Purpose of Competition

The human mind in animal consciousness is competitive and self preservation is its prime motive - where self is assumed to be body.  So wherever one goes, one starts seeing others as competitors, openly or covertly.  For example - when one moves to a new locality, one starts competing with one's neighbors.  The neighbors also "size up" the newcomers.  It is interesting that prior to moving there, both had no such thoughts about one another!

The human mind in human consciousness is collaborative and justice (nyaya) is its prime motive.  Wherever such human being goes, he sees others as fellow human beings, seeking collaboration by becoming complementary for the sake of justice.  This collaboration requires valuation (mulyankan) of oneself and that of other person.  This valuation is absolute, based on understanding of reality, which is different from the "sizing up" of animal consciousness, which always has the flaw of over-valuation, under-valuation or un-valuation.  From the stand-point of human consciousness, competition is meaningless, therefore unnecessary.  Where competition is, justice is not.  Also, where justice is, competition is not.  Competition is with comparison - less versus more, which has to be associated with something material, for the conscious aspects are immeasurable.  Unless conscious aspect is understood, it is not possible to overcome the competitive mindset and accomplish justice in one's living.

Competition in animal consciousness at large scale divides human population into "winners" and "losers".  Competition grades and fragments people - for example: excellent, good, average, poor, very poor.  It may give better sounding names for the lower rungs, but that doesn't change the fact that lower rungs are "losers" in this scheme of things.  The "winners" would be very few, and it would be considered "normal" to have most people in the "average" range.  There are whole lot of statistical analyses to establish the truth of this!  Haven't you heard of the "bell curve"?  It's clear that the "losers" of animal consciousness would not lead a happy life.  What about "winners"?  Would these winners live happily?  The richer are not necessarily the happier lot.  Happiness is quite the essential point for human living - be it animal consciousness or human consciousness.  In animal consciousness, one seeks (in vain, of course!) "happiness" as result of the effect (as a sensation in body and feeling thereby) of some event.  In human consciousness, one is rooted in happiness, as realization in knowledge, and all thoughts, feelings and actions remain in "natural control" (niyantran).  The "happiness" of animal consciousness is not of lasting kind.  It is important to note here, that one doesn't seek happiness as outcome of one's actions in human consciousness.  Happiness is one's state of being.  Human consciousness and animal consciousness are two planes of being in human existence.  A human being transcends (sankraman) to human consciousness from animal consciousness upon achieving realization (anubhav) in knowledge of existence. 

Free will

Are we the authors of our actions?

These days I am reading a book by Sam Harris, titled "Free will", wherein he argues that "Free will is an illusion." (karm svatantrata ek bhram hai)

Do we consciously originate our thoughts and actions, or do these thoughts and actions just happen to us, without our having any control over them?  If I don't have any control on my thoughts and in turn on my actions, then what is the meaning of "free will"?  If a human being doesn't have any control on his thoughts and actions, then there is no way of holding him accountable for his actions.

Madhyasth Darshan demarcates "animal consciousness" and "human consciousness" as two distinct levels of human living.  The thoughts and actions of human consciousness (manav chetana) are qualitatively different from those in animal consciousness (jeev chetana).

Thoughts and intentions emerge from background causes of which we are unaware and over which we exert no conscious control - until we are in animal consciousness.  The qualifier in the end is crucial, for the one living in human consciousness has awareness of the causality, as activity of buddhi and atma.  In animal consciousness, one is not in control of one's thoughts and actions.  Madness is another name for animal consciousness, or so it gets appraised from the reference of human consciousness.

Following is the sequence in which the events happen, or rather keep happening, in human being from decision making to recognition of its effect on the world.

1.  Decision making in jeevan for performing an action

2.  Brain function and action thereby

3.  Recognition of the effect of action on oneself and the world by jeevan

So according to Madhyasth Darshan, we are indeed authors of our actions, and it is possible to hold a human being "accountable" for his actions.  However, in order that a human being could become accountable, he will need to have the "understanding" of existence, including existence of his own self.  Until a human being becomes accountable, or until a human being achieves the understanding, he can only be forgiven - for he knows not what he is doing.

Change

"Change" is easier said than done.  We want change, but in most cases it is the circumstances, environment and other people that we want changed, not our selves.  Consciousness development requires fundamental change in oneself (one's self).  Fundamental change comes when the prior assumptions and beliefs are replaced with the realization in knowledge of existence.  Until that happens, all efforts towards change are superficial.

स्वभाव गति

सहअस्तित्व में अनुभव पूर्वक मानव अपने स्वभाव (धीरता, वीरता, उदारता) में स्थित होता है और व्यवस्था में भागीदारी कर पाता है।  अनुभव से पहले "स्व-भाव" जीव-चेतना का ही होता है - क्रूर या अक्रूर।  अक्रूर को अहिंसा मान लेते हैं, क्रूर को हिंसा मान लेते हैं।  अक्रूर या अहिंसावादी को मध्यस्थ दर्शन में "पशु-मानव" कहा गया है, क्रूर या हिंसावादी को "राक्षस-मानव" कहा गया है।  राक्षस-मानव चलाता है, पशु-मानव चलता है।  अभी संसार में वैसा ही दिखता है - घर में, बाजार में, देश में, विदेश में। यही शोषण है।  धीरता-वीरता-उदारता मध्यस्थ स्वभाव है।  इस स्वभाव में स्थित होकर व्यक्ति दूसरे को "चलाता" नहीं है, न ही विवश होकर दूसरे के अनुसार "चलता" है - बल्कि सुख पूर्वक समग्र-व्यवस्था में भागीदारी करता है।

अध्ययन जीव-चेतना से मानव-चेतना में संक्रमण के लिए है।  जीव-चेतना में जीते हुए भी हर मानव में "सुख" की कामना है।  हर मानव सुख चाहता है।  सुख क्या है, यह जानता नहीं है - फिर भी सुख को चाहता है।  जीव-चेतना में शरीर को "स्व" मानता है, इसलिए शरीर संवेदनाओं में ही सुख को खोजता है।  इस तरह या तो संवेदनाओं को नकारता है या सकारता है।  इन दोनों विधियों से सुख हासिल नहीं होता।  अध्ययन सुख को हासिल करने के लिए ही है।  सुख के लिए ज्ञान चाहिए।

सुख ज्ञान पूर्वक अनुभव में आता है और मानव के जीने में समाधान स्वरूप में प्रमाणित होता है।  ज्ञान निर्णय  पूर्वक होता है।  मानव ज्ञान-अवस्था की इकाई है।  इसलिए मानव ज्ञान को स्वेच्छा पूर्वक ही अपना सकता है या अनुभव कर सकता है।  मेरी इच्छा न हो, और ज्ञान मेरे अनुभव में आ जाए - ऐसा होगा नहीं।  ज्ञान प्राप्त करने की तीव्र इच्छा तभी होगी, जब जीव-चेतना समीक्षित हो जाए और मानव-चेतना स्पष्ट हो जाये।  अध्ययन में जीव-चेतना और मानव-चेतना का विश्लेषण होता है, और मानव-चेतना की श्रेष्ठता स्वीकार होती है।  "मुझे मानव-चेतना में ही जीना है" - यह निर्णय होता है।  मानव चेतना में जीने की अर्हता आये बिना उसमे जीना बनेगा नहीं।  जीव चेतना की समीक्षा हुए बिना उससे छूटना बनेगा नहीं।  मानव चेतना में जीने की अर्हता है - हमको जीवन का स्वरूप समझ में आ जाए, सब कुछ कैसे प्रयोजनशील है और व्यवस्था में है - यह समझ में आ जाए, मानव का व्यवस्था में जीने का क्या स्वरूप है - यह स्पष्ट हो जाए।

हर मानव में कल्पनाशीलता और कर्म-स्वतंत्रता प्रकृति-प्रदत्त विधि से है।  कल्पनाशीलता में अर्थ निकालने का गुण है।  जो भी सुना, उसका मतलब क्या है? - यह पूछना हर मानव में स्वाभाविक रूप से बना हुआ है।  बच्चों में यह बहुत स्पष्ट देखने को मिलता है।  इसी कल्पनाशीलता में तृप्ति या सुख की "सहज अपेक्षा" है।  अध्ययन कल्पनाशीलता के आधार पर होता है।  दूसरे, मानव कर्म करने में स्वतन्त्र है।  इसका मतलब है - मानव अपनी कल्पना के अनुसार क्या करना है, उसको चुन सकता है।  यह बात जीवों से भिन्न है।  जीव-जानवर वही करते हैं, जो उनके वंश के बाकी जीव करते हैं।  जीवों के कर्म का आधार वंश है।  मानव के कर्म का आधार कल्पना है।  कल्पना का आधार समझ है।  बिना समझ के कल्पना का कोई आधार नहीं बन पाता।  मान्यताएं और आस्थाएं कल्पनाएँ ही हैं।  तर्क और भाषा भी कल्पना के ही अंग हैं।  कल्पना कल्पना का आधार बन नहीं पाता, इसलिए जीने में विश्वास नहीं आ पाता।  कल्पना का आधार कल्पना से विकसित या सूक्ष्म होना होगा।  सच्चाई का साक्षात्कार कोरी कल्पना नहीं है।  साक्षात्कार पूर्वक जो बोध होता है, वह सच्चाई के प्रति अडिग संकल्प है - वह कल्पना नहीं है, कल्पना से सूक्ष्म है।  अनुभव कल्पना नहीं है, कल्पनाशीलता का तृप्ति बिंदु है।  अनुभव जीने में प्रमाण का आधार है।  अनुभव से पहले प्रमाण नहीं है।

प्रमाण और जिज्ञासा के संयोग में अध्ययन होता है।  अध्यापक प्रमाण प्रस्तुत करता है। विद्यार्थी  जिज्ञासा को व्यक्त करता है।  केवल जिज्ञासा हो, प्रमाण न हो - तो अध्ययन नहीं है, अनुसंधान है।  प्रमाणित व्यक्ति अन्य में जिज्ञासा रूपी पात्रता को स्थापित कर देता है।  अध्ययन में ध्यान देना आवश्यक है।  अध्ययन में मन लगने पर ही  अध्ययन होगा।  मैंने इस बात को आजमाया है, यदि किसी बात का आवेश मन में होता है तो अध्ययन में मन नहीं लगता।  इसलिए अध्ययन के लिए अपने वातावरण को अपने अनुकूल बनाना बहुत आवश्यक है।  इस "अनुकूलता" का स्वरूप हर व्यक्ति के लिए एक नहीं होगा।  सबसे महत्त्वपूर्ण है - परिवार के लोगों की इसके प्रति सहमति।  यदि जिन लोगों के बीच हम दिन-रात रहते हैं, जिनके प्रति हम जिम्मेदार हैं, जिनका जीना हमसे जुड़ा है - यदि वे इस लक्ष्य के प्रति सहमत नहीं हैं, सहयोगी नहीं हैं, पूरक नहीं हैं तो अध्ययन में हमारा मन लग नहीं सकता।  इनसे भाग कर, इनको आहत करके भी अध्ययन नहीं हो सकता।  इनको साथ लेकर ही चलना होगा।  उसके लिए जो आवश्यक है, उसको करना अध्ययन के लिए सहायक है।  दूसरे, आर्थिक या स्वास्थ्य को लेकर यदि कोई परेशानी हो, तो भी अध्ययन में ध्यान नहीं लग सकता।  इस अनुकूलता को भी बनाने की आवश्यकता है।  यह भी बात सही है, यदि हमारा लक्ष्य अस्तित्व सहज है तो उसको प्राप्त करने के लिए अनुकूलता संजोने में दृश्य-अदृश्य सहयोग मिलने लगता है, संयोग बनने लगते हैं। यह सब उत्साह वर्धक होता ही है।

लक्ष्य की स्थिरता, अपनी स्थिति के प्रति ईमानदारी, वातावरण की अनुकूलता - इन तीन बातों को लेकर हम अध्ययन  में मजबूती से चल सकते हैं।  

Serene

We humans are so much given to justifying our conclusions and being smug about it.  We can observe this tendency in ourselves who are studying this Darshan.  After having read the Darshan and having thought through interconnections in its proposals, we get a sense of superiority over others who haven't done that yet, and we don't lose any opportunity to expound and give discourses on our new found "understanding", without realizing that understanding is not mere words and logic.  This misconception can take huge proportions resulting in every form of ugliness, making the need for course correction, individually and collectively.  Able guidance of a realized teacher is a must for busting inflated egos and doing the course correction.

अध्ययन और कार्यक्रम

प्रश्न: हम जो इस दर्शन के लोकव्यापीकरण कार्यक्रम में लगे हैं, क्या वह हमारे अध्ययन के लिए सहायक है या बाधक है?

उत्तर: सहायक है।

प्रश्न: अध्ययन और लोकव्यापीकरण कार्यक्रम में अपनी भागीदारी के संतुलन को कैसे पहचाने?

उत्तर:  कार्यक्रम में भागीदारी आपके अध्ययन के लिए सहायक हो, वही संतुलन  है।

- अनुभव शिविर २०१३ में श्री ए नागराज के साथ संवाद पर आधारित

Overcoming the "Job Dependence"

It is not rare to see the people complaining about their jobs (naukri).  One who has a job keeps complaining about the exploitation and meaninglessness there.  And one who doesn't have a job sees getting a job as the only path for survival.  In the following paras we will try to look closely at this situation of "job dependence" in the light of Madhyasth Darshan.

It is clear that people in urban and metropolitan cities are more affected by job dependence.  Paras Bhai - our assistant in "Shanti Van", Amora - has nine children (till last count!), and I am always amused seeing how less affected he is from these pressures.  Job dependence is clearly a fallout of modernity, it is being shamelessly perpetuated by modern education.  It has affected me, is affecting me - and I am seeking its resolution at present.  

Prosperity (samriddhi) - Madhyasth Darshan postulates is the goal of every family - which is about a family's being able to produce more than its needs with physical labor (shram).   Prosperity is not just a "feeling" of having more than enough through whatever means.  The Idea of Job doesn't go with The Idea of Prosperity.  Prosperity implies overcoming the job dependence.

Let's face it! Having a job is better than borrowing, begging or stealing.  One can argue that most jobs are on top of the system which borrows, begs or steals - but that will be an idealistic argument, and it is totally unhelpful in overcoming job dependence and achieve prosperity.  Quitting job is no proof of having understood anything.  Doing job is no proof of not having understood anything.  Living with prosperity is the proof of having understood something.  So the question is not whether to "do" or "not do" the job, the purpose is to achieve prosperity, and thereby overcome job dependence.

Prosperity can overcome job dependence only when whatever one was getting from the job is "meaningfully" achieved through the new way.  Let us look into what a job gives.

1. Sense of Identity
2. Security

3. Structured life

4. Society's Acceptance

5. Interaction with like-minded people

6. Sense of accomplishment

1. Sense of Identity:  People identity with their jobs.  They prefix or suffix their names with their ranks in the job - Brigadiar Venkateshwar Naidu, Suresh Kumar IAS, etc.  If we ask anyone - who are you?  The answer comes - I am a teacher, I am a doctor, I am a software engineer or I am police officer...  Jobs give a sense of identity (pehchan) - as that is the way one identifies oneself and that is the way others recognize him.  This sense of identity is till the time one has the job, or continuity in the job is not threatened.  It's not uncommon for people to have identity crisis when they lose their jobs or when they retire.

2.  Security:  Jobs are insecure, by nature.  It needs no elaboration.  Some people argue that public sector jobs are secure (which in turn means that one will not get fired even if one didn't work there).  Private sector jobs are blatantly profit oriented, and non performance here means loss of job, sooner or later.  Though it is not uncommon to see lethargy, disobedience, absenteeism in private jobs also. The jobs are designed on "carrot and stick" metaphor or with use of fear and incentive.  Still the fact remains that jobs give the sense of security which comes from a regular paycheck, health insurance, provident fund, gratuity etc.

3.  Structured Life:  Jobs give a certain structure or routine to life.  Five to six days a week, 40 to 60 hours per week, 8:30 AM to 6 PM... They have a discipline (some jobs being more flexible than others), which gives a sense of orderliness in life.  One would wear a clean shirt, polish his shoes, board a bus or train, work for certain hours, have lunch and tea breaks, come back home in the evening reading newspaper or something.  This structure, routine and discipline seems to be a good thing to start with, but to most people it starts getting to their nerves, work places start seeming like jails and one starts seeking escapes from this structured life, physically and mentally.    Still the fact remains that jobs give structured life which is demanded or expected by the employer.

4. Society's Acceptance:  Society of present day approves people with jobs.  A well paying job is considered as a prerequisite for marriage, specifically in India.  Loss of job is associated with stigma, a blot on career, if not one's life!   I have seen that people with salaried jobs, of whatever content, have more social acceptance than the ones who earn their livelihood by physical labor.  Still the fact remains that having a job ensures an overall approval in one's family and society at large.

5. Interaction with like-minded people: Job gives an opportunity for interacting with people of similar background.  During lunch and coffee breaks people meet and share their joys and sorrows.  It is also true that these interactions are very superficial.  I have seen one instance where two people working in the same room, only few meters apart, for five long years, never talked to each other, until the day one of them came to say goodbye when he was quitting his job!  Still the fact remains that jobs provide the space for people to come together.

6.  Sense of Accomplishment:  Jobs are for getting some work done.  And when a work is done, there is a sense of accomplishment.  The appreciation from boss, approval from colleagues, rewards and bonuses - all these give a sense of accomplishment, which feel good!  Very often one is unable to relate to the accomplishments on the job and the rewards don't enthuse, at other times - one finds content of the job to be meaningless, so even if one accomplishes something there, it doesn't fill one with joy.  Still the fact remains, jobs give some goals to be achieved to people, which when achieved give a sense of accomplishment.

Following is my understanding about how "shram se samriddhi" meaningfully achieves what one seems to be getting from jobs.  While we need to be clear that Prosperity (samriddhi) is not possible to achieve before Resolution (samadhan), we need to also be clear about the meaning of Prosperity for becoming resolved.

1. Meaningful Participation: Prosperity is for participating in the society in a meaningful way.  This participation includes one's skills and abilities.  Someone could be a doctor, other could be a teacher, yet another could be a farmer.  Participation (bhagidari) is different from job.  Participation is a spontaneous expression of a human being, while job is... a job!

2. Assurance:   Assurance is to never become insecure for money or aspects related to material things.  It is not indifference to material, instead getting the sense of assurance (for material aspects) from one's skills and absolute trust in the laws of nature.  This is not minimalist approach, or the one in which you try to live with compromises with whatever little means you have got.  It is not that at all...  It is first determining what and how much you want, and add something extra for the good measure, and then make a realistic plan along with the people involved for achieving it, and then execute that plan methodically.  The money and resources are not wasted, but one takes care of them and makes good use of them.  The kind of assurance that one gets this way is not a fragile one, and something which the security of regular paycheck of a well paying job cannot match.  We humans naturally expect assurance of prosperity, which jobs don't offer.

3.  Rhythm:  It is the rhythm, and not structure that we need in our day to day life. Rhythm is with comprehension of the status of those around you, it is moving with them, dynamically changing the route, while still keeping the commitment.  It is very different from mindless adherence to the clock that the discipline of the job dictates.  Rhythm brings the quality of dance in our day to day living ("bounce in the step and song on the lips", as they say!), which structured life of job cannot match.

Another thing which I observed, job divides one's living into two halves, which we can call as "Work" and "Life" - where Work is to Earn, and Life is to have Fun.  One keeps trying to arrive at work-life balance and there is always a struggle.  The model of living with samadhan-samriddhi doesn't have this division.

4. Inspiration to Society: It is not mere approval that we seek from our society, what we truly want is to be a source of genuine inspiration for the society - be a source of pride for our elders and a source of guidance for young ones.  Resolved and Prosperous living is truly inspirational to society, to the next generation, which is more than acceptance that one gets from society because of having a job.

5. Justice in Relationships:  It is not the huddle of fear that we need from our fellow human beings, what we truly want is justice in our relationships, where both sides are fulfilled from each other as a result of understanding of purpose of their relationship.  Justice is much more than transactional interaction among like-minded people.

6. Sense of Abundance:  Prosperity is to have continuous sense of abundance, which is not dependent on some project's or task's completion.  The sense of accomplishment that one gets in getting the work done in jobs doesn't match the unconditional sense of abundance of a prosperous family.

Overcoming the job dependence is not going to happen overnight.  It will require initiative and patience.  As I had written earlier once, it is better to take the approach of "make before break" - where you try to erect the alternative while still being on the job.  I think, there is a need for having an collaborative effort here.  For one family to be prosperous, we require more than one families becoming prosperous.  When others joined along with our efforts of setting up our field, we got a lot of momentum.  They benefited from our learning and we from theirs.  The design and scale of samriddhi will not be same for everyone.  It will vary from family to family - while each design and scale will be anchored on self reliance and samadhan.  I think, we need to work with both the goals - samadhan and samriddhi - side by side.  It is a pity that so many of us feel miserable in our jobs everyday, longing to break free, but not knowing what to do, where to go.  I feel that we can now focus our efforts and collaborate to win.

The reality of living with samadhan and samriddhi for our families is going to be built from the raw material of our reality of today.  We can start taking steps towards it today, for unless we walk the path, how would we ever reach it?  Following are some of the things which we are doing, and are trying to do.  Each family will have its own specific course, so this is not a prescription.  We find that these steps are useful for making a conducive environment for adhyayan.  The circumstances would vary from person to person, family to family - yet there could be similarities and possibilities of learning from each other.  We would like to learn your steps.

1.  Simplify Living: - We observed there is a lot of scope for removing clutter from our lives.  There was a lot of unnecessary baggage that we were carrying.  Books that we won't ever read now.  The clothes that don't fit anymore.  Electrical and electronics goods that were lying in disrepair.  Things that need to be repaired, recycled, renounced... Simplify, Simplify, Simplify...  It helps!

2.  Living Forever: - The lifestyle design of samadhan-samriddhi addresses "living forever".  It is not just about planning for house, retirement, children's education and wedding etc only.  I observed Baba ji, in this age of 94 years, takes active interest in orchard planning.  The resolved thinking is neither short-term nor long-term, it is forever-term!  Forever-term thinking and planning includes the short-term and long-term.  We can take steps towards the design of "living forever" by coming out of the money economy in as many aspects of living (like food, housing, power generation, health, education, ... ) as possible.  We can surprise ourselves how much progress we can make in 4-5 years!  The ultimate vision of "living forever" is in the form of "tradition of humanness" (manveeya parampara).

3. Physical Labor: - Modern education makes people averse to physical labor (shram) and production (utpadan).  I am a product of modern education myself, and I can say that for myself.  "samajhdari se samadhan, shram se samriddhi" is the mantra here!  Physical labor and production needs to be seen in the positive light.  What can I do with my hands?  Who all worked on the things which I am using, and what is my contribution?  Physical labor (shram) is the currency for doing exchange (vinimaya) among human beings.

4. Family First: - Family is the basis of orderliness in humankind.  The repair and renewal of family relationships is the first step towards living with samadhan-samriddhi.  A human being needs other human beings to live, to be listened, to be cared, and to be nurtured.  It is possible to determine material needs definitively only in a family.  A lone individual cannot determine how much will be enough for him?  It will not satisfy anyone if some dictator or some government determines this for all its people.  Each family has to arrive at its own requirements for its sustenance and for its participation in society.  Each family has to have a shared dream for its living with samadhan-samriddhi.