A conversation

i : "Hi there".
I : "Oh, Hi".
i : "How have you been?"
I : " I thought you should know better."
i : " I see that you've been suffering for long now".
I : "Hmm..."
i : "Why are you going through this suffering?"
I : "As I already told, I thought you should know these things better".
i : "But I want to hear it from the horse's mouth".
I : "Okay, lets introspect then. I think I've chosen this suffering for myself".
i : "And why would anybody do that?"
I : "What's life without suffering? If everything turned out the way I wanted it, where's the fun? Experiencing pain, gives me an opportunity to hope. To look forward for the morrow. To hope, that things would turn out to be better. It gives me an identity. A sense of purpose, to live on. What would I do without it? What would I pray for? How would I grow? The pleasure that pain gives you, I doubt, if you get it from pleasure itself. Knowing fully well that I could end this suffering the moment I decide to, I've chosen not to do so. Does that answer your question?"
i : "That was a weird answer. Anyways, if you've actually decided to suffer, why so, for the trivial things? Why not hanker after the greater things, that life may have to offer? Don't you think your growth would be a true one, in that case?"
I : "You are making me think now. Hmm.., lets put it like this. I've come to believe that every soul has its own pace at which it "learns". Its takes its own time to "evolve" into something higher. Any attempt to accelerate this pace, can at best, be described as futile. I would go on to say, that even this attempt and the failure thereof, is a part of the learning. So knowing fully well, that I'm on a pursuit of things that are only "toys" in a sense, I do so, with a hope that I shall crave for the "real", in due course. Until then, I am in no hurry. And just so you know, I've no interests in rationalizing my hypothesis. As I told you, I've only come to "believe" in this, with no tangible proofs to offer. You are free to hold on to your ideas."
i : "You are teaching me a few things, that I thought I already knew. I probably underestimated you".
I : "That's because you've created a division between us. You see, in essence, we are the same. Only that, you have already evolved to a higher level, where you don't need this suffering, this pain, for your existence. You are beyond that".
i : "You are probably right. I was only concerned that you were suffering for long now, and hence wanted to help you, that's all."
I : " Of immense help, you certainly have been to me. You made me think, become aware of my suffering. And the cause for it. I know I'll be able to handle it better now. Thank you".
i : "I hope to see you evolving, and becoming one of my kind, soon. Oops, I mean at the right time. "
I : "I know I shall. I am ready for the wait."

Of teachers and their methods

I have been reading Swami Vivekananda's articles and teachings for close to six years now. And I am in complete awe of the swami. His fearlessness, freedom in action and thought are remarkable.Everything about him truly suggests a manifestation of god.His fervent calls to the youth appealing to remain strong, fearless and to express the inherent divinity, have always been inspiring.I have relished most of his thoughts and ideas, and always felt he was the ultimate teacher.
Until recently that is. Upon a reflection of the recent past, I have come to realize that, with his teachings there was a pressure to 'perform', if I may say so.Things like assuming total responsiblity for one' s destiny, strength even in crisis, asserting one's divinity (and many others) were difficult 'tests'(atleast for me), failing which, induced a guilt feeling. And when you respect someone so much, failing his teachings feels as bad as failing the person himself.

I really don't know why, but all these days I never got down to reading the gospel of the teacher's teacher himself - Sri Ramakrishna Paramahamsa.But I am glad I did it now. There is so much solace in his teachings.Not that they are any easier than the Swamiji's, but they are more 'in-sync' with my personal beliefs regarding many of the things in life. I am not saying that I have found complete peace of mind now.I still have my moments/days of doubt and anxiety, but amidst all these, there is a sense of calmness, once I begin to understand the source of such trepidations.

I am not out to say that swamiji's teachings are inferior to the master's or that they have counter productive effects.Its just that like so many things in life - some suit your personality, some don't, the same is with teaching.You have to choose what best suits you.

For me, I think I've found the ultimate teacher.

Free Will - Really ?

Have been reading "The Fountainhead" for quite sometime now.The book has some profound thoughts scattered all along.Came across one such piece today.A character in the story,one who's scaled great heights in his profession, talks about free will.
This is what he has to say -
"It's true that there's no such thing as free will.We can't help what we are or what we do.It's not our fault.Nobody's to blame for anything.It's all in your background and...and your glands.If you're good, that's no achievement of yours--you were lucky in your glands.If you're rotten,nobody should punish you--you were unlucky, that's all."

Now, I am not delving into, either justifying the above idea or refuting it. But still, all ye enlightened souls out there, what do you think ?

By the way, found the idea expressed here very very similar to my own take on free will.

One simple question

The question is rather simple, but I am not sure if the answer is all that obvious.
" Why do we think the way we think ? "

I recently read an article that talked about the "cosmic law" as proposed by the Buddha. According to this law, all that is happening was just meant to happen that way.It could not have happened otherwise.It goes on to conclude that one should not have any hatred towards someone for something bad that he did to you, because whatever happened to you simply had to happen and that person was merely following the cosmic law to generate that event.

Now, as a fall out of that argument can it be implied that the effect was already decided ? Then, the cause was so generated as to produce the required effect. In summary, the effect was the cause for the cause to produce the effect.The "principle of causality" is violated in this case and there remains little distinction between cause and effect.

I have read in a number of places that "you are what you think you are" and other such numerous versions of the above statement that basically translate into "You can become what you choose to become".Agreed.

But,at the cost of repitition,my simple question is "Why did we think in a particular way".Why does a winner think that he can win and on the same lines why does a loser think that he will lose.
Building upon the cosmic law, can it be argued that the winner was already chosen and his thought process, was merely in a manner, conducive for him to win ? (Though I don't know what algorithm is used to choose the winner !!)

Is it possible that we already have our destinies decided and we think in a given way in order to fulfill that destiny ? I know that sounds kind of a defeatist attitude where you are accepting that things are not actually under your control.But could it be the truth.I don't know....

Mirage

Wrote this article a long time ago.Thought of posting it here and this is how it goes...

Why is it that we find so many people around, whining every moment? They desire to possess the best things under the sun. Why does the human mind always crave for the good? Nothing but only the best can satiate its thirst. Even as I write this piece, a part of my mind is already ‘craving’ for the adulation that I would get, if this chunk of text can impress upon an august audience. Why do we always want to succeed? Oblivious to the fact that failures are a part of life, we cannot accept any failures in our professional or personal lives. It is a rarity to find someone ‘pleased’ at his inability to do something. Status, wealth, and fame…the ‘most wanted’ ingredients in the recipe for a so-called ‘successful life’ go on.

Precisely speaking, there is no formal definition of a successful life. It is all left to your perception as to what you see in a successful person. It is nowhere stated that the person who the makes the greatest of discoveries or the richest man alive can be termed ‘successful’. That makes success a subjective issue. You see a sweeper who relentlessly goes about doing his mundane job, as successful and so he becomes. But that again, is only your perception. The world might not even be aware of his existence.

Then what is it that makes success a common or a disparate perception? Ostensibly, success stems from the ability to do something that others have not been able to attempt or have failed if they have done so. When people fail to understand your work you have good chances of being labeled successful!! For instance, I might be a ‘successful’ writer for someone, not very adept at the English language. At the same instant, the author of a best seller could tag me a ‘miserable failure’ at writing. Consequently, success or failure is only relative. There is no yardstick to measure your success. It is like a mirage you encounter in the blistering heat of the desert. The moment you feel you have reached it, it has eluded you.

That teaches us an important lesson. Do not run after success, just like you should not be running away from failure. That is because, it is just like trying to breathe in vacuum. There is no air and you wish to breathe? You will not find success or failure in your lives no matter how fast and how far you run. They are non-existent entities in reality, which find place only in your minds in the form of an illusion. The only reality is YOU and your duties in life.

If only everybody, myself included on top of the list could realize this, the world would be a much better place to stay in. Ah! There goes the mind again craving for better things. You cannot correct the mind, can you?