Settle

Hari OM

Story-day is for cultural exploration, puraanas and parables and finding out about leading lights in spiritual philosophy.

The next several weeks, this day will carry short narratives from Swamini Supriyananda (Hong Kong-based). These are inspirational tales which were given or are about Gurudev, Swami Chinmayananda-ji. They bring a focus on how to live Vedantically.

How Much?

Hari Om

'Freedays' are the 'gather our thoughts' days; Q&As; a general review of the week so far…

Some readers may start to wonder about studying such texts as SadaachaaraH and Mukundamala, for most of you are from the Western background with little or no relationship to Indian traditions. As well, it has been said more than once, follow your own faith path, even as you study Vedanta. How, then, can texts which advocate 'foreign' practices be of use?

Protestantism arose as a rebellion against the use of rituals and set practices, but the early Christian church, which developed into Catholicism, understood the need for 'anchors' to keep the faithful focused. The human mind, for the majority, does require this sort of thing. Those of us who think we do not require them might be surprised at the sense of calm and devotion which does arise from such practices. Do not think, either, that all must be taken on board at once. At least one, perhaps two, pointers contained in the texts will sound and feel 'right' for you at the moment. Begin there. Build as you need to.

The critical thing is to determine just how much you wish to follow a path of spiritual devotion and reflective practice.

Expansion of Purpose

Hari OM

'Text-days' are for delving into the words and theory of Advaita Vedanta.

We now explore the Sri Adi Shankara text, "SadaachaaraH". To obtain your own copy, click here.

We left off last week with the suggestion that conviction can bring about change. To build conviction, we must gain suitable knowledge and understanding of the subject. There are different levels to this also; we can scan for knowledge which works in the short term, but which falls away from disuse thereafter. We can take on the knowledge at a middling level, whereby we can recite it, but not necessarily apply it to ourselves. Or, we can decide to delve into the knowledge and work at making it our own. It can only stay with us then and we can only act in accordance with that knowledge after.

The process of changing our actions to match our values is thus achieved by consistent application of good conduct. Building knowledge of what is considered better conduct and proper habits must become as regular a thing as taking the daily bath. As we develop habits for cleanliness of the body, so we too must we do so for our mental and spiritual 'bodies'.

As we embark upon the body of the text now, we will find that twelve key practices are advocated for daily routine. All who desire freedom from sorrow will follow these;

pratataH smaranam - remembrance of the Lord in the morning

Shaucham - cleansing of the body

Chasnaanam - bathing

Chaaghamarshanam - working to remove sins

Sandhyaa -  prayers

japa - repetition of the names of the Lord

Tarpanam - offering water to ancestors

Agnihotram - offering to the fire

Tathaaarchanam - worship

Maunam - observation of silence

Dhyaanam - meditation

Bhojanam - correct eating

(...cha sadaachaaraH prakiirtitaaH mumukshunaam to kartavyaaH svaatmanaarthe to jnaaninaam - and with right conduct undertaken, the dedicated one can work to reach union with Knowledge).

Adi Shankaraachaarya will show us how each of the above practices of our daily life can be converted into meditation upon the Supreme. What is more, we will find that each of the steps is explained at three levels;

1. As a regular practice that all of us should undertake, per the Dharma ShaastraaH, through which we attain outer prosperity and inner unfoldment

2. As an exercise in meditation for the seeker of Truth

3. As a natural state of the realised person.

We shall commence with the text-proper next week.

Call Him

Hari OM

Application - that is what 'Workings-days' are about!

The Mukundamala of King Kulashekhara is the focus, currently, as we seek to raise our devotion.

After the reader's mangala, we enter the text proper, and now we see the mangala charana offered by Kulashekhara himself.

Vande mukuNdmarivNddlayta]<

kuNdeNdz'!odzn< izzugaepve;m!,

#NÔaiddevgpviNdtpadpIQ<

v&Ndavnalymh< vsudevsUnum!.1.

Vande mukundam-aravinda-dalaayataaksham

Kundendu-shankha-dashanam shishugopa-vesham,

Indraadi-devagana-vandita-paada-piitham

vRndaavanaalayam-aham vasudeva-suunum||1||

I salute Mukunda, whose eyes are like lotus petals, whose teeth are white like jasmine moon or the conch, who has taken the form of a cowherd boy, whose feet are worshipped by Indra and other goods, whose abode is Vrindaavan and who is the son of Vasudeva.

By referring to Shri Krishna as Mukunda, the king-guru acknowledges the Lord's ability to bestow liberation upon the devotee. The liberation of the spirit which brings the greatest joy. Just as we might expect that a doctor ought to look healthy, we can expect that the Lord of our choosing looks a picture of the joy we seek. When we look into the eyes of our doctor we wish to see there a level of hope, certainly compassion for our condition, and perhaps just a little humour.

Similarly, when we gaze upon the murti of our chosen avatar - and here it is Krishna-ji - we wish to see these things. We also know that they are subtle, for we are talking about spirit. When we see the happiness in Him (or Her), we know that it is not of the material kind and that is a joy which passeth our understanding. We also know we want a little bit of that!

One of the things which brings joy to mind is beauty. This is universal. Also, the adage that beauty is in the eye of the beholder holds very true here. This is why the Hindu philosophy has such a plethora of deities. Everybody can find Someone they like to gaze upon with the single goal of reaching The Higher. In the case of our king-guru, Krishna as Mukunda is the most beauteous of avatars and he describes, in particular, the lotus-petal eyes and the conch-like teeth. When meditating upon the splendour of the Lord before us, it is not to get stuck at the physical beauty, but to know that it manifests thus due to the spiritual purity behind it. We know this… in a crowd of faces, the model with the chiseled looks may catch our eye, but our hearts will be pulled towards the person with the shining eyes and open smile. If we are of true heart ourselves, the external will matter not. It is the internal, the true spirit, which will call us and keep us focused. 

Choice Article 2

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.

We are having three Choose-days with links to external articles. The choice to read those articles is yours alone.

Today's article is on the academic side of choice v. freedom. There is quite the scientific interest in such things, as marketing and public policy need to know how best to 'direct' people... whether we actually want to be directed might be questioned. The fact that we are, all of us, being herded in one form or another is something else to ponder. Choices we make now are likely to inform what sorts of choices we will be presented with in the future. This might seem mundane - but at the philosophical level, we would do well to think on this. 

The last paragraph of the article is, perhaps, the most pertinent to what we have discussed here, but if you can bear it, the whole piece ought to be read; there are also some good reference links from it. If that's your thing!

Please click to go to the Behavioural Public Policy page.

Ambient - Three

Hari Om

Monday is AUM-day; in search of meditation

Throughout March, we shall listen to ambient nature sounds for the background to our contemplation. Use these to focus the mind on the place evoked by them. Find a secure and appropriate place in your mind's eye, visualise the surroundings, then pick something you see there as the point of attention. Do not wander from it. Do not let the other sounds distract you. Instead, let them drive you into ever-deeper focus and in that, find OM...

A Family Saga

Hari OM

Sounds-day is for listening/viewing a variety of devotional items from and for all ages and traditions.

This is the day, in India, when a week of celebrations leading up to Sri Ram Navaami begins. Particularly in the North, whole communities involve themselves in performances of the Ramayana, a saga to rival any modern-day soap opera! One never forgets the experience of such performance. Ten years ago, the whole of India was transfixed by a television production of the Ramayana...