by Sri Bimal Mohanty
VOL No. 109
March : 2010

 


  Atma
 Knowledge
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 Spiritualism
 sanatan

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THE DHARMA TEMPERAMENT

Based on lectures by Sri Bimal Mohanty

The Sanatan philosophy concludes that Brahman and His creation are all one and the same and there is one principle of functioning that governs the entire creation. For the individual souls the bliss and happiness lies in becoming an integral part of this grand cosmic endevour and not in assuming a separateness from this wholeness by subserving the overall process. That is the sublime concept of dharma for all and should be practiced by one and all, all the time. In this context while discussing the need for individual conformity with the oneness concept of Brahman’s creation for bliss and happiness (see “Worlds within the world” in the January 2010 issue of AHWAN, we tried to find an answer to the often asked question as to how does one test his actions whether they conform to the Divine principles of overall oneness or not.The tests that are to be applied are said:

 Dharmanistha sah yogi samadarshi karunachitta

Tyagi ca nirahamkAra BrahmakripAya kalpate

If the actions are dharma dictated as proscribed in the scriptures, when they are equally applicable to one and all without favour or discrimination, when done while the mind is in yoga, when compassionate, when not done for the satisfaction of the personal ego then the action is fit to teceive the divine grace and support.

Let us look at these tests separately to understand. Dharma is the primary consideration for all our actions. Any act contrary to dharma is bound to be harmful to all concerned.What is contrary to dharma? It is that which does not satisfy the considerations onwhich dharma is established.

Earlier we have discussed the ten characteristics of dharma which are

Dhrtih kshyama damosteyam saucamindriya nigrahah

Dhirvidya satyamakrodhah dasakam dharmalakshanam

Dharma calls for an unflinching determination , an unshakable faith (Dhrti) that every soul is destined to reach the highest pinacle of perfection and purity which is its original divine state. This dhrti or uncompromising faith and conviction is dharma’s motivation. Nothing motivates a man of higher intellect than the  belief that the perfection and purity are not simply remote concepts but are actually achievable. If it were not, if this dhrti has not taken a firm root it would be easier often to abandon all effort for emancipation and sink into the dark abyss of inferior existence and perish. Dhrti lifts the soul out of this despondency and sustains dharma in the heart of the individual soul.

The path of dharma is not traversed all alone.It is a collective movement of the caravan of souls moving in each other’s cooperation of all entities of creation. A spiritual mind is aware of his individual progress towards Brahman realization. But only a matured enlightened mind can visualize the mass movement of the entire creation moving as a single homogenous movement  encompassing everyone in its fold towards the final destination. A lesser mind is aware of his own movement but a higher mind sees the bigger canvas of the total movement of the whole creation – the viswaroopa.

It is possible that in such a collective movement there would be support and cooperation from some quarters and obstruction from some quarters. While all supports are to be acknowledged a reciprocated, it is equally important in dharma that all obstructing forces are seen with a sense of total forgiveness. By forgiveness alone all obstructing forces are transformed or converted into a supporting force. That determines the imperativeness of Kshyama or forgiveness as an essential character of dharma.

Then comes dama or abnegation of retaliatory action against any obstructing force. Without dama Kshyama can not be practiced.

While we are all moving in unison towards that one finishing line, it is to be noted that one is not in competition with the fellow  sAdhaka. Each one moves through his own efforts in direct relation to his level of understanding and knowledge acquired through his own actions and sanskaras in this and all the previous lives.Fruits of bad karma are his own to be atoned.. Likewise fruits of good karma  is your own added strength. Good karma ensures benefits- both material nd spiritual. Whatever good some one is enjoying is his own acquired merit. When you try to evaluate what some one else has and you do not have, your mind yearns to possesss all that the other has  and you do not.Such thoughts drag you towards all sorts of wrong doings, so as to usurping things which you have not merited and therefore not yours. Envy enters the heart and envy destroys the character. It distracts the mind from the purpose of sadhana Some one else’s good karma  can not be burrowed or snatched away and added to your strength. Asteyam or practice of non-coveting what does not belong to you is dharma. Wasting efforts in eyeing some one else’s upalabdhi or acquired merit  only slows down your own progress.

 Dama, asteyam kshyama etc are exhibited only by a pure heart.An impure mind can not have control over one’s actions and can not have restraint or dama least of all kashyam  or compassion. Purity or saucam of thoughts and actions makes the antahkarana pure. An impure mind propels you to wrong doings. It goes for instant and impermanent pleasure (preyas) which give immediatesatisfaction but may not be desirable in te long run as opposed to results which may not appear  immediately pleasant but bring lasting benefits (Shreyas). What the b sadhaka needs is restraint from sliding into the domain of Shreyas by practicing atmavinigraha or strict control over sensual appeasement of desires.

To do that one must be able to rightly discriminate between  Shreyas and  preyas This can only be done by rightly analyzing actions with the help of one’s  intellect or dhih or what is commonly known as buddhi.Dharma sadhanaoryoga  is the intelligent approach of the soul to Brahman. Without the help of intellect or dhi you wander in confusion. Why else human beings have been gifted intelligence if not for this discrimination? Dhi is enhanced, honed and sustained only by knowledge or vidya. Not all types of  vidya  but that knowledge that opens the gate to truth of all truths satyam which is synonymous with  Brahman himself. Acquiring vidya, thus becomes dharma itself.

 Pursuit of knowledge can be done only with a calm and controlled mind. Amongst all things that quickly destroy the calmness of mind, anger or Krodha is mot powerful. Anger or krodha is at the root of all unrighteous conduct. All adharma or unrighteous acts are committed in fits of anger.

When these ten attributes are practiced in a regular basis, you are established in dharma – you are  dharmanistha.

Sadhakas hve devised many yoga prakriyas based on their experience to bring this knowledge in to practice. All the various yogakriyas have only dharma as their objective.

Being dharmanistha means adhearing to all that are associated with righteous conduct in life. One is said to be in linkage with dharma. Dharma in turn is inseparable from Brahman. So one who is dharmanistha is ever connected with  Brahman consciousness. He is ever in Yoga. He is a yogi all the time.Yoga and practice of dharma are two sides of the same coin.

In the eyes of Brahman all in the creation are treated equally without any kind of discrimination. A true yogi does not regard himself different or superior to others But a part of the oneness concept is one amongst all Being in dharma a yogi applies the same tests for his own conduct. Samadarshita means developing equanimity towards one and all. From non-equanimity sprouts enmity and resentment, confusion of thinking and anger. Mind looses its calmness Thee is no peace and everyone ends up unhappy.

 Dharma calls for carrying everybody along happily without showing any favour or disfavour.To see every one as part of the process needs acceptance of every one for whatever they are. No one is yet perfect. Every one has strengths and every one has weaknesses.The weak have to be treated with compsssion. You and me we all have our weaknesses which we are trying to overcome. We all wanted others to treat us with compassion and therefore in return we also have to show compassion to others. Every one’s heart must remain full with compassion ( karuna) towards any one who is seen as inferior. Karuna filled heart is a prerequisite for peaceful co existence that dharma stands for.

There is a small anecdote referred as early as in the Brhad Aranyaka Upanishad as a mantra for every ones conduct inside the creation. For all souls whether of divine characteristic , human temperament or demoniacal disposition They represent the three kinds of souls that populate the creation. They are all offsprings of the Lord of beings  Prajapati. When they all went to Prajapati for instructions He gave them all one single word of advice which is the single syllable ‘da’. For those who have cultivated  some dgree of divine temperament, for them ‘da’ stands for ‘self control’ or damaas we discussed earlier.Souls who are at the inferior state of demonic disposition ‘da’ stands for compassion. For majority of souls in human forms ‘da’ stands for ‘give’ or sacrifice Since those days till today these instructions hold true for the smooth running of the creation and for all to follow.

But if one can ever single out one unique characteristic that is needed by all individual souls for their own and everyone’s peaceful coexistence in this entire cosmos,it is that  quality of  sacrifice.Dharma tells us that you live and live purposefully by sacrificing continuously all through your existence. In Sanatan philosophy  Tyaga or sacrifice has been the topic of intense analysis by our seers and also copiously described in our scriptures. Sri Aurobindo’s own analysis has been very enlightening to say the least.

He says “ The law of sacrifice is the common divine action thrown out into the world in its beginning as a symbol of the solidarity of the universe.” This statement implies that without this i.e sacrifice from all the creation simply can not be sustained and can not be saved from disintegration. He justifies this by saying that “ it is by the attraction of this law that a divinizing , a saving power descends to limit and correct and gradually to eliminate the errors of an egoistic and self divided creation.” In our own times we are painfully aware how the world is being fragmented by the evil power of assertion of egotism”Sacrifice is a practical recognition by the ego that it is neither alone in the world nor chief in this world.and this ego which thinks itself a separate independent being and claims to live for itself , is not and can not be independent nor separate , nor can it live to itself even if it would, but rather all are linked together by a secret oneness.”

 “Each existence is continually giving out perforce from its stock : out of its mental receipts from nature or its vital and physical assets and acquisitions and belongings a stream goes to all that is around it. And always again it receives some thing from its environment in return for its voluntary or involuntary tribute. For it is only by this giving and receiving that it can affect its own growth while at the same time it helps the sum of things” That is what is to be understood when we said the spiritual journey is never an individual’s isolated movement. The entire creation moves enmass towards its final destination Brahman.  Individual sadhana is always considered only supplementary so as to make the individuals participation effective for the sum of things.  Vyasti is never considered  unconnected with samasti. In one line of belief saints who have achieved individual enlightenment still enter the cycle of birth and death for the sake of facilitating the descent of the divine truth and grace for every one to share.In doing so the sadhaka truly identifies himself with the fullness of the creation the viratawhich is the manifested Brahman himself. The knowledge realization then becomes complete. Every action of ours has to be in the sacrifice mode. Sri Aurobindo observes “Life is the altar of this sacrifice, works are our offerings”

Unless that is done, all works are indeed purposeless. Why? Because we always work for or serve somebody. When we are not serving Brahman we are serving our own ego. We are serving only ourselves. Oue ego has no power of its own to grant us the benefit of true satisfaction. Because it itself does not know where and what the lasting happiness is.Because it does not know lasting happiness- always oscillating between happiness and unhappiness as the sense organs experience.as its masters. Should we be serving a master like that? Think about it.

On the other hand, we have another master , who possesses everything , knows everything, all powerful and hence all contentmemt and bliss.Is it not reasonable therefore that we follow that master and receive from Him what He is capable of giving?

That is the simple logic as to why it is foolish to be a servant of our ego and it is prudent to follow Brahman By by rejecting the hold of ego.

We have many examples in life, of very successful persons . A successful lawyer, successful educationist, an accomplished business tycoon, a great president or a prime minister, doctors, artists, politicians and even great social workers.

Unless all they have done in their lives have been made as offerings to that supreme being , as a sacrifice, then they have really been mere servants of their own ego.

 And as long as they have remained servants of their ego , they have never found happiness. They have lived unhappy and have died unhappy. In spite of great public adulation or world admiration they might have got, their lives in true sense have been wasted lives not contributing to the progress to a higher state of development. That is why it is said, push your ego to the back and bring the divine to the front.

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