggestions vs. Just saying no to other people's suggestions

How to Get a Stubborn Family Member to Look After Themselves:

Stop trying to coerce, nag, bully, or talk your family member into taking care of themselves. Doing so never works, it just causes them to rebel more, and drains you of your energy.

Tell the truth. Tell your family member how you feel when you see them choosing to live an unhealthy life. You might say, "I feel furious when I see you smoking." Or "I feel scared that you are going to die when I see you eating that doughnut so soon after your triple heart bypass." Do your best to speak in a way that expresses how YOU are feeling, without blaming your family member.
Model healthy behavior. Taking good care of yourself is the only thing you CAN do. You can't make someone else take care of themselves, but if you show them that you are willing to get rest, practice healthy nutrition, talk about your feelings, move and breathe in healthy ways, then you'll feel better no matter what they choose to do, and you might just inspire them to try it.
Give them some space. Sometimes people only know how to get attention when they are doing something that ultimately hurts them. People rush in to save them, and secretly, they like it even though they're getting "negative" attention. Instead, reserve your attention for when they are doing things that are good for them. Praise them for the good choices.
Reflect back their choices. When someone in your life is choosing something that can kill or hurt them, remind them that they are making a choice, and in doing so, are choosing death. Sometimes a little tough love can assist them in seeing what they are doing.
Understand their pain. The only reason people wouldn't take good care of themselves, is because they are in some kind of pain. They might be scared to die, and that's why they don't want to go to the doctor. (It doesn't have to make sense). Or maybe they are using those cigarettes to stem the flow of their sadness. Whatever it is, understanding that they're in pain, will help you to see their innocence underneath.

Open question: Thoughts about future

2008-08-22T21:52:00.001-07:00

As I am planning to move to India, and I am making concrete plans about the company to join. The thoughts keep coming to me about how the things will be India. About the social, religious, family and corporate aspects of my life in India. Though I have not invited the thoughts, but still they keep coming.

My question- why they started to come to me? Any ideas by the readers?

Planning out in advance

2008-08-22T21:49:00.000-07:00

This is a worldly blog.

The things we want to do fall in two buckets: One is when we are responsible and doer of the thing. And the other is when we have lot of people involved in getting the things done.

In both the cases, the planning is needed. However it becomes more important in the later case. Actually not just the planning, but planning and communicating to others. It solves two problems essentially:
1. Others are mentally ready to do the things according to the planning.
2. In case they do not agree to the plan, they would only support in getting the things done if they have made themselves agree to the plan- no matter they like it or not. In case the things has not been planned and communicated, the emotions of other people will show up during getting the things done- and it will create problems.

Monkey Example

2008-08-22T21:38:00.000-07:00

Question: There is a monkey, who is hungry. And he finds some nuts in a pOt with small neck. He gets his hand inside the pot to pick the nuts, and gets his hand full. Now he is not able to get his hand out of pot because his hand is full now and the neck is small. So he thinks that the Pot has caught him and he cries.

So the question is - who is responsible for his grief and his crying? -

Is it the Pot, or his ignorance?

Answer:

The followings are possible causes:

1. Ignorance - which is parallel to wrong knowledge in Moksha Marga

2. Putting the hand in pot - which is parallel to wrong conduct in MokshaMarga

3. Pot's ability of keeping the hand in, if gets into it once- which is parallel to sansaar ka swaroop.

Now to solve the problem, one can only control the first two. If he wants to change the sansaar, then he is in wrong direction because it is not possible. The only solution is to make his knowledge and conduct right to get out of Sansaar.

Learnings from Dhanendra from his training

2008-08-22T20:58:00.000-07:00

1. Lets say someone is writing book, and makes a great a effort and then puts it in the river. Does it make sense for him to write the book?

No. Similarly, we are doing things in life- managing family job, which ends after the life- that also does not make sense.

2. If someone is acting unfair to me. Should I have bad feeling for him.

No. because he is unfair because of his upbrining. And hence the real cause if his parents. And why his parents taught him wrong things - because they were taught badly by their experiences and their own teaching. So now the real cause is something else. It seems there is a big chain of cause and effect relations- so we can not just blame the person who is acting unfair to me.

KaramBhoomi vs. BhogBhomi

2008-08-22T20:40:00.000-07:00

About Bhogbhomi:

Everything is ideal there. One has ideal wife, ideal parents, ideal home, food etc. One does not have any attraction towards other woman, because his woman is too perfect to satisfiy his needs. And he has no fears and instability- everything is almost certain there. The environment, and people are around are perfect too. Kalpvriksha satisfy there needs of food, clothes and home. There are no boundaries around the home. And desires and achievements are matched.

About KaramBhoomi: We live in it.

Peer pressure in Karam Bhoomi: I want to be better or equal to the people around (Maan Kashaya):

There are many dimension where one compares himself with people around:

1. My intelligence

2. My memory

3. My material achievements

4. My looks

5. My education

6. My job and salary

7. My wife- her looks, education etc

8. My parents, sister, brother, Uncle, Aunts etc

One wants to be better or equal to his people around- but he can not be in all above dimensions. And hence one always have desire arisen because of it, in some dimension or the other.

Bhog bhoomi people do not have above complications, and hence there is no peer pressure.

Swarga: Deva have different levels, and hence there is peer pressure- which causes jealousy etc.

Conclusion:

Karam bhoomi people's desires keep increasing and almost neverending. While the same does not exist in Bhogbhoomi. So there are inherent differences in the peers above, which result in this difference.

सम्यक्तवी, मिथ्यात्वी का राग

2008-07-26T19:51:00.000-07:00

सम्यक्तवी का राग:

मिथ्यात्वी का राग: