If, for a moment, we cast our eyes upon the vibrant and dynamic life upon the surface of the globe today, immediately we see that tremendous advances have been made in the past couple of centuries. Man has progressed, tapped new resources, discovered more about things than ever was known before. By his ingenuity and scientific acumen, he has evolved such instruments that things which could not even be perceived are now laid bare before the gaze of the human eye—instruments of such magnifying power that nearly invisible phenomena and cosmic phenomena alike are revealed to the penetrating eye of the scientist. So great are the achievements that have been made in the field of the physical sciences—in physics, chemistry, mechanics, engineering, electronics, etc.—and so much greater is the control that man holds over external forces that life is now filled with innumerable comforts and conveniences for enjoyment. Such advances, such improvements, such wonderful progress has been made that this modern life might have been thought impossible, fantastic, sheerly fanciful even a hundred years ago. What might have been considered a dream creation then has, nevertheless, become a fact now.
However, let us take a second glance and observe mankind itself. We see vast masses of people in different parts of the globe, with an improved material lot, but without a corresponding improvement in inner satisfaction and peace, which improvement ought to have been the result of the progress in the external sciences. If man is to improve and advance, he must do so on all levels and in all spheres of life and activity.
There is no doubt that efficiency has been raised and organisation has been widened. But, why is increased happiness in the life of the individual not apparent? There are strange imbalances existing between groups which enjoy great prosperity and groups which suffer in abject poverty. In one area there is tremendous wealth and affluence; in another there is impoverishment and starvation. Even in the life of the average man, there is prosperity together with sorrow, convenience together with discontent, both at the same time. Man’s possessions have been increased, but his joy—his essential joy of living—has clearly not been increased. If a census were taken, no one could honestly say, “Yes, I think that all these material improvements have put us into a state of perennial joy and unalloyed happiness.”
Even in the physical welfare of human beings, real progress is dubious. The number of hospitals has increased beyond compare; doctors, medicines, chemical factories, the manufacture of drugs and various methods of surgery have all increased tenfold; but diseases have multiplied by leaps and bounds. The farther mankind progresses in science, the more prevalent become the new kinds of diseases and sufferings which afflict man on earth. Could there be any reason for this?
|
Next: Chapter 5: Know Thyself, 1. The Basic Neglect of the Study of Man
Energy Enhancement Enlightened Texts Sri Swami Sivananda The Path Beyond Sorrow
Chapter 5
- Sri Swami Sivananda, The Path Beyond Sorrow Chapter 5: Know Thyself
Sri Swami Sivananda, The Path Beyond Sorrow Chapter 5: Know Thyself, If, for a moment, we cast our eyes upon the vibrant and dynamic life upon the surface of the globe today, immediately we see that tremendous advances have been made in the past couple of centuries. Man has progressed, tapped new resources, discovered more about things than ever was known before. By his ingenuity and scientific acumen, he has evolved such instruments that things which could not even be perceived are now laid bare before the gaze of the human eyeinstruments of such magnifying power that nearly invisible phenomena and cosmic phenomena alike are revealed to the penetrating eye of the scientist at energyenhancement.org
- Sri Swami Sivananda, The Path Beyond Sorrow Chapter 5: Know Thyself, 1. The Basic Neglect of the Study of Man
Sri Swami Sivananda, The Path Beyond Sorrow Chapter 5: Know Thyself, 1. The Basic Neglect of the Study of Man, There is a simple reason. Man is, ultimately, the most important unit in this universe. In his hands lies the key to the direction to be taken by human affairs. Over storms, tides, earthquakes, drought, whirlwinds, cyclonesover the universal elementsman has no control; but in so far as the life of the individual is concernedbe it in the family, in the community, in the civic centre, in the capital, in the nation, or in the worldin so far as this life, in all its various and ever-widening aspects is concernedthe control does lie in the hands of man. Man is the director of these affairs at energyenhancement.org
- Sri Swami Sivananda, The Path Beyond Sorrow Chapter 5: Know Thyself, 2. Who Am I?The Great Enquiry
Sri Swami Sivananda, The Path Beyond Sorrow Chapter 5: Know Thyself, 2. Who Am I?The Great Enquiry, The knowledge of oneself is the required knowledge. And the education in this knowledge has to start right from childhood. It is only when the art of right thinking is taught in childhood that true progress ensues in the life of the individual. We have, first of all, to understand what we are, and what are those factors in our personality that will increase its beauty, and what are those factors that will mar that beauty. How many people take time to think about themselves? at energyenhancement.org
- Sri Swami Sivananda, The Path Beyond Sorrow Chapter 5: Know Thyself, 3. You Are Not the Body
Sri Swami Sivananda, The Path Beyond Sorrow Chapter 5: Know Thyself, 3. You Are Not the Body, These have ever been the central questions of Hindu philosophy. Both the ancient sages and the modern Masters have ever tried to bring about an awakening in man so that this earth-life might be properly used to get an essential knowledge of the Self. The ignorant, the idiotic, the stupid or the foolish think that the body is ones own self. Mans idea of himself is: I am five feet, nine inches tall; I weigh so many pounds; I am so many years old, etc. What greater folly, what greater ignorance, what greater blindness or stupidity could there be than to identify oneself with this perishable cage of bones, this gross composition of flesh and muscles and skin! After all, what is this physical sheath if it is not wholly dependent upon perishable food? at energyenhancement.org
- Sri Swami Sivananda, The Path Beyond Sorrow Chapter 5: Know Thyself, 4.You Are Not the Mind
Sri Swami Sivananda, The Path Beyond Sorrow Chapter 5: Know Thyself, 4.You Are Not the Mind, Consciousness cannot be dependent upon the senses. Could the aggregate of the senses be yourselfthe sense of sight, smell, taste, touch and hearing together with the sense-centres in the brain which make them work? If you do not hear, the loss of hearing does not make you lose your individuality; similarly, the loss of sight or smell does not make you lose your personality. And when you go into the deep-sleep state where all the ten senses are totally inoperative, and as it were dead, You are still there. You are able to posit your continuous existence. When you get up, you say, I am the one who went to sleep, and now, I am the awakener. I am able to say that I have enjoyed my sleep at energyenhancement.org
- Sri Swami Sivananda, The Path Beyond Sorrow Chapter 5: Know Thyself, 5. The Universal Factors: I and I Am
Sri Swami Sivananda, The Path Beyond Sorrow Chapter 5: Know Thyself, 5. The Universal Factors: I and I Am, When you go deep within yourself, it becomes apparent that this I, your very Self, is something that links you so very close to all humanity and to all life upon earth, that it is universal. Consider a vast group of people of different nationalities, races, religions, beliefs and casteseveryone totally different from everyone else in name and form, in language, in thought pattern, in colour, in creed, in dress, in manner of eating, drinking and sleeping, in short, in everything at energyenhancement.org
- Sri Swami Sivananda, The Path Beyond Sorrow Chapter 5: Know Thyself, 6. Wrong Identifications Destroy Universality
Sri Swami Sivananda, The Path Beyond Sorrow Chapter 5: Know Thyself, 6. Wrong Identifications Destroy Universality, We have seen that everyone says I and I am, and thus far everyone is perfectly all right, everyone is in accord with all other beings upon earth. But then, from this second word onwards, man voices his ignorance. He proceeds with I am an American, I am a Canadian, I am a Hindu, I am a Republican. Whatever he adds to I am, immediately limits his consciousness. It at once vitiates the consciousness of oneness. Thus when you say I am, you are at one with all mankind; but when you say I am So-and-so, you separate yourself and create a barrier between yourself and every human being contrary to you. You immediately cut yourself off from the rest of the world and regard others as inimical to yourself, opposed to yourself, and what is worse, harmful to yourself. Herein lies colossal ignorance. Herein lies the necessity for the utmost clarity of thought. Here it is that you have to make use of your intelligence at energyenhancement.org
- Sri Swami Sivananda, The Path Beyond Sorrow Chapter 5: Know Thyself, 7. You Are Existence-Consciousness-Bliss
Sri Swami Sivananda, The Path Beyond Sorrow Chapter 5: Know Thyself, 7. You Are Existence-Consciousness-Bliss, TNow, this much becomes clear. When you say I am, you assert your Existence. This Existence is your true nature, and this Existence is for ever. This Existence is indestructible, because it is not a created thing like the body of the five elements and because it is not identical with any of those non-essential factors of your being like the body, etc.; it is independent of them all. It is changeless. Mind constantly changes, takes on new ideas and sheds old ideas. There is constant flux in your mind. This mind, which is ever in a state of change and movement and flux, cannot be the eternal factor in you. The eternal factor is Existence. You are indestructible, imperishable Existence. Everlasting Life is your true and essential being. That is your nature at energyenhancement.org
- Sri Swami Sivananda, The Path Beyond Sorrow Chapter 5: Know Thyself, 8. You Are God Even Now
Sri Swami Sivananda, The Path Beyond Sorrow Chapter 5: Know Thyself, 8. You Are God Even Now, This is the nature of the highest illumined soul who knows this. It is the nature of the intelligent, thinking man who is often puzzled, who sometimes seems to know this and again seems not to know this. It is also the nature of the ignorant man who is unlettered and does not even know how to think. It is the nature of the fool and the idiot. No matter what state of evolution or what state of unfoldment or manifestation of the inner spiritual consciousness you find yourself in, essentially, inwardly, in truth and in fact, you are Existence-Consciousness-Bliss. Even at this moment. Nothing can rob you of that at energyenhancement.org
- Sri Swami Sivananda, The Path Beyond Sorrow Chapter 5: Know Thyself, 9. Walk with God: Talk with God
Sri Swami Sivananda, The Path Beyond Sorrow Chapter 5: Know Thyself, 9. Walk with God: Talk with God, This is the view and the vision that man, both as an individual and as collective humanity, needs today. When Professor Einstein once was asked in a certain interview, What shall we do, Professor, in order to improve the world?, he said, We must have improved people. That means we must live in the consciousness of our true nature. Even if a few people, a handful of people, make it their firm resolution, their greatest aim and aspiration in life, not to live any longer as mere mundane creatures, but to feel themselves divine, to be always at one with the Divine Essence, then real progress will have been made. Live in this way every day at energyenhancement.org
|
