Revisiting mithya

I can see that any object has three things

1. Name and form
2. Properties
3. Functions

If we take a tree, it has name and form, it has solidity and life, it has various functions.

However we see that there is no such thing in existence which is always 'tree'. Tree is a name given to a form but what that form IS, is it tree or non tree. If we say it is tree, then is tree in the form of a tree.
If we say then okok non tree, then that non tree cannot have treeness.

Hence only explanation is that tree is mithya, which means it is gaining its existence from something else.

Existence can never be objectified, since any object will be mithya. Therefore the existence aspect is not available for knowledge as an object. However it is yourself, hence it need not be known, since you are self evident to yourself.

So you are the brahman, the cause and all that is here is yourself.

Attributes are not an issue. All that is here has attributes. You yourself have the attribute of being a knower. The knower, knows the known objects. That is how it is.
This is the manifest consciousness, the prakrti or mAya.

This is ishvara who is manifest. Ishvara the all powerful being. The being is none other than yourself. Yourself means simply yourself, without a preposition, simply yourself. This simply yourself is ALL, its all that is here, without missing out on anything, its is the entire thing, ishvara is all, which is yourself. This is the vision. Of non duality. All that is here is one, which is ishvara, which is you.

2. arthA

I began a series where I introduce vedic/snskrt terms and discuss them in short simple paragraphs as a simple hindu educational series.
I had started with the term 'purushArta', which refers to goals of every human being. There were 4 goals I introduced, ArthA or Security and Survival, kAma or luxury ,Dharma or Righteousness , MoksA or total freedom while pursuing the above three goals of arthA, kAma and dharmA.

Today we shall look at arthA, the first goal. My aim in this post is to mainly completely quash the thinking that spirituality and material wealth are 'in opposition'. This post will be a slightly longer, since its about our Favorite topic 'wealth' smile emoticon

2. arthA

arthA is used in multiple sense in vedic civilisation. Everyone needs arthA. A small child new born comes to this world Completely dependent on its parents for survival. Survival means food , clothing and shelter, what one needs to merely survive. This is farely basic and easily understood by all, i need not elaborate.

But arthA is also used in a much broader sense to refer to wealth. I would like to discuss this meaning of arthA specifically in this topic.

Veda recognises that human beings are slightly different from animals. A dog is happy with a dogs life, in fact it prefers to be on the streets perhaps, rather than want to be tied up in someones home and get nice bedding or processed dog food.

Human beings are different. We have a fascination and attraction for wealth, and unless we are sanyAsis, which most of us are not, we are in search of wealth.

Wealth gives us leisure, safety, security and happiness. However the same wealth can be a cause of much sorrow and anxiety, as well as greed.

The attitude of the vedas to arthA in the form of wealth is fascinating and largely reflects in culture of hindus.

We look upon wealth as Śrī, श्री. Referring to the goddess lakshmi.

Lakshmi pooja is performed throughout india from Punjab to Kerala. Among the most popular gods is Lord Balaji or Tirupathi.

Whether we are in business, or professional jobs, life is unpredictable, and so is wealth. Sometimes inspite of our best efforts, and best talent the 'rub of the green' goes against us. We do not appear to have 'luck' and lose wealth. We also tend to lose fame, and health due to this 'bad luck syndrome' which is what we call as pApa. Hence the hindu is encouraged to do actions that lead to punyA, or favorable situations.

On the other hand if we gain wealth through unrighteous illegal means, we are in a pitiable situation, where the wealth cannot be enjoyed, and our tension balance is more than the bank balance, all of it goes in High BP treatment. And this wealth usually wont last long, and will bring along with it what hindus call 'pApa' or bad luck ( ever heard of millionaires dying alone with no one to bother for him?)

So the kind of wealth the hindu wants is Sri, wealth gained through dhArmik (righteous) means, which also means wealth in the form of punyA .Wealth is not limited to bank balance, but is a holistic wealth that includes health, fame, a general sense of mental well being and happiness. The word we use is 'mangalam', a divine well being and richness, which is a personification of Sri or Lakshmi.

An important point to make would be, compared to other cultures, while the hindu wants wealth, he doesnt want to become a slave to wealth. As he grows more older and more mature, he wants to at some point of time , be able to discard his mental dependance on wealth. That way he becomes a master of wealth, rather than allow wealth to become his master.

Mahalkshmi refers to the kind of wealth that satisfies our desire for 'mangalam' , while at the same time keeps us rooted, and helps us gain self mastery.

And the pursuit of such wealth and its mastery is the favourite topic of the vedic people. Whenever things are seen to be not in Your control, you resort to a power above, and that prayer can take a very specific form for the Hindu. It is the same god, but we invoke in a special form, a wealth giving form. Just like for a child the mother is same, but we invoke her as someone who cooks for me, or someone who teaches me math, or someone who advises me.

I would like to quote two specific vedic mantras that illustrate this.

All our yagnas (vedic rituals) end with the following chant to Kubera the lord of wealth

Om rajAdhirAjaya prasahyasAhine
Namo vayan vaishravanAya kurmahe
Sa me kaman kamakamaya mahyam
Kameshvaro vaishravano dadatu
Kuberaya vaishravanAya maharajAya namaH

“We offer salutations unto Vaisravana (the son of Visrava, Kubera), the king of kings, whose nature is to help others without any purpose. May Vaisravana, the lord of deities, give me, the seeker of wealth, what I desire. Salutations unto the great lord Kubera, the son of Visrava.”

Another one is the veda itself, the veda itself gaurantees wealth or Sri (righteous long lasting, dharmik, happy wealth)

OM yopam pushpam veda, pushpavan prajavAn pashuman bhavati

"He who understands the heart lotus of vedas, He becomes the possessor of happiness of the heart, of children and cattle (wealth was measured in cattle those days) "

This is the attitude of the hindu to arthA. Let me summarise.

1. ArthA must be gained through righteous means for it to be truly lasting and to be a source of sukham or happiness
2. Artha is not limited to money, but includes health, fame, a general sense of well being and mangalam
3. The vedic literature, culture and tradition is steeped in the pursuit of wealth personified by Sri or Mahalakshmi.
4. Mahalaxmi helps us gain wealth, but at the same time, she makes sure we achieve mastery over wealth and do not become a slave to wealth. Hence she is also known as moksaLaxmi.

1. PurushArta

I am planning to run a series where I introduce vedic/snskrt terms and discuss them in short simple paragraphs as a simple hindu educational series.

Let me start with the term 'purushArta'.

1. PurushArta

The terms purusa refers to human beings, and artA means goal.
So purusArta translates to goal of a human being.

Looking at the goals of any human being, the tradition looks at human goals in a four fold manner.

1. ArthA or Security and Survival
2. kAma or luxury ( anything beyond what one needs for basic survival)
3. Dharma or Righteousness (the human need to be treated by others in a righteous just manner, as well as the inherent desire to be righteous to others as well)
4. MoksA or total freedom while pursuing the above three goals of arthA, kAma and dharmA.

These are not goals Prescribed by hindus. Hindus do not prescribe anything. Rather we simply look at the facts the way it is. If you look at the human goals, all goals will fall under either of the first 3 heads. The uniqueness of Hindu faith is that the final goal of moksA, is to be attained WHILE LIVING, and pursuing the first 3 goals. Hence our moksa is not in heaven etc. rather we call moksa as 'JIVAN MUKTI' or liberation while living.

In the next post we will look at each goal.

One alone IS

When you say laptop, there is a name and form and there is the IS, which is the laptop. Laptop IS , when we say, that is the same as Sky IS.
Tree IS. Only the name and form and function is varying, but what IS is ONE.

The one alone IS, and what IS is the one.

Outside is one.
Inside is one.
Left is one.
Right is one.
Bottom and top are one.
All directions is one.

Whatever thought comes is one.

Whatever happens is one.

Waiting is one.

Breathing is one.

Concentrating is one.

Writing is one.

Is one need not be said. While taking anything, and saying it is one, that thing is already one. So all we are saying is one is one.