Showing posts with label Self Restraint. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Self Restraint. Show all posts

Ascent to Spirituality


First and foremost question which strikes our mind instantly is the spiritual identity of a life. Life is restricted to the cycle of birth, development and death. The span between birth and death may be a prolonged one or may be followed by an immediate succession. Some fellow worshippers of knowledge understand this trend easily and consider the divine power as an immortal entity. Some other individuals remain in the clutch of confusion for a long time and fail to recognize the divine as any separate entity. Varieties of qualities in humans; such as intellect, knowledge, clarity of thought, forgiveness, truthfulness, control over the senses and mind, joy and sorrow, birth and death, fear and courage, non-violence, equanimity, contentment, austerity, charity, fame, and infamy; all develop from the supreme sense which implies a command upon memory, intellect and ego.[1] Combination of all such qualities may vary considerably. Combination of such qualities finalise the nature of an individual. Some of the combination may be wiser and some other combination may be demonic.

The yoga of devotion makes the individual linked to the divine power and with such inclination a devotee gains the sense of divine omnipresence quite easily. Such individual considers the diversity of all the living forms as a form radiated out from the divine. All such forms even remain restricted to the divine and get merged to the source after completion of life. It is similar to the act of the formation of clouds at the ocean bed and development of streams due to down pour from the clouds. All these acts jointly ensure the cyclic movement of water from ocean to mountains and again from mountains to oceans through streams. Intermediate results may be of many types and many forms, but the real identity of water droplet remains unchanged.

Whatever we acquire in the form of knowledge will enrich the society in different ways and even it will enrich our efforts of feeling the omnipresence of the divine power. Lord describes himself as an inseparable entity of different forms and capacities which remain prevalent in the surrounding. Lord Shiva, for an example, among Rudras is divine. Every individual in this universe are capable of feeling the oneness with the divine, but they may not be capable of accommodating the source as we may not be able to accommodate the sun in our immediate surroundings. We can feel the warmth and illumination of the sun from a safest distance. Before reaching the ground such radiation is even filtered by the realm of atmosphere. We are absolutely incapable of assimilating the ultraviolet radiations at even a fraction of a percent. Such radiations are competent enough in killing any life forms. On the other hand we cannot think about birth and manifestation of any life form without the sun.

The person having true knowledge of the cycle of creation and destruction keep faith on the divine power and start exploring the existence of such power within the self. Two types of individuals see such a divine power in two different ways: one can recognize it as an inseparable part of the self and other can recognize it as a separate entity having no linkage to the self.

It is more important for an individual to realise the Divine omnipresence; that sense is the only positive impulse which is capable enough in linking up the living form to the nature with perfect band of participatory efforts; such effort will bring desired results during every instances of the functional involvement of the individual in society. Vedic rituals, medicinal herbs, worships of all types and cultivation of knowledge are nothing but different aspects of realising the omni-presence of divine power.[2]   One can recognize the role of the divine power in different realms of creation and destruction.

Person having noble conducts in society remain there in the memory of individuals for a considerable time and may secure a prominent position in the history of development. Such an individual even secure a prominent position amongst nobles because of noble deeds. They even imply a notable influence upon the social conducts. Their contribution in terms of knowledge enrichment may even become the part of the treasure of Vedas. The only lord worshipped by people is the divine power or the creation element (Purush). Common individuals do not know that they worship the supreme creation elements in varying forms. All actions, conducts, rituals and worships should be aimed ultimately towards worshiping the supreme creation element (Purush).  We can even maintain our utter faith on the role of such a creation element in making the process of all the creations true.

Even sinners come out of the clutches of sin after knowing the ultimate fate of such sins and start residing in the process recognizing the presence of creator element (Purush) by the side of the holy creations. They even start recognizing the wider form of the divine manifestation and start delivering their duty in the society with an altered conducts. They quickly get the shelter of the divine and start defining their role in society.

The mighty wind blowing everywhere rests always in sky. In the same way all the organisms rest always in the divine lord and get manifested accordingly when time permits. At the end of one creation cycle all the organisms duly created will be merged into the realm of materials and energy and the entire collection of such kind of lump will be directed towards any of the black hole towards which the centrally located star system will feel the power of attraction. The situation of such a dramatic withdrawal of the diversity of creation may be initiated at any moment. None of the creations and destructions of any types are ever capable of binding the divine power in them. This creator power (the PURUSH element in accord to Sankhya Philosophy) remains independent of the realm of creation and destruction. It ensures the process without being involved actively in the entire process of manifestation. Buddhism adopted changes incorporated in Vedic rituals and other traditional doctrines, which remained in practice through Vedic, Sankhya and Yoga based rituals.[3]

Divine power of such a doer type may often remain non-recognisable because of the non-association of such power in the process of creation. We often recognize the intellect and soul holding such intellect as the creator element. The soul and intellect can have a reflection of the creator superconscious doer element but it cannot be ascribed directly as a doer. We also recognize the soul of an individual as a non-destroyable entity as that of the divine power.  It is similar to that of a stream of water joins the other and a beam of light joins the other. All such sources lose their individual identity before joining. Similar the thing is true regarding diffusion of soul in the surrounding when any individual dies. Band of energy get absorbed in the celestial collection and may be utilized at some other instances randomly during some other phases of creations.

Because of this reason material world moves through series of changes and one change is followed by series of other changes of varying degree and intensity.

Is there any clear distinction in the process of socialisation of human beings during which we may witness activation of a Divine Power (in the form of a Prophet or AVATARA) amongst us? What kind of indications may be there depending upon which we start claiming omnipresence of such power beside us during all instances? The Bhagavadgita highlighted it clearly during discourses in the fourth chapter.[4] Even the purpose of such manifestation is narrated by the Divine Power.[5] People, along with clear understanding of the ways and means of this divine manifestation, succeed in keeping oneself devoid of material attachment to the nature and remain contented thoroughly; by doing so they enjoy the optimum liberation.

Expectations in General

What we want from our immediate surrounding will finalise our comprehensive approach with which exploration of resources and technologies will be advanced. Our effort of linking up resources and technology will confer the effort with which we also want people to get associated with us. Our kind of will inflicted primarily with a sort of bias will generate a sort of agony in the mind of other community or ethnic group of any distant location. One sided aspiration of progress may even give birth to the sort of agony and misconduct. It may even give birth to group clashes and other oppressive conducts of varying types. We are witnessing similar kinds of unrest which are mushrooming at different out pockets of our society. We are, keeping pace with the progressive trend of conflicts, becoming bound to tackle such problems day by day. 

It is also obvious that replacement of armed forces by the acts and conducts of nonviolent resolution may not bring immediate result as some of the countries are badly inflicted with an intention of grabbing resources, lands and technologies of other states without taking care of the aspirations of people settled in the state. Violation of such kinds of basic rules may bring nations back to the war front as some of the leading nations remain indulged in such kind of proxy war, cold war and armed operations. Leadership characters of those conflicting states may also put other nations in trouble as the flow of resources, man power and currencies went on linked and interlinked day by day since last couple of decades. Bringing them out of such network will be easy to say but difficult to implement.

At some instances we may come across the situation during which some of the small and marginal stakeholders living within the jurisdiction of a state may claim that they are in the verge of extinction due to non-supportive policies of the Nation State. Lack of any kind of inclusiveness in the entire framework of development plan may give birth to such kind of separatism and unrest with which some of the states like India are suffering. Addressing all such wills and wishes while keeping the issues of National Security intact is really a matter of deep concern and is open for arranging an intensive study and scholastic interventions. We cannot go on dreaming about any rapid solution to such kinds of burning issues. Boroland of Assam, for an example, is receiving extensive in-migration of different types of Non-Boro Community and are agitating against such kind of state sponsored or some sort of illegal in-migrations. Their demand for a state to safeguard their cultural and social integrity is still a burning issue which puts even India Government in trouble.

We have examples of such kinds of unrest and agony in plenty. It also indicates that the state policy lacks some sort of inclusive efforts with which such kinds of issues would have been addressed effectively. Plans were made as a fraction of the large segments with an anticipation of gaining participation from the reference community but their faith, cultural blend and spiritual orientation utterly kept aside. It was also a plan inflicted with partial motive force of development which gained a negative response from the community members. Expectation of such type, as state planners are coining, should have some sort of comprehensive study and a kind of acculturation with which active participation of the community will be advanced. We are here to sort out such kinds of comprehensive planning process impregnated with resolutions of Peace and Nonviolence to make up our mind for comprehensive and collective progress.

To understand our expectations in a better way it would be better if we move on through an incident which was recorded during execution of a welfare activity at a village level. A farmer named Budhu received a pair of bullock from a nationalized bank. Because of certain health problem he has lost one bullock within a span of one year. Another unpaired bullock became useless. Bank wanted to recover the loan amount form him. He had two alternatives. With the help of the primary teacher of the nearby primary school he has submitted an application to the Branch Manager of the bank requesting him to provide a bullock or to take the living one back.

          The application was of a peculiar type. This incident took place in a village under Nimdih Block of Saraikela, Jharkhand.  Logically Budhu admitted his problem and requested a support from the financial institution. Bank had no such provision of allocating fund for a single bullock or to take the live bullock back. Because of that reason application of Budhu was kept aside. He appeal for a solution remained buried under the heap of pending applications.           After a gap of five years, a new bank officer took the charge of that branch. By that time loan amount which remained in the name of Budhu became a major amount. By paying such amount one can purchase two pairs of bullock similar to those assigned to Budhu. The scheme under which Budhu received such support was under the scheme of Integrated Rural Development Scheme sanctioned by the Government. The matter went to the judiciary. Coming out of the problem and giving any adequate remedy was not in the hand of Bank, Government or even Budhu himself. The only annoying thing happening was the expenses upon the bullock which had no adequate financial return.

          There was another Ashram School Teacher working in the locality. He was even popular amongst villagers because of his timely services. He came to know about the incident. The fellow teacher used to move frequently in the surrounding villages. Because of that reason he had another farmer like Budhu having only one bullock alive. He had arranged a meeting of both the farmer to sort out the problem. Both the farmer decided to work together in a condition of exchanging bullocks for alternate period of six months. Legal proceedings went in the favour of Budhu. There was adequate scope for Budhu to take another pair of bullock from the bank. But the offer was not considered fruitful by the fellow farmer because of his bitter experiences that he went through recently.

          This incident tells us about the limitations of the support services of bank, government or any other welfare institutions. Coming out of the boundary for delivering timely relevant service requires flexibility. The kind of such flexibility is lacking in the present day system of support mechanism. Ultimately farmer, other socially active group and social workers came close to sort out a solution which can give immediate ease to the victim. Because of lack of certain technological input, the problem became a big one. There are instruments that can be handled efficiently even by using a single bullock. That sort of technology was absolutely unknown to both the farmers as well as to the officials.  Installation of any system, monitoring of the same for a stipulated time span, giving support services to the reference group for a selected period of time and helping the person in gaining adequate pace in the production practices are some of the components which should have adequate place in the planning of extending any financial support. Loss of any kind at any place should be considered as a loss to the Nation State.

It is absolutely clear that people involved in the welfare activities rarely bring themselves perfectly in the forefront with adequate enthu; they even lose regulations upon the system due to complications of the planning and implementation process of schemes; lack of spiritual blend in the entire system of financial regulation and execution of the same is another matter of serious concern.

 


[1] Bhagvadgita X – 4-5;

[2] Bhagvadgita IX – 15-18:

Cultivators of knowledge worship supreme lord as an entity. They recognize the diversified forms of such divine power at different instances. Divine power is the worship, Vedic chanting, the fire , the butter and the rituals. Divine is the object of knowledge, the creator element and the Pranava (Om). It is the basis of everything that we see. It has its presence as a creator as well as destroyer element in the universe.

[3] Tadeusz Skorupski (2015). Michael Witzel (ed.). Homa Variations: The Study of Ritual Change Across the Longue DurĂ©e. Oxford University Press. pp. 78–81. ISBN 978-0-19-935158-9.

[4] “Whenever there is a decline in righteousness and a corresponding increase in unrighteousness, The Lord manifest and become active amongst us on earth”

……The Bhagavadgita IV 7.

[5]  “Lord manifest and dwell amongst us to fulfill various purposes; it is not confirmed but can be proposed; to protect the righteous, to annihilate the wicked, and to re-establish the principles of dharma; the Divine Lord appear on this earth, time to time and age after age” ….. The Bhagavadgita IV 8

 

Self Restraint

My first experience of jail life was in 1908. I saw that some of the regulations that the prisoners had to observe were such as should voluntarily be observed by a brahmachari, that is, one desiring to practise self-restraint. Such, for instance, was the regulation requiring the last meal to be finished before sunset. Neither the Indian nor the African prisoners were allowed tea or coffee. They could add salt to the cooked food if they wished, but they might not have anything for the mere satisfaction of the palate. When I asked the jail medical officer to give us curry powder, and to let us add salt to the food whilst it was cooking, he said: 'You are not here for satisfying your palate. From the point of view of health, curry powder is not necessary, and it makes no difference whether you add salt during or after cooking.'


Ultimately these restrictions were modified, though not without much difficulty, but both were wholesome rules of self-restraint. Inhibitions imposed from without rarely succeed, but when they are self-imposed, they have a decidedly salutary effect. So, immediately after release from jail, I imposed on myself the two rules. As far as was then possible, I stopped taking tea, and finished my last meal before sunset. Both these now require no effort in the observance.


There came, however an occasion which compelled me to give up salt altogether, and this restriction I continued for an unbroken period of ten years. I had read in some books on vegetarianism that salt was not a necessary article of diet for man, that on the contrary saltless diet was better for the health. I had deduced that a brahmachari benefited by a saltless diet. I had read and realized that the weak-bodied should avoid pulses. I was very fond of them.


Now it happened that Kasturbai, who had a brief respite after her operation, had again begun getting haemorrhage, and the malady seemed to be obstinate. Hydropathic treatment by itself did not answer. She had not much faith in my remedies, though she did not resist them. She certainly did not ask for outside help. So when all my remedies had failed, I entreated her to give up salt and pulses. She would not agree, however much I pleaded with her, supporting myself with authorities. At last she challenged me, saying that even I could not give up these articles if I was advised to do so. I was pained and equally delighted - delighted in that I got an opportunity to shower my love on her. I said to her: 'You are mistaken. If I was ailing and the doctor advised me to give up these or any other articles, I should unhesitatingly do so. But there! Without any medical advice, I give up salt and pulses for one year, whether you do so or not.'


She was rudely shocked and exclaimed in deep sorrow: 'Pray forgive me. Knowing you, I should not have provoked you. I promise to abstain from these things, but for heaven's sake take back your vow. This is too hard on me.'


'It is very good for you to forego these articles. I have not the slightest doubt that you will be all the better without them. As for me, I cannot retract a vow seriously taken. And it is sure to benefit me, for all restraint, whatever prompts it, is wholesome for men. You will therefore leave me alone. It will be a test for me, and a moral support to you in carrying out your resolve.'


So she gave me up. 'You are too obstinate. You will listen to none,' she said, and sought relief in tears.


I would like to count this incident as an instance of Satyagraha, and it is one of the sweetest recollections of my life.


After this Kasturbai began to pick up quickly - whether as a result of the saltless and pulseless diet or of the other consequent changes in her food; whether as a result of my strict vigilance in exacting observance of the other rules of life, or as an effect of the mental exhilaration produced by the incident, and if so to what extent, I cannot say. But she rallied quickly, haemorrhage completely stopped, and I added somewhat to my reputation as a quack.


As for me, I was all the better for the new denials. I never craved for the things I had left, the year sped away, and I found the senses to be more subdued than ever. The experiment stimulated the inclination for self-restraint, and I continues the abstention from the articles until long after I returned to India. Only once I happened to take both the articles whilst I was in London in 1914. But of that occasion, and as to how I resumed both, I shall speak in a later chapter.


I have tried the experiment of a saltles and pulseless diet on many of my co-workers, and with good results in South Africa. Medically there may be two opinions as to the value of this diet, but morally I have no doubt that all self-denial is good for the soul. The diet of a man of self-restraint must be different from that of a man of pleasure, just as their ways of life must be different. Aspirants after brahmacharya often defeat their own end by adopting courses suited to a life of pleasure.



Towards Self-Restraint

I have described in the last chapter how Kasturbai's illness was instrumental in bringing about some changes in my diet. At a later stage more changes were introduced for the sake of supporting brahmacharya.


The first of these was the giving up of milk. It was from Raychandbhai that I first learnt that milk stimulated animal passion. Books on vegetarianism strengthened the idea, but so long as I had not taken the brahmacharya vow I could not make up my mind to forego milk. I had long realized that milk was not necessary for supporting the body, but it was not easy to give it up. While the necessity for avoiding milk in the interests of self-restraint was growing upon me, I happened to come across some literature from Calcutta, describing the tortures to which cows and buffaloes were subjected by their keepers. This had a wonderful effect on me. I discussed it with Mr. Kallenbach.


Though I have introduced Mr. Kallenbach to the readers of the history of Satyagraha in South Africa, and referred to him in a previous chapter, I think it necessary to say something more about him here. We met quite by accident. He was a friend of Mr. Khan's, and as the latter had discovered deep down in him a vein of other-worldliness he introduced him to me.


When I came to know him I was startled at his love of luxury and extravagance. But at our very first meeting, he asked searching questions concerning matters of religion. We incidentally talked of Gautama Buddha's renunciation. Our acquaintance soon ripened into very close friendship, so much so that we thought alike, and he was convinced that he must carry out in his life the changes I was making in mine.


At that time he was single, and was expending Rs. 1,200 monthly on himself, over and above house rent. Now he reduced himself to such simplicity that his expenses came to Rs. 120 per month. After the breaking up of my household and my first release from jail, we began to live together. It was a fairly hard life that we led.


It was during this time that we had the discussion about milk. Mr. Kallenbach said, 'We constantly talk about the harmful effects of milk. Why then do not we give it up? It is certainly not necessary.' I was agreeably surprised at the suggestion, which I warmly welcomed, and both of us pledged ourselves to abjure milk there and then. This was at Tolstoy Farm in the year 1912.


But this denial was not enough to satisfy me. Soon after this I decided to live on a pure fruit diet, and that too composed of the cheapest fruit possible. Our ambition was to live the life of the poorest people.


The fruit diet turned out to be very convenient also. Cooking was practically done away with. Raw groundnuts, bananas, dates, lemons, and olive oil composed our usual diet.


I must here utter a warning for the aspirants of brahmacharya. Though I have made out an intimate connection between diet and brahmacharya, it is certain that mind is the principal thing. A mind consciously unclean cannot be cleansed by fasting. Modifications in diet have no effect on it. The concupiscence of the mind cannot be rooted out except by intense self-examination, surrender to God and, lastly, grace. But there is an intimate connection between the mind and the body, and carnal mind always lusts for delicacies and luxuries. To obviate this tendency dietetic restrictions and fasting would appear to be necessary. The carnal mind, instead of controlling the senses, becomes their slave, and therefore the body always needs clean non-stimulating foods and periodical fasting.


Those who make light of dietetic restrictions and fasting are as much in error as those who stake their all on them. My experience teaches me that, for those whose minds are working towards self-restraint, dietetic restriction and fasting are very helpful. In fact without their help concupiscence cannot be completely rooted out the mind.