Philosophy of Peace

‘Today you have completed one year of sadhana and tapasya in this Ashram, my son. You have done very well so far. But we have to continue deepening our spirit and broadening our consciousness. It is an ongoing process that we should continue till the end of life….

‘We will discuss in our next seven sessions about a holistic philosophy of peace that is so much needed in this present era. Your own life-mission, my son, is to be a prophet of peace in a violent world….You have to lay a strong foundation for a new World Order for a culture of peace…

‘People all over the world are hungering and thirsting for peace today. They seek peace through acquisition of wealth and power, and also through enjoyment of pleasures, only to be disillusioned at the end. They come to realize late in their lives that wealth, power or pleasure is not the real source of peace. These are often obstacles in the path of true peace. But this realization comes sometimes quite late in life, when there is no possibility of retracing one’s steps and reorienting one’s life….

‘Nations talk of peace in terms of absence of war. They create strong Armies, Navies and Air Forces, and pile up more and more deadly bombs and missiles as deterrents of war….. Religions are promoting divisions and conflicts rather than harmony and peace in the world…..

‘All things put together, we realize that nation-states and religions, as they are today, cannot create a culture of peace in the world.’ The Baba looked at Atma Prakash. 

He was listening attentively.

‘Then how can we hope to find peace in the world, guruji ?’ Atma Prakash asked.

The Baba seemed to be reflecting on the question. 

Then he said: ‘First of all we will need a holistic spiritual philosophy of peace. That is what we are trying to provide through the seven spiritual laws of peace that we will be discussing later….

‘We will also need sovereign spiritual persons and integrated basic communities of peace. They will have to live by and promote this spiritual philosophy of peace. Such sovereign spiritual persons and integrated basic communities will be the catalysts and seedbeds of a true and lasting culture of peace in the world….’

The Baba stopped and looked into the eyes of Atma Prakash who was all attention…..He continued:

‘More than 80% of people all over the world believe in the transcendental dimension of life and follow one religion or the other. That means religion still plays an important role in the lives and affairs of people all over the world. This will also imply that peace in the world will be impossible without peace among religions in the world. For us in India, it is very important to remember this truth if we are to build a great new India of peace, prosperity and power….. 

‘Religion is very important for us. We cannot root them out from the society, as they tried to do in erstwhile USSR. Religion gives meaning and purpose to our lives. Without it, we can be totally lost…

‘But today religions have also become divisive and destructive forces. We need to go beyond religion to spirituality if we are to find a way out of the present crisis. It is spirituality that can unite religions and humanity at large. Spirituality is also the goal and aim of all religions. We need today, more than any other time before, a spirituality of unity and peace. …..

‘We need to build our nation and the world on the strong foundation of a socio-spiritual philosophy of peace. I have over the years formulated seven spiritual laws that can together provide a strong foundation for such a socio-spiritual philosophy of peace. I have termed these seven spiritual laws of peace as ‘Sapta Rishi’ and the socio-spiritual philosophy constituted by them as ‘Dharmodaya’, my son.’ The Baba stopped and was silent as if recollecting his thoughts. 

Excerpts from Integral Revolution

OPTIMIST VERSUS PESSIMIST

We are very familiar with the often used example for an optimist and a pessimist. When a glass is half full, the optimist sees it as half full and the pessimist as half empty. Both are right: the only difference is that the one looks at the positive while the other at the negative side of life. The optimist is more likely to trust others, is more willing to give others a chance, is more willing to take a risk, is more willing to let things unfold and see what happens, and is more hopeful. The pessimist has difficulty trusting others, is more cautious, more concerned about not being deceived or tricked, and is less willing to take a risk.

When I visited my older brother a few years ago, he told me during one conversation: “Pappacha (that is my pet name or nick name while growing up), these days you cannot trust anybody.” I asked him: “Does that include you too?” A little perplexed at my unexpected question, with bit of a skeptic smile he replied: “Yes”. I tell people: “if pessimism helps you, keep it”. But I do not know anyone who has been helped by pessimism.

From the beginning of humanity, there have been pessimists and doomsayers. All the human progress took place because of optimists who dared to risk their life, made investments of energy and resources, and pursued adventurous explorations that others thought insane. We are willing to climb on the bandwagon of progress that others sacrificed for. Some years ago I bought a piece of land in the heart of Sunset Point on the seashore in cape Kanyakumari (South India).  An older brother (not the one mentioned above) and a nephew were with me. When after giving the final word to the broker, I got on a katamaran (three logs tied together that fishermen in South India use) to go into the deep sea with a fisherman, my brother, calling me insane (pichen), and my nephew walked away sad. In the open sea I had the thrill of my life as it was a unique experience.  I know many will not take the risk of riding a katmaran in the ocean.  Now that the property I bought there has become very valuable, my insanity also went away as far as they are concerned.

Life is full of risks. Some take greater risks; most take smaller ones. If one is concerned about the accidents on the road that could take place in spite of being a good driver, one will not drive. I will only advocate reasonable and calculated risks that one can take and live with. There is no way one can experience intense joy without intense pain. The higher the peak one climbs for a unique, indescribable, and delightful view, the lower the valley.  It is all a question of contrast. We know the familiar saying that there no gain without pain.

In the midst of all the senseless human-caused tragedies and destruction that take place daily, it is difficult to be optimistic. But we have no choice except being optimists even while we take necessary precautions. Humanity’s march towards it destiny cannot be halted by pessimists who put damper on initiatives and even breaks due to their own unfounded fears and anxieties.  Optimism is likely to go with encouragement, enthusiasm, and celebration of life.

Swami Snehananda Jyoti  

The Wall

Once upon a time, two hermits, moved by the desire of sanctifying themselves, lived in a hostile, rocky desert. Their caves faced each other.  

After years of intense prayer and terrible mortifications, one hermit was convinced   that he had arrived at the summit of perfection.  

The other was equally pious, but also good and kind. He would stop to talk with the pilgrims who visited them once in a long while. He would take care and give hospitality to any one who had lost his way, or even to fugitives – time stolen from meditation and prayer, thought the first hermit, who disapproved even the least shortcomings of the other.  

To make the other understand in a very visible way, how far he was from sanctity, he decided to place a stone in front of his own cave, every time the other made a mistake – a stone, of course, proportionate to the gravity of the mistake was added.  

In time, there rose in front of his cave a solid wall closing him in. With all his preoccupation with the other man’s failures, you better imagine what happened to his own spiritual pursuit.

Indian Thoughts Archives

WHO AM I? WHERE AM I HEADED?

These are questions that persons ask many times during their life time. Depending on their age and mental status in life their answers may vary from time to time. Yet the basic goal may remain even though the situations and approaches to that goal may vary. When I look at my own self, I left home and the state of Kerala at the age of 17 to join the Jesuits to work for God by serving humanity. That goal remains the same for me even though I left the Jesuit organization (the Society of Jesus) 25 years after being with them. I can see myself going through different phases or transformations or even rebirths. So much so I cannot recognize myself ideologically and spiritually from the 17-year old young person I left home in 1957 from the person that I am now in 2016, even as I look at the breath-taking Munnar area mountains in Kerala very nearby while writing this. I never thought I would be back in Kerala as I left it to join the great Jesuit order. The transformation phases may be viewed as: 1. The innocent and naïve school years living at home acquiring basic skills and bonding, 2. The very rigorous formative years in Jesuit life that eventually led to leaving the Jesuits for untrammelled search for meaning and truth, 3. The American phase of intense living and experimenting while holding a series of responsible jobs leading to the concept of East-West Awakening, 4. The final phase that I am in, namely, evolving to be a world-citizen, being loyal only to humanity, returning to India and putting ideas into practice in community living in an ashram. This is a stage of integration and final reckoning, taking stock of everything and readying for transition from this life. 

The principles that guide me in this final phase are 1. Spirituality beyond Religions, 2. Relationships beyond blood bond, 3. Unity of Humanity (Sarva Loka Aikyam), 4. Friendship with all religions (Sarva Matha Sauhrudam), 5. Practical life beyond religious or political affiliations.

St. Ignatius of Loyola, a great spiritual guide wrote his ‘Spiritual Exercises’ by 1524, and popularized retreats. He wanted persons to continually discern their life to make right choices in life, to serve God and humans relentlessly with a view to one’s and everyone else’s salvation. He comes from a particular religion, culture, and time. Making necessary changes, we can adapt his Spiritual Exercises to our own time so all can benefit. Ignatius believed surrendering everything to God while working ‘For the Greater Glory of God’ (Ad Maiorem Dei Gloriam) which was his motto. He also applied in his life the principle of ‘Tantum Quantum’ (Use of creatures only so far as they are helpful in reaching one’s destiny).

In sum, in this final stage, for me, it is to do everything according to the Will of God (Universal Energy) in True Inner Freedom.

Swami Snehananda Jyoti 

Supreme God Money

For a very long period I had a belief that the ranking of money comes much below than faith, trust, respect etc. I always believed that religious faith is a genuine attribute found in most human beings. I thought that when people pray, they pray for wellness of self and everyone around them. The happenings in our country and globally are forcing me to consider another aspect of faith, which is money. The only faith seems to be money for a very large chunk in the current social system. The so called growing religious fanatism is nothing but a way of earning livelihood for many. Obviously this route does have enough scope of crossing the limits and it becomes a sort of greed which is no more for livelihood alone. A king clad like a normal person, decided to stay in an inn. A priest was also staying in the same inn. By the way the baggage of both king and the priest were of same shape, size and colour. When they checked out in the morning there baggage gets exchanged. When the king thought of changing his clothes while on his way back, he opened the baggage and saw that it was full of cash and two small clay statues of worship idols. He decided to return to the inn for returning this bag to the priest. By the time priest had already returned to the inn with few policemen and with a baggage containing the royal clothes. He had reported to the police regarding the theft of his baggage along with the amount it contained. The policemen also doubted the king, if he had also made a theft in the palace. Finally the king had to come in his royal avatar to prove innocence. He also asked the priest regarding why he had not reported regarding the missing statues. The priest answered, “I can buy many such statues with the cash I had, but statues can’t get me anything”. The king was surprised with this answer from a priest whose job is to make people, believers of religion. This is a simple story is without a great climax, but it does have a message about the realities around us. Now apply these realities to any and every religion, you will discover the same truth, that “Supreme God is Money”. No, No! Please do not reach any conclusion about my personality with this statement. My beliefs are still not shattered, but I must admit that I do see a lot of foundations being broken all around me. Are you feeling a similar pain, please do share your pain with me, it will get reduced by sharing.

 

Dr. Sunil Ji Garg

The Essence

The Baba replied: ‘Truth is that which is eternal and changeless, and that which has an existence in itself…..

‘The ‘Ultimate Truth’ is the Supreme Spirit, ‘Paramatman’,.. within which divine light and the divine love exist. The ‘Highest Truth’ is divine love experienced as ‘Satchitananda’ as we have already seen. The ‘Essential Truth’ is divine light, the living Spirit of Christ, the ‘Sadguru’. The Essential Truth is all that we need for a fruitful life of love, peace and joy. This is what Sadguru Jesus Christ offers to us…

‘Hence, we can say that the Ultimate Truth is a Spirit-Light-Love trinity; a Paramatman-Satchitananda-Sadguru trinity…..

‘Light is ‘wisdom’, the perceptible aspect of this Trinitarian Truth; and love is its experiential aspect. Hence, we can also say that light and love are two sides of the Ultimate Truth. Truth alone survives in the end. ‘Satyameva Jayate’ is India’s National Motto……

‘As love is the experiential dimension of the Ultimate Truth beyond all time and space limitations, love can also be taken as Truth. That is why it is said by many saints and sages that ‘God is love’..

‘As we have already seen, God is experienced as love infinite. Hence, it is sufficient to take the path of love as the path of Truth. True love is divine love that is ever forgiving, enduring and self-giving. This true love is the real experiential aspect of God as revealed by Sadguru Jesus Christ…..

‘Understand the Truth, my son, and the Truth will set you free. The Supreme Spirit wills itself into Pure Consciousness, the Primordial Word, the divine light, which is the source of all wisdom and ground of all existence. The Supreme Spirit also expresses itself as divine love, the Creative Power, that brings forth diverse forms of matter, life and being in, with and through the Pure Consciousness. The divine light and the divine love exist in the Supreme Spirit and because of the Supreme Spirit….

‘The Supreme Spirit with the divine light and divine love is also present in the Sadguru who dwells within every human heart. This living Spirit of Christ, the ‘Son’ of God the Supreme Spirit, found its best and perfect historical expression in Jesus of Nazareth the Christ…

‘Hence, we can worship God, best by surrendering our personal spirits, our individual souls, to the Supreme Spirit at all times in all things by following the path of loving self-surrender as taught and demonstrated to the world by Sadguru Jesus Christ….

‘The Holy Spirit of God will ever guide us in this quest for the ultimate meaning and purpose of our human life if we sincerely adhere to the path of light and love. This is the Truth and the path of Truth, my son.’ … The Baba stopped and looked into the eyes of Atma Prakash.

Excerpts from Integral Revolution

SIGNS OF A SEARCHER FOR TRUTH

Here is a brief vignette related to an incident that took place about three weeks ago in June 20016. A young man from the USA found a future bride in India.  After visits and negotiations between the two families for about a year, the marriage was on the verge of taking place. Expensive preparations were already done. Then came the sudden shocking news that the marriage was all of a sudden cancelled on the part of the future bridegroom. The reason for the cancellation given was that the young man’s family got some compelling negative information from the future bride’s physician first cousin in the USA.  As a result two important brothers of the bridegroom’s father, who are reported to get the crucial information, are said to have declared that they would not attend the wedding if it were to take place. The reason for cancellation was passed on by a cousin of the girl’s father, whose sister is married to a brother  of the young man’s father.  There were very hurt feelings, false accusations, and betrayal of trust that involved many families. This is a real life soap opera. Nobody wants to talk further and get to the real truth. That is when I came into the picture as I was a friend of the young man’s family and a relative of the young woman’s family. As they want me to get to the root of things, I had to tell them that I would not visit them during my visit to the US if they would not talk about what happened. I conducted the inquiry in the manner of a clinical psychologist, that I am, doing a clinical investigation. Finally after spending several hours talking on the phone from India to four key persons in the US, I got the truth.  The conversation that is supposed to be the basis of the marriage cancellation between the two parties did not in fact take place.  

The following then are the signs of a searcher for truth: He or she gets acquainted with all available facts before coming to important conclusions or decisions. That person is not prejudiced or influenced by prior information or who said what in the process of acquiring data. The conclusion is drawn only after all the information has been gathered. All the relevant information is carefully sifted through rigorously and critically.  The conclusion is communicated fearlessly with impartiality and unconcerned about the consequences after communicating it. This person does not engage in careless conversations, and would not talk about things that he or she does not know first hand. He or she will verify and find out the source of the information before it is used.

Recently I met a young lady who stated she is going to do a Ph. D. in communication. I told her there is greatly more miscommunication than communication in the world. That is why conflict resolution is a very difficult task. There is a great deal of gossip and loose conversations all over. This is pastime and entertainment for a lot of people. Remarkably, persons do not pay enough attention to what is said. They filter the information through the screens they have acquired through their non-scrutinized conditioning. They take things out of context, and do not find out the real intent of the person who told them. They interpret the motive of the person communicating. Nobody can get into the mind of someone and know for sure what is going on. The news and advertising media are well-known for false and misleading information. Seekers after truth need to be concerned about the real facts of the matter at hand. In other words, they are empathic and uncompromising votaries of truth. They also practice the Golden Rule: “Do to others what you want others to do to you”.

Swami Snehananda Jyoti 

Spreading Beliefs

We either believe in something or we pretend to believe, but one thing we definitely do is to try convincing others that what we believe in is the ultimate way to solve all problems. Some people specialise in the art of convincing a sufficiently large section of people to believe in their beliefs. Sometimes the commerce of convincing starts taking over the system of beliefs itself. Long ago I heard a story of a lady who was recently married and was about to enter her new house along with her husband. A bride entering her new house is in itself one of the marriage ceremonies and some rituals were getting performed. This bride observed an interesting thing. Her mother-in-law who was approaching her for ceremonies did a very unique act. This bride saw a cat being covered by a bamboo basket. It must have been done with the intention that the cat doesn’t disturb the ceremonies. Interestingly the bride took this episode like a ceremony in itself. When this bride grew old and the great moment of welcoming her daughter-in-law came, she decided to repeat all the ceremonies she was subjected to. She became adamant to find a cat and a bamboo basket before she would welcome the new bride. Her requests were fulfilled; she repeated the custom with lot of pride and allowed to let the new bride in. Before I delve deeper into any sensitive issues, I just believe that the way some political, religious and other leaders are running the commerce of convincing others is like circumstantial customs of olden days are still being carried as a heavy baggage. I am not trying to convince you with my belief; I am just sharing my impression and my own perception. If you share a similar opinion, please do give your feedback. 

Dr. Sunil Ji Garg

‘Sat-Chit-Ananda’

‘I have understood this dimension of God as light very well. Now I am eager to know more about the love dimension of God, guruji.’ Atma Prakash told the Baba.

The Baba responded: ‘God is experienced as ‘love infinite’ that is ever forgiving, that is eternally enduring, and that is infinitely self-sacrificing…. And He is also ‘compassion unlimited’….This is the experiential dimension of God…

‘Human quest for a personal experience of the one true God who is love-infinite found its best expression in, with and through ‘Sat-Chit-Ananda’…..

‘Sat-Chit-Ananda’ means ‘Being-Consciousness-Bliss’. This is a subjective expression of an experience of the one true God who is love infinite. It is the deepest and highest experience of God ever reached by humankind…

‘When the Being, Sat, is experienced as Pure Consciousness, Chit, we experience the ultimate bliss, Ananda. ‘Sat’ is the Ultimate Truth, God. ‘Chit’ is the enlightened consciousness, the pure consciousness that reflects the light of God. ‘Ananda’ is the blissful experience of the divine love flowing into our hearts….. Hence, God can also be named ‘Sat-Chit-Ananda’…This insight into the true nature of God is India’s greatest spiritual contribution to humanity….

‘The Sadguru alone will be able to lead us to the ‘Sat-Chit-Ananda’ experience which is an experience of the one true God in, with and through the Sadguru…. 

‘Human quest for the one true God found its best relational dimension in the living Spirit of Christ in, with and through whom God, the Ultimate Truth, has revealed Himself….

‘Hence, in, with and through the living Spirit of Christ one can enter into a living and loving relationship with God…. 

‘The core message of an Avatar of the third millennium will be: ‘God, the Ultimate Truth, is the omnipotent, omniscient and omnipresent Supreme Spirit and those who worship Him should worship Him as light, love and spirit’, as ‘Sadguru, Satchitananda and Paramatman’….. 

‘It means that first of all we need to understand that the one true God is the omnipotent, omnipresent and omniscient Supreme Spirit,…Paramatman,.. beyond names, forms and attributes. He can be worshipped only in spirit and truth by following the path of light and love. This is the Truth and the path of Truth.’ .. The Baba stopped and looked at Atma Prakash….

‘But revered one, can you once again explain, what is this Truth and what is the path of Truth?’ Atma Prakash was not clear about these concepts. 

Excerpts from ‘Integral Revolution’

A UNIVERSAL PRAYER

An Introductory Note: I came across a substantial part of this prayer I wrote about five years ago, while reorganizing my new office. This prayer is in the context of my going through a very difficult and crucial period of decisions, a period when  also feel abandoned by close relatives and managers of my affairs in the past due to choices I continue to make in the light of my spiritual discernment that envisions a spirituality beyond religions and a practical life beyond blood relationships and political loyalties. At this point, all the energy I can muster is directed toward unity of humanity (Sarva Loka Aikyam) and friendship toward all religions (Sarva Matha Sauhrudam). Elements in the prayer are assimilated and integrated over the years from on-going experiments in what I consider to be holistic and spirit-guided. My living is marked by increasing fearlessness, an ardent desire for integrity, and a surrendering to what is. Needless to say, the prayer integrates my own angst and relentless search and findings. No originality is claimed.

PRAYER

God, Universal Consciousness, Parameshwar (Cosmic Controller),                                           

You govern the whole creation, and care for it. I surrender to you totally.

I know not what will happen to me; but I am sure nothing will happen                            

That has not been by you willed, pre-ordained, and foreseen.

There are times when I wonder about your own existence                                                 

Sometimes I wonder if I have the right kind of faith.

                                                                         

One thing I am certain; I desire to love you with my whole being,                                              

And love my fellow humans as I love myself.

Often times I fail in this. But I never give up; I try and try again.                                                 

If I do not receive what I ask for, help me accept what you give or permit. 

Even if I do not manage to do any good to any human,                                                              

Let me not do harm to anyone in thought, word, or deed.

As a searcher of Truth I do not want to wander away from your Path                                           

My constant yearning is to live and move in you every moment,

And do only your Will as communicated through my conscience.                                               

You are within, outside, and around me. You know all about me.

There are even times when I wonder if I am not a great pretender                                             

Hiding under the guise of search for truth playing a clever game of security.

                                     

I hear myself saying even while calling on You opportunistically:                                                

“Hey Great You, if You do exist, make my journey gentler, pleasanter.”

Be that as it may,

Give me the grace to love every one the way you love                                                                

To treat everyone the way you treat.   

                                                                                                

Let me accept and bless all. Let me celebrate the life you have given.                                       

May all enjoy the harmony and peace that you alone can grant.

Swami Snehananda Jyoti 

Beauty, Brain, Benchmarks and Bluffs

Human beings have a racial quality of comparing things. While it is common to compare resources amongst different people, some people have made good comparisons for measuring things like beauty and brains. A famous benchmarking system for beauty comes from none other than the creator of “Monalisa” painting, Leonardo da Vinci and for brain it comes from Alfred Binet, the creator of IQ test scale called the Binet Simon scale. Can there be a scale to find out how much religious a person is. Today the world is full of people doing various things and bluffing people by saying that they are doing everything for religion. People are comparing religious beliefs and are going to the extent of declaring I am more religious than you so I have the right to live and you don’t. Some people have even tried to bring scales to measure religiousity in a personality of a particular Individual, by framing various questions. It is primarily related to faith in certain happenings beyond logic. But what pinches every right minded person is the comparision of one stream of faith with another stream of faith. When I try to discuss these things with youth of today, I clearly find that the aethist nature is growing, but negative instincts still rules the roosts and when situation arises people do depict a confused state of mind. So friends! I urge the “Generation Z’, to ask themselves, whether they are bluffing their beliefs or if there is a solid measureable foundation, similar to measuring beauty and measuring brains. 

Dr. Sunil Ji Garg

New Lawyer

Joe grew up in a small town, then moved away to attend college and law school.  He decided to come back to the small town because he could be a big man in this small town.  He really wanted to impress everyone.

He opened his new law office, but business was very slow at first.  One day, he saw a man coming up the sidewalk.  He decided to make a big impression on this new client when he arrived.

As the man came to the door, Joe picked up the phone.  He motioned the man in, all the while talking...

"No.  Absolutely not.  You tell those clowns in New York that I won't settle this case for less than one million..."

"Yes.  The Appeals Court has agreed to hear that case next week.  I'll be handling the primary argument and the other members of my team will provide support..."

"Okay.  Tell the DA that I'll meet with him next week to discuss the details..."

This sort of thing went on for almost 5 minutes.  All the while the man sat patiently as Joe rattled instructions.

Finally, Joe put down the phone and turned to the man.

"I'm sorry for the delay, but as you can see, I'm very busy.  What can I do for you?"

The man replied "I'm from the phone company...I came to hook up your phone."

Indian Thoughts Archives