Bhakthy and Sraddha are often mentioned together in religion similar to Satya and Dharma. It is through sraddha, bhakthy gets fulfilment and it is through dharma one experiences Satya.
In one of the concluding verses of Vishnu Sahasranamam it is mentioned "Imam stavam adhiyanah sraddha bhakthy samanvitah; Yujyet atma-sukha-ksanti sri-driti-smriti-keertibhi" meanin g - one who reads this hymn (Vishnu Sahasranamam) every day with devotion and attention attains peace, prosperity, mental stability memory and reputation.
Bhakty is an attitude developed through faith, sraddha and worship. Faith towards a higher value (say God) and scriptures which proclaim a higher state of mind to experience peace within and harmony with the enviornment we live in.
Faith is an essential requirement in our endeavour to a higher state of mind. Next comes sraddha otherwise known as devotion or attentiveness. This 'attentiveness' is most essential in all our action whether in the karma field, or bhakthy field or yoga field. Following Faith and Sraddha there comes Worship which can mean either prayer or pooja towards God on whom we have trust or it could mean sravanam, mananam and nidhityasanam of a higher ideal or it could mean satsangam, bhajan etc.,
Thus, faith, Attentiveness and Worship are the essential aspects of Bhakthy. Attentiveness< as already mentioned is most essential in all the fields _ karma< bhakthy and yoga>
BHAKTHY IS 'CONTEMPLATIVELY CONSCIOUS OF ONE'S REALITY, AND SRADDHA IS ATTENTIVELY PERFORMING THE ASSIGNED ROLE IN THE LIVING DRAMA'.
Sunday, April 27, 2008
Sunday, April 20, 2008
ADWAITHA--NON-DUALITY
Among the various Indian Philosophical systems, the system of Adwaitha philosophy has a unique place. According to that school of thought, 'Adwaitha' otherwise known as 'Non-dual' is the ultimate truth.
The first expression of the ultimate truth is termed as 'Consciousness'. 'Consciousness' is also non-dual and it has the status of 'day-light' in comparison to 'Light' - the ultimate truth. Light expresses itself as 'day-light'. Consciousness is known by different names such as God, Bhodam, Chaitanyam, Atma, whereas the Ultimate Truth is known by the terms Awareness, Brahman, Bhodadeetha etc.
Certain philosophers term the Consciousness with the letter "I". This 'I" is the first expression of Awareness - the ultimate truth. From 'I' the first thought "I AM" arises. "I AM" brings in all subsequent concepts such as Spirit-Matter, Para-Apara, birth-death, Vidya-Avidya, Sukha-dukka, silence-noise, heat-cold, beaty-ugly, sweeet-bitter, good smell-bad smell etc etc, all of which can be termed as 'conceptual dualities.
Foilowing the terms "Awareness" "I" and "I AM', there arises "I am so&so i.e. the individual feeling with a name and form. Apart from the conceptual dualities, the individual entertains emotional dualities such as attraction-repulsion, and consequent pleasure-pain, calmness-anger, contentment-greediness, loving -nature-fighting nature, sacrifice-possessiveness. All these emotional dualities are felt by the individual with the ego sense of 'individuality' caused by the feeling of 'doership and enjoyership'.
One should outlive the emotional dualities caused by the feeling of ;individuality'. To that extent, the individual free from individuality starts feeling peace and happiness within. The conceptual dualities would however continue to remain in the individual 'Iam so&so'. The conceptual dualities should also get out of mind to experience not only peace and happiness but also harmony in one's relationship with outside world. At that stage - i.e. in the absence of concepts and emotions one lives a rhythemic living expressing the pure "I". In that state the 'individuality' is lost and the 'individual' - 'Iam so&so' is also no more there. Both are immersed in "I" the origin. Peace and harmony exist within and with the environment one lives in. The intellect wont indulge in concepts and the mind would be free from emotions. Thus the dualities in both the fronts dissolve. In that state "I" raise to the status of "Witness" witnessing the dualities as mere appearance and reflections like fast moving clouds in the pure sky. The conceptual and emotional dualities dissolve in "I" ultimately.
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The first expression of the ultimate truth is termed as 'Consciousness'. 'Consciousness' is also non-dual and it has the status of 'day-light' in comparison to 'Light' - the ultimate truth. Light expresses itself as 'day-light'. Consciousness is known by different names such as God, Bhodam, Chaitanyam, Atma, whereas the Ultimate Truth is known by the terms Awareness, Brahman, Bhodadeetha etc.
Certain philosophers term the Consciousness with the letter "I". This 'I" is the first expression of Awareness - the ultimate truth. From 'I' the first thought "I AM" arises. "I AM" brings in all subsequent concepts such as Spirit-Matter, Para-Apara, birth-death, Vidya-Avidya, Sukha-dukka, silence-noise, heat-cold, beaty-ugly, sweeet-bitter, good smell-bad smell etc etc, all of which can be termed as 'conceptual dualities.
Foilowing the terms "Awareness" "I" and "I AM', there arises "I am so&so i.e. the individual feeling with a name and form. Apart from the conceptual dualities, the individual entertains emotional dualities such as attraction-repulsion, and consequent pleasure-pain, calmness-anger, contentment-greediness, loving -nature-fighting nature, sacrifice-possessiveness. All these emotional dualities are felt by the individual with the ego sense of 'individuality' caused by the feeling of 'doership and enjoyership'.
One should outlive the emotional dualities caused by the feeling of ;individuality'. To that extent, the individual free from individuality starts feeling peace and happiness within. The conceptual dualities would however continue to remain in the individual 'Iam so&so'. The conceptual dualities should also get out of mind to experience not only peace and happiness but also harmony in one's relationship with outside world. At that stage - i.e. in the absence of concepts and emotions one lives a rhythemic living expressing the pure "I". In that state the 'individuality' is lost and the 'individual' - 'Iam so&so' is also no more there. Both are immersed in "I" the origin. Peace and harmony exist within and with the environment one lives in. The intellect wont indulge in concepts and the mind would be free from emotions. Thus the dualities in both the fronts dissolve. In that state "I" raise to the status of "Witness" witnessing the dualities as mere appearance and reflections like fast moving clouds in the pure sky. The conceptual and emotional dualities dissolve in "I" ultimately.
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