BVF: Tattva-Darana

Mar. 2012: Vol. 1 No. 6

(isavasyam idam sarvam)

All these technological developments and modern science are helping us to delay our sufferings only to be caused in a much intensified manner. (This is intact with the overall capitalist system in which growth is technology-led which does nothing but delays the crisis to be caused at some later date.) These advancements do give us pleasure and happiness by easing our life style but they are highly momentary and temporary. It is a cyclical process. More urge to enjoy gives more sufferings and more sufferings compel us to degrade our source of pleasure and eventually we tend to locate our happy moments in small and petty things. Is this true development? The true development is one where pleasure increases and the source of happiness is elevated in each cycle of development. This development is a boon for human civilisation as it is directed in the right direction. This leads us to the path of universal peace and harmony. Today, people are seeking pleasure in killing animals, boozing, hangovers, smoking, gambling, illicit sex and all kinds of commercialised conspicuous consumption. This is not the right development as it is animalistic in nature which has taken away humanity from our lives. All these problems are the reflections from the mirror of ignorance. Thus, one of the best solutions is to promote the right knowledge. We need to understand why do societies develop or what is the driving force behind these material and technological developments. The essence of all our activities is to enjoy and become happy. Developments are no exception and they occur essentially to improve the wellbeing, standards of living, comfort levels, etc. in order to increase the state of happiness. This is a point to ponder whether we have actually increased our happy state or augmented our sufferings. Since all human efforts or actions performed by any living entity, for that matter, is dualistic; characterised with the system of synthesis and antithesis based on our criteria or thesis. Thus, we ourselves create avenues that increase the miseries in the process to enjoy or become happy. When our intensions are not wrong then why the results are always contradictory? What is the nature that makes our actions dualistic? Little understanding of human psyche and human needs can make us aware and acknowledge the direction leading to humanity. Basically, all humans have three kinds of needs; biological, social, and natural. Biological needs arise out of our body that mainly includes food, clothing, shelter that are mainly material in nature. The reason is that our body being made up of matter comprising five elements; earth, fire, water, air and space; the bodily needs are satisfied through these elements only.

Let Everyone Be Happy

Mayank Goel, CESP, JNU. mayankgoel90@gmail.com Our world is highly progressive in nature. Today, we have moved into an era where we have broken all the previous benchmarks established in the different spheres of life. Comparing present with our past, we can surely assert that the level of technology, modern facilities, machines, medicines, etc. is completely unprecedented. Every moment we are kind of augmenting our skills to innovate new things and techniques to do our activities. But, the world in general is experiencing massive increase in diseases, severe health problems, depression, mental breakdowns, physical inactivity, dilution of relations, rapes, murders, death, etc. People are dying young. In last 45 years suicide rates have increased by 60% worldwide (WHO). Over 450 million people suffer from a mental health problem or mental illness (National Institute of Mental Health, Office for national statistics mental health in children, mental health foundation, mind, rethink, London School of Economics). These things are happening in our vicinity that sometimes raise questions regarding the relation, if any, between the two perceived events. Humans by nature are inquisitive to know ever since the dawn of life. Given the fact that we have imbibed higher intelligence in the evolution process, we try to manipulate our resources to overpower or control the material nature instead of surrendering to the material conditions like animals. This urge has been driving the development of our human society in the field of action where we work to change and create an artificial environment around us suitable to our comforts. To decipher upon the extent of our success, we must take care of two things. First, we should think whether we have been actually successful in overpowering nature or is it an illusion that makes us believe so or the situations have further worsened? What is it really? Secondly, we want to control the nature because we want to become independent as dependency is the cause of misery. In short, we do not want miseries inflicted upon us by nature in the form of Tsunamis, floods, famines, earthquakes, scorching heat, excessive cold, etc. We want to liberate ourselves of all sufferings and wish to live happily. So have we succeeded in it?

BVF: Tattva-Darana : monthly journal published by BACE Vedic Forum, JNU, New Delhi

The social needs arise out of the environment or the society in which we survive. These needs vary among humans according to their civilisation and are thus satisfied in the framework of that society. For example, in earlier societies people needed goods to exchange with other goods of consumption while today we need money to possess purchasing power. Social needs also include needs at the abstract level like emotional caring, etc. The natural needs are difficult to perceive because they are the most subtle of all. These needs arise out of us being the spirit souls. The characteristic feature of soul is eternal, conscious and blissful. na jayate mriyate va kadacin nayam bhutva bhavita va na bhuyah | ajo nityah sasvato 'yam purano na hanyate hanyamane sarire ||BG.2.20|| Thus, our natural needs are to achieve immortality, become fully knowledgeable and always be happy. Humans from time immemorial have this desire to overpower death, inquisitiveness to know and desire to do away with pains and sufferings. These natural needs thus form the base of all our other needs. Our efforts are dualistic because of this distinction between our bodies and ourselves (spirit souls). Because we are souls, we want to be happy but as we are limited by our bodies we cannot work for the welfare of everyone and hence all our efforts are relative that create both positive and negative effects. Positive on one hand make us happy while the negative increases our miseries. The modern scientists and technocrats promise to make us happy by increasing our comforts. The biggest advertisement going on is how to become happy immediately and forget about future as it is uncertain. Thus, we are discounting our future pains for temporary pleasures. But, in this world, there is no perfect substitution. We cannot substitute our pain with pleasure. At the best, the pains inherent in the processes can be garbed. We must accept the pains and pleasure as we accept summers and winters because they are bound to come in a cyclical way. As in seasonal changes, we want to maintain the temperature; similarly in changes of situations, we must try to maintain our feelings i.e. try to situate ourselves in equality (Equality is the foremost requirement for real happiness).

jneyah sa nitya-sannyasi yo na dvesti na kanksati | nirdvandvo hi maha-baho sukham bandhat pramucyate ||BG.5.3|| One who neither hates nor desires the fruits of his activities is known to be always renounced. Such a person, liberated from all dualities, easily overcomes material bondage and is completely liberated, O mighty-armed Arjuna. However, this material development is characterised by inequality that improves the situation of some at the cost of others. There are very few instances where everyone in general benefits but there also the margins of benefits differ greatly. This creates a divergence in the society between those who possess and those who do not. Thus, the overall process is very unequal. Knowing this, we must try to innovate or develop such a machine which doesnt discount our sufferings by garbing them but promotes equality to achieve universal peace and harmony. Then, we can claim to live in a happy world and a true human civilisation!

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BVF: Tattva-Darana : monthly journal published by BACE Vedic Forum, JNU, New Delhi