ॐ ईशा वास्यमिदँ सर्वं यत्किञ्च जगत्यां जगत् ।
तेन त्यक्तेन भुञ्जीथा मा गृधः कस्यस्विद्धनम् ।। १ ।।
îsHâ vâsyamidaM sarvaM yat kiñca jagatyâM jagat,
tena tyaktena bhuñjîthâ mâ gRidhaH kasya sviddhanam. 1.
ishaa - God, the Lord
vaasyam - clothed, enveloped, pervaded, dwelling
idam - this
sarvam - all
yatkincha (yat kim cha)- whatsoever ?
jagatyaam - in this world, on earth
jagat - world, moving, movable, earth
tena tyaktena -renouncing this, it (tyaktena means detaching or renouncing)
bhunjitha - enjoy (also mentioned as "protect" in some translations)
ma - dont
gridha - covet (wish to possess)
kasya - whose
svid - indeed, i wonder, do you think
dhanam - wealth
By the Lord is enveloped all that moves in the moving world.
By renouncing this, find your enjoyment.
Do not covet the possessions of others.
(http://www.san.beck.org/Upan3-Isha.html)
Monday, May 16, 2011
Saturday, May 7, 2011
Matter of the matter
This matter doesn't matter, because
What matters is beyond matter, but
It is what Matters in this matter, and
It is what made this matter
rest may seem to matter,
but it doesn't matter to those
who understand the Matter of this matter.
What matters is beyond matter, but
It is what Matters in this matter, and
It is what made this matter
rest may seem to matter,
but it doesn't matter to those
who understand the Matter of this matter.
Saturday, April 23, 2011
The Ultimate Secret
Nature is composed of Matter, Energy and Information as its three basic parameters.
The ancients of India had divined as much, a truth at which now modern philosophers and scientists have arrived at.
One thing is established - life is not just some amalgamation of matter and energy - information is also an essential component. Otherwise any energy producing natural phenomenon may be said to constitute life for example the erupting of volcanoes, or earthquakes or even the mere lapping of waves on the sea-shore. Critical distinguishing feature of life is the passing on of information down generations of any species, through a genetic code. Evolution happens through the mechanism of passing information - information is the medium, language is just a sophisticated form of expressing information that we humans or probably highly evolved animals have developed.
Information is the software of life, much like matter and energy form the hardware. Without this software and hardware life wouldn't exist as we know it. Yet I feel life, its origin, it raison-d-etre is beyond explanation of matter, energy and even information. Information didn't produce consciousness - I think consciousness, which is evident in humans (while not evident in other life forms) is evident because of information, but that is not because of which it exists.
What then is the secret of this life, this consciousness? The ancient Indians had expended a great deal of reflection and intuition on these questions. First the reflective human thought that this body composed of matter is life, then dissatisfied, he thought the vital essence "prana" is life (which correlates with energy). But this too was not satisfactory. Then he thought manas (i.e. consciousness is life - remember, consciousness is evident to us through the medium of information and please dont confuse information with just language) must be the essence of life, but that was not found to be satisfactory. Beyond the manas lies intelligence (buddhi) and beyond it lies atma, the subject, the knower of all. That atma, which is no different than the Brahman which pervades all existence is the secret of life.
Frequently we find we have to go out of a parameter to understand a parameter. A parameter cannot explain itself in its own terms. First matter appeared to be the truth, but when we went to the layer of energy, we realized that matter is not the truth, but just an expression of it and so we went back layer by layer. Now from materialistic point of view, we can understand till the information layer. Humans have learnt abstract thinking through their evolution and this helps in this metaconceptions. Hence we can concieve the existence of consciousness. Yet for most of us looking from materialistic point of view, there seems a big barrier to go beyond, to understand that beyond. This is because we ourselves are in the layer of information. Hence while we can see below it energy and then matter, we cannot see above. We have to ascend above information. How to do that - I have no answer - still searching for it.
The ancients of India had divined as much, a truth at which now modern philosophers and scientists have arrived at.
One thing is established - life is not just some amalgamation of matter and energy - information is also an essential component. Otherwise any energy producing natural phenomenon may be said to constitute life for example the erupting of volcanoes, or earthquakes or even the mere lapping of waves on the sea-shore. Critical distinguishing feature of life is the passing on of information down generations of any species, through a genetic code. Evolution happens through the mechanism of passing information - information is the medium, language is just a sophisticated form of expressing information that we humans or probably highly evolved animals have developed.
Information is the software of life, much like matter and energy form the hardware. Without this software and hardware life wouldn't exist as we know it. Yet I feel life, its origin, it raison-d-etre is beyond explanation of matter, energy and even information. Information didn't produce consciousness - I think consciousness, which is evident in humans (while not evident in other life forms) is evident because of information, but that is not because of which it exists.
What then is the secret of this life, this consciousness? The ancient Indians had expended a great deal of reflection and intuition on these questions. First the reflective human thought that this body composed of matter is life, then dissatisfied, he thought the vital essence "prana" is life (which correlates with energy). But this too was not satisfactory. Then he thought manas (i.e. consciousness is life - remember, consciousness is evident to us through the medium of information and please dont confuse information with just language) must be the essence of life, but that was not found to be satisfactory. Beyond the manas lies intelligence (buddhi) and beyond it lies atma, the subject, the knower of all. That atma, which is no different than the Brahman which pervades all existence is the secret of life.
Frequently we find we have to go out of a parameter to understand a parameter. A parameter cannot explain itself in its own terms. First matter appeared to be the truth, but when we went to the layer of energy, we realized that matter is not the truth, but just an expression of it and so we went back layer by layer. Now from materialistic point of view, we can understand till the information layer. Humans have learnt abstract thinking through their evolution and this helps in this metaconceptions. Hence we can concieve the existence of consciousness. Yet for most of us looking from materialistic point of view, there seems a big barrier to go beyond, to understand that beyond. This is because we ourselves are in the layer of information. Hence while we can see below it energy and then matter, we cannot see above. We have to ascend above information. How to do that - I have no answer - still searching for it.
Tuesday, April 5, 2011
Sunday, February 13, 2011
Stability and Intensity
Stability (Samatha) - the well shielded lamp, whose flame wont get extinguished and Intensity (Vipasyana) - the intense flame that gives enough light to study the mural in dark (self or selflessness)
These are the two important parameters of meditative state.
These are the two important parameters of meditative state.
Sunday, February 6, 2011
No Fear
"The whole secret of existence is to have no fear. Never fear what will become of you, depend on no one. Only the moment you reject all help are you freed."
- I found this line on this website regarding meditation.
http://www.clear-mind-meditation-techniques.com/benefits-of-meditation.html
I liked it because it reflects exactly what my mindset and philosophy of life is these days.
- I found this line on this website regarding meditation.
http://www.clear-mind-meditation-techniques.com/benefits-of-meditation.html
I liked it because it reflects exactly what my mindset and philosophy of life is these days.
Thursday, February 3, 2011
Evolution of Mind
Evolution is a continuous struggle to operate more effectively as an organism in a given environment.
If you look at how human beings evolved from microscopic unicellular creatures, you can see that there has always been a struggle to overcome one's basic tendencies to develop responses that can help manage the environment better. That's how we started walking up on two legs, developed opposable thumbs, developed a huge brain, and the sense of self - consciousness.
If you think that evolution is over and that man has reached the peak or apex of what he can be, then you are far from truth. We are still struggling - but what is it that the modern man is struggling against. When I say "modern" over here - its in evolutionary sense, not in our socio-political sense. The man who shifted from being a hunter-gatherer to a farmer some 10000 years ago is as modern for me as man of the twenty first century Anno Domini.
The modern stimulant for evolution is this brilliant evolutionary product called mind and specifically consciousness. The human mind is the "tool" that brings both the best and worst in us. But to understand how the mind can be so significant and how its shaping this evolutionary struggle of present, we have to go back to the origins to understand why the mind came into being in the first place - why did organisms that have a mind, mind about having a mind!
As organisms developed from their hoary unicellular origin, most probably symbiotically becoming more complex organisms - they required a system to manage their interrelationships better and work for the overall good. Every cell struggles to survive and thus the organism which is a complex system of multitudes of such cells reflects but this behavior. Every organismic system is intended to maintain homeostasis i.e. stability and integrity of the system vis-a-vis the environment, metabolism i.e. the process of transforming matter into energy to keep the cell up and running.
As Antonio Damasio has explained in his book "Joy Sorrow and the Feeling Brain" - in more evolved organisms like primates, emotions and feelings developed as a mental heuristic to respond better to the collective survival will of the organism.
On one hand is this existing natural tendency to preserve one's life and promote its well being which in modern sense makes us go after material possessions, to maintain and safeguard them - while at the same time this sense gives rise to fear and anxiety in the brain with regards to losing these material possessions and this fear and anxiety counter-acts the sense of well being, so that we are back to square one.
Also the increasing drive towards material possessions gives progressively lesser and lesser pleasure and one requires more possessions for same amount of pleasure - its akin to addiction to cigarette or drugs - more and more of these give progressively lesser pleasure than earlier.
What we find in society is two extremes so to say - there are on one hand people who go after material possessions and are always ridden with fear and anxiety and also guilt, in case these are ill-gotten possessions. On the other hand there are the abstainers, the ascetics who are so spiritual that they have forsaken all responsibilities of life and expectations. Now if the second category of people are ascetics who have renounced world and gone in some secluded ashram, then perhaps their way of life is in tune with their environment. But most of us are not ready to sacrifice a lot and yet we want a life of happiness, well-being and freedom from anxiety while being in the midst of this world and its chaos. How to manage that - that is the modern evolutionary struggle.
If you look at how human beings evolved from microscopic unicellular creatures, you can see that there has always been a struggle to overcome one's basic tendencies to develop responses that can help manage the environment better. That's how we started walking up on two legs, developed opposable thumbs, developed a huge brain, and the sense of self - consciousness.
If you think that evolution is over and that man has reached the peak or apex of what he can be, then you are far from truth. We are still struggling - but what is it that the modern man is struggling against. When I say "modern" over here - its in evolutionary sense, not in our socio-political sense. The man who shifted from being a hunter-gatherer to a farmer some 10000 years ago is as modern for me as man of the twenty first century Anno Domini.
The modern stimulant for evolution is this brilliant evolutionary product called mind and specifically consciousness. The human mind is the "tool" that brings both the best and worst in us. But to understand how the mind can be so significant and how its shaping this evolutionary struggle of present, we have to go back to the origins to understand why the mind came into being in the first place - why did organisms that have a mind, mind about having a mind!
As organisms developed from their hoary unicellular origin, most probably symbiotically becoming more complex organisms - they required a system to manage their interrelationships better and work for the overall good. Every cell struggles to survive and thus the organism which is a complex system of multitudes of such cells reflects but this behavior. Every organismic system is intended to maintain homeostasis i.e. stability and integrity of the system vis-a-vis the environment, metabolism i.e. the process of transforming matter into energy to keep the cell up and running.
As Antonio Damasio has explained in his book "Joy Sorrow and the Feeling Brain" - in more evolved organisms like primates, emotions and feelings developed as a mental heuristic to respond better to the collective survival will of the organism.
On one hand is this existing natural tendency to preserve one's life and promote its well being which in modern sense makes us go after material possessions, to maintain and safeguard them - while at the same time this sense gives rise to fear and anxiety in the brain with regards to losing these material possessions and this fear and anxiety counter-acts the sense of well being, so that we are back to square one.
Also the increasing drive towards material possessions gives progressively lesser and lesser pleasure and one requires more possessions for same amount of pleasure - its akin to addiction to cigarette or drugs - more and more of these give progressively lesser pleasure than earlier.
What we find in society is two extremes so to say - there are on one hand people who go after material possessions and are always ridden with fear and anxiety and also guilt, in case these are ill-gotten possessions. On the other hand there are the abstainers, the ascetics who are so spiritual that they have forsaken all responsibilities of life and expectations. Now if the second category of people are ascetics who have renounced world and gone in some secluded ashram, then perhaps their way of life is in tune with their environment. But most of us are not ready to sacrifice a lot and yet we want a life of happiness, well-being and freedom from anxiety while being in the midst of this world and its chaos. How to manage that - that is the modern evolutionary struggle.
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