PURE & TRUE KNOWLEDGE

“Do not believe in anything simply because you have heard it. Do not believe in anything simply because it is spoken and rumored by many. Do not believe in anything simply because it is found written in your religious books. Do not believe in anything merely on the authority of your teachers and elders. Do not believe in traditions because they have been handed down for many generations. But after observation and analysis, when you find that anything agrees with science & reason and is conducive to the good and benefit of one and all, then accept it and live up to it.” ( Lord Bauddha)
“The religious superstition is encouraged by means of the institution of churches, processions, monuments, festivities....The so-called clergy stupefy the masses....They befog the people and keep them in an eternal condition of stupefaction” - Leo Tolstoy

A human being is part of the whole called by us universe, a part limited in time and space. We experience ourselves, our thoughts and feelings as something separate from the rest. A kind of optical delusion of consciousness. This delusion is a kind of prison for us, restricting us to our personal desires and to affection for a few persons nearest to us. Our task must be to free ourselves from the prison by widening our circle of compassion to embrace all living creatures and the whole of nature in its beauty. The true value of a human being is determined by the measure and the sense in which they have obtained liberation from the self. We shall require a substantially new manner of thinking if humanity is to survive.

The most beautiful and most profound experience is the sensation of the mystical. It is the sower of all true science. He to whom this emotion is a stranger, who can no longer wonder and stand rapt in awe, is as good as dead. To know that what is impenetrable to us really exists, manifesting itself as the highest wisdom and the most radiant beauty which our dull faculties can comprehend only in their primitive forms - this knowledge, this feeling is at the center of true religiousness. ( Albert Einstein ) 

I have a bible. Its letters are stars and its punctuation, planets. It’s written across the night sky in a language that anyone can decipher if they take the time to look up. It’s printed on leaves and in the pattern of stones on a river bottom. All the creatures of the Universe murmur its words in unending chant, keeping the hours holy. It fills me with recognition that what is within me and what is without me are the same. When everything is exquisite abundance there is no void to be filled. ( Janet Snowhill)
The Web of Life - We are part of the earth and it is part of us. The perfumed flowers are our sisters; the deer, the horse, the great eagle, these are our brothers. The rocky crests, the juices in the meadows, the body heat of the pony, and man -- all belong to the same family. ... This we know; the earth does not belong to man; man belongs to the earth. This we know. All things are connected like the blood which unites one family. All things are connected. ( Chief Seattle )
It makes no difference whether we go back to the teachings of Jesus and make them our own again, or whether we seek new forms. Where they strike the eternal core of humanity, the teachings of Jesus and of Laotzu, of the Vedas and of Goethe are the same. There is only one doctrine. There is only one religion. There is only one happiness. There are a thousand forms, a thousand heralds, but only one call, one voice. The voice of God does not come from Mount Sinai, it does not come from the Bible. The essence of love, beauty, and holiness does not reside in Christianity or in antiquity or in Goethe or Tolstoy-it resides in you, in you and me, in each one of us. This is the one eternal and forever identical doctrine, our one eternal truth. It is the doctrine of the ‘Kingdom of Heaven’ that we bear within ourselves. ...Love and joy and the mysterious thing we call ‘happiness’ are not over here or over there, they are only ‘within ourselves.’ (Herman Hesse)
I must have a reason for a certain hypothesis. Either I know a thing, and then I know it—I don’t need to believe it. ( Carl Jung )
In the search for wisdom, you must act like a detective solving a murder. Reason is the victim. Everyone is suspect; their contradictory answers and actions are your clues. Reality is the supreme judge--impartial, consistent and swift. Keep your resolve! Happiness can only be achieved with the truth.

बुद्धि -विलास

बहस और विवाद मूर्खों का ब्यापार है ;बुद्धिमान बहस नहीं करते परन्तु अपनी बात /विचार /दृष्टिकोण प्रस्तुत करते हैं . आप प्रश्न पूंछ सकते हैं यदि कुछ जानना चाहते हों और उत्तर दे सकते हैं यदि आपसे प्रश्न पूछा गया हो .माता -पिता ,गुरु और अपने से श्रेष्ठ हमें बिना पूछे भी सलाह दे सकते हैं ;यदि हम किसी विषय के विशेषग्य हैं तो बड़ों को भी बता सकते है उनसे अनुमति लेकर या पूछने पर जैसे डाक्टर ,इंजिनियर आदि . जों सही लगे उसे स्वीकार और जों सही न लगे उसे विनम्रता से अस्वीकार कर देना चाहिए और अपनी बात कहनी चाहिए .
जिससे बात करनी हो उसके बारे में थोड़ी -बहुत जानकारी ले लेना तभी वार्ता करना ;जैसे एक ब्यक्ति जों गणित में एम्.एस.सी . थे और वो भी शहर के और मुझे एक घंटे तक फसलों की सिचाई के बारे में समझाते रहे जबकि मै कृषि -शाश्त्र का स्नातक था और वो भी पूरी तरह खेतिहर के घर का ;मैं उन्हें देरतक सुनता रहा कारण बहस नहीं करनी थी ,सो बाद में खूब हंसा और आनंद लिया .यह मेरे कई ऐसे अनुभवों में से एक ही है जहाँ मुझे ज्ञान कम आनंद ज्यादा मिलजाता है .
एक और मजेदार अनुभव - एक बार मुझे केन्द्रीय विद्यालय के एक इंटर -भ्यू (साक्षात्कार ) में जाना हुआ जहाँ विभिन्न विषयों के अध्यापकों का चुनाव करना था ;वहां एक श्रीमान भी जों चुनाव -समिति के सदस्य थे ,अंग्रेजी के अभ्यर्थियों से उलटे सीधे सवाल पूछने लगे और अंग्रेजी के सभी अभ्यर्थियों का पूरा साक्षात्कार उन्हों ने ही लिया ;मै अंग्रेजी विषय का विशेषग्य था परन्तु मुझे तो मौका ही नहीं मिला बाद में पाता चला वो बाटनी के एक्सपर्ट थे और मजा तो तब आता था कि जब हिंदी और संस्कृत के सवाल पूछने होते तो मेरी तरफ इशारा करदेते जिनका मुझे नाममात्र ही ज्ञान था .यह जानने पर कि मै अंग्रेजी का एक्सपर्ट था वे शायद कुछ लज्जित हुए हों ;भगवान जानें ;परन्तु साक्षात्कार तो सही नहीं ही हुआ होगा . तब से मैंने समझा कि क्यों साक्षात्कार लेने वाले को निशित रूप से ज्यादा ही तैयार और सचेत होना चाहिए बनस्पति साक्षात्कार देने वाले के .ऐसा खुद मेरे साथ कई बार हुआ है जब मै साक्षात्कार देने गया कि साक्षात्कार लेने वाले श्रीमान कैसे, कुछ भी पूछने को उद्यत रहते हैं .सभी लोग नहीं कुछ ही . परन्तु कुछ तो पूरे गंभीरता से पेश आते हैं .
क्षिप्रं विजानाति चिरं शृणोति , विज्ञाय चार्थं भजते न कामात्।
नासंपृष्टो व्यपयुंक्ते परार्थे , तत् प्रज्ञानं प्रथमं पण्डितस्य॥
शीघ्रता से सीखता है ;धैर्य से देरतक सुनता है ,पूरी समझ से कार्य करता है न कि स्वार्थवश ;बिना पूछे किसी के कार्य-ब्यापार में टांग नहीं अड़ाता ,वही विद्वान है ,बुद्धिमान है .
He comprehends quickly and hears patiently. He understands things at hand and acts accordingly and not according to his sweet will; he does not meddle with others' business unless asked to. This is the prime feature of a wise person.
न हि ज्ञानेन सदृशं पवित्रमिह विद्यते
इस जगत में ज्ञान के समान कुछ भी पवित्र /श्रेष्ठ नहीं है .
Here (in this world), there is nothing as pure(sublime) as knowldge.

OF VIOLENCE

The lion has legs so does sheep, the lion has a mouth so does a sheep, the lion have ears so does a sheep. Physically both can walk and eat. But the lion will not eat grass like a sheep neither the sheep will eat meat like a lion. The distinction is in the nature. By nature, the Lion is different than a sheep.
Is lion violent as it can not survive without hunting?does it kill more because of anger or to feed it's hunger ? lion's hunting in majority of cases , i believe is with an intent to feed it and to live . should we call it violent
On the other hand elephant does not eat meat but often kills men and animals out of revenge ,madness ,anger and to defend it from anticipated danger.  bu it goes so rare and some time .

But what is it with man ? psychologically he has the instinct of violence and biologically has four canine teeth and with this the most advanced mind with discriminatory power on earth .he can supplement his food with meat and in scarcity of veg. he can use non-veg to required quantity . the serious thing that is that violence done by man for food is much less than violence done to man and living beings including animals and plants
viz. - murder , sexual violence, youth violence, inpatient aggression against staff, suicide,child maltreatment, bullying, intimate partner violence, international violence,exploitation of different nature ,abuse ,humiliation ,obligation ,subordination ,ill-thought ,envy ,bad intent .,feeling to defeat others and feeling joy in torturing others or letting it go that is wrong and immoral ,crime and violence in the name of religion and terrorism that kills those all innocent etc etc . 

We as call ourselves civilized ;psychologically have most advance mind and biologically four canine teeth can supplement our diets with meat when we discriminate it necessary to keep us up and alive but the serious thing is that can we tame ourselves on individual level not to harm others men, animal and plants and moreover i say , to any thing in Nature by thoughts words and action to strengthen the thought and feeling of non-violence . let us take it at personal level not and never to raise an ill-thought ,word or action that has violent-intent against others with us . 

Are we men naturally violent? If so, how do we explain the large differences in violence rates across cultures and nations? Why is the United States among the most violent of industrialized countries? Why are most of us less non-violent than others? Psychologists and social scientists have studied violence for many decades, but modern approaches draw heavily not only on traditional psychological, sociological and cultural theories, but also on evolutionary psychology, genetics, and neuroscience. Although many people seem to think that we need a special, ESOTERIC-PSYCHOLOGY to explain the violent behaviour and that is feeling of  COMPASSION (karuna of Buddha ) and feeling the feelings of others equally as ours to delete violence from our minds .
सहानुभूति चाहिए , महाविभूति है यही - मैथिलीशरण गुप्त और ------
वैष्णव जन तो तेने कहिये जों पीर पराई जाने रे - गाँधी जी के भजन से
" I have nothing new to teach the world. Truth and Non-violence are as old as the hills. All I have done is to try experiments in both on as vast a scale as I could.
Poverty is the worst form of violence.
I object to violence because when it appears to do good, the good is only temporary; the evil it does is permanent.
It is better to be violent, if there is violence in our hearts, than to put on the cloak of nonviolence to cover impotence.
Intolerance is itself a form of violence and an obstacle to the growth of a true democratic spirit.
The pursuit of truth does not permit violence on one's opponent." ( MK Gandhi)

STITHIPRGYA (REALIZED SELF )

THE VERSES OF GITA RECITED IN EVENING PRAYER OF GANDHI

Arjun said: O Krishn, what are the marks of a Realized self  whose intellect is stable ? How does he speak?  sit and walk? (2.54
Lord said: When one is completely free from all desires of the mind and is satisfied within himself by the joy of Eternal Being, then one is called Sthit-pragya. (2.55) A person whose mind is unperturbed by misery ; does not crave pleasures, and  is free from attachment, fear, and anger, is stable in mind or steady  (2.56) Those who are not attached to anything, who are neither elated by getting expected results, nor troubled those unexpected painful, their mind is steady. (2.57) When one completely withdraws the senses from their objects, as a tortoise withdraws its limbs into the shell , then the intellect of such a person is  steady. (2.58) The desire for sensual pleasures fades away if one goes on fast , but the craving  remains. The craving also disappears from one who has realized self (2.59)
Powerful senses, O Arjun, forcibly carry away the mind of even the wise men striving for perfection. (2.60) One should fix one’s mind on Me  after taking  the senses under control. One’s intellect becomes steady when one’s senses are under  control. (2.61) One gets attached to sense objects by thinking of sense objects. Desire for sense objects comes from attachment to objects, and anger arises from unfilled desire. (2.62) Delusion  arise from anger. The mind is bewildered by delusion. Reasoning give way to complete ruin. (2.63)
A disciplined person, enjoying sense objects with senses that are under control and free from likes and dislikes, attains tranquility. (2.64) All sorrows are destroyed upon attainment of tranquility. The intellect of such a tranquil person soon becomes completely steady and united with the Eternal Being (Brahm). (2.65) There is neither Self-knowledge nor Self-perception to those who are not united with the Eternal Being (Brahm). Without Self-perception there is no peace, and without peace there can be no happiness. (2.66)
The mind, when controlled by the roving senses, steals away the intellect as a storm takes away a boat on the sea from its destination --- the spiritual shore. (2.67) Therefore, one’s mind becomes steady when the senses are fully withdrawn from sense objects. (2.68) A yogi,  thus remains wakeful when it is night(field of knowledge) for all others. It is night for the yogi who sees when all others are wakeful(in the field of worldly behaviour) (2.69) .
One  one dissipated in his desires ,attains peace within the self without any disturbance; just as rivers enter the ocean undisturbed and all well settled. (2.70) One who indifferent and unattached to all desires,  becomes free from longing and the feeling of ego and ownership, thus attains graceful peace. (2.71)This is the state of SELF-REALIZED being  (Braahmi stithi ) and remains the life free from illusion and sufferings and feels well one with Universal-Self called NIRVANA . (2.72)
Bhagwat Gita  -chapter II verses from 53 to 72 .

GANDHI ON RELIGION

.When we read the various statements of  Gandhi on his theories of Religion it seems ambiguous and Equivocal = (open to two or more interpretations; or of uncertain nature or significance; or (often) intended to mislead ) but this shows that he does not use much logic and intellect to confuse him and others around ,instead he uses his extraordinary wisdom to follow his own and respect others in the equal and in the same spirit . say , he uses faith and devotion in matter of religion as it is Gold that always glitters and God  is God equally distributed, everywhere and all the time .this is bare fact that he takes in-toto . some of his thoughts  -
He believes in historical king Ram king of Ayoddhya son of Dashrath as God and his God as he calls God as Truth and equal to Allah in Muslims -
रघुपति राघव राजा राम ;पतित पावन सीताराम ::ईश्वर अल्ला तेरे नाम ; सबको सन्मति दे भगवान .
"I call myself a Sanatani Hindu, because I believe in the Vedas, the Upanishads, the Puranas, and all that goes by the name of Hindu scripture, and therefore in avataras and rebirth; I believe in the varnashrama dharma in a sense, in my opinion strictly Vedic but not in its presently popular crude sense; I believe in the protection of cow … I do not disbelieve in murti puja." (Young India)

"Hinduism as I know it entirely satisfies my soul, fills my whole being … When doubts haunt me, when disappointments stare me in the face, and when I see not one ray of light on the horizon, I turn to the Bhagavad Gita, and find a verse to comfort me; and I immediately begin to smile in the midst of overwhelming sorrow. My life has been full of tragedies and if they have not left any visible and indelible effect on me, I owe it to the teachings of the Bhagavad Gita." (Young India )
"I worship God as Truth only. I have not yet found Him, but I am seeking after Him. I am prepared to sacrifice the things dearest to me in pursuit of this quest. Even if the sacrifice demanded my very life, I hope I may be prepared to give it.

"I regard Jesus as a great teacher of humanity, but I do not regard him as the only begotten son of God. That epithet in its material interpretation is quite unacceptable. Metaphorically we are all sons of God, but for each of us there may be different sons of God in a special sense. Thus for me Chaitanya may be the only begotten son of God … God cannot be the exclusive Father and I cannot ascribe exclusive divinity to Jesus." (Harijan )
"I believe that there is no such thing as conversion from one faith to another in the accepted sense of the word. It is a highly personal matter for the individual and his God. I may not have any design upon my neighbour as to his faith, which I must honour even as I honour my own. Having reverently studied the scriptures of the world I could no more think of asking a Christian or a Musalman, or a Parsi or a Jew to change his faith than I would think of changing my own." (Harijan )
"I came to the conclusion long ago … that all religions were true and also that all had some error in them, and whilst I hold by my own, I should hold others as dear as Hinduism. So we can only pray, if we are Hindus, not that a Christian should become a Hindu … But our innermost prayer should be a Hindu should be a better Hindu, a Muslim a better Muslim, a Christian a better Christian." (Young India )
Gandhi ,thus is the only person ,who is a perfect Hindu  but does not claim his religion better to others  and respect others in the same spirit and still the champion to all those who are leaders ,thinkers and philosophers of different world religions .he seems ambiguous in theories but accepts these as such without any criticism or need of correction .if we all can follow him in the same spirit there can be one different world of peace ,love ,brotherhood and non-violence .others are preaching religion but he lived a religious man 's life .

BUDDHISM A VIEW

Four Noble Truths -
(1) existence is suffering;
(2) desire, or thirst, is its cause;
(3) the cessation of suffering is possible; and
(4) the way to accomplish this is -
EIGHTFOLD PATH in his first sermon at Sarnath, Varanasi , India. The path is regarded as the way to deal with the problems named in the Four Noble Truths.
1- Right understanding (faith in the Buddhist view of existence)
2 - Right thought (the resolve to practice the faith)
3 - Right speech (avoidance of falsehoods, slander, and abuse)
4 - Right action (abstention from taking life, stealing, and improper sexual behavior)
5 - Right livelihood (rejection of occupations not in keeping with Buddhist principles)
6- Right effort (development of good mental states)
7 - Right mindfulness (awareness of body, feelings, and thought) and
8 - Right concentration (meditation).
It is also called the Middle Path, a course between sensuality and asceticism. the Path leads to escape from suffering and attain Nirvana.
Neither fire nor wind, birth nor death can erase our good deeds.

Fill your mind with compassion.

First, rely on the spirit and meaning of the teachings, not on the words;
Second, rely on the teachings, not on the personality of the teacher;
Third, rely on real wisdom, not superficial interpretation;
And fourth, rely on the essence of your pure Wisdom Mind, not on judgmental perceptions.

One of his students asked Buddha, "Are you the Messiaha?    "No", 
"Then are you a healer?"      "No".
"Then are you a teacher?" .   "No, 

"Then what are you?" asked the student, exasperated.
"I am awake", Buddha replied. 

We are what we think. All that we are arises with our thoughts. With our thoughts, we make our world.
To be idle is a short road to death and to be diligent is a way of life; foolish people are idle, wise people are diligent.
Let us rise up and be thankful, for if we didn't learn a lot today, at least we learned a little, and if we didn't learn a little, at least we didn't get sick, and if we got sick, at least we didn't die; so, let us all be thankful.
Pay no attention to the faults of others,
things done or left undone by others.
Consider only what by oneself is done or left undone.
On life's journey Faith is nourishment,
Virtuous deeds are a shelter,
Wisdom is the light by day and Right mindfulness is the protection by night.
If a man lives a pure life nothing can destroy him;
If he has conquered greed nothing can limit his freedom.

WITNESS TO TRUTH

All that exists is TRUTH as that is not truth can not exist (Gita ).
All that exists is Universal -Self (US).
This we personify as God ,Khuda or Ishwar (एकं सद विप्र बहुधा वदन्ति One called by many names ).
The US is inclusive of all Creation ;this ,that and other ; matter , mind ,body and soul ;living ,non-living ;stars and planets ; within and without . All this and that are the manifestation of US (Absolute Reality having three aspects Truth-live-joy).
The man is Individual -Self in the imitation of US partly free under limitations of time ,place and action .

US is -ALL INCLUSIVE -ONE -WHOLE and IS is one and many a units also whole within US----

ॐ – पूर्णमदः पूर्णमिदम् पूर्णात् पूर्णमुदच्यते पूर्णस्य पूर्णमआदाय पूर्णमेवावशिष्यते

Om ;This is perfect, that is perfect, perfect comes from perfect,Take perfect from perfect and the perfect still remains ( Brihadaaranyaka Upanishad)
Thus this whole Creation is -- 

display, show, exhibition, expression, demonstration, appearance, exposure, revelation, disclosure, materialization ; the manifestation of Universal -Self .
Birth and death ,pain and pleasure are true on individual level ad meaningless at Universal-Self level (न जायते मृयते वा कदाचन -गीता ).
Manifestation Theory does not allow individual rebirth in the same form and attributes exclusively . Tulasidas was never Valmiki nor Budhas are born again and again but they can be synonyms of Buddha (the man with awakened Soul ).
Theory of Manifestation does not allow bondage and liberation (न वध्यते मोक्षते वा कदाचन -सांख्य कारिका )
There is no heaven or hell than this present life and world . our actions give us pain and pleasure in accordance with time ,place and circumstances (काल करम वस होईं गोसाईं .जैसे रात दिवस की नाईं )
The whole Nature / Creation is governed by rules within it and all that go against this rule (as we can go under limited freedom of choice ) are deemed to reap the results of their choice of action , good or/and bad and ill and well .
Any thought ,action ,effort good or bad bring like -results and this good-bad is on individual level but on Universal -Self level it has no meaning or can say -- All-OK as good can not exist without bad .Good-bad being contradictory are one . we are free to make choices and reap the same .
There are some statements of Realized Individual -Souls in Vedant as -- 

ईशावास्यं इदं सर्वम् all this is housed by God ;सो अहम् अस्मि That I am तत त्वम् असि That you are सर्व खलु इदं ब्रह्म certainly all this is that Universal -Soul .
All that does not agree or not in accordance with these words is false and illusion added by those having no experiences of their own but guess-interpretations of sages and their words and thus be dropped (not being reasonable and scientific )
Maya in Vedant is illusion and ignorance and Knowledge is realization f Truth .Every one can have this knowledge who is sincere and earnest .
The causation principle has been one of the important concepts in Vedanta philosophy. A special term is used for this, which can be translated as 'transformation theory' (the Sanskrit word is vivartavaad) , there is no exact English equivalent for vivart and transformation comes nearer. Gold can be transformed into ornaments of different shapes and sizes, but it essentially remains gold; the ornament can be melted back to simple gold anytime. In the same way the cause and effect or the same, the change in the external form does not affect the essence. Applied to creation this means that the Ultimate Reality is the universal consciousness and the universe is only a transformed (manifested) appearance of that reality.
It may be noted that quantum physics also has shown that there can be effects without cause. Virtual particles can appear and disappear in the quantum void, i.e. the energy transforms into particles and back spontaneously. Essentially this is equivalent to saying that the cause and the effect are one, since energy and particle are equivalent.