Which Desires Lead our Life. (KNOW YOUR DEATH - 11)

How human karma is motivated / initiated.

We have seen in a separate article the concept of Sreyas and Preyas. Here we shall try to see the hierarchy of the needs (desires) as felt normally by the human being. Here we refer to the well-known “Maslow Theory of the hierarchy of needs”.

Hierarchy of needs/desires.

Maslow stated that people are motivated to achieve certain needs. When one need is fulfilled a person seeks to fulfill the next one, and so on. It is quite true that man lives by bread alone — when there is no bread. But what happens to man’s desires when there is plenty of bread and when his belly is chronically filled? At once; other (and “higher”) needs emerge and these, rather than physiological hungers, dominate the organism. And when these in turn are satisfied, again new (and still “higher”) needs emerge and so on. This is what we mean by saying that the basic human needs are organized into a hierarchy of relative prepotency. Maslow stated that people are motivated to achieve certain needs. When one need is fulfilled a person seeks to full fill the next one, and so on.

1. Biological and Physiological needs -air, food, drink, shelter, warmth, sex, sleep etc.

2. Safety needs - protection from ailments, security, order, law, limits, stability, etc.

3. Social Needs - Belongingness and Love, - work group, family, affection, relationships, etc.

4. Esteem needs - self-esteem, achievement, mastery, independence, status, dominance, prestige, managerial responsibility, etc.

5. Cognitive needs - knowledge, meaning, etc.

6. Aesthetic needs - appreciation and search for beauty, balance, form, etc.

7. Self-Actualization needs - realizing personal potential, self-fulfillment, seeking personal growth and peak experiences.

8. Transcendence needs - helping others to achieve self-actualization.

Please note that it start from the need of the body initially then go to the needs of the mind, elevated mind toward the journey to the status of “Soul”.

Although we are all, theoretically, capable of self-actualizing, most of us will not do so, or only to a limited degree. Maslow (1970) estimated that only two percent of people will reach the state of self-actualization. Which in reality is much, much in lesser proportion.

Holy Gita.

In contrast to Maslow Gita prescribes self-control in a different manner

The self-controlled person, moving among objects, with his senses free from attachment and malevolence (hatred) and desires brought under his own control, attains tranquillity.

A disciplined person, enjoying sense objects with senses that are under control and free from attachments and aversions, attains tranquility.  Peace and happiness is achieved, not by sense gratification, but by sense control. (Gita 2/64)

We have also seen the concepts of Karma, Vikarma  and Akarma in a separate article. Gita also states that though to reach the self-realization state is the highest objective of life very rarely this is met. So in all probability, to attain the total stage of desire-lessness though ideal for highest mind evolution, very few people would be able to reach.

“One in thousand men try to become,

Learned is the knowledge of perfection,

And only one of those learned men,

Really know me (concept of God)  in reality”.                       Gita chapter 7, verse 3.

“After several births, this wise man,

Realizing that everything is the universal godhead,

Reaches me and such a person is rare indeed”.                   Gita chapter 7,verse19.  

Who would lead to Bliss, who leads to re-birth ?

Gita answers this in chapter 8, verses 23, 24, 25.

 Oh Arjuna, please hear from me,

About that period of times in which,

Yogis who depart, return or not return?

Those who die in the light caused by fire,

During day time, during the waxing period of moon,

During northern solstice and are the devotees of Brahmam,

Would eventually attain the Brahmam.

Those who die when there is smoke,

Or during night, during the waning phase of moon,

And during the southern solstice and are,

Well versed in yoga, attain the moon,

And return back to earth.

To explain this in common language Saint Vinoba Bhave says :-

When the hands perform act of service till last breath, when the full moon of Bhavana shines brightly, mind’s sky is free from desire, and the intellect is free and keen – when a man dies in this state, we may presume that he has merged with God. In order to make such auspicious ending, one must watch day and night and wage skilful war. Not even for an instant, should an evil tendency be permitted to enter the mind. And in order to gain strength necessary for this, one should remember His name and meditate on is Truth. (Vinobaji in “Gita Pravachan”).

But if the life departing mind would carry with it some or other un-fulfilled desire, possibility of re-birth looms large.

We shall review in the next article the desires in some of the so-called great people’s mind at the moment of death. The last desire naturally leads to the further journey and destination in the after death stage.

Vijay R. Joshi.

The Key to Karmyoga. (KNOW YOUR DEATH - 10)

 Karma, Vikarma, Akarma.

While we are looking at various ways and means to lead life, this article examines the nature and quality of the Karma. Please remember this review is in order to understand the status of the mind while it departs from the body at the moment of death.

Bhagwat Gita analyzes and provides guidance on all the problems of the human life. How to progress our karma from the materialistic level to spiritual level, while doing all our due duties of life, is rationally explained in the Gita. In chapter four, the art of “self-realization through the Karma” is explained. The terms used are “Karma, Vikarma and Akarma”.

Saint Vinoba Bhave in his discourse has lucidly explained these concepts.

Karma Needs Vikarma To Complement it.

We discussed the yoga of desire-less action. It is impossible to attain desire-less-ness if we give up Swadharma (the duty-activities) and embrace the dharma which is not ours (par-dharma).

It is a trader’s swadharma to sell indigenous goods. But when he gives it up and starts selling foreign goods imported from distant lands, his motive is nothing but to earn more profit. How can such work be free from desire? Pursuit of swadharma is therefore indispensable for desire-less work. But swadharma could also be pursued with an eye on the gains.

Take the case of non-violence. Violence is taboo for a votary of non-violence; but he could be outwardly nonviolent while being steeped in violence inwardly. For, violence is an attribute of the mind. The mind would not be non-violent merely by giving up outward violence. A sword in hand is a sure sign of a violent mind; but one does not become non-violent merely by throwing the sword away. The same is true about swadharma also. To have desire-less-ness, one must definitely avoid dharma which is not one’s own; but that is only the first step towards desire-less-ness. It is not sufficient for attainment of that goal.

Desire-less-ness is a state of the mind. Pursuit of swadharma is necessary but not sufficient for acquiring that state. Other means must also be used towards this end.

To light a lamp, oil and wick are necessary but not sufficient. It is also necessary to have a flame. Darkness disappears only when we light a flame. How to light a flame? For this one must purify one’s mind. The mind should be thoroughly cleansed through intense self-examination. The Lord Krishna has given this important advice at the end of the Third Chapter of Gita. The Fourth Chapter has its genesis in this advice.

The Gita uses the word 'karma' (action) in the sense of swadharma. We eat, drink, and sleep. These are all actions. But these are not the actions that the Gita refers to when it talks of karma. Karma refers to the performance of swadharma. But in order to attain desire-less-ness through such karma, an important aid is necessary. One must overcome desire, attachment and anger. One cannot have desire-less-ness unless and until the mind has become pure and calm like the waters of the Ganga.

The actions necessary for the purification of mind are called 'vikarma' by the Gita. Karma, Vikarma and Akarma—these three terms are important in the Fourth Chapter of Gita. Karma means the outward actions done in the pursuit of swadharma. Vikarma means total involvement of the mind therein.

We may bow to somebody, but that outward action is meaningless without inner humility in the mind. There should be unity between the inner and the outer. I may worship the image of the Lord; but that act is worthless if it is not accompanied with devotion. In the absence of devotion, the idol will just be a piece of stone and so shall I; and the worship will only mean that a stone is facing a stone! Desire-less, selfless Karmayoga is attained only when outward actions are complemented with the inward action of the purification of mind.

In the term 'desire-less action', the adjective 'desire-less' is more important than the word ‘action’.

Those engaged in social service today are certainly pursuing their swadharma. When people are poor and destitute, it is a natural duty to serve them and make them happy. But all social workers cannot, therefore, be called karmayogis. Social service without pure motives in the heart of the workers could have disastrous results. Such a social service can generate in equal measure the vanity, hatred, envy and selfishness that we generate when we serve our families exclusively. This is clearly evident in the world of social work today.

Karma + Vikarma = Akarma.

The mind should be fully in tune with and involved in work. 'Vikarma' is the word that the Gita uses for this involvement and application of the mind in work. 'Vikarma' means the special karma which varies with the needs of each individual mind. Only when we perform this special karma, only when the mind is in tune with the outward action, will the flame of desire-less-ness be lighted. Desire-less-ness is gradually developed when karma and vikarma come together.

The body and the mind are distinct entities; so the means to be employed for their growth are bound to be different. The goal is reached when they are in tune with each other. To achieve harmony between them, the authors of the scriptures have prescribed a two-fold path.

In Bhakti-yoga (the yoga of devotion) they have prescribed penance and austerities without and Japa within. If the Japa within does not accompany outer forms of penance like fasting, the latter would be in vain. One should always reflect on why one is doing penance; the motive, the spirit should always be alive in the mind like a burning flame. The word 'Upavas' (fasting) etymologically means 'to dwell close to God'. In order that our mind and heart may dwell close to God, sensual pleasures are to be abjured. But if we give up such pleasures and do not think of God, of what value is the physical act of fasting? If, instead of thinking of God, we think of things to eat and drink while fasting, that 'fast’ would be worse than a feast! In fact, there is nothing more dangerous than thinking about sensual pleasures.

Tantra (technique, means) must be accompanied by mantra (pondering over, meditation). Tantra in itself is not important; and mantra without action has no value. Only when the hands are engaged in service and there is spirit of service in the heart can true service be rendered.

Performance of swadharma will be a dreary affair without the warmth of feelings in the heart. It would not then blossom forth and bear the fruit of desire-less-ness.

Suppose we undertake the work of nursing the sick. If there is no compassion in the heart, it would be a burdensome drudgery for us. The patients too will find the service to be a burdensome obligation. If the mind is not absorbed in it, such service will boost the ego. Expectations will then arise in the mind: "I am helping them today; tomorrow they should help me. They should praise me. People should admire me." Or else, we may get fed up and complain that the patient is peevish and irritable even though we are taking so much care of him. Sick men are usually in a depressed and irritable mood. If the spirit of service is lacking, we would get tired of nursing them.

If the mind is in tune with the work, the work is transformed into something unique. When vikarma joins karma, desire-less-ness comes into being. When a spark touches the gunpowder, it explodes. Karma is like the gunpowder. It works wonders when the flame of vikarma ignites it. Karma in itself is inert and lifeless; it is the spark of vikarma that makes it indescribably powerful. We may keep a packet of gunpowder in our pockets or handle it with impunity; but when ignited, it would blow up the body into pieces. The infinite power in swadharma is likewise dormant. Combine it with vikarma, and then see what transformation it can bring about! The resultant explosion would reduce to ashes ego, desires, passions and anger, and then supreme wisdom will be attained.

Action is in the nature of kindling, burning of which results into knowledge. When you ignite a log of wood, it turns into burning coal. How different is the fire from the log! But it is, after all, the log which has undergone this transformation. When vikarma is united with karma, karma attains a divine radiance.

A mother’s action of caressing her child is apparently insignificant; but who can describe the upsurge of emotions it gives rise to in the hearts of both the mother and the child? It would be utterly nonsensical if one were to say that such emotions would result if a hand of such weight and such softness is moved up and down such a back. Yes, the action is insignificant; but the mother has put her whole heart into it, and it is this vikarma that causes unprecedented joy.

There is an incident described in the Ramcharitmanas (the Ramayana written by saint Tulsidas). The vanaras (monkies) had come wounded and bleeding after a battle with the demons. They were in great pains. Lord Rama just looked at them with love, and all their pain vanished. It would be ridiculous if someone else were to try to bring about such a result by looking at them in an outwardly similar way.

Vikarma, combined with karma, results in a powerful explosion of energy, and then akarma is produced. A big log of wood, when burnt, turns into just a handful of harmless ash. In the same way karma, ignited by vikarma, ends up in producing akarma. Is there any relation between the properties of wood and that of the ash? Absolutely none. You can collect the ash in your hands and merrily smear it all over your body without harm. But there is no doubt that the ash has come out of the burning of that log of wood.

When vikarma is united with karma, akarma results. What does it mean? It means that one does not then have the feeling of having done anything. Action does not weigh on the mind of the actor. We act, but still we are not the doers. As the Gita says, you are not the slayer even if you slay somebody. A mother may give a thrashing to her child, but the child will still turn to her for solace. He would not do so if you thrash him. It is so because the mother's heart is pure. Her action is totally devoid of any self-interest.

Vikarma, or the purity of mind, erases the 'action-ness' of the action. Infused with the inner vikarma, Lord Rama’s action of looking at the vanaras became a sheer outpouring of love that acted as a balm (curing medicine) on their wounds. But it did not tire Rama a bit. Action performed with pure heart is free from any attachment. There is, therefore, no question of any sin nor merit remaining as a residue after that action is over.

But if karma is coupled with vikarma, any amount of action does not tire. The mind remains calm, peaceful and radiant. When vikarma is poured into karma, it becomes akarma. It is as if karma is erased after it is over.

Art of Akarma Should Be Learnt From the Saints

How does karma become akarma? From whom can we learn this art? From the saints, of course. The Lord says at the end of this Chapter, "Go to the saints and learn from them." Language fails in describing how karma is transformed into akarma. To gain an understanding of this, one has to sit at the feet of the saints.

The Lord is described as ‘शांताकारं भुजगशयनम्’ —He is fully at peace even though He is lying on the thousand-hooded cobra (Shesha). The saints too do hundreds of actions, but do not allow even a little ripple of commotion to arise in the still waters of their minds. This remarkable thing can never be understood unless the lives of saints are observed from close quarters

*(These discourses on Gita were given by Vinobaji to the co-prisoners who were jailed as freedom fighters in the India’s struggle with British rulers YEAR ....)

My comments: As the intelligence will progress from materialistic to spiritual motives the Karma will progress to the height of Akarma. At this desire-less state, the departing moment at death would be of perfect bliss and then no re-birth possibility would exist.

Vijay R. Joshi.

Five layered existence of human being (KNOW YOUR DEATH -9)

“Pancha Kosha Viveka"

It is very important to answer the question “Who am I?’ (को हम?).

The answer to this question decides the level of self-realization. The human efforts then take the shape leading to the formation of the karma-chakra. The destiny at the departing moment in life has bearing to this level of realization. This concept is illustrated with “Pancha Kosha Viveka”.

Let us understand the concept of “Pancha Kosha Viveka”

Pancha Kosha Viveka (पंच कोष विवेक)

In India there is vast literature where human being is described in great detail in different religions of Indian origin and for the present situation the most suitable model of human being can be taken from “Taittiriya upnishad” under the title “Pancha Kosha Viveka” or “five layered existence of human being”. According to this model; human beings are not just body-mind but a complex of five layers which can be explained rationally.

Physical body or Annamaya kosha

It is made up of matter or food and it needs air, water and food for maintenance of body. But any type or amount of just food cannot make a dead body alive and body alone (without life energy) is useless.

Life-energy body or Pranamaya kosha-

As heart start beating body becomes use full. Heart is the seat of life energy or Prana. A person is considered alive till its heart is beating. But even body with beating heart is of no value if person remains still and such person is considered in coma and a comatose forever is as use full as dead person.

Mental body or Manomaya kosha –

A comatose (affected with coma) becomes useful as it start responding to the surroundings.    A person responds only when he has desire. Mind or Mana is the seat of desire and desires stimulate a person to act. Strong desire stimulate strongly. But if a normal person suddenly starts abusing and beating and killing people without reason and could not be controlled by any measure can such person be considered normal and can such person be kept free in society? Therefore a person with uncontrolled desire is harmful for the society therefore useless for the society.

Wisdom body or Vijnanamaya kosha –

A person with the power to think and decide what is right and what is wrong is considered a normal person. A person with high level of reasoning power is considered a wise person and a person with the highest level of reasoning power is considered the wisest and most useful for the society.

But what is the use of wisdom or the power to discriminate? Ultimately we discriminate everything on the basis of happiness.

The bliss body or Anandamaya kosha –

Desire of Ananda or happiness is the cause of everything in the world. Our soul which is the basis of our being is in search of the highest level of happiness. It keeps on indulging here, there and everywhere for happiness.

Happiness is the center of all the human activity. One can reach to ideal, logical, satisfying and absolute answer only by keeping happiness at the top.  

Einstein’s field theory considers the universe is united through field energy. As part of universe, a human mind has also to transcend the awareness beyond self and expand it to the beings in all the universe. This could be considered as the highest stage of the evolution of mind. The concept of human happiness should not restrict to self but should expand to the whole humanity.

Here (at the stage of awareness of the Ananandmaya kosha), human being unifies with the universal energy. That is considered as the state of highest happiness. Since at this stage there is nothing further to achieve, the state of desire-less-ness is achieved. Due to such a state of mind at the departing moment of life, there is no possibility of the re-birth.

Vijay R. Joshi.

Levels of Intelligence. (KNOW YOUR DEATH - 8)

Rational intelligence / Emotional intelligence / Spiritual intelligence.

We have seen the importance of the role of the intellect at each moment which shapes the destiny. We have also seen the importance of watching this in order to improve the karma-chakra. Here we shall see the broad categories of the intelligence and their outcome in the human life.

Rational intelligence.Emotional Intelligence and
Spiritual Intelligence.

(Ref, Article in TOI on interview with Brhma Kumari Shivani)

What does spiritual intelligence mean?

In order to understand spiritual intelligence it is useful to first be clear what we mean when we use these two words.

Being Spiritual:  To be 'spiritual' is to think, act and interact from an awareness of self as spirit not form, soul not body. Most of us are taught to believe we are our physical forms, and so we identify with our body or the labels we give to our bodies such as nationality, race, gender, profession etc. This wrong sense of self is what creates all fear, anger and sadness in life. From a spiritual point of view these emotions are always the result of ego (misidentification), which then blocks access to your true spiritual nature which is peaceful, loving and joyful.

Having intelligence:  Intelligence is to use what you know in the right way at the right time in the right place with the right intention. For example if you 'know' yourself as a spiritual being you will also 'know' that you do not own or possess anything. When something in your life is damaged or lost, it does not affect you in any way – you are able to use your spiritual power to accept and move on. If someone praises the clothes you wear, or insults you in any way or comments negatively about your looks, you are NOT affected because you ‘know’ that your real beauty lies within your character, within your nature, which no one can ever take away. In that moment you draw on the inner power of that knowledge and use it to remain stable in the face of others negativity. In effect you are drawing on your spiritual strength which is only released when you know who and what you are, and then using that strength in the right way, in the right place at the right time.

Spirituality is the knowledge of yourself as spirit/soul, and the understanding of your highest spiritual qualities and attributes, which are love, peace, purity and bliss. Spiritual Intelligence is the expression of these innate spiritual qualities through your thoughts, attitudes and behaviors. Being spiritual means the ego has dissolved, virtue has been restored to character and spiritual values connect your inner and outer worlds (thought to action). It is the ability to see every other human being as soul/spirit, and thereby transcend all the false identities of race, color, gender, nationality, profession and religion. It is in this awareness that we are then able to recognize and connect with the Supreme Power.

When you realize who you really are you will be at peace with yourself not only because peace is your true and original nature but there is no longer any inner division and therefore conflict between the many identities that you had previously created (gender / nationality / profession / possessions etc.)

When you realize who you really are you are at peace with others. You no longer have to defend or protect any false image of yourself, so you no longer perceive anyone else as a threat to those images.

When you realize who you truly are you are at peace with the world because you will contain the world instead of it containing you. Whereas before you allowed the world to impose itself on you and shape your perceptions and feelings according to your particular sense of identity, now your self-perception is stabilized in the correct identity. In a sense you shape the world as you bring it into your consciousness.

Spiritual intelligence expands your capacity to understand others at the deepest level. Spiritual understanding allows you to discern both the ‘true cause’ of behavior without judgement, and serve the ‘true needs’ of others until they themselves learn to meet their own needs.

This capacity is developed by first learning to free yourself from attachment and neediness and being able to meet our own inner needs. Attachment and neediness are the opposite of being spiritually intelligent.

Personal Life:  Spiritual intelligence frees you from neediness and clinginess in your personal relationships. When you realize you already have within you what you seek from others (love, happiness, peace) you are then free to act and interact without any ‘agenda’. In effect, you act from an authenticity that desires nothing of another, but serves only to give. Paradoxically this frees both parties to ‘be themselves’, which is the deepest foundation for any open, healthy and harmonious relationship built on the twin spiritual values of trust and respect.

Does emotional intelligence affect spiritual intelligence in any way?

Being able to recognize, understand and respond to the emotions of others require a level of emotional literacy that can only be developed by learning to recognize one’s own feelings and emotions (self-awareness again). This falls squarely in the arena of emotional intelligence.

However there is another layer below, which is the cause of the emotions. We tend to learn that the cause of our feelings and emotions are external events and other people’s actions. But they are not. All emotions are caused by the self. Seeing the original cause, and understanding what it means, is the territory of spiritual intelligence.

Rational intelligence manages facts and information, using logic and analysis to make decisions. Emotional intelligence is necessary to understand and control one’s emotions and feelings, while being sensitive to the feelings of others. Spiritual intelligence, on the other hand, is necessary –

 * To find and use the deepest inner resources from which comes the capacity to care and the power to tolerate and adapt

 * To develop a clear and stable sense of identity as an individual in the context of relationships

 * To identify and align personal values with a clear sense of purpose

 * To live those values without compromise and thereby demonstrate integrity by example.

Most of us have learned to be motivated by extrinsic or external factors while a few have discovered that the deepest motivators are intrinsic. We can consciously use our values to motivate us. We can use our thoughts to motivate us, and we can even use memories of yesterday to motivate us today.

However the deepest motivator for any human being is a clear sense of meaning and purpose. This can only arise when we know who we are, where we are and what we have at the deepest level. This is where emotional intelligence flows into spiritual intelligence. Only in this state of self-awareness are we able to discern the true meaning of things/ events/ circumstances and only then are we able to see our purpose.

What are the key methods to learn and develop Spiritual Intelligence?

There are certain methods to unlearn the illusions and misperceptions which stop you seeing who you are and being true to yourself. The more these methods are practiced the faster the realization and the deeper the development of the spiritual intelligence.

* Meditation:  Meditation is the cultivation of self-awareness. In the meditative process you learn about yourself. Meditation will also help you restore the ability to control your thoughts and feelings, sharpen your ability to discern truth from illusion, and thereby make more intelligent choices.

* Detached Observation:  This is the ability to disengage from the world of action and interaction outside yourself, and to disengage from the world of thoughts and feelings within your consciousness. It is not avoidance of either world, but a way to see more clearly and therefore understand more deeply what is actually happening. This practice is also essential in order not to ‘waste’ energy at mental and emotional levels, where much of your tiredness has its origins.

 * Reflection:  This involves taking time out on a daily basis to review and re-assess past experiences of the interactions with others. This allows the self/soul to build awareness of the connection between inner world of thoughts and feelings and the outer world of action and the consequences of those actions.

 * Connecting:  There is a higher source of spiritual power and it is possible to connect with that source and empower oneself. This accelerates the developmental process increasing both the depth and breadth of your spiritual intelligence. Energy absorbed from the Supreme Source is essential to clearing the inner clutter and to focus your consciousness.

 * Practice:  New learning, new insights, new realizations are only theories and have no power to change your life unless they are brought into action, allowed to shape new behaviors, and then perfected in the process of expression. Practical action is essential to sustaining the momentum of developing spiritual intelligence.

* Seeing:  Spiritual vision is learning to see only the best in others and by doing so empowering others to develop the best in themselves. From a spiritual point of view seeing is creating – how you see the ‘other’ is how you will create the other within you, which will be both a reflection of how you see yourself at that moment and the quality of the energy you will then give to them.

Is a spiritual quest distinct from a quest for God? And is spirituality a search for our peace or truth of our own selves, rather than for a God, within or without?

Spirituality is a personal experience. For me spirituality begins with deep connection with God. For most of us God is a concept and it is not possible to develop a relationship with a concept.

When we recognize and understand Him as He is, we then develop a direct and dynamic relationship with him. It is this relationship which empowers me to bring out my core values of purity, love and peace. It is like a child who experiences what is love, care, protection only because of his relationship with the parent. A child who is not connected to the parent is unable to experience those feelings even though they are his own values. For me, I was able to recognize and experience my own inner beauty only when I got into a relationship with Him.

It is simple to have the knowledge and understanding of the self as a conceit being, but to experience soul consciousness; I am able to experience it only because of my relationship with God. For me spirituality is not a search for God, but I am spiritual, i.e. a practical embodiment of love and peace only when I am connected to Him. Therefore it is not a search for God, but Spirituality is when the search is over and the relationship has begun. I cannot get connected to someone, leave alone experience a direct relationship if I am still looking for them. Spirituality is charging of the battery (soul), but for that I need to be connected to the Power House - God.

My comments: It is obvious from the above guidance by B.K. Shivani; that while one leads own life, he has to endeavour to progress towards acquiring the spiritual intelligence.

 Vijay R. Joshi.

Intellect has a choice, (KNOW YOUR DEATH - 7)

Types of Gunas / Karmas / Intelligence.

Instinct based desires emerge and  form the basis of Karma. Intellect takes decisions on its intention and priority. In order to study the nature of intellect, let us see later how this is classified in different ways. The ways and means to achieve the conscious emotional balance are best explained in the eastern philosophy. Let us briefly go through these details.

Satwik (सात्विक), Rajasik (राजसिक) and Tamasik (तामसिक) are the 3 types of Gunas. These may result in Satwik, Rajasik and Tamasik karma respectively.

According to the choice of the journey of life chosen by a person, his karmas can be classified broadly in three kinds.

The Satvik karma, which is without attachment, selfless and for the benefit of others. The Rajasik karma, which is selfish where the focus is on gains for oneself. The Tamasik karma, which is undertaken without heed to consequences, and is supremely selfish and savage.

The decision of intellect to perform the karma is also based on the past Karma which is related to the degree of realization of an individual. We shall discuss the concepts of level of intellect, which are broadly 3 as follows: (details in a separate article to follow.)

Rational Intelligence.Emotional Intelligence.Spiritual intelligence.

Beyond these 3 is the concept of Un-attached action (निष्काम कर्म). (Recommended by Bhagwat Gita)

The Discipline of Unattached Action

According to the scriptures, the discipline of unattached action (निष्काम कर्म) leads to salvation of the soul. So they recommend that one should remain detached while carrying out his duties in life.

How can one be designed to have natural inclination of Satwik desires? Or inbuilt tendency to practice un-attached actions which Holy Gita terms as Nishkam Karmayoga (निष्काम कर्मयोग)?

To analyze this further, let us go through the two broad types of karmas. Namely Sreyas and Preyas.

Sreyas (श्रेयस) / Preyas (प्रेयस).

Types of the Karma. (Ref. Book, “Sreyas – Preyas” Published by: Swami Vivekananda Yoga Prakashana).

In the journey of life, we often find ourselves standing at the junction of two paths, the good / noble (Sreyas) and pleasant (Preyas).

Preyas Karma :  Pleasant, Attractive, Tempting, May look very nice in the beginning but bring miseries later. Attractive objects give us pleasure temporarily and displeasure in the long run. Anything which pleases person’s ego may be Preyas.

Sreyas Karma : Good, Noble, Serves our highest purpose, it may not appear desirable in the beginning. May not appear so attractive in the beginning but in the long run it will realize our real welfare. It involves lot of efforts and perseverance.

The choice leads to the outcome.

The quality of our life depends upon what we chose between the two. We need to exercise this choice in our day to day life until we reach moksha, the ultimate freedom. Choice has to be made between good and pleasant. What appears pleasant in the beginning may not be good and vice versa.

Preyas is pleasant, which is attractive, tempting. Sreyas is good/noble, which serves our highest purpose. That which is wholesome may not appear desirable in the beginning. Preyas is opposite of Sreyas.  Preyas may look very nice in the beginning but may bring misery later. Preyas seems to make us happy temporarily but later on causes misery. To understand and comprehend this truth one requires some space, patience, and some leisurely time to contemplate.

Illustration: Men rush to objects like moths rush to the fatal attraction of the flame and destroy themselves. Objects first attract, bind and then destroy- may not be immediately like a flame destroys a moth but gradually. Indulgence is like slow death. Take the example of drug addicts. Initially one feels ecstatic but slowly when the person is hooked, he encounters untold misery till he is extinct.

Beware! What appears beautiful may not be so in reality! There are so many attractions in this world like power, position etc.  Attractive objects give us some pleasure temporarily then trap us. We get trapped like an addict. The drug gets into the chemistry of the body making a person helpless.

The mind and the Intellect gets trapped by the Preyas.

A weak mind opts for Preyas. Most of the people opt for Preyas.  All the sins in this world are committed due to attraction, Preyas. When one is possessed by lust, anger and greed then it is for sure that he had been following Preyas. Kama (lust), krodha (anger), dwesha (jealousy), these three vices is gateway to hell.  If there is something that pleases your ego then it is Preyas, not Sreyas.

Sreyas may not look so attractive in the beginning but later on it shows you are Sacchidananda (perfect bliss). In the beginning it is difficult. It involves a lot of tapas, control of sense-organs. A person who advises us not to be the slave of senses may look like an enemy, though he may be our own teacher.

Shreyas and Preyas sometimes come mixed up and may be difficult to separate one from the other. Preyas may come in the garb of Shreyas making us happy temporarily but real Shreyas is that which gives us everlasting happiness. People who give license to our fancies may appear very desirable but they are not. A person needs to see clearly what is proper and what is improper. Otherwise one has to suffer later on.

It is not only human beings who seek pleasure, all the creatures on this earth do. Even animals are pulled by the forces of ahara (food), nidra (sleep), bhaya (rage/fear) and maithuna (sexual intercourse). Food, Sleep, Fear and Sex these are the basic urges both in human beings and animals alike. Our thirst does not get quenched by satisfying these desires. It increases more and more. It is an unquenchable thirst.

A person following the path of Shreyas sees through and through this. Not that he develops a negative attitude towards the objects but he sees their limitation. Human being is gifted by nature to have the higher feelings to seek the pleasures than the above. If this capacity of compassion is not used then the human becomes alike animals.

Gita explains the fate of a person trapped in the storm of the selfish emotions.

As Lord Krishna said in the Bhagavat Gita:

"To the man thinking about the objects (preyas) creates attachment towards them; from attachment comes longing; and from longing crops up the anger. From anger comes delusion; and from delusion loss of memory; from loss of memory, the ruin of discrimination; and on the ruin of discrimination, he perishes". (Gita 2/62-63)

Intellect has a choice

We have seen from the above discussion that desired based actions throughout life result in the formation of the destiny of the last moment of the life.

There is always choice available between

Satwik, Rajasik and Tamasik.

Also

Sreyas and Preyas.

But as the materialistic, self-centered attitude of life-style is commonly seen prevailing, and also due to the predominance of the brain structure evolved earlier in the history of evolution, what would be the status of destiny?

देह बुद्धी व आत्म बुद्धी. (Materialistic and Spiritualistic Attitudes)

Any person would always protect the self-interest.  How one acts for this? It depends upon the person’s self-concept. It all depends on the answer to the question- Who am I”?

If one identifies self with the body then this is materialistic orientation. If the identification is beyond the material body in terms of non-material entity such as mind and soul then this can be considered as spiritual orientation. Both mind and soul are in the non-matter form. The difference is in the status of attachment. As we have seen, the mind has the influence of Trigunas. As the journey of the mind ascends from Tamasik to Satwik, the purity of the mind is improved. 

The next stage is to go beyond the Satwik, the stage of total detatchment. This is termed as Gunatit (गुणातीत).

Once this stage is attained, the mind reaches the stage of Soul. In short, the soul is the purest state of mind. Then the actions of such a Gunatit person can be termed as the yoga of desireless action.

(निष्काम कर्मयोग). We find detail discussion on this in Gita.

This orientation (answer to the question: “who am I?”) has significant implication towards the approach of a person towards the priorities and decisions during the activities of life. 

The concepts of Karma (कर्म), Akarma (अकर्म), and Vikarma (विकर्म) are worth understanding to see the Gita guidance to the humanity towards orientation of the life activities.  We shall see more about these concepts in the articles to follow.

Vijay R. Joshi.

Emotional balance is a conscious effort: (KNOW YOUR DEATH - 6)

                                        

Intellect has to be watched to improve the karma.

We are what our deep, driving desire is. As our deep, driving desire is, so is our will. As our will is, so is our deed. As our deed is, so is our destiny. — Upanishad.

As seen from the flow chart the intellect has the option to select only from the desires/emotions which emerge. In order to understand the natural emotions which normally emerge in a human mind let us discuss the evolution of the emotions in the journey of the evolution of life. Let us start with the working of brain. 

Western research throws ample light on the working of brain though there are still many unexplored areas.

Brain composition

All human beings are born with brains divided into three parts –

Cortex                   (The cerebral hemispheres)

Limbic system     (the hippocampus, the amygdalae and the hypothalamus)

Reptilian brain    (The brain stem and cerebellum)

The cortex- It handles learning, abstract thoughts and imagination. This comes into the practical use in most children after they are seven years old. Before that age, children do not have the mental tools to make intellectual assessment. The cortex is where logic resides and where we do the higher level reasoning that separate us from all other animals.

The Limbic system – It deals with emotions. Emotions are never simple. In fact, they are often surrounded with contradictions. The limbic brain is structured between birth and age five. It depends largely on a child’s relationship with mother from whom child receives warmth, love and a strong sense of connection. It is very rare to experience that with father. Because of this relationship with mother, the limbic has a strong feminine side. It is human find that in struggle between intelligence and emotions, the limbic part often comes on top as we are much more likely to allow our heart to guide us than the reason.

Reptilian brain – The undisputed champion of three brains is the reptilian brain. The name comes from this regions similarity to the brains of reptiles, which are believed to be relatively unchanged from the brains their predecessors has 200 million years ago. Our reptilian brain programs us for two major things – survival and reproduction. These are, of course, our most fundamental instincts. If we could not survive and reproduce, our species would end. The reptile brain is, thus, more influential than the rest of two brains. Physical attraction for instance, has a strong reptilian dimension. Because survival is more fundamental to our existence than 'feeling good' or ‘making sense', the reptilian brain always rules the day. In a battle between logic, emotions and instinct, the reptilian brain always wins. This is true when one is dealing with personal welfare, human relationship, purchasing decisions and even the choice of a leader. Like individuals, cultures have a very strong reptilian dimension.

We do the overwhelming majority of our learning when we are children. By the time, we are seven, most of our mental highways have been constructed. But emotions continue to provide us with new imprints throughout our lives. Thus in the path of evolution and also in the path of growth in life naturally the survival instinct comes first followed by likings (self-centered emotions and thoughts) and final consideration goes to logic or conscious sense.

The emotional Brain

It’s the most common experience that feelings prevail over most of our decisions and actions more than thoughts. Pure rational behaviour, measured by Intelligence Quotient (IQ), is often stressed upon but seldom comes to the fore; translated into action. Emotional brain indeed gets the better half of thoughts. It happens in fractions of seconds much before we understand. Later on, rational mind, which has comprehended all in the meanwhile, presents facts. We may jump with joy or burst into tears in certain situations, that’s emotional reaction. After some time, rational mind may make us realize that it was a bit of an ‘overreaction’.

The hippocampus and amygdale were the two key parts of the primitive brain, which gave a rise to the 'cortex' and then the 'neo cortex'. The amygdale deals with emotions. It acts as a storehouse of emotional memory and thus life without amygdale, is a life stripped of personal meanings. All passions depend on it. Joseph Le Doux, USA, was the first to discover the key role of amygdale in the emotional brain. His research explains how the amygdale can take control over what we do even as the thinking brain, the neo cortex, is still coming to decision.

That’s why we act first and wonder later how we could act like this. The amygdale makes us spring to action while neo cortex, though little slowly, unfolds its more refined plan for reaction. Other research has shown that in the first few mille seconds of our perceiving something, we not only unconsciously comprehend what it is, but decide whether we like it or not, the 'cognitive unconscious' presents our awareness with not just the identity of what we see but an opinion about it. Our emotions have mind of their own, one which can hold views quite independently of our rational mind.

In short, the brain has two memory systems, one for simple facts and other for emotional charged ones. A special system for emotional memories makes an excellent sense in evolution, of course, ensuring that animals would have particularly vivid memories of what threatens or pleases them.

Evolution of the mind through emotions:

Though the emotions have evolved with time, basic instincts like fear are something we are born with and they are part of the reptile brain. Anger was developed and carried forward in the next step of progress of the limbic system.  The growth of the cortex and especially neo-cortex gifted humans with wisdom, courage and peace. The development of the brain throughout the life also follows the same pattern from pre-natal stage to the fully grown-up stage. Though it all depends on conditioning and training mind right from preconception stage, it’s because of instincts like fear and self-defense, some so called ‘negative’ emotions may ride over whereas positive emotions are earned over with deliberation as they were evolved and not something, we were already born with.

The survival instinct was very predominant in primitive men. Perhaps, this might have led on to procreation to carry forward the legacy. The Sex (Kama) was the next instinct. With direct threat to survival, instinct of fear emerged. Out of this developed anger, (Krodha). Kama and Krodha are the emotions for the survival and existence. They were basic instincts of stone-age men and to some extent, they are also the essential requirements for the modern man.

Primitive man created defense mechanisms like attacks or weapons for self-protection. Realization of victory is what could have taken to greed (Lobha). A streak of success and supremacy was most likely grown into self-superiority (Mada). During this process of evolution, which must have continued for thousands years, the brain developed the limbic cortex over the initial reptile brain. With domination, what emerged could have been envy and affection, (Matsar, Maya). The process of thinking is associated with the emergence of cortex portion in the brain. The refinement of the emotions, both, good and bad, continued and so were feelings evolved. This was possible as the brain added layers of Neo- cortex to the cortex. Evolution from instincts to emotions is somewhat simultaneous to development of human brain. 

Emotional balance is a conscious effort: Ashtang Yoga by Patanjali shows the way. 

A human being is equipped with a brain with a phenomenal capacity to pursue both, good and bad things. We have seen that certain negative reactions or emotions could be impulsive because of fear and survival instincts. Nevertheless, rest of the emotions and feelings, from anger to envy are to do with human progress. In advanced form, they are cultivated and not something we were born with.

This is where proper conditioning and mental discipline come into play. Capacities of brain still largely remain unexplored.  The neurologists and the psychologists hold distinctly different views. With researches, new abilities and specialties of the human brain are being discovered.

         

Instinct based desires as above emerge and can form the basis of Karma. Intellect takes decisions on its intention and priority. In order to study the nature of intellect, let us see later how this is classified in different ways. The ways and means to achieve the conscious emotional balance are best explained in the eastern philosophy. Let us briefly go through these details in the articles to follow.

Vijay R. Joshi.