Teachings of Sri Swami Chidananda

2)    

     "Essence of Sanatana Vaidika Dharma"

      One common consciousness is in all existence. It runs through all the infinite outer experiences that make up phenomenal nature, variety is the law. This nature is a great display of variegated names and forms. But the central experience of our great ancestors was that in the midst of these endless diversities, there is an essential unity; at the center of all things, life is one. All things are filled by a subtle invisible Presence, a principle that is beginningless, endless and eternal; being all-pervading, it is ever present in all things. All religions seem to agree that their concept of the ultimate great Reality or the Supreme Cosmic Being is that He is Omnipresent, Omnipotent and Omniscient. But the uniqueness of Sanatana Vaidika Dharma is that this concept and this belief is based upon the direct experience of the sages in the deepest center of their being. With this authority, the sages proclaimed, we declare upon the basis of our own direct experience that God IS; God is NOW; God is HERE, because in all things He is present as the one, non-dual indivisible, just as in the necklace made of beads of different materials, different shapes, different colours and in this beautiful variety runs one common thread that holds them together as a necklace. Even so, one common Consciousness indwells all beings and brings about unity in the midst of diversity. Diversity is a fact; the unity is a greater fact. Diversity may change, but this Unity does not change, and therefore it is the truth. This experience is the basis and origin of all Darshanas that comprise the body of the Indian philosophical system. And this Darshana finds itself in every scripture that later on was produced in order to make it easier to grasp the subtle truths of the Upanishadic literature given in a terse aphoristic manner.

"Direct Experience of Reality"

      In this world of pain and death, where man comes and suffers, everyone is still seeking an experience of happiness that will satisfy in spite of the declaration of the Creator Himself that this is Apurna (imperfect) Jagat (World). Where there is pleasure, there is pain; where there is birth, there is death; where there is health, there is disease; where there is success, there is failure; where there is fulfillment, there is also disappointment. Thus, the world of dualities contains a mixed experience. Saints characterized, this is a mixture of sugar and sand; if you want the sweetness of the sugar, you find that you have sand in the mouth, and you cannot separate them. That is the reason why our ancients began to ponder life. At every step we find something else than what we are seeking. Is there not some perfect experience? They did not know whether it existed or not. Our forefathers in this land of Ganga (Ganges) and Himalaya went into a quest of the unexplored, invisible realms of man's inner dimension. What is beyond and behind the seeming Universe which is a place of constant change? Even the actors change in this drama of life. Is there something in the background of that which changes, something permanent and something which is perfect also? In how many ways they exerted in this quest we do not know! But later on some scientific minds thought it worthwhile to record their quests and struggles and ultimately their grand and glorious discovery. What they found constitutes the concluding portion of that mass of knowledge which is the source and origin of the religion that is today referred to as Hinduism. It seems to have existed always, and so they called it Sanatana Dharma, the Eternal Way of Life; its origin is shrouded in holy antiquity and the mass of knowledge known as Vedas, being its origin, it is also called the Vedic way of life, Sanatana Vaidika Dharma.

"Life On Earth "

      What is your mission here? What is the meaning of your being here in this temporarily embodied condition? If life is to result towards any attainment we have to live it meaningfully. We must be aware what purpose, what deeper significance life holds for us, other than the external biological processes of life. What is the meaning of life? If you asked a medical man or a biologist clinically, a man is said to be alive if his heart is functioning, if he is breathing and his blood is pulsating through his body. If so they declare a person to be alive. If not they say he is dead. Life according to them is equated to the metabolic processes, the biological functions of the various parts of the inner mechanism of the body, heart, lungs, is that life? Evidently that falls far short of your concept of life. You are more than that. You think, feel, you are an intelligent being, a rational being. We are more than plant, more than insect or animal. We are human. We must enjoy life in a higher way.

      But, illumined souls with a greater vision, a deeper vision have seen even beyond the psychological self of man. They declared that more than this there is something in man, something higher, something beyond, which in their vision they saw to be superior. For this reason: that the biological, physical being is temporary. It has a beginning and an end. It is subject to decay and ultimate dissolution. Even so, psychological man has a beginning and an end. It is unstable, unreliable, it is ever changing. There is no continuity in it. It is subject to constant alteration. They have also declared to man: Oh man! You are a traveler on this earth plane. You do not belong here in the ultimate analysis. You come from a realm of everlasting life. In reality you have no birth and death, no beginning and no end. You are the light of lights, you are peace and bliss. You are complete and whole. It is to rise into this experience of self-awareness which by itself liberates you from all the bondage you have at present. That is the great mission in life of every individual soul.

"The Problem of the Modern Man"

     The problem of the modern person today is in the context of changing times and conditions. One cannot recreate and duplicate the same exact circumstances of spiritual life of hundreds of years ago. Present day of life has become greatly modernized, industrialized and commercialized. Money economy exists everywhere. People are no longer self-sufficient. Sometimes they are required to be at their place of work for eight hours a day, and it may take an hour to go and come from work. In temperate zones, people go and return from work in the dark. All these things seem to have been perceived by Holy-Master Swami Sivananda. He knew that life is short, time flies away, so naturally, what has to be done must be done while you are still alive. But such is the lifestyle of modern man, that Gurudev said that since you all have to work, do it, but do not lose life's great opportunity. Even in the midst of your work, develop the habit of repeating God's name silently to yourself. Leave your hands to work, and let your tongue repeat God's name. While so engaged in work, the repetition will keep you in God- remembrance. So contact with God will not be totally lost, because a part of your mind ever remains with Him. In the work that you do, let there be a worshipful attitude, knowing that God is not a far off, remote Reality, but is an ever present Being. Whenever I am working, whatever I am doing, I am doing it in God's presence. I offer whatever I do to Thee. We are all divinity. My work will be my adoration. All my activities will be my way of worshipping God. If you give your life this feeling, it will take a Godward movement. From time to time, mentally offer your life at the feet of God. Oh Lord, whatever I do, all my acts, I offer at Thy feet. Thus everything becomes linked up with God and all activity becomes a yogic process.
Everything becomes linked up with God and all activity becomes a yogic process. Everything you do becomes devotion and worship. In all that you do, keep an unbroken current of God-remembrance. Then work becomes meditation. It becomes Yoga and worship, and a continuous attraction to God. There is also jnana (wisdom) in it, because you understand that you are living, moving and having your being in God's presence. It is knowledge, devotion and meditation.

"Causes of the Restlessness"

     One of the most prolific causes of the restlessness of the mind is too many desires and cravings. The more cravings and desires you have, the greater is the Ashanti. Therefore, simplify your life, and you will find yourself on the road to inner peace. We have to move amongst people. All people affect us. There are four categories of people. People who are more than us in wealth, status, power, authority, learning, in so many ways, and the subordinate always feels nervous when he is confronting someone much higher. There are people of your own status. It is here that the spirit of envy, jealousy, competition comes and vitiates relationships. There are people less then you: less in age, in status, power, wealth, children, uneducated people and deformed people. And there is the fourth category, whose only occupation is doing evil. Otherwise they do not have the appetite for dinner. There are such people; they are part of life, just as scorpions and snakes and so many other poisonous creatures. Patanjali Maharishi said, you have to move in a world filled with these kinds of people, and if you go on being agitated by your contacts with them, you lose your peace of mind. So he gave a formula. With those who are higher than you, develop an attitude of serenity. Cultivate a subtle state of equanimity and serenity. With those who are equals, do not have envy and jealousy and power of competition. Have a friendly attitude. If you both are trying for something, and that person succeeds and you fail, rejoice in it. What does it matter? He is my brother. I will not be vexed, I will rejoice. So, have a state of loving friendship. With those who are lesser, have a state of compassionate kindness; for children, poorer people, illiterate people, inconsiderate people, sick people and weak people. And towards evil doers be indifferent, don't unnecessarily get agitated. So Maharshi Patanjali said, with equanimity towards higher ones, loving friendship towards your equals, compassion and kindness toward lesser ones and indifference towards evil doers, you will retain your peace of mind.

"The Habit of Worry"

T    The habit of worry is one of the great enemies of peace. And worry never solves any problem. Worry makes you less efficient to solve problems. Therefore, worry is an inveterate bad habit of the mind. So, launch a systematic self-culture to eliminate worry from your life. How to stop worrying and start living is a very intelligent book written by Dale Carnegie. Take a look at that book. And through Vedanta, through intelligent self-suggestion, get rid of vague phobias. Unnecessarily we are beset with so many fears. We must say, No! When the situation which I fear comes, then I will face it. Do not cross the bridge before you come to it. Why unnecessarily live in a state of fear? These vague phobias should be got rid of; they are habits of the modern man. And two important things Maharshi Patanjali has said, if you want to get rid of things that agitate your mind and makes you Ashanta (restless), cultivate the practice of taking a focal point and fixing your attention upon it. It is called Ekatattva Abhyasa. As an external alternative to it, they cultivate in the West some interesting hobby and give all their attention to it. It may be gardening, it may be photography, golf but it should be creative and absorb your attention. Then Ashanti cannot touch you.

Selected a few quotations of H. H. Sri Swami Chidanandaji Maharaj

“    "Wake up at dawn each day to salute the Universal Being. Bow down in adoration unto Him before you start the day. Go through the day serenely, full of happiness and contentment. There is nothing to condemn in this world. Change your angle of vision. Forego a grudge. Forgive an enemy. Stop anxiety and smile gently unto yourself. Feel that the whole world is the manifestation of the Lord and you are serving the Lord in all these names and forms. Convert life into Yoga. Strive to be a Sadachari and paropakari. God walks with the simple, reveals Himself through the sufferer, gives understanding to the noble and keeps His Grace from the haughty. So renounce ego, cultivate virtues and be free. Keep the mind always calm and peaceful. Be the conqueror of your mind, the subduer of your desires and a master of your destiny, for you are the master.”

“   "When you wake up in the morning, you wake up into something very special. This emergence should constitute for you a rebirth into sadhana. In this new birth there should be no more slackness, no more pretence, and no more half-heartedness. Therefore, may we be reborn not once, not twice, but again and again until there is no longer any necessity or need for any such rebirth or re-emergence.”

“Life is an inward journey of the spirit. It is a journey that has no arriving or reaching, but a journey of knowing. It is a journey without movement. It starts from the point where you have to arrive.”

"You see - Man's vision has two defects, Man's vision is directed upon names and forms, and his vision is always directed outwards, therefore he fails to perceive that which is inside, that which is more immediate, nearer. You should have desire to see that which is inside, and then you will attain immortality."

"It is the third dimension of life that is more important than either the outer secular life or the inner spiritual life. This Third dimension is your inner life of thoughts, feelings, attitudes, reactions, and memories. Your ancients went so far as to say that you live only in this interim dimension, this psychological level of your life. It is this interior dimension that decides how each and every thing in your life will affect you. Essentially, every human individual is a psychological being. Therefore, this is the link. And success in both the first two dimensions depends upon what is going on here. See that this inner world of our own psyche does not become a factor drawing us away from God."

"You should act your part in the scheme of things as dictated by the situations in which the Lord places you. You are where you are, and what you are, due to the Will of the Lord."

"Every movement, every force, every form of energy, all power, is a manifestation of the great universal Power, the Universal Source. Everything in this universe - all movement, power, force, energy, is divine, derived from the divine Source. Therefore it is sacred. And so everything is saturated by that great power or force. Everything is to be treated with reverence."

"The Highest state of devotion is not different from wisdom. When devotion is taken to its very pinnacle of perfection, then it is nothing but pure knowledge. Therefore, there is no intrinsic difference between the path of devotion, and the path of knowledge. Parabhakti is no different from Jnana."

"Silence is always the most real part of your being. When you are alone, you are silent. When you are alone, you are in God, and you are aware of God in you. Silence is the only way in which one can express that which is beyond all speech and thought."

"God is an unknown entity. God is an unseen entity. We have not seen god. We’ve only heard about Him. We can only imagine Him. But, if we are able to see in a human individual, manifestations of holiness, of sanctity, something extraordinary, something special, we begin to realize: “Yes, God I have not seen, but godliness I have seen”. Such a being becomes for us visible God. God reveals Himself through the Guru."

"The right way to understand this sharing is - that it is the Universal speaking to the universal. Not an individual speaking to an individual. As individual, you merely react. As universal, you respond."   

Quotations of Swami Chidananda

“Wake up at dawn each day to salute the Universal Being. Bow down in adoration unto Him before you start the day. Go through the day serenely, full of happiness and contentment. There is nothing to condemn in this world. Change your angle of vision. Forego a grudge. Forgive an enemy. Stop anxiety and smile gently unto yourself. Feel that the whole world is the manifestation of the Lord and you are serving the Lord in all these names and forms. Convert life into Yoga. Strive to be a Sadachari and paropakari. God walks with the simple, reveals Himself through the sufferer, gives understanding to the noble and keeps His Grace from the haughty. So renounce ego, cultivate virtues and be free. Keep the mind always calm and peaceful. Be the conqueror of your mind, the subduer of your desires and a master of your destiny, for you are the master.”

"But for awareness, nothing can be cognised. But for awareness, no knowledge is possible. Knowledge itself has as its basis the knower. The knower can be the knower only if It is a centre of luminous awareness, knowing all things."

"Worshipful homage to the supreme, eternal, primal Being, the universal Spirit Divine, who is auspicious, beautiful, good, elevating, illuminating and liberating! To that Being, worshipful homage!"

"You should act your part in the scheme of things as dictated by the situations in which the Lord places you. You are where you are, and what you are, due to the Will of the Lord."

"Success in all undertakings is attained as a result of effort; effort put forth in the firm conviction that sincere and earnest human endeavor never goes unfulfilled. Success is not achieved by never encountering failure. Failure is often a part of success."

"Try to make an evaluation of what you have been throughout the year that has gone by. Have you grasped each day and made a gainful step upward and Godward towards your Destiny?"

 "You should thank the one who draws attention to something in you, rather than being offended. Actually that person is doing you a great favor and service by giving you some knowledge about yourself which you by yourself have been unable to obtain."

" Love more than you desire to be loved. Serve more than you desire to be served. Give of yourself more than you demand of others."

"Human birth, higher aspirations and the inspiration to contact great ones and to imbibe their stirring spiritual messages all these constitute your wealth. All these constitute your good fortune. All these constitute your special unique blessings when compared to those who do not have these things."
 

"God is an unknown entity. God is an unseen entity. We have not seen god. We’ve only heard about Him. We can only imagine Him. But, if we are able to see in a human individual, manifestations of holiness, of sanctity, something extraordinary, something special, we begin to realize: “Yes, God I have not seen, but godliness I have seen”. Such a being becomes for us visible God. God reveals Himself through the Guru."

"When you wake up in the morning, you wake up into something very special. This emergence should constitute for you a rebirth into sadhana. In this new birth there should be no more slackness, no more pretence, and no more half-heartedness. Therefore, may we be reborn not once, not twice, but again and again until there is no longer any necessity or need for any such rebirth or re-emergence."

"Life is an inward journey of the spirit. It is a journey that has no arriving or reaching, but a journey of knowing. It is a journey without movement. It starts from the point where you have to arrive."

"You see - Man's vision has two defects, Man's vision is directed upon names and forms, and his vision is always directed outwards, therefore he fails to perceive that which is inside, that which is more immediate, nearer. You should have desire to see that which is inside, and then you will attain immortality."

"It is the third dimension of life that is more important than either the outer secular life or the inner spiritual life. This Third dimension is your inner life of thoughts, feelings, attitudes, reactions, and memories. Your ancients went so far as to say that you live only in this interim dimension, this psychological level of your life. It is this interior dimension that decides how each and every thing in your life will affect you. Essentially, every human individual is a psychological being. Therefore, this is the link. And success in both the first two dimensions depends upon what is going on here. See that this inner world of our own psyche does not become a factor drawing us away from God."

"The right way to understand this sharing is - that it is the Universal speaking to the universal. Not an individual speaking to an individual. As individual, you merely react. As universal, you respond."
 

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[ Home ] [ News ] [ Upcoming Events ] [ What's New? ] [ Services ] [ Swami Adhyatmananda ] [ Multimedia ] [ Publications ] [ Administration ] [ Saints and Sages ] [ Photo Gallery ] [ Contact ] [ Guestbook ] [ Important Links ]  Webmaster: webmaster@divyajivan.org