Truth

While explaining the base of education, there is a great emphasis made on relying on truth. One may wonder what is meant by ‘TRUTH’ for there are so many versions of truth explained by Science, different philosophies, and different religions. Everyone says that their version is the correct one. In this context, the concept of Truth, as envisaged by Swami Vijnananand and as understood by me, the explanation is provided.

The importance of truth has been emphasized by Christ. In the 20^th Century, Mahatma Gandhi was the greatest advocate, representative of Truth. All religions in the world have given highest esteem to the (practice of) Truth.

Truth cannot be and need not be defined absolutely. Everyone knows and feels what truth is. Swami Vijnananand (Swamiji) pleads that definition of truth should not be a debatable point. Philosophers of all shades including materialists have admitted value of truth at its individual level.

As a practical and subjective test that mental state would be considered reflecting truth, when thoughts expressed allow equalization of emotions, i.e. rhythm of body, pulse, heart beats etc. do not change in relation to past, present and future.

"Truth gives no emotional unbalance" could be considered as the shortest description of truth.

Emotion and Truth – Emotions effect keep individual away from Truth. 

During the time an individual is under emotional stress, he is also away from truth knowingly or otherwise. 

Everyone knows in his mind (consciousness) ‘what is truth’. Using an analogy (within its limits), we may imagine that the psychic energy an individual possesses has (as if) two components. (a) Truth and (b) Untruth – This is in the form of emotions. It is enough to assert that when we speak the truth, emotional balance maintains itself completely (to a relative extent). Conversely, when the emotional balance is lost (i.e. one particular emotion or group of emotions prevails upon the mind) then, it is likely that mind is guided by some untruth (to a relative extent). (Note – A detailed analysis on the above point appears in the volumes of the New Way Series, also in the series of my blogs on ‘disease and cure’).

Illustration w.r.t. one kind of emotion (Affection)

There are many types of human emotions. ‘Affection’ is one such emotion. As true with any emotion, ‘affection’ itself incorporates untruths and partiality.  How? Let us see.

Consider an everyday occasion in life – your son has, for no justifiable reason whatsoever, hit your neighbor son. What would be your reaction? It will totally depend upon your own individual and unique personality. But it may belong to any one of the following three categories.

1.     You insist on siding with your son, knowing fully well that you are practicing untruth by being unjust. For justifying (the behavior of) your son, you invent false excuses.

2.     You realize your son is in the wrong and you resort to complete silence.

3.     You flare up into uncontrollable anger and inflict punishment on your son.

Untruth and Pulse Variation (PV) go together.

Under whichever of these three categories, your actual action falls, it will result in your (own) pulse variation (PV,, pulse count per minute variation. Pulse count is the easiest measure to understand body motion status at a given moment).

Untruth (working against consciousness) and pulse variation go together.

(i) In case of reaction as at ‘1’, the untruth is so obvious that no further explanation is necessary.

(ii) In case of ‘2’ above also ‘behavior of untruth’ prevails because of following considerations.

-    The outcome of timidity leads as much to silence as bold and just acceptance of truth. On this occasion the possibility of timidity exists. Consequently, the silence cannot be considered as ‘Love of truth’.

-    The check of PV will confirm the ‘untruth’ in suppressing the emotions (and remain silent).

-    Consider a different situation where two strangers are in quarrel. Here your reaction of silence would be different from the ‘quality of silence’ in the first illustration.

(If your son’s result of important exam is due, you may be silent but still highly concerned. In case of the result of the son of a stranger you may be silent and unconcerned). P.V. check or other such checks at body level could verify this fact).

(iii) In case of alternative ‘3’ also the emotional disturbance (P.V.) check can ensure the behavior intention – If it was a quarrel between two strangers boys, you would not have bitten any one of the boys. You bit the boy, for you love him and want him to be good behaved.

Another way of illustration is – If your son scores good marks in exam you will give him prize. But if the same score comes to your neighbor’s son, you would not consider to give him a prize, same as you might have given to your son on such occasions.

Essentially the primary question all along remains the same. Whether you are, or you are not partial to your son in the expression of all reactions? This partiality is nothing short of untruth.

One can understand your punishing the boy (for wrong deed) but not your anger or P.V.

Have you conquered the emotions? A Criteria.

If none of the above mentioned three alternatives come into play in your case, we have to concede that you have conquered the emotion of ‘affection’. As we know we are constantly under shade of various typs of emotions. Now in your case search in that direction of other emotions needs to be undertaken.

Readers may ask – Based upon the above analysis, one of the main question of readers undoubtedly be – Is it then your contention that we should not love our love children?

Answer 1 – The theoretical answer could be as follows:

Neither Swamiji nor for that matter anyone else in the world (howsoever great or learned, pious he may be) can possibly help out any body (who is) violating the Laws of Nature. Our duty is to point out to you what the true nature of these laws is. The Laws of Nature are absolute and remain immutable (permanent). If somebody calls it ‘absurd’ because of somebody finds it inconvenient, still they are applicable to everybody.

One has to first accept truth as an objective to be practiced and not merely an idea to be worshiped from a safe distance. Once this is done, the devotee of truth, himself understands how to resolve the knotty problems in the life in a way suitable to his own personality and yet remaining undisturbed (keepimg calm). This is a journey of thousand miles but it starts with the first step of resolution (to follow the truth).

Answer 2 - Our second answer is as accurate as any scientific answer can possible be.  No researcher can find a theory which is suitable for needs of all individuals. His job is to put forward right thought, scientifically correct. Each one has to adjust himself to a natural phenomenon. Nature and Nature’s Laws are meant to be obeyed. Therefore, to avoid disease, protect yourself from emotion and for cure of disease, make use of truth alone as medium of cure.

Our premise shows the relation between truth, emotion and disease. 
(For details readers are requested to refer to previous Blogs on "Disease and Cure").

Emotion = Disease. 

With respect to human body, the relation between motion, emotion and disease can be illustrated as follows:

In every occasion of emotional occurrence, there is some change in body motion. Similarly, in every occasion of disease also the body motion is affected.

Emotion (E) = Motion (Pulse Variation PV or EEG potentials).

Disease (D) = Motion (               - do -                                     ).

Therefore,
 

E = D.

The life starts at conception, when the motion is set. The life ends at death, when the motion stops. During whole life, there is motion associated in body. Thus life is a journey of motion.

For various desires of pleasures we create disturbance (change of motion) in the body’s steady-state. This goes on whole life. Thus desire for pleasure is also thus related to motion. Here we can conclude that both life journey and lust of multiple and diverse desires of pleasures in human life are both associated with ‘motion’. The ‘laws of motion’ have thus important relationship with life and desires of pleasure (or happiness in normal language).

The unquestionable link which exists between emotions and disease is created by the animal called man and man alone. Threfore, conclusion is in keeping with the laws of science particularly the laws of causality applicable to the human life.

The details of the intricate working of the speed, ratio and proportion between emotion on one hand and disease on the other in relation to specific individual would of course vary, even vary vastly from person to person, from moment to moment. This cannot come at all under any standard analysis.

Our premise, our plea and our demand as humble servant of truth fulfills the demand of science. 

No religious leader has even denounced truth.  Truth For our purpose is, “Individual expression of subjectively known objective fact recorded with detached mind”. Not only should one adhere to Truth, but Truth must be told with a perfectly detached mind

To illustrate with a simple example. Mr. A visits Mr. B's home and is received by Mrs. B. Mrs. B in all good faith tells Mr. A that Mr. B has gone out. After Mr. A has left, to her surprise Mrs. B finds that her husband was at home. Has she then told an untruth? Certainly not. For Mrs. B. the objective absolute truth subjectively known to her was of Mr. B not being at home. In reporting the situation as she conceived it, Mrs. B had no hidden objective before her. 

On the other hand, had the situation been one where Mr. B happened to owe some money to Mr. A for the recovery of which Mr. A had called on Mr. B, then the matter takes on an entirely different texture provided that Mrs. B knew of the transaction between the two (but not otherwise). If she knew of the transaction, her pulse-rate would have varied even when telling the truth as she conceived it, the mind not being detached.

To get away from the clutches of this riddle, the best way is to leave the discussion of absolute truth to philosophers. In practice defining truth as "subjective truth as objectively known, expressed with detached mind", serves our purpose.

Summary - Emotion, Truth, Disease.

All unequal members of the human race share equal knowledge of Truth.  Allotment of Truth is selfsame. For this purpose truth known to every member of society is replete. A cup of water to the brim need not envy an overflowing tank. Since, even if what is offered to the cup has no room where it can accommodate it.

Why is untruth voted for?  A liar necessarily clings to his version for a lap of luxury, for pleasing some emotion or the other. Try to place this in terms of logic and mathematics:

In truth there is no emotional outburst.

Untruths cause emotions.

Emotions cause disease (unease).

Therefore, Untruths cause un-ease (disease).

Therefore, Truth causes ease.

Instances already furnished, establish relation between emotion and disease. One more quote is added only for ready reference.

"The effect of emotions on the adrenals is to produce higher blood pressure which favors the development of arteriosclerosis and other diseases of circulatory system. The thyroid is so much affected by mental depression that this emotion is mentioned by scientists as one of the causes of myxoedema. The pituitary body is also affected by emotions. Prof. Pel and others have noted cases of acromegaly after violent emotion. Dr. Sajous has often pointed out this gland as the central organ upon which all strong emotions react. The liver and kidneys are much affected by emotions. Jaundice indicates the disturbance of the former whereas, according to Clifford Albutt, many cases of interstitial nephritis can be traced to mental emotions."

"An objective truth as subjectively known" as probable cause of cure, ranks high and assumes top eminence in the eyes of respectable scientists

-         We located emotion as an immediate cause of disease in scientific terms.

-         What is the way out to avoid this abuse of emotions?

-         Obviously a non-emotional state of mind.

Which in simple words, mean a ‘truth-patterned’ behavior.

Truth definition.

S.V. in his book ‘Equation of Happiness’ defined Truth as; ‘Objective reality subjectively known told with a detached mind.’ (Equation of happiness, page 47) “Individual expression of subjectively known objective fact recorded with detached mind”.

God is Truth.

We reproduce Swamiji’s description of God in ‘New way Philosophy’.

I am convinced, that God, fortune and happiness can be achieved by a simple method of adherence to truth. I feel all the four are identical. Both educational theory and psychology at present would not accept truth as an unqualified requirement for proper development. I will not have and there cannot be any compromise on this issue. Present education and psychology detract from real, absolute truth. The more we are away from truth, the more “ego” we have. “Truth” and “ego” are, for the most part, antithetical (opposite) to each other. Present system of education encourages ego and ignores truth-values. We never understand that the proportion of ego in us is but the present form of future misfortunes. We never know that we are digging our own graves. We never know that fortune is within us and not without us. We search for fortune and happiness all over the world, except in our own mind, because egoistic brain never allows this simple fact of fortune being within us to be realized by us. (New way philosophy to fortune….).

The journey to the practice of Truth, how so ever difficult it may be, has to be practiced by a human being. This is the journey of human evolution. And to bring such upliftment is the real purpose of Education.

Vijay R. Joshi.