Shreyas Preyas Balance

Hari OM

Each 'Choose-day' we will investigate the process by which we can reassess our activity and interaction with the world of plurality.

This month we are looking more closely at SHREYAS and PREYAS.

We have seen that shreyas is best chosen over preyas when it comes to making decisions in life and it is important to know that this applies at all levels of choice, be that from the food and drink we imbibe all the way through to where we live, work or play.

Now, there are going to be those who say that they 'did not have a choice'. The hard fact is, even in the leanest and meanest of circumstances, there is still a choice. It won't necessarily be easy, but choice does always exist. No one is saying that in circumstances of war or impoverished conditions that one ought not to serve the short-term needs for survival. That goes far beyond the individual purpose in life. That being said, though, it is not difficult to find stories from wartime and from the slums of the world, of people who make decisions which can be classed as shreyas in quality; decisions which are unselfish, holistic and ultimately better for the spirit of that individual.

Choice exists in everything that we do. "Shall I rise now and get that packet of potato chips?" Could I have fruit instead? This is not a flippant thing. It has been said before if we cannot apply shreyas and preyas to even this basic function in life, how will we know how to apply it when the real tests come?

Are we to deny ourselves all pleasure then? No. This is not about denying pleasure. It is about 'measuring pleasure'. Knowing pleasure even from that which is less desired in the first moment. The fruit when taken is every bit as satisfying - because we are likely to have bought fruit with preyas in mind. That is to say, did we buy oranges when we don't like them or are allergic to them? Of course not! The fruit in the bowl has come to us because we answered preyas, but at a level which will lead to shreyas in our daily eating. We have the choice of what to watch. There is plenty of viewing which is nourishing to our intellect, our heart, our entertainment, without being insulted or exposed to the meaningless and gratuitous. This does not mean that we should shelter ourselves from the unfortunate things which happen in life. Part of shreyas is to be informed therefore watching challenging documentaries about poverty, housing, or other such things is fine. Watching voyeuristic shows which purport to be 'reality teevee' would certainly fall under preyas classification.

Is this making sense to you? Be aware, this is not about looking at others' decisions, but purely a self-assessment. If the family opt for watching the 'shoot em up and gun em down' sorts of movies, fine - you make the decision to go to another room. You'd rather be vegetarian but the others are carnivores? Okay, ask to reserve the top shelf for your stuff and have your own set of pans. Attend to your own needs so as not to inconvenience others in the household. Are the folk around you prone to foul language? Okay - but whether you engage in such is your choice and yours alone.

When it comes to saadhana, shreyas ensures we have the discipline for morning and evening prayers as well as some time allotted for reading appropriate texts and meditating. It does not permit preyas to say it's okay to skip this morning and get back to it tomorrow…

We may have not heard these words before, but we have experienced their effects all our lives!

Preyas

Hari OM

Each 'Choose-day' we will investigate the process by which we can reassess our activity and interaction with the world of plurality.

This month we are looking more closely at SHREYAS and PREYAS. Today, let us concentrate on the second of these words.

Last week you were shown the dictionary chart with meanings for shreyas. The observant will have noted the usage was mostly as an adjective or a noun, but that there was one indecisive usage; 'rather'. What would shreyas be 'rather than'?

Preyas is again used as a baby's name and is frequently translated as 'most loving' or 'affectionate'. This reflects the more visceral and impulsive quality of preyas. You will see here in the shabdkosh meanings, there are a lot fewer offered than for shreyas. The one which pertains most directly, particularly for the saadhaka, is 'most desirable'.

When we talk of shreyas and preyas in Vedanta, we are referring to the choices of life. If we are tending to predominantly preyas, we will be not over-analysing our choices and tending to a loose, perhaps undisciplined lifestyle.

Preyas wants the quick fix and the path of least resistance. Preyas wants the tasty and the intoxicating. Preyas - wants…

That is the key to this. You may think of it as having the fairy on one shoulder and the imp on the other. If you subscribe to the general notion that fairies have only our good at heart, they will guide us for our betterment and improvement and with the long-term outcomes in view. The imp is mischevious and even dangerous, pushing us to not worry about the consequences to ourselves or others, that we can always say sorry and live another day.

The problem with that is we rarely actually do say sorry - at least with any degree of contriteness and humility. What is more, the worst damage is to ourselves and saying sorry won't fix anything. What fixes things is to act better, with shreyas in mind, in the future.

Therefore, shreyas is to be opted for RATHER than preyas if we are truly determined upon self-improvement and spiritual advancement.

Shreyas

Hari OM

Each 'Choose-day' we will investigate the process by which we can reassess our activity and interaction with the world of plurality.

This month we are looking more closely at SHREYAS and PREYAS. Today, let us concentrate on the first of these words.

As with many words in Sanskrit, this is often used as a name for a son. If you were to look at a list of boy's names meanings, you would see such things as 'Excellent, Superior, Handsome, Fortunate,' and so on. These are not necessarily 'wrong', but they can be misleading.

from the shabdkosh (dictionary)

One translation for shreyas is 'prosperity' and thus people pray for 'shreyas' when what they are looking for is a material gain. What we know about prosperity, a simple rule of economics, is that if one person is becoming wealthy it is because somebody else has had to spend. Prosperity comes at the cost of another's impoverishment. Our current state of affluence in the world (yes, even in '3rd world' countries) belies the fact that there is only so much wealth available to us. There is one global account from which each has to obtain their individual accounts. Some are more successful at this than others, but there can be no denying that the more one has, then less another must have.

Just think of the cake on the table. Everybody must get some. However, there will be those determined to get more than an equal share and there will be those who are left only with the crumbs.

Shreyas, then, is not to be translated as material prosperity. Such a thing can come to us but is not what is intended by this word. The prosperity which relates here is more that of improved well-being. The welfare of the community. By looking after ourselves properly and ensuring good health, correct foods, right behaviour and so on, we will not only be doing the best for ourselves but for those with whom we live and for the wider society. It is quite likely that the person applying for work who is showing signs of these things will attract the attention of the prospective employer, over one who shows signs of slovenliness, poor lifestyle or foul language. We know this instinctively and even if we tend to a lazy life at home, we will often make better efforts when outside our front door!

In the case of the spiritual seeker, though, shreyas means maintaining this 'appearance' at all times. That it must not be a mask, but an actual part of the fabric of life. Life is so much easier if one keeps it simple. Even if, at times, it can be a challenge. Particularly when we are constantly bombarded with consumerism in the form of advertising, social comparison, competitiveness for always having more.

Shreyas is to be understood as something which can be chosen. By choosing that which is for the general good - and which is not always something we would desire - the overall effect is going to be auspicious, fortunate and, yes, quite possibly prosperous.

Left or Right?

Hari OM

Each 'Choose-day' we will investigate the process by which we can reassess our activity and interaction with the world of plurality.

Let us focus a little more deeply this month on SHREYAS and PREYAS. The path of Good and the path of Desire. That which we know is better and that which holds immediate charm. The way of correct action and the way of the easiest option.

As the world turns we find in our daily lives that there is often a battle within ourselves. What is the view of the Guru on this matter?

How can we distinguish the chatter of Mind from the urging of Conscience? It is difficult to tell because our desires are ever trying to get the better of us. WHAT WE WANT is not always good for us. WHAT IS BEST FOR US is not what we always want. RESULT…when a desire arises both voices can be heard. However, if we are honest, we can tell the difference between Mind and Inner Voice.

We are told that the inner voice or Conscience which most often alerts us is the 'voice of God'. Dragged by desire, the mind contradicts the Conscience’s right decision. The Conscience cautions, ‘Don’t do this…it is unsafe,’ but the mind, egged-on by the Ego, counters with, ‘No harm in tasting/enjoying. You are human after all…’ and so on.

When we shut up the Conscience and indulge in the wrong action we are later overcome with regret, guilt, even shame or anxiety. This is a sure sign we did NOT heed the inner voice and submitted to desires of the Mind.

If we refuse to take heed the knocks and blows of the outside world will effectively teach the difference between Lure of Mind and Voice of Conscience!!!

(taken from the teachings of Sw. Tejomayananda)

A Plea

Hari Om

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

Choose-day this week asked you to consider whether you were pulled towards beans or beef. It may have seemed an odd choice. Food is food, right? Both of these may be deemed necessary to health by most, and therefore both might be argued as 'shreyas'. However, shreyas and preyas are not simply about the enjoyment of things, but about the thinking behind our choices. As we are seeking to walk spiritually, we must consider the ethics of what we eat as much as anything. In the Hindu culture, beef will never be consumed. Many Hindus do eat meat - but it is fish or chicken and occasionally goat. Never beef. The bull, from which beef ought to come, is the vahana (vehicle) of Lord Shiva and is therefore revered as a faithful beast of burden and symbol of fearlessness. The cow is revered for her ability to bring forth bulls and more cows, as well as provide sufficient milk to sustain not just her offspring, but also those who care for her. From that milk also comes butter, cheese, curd. To eat the flesh of a cow is akin to eating the flesh of one's mother.

In the West, beef production is big business. Both bulls and cows are slaughtered for their meat. Let us not even begin talking about milk production and what happens to calves… 

Please, think upon it. Can you make different meat choices? Can you reduce meat intake? This is how shreyas and preyas can have an effect on our lives.

Pick'n'Mix

Hari Om

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

It might be observed that posts this week have had the theme of 'values', worthiness, decision-making. At an earlier date the concept of shreyas and preyas has been explored. The paths of 'proper' and 'improper'… or, it might be said, that which requires of us that we have some moral fibre, whilst the other, not necessarily 'wrong', is requiring little of us in terms of assessment, application of values.

Shreyas - the path of good - requires of us an understanding of consequences of our thoughts and actions and keeps in mind the greater good and high goal. To be the very best human being that we can be. Having strong value-based living can be a stabiliser - an anchor - in stormy times.

Preyas - is what most of us live to some degree. It is the path of least resistance. It is the call of the world and our desire to answer that call, regardless of whether or not the long-term results are good. They may be, even in preyas, but they will certainly be tinged with a 'what is in it for me' aspect, which can leave us open to being tricked and tossed about by life.

Shreyas is self-less. Preyas is just less… and we are all guilty of it on a daily basis. If we are truly on the spiritual path with a goal of Realising God, then even the decision to boil the kettle for tea can add to our debt if we do not do so with consciousness. To put only the amount of water required for the purpose in mind, to not waste any that is left over… to not take it for granted… to make sure that we are 'present' in every action is the point here. To know that water is a gift, the power to boil it a privilege and to not abuse them by excess or overuse would be shreyas. To fill unthinkingly, to forget it was boiled and then to reboil using more power than is necessary, is preyas.

This may seem a silly example. However, think more - it is but one task in every day that we do at least once. Consider that, in shreyas mode, every task requires this sort of attention. Thus it can be seen why preyas affects us all. We give up. Shreyas seems like hard work.

It is, however, like anything in life. The more one practices, the easier it becomes and the more proficient we are in its application. When we tip the balance of majority shreyas over preyas decisions and actions, when we feel the satisfaction and see the positive results of shreyas, we gather even more hope and impetus.

Watch yourself this weekend; take note of how, from minute to minute, your thoughts and actions reflect self-lessness… or not…

THINK!

Not Rocket Science

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.

The next little prasaada-pushtaka (gift-book) we are studying is Sw. Tejoymayananda's "Take Charge of Your Life". Guru-ji is a wonderfully pragmatic personality and has a strongly down-to-earth approach to life and application of Vedanta. These are going to be short, sharp bursts

of applied 'shreyas-preyas' decision making!

RESOLVE FIRMLY TO CHANGE

We are not able to live this knowledge because of our weaknesses; the worst part of it is that we justify ourselves by our weakness… "oh that is my weakness, what to do?!" The truth of this is that we enjoy doing what we do, even when it is destructive, and simply are not prepared to make changes to improve ourselves. The more we attach enjoyment to something, the more difficult it is to detach from it. Deep down, we even attach to the big negatives of life such as anger, lust, ambition and so on. It is the nature of the negatives that they plant the seeds of hankering within us.

Not all the worldly calls are necessarily negative in themselves - what causes a problem with them is the value we attach to them, how secretive we may become about them - and the fact that we just will not face the truth about their effect upon us and, perhaps, those around us.

What is the remedy? The analysis itself. By standing back and taking a long, hard look at ourselves, seeing the negatives, we can begin to think in terms of change. Sri Krishna tells Arjuna in Gita 16:24, "Let the shaastra be your authority and in determining what to do and what not to do. Having know what is said in the scriptures, you should act in this world."  Resolve to do what the shaastra says, whether or not you like it. You may not understand the full implication at first, but the wise ones are know as 'wise' simply by virtue of having lived the experience and therefore perhaps they have something to offer! In following through this way, you begin to 'live the knowledge' and change becomes easier.

Our understanding (buddhiH) of life tends to form from our actions and their results. If our actions are not in accordance with our knowledge, knowledge tends to find a way to follow the actions and thus our knowledge gets altered. For example, we 'know' we ought to rise early as it is the best time for saadhana. If we fail to rise on one day, we may resolve to correct ourselves the next day… or we find that several days in a row we simply do not rise at the appointed time. What happens is that our buddiH starts to follow suit and starts to say 'what is the point of this anyway, saadhana can be done anytime…' This may be true to a point, but centuries of wisdom says the optimum time is early morning. We have adjusted our knowledge to suit our worldly tendencies rather than raising ourselves to the spiritual standard. "Justified knowledge" is a dangerous thing.

The ignorant can be forgiven their mistakes for they simply do not know. Once we know, however, to commit actions against the grain of that knowledge becomes a 'sin'. When a literate person stoops to wrong actions, s/he becomes a problem in society. The difference between being cultured or uncouth is the congruence between our words (knowledge) and our deeds (action).

CONCLUSION

The points to remember are simple and clear.

Living life requires that we are prepared to face consequences;

Life will be what we make of it;

We cannot live another person's knowledge;

To make it our knowledge, we must live it;

To assist this process, follow the shaastras, setting aside likes and dislikes;

Do not multiply artificial needs or give excessive importance to social status;

Live a simple life in accordance with your knowledge;

True happiness will be the result!

At every moment we are in a state of choice, to act according to shreyas (the path of higher values), or to preyas (the path of ease and please). Which do you choose?

St Ignatius of Loyola

Hari OM

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

Tomorrow is the feast day of St Ignatius of Loyola, a founding father of the Society of Jesus, aka The Jesuits.

It is interesting to note that all spiritual philosophies arise from one over-arching desire in the hearts of Mankind; the desire to Know the Higher. Not a single living creature which holds any amount of intellect at all fails to ask itself at least once during its life, "who am I and why am I here/what is the point of life?" Depending on the period of time, the environmental and social circumstances and other such factors, rare individuals expend just that little bit more effort in following through on the enquiry. Sometimes it is from choice, other times by events which force the issue. Always - always - when the story of great spiritual masters are related, there is a common thread of their having strong intellectual power; nearly always, they overcome early and perhaps ongoing physical adversity; and no matter within which doctrine their search is formed, the conclusions are drawn that one must be meditative, surrender one's ego and then seek a way to bring the spiritual awakening into daily life. For the common theme which comes through is that Mankind's nature has not changed throughout history and therefore we are ever in need of guidance.

Almost all of the great Masters of the Christian tradition emulated the pattern of the more ancient Hindu tradition, by seeking to withdraw; usually to a mountain, a cave, a forest and hut, generally with water nearby.

St Ignatius was no different in any of this. One of the things which marks him out from others might be his pre-conversion life; he was a soldier with aristocratic heritage, he liked that life and the attention it brought from the ladies… he was, by his own later admission, arrogant about his good looks and abilities. That ego-nature did not automatically leave him, either. In his autobiography he writes of the personal struggle against that continued arrogance which merely translated from dreaming of victories and accolades in battle and society, into dreaming of spiritual success and recognition.

The ego is represented by the snake in Hinduism… and it is not a stretch to accept that the serpent in Eden which enticed the eating of 'forbidden fruit' was nothing but the ego becoming aware of itself, resulting in the tumble into a separation from the Higher. The ego is a viperous thing, ready to strike at the most unexpected time!

There is plenty of information about the life and times of St Ignatius for you to follow-up online; but some key points are worth placing here.

After the battle of Pamplona, in which his legs were severely damaged, Ignatius was forced to a lengthy recuperation during which time he had but two books as company; The Life of Jesus and a book on saints. It was these which started his 'dreaming' in a different direction. He was sufficiently intellectually observant, however, to note that the daydreams about God and saints tended to lift his mood and stay with him, whilst the daydreams of 'derring-do' and female adoration left him feeling empty and dissatisfied. Therefore, the former became more regular and the latter began to drop away.

Over time, this form of thinking pattern got formulated in his ideas about "Consolation" and "Desolation", which figure prominently in his spiritual exercises. For readers here, Consolation relates to the Vedantic concept called Shreyas, whilst Desolation equates to Preyas. Thus, independently and through diligent observation, using viveka (discernment) and vairagya (self-discipline), Ignatius concluded that we are bedevilled by our own weakness of thinking and that we can raise our lives from mundane to meaningful by changing our way of thinking, thus making informed and better decisions.

The spiritual exercises require that one surrender to a teacher (aachaarya) who has already traversed them. Whilst the handbook is available, its full import and benefit is likely only to manifest through spiritual direction from one already experienced and who can support and correct us where necessary.

Ignatius advocated service to others as a direct means to, and consequence of, high spiritual life.

He came to understand "God" as being personal and imminent - a God who is within us at all times and also within all other life, whatever form it takes.

Ignatius kept a spiritual diary in order to aid his self-observation and undertook a daily regimen of 'review' (the examen) in which the day's events were recalled and noted and learned from. This to be accompanied by prayer for improvement and for a better tomorrow.

To live life simply and effectively, devoted to the Lord, having His Name forever in one's heart and seeking to emulate the acts of Jesus in the service of one's fellow human beings, is the essence of Ignatian spirituality. In this, we find once again the similarity with Vedanta rather than the differences.

Stay True

Hari OM

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

The Narada Bhakti Sutra is our guide for a while… the nature of Love (with the capital 'ell') and a full exploration of it. As always, you are encouraged to seek out the full text from Chinmaya Publications (links in side-bar); but for those who prefer e-readers, this version is recommended. Whilst awareness and interest can be raised by these posts on AV-blog, they cannot substitute for a thorough reading and contemplation...and practice!
 

We read last week how easy it is to fall down 'the stair' of behaviour and habits. This is such a risk to the spiritual traveller that the third and last shloka of this section reiterates;

tr'aiyta ApIme s'gaTsamuÔayiNt.45.

Tarangaayitaa apiime sangaat-saamudraayanti ||45||

Though appearing as a ripple (in the beginning),these (anger, lust etc) by evil-companionship can become an ocean.

There are many analogies which could be used. The little drip from the tap which fills a bucket overnight; the little spit of rain which becomes a deluge… the little taste of wine which becomes an addiction… this is the warning here.

It is very easy to brush aside concerns, because each little thing is just that; apparently little. Subtle are the invidious ways of negative character traits and behaviours. Put simply, such traits are also the easiest to perform. Performance of positive traits can require effort. The basic nature of mankind is to protect and that sometimes mean attack. Therefore we tend to fall to the lowest common denominator, forgetting to self-monitor and put in the effort to rise above ourselves.

All too easily, we can look back and find that we have tumbled from higher ideals and become immersed in our urges, some which may appear harmless enough on the surface, but which cause us to always stray from our mark. Our society currently pushes constantly through marketing and peer pressures to seek always the preyas, the path of comfort and ease and lustful behaviours, the path of squandering what we gain, of damaging our physical well-being as much as our emotional and spiritual selves. This can all happen even in 'good' company; how much more so if we fall in with the 'wrong crowd'? Gurudev said, "if you re offered a glass of milk to drink and know that there is poison contained in it, will you knowingly drink it? No, of course not! However, milk looks innocent, and the person who is offering it is smiling, so we drink anyway. We pay the price of not checking the situation properly." Spirituality takes effort. It requires that we are constantly alert to our own instincts and behaviour patterns. To say that 'I was good before but I fell in with wrong company' is actually a weak explanation, for the self-responsible sadhaka knows full well that others cannot in fact be blamed for our own behaviour. We alone are responsible for our thoughts, words and deeds. To ensure that we maintain a high standard, clearly the advice is to avoid as much as is possible being in places and situations which may present an opportunity for our fall. To strengthen our positive traits, actively seeking out equally positive places and situations is to be desired.

The athlete wishing to be top of their sport does not frequent night clubs or fast food restaurants; they will be found on the arena of their choice practicing the very thing they wish to be best at and that too, in the company of others of like desire.

The spiritual student, wishing to maximise that spiritual experience does not sit and daydream or seek 'out-of'body' experience by extreme methods; rather they will seek out the experienced teachers and fellow spiritual travellers with whom they can discuss their doubts and difficulties and find support and companionship as they seek to scale the spiritual heights.

What is involved in this then? This is explored in the following section.

Preyas Preys Upon the Person

Hari OM

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

The Narada Bhakti Sutra is our guide for a while… the nature of Love (with the capital 'ell') and a full exploration of it. As always, you are encouraged to seek out the full text from Chinmaya Publications (links in side-bar); but for those who prefer e-readers, this version is recommended. Whilst awareness and interest can be raised by these posts on AV-blog, they cannot substitute for a thorough reading and contemplation...and practice!
 

We progress; Chapter Three; section 3.

du>s'g> svRwEv TyaJy>.43.

dukhaH-sangaH sarvathaiva traajyaH ||43||

Evil company is only fit to be renounced by all means.

Keeping good company aids graceful living and keeps us on the straight and narrow; keeping company with those who have the philosophy and faith that we share, or compliments our own, aids our spiritual path and enheartens us. Conversely, keeping company of those with low morals, mean methods, selfish attitudes and such like can draw us away from the path of shreyas. Here the Guru states very clearly, just as any parent might to their child, "be careful about whom you call friend". Teenagers in particular can fall prey to the lure of the flashing lights, the late nights, the indulgences which seem to be on offer from life. Many an adult has tumbled this way also.

 

In doing so, how can such a person be expected to sit focused in meditation? Where is the desire to improve, to sit with the wise and learn with an open heart and mind? Where is the harm in a little 'play', such a one may ask… and there is a resounding warning in the following sutra.

kam³aexmaehSm&itæ<zbuiÏnazsvRnazkar[Tvat!.44.

Kaama-krodha-moha-smRitibhramsha-buddhinaasha-sarvanaasha-kaaranatvaat ||44||

For is the cause for creating lust, anger, delusion, loss off memory, loss of discrimination and, ultimately, utter ruin.

There was a fellow who tumbled downstairs. At the bottom his wife leaned over and asked if he had missed any of the steps. "No. All steps were hit and every one of them I felt!" At least he was still alive and could pick himself up to try and ascend the stair again - but it would surely be a bit harder this time.

We may think that a little 'rock and roll' will take no toll. It grabs hold of us however and it is not long before it is more 'rock and roll' and then a bit more. If more and more 'rock and roll' is filling our time, then less and less satsang and meditation and japa is taking place. We are descending the spiritual stair, and a good deal more quickly than we ever ascended it, we shall find!

Keeping the company of those who wheedle and cajole us to "c'mon, it's only one night, only one drink, only one…." we will find that, having invested some expectation of happiness from their company, that we find it ever more difficult to say 'no'. We start desiring the things they do (kaama), we may become overtired and tetchy, even angry (krodha); we start to daydream about 'what if…' or worse still, start to believe things are present in life which are  not there at all (moha)… and so it goes on. A consequence of this inattention is that we begin to lose our thoughts, the memory plays tricks, we make ever more poor choices and before we know it we lying crumpled at the foot of that stair.

We shall look at this a little more next week. For saadhana, think on what little things are making themselves a habit in your life but in the negative way of preventing full spiritual congruity. 

Problem

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.

The next little prasaada-pushtaka (gift-book) which we will puruse is Sw. Tejoymayananda's "Take Charge of Your Life". Guru-ji is a wonderfully pragmatic personality and has a strongly down-to-earth approach to life and application of Vedanta. These are going to be short, sharp bursts of applied 'shreyas-preyas' decision making!

These days 'value-based management' is very popular, whether in te context of education, business, family or even politics. Perhaps one reason for this is that our values themselves have become base, and baser values necessitate discussion about value-based education, business, management, et cetera.

The Problem.

Interestingly enough, everyone admits the importance of values and a value-based life. There is no second opinion about this. It is also agreed that our values should be great and noble. The only problem is that when we face the ground realities, we find that it is not so easy to put them into practice. We know what the great values of life are. We also know that they should be followed; but the problem is that we are not able to do so.

The problem remains the same from student to adult life. Students know that they ought to concentrate and work hard, but the complain about lack of concentration. Businessmen say that they want to follow values. They do not want to resort to questionable or corrupt practices, but given the situation, very often they cannot avoid 'cutting corners'. They know it is wrong but cannot live by the right values. Even in the spiritual field, people living alone in remote places or even in ashrams have problems. They do not have to deal with the vagaries of life in society - yet will fall short in manifesting their values of discipline and application in spiritual life.

In the field of medicine, we know which good habits are conducive to good health. Even here, though, we face the same problem of being unable to follow what we know to be good for us.

Why does this happen? We will analyse this, because there is no instant solution, no magic pill available to cure us of this malady of 'valueless values'. 

Be The Peace

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.

THE WISE AND THE OTHERWISE (cont'd)

Last but not least we now take a look at the bigger picture and the effect of our choice of shreyas or preyas.

SOCIAL, NATIONAL, INTERNATIONAL;

We want the society, nation and the world to live in peace and harmony. None want war. This is possible when there is mutual Love, Respect and Understanding amongst people of various religions, communities and nations. Harmony is maintained when the common features, goals and concerns are identified and given priorities, and the differences are appreciated and respected. A universal outlook is needed in dealing with environmental issues, war, pollution, cruelty to animals et cetera.

Disharmony is created when there is mutual distrust and disrespect. The differences in cultures, spiritual preferences and modes of thinking are given prominence and used as tools to build barriers to harmony. Fanatic thoughts like 'only my God saves', 'those who do not follow my religion are my enemies' and 'we are a superior race born to rule the world'…all of these have been triggers for wars across the globe.

Exploitation of natural resources, economic subjugation, means of mass destruction and so on have only added to world tension and sorrow in the individual's life.

It is only thoughts like 'the whole world is my family', 'let there be peace, Love and happiness everywhere', or 'may unity prevail' and such like which will bring the harmony and peace we desire. The more who say these things and act in accordance with that desire, the greater are the chances of genuine world peace being achieved.

The Wise know that to hold onto what is impermanent and ephemeral only for temporary gain of pleasure is pointless and will, instead, seek for a longer-term, even Eternal method of living. This is shreyas. Pleasures and thrills of the world as found in the impermanent and ephemeral are what those on the path of preyas seek, but they are left only ever wanting more of the same, as each passing 'high' leaves and desire is again built. The values of shreyas bring lasting joy. When our goals are high, in fulfilling them all lower goals automatically become fulfilled. When we understand that, even as a single, solitary soul, we can be the instigator of peace, having an effect on the environment around us, then we can each day fund the effort to keep on being that example of change. This is the intelligent way of living. Each and every step on the spiritual 'mountain' yields results. Choose to live this way. It is unwise to wait for others to join you, follow or lead you. Indeed you may find you walk the path alone, but it is never lonely - provided you are firm in values, as well as in the purpose of following shreyas. Success and happiness is your birthright.

What is that goal again?

sTy< }anmnNt< äü, yae ved iniht< guhaya< prme Vyaemn!, sae=îute svaRn! kaman! Sah, äü[a ivpíteit.

Satyam jnaanamanantam brahma; yo veda nihitam guhaayam parame vyoman; so-shnute sarvaan kaamaan saha; brahmanaa vipashchateti.

The truth is Existence-Consciousness-Bliss. One who knows it as his own Self, fulfills all his desires at once.

May the Lord give all the courage to follow the Wise way and attain Eternal happiness.

Attend Thy Neighbour

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.

THE WISE AND THE OTHERWISE (cont'd)

Looking at the wise method of living and the consequences of the otherwise, we have seen it at the closest level of family, at the wider level of employment. Now how to view shreyas and preyas in terms of prosperity.

ECONOMIC;

We all desire to become prosperous, is it not? When all work towards the prosperity of the community, nation, even the world, then every individual, family, community and nation is taken care of. In the prosperity of others lies our own prosperity and well-being. Can the wise one, the follower of shreyas, sit in a place of comfort and wealth, enjoying the benefits thereof, and watch others around who are starving or ill without at the very least offering funds to those who can make a difference in easing the suffering?

So many work out of self-interest and not for the greater good. There is insecurity and fear around losing the wealth gained, not understanding that sharing it does not deplete one at all. There is a parable of Sri Vishnu, who invited all the deities and the demons to Vaikuntha for a feast. After a warm welcome, the Lord gave instructions that none should bend their elbows whilst eating. The demons got angry and, shouting anti-Vishnu slogans, staged a walkout in true parliamentary style! However, the deities cheered. Each fed the other and all were happy.

Feeding ourselves is joy. Feeding others, or being fed ourselves from another's generosity, is double the joy. 

In being unselfish, all are looked after. In being selfish the rich become richer and the poor become poorer. The mighty and cunning loot and exploit the weak or helpless. All food and water is put into the mouth. The teeth chew it, the stomach digests it and thereafter the nutrients are distributed to every cell of the body by an excellent delivery system. Each does its role selflessly and all benefit. If the teeth retain the food, they decay and stink and have to be removed and replaced…

The government/ruler is like the mouth. Collecting the taxes and attending to distribution to the various departments. If a certain minister or individual boards the national wealth, distribution becomes unfair, certain sections of the community will be neglected and the nation will suffer. At best this is poor management. At worst, it is corruption. It corrodes the soul of the country.

As individuals, the path of shreyas in this instance is to pay our taxes without complaint - to know that it is for one's neighbour who may have less, it is for the community who share the roads or utilities… and in a fair system, we get a vote on who is managing the community funds; if we don't like what we see being done, we can exercise our choices through voting for another. Where voting is not made compulsory, we follow the path of shreyas if we show an active interest in politics and make sure that we use the privilege of voting. Where we have surplus, we might also put funds to charity - and where no funds are we can seek to at least support through provision of some of our time, or preparing food or clothing for donation. The Wise are active in sharing and caring. The Otherwise… otherwise.