Vedoday2050

By Dr. Harish Chandra

Continuing with the premise that there is a definite upswing for the Vedic wisdom to find its due place in the near future, we want to point out current interest in meditation. We are told that about 10 million Americans practice meditation on everyday basis and devote 20 minutes or more to it. This is a global phenomenon. Meditation permits one to explore ones self within the mind domain. It is necessarily based on the concept of soul – a non-material entity that has the intrinsic property of consciousness. The Vedic wisdom has taught the world that we are a composite of body, mind and soul. This reflects the triumph of an important Vedic truth that has been missing in the present scientific and religious communities.

Body and Soul

Maharşi Kapila is the author of the treatise known as Sāmkhya. He begins it with the opening statement:

Atha trividha-duħkha-tyanta-nivŗtti atyanta puruşārthaħ [Sāmkhya 1.1.1]

i.e., Now begins the precept of 'the absolute effort' that can absolutely remove (all) three types of pain and suffering.

Let us stop for a while and gain an appreciation for the fact that we belong to a tradition and legacy that every one of us can be very proud of. We inherit the teachings of the Sage Kapila who had the authority to declare: Yes, there is a way for a human being to get rid of all sorts of pain and suffering. Can anyone imagine a human being who can say: "I know a way of life that is void of pain and suffering"? Such is the stature of Maharsi Kapila. He has been revered as Brahmarşi, Paramarşi, Ādi Ācārya, etc. His teachings in nutshell: A human life hasn't met its objective without viveka-khyāti, the subtlest wisdom. The subtlest wisdom that everyone ought to obtain is to know the duality within that I am a soul living in the body; I am an immaterial soul living in the material body; I am an eternal soul in the transient body; I am an infinitesimally small soul living in a huge gross body. We know that the body is beautiful as long as the soul resides in it. No sooner the soul leaves the body than the body is disposed off. A number of our friends will jump to say that: Yes, I know that I am a soul in my body. But then Kapila points out that your knowledge is second hand; it's based on hearsays and books you have heard or read. You don't know the soul because you haven't 'seen' it yourself. To 'see' the soul, one must sit for meditation and practice in a prescribed manner.

Then he elaborates the methods of meditation. Many thousand years later when Kapila's teaching were likely to fade away then Patanjali came on the scene. He devoted his entire treatise on the methodology that is known as Yoga. Further, so many thousand years later, Patanjali's Yoga is being presented by a number of ignorant people in a different manner. Thus, there is a need to revive old traditions in their pristine beauty. The dust must be removed to appreciate the true beauty of the truths. There is an urgent need now than ever that even the lands of abundance such as the USA cannot give the inner peace and lasting happiness to its citizens and they are exploring the same through the Vedic wisdom of meditation.

We have the following things to do on the basis of the above concept:

1. We must balance the life. Most of our pursuits are related to the needs of the body and mind. Yes, we must gain strength and health for the body. We must sharpen our mind and make it calm and quiet. We must develop our IQ and EQ, the Intelligence Quotient and Emotional Quotient, respectively.
2. But we must realize that the body and mind are mere instruments for the soul. How are we using them? Are we using them to cheat others, to harm others, to gain one-upmanship, and in similar shallow pursuits?
3. We must bear a morally upright character and utilize the wonderful body and mind in a manner that we expect others to do to us. That is, we must gain higher MQ, the Moral Quotient.
4. Without MQ, a human being can excel in all professions but not in meditation. One can become a good mathematician, engineer, physician, musician, economist, accountant, or any other myriad of professions we have designed; one doesn't have to have high MQ. But, without MQ nobody can succeed in meditation.
5. Now if one succeeds in meditation then the reward is the subtlest energy, the spiritual energy. This gives rise to an increase in SQ, the Spiritual Quotient – the strength of the soul so that it can overcome any kind of obstacles in life.

While modern sciences ignored the soul within, the religions didn't bother to explore the same. No present religion having significant number of followers encourages its adherents to sit alone and meditate to explore and enrich within. They rely on collective worship and prayer as if to inculcate military style discipline. Indeed in some religions, the adherents are expected to sit and rise together in the manner of army drill. No wonder the present major religions ended up with violence, barbarism, rape and plunder. Two thousand years have been lost. Millions of people died at the altar of religions. Now the people are fed up of these religions, especially in the age of terrorism when no corner of earth is safe any more. It is only the Vedic wisdom that can bring peace within every human mind where the largest battles originate. The peace within will give rise to a peaceful world outside.

The Vedas Say:

Yuņjānaħ prathamam manas-tattvāya savitā dhiyaħ

Agner-jyotir-nicāyya pŗthivyā-ādhyabharat. Yajurveda 11.1

Its meaning: One who desires to know the subtlest truth must first train the mind and intellect. An unhindered and continual practice will definitely bring us to know the true light of the body domain.

Purport: To know the soul, one must traverse inward. With practice, one can learn to disconnect from the body and mind domains. The necessary condition for the same is that both the domains must be in good health. If their health is not good then there are always message signals coming to remind us that our (that is, the soul's) attention is required by them. The mental and intellectual faculties must be tamed by appropriate self-motivational strategies so that they cooperate in the inward journey.

Where Do We Go Wrong?: We lead hyper-active life in the present fast moving world. We must begin to take interest in the requirements of the soul besides those of the body and mind domains. We know that when we intend to meet the requirements for the mind then the body domain is stationary and inactive. For example, when we listen to a lecture then the body is stationary. In the same manner, when we want to enrich our soul then the outer domains, namely, the body and mind must be inactive. But our present hyper-active life style makes it difficult for us to calm down the mind. This is where we need to practice and gradually gain a controlling relationship with the mind. The rewards are immense. Firstly, the mind will obtain much needed rest. Secondly, we will gain some moments of peaceful mind. Thirdly, we will be able to concentrate better in our tasks. Fourthly, we will make a progress in meeting the prescription of Kapila and Patanjali. Therefore, we must begin to sit quietly for a few minutes everyday in a corner of our home and attempt towards a quiet mind. We take the role of being an observer of the mind and guide it towards being inactive and void of thoughts.

We should convince the authorities of the temples that they must maintain a meditation room within the temple premises. They must organize meditation classes conducted by true meditation practitioners. Meditation is the ultimate in self-empowerment.

- Dr Harish Chandra