Hari
Om
Each 'Choose-day' we will investigate the process by
which we can reassess our activity and interaction with the world of plurality
and become more congruent within our personality.
KINDLE LIFE. We continue exploring points raised by HH Pujya
Gurudev Swami Chinmayananda-ji in the publication of this name. Remember, you
can purchase, (very economically!), the book from Chinmaya
Mission Publications or if you
prefer, the Amazon Link. Thus you can read
Gurudev's words directly and bring your own voice to the discussion.
Chapter 21 talks of THE PATH OF DIVINITY. It touches upon the
nature of the path, picking up from the chapter on our 'essence-tial' nature,
given last week. That is to say, our very essence is divine.
We are held back from recognising our divinity by all the veils
and smokescreens of our desires and thoughts internally, as well as all the
illusion presented to us externally. The amazing variety that we call 'the
human being' comes about because of all the colourations from these
influences. According to the scriptures, it is the peeling away of the veils,
the 'demisting' of the desires and thoughts, which is the primary goal of
mankind - if we but knew it!
What determines the path a person will take in life and what is it
that brings them closer to the spiritual purpose? Vedantic theory tells us that
there are three categories of 'psychological makeup'. A great deal of study
will be given to these conditions. Here is the 'briefing'.
सत्त्व/sattva is that of the pure and noble; रजस् /rajas is the realm of the
passionate and agitated; तमः/tamas is where we find the dull, the lazy and
unmotivated. Rarely is any one personality wholly encompassed by one of these
conditions. Majority mankind is made up
of all three, with one or other dominating at different times and for different
periods of time. Thus we get the endless permutations which make up human
nature, informing character, behaviour and, consequently, the society around
them.
Tamas is the gross quality, a condition of inertia. Under its
influence, we have no interest in the world around, there is carelessness, lack
of commitment, no goals formed or sought.
Rajas is of the quality of action. In this condition the mind
works whirlingly, the emotions can rage, desires loom large, ambitions fire and
the BMI knows no peace.
Sattva is the subtlest quality. In this condition lies balance,
tranquillity. The creative self, contemplative and caring, manifests.
Note that these गुणाः/gunaaH (qualities) relate to the 'mind' part of
the antaH-karana. The intellect part has two further qualities. Intellect,
remember, is used for analysis and discernment.
When this is turned to the world of objects (such is the case of the
material/objective sciences) it is known as श्तूल-बुद्धि/shtuula-buddhi, 'gross intellect'.
When that same intellect, though, is applied subjectively (turned
inwards) to research and determine what is spirit and what is matter,
transcendental or terrrestrial, it is referred to as सूक्ष्म-बुद्धि/suukshma-buddhi, 'subtle intellect'.
It is this which can mark out why someone who is otherwise
brilliant at material sciences and the secular things of life can fail to
comprehend fully the importance of spiritual pursuit. Brilliance does not of
itself give fullness. It is not that the intellect is dull; rather it has been
honed for a single use and then, when attempts are made to apply it to another
task, it may well fail us. An adze used only for trimming wood can be a rough
tool when applied to silken cloth.
Whilst there is rudimentary intellect within the entire animal
kingdom, it is mankind alone who has honed his intellectual 'sword' to such an
extent he can move beyond his own physical parameters. All too often these are
perceived as being external. Some though, manage to sharpen the subtle
extremely well. This is when divinity starts to be recognised. Even glimpsing
this though, each must now deal with the curtains of their gunas. All our
thoughts arise from our deep desires and these are governed by the gunas. In
analysing and nullifying these, the glimpsed divinity starts to unfurl.
It is important to appreciate that succeeding in maintaining a
predominantly sattvic condition, living as purely and nobly as we can, that we
are not free of desires. Indeed, the
desire to become sattvic and to stay that way can become its own hurdle! In the
sattvic condition, however, we stand a greater chance of brushing aside these
veiling desires, becoming more ego-perceptive and corrective. Gurudev remarks in this chapter that in the
sattvic state, our desires are as smoke over a fire - a puff of wind or a
strong breath is all that is required to remove the smoke and see the flames in
their glory. In the rajaasic state, the desires are more insistent and the ego
more extant. Everything is perceived more strongly. Gurudev's analogy is that of dust covering a
mirror. Breath is not enough to remove
it; some elbow grease is required! Rajaasic personalities must make more
determined efforts to attain spiritual purpose. Then we have the tamasic one,
who is stubborn, entirely egoistic. The spiritual kernal is well veiled here;
Gurudev's example is that of foetus in the womb. It exists but must go through
a long and not necessarily easy effort to be brought forth.
All who allow religion/Philosophy to enter their lives will fund
the wherewithal to make the changes in their states and to rise above their
gunas. All the sacred paths of the world offer this. To rise to the highest level
of our humanity into that which is called as sattvic. In Vedantic tradition, there
is further to go. To release even the profoundly worthy sattvic veils and move
into pure divinity.