Flashes from Swami Vivekananda - 4

The only method of Education - 2

Results

All success in any line of work is the result of concentration. High achievements in arts, music, etc., are the result of concentration. When the mind is concentrated and turned back on itself, all within us will be our servants, not our masters.

The Greeks applied their concentration to the external world and the result was perfection in art, literature etc. The Hindu concentrated on the internal world, upon the unseen realms in the self and developed the science of yoga. The world is ready to give up its secrets if we only know how to knock, how to give the necessary blow. The strength and force of the blow come through concentration.

The power of concentration is the only key to the treasure-house of knowledge. In the present state of our body we are much distracted, and the mind is frittering away its energies upon a hundred things.

Only key to knowledge

As soon as I try to call on my thoughts and concentrate my mind upon any one object of knowledge, thousands of undesired impulses rush into the brain, thousands of thoughts rush into the mind and disturb it. How to check it and bring the mind under control is the whole subject of study in Rajayoga. The practice of meditation leads to mental concentration.

To me the very essence of education is concentration of mind, not the collection of facts. If I had to do my education once again, I would not study facts at all. I would develop the power of concentration and detachment, and then with a perfect instrument, collect facts at will.

Brahmacharya (continence) necessary for concentration

Power comes to him who observes unbroken Brahmacharya for a period of twelve years. Complete continence gives great intellectual and spiritual power. Controlled desire leads to the highest results. Transform the sexual energy into spiritual energy. The stronger this force, the more can be done with it. Only a powerful current of water can do hydraulic mining.

It is owing to want of continence that everything is on the brink of ruin in our country. By observance of strict Brahmacharya all learning can be mastered in a very short time; one acquires an unfailing memory of what one hears or knows but once.

The chaste brain has tremendous energy and gigantic will power. Without chastity there can be no spiritual strength. Continence gives wonderful control over mankind.
The spiritual leaders of men have been very continent and this is what gave them power.

Every boy should be trained to practice absolute Brahmacharya and then, and then alone faith and Shraddha will come. Chastity in thought, word and deed always and in all conditions is what is called Brahmacharya. Unchaste imagination is as bad as unchaste action. The Brahmacharin must be pure in thought, word and deed.

21 Chinese Good Luck Tantra Totems

1. Give people more than they expect and do it cheerfully.
2. Marry a man/woman you love to talk to. As you get older, their conversational skills will be as important as any other.
3. Don’t believe all you hear, spend all you have or sleep all you want.
4. When you say, “I love you”, mean it.
5. When you say, “I’m sorry”, look the person in the eye.
6. Be engaged at least six months before you get married.
7. Believe in love at first sight.
8. Never laugh at anyone’s dreams. People who don’t have dreams don’t have much.
9. Love deeply and passionately. You might get hurt but it’s the only way to live life completely.
10. In disagreements, fight fairly. Please No name calling.
11. Don’t judge people by their relatives.
12. Talk slowly but think quickly.
13. When someone asks you a question you don’t want to answer, smile and ask, “Why do you want to know?”
14. Remember that great love and great achievements involve great risk.
15. Say “bless you” when you hear someone sneeze.
16. When you lose, don’t lose the lesson.
17. Remember the three R’s: Respect for self; Respect for others; Responsibility for all your actions.
18. Don’t let a little dispute injure a great friendship.
19. When you realize you’ve made a mistake, take immediate steps to correct it.
20. Smile when picking up the phone. The caller will hear it in your voice.
21. Spend some time alone.

Credits: Mahesh Mohan

Ways to deal with jealousy

When you feel jealous, a part of you knows the feeling and understands its petty nature, but still you cling to it. Amrit Sadhana tells how one can be free of this draining emotion.

Jealousy can be a draining emotion. Even though it creates misery, people cling to it because jealousy is considered to be a sign of deep love. Lack of jealousy is often misinterpreted as lack of love by the other person. Jealousy is often just a twinge, a passing thought and that is quite normal and everyone experiences it to some degree. However there are some for whom it can become an obsession and threaten their own sanity and relationships.

The best part is that inherently you will know a moment of superfluous jealousy for what it is; a part of you subconsciously knows and understands that this emotion rising in you is petty and does not reflect a loss of emotional unity in your relationship. But still you will feel tempted to revel in it, to let it engulf you. It’s a matter of knowing yourself and rising above emotions which you know do not warrant your mindspace.



To understand jealousy it is important to delve into and reexamine your conception of love. Osho talks about a fool-proof remedy that can help you drop jealousy and other petty feelings.

Said Osho: “Go deeper into your feelings. Don’t avoid them. But remember one thing: jealousy and insecurity are separate from you. You are the witness; as you go deeper, you will come across many things which you have suppressed; but you are as pure as a mirror. When you are going deeper, the mirror reflects jealousy, but the mirror is not jealousy. Just as the mirror reflects buffalo standing in front, it reflects your feelings. The mirror is not identified with anything that it reflects — the mirror is just empty, silent, and clean.

“In meditation you will come to recognize you are the mirror. All other things are reflected in you. A mirror is just a reflecting phenomenon; so are you. Be a mirror, and then all these problems, whatever their names, will start disappearing — they are only reflections. You need not try to get rid of them. The very idea of getting free of them still accepts that they are realities of your being.”

Credits: Times Wellness

Flashes from Swami Vivekananda - 4

The only method of Education - 2

Only key to knowledge

The power of concentration is the only key to the treasure-house of knowledge. In the present state of our body we are much distracted, and the mind is frittering away its energies upon a hundred things.

As soon as I try to call on my thoughts and concentrate my mind upon anyone object of knowledge, thousands of undesired impulses rush into the brain, thousands of thoughts rush into the mind and disturb it. How to check it and bring the mind under control is the whole subject of study in Rajayoga. The practice of meditation leads to mental concentration.

To me the very essence of education is concentration of mind, not the collection of facts. If I had to do my education once again, I would not study facts at all. I would develop the power of concentration and detachment, and then with a perfect instrument, collect facts at will.

The Wheel is Useless as a Stand-alone Invention

Dr. Deepak Ranade wrote one of his best essays, which was published in the TOI speaking tree of Pune today.

The Wheel is Useless as a Stand-alone Invention

The wheel was a path-breaking invention. The wheel, however, might not have been as useful if not for the invention of brakes and gears that help us control movement. The wheel made locomotion plausible but brakes regulated this motion.

The defining quality of any system is probably based on the degree of control one can exercise on it. In karate, up to the black belt stage, the discipline and regimen is for strengthening the body and speeding up reflexes. Thereafter, all subsequent degrees are attained by perfecting self-control and restraint.

In evolution, life forms have been empowered incrementally as they progress through stages. Human beings have the power of control, of temperance and restraint, and the ability to think beyond the self. Physiologically, higher centers in the brain have been given the responsibility of inhibition to maintain restrictive control on lower centers of the brain and spine. In spinal injuries, when the lower motor neurons are disconnected from the higher centers and they fire without control, it leads to reflex movements of the limbs, spasm of the muscles and so on. Though movement occurs, it is involuntary, uncontrolled and purposeless.

The ability to rise above reflex behavior seems to be the summit of the evolutionary pyramid. Olympian Carl Lewis once explained the reason for his spectacular achievement: “I have mastered the art of self-denial”. Behavior that rises above the primitive reflexes forms the essence of culture and sophistication. All religions have a set of behavioral restrictions like fasting, celibacy and observing silence. These restrictions help the individual increase his will power, temperance, self-control and discipline.

Some religions talk about renunciation.But renunciation eliminates choice. So it is probably indulgence in abstinence. The swing of the pendulum in the opposite direction charged with the potential energy to swing back to indulgence. It may also reflect a subconscious fear of lack of self-control. Like the instance of the guru, who was invited for a meal by his disciple. Whilst the other devotees were served on plantain leaves, the guru was served on silverware as a mark of reverence. The guru however was offended and walked off as he was a renunciate. He may as well have eaten in the silverware. If he was no longer in any mundane bondage, there ought to have been no distinction between silver and leaves.

In reproductive behavior, too, human beings have the freedom to choose. Any control is self-imposed. This self control is the evolutionary upgrade. It is as if the remote control which operates all other animals has been substituted by a sharp discriminatory ability which bestows free will. In Hindu culture, it is called vivek buddhi. The intellect of discrimination. Free will reflects the ability to restrain rather than indulge. If indulgence was the purpose, all actions would have been reflexive, with scarce regard to volition.

Exercising restraint requires a higher form of intelligence. Indulgence required neither skill nor intellect. And renunciation relied more on extremism.

Obesity, alcoholism, hypertension and diabetes, when they are lifestyle-related, point to the diminishing self-regulatory process. Affluence has given man the opportunity to indulge like never before. Austerity is facing extinction. Patience, contentment are no longer virtues but are relegated to mere words. All catastrophes like global warming, nuclear threat and poverty are merely a reflection of our ever-increasing inclination for indulgence.

Thirukkural verses 7: The Wealth of Children

English Translation of Kaviyogi Maharishi Shuddhananda Bharatiar

The world no higher bliss bestows
Than children virtuous and wise.

No evil comes and no blemish;
Noble sons bring all we wish.

Children are one's wealth indeed
Their wealth is measured by their deed.

The food is more than nectar sweet
In which one's children hands insert.

Children's touch delights the body
Sweet to ears are their words lovely.

The flute and lute are sweet they say
Deaf to baby's babble's lay!

A father's duty to his son is
To seat him in front of the wise.

With joy the hearts of parents swell
To see their children themselves excel.

The mother, hearing her son's merit
Delights more than when she begot.

Flashes from Swami Vivekananda - 4

The only method of Education - 1

Concentration

There is only one method by which to attain knowledge, that which is called concentration. The very essence of education is concentration of the mind. From the lowest man to the highest yogi, all have to use the same method to attain knowledge.

The chemist who works in his laboratory concentrates all the powers of his mind, brings them into one focus, and throws them on the elements; the elements stand analyzed, and thus his knowledge comes. The astronomer concentrates the powers of his mind and brings them into one focus; and he throws them on to objects through his telescope; and stars and systems roll forward and give up their secrets to him.

So it is in every case: with the professor in his chair, the student with his book, with every man who is working to know.

Its Power

The more the power of concentration, the greater the knowledge that is acquired. Even the lowest shoeblack, if he gives more concentration, will black shoes better. The cook with concentration will cook a meal all the better. In making money, or in worshiping God, or in doing anything, the stronger the power of concentration, the better will that thing be done. This is the one call, the one knock, which opens the gates of Nature, and lets out floods of light.

Difference in Degree

Ninety per cent of thought-force is wasted by the ordinary human being and therefore he is constantly committing blunders. The trained man or mind never makes a mistake. The main
difference between men and the animals is the difference in their powers of concentration. An animal has very little powers of concentration. Those who have trained animals find much difficulty in the fact that the animal is constantly forgetting what is told him. He cannot concentrate his mind upon anything for a long times. Herein is the difference between man and the animals. This difference in their power of concentration also constitutes the difference between man and man. Compare the lowest with the highest man. The difference is in the degree of concentration.

All success in any line of work is the result of this. High achievements in arts, music, etc., are the result of concentration. When the mind is concentrated and turned back on itself, all within us will be our servants, not our masters. The Greeks applied their concentration to the external world and the result was perfection in art, literature etc.

The Hindu concentrated on the internal world, upon the unseen realms in the self and developed the science of yoga. The world is ready to give up its secrets if we only know how to knock, how to give the necessary blow. The strength and force of the blow come through concentration.

Thirukkural verses 6: The Worth of a Wife

Please Note: The following excerpt from the Thirukkural is 'as-is' replicated from the actual translation. This has no relation with anti-womanism. I truly respect the modern progressive thought behind women independence and capabilities. Please read the verses below as view towards an ancient way of livelihood, giving you an idea of the devotion-centric lifestyle of the Indian wife.

English Translation of Kaviyogi Maharishi Shuddhananda Bharatiar

A good housewife befits the house,
Spending with thrift the mate's resource.

Bright is home when wife is chaste.
If not all greatness is but waste.

What is rare when wife is good.
What can be there when she is bad?

What greater fortune is for men
Than a constant chaste woman?

Her spouse before God who adores,
Is like rain that at request pours.

The good wife guards herself from blame,
She tends her spouse and brings him fame.

Of what avail are watch and ward?
Their purity is women's guard.

Women who win their husbands' heart
Shall flourish where the gods resort.

A cuckold has not the lion-like gait
Before his detractors aright.

An honest wife is home's delight
And children good are jewels abright.

Flashes from Swami Vivekananda - 4

Philosophy of Education - 3

Service as worship

Liberty is the first condition of growth. It is wrong,
a thousand times wrong, if any of you dares to say, 'I will
work out the salvation of this woman or child.' Hands off! They will solve their own problems. Who are you to assume that you
know everything? How dare you think that you have the right over God? For, don't you know that every soul is the Soul of God?

Look upon every one as God. You can only serve. Serve the children of the Lord if you have the privilege. If the Lord grants that you can help anyone of His children, blessed you are. Blessed you are that that privilege was given to you when others had it not. Do it only as worship!

Assimilation of ideas

Education is not the amount of information that is put into your brain and runs riot there, undigested all your life. We must have life-building, man-making, character-making, assimilation of ideas. If you have assimilated five ideas and made them your life and character, you have more education than any man who has got by heart a whole library. If education were identical with information, the libraries would be the greatest sages in the world and encyclopedias the rishis!

Getting by heart the thoughts of others in a foreign language and stuffing your brain with them and taking some university degrees, you consider yourself educated. In this education? What is the goal of your education?

Wrong education

Either a clerkship, or being a lawyer, or at the most a Deputy Magistrate, which is another form of clerkship, isn't that all? What good will it do you or to the country at large? Open your eyes and see what a piteous cry for food is rising in the land of Bharata, proverbial for its food. Will your education fulfil this want? The education that does not help the common mass of people to equip themselves for the struggle for life, which does not bring out strength of character, a spirit of philanthropy and the courage of a lion - is it worth the name?

The needed education

We want that education by which character is formed, strength of mind is increased, the intellect is expanded and by which one can stand on one's own feet. What we need is to study, independent of foreign control, different branches of the knowledge that is our own, and with it the English language and western science, we need technical education and all else that will develop industries, so that men, instead of seeking for service, may earn enough to provide for themselves and save against a rainy day.

The goal of man-making

The end of all education, all training, should be man-making. The end and aim of all training is to make the man grow. The training by which the current and expression of will are brought under control and become fruitful, is called education. What our country now wants are muscles of iron and nerves of steel, gigantic wills which nothing can resist, which can penetrate into the mysteries and secrets of the universe and will accomplish their purpose in any fashion, even if it meant going down to the bottom of the ocean, meeting death face to face. It is the man-making religion that we want. Man-making theories are that we want. It is man-making education all round that we want.

Thirukkural verses 5: Married Life

English Translation of Kaviyogi Maharishi Shuddhananda Bharatiar

The ideal householder is he,
Who aids the natural orders there.

His help the monk and retired share,
And celibate students are his care.

By dutiful householder's aid,
God, manes, kin, self and guests are served.

Sin he shuns and food he shares
His home is bright and brighter fares.

In grace and gain the home excels,
Where love with virtue sweetly dwells.

Who turns from righteous family,
To be a monk, what profits he?

Of all who strive for bliss, the great,
Is he who leads the married state.

Straight in virtue, right in living,
Make men brighter than monks praying.

Home-life and virtue, are the same;
Which spotless monkhood too can claim.

He is a man of divine worth
Who lives in ideal home on earth.

Flashes from Swami Vivekananda - 4

Philosophy of Education - 2

The Cask of Glass

The Light Divine within is obscured in most people. It is like a lamp in a cask of iron: no gleam of light can shine through. Gradually, by purity and unselfishness, we can make the obscuring medium less and less dense, until at last it becomes as transparent as glass. Sri Ramakrishna was like the iron cask transformed into a glass cask, through which can be seen the inner light as it is.

You cannot teach a child any more than you can grow a plant. The plant develops its own nature. The child also teaches itself. But, you can help it to go forward in its own way. What you can do is not of a negative nature but positive.

You can take away obstacles, and knowledge comes out of its own nature. Loosen the soil a little, so that is may come out easily. Put a hedge round it, see that it is not killed by anything. You can supply the growing seed with the material for the making of his body, bringing to it the earth, the water, the air that it wants. And there your work stops. It will take all that it wants by its own nature.

It so is with the education of the child. A child educates itself. The teacher spoils everything by thinking that he is teaching. Within man is all the knowledge, and it requires only an awakening, and that much is the work of the teacher. We have to do so much for the boys that they may learn to apply their own intellect to the proper use of thier hands, legs, ears and eyes.

Free Growth

The system which aims at educating our boys in the same manner as that of a man who battered his donkey, being advised that it could thereby be turned into horse, should be abolished. Owing to undue domination exercised by parents, our boys do not get free scope for growth. In every one there are infinite tendencies which require proper scope for satisfaction. Violent attempts at reform always end by retarding reform. If you do not allow one to become a lion, one will become a fox.

Positive Ideas

We should give positive ideas. Negative thoughts only weaken men. Do you not find that where parents are constantly taxing their sons to reread and write, telling them that they will never learn anything, and call them fools and so forth, the latter do actually turn out to be so in many cases?

If you speak kind words to them and encourage them, they are bound to improve in time. If you can give them positive ideas, they will grow up to be the best men and women. In language and literature, in poetry and arts, in everything we must not point out the mistakes, but how can they do it better. The teaching must be modified according to the needs of the taught.

Past lives have molded our tendencies. Take every one where he stands and push him forward. We have seen how Sri Ramakrishna would encourage even those whom we considered worthless and change the very course of their lives thereby! He never destroyed a single man's special inclinations. He gave words of hope and encouragement even to the most degraded of the persons and lifted them up.