Going Digital

Life's Lessons - Joseph Mattappally

The world has changed, trends too. I doubt, if this transformation is more digital than natural. A forwarding I recently received is just a sample. A lady writes, ‘Dear Technical support, last year I upgraded from Boyfriend 5.0 to Husband 1.0 and I noticed a distinct slowdown in the overall system performance, particularly in the flower and jewellery applications, which operated flawlessly under Boyfriend 5.0. Apart from this, valuable programs, such as Romance 9.5 and Personal Attention 6.5 are not working now and Housecleaning 2.6 simply crashes the system.....’  The message from the support desk read, ‘Dear Madam, First, keep in mind, Boyfriend 5.0 is an Entertainment Package, while Husband 1.0 is an operating system. Please enter command: ithoughtyoulovedme.html and try to download tears 6.2 and install the Guilt 3.0 update.’

The cyber world guarantees comfort but not safety and we are mercilessly imprisoned in a world of helpless netizens. Almost all relationships are tuned, just to the System requirements. Heart is uninstalled, everything is brain decided. Bill Gates has appropriately said, “Politically correct teachings have created a generation of kids with no concept of reality.” As a result, stress has now become the most dangerous of all killer diseases. Why all these stress? The answer is simple; we don’t care our body, we take in as much stimulants as possible, we have lost all self-confidence, we do not know the art of agreeing or disagreeing, we are not disciplined to schedule our day and finally we do not know how to relax. Don’t put off for another day, now is the right time to begin a new discipline in life. It might make you more natural. Somehow, let it not be like the two kings who went after attainment. 

Once upon a time, there was a great Indian sage who taught to give away everything he owns to attain liberation. Such a seeker should not have any desire on anything, he should not think of the next minute. He should not store anything for future. He should not tell who he is to anyone and should meditate in peace with no desire. Quite touched by his preaching, both the kings of Magadha and Kambhoja gave away their kingdoms and went to the forest. Both the kings met each other in the forests, but they did not tell to each other that they were kings. They both used to go out and beg their daily food. According to the rules, they used to eat the food that day itself without storing it for future. One day, they got only rice soup. The king of Kambhoja said to the king of Magadha that it would be better if there was some salt for the taste. Then the Magadha king told that he had some. Slowly they understood that in spite all these sacrifices they could not come up to the level of a sanyasi – one king stored some salt and the other king could not help rice soup without salt.

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Novelty in Creativity

Views and Words - Dr K S Radhakrishnan 

It is the self regulated mechanism of freedom that really leads a society to creativity. Creativity in its ideal form must be novel and noble. By novelty, it means rejuvenation of oneself - that is the most important feature of novelty. Novelty invariably rejuvenates a person to new dimensions and it also leads one to new horizons. It is in this sense that a creative activity becomes the best form of expression that makes every society healthy and wealthy. If a society is not wealthy, it simply means that such a society doesn’t utilize its’ resources in a creative manner. Rejuvenation intends to make use of whatever one has with him/her in tune with the contextual demands and never anything from external sources. Rejuvenation for a person is not through extraction of any sort of energy from external agencies, but that person or the body of that person due to its metabolic mechanism makes use of whatever it has in a more organized manner, to make the body more strong in that context. It is what is called the adaptability of the body mechanism. When novelty rejuvenates oneself, then he/she must be able to produce the best from them. 

There is rejuvenation of economy and health. The best of a nation or of a person can be made only through the process of rejuvenation. In that process, an individual, society or a state makes use of its economic energy in a convergent manner to make it more and more useful. To make a nation wealthy, it is not proper to invade other nations or rob off other’s wealth. Instead, they have to depend upon whatever they have with them. This is how creativity is made novel and noble. The very idea of invasion and exploitation of others is not at all creative because such an idea never makes a person free. A person who is engaged in any sort of exploitation will naturally be living in a world of slavery. It is in this sense that Mahatma Gandhi made it clear that the British people who were establishing colonies in Asia and Africa were not enjoying freedom. He knew that free people never exploit others, they always rejuvenate their own resources. This rejuvenation of one’s own resources must be the source of an economic force according to the Indian concept. Mahatma Gandhi who followed the Advaita system in socio-political life, insisted that Swaraj must be the dictum to govern the socio political and economic forces in India. It is the Swaraj that gives one freedom nobility and novelty; it is the Swaraj that makes one happier. This must be the dictum for everyone who is engaged in a creative activity. 

In literature, plagiarism has totally been treated as unethical. There is no creativity in imitation. Here, no one can enjoy freedom or happiness. A plagiarist cannot also utilize his own talents. This is applicable to the nation also. The case of a nation or a society which exists exploiting others might cease to be wealthy one fine morning. Same is the case with an artist, an industrialist, layman or a family man. While addressing a writer’s conference, Gandhiji made it clear that as an Indian one has to depend on India. The writers who are trying to follow the footsteps of the western authors will never be able to make their attempts a successful one. For ex. one cannot imitate Shakespeare and create an identical play in India. In the history of the literary movements in India, we are not tracing the history of all imitators but we are after the original writers who made exclusive use of local resources, the literary history of India begins with Vyasa and Kalidasa. So, originality depends on creativity and creativity means rejuvenating oneself and rejuvenating oneself means using one’s own resources in the given context. 

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The Only One

Health and Happiness - Dr Dwarakanath

           One must attain liberation by gradually reducing and ultimately getting rid of attachments and complaints. From attachment, flows grief and delusion. In our dealings every day, one should develop equanimity and try to see the divinity in everyone and everywhere. It is possible only when one cultivates a sense of impartiality, as friendship. Enmity only perpetuates the impediment of attachment. Obviously, it is a very difficult task to achieve in worldly life. It is no use to pretend to be calm externally when anger burns inside in the heart. It is no doubt that it is a tall order to ask the human beings who are totally immersed in worldly affairs. Hate can come only when one sees the other as something different from one. One does not hate one's own body, though it is stinking due to some disease, but the person hates even one's own most loved person, if the body of that person has the same problem. The reason is that one thinks that a person is different from the self. If we think about it, can one hate or get angry if one's teeth bite one's tongue? It is but natural that one forgives the teeth without giving any punishment to it. When the whole universe is born out of one, whether one calls it mother, father, God, reality or with any other name, how can one afford to hate or get angry with the other. When all are one and there is no second, where is the question that one is different from the other, as all are his/ her manifestations alone? Sankara has provided an easy remedy to overcome the feeling of duality. One should nurture pure, untainted by selfish intentions - love while constantly reminding oneself and firmly believing in the truth that God resides in everybody.
The way to control and overcome anger and aversion is to keep remembering oneself, how many times one was guilty of one's own lapses and how many are the evils that lodge in one's heart concealed from the gaze of others. It explains that others are also like me and there is no right for a person to get angry and aversion about the other person? The lapses of others are also has to be looked like that of self and realize that we have no genuine right to get angry on others. Precisely for this reason, our elders keep telling us to remember god's name or the God always, so that one day the heart is filled with his love and it will be lifted up to him. Instead of eliciting & removing ones countless sins and defects, we should never ever indulge in wasting time thinking of the vices of others?
As counting the lapses of others will only add to one's misery. Life after life will be wasted in such pursuits. Therefore, there should not be any doubt in one’s mind that the first and foremost task to accomplish is to quickly go about purifying ones heart and that is possible only when one takes refuge in the lotus feet of God. After one's duties are over every day or for that matter even while doing one's duties, try to lift up one's thoughts up to God. Contemplation on God is the most effective means of purifying one's heart. We should always remember the truth that one can be a friend or foe of one's own self. It is important to recognise the truth that one eternal source, as expressing through all the names and forms, is to change the very nature of our environment, the very vision of our world around. When one experiences oneness everywhere, no sorrow, anger, hatred or any other evil can reach us. It is only the duty of a ‘Guru’ (Master who is in pursuit of guiding the disciple to realization); finding the fault of their disciple & making them come out of it. This is a great sacrifice of the masters for the sake of their disciples. That is the reason why a ‘Guru’ is always respected equal to God!

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Be Dangerously Honest

Smart Plus - Rakesh Mittal I A S 

In April 1994, when I was living in R.K.Puram at New Delhi, an elderly friend of mine came to stay with us for a few days. I consider him to be like my elder brother. During his stay, he desired to visit Shri Dharam Veera, an ex-ICS officer who had occupied many important positions including the Governorship of West Bengal and Karnataka. They hailed from the same village. In all his assignments, Dharam Veera had done remarkably well. A man of courage and integrity, he never compromised in matters of principles. In our student days, we used to hold him in high esteem. So when my friend expressed a desire to visit Dharam Veera, I also became interested and we both went to see him one evening.
We found him quite active even at his advanced age. He kept himself involved in many important activities. It was a matter of privilege to spend some time with him. He narrated several interesting events of his life, which gave me a lot of inspiration. Perhaps, he also developed some liking for me during our brief meeting. When our discussion was coming to an end, I asked him for a message for those who want to work with honesty and sincerity. He very happily gave me two points of advice.  First of all he said, an honest person should be fearless. Not only this, he should instill fear in the wicked and confidence among the good. He used the words ‘Dangerously Honest’ while explaining what he meant. His second piece of advice was that an administrator should be as helpful as possible.  He advised for positive interpretation of the rules so long as no self-interest was involved. According to him serving people is a rare opportunity and one should not lose it by looking too much into rules and regulations. I took his advice seriously and contemplated over it. I am going to share here my contemplation over the first advice.
I feel pained when people say that honesty does not pay in the present circumstances. This feeling prevails not only among civil servants but among all classes. What is more painful is that such a feeling exists even among some of already handful honest people. These so-called honest people display this feeling when they present a gloomy picture of their lives before others. This damages the system all the more. I feel that such people are either not honest in the true sense or are ignorant of the full dimensions of honesty. A person with an integrated view of honesty has no occasion to complain. For him honesty remains a source of strength and he finds no clash between his ways and the working of the system. I will give here two examples to explain what I am trying to say.
I met a businessman on board a plane while travelling from Calcutta to Delhi. He appeared to be a very simple man. He was carrying a cloth bag containing tea packets. He was a big businessman with an income running into crores. He owned tea-gardens and several other businesses. He told me that about 50 years back, he started his career on a meager salary of rupees eight per month. When asked the secret of his success, unhesitatingly he told me that it was on account of his honest hard work.
The second interaction was on Rajdhani Express when I was travelling from Calcutta to Kanpur.  There I met a senior advocate of Allahabad. He had been in the legal profession for about 40 years and was one of the leading lawyers of the town. When asked whether it was possible for an honest and sincere law graduate to set up a good legal practice, he replied in the affirmative. He added that honesty and sincerity were the secrets of his success.
While it may be too simplistic to establish the strength of honesty on the basis of these two examples, they do establish my point to a great extent. There is no doubt that there are many aberrations in the system but to say that they can be taken care of by dishonest means is not at all correct. Such an approach only adds to the aberrations and least wonder that today we find ourselves in a situation which appears to be hopeless. If corrections are to be made, it is possible only through honest means. What is, perhaps, required in addition to honesty, is practical wisdom. The problem with many honest persons is that for them honesty becomes an end and not the means. After all, one has to be honest for some purpose and if the purpose is not achieved, the honesty becomes meaningless. At times an honest person may become a victim of the system but to condemn honesty on this ground is not at all justified. If we go by this criterion, surely the chances of falling victims are much more on the path of dishonesty. If we take an integrated view of life, I am sure the path of honesty will turn out to be more rewarding than the path of dishonesty.
This is perhaps what persons like Dharam Veera, the businessman I met on the plane, and the advocate I came across on the train had in mind when they advocated the path of honesty in the closing years of their lives. It is not that these persons had seen only success in life. Surely there must have been ups and downs but they grew steadily with them and refused to bow down in adverse situations. Perhaps, it is not possible for a dishonest person to understand the strength of honesty. I do not think a truly honest person has any regret in following the path of honesty. It is only those who do not take an integrated view of honesty that find themselves in pitiable conditions despite being honest. The need is to understand the difference between being honest for the sake of honesty and being honest for the sake of a cause. In the first case, honesty becomes the end while in the latter it is the means. Those who are honest for a cause gain strength and have no complaints. Not only this, they are considered to be dangerous by the dishonest. The advice of becoming ‘Dangerously Honest’ is thus literally true.

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Hit from the Back

Message of Peace - Justice P K Shamsuddin

         Hurayyah went to the quarter of Banu Qurayzah to meet Kabh Ibn Ahkle, who was their leader.  Banu Qurayzah knew well that treason would bring certain advantages in case of defeat of the Muslims but it would also result in terms of extermination in case of Muslim victory. He asked Kabh to listen to his warning and told him that he had come with assured greater army ever gathered in Arabia. He said that the army consisted of the Meccans, Ghatafan and all other leaders and noble men. Kabh hesitated, remembering Mohammed’s loyalty to him and the covenant. However, Kabh could not resist the persuasion attempts of Huyayy and questioned, what would be the faith of Banu Qurayzah in case the Meccan army and their allies had to withdraw. Huyayy answered that he and his people would then join Banu Qurayzah in their own quarter and share with them the fate. At this, Jewish fury could be aroused, and he agreed to accept the demand, repudiate the covenant with the Muslims and to join their rank. 

The news of this betrayal of Banu Qurayzah reached Mohammed and it shook him greatly. Sad Ibn Muadh the leader of the tribe of Aws and Sad Ibn Ubadh the leader of the tribe of Khazrag, Abdullah Ibn Rawhah and Khawab Ibn Jubyer were asked by Mohammed to ascertain the correctness of the news. Mohammed instructed them to report him the findings and not to announce it, if the news is correct, apprehending that it might affect the morale of the Muslims. The delegation who came to the Jew’s quarter found that the news is correct. The delegates tried to bring back them to honour their covenant with Mohammed. Kabh insisted that the Muslims should be prepared for the return of the Jewish tribe of Banu Al Nadir to Medina. Sad Ibn Muadh tried to convince that the fate of Banu Al Nadir would befall them if they persisted in their treason. Instead of listening to his good advice, the Jews started to pour insults on Mohammed. Kabh asked, “Who is this so called prophet of God? There is neither nor covenant nor peace between us and him.” Hearing this comment, the delegation left the scene.  They reported what was heard to Mohammed. The Muslim leaders were greatly apprehensive. They thought that the side of Hubayayy would now be open for the Meccans and the allies and they would enter the city and root out them. Banu Qurayzah immediately cut off all the supplies to the Muslims. The Meccans were rejoicing when Huayayy Ibn Aktab reported them of the treason of Banu Qurayzah. Naturally, the morale of the Meccans also enhanced. Banu Qurayzah requested them to wait ten days before attacking Medina to get sufficient time to prepare themselves, to keep constant pressure on the Muslims and to prevent the Muslim attack on them before military preparations were completed. 

The Meccans were divided itself into three main brigades, one led by Ibn Al Awaval Sulami which was expected to attack the Muslims from across the valley, the second led by Uyayyah which was expected to attack the Muslims from front and the third one was led by Abu Sufyan which was expected to attack the Muslims from across the ditch.

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Chathurashram - 6

Blooming Stars - Swami (Dr) Snehananda Jyoti

With persistent hard core programming, obscurantism, and vested institutional interests, the prevalent thinking is that the state of celibacy and virginity is higher than that of marriage. What needs to be kept in mind is that celibacy is a discipline that can change. Persons who have committed themselves to celibacy by their own free will or certain mandates may choose to change their status and get married with proper discernment and guidance. Holiness consists in free and conscious decision that everyone makes on an on-going basis. Holiness cannot exist without full mental and emotional freedom. The relationship between husband and wife is closest to the best model of the relationship between the Church as the Bride of Christ and Christ himself for Christians.  In this connection it is important to note that the Bible translation officially  approved by the Catholic church in Kerala (India) and commonly used in homes and churches is not even able to use the word wife  and uses instead sisterly woman (sahodariyaya sthree – 1 Corinthians Chapter 9: 5).  In the Hindu setting, Sri Rama and Sri Krishna, the most popular avatars (incarnations) of God were married. Sri Krishna is reported to have 16008 wives. Besides all the important Gods, and the Trimurtis (Triune Gods) - Brahma, Vishnu, Maheshwar - and the prominent maharshis (sages) were married. In Judaism there is no history of celibacy. In Islam lifelong celibacy is forbidden. The strong contention here is that celibacy in itself (per se) does not add anything more to holiness than marriage,  and that celibacy and marriage are states wherein doing only God’s will in one’s proper and sincere discernment is what matters as far as holiness is concerned. All are called to holiness. It is of paramount importance that a husband and wife start paramarthashram preparing for sanyasa (stage of renunciation) together in siddhashram (stagte of realization).  
4. Siddhashram (Stage of Realization): This is the final setting which is geared for the attainment (siddhi) of perfection - the ultimate goal. This is the final stage of traditional sanyasashram. In this stage of life one is solely concerned about spiritual life. Everything that promotes spiritual life is embraced. Everything that detracts from spiritual life is abandoned.  In this ashram only spiritual pursuits are followed. Materialistic pursuits are engaged only in view of the spirit-life. It is important that one takes good care one’s body as long as one lives. One is detached from material things. One strives only for spiritual treasure as one’s heart is where one’s treasure is. One devotes oneself fully to the kingdom of God where truth, justice, equality, unity, and reconciliation reign supreme.  One comes to this ashram after going through prior ashrams successfully. One has known life in all its dimensions, tried to change things that could be changed, and accept things that could not be changed. There is peace and serenity. There are no regrets. There is no unfinished business. One has learnt from one’s mistakes. Everything has been for the good, and continues to be for the good. There is a deep sense of surrender. One’s life history has been and continues to be one’s own history of salvation. This is the final stage in the eight stages of life described by Erick Erickson where one experiences and enjoys integrity and wisdom. In this stage one operates at the highest possible level of Post-Conventional moral development that may be understood in terms of Lawrence Kohlberg’s Universal Ethical Principles guided by a fully Formed Conscience (stage 6) or Transcendental Morality or Morality of Cosmic Orientation (stage 7). In this ashram one lives in Universalizing Faith described by J. Fowler, spending one’s life in love grounded in the unity of humanity. (To be Continued)

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Project Smile

Life's Lessons - Joseph Mattappally

I was through the final words of some individuals sentenced to death. There I could find a man (Harrison Gibson - hanged in 1917), who smiled to death. He said, ‘‘They can’t kill a smile!’’ Those were his last words. Most statements, of the convicted, according to Robert K. Elder (Last Words of the Executed,) fit somewhere into some stages of grief: denial, anger, bargaining, depression and acceptance. The Gibson theory that a smile can never be killed kept scratching my thoughts for a while. I asked myself, ‘what is so special with this expression?’

There is the story of few people who were asked to share what they love to hear others speak of them, while they are packed in coffins. There came in different opinions. A bright guy is said to have stated that he wants to hear somebody say, “Look, he is breathing….!” There spread a smile, easing the tension hovering there. As I grew more and more enthusiastic to learn about the possibilities of a smile, I could learn that even a simple gesture of it changes the nature of the moment into something pleasant. Like a wild fire, a powerful smile transforms the whole environment into a distinct mood, in no time. I remember the story of a college student. The last project of a Sociology Degree class was ‘Smile’. All students were asked to go out and smile at three people and document their reactions. A lady student but documented her own reaction of a big smile, a very poor guy offered her, as she gave him a free breakfast. Any smile, if it is the true expression of genuine passions within, is as powerful as a dynamite. But how many of us use this powerful weapon to scare off the stress and tension in and around. A smile can change things …… a smile can create things …… A smile is neither paid nor taxed; what if we consider this as part of our daily chorus? 

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