Dear Avalok and others,
I am happy and encouraged to see so many people visiting this discussiona and viewing it.
It is better to worry about worldly matters than about material; even better to worry about spiritual matters than worldly matters
This does not mean we should totally ignore material, worldly matters. The difference of interest to be shown in those things (in degrees) is explained in the quotation above. If you ask me if there is anything more wonderful and more complex than human mind, then I don’t have an answer to offer. As far as I can see and understand, the most complex and wonderful object I have ever found is the “human mind”. It is as deep as Ocean and as complex as a dense Forest.
We are HR professionals, we do the job of “indirectly contributing” to the process of creation of wealth all over the world. We need to know what motivates human beings, in their thinking patterns and their working patterns. I am deeply surprised by the discovery of the fact that most often the behavior of human beings, their thinking patterns and working patterns are governed by their emotions and feelings rather than by their ability to reason. And I am disturbed by it because if at all we can motivate human beings to use their reasoning faculties rather than being swayed away by emotions and feelings, then we can help the process of transfer of wealth from richer to poorer sections of the world population, but we fail to do so.
This is important because the Planet Earth can satisfy the needs of human beings not their greed (Mahatma Gandhi). That is why as responsible habitats of this planet we must learn to use the natural resources as optimally as possible and utilize the material (wealth) produced of it the most optimum way possible.
What comes in the way of this noble cause is the complexity of human mind itself!
For instance I have the story of my own family members to tell.
Till the end of last month I used to stay with my parents in their house. Because of some reasons, I am compelled to shift to another city and they are compelled to shift to another city. We vacated the house during the last week of the month. I had my PC, TV and some books…to shift to the new house (near my sister’s place) in the new city. In my room, there was lot of unused material. I wanted to give off all that material in charity to one of the servants who worked at our house. During the shifting process, my father was confused and scared which objects he shall shift, which objects he shall ignore, which objects I will take, which objects he will take and so on.
I had a philosophy about “art of living”. We should keep as few things as possible in our houses if we cannot afford to clean them up every day. One new thing we bring into the house, our work increases because we have to clean the dust accumulated to it. That is why we should keep as few things at home as possible so that we can keep our house clean and so that we can clean our house easily and fastly. When we rise to such a position wherein we can appoint one worker to clean all the objects in the house, then only we should keep all the things (that we use for interior decoration) in the house.
And whatever things we need to run a small house, like Refrigerator, TV, Fans, Cots, Stove, Utensils for cooking etc., we can purchase just by spending Rs.50000/- or so.
When we have capacity to earn Rs.30000/- per month we should not worry about the material we have at home. That is my philosophy about “art of living”.
So I told my father, “my property is my PC, my TV and these books, rest of the things I am going to give off to Krishnaveni …(the maid servant who worked at our home)…”.
My father did not like the idea at all because he did not want to give off the things that he (or we) purchased for money to servant just like that. He became jealous of the thought that our servant would enjoy all those things I leave for nothing. He started searching what are all the things in my room that he purchased so that he can at least avoid giving off those things by me to the servant.
He found a heap of Cassettes gathering dust in one almirah. After I left the job in North India I stayed with him for almost 4 years. During those four years, he never heard one song of those cassettes! He had a Tape recorder and Cassette player that he purchased more to show off to others than to hear songs. He bundled the Cassette player and speakers and stored it in store room for all those four years. In other words, not to speak of cassettes, even the Tape recorder-cum- Cassette player itself is a burden on him.
But he did not want to get rid of that burden because, he did not want to allow others to enjoy it. We purchased it for money, why should we give it off free for others? Does anyone give anything free of cost to us when we need it?
These are all the arguments that people often make, and my father is no exception to it.
He will allow that tape recorder-cum-cassette player to gather dust and in that process become dysfunctional, and after 10 years or so, (if he is still alive) he will throw it away.
I feel, “how nice if he can give off that object to someone who need it or someone who has a desire to own it and enjoy it, so that they don’t have to purchase a new one from market. If my father gives off that object in charity, then one tape-recorder cum cassette player will not be purchased from the market. If one tape-recorder cum cassette player is not purchased from the market, then one producer will have to produce one of it less. In other words, one manufacturer will not use the Earth’s resources as much as he uses to make on Tape recorder-cum-cassette player. That is how we save the “natural resources” on this planet.
That is how we use the wealth produced optimally. That is how we save and preserve the depleting natural resources for the future generations.
Once we search any house in the world, we will find so much of unused material that could be of help/use to others. But what comes in the way of giving off all that unused material to poor people is our own attachment towards objects. There is no reason why people are attached to objects and keep them at home thinking this will be of use to me some day or the other. But that day never comes. A cement bag kept in the store room never comes out and it is forgotten by the owner of the house himself that he has it in his store room. And when he needs a cement bag for any repair, he will purchase a new one from the market!
That is why wise people said, “It is better to worry about worldly matters than about material; even better to worry about spiritual matters than worldly matters….”.
After I shifted my material to my sister’s house, I found so many objects here that she kept in her small house which almost looks like a Villain’s den. When I was eating food, I encounter so many insects. Yesterday when I was eating food, one spider came into my food to share it. I left the food as it is and took a new plate.
Lizards say Hello to me from the roof of the house. Every object inside the house is full of dust, but there is no way she gets the idea to get rid of those objects. That is a small house they stay. But they themselves say, because of the exhorbitant rise in real estate prices, that small house, the area occupied by that small house costs around Rs.18 lacs!
Now tell me when they are capable of getting 18 lacs by selling off that house, why should they worry about these small objects that does not cost even Rs.10000/- for them if their cost is totaled?
My brother-in-law took the Life membership of Country club spending Rs.40000/-. He spent another Rs.50000/- or so to construct a small temple in his village. He is a small employee in a small cooperative Bank. He cannot actually afford to do all that. But what motivated him to spend like this is, his inclination to get name and fame from his villagers, friends and relatives.
On the other side, my sister’s kitchen has grown dark with the smoke emanating from the stove. There is so much of dust gathered inside the kitchen around and inside the dust, spider’s webs, they have so many insects moving around. It just takes Rs.500/- to get it white-washed. They did not get the idea for the last 18 years or so, to get it white washed. If they get it white-washed once, so many insects will die and the room will look livable.
What is the reason…why my brother-in-law could spend Rs.50000/- to construct a temple in his village and Rs.40000/- to take Life membership of Country club, but he did not get the idea to get his house white-washed so that he could avoid insects falling into his plate when he eats food?
There is no reason why she has kept so many small, small objects in her house and living without being capable of cleaning them? I have discovered a big Jacket that I left in her house when I came 8 years back on the top of one wooden frame kept to throw away unused articles! That has been gathering dust there and so many little insects have started their families inside that Jacket.
I questioned my sister about so many objects. There are four legs of one cot, kept in the kitchen gathering dust. I asked my sister why did you keep them. She said, if you throw them away, your brother-in-law will scold me, he wants them to be kept.
Just see the ignorance of people!
I told my sister my philosophy. It just requires Rs.50000/- or so to get whatever material you want to make a living in a house, don’t worry about all these things, “can’t we afford to send Rs.50000/- or so when we need to spend on these objects….?”. I told her, “I will give you all the money you require in future to purchase objects such as these, now you get rid of all these unused things so that you don’t make your house a Hell…”.
She is convinced with my logic, but she is scared of my brother-in-law.
Just see how complex and unreasonable the human mind is!
They have kept all the objects without having time to clean them up, without having capacity to clean them up so that they can avoid gathering dust, and gathering insects, spiders, spider web around them etc. They themselves are capable of spending Rs.50000/- or so to purchase all those objects if they construct a new house. But their attachment to old articles have at present made their lives miserable. When they eat, we don’t know how many insects they eat along with their food!
My purpose of writing this to HR community is to think about it seriously.
Spend one Holiday paying a visit to unused and old articles kept in your storage places, store rooms, almirahs etc in your house. Say "hello" to every object and "good bye" to every unused object. It is time worth spending for your happiness and also for the happiness of all those people who benefit from your charity.
If you are not using them, just throw them away if they are of no use, or if they are of use to somebody else, and you don’t have interest to use, donate them to needy people!
There are millions of poor people in India who will willingly take what we offer to them, even if what we offer to them are old objects.
That will serve the cause of “transfer of wealth” from rich to poor and also it will make your lives easier and happier, and the lives of people who receive such objects happier because they can better enjoy the objects you offer to them in charity than you can!
thanks and regards,
Chandrasekhar
From India, Hyderabad
3I am happy and encouraged to see so many people visiting this discussiona and viewing it.
It is better to worry about worldly matters than about material; even better to worry about spiritual matters than worldly matters
This does not mean we should totally ignore material, worldly matters. The difference of interest to be shown in those things (in degrees) is explained in the quotation above. If you ask me if there is anything more wonderful and more complex than human mind, then I don’t have an answer to offer. As far as I can see and understand, the most complex and wonderful object I have ever found is the “human mind”. It is as deep as Ocean and as complex as a dense Forest.
We are HR professionals, we do the job of “indirectly contributing” to the process of creation of wealth all over the world. We need to know what motivates human beings, in their thinking patterns and their working patterns. I am deeply surprised by the discovery of the fact that most often the behavior of human beings, their thinking patterns and working patterns are governed by their emotions and feelings rather than by their ability to reason. And I am disturbed by it because if at all we can motivate human beings to use their reasoning faculties rather than being swayed away by emotions and feelings, then we can help the process of transfer of wealth from richer to poorer sections of the world population, but we fail to do so.
This is important because the Planet Earth can satisfy the needs of human beings not their greed (Mahatma Gandhi). That is why as responsible habitats of this planet we must learn to use the natural resources as optimally as possible and utilize the material (wealth) produced of it the most optimum way possible.
What comes in the way of this noble cause is the complexity of human mind itself!
For instance I have the story of my own family members to tell.
Till the end of last month I used to stay with my parents in their house. Because of some reasons, I am compelled to shift to another city and they are compelled to shift to another city. We vacated the house during the last week of the month. I had my PC, TV and some books…to shift to the new house (near my sister’s place) in the new city. In my room, there was lot of unused material. I wanted to give off all that material in charity to one of the servants who worked at our house. During the shifting process, my father was confused and scared which objects he shall shift, which objects he shall ignore, which objects I will take, which objects he will take and so on.
I had a philosophy about “art of living”. We should keep as few things as possible in our houses if we cannot afford to clean them up every day. One new thing we bring into the house, our work increases because we have to clean the dust accumulated to it. That is why we should keep as few things at home as possible so that we can keep our house clean and so that we can clean our house easily and fastly. When we rise to such a position wherein we can appoint one worker to clean all the objects in the house, then only we should keep all the things (that we use for interior decoration) in the house.
And whatever things we need to run a small house, like Refrigerator, TV, Fans, Cots, Stove, Utensils for cooking etc., we can purchase just by spending Rs.50000/- or so.
When we have capacity to earn Rs.30000/- per month we should not worry about the material we have at home. That is my philosophy about “art of living”.
So I told my father, “my property is my PC, my TV and these books, rest of the things I am going to give off to Krishnaveni …(the maid servant who worked at our home)…”.
My father did not like the idea at all because he did not want to give off the things that he (or we) purchased for money to servant just like that. He became jealous of the thought that our servant would enjoy all those things I leave for nothing. He started searching what are all the things in my room that he purchased so that he can at least avoid giving off those things by me to the servant.
He found a heap of Cassettes gathering dust in one almirah. After I left the job in North India I stayed with him for almost 4 years. During those four years, he never heard one song of those cassettes! He had a Tape recorder and Cassette player that he purchased more to show off to others than to hear songs. He bundled the Cassette player and speakers and stored it in store room for all those four years. In other words, not to speak of cassettes, even the Tape recorder-cum- Cassette player itself is a burden on him.
But he did not want to get rid of that burden because, he did not want to allow others to enjoy it. We purchased it for money, why should we give it off free for others? Does anyone give anything free of cost to us when we need it?
These are all the arguments that people often make, and my father is no exception to it.
He will allow that tape recorder-cum-cassette player to gather dust and in that process become dysfunctional, and after 10 years or so, (if he is still alive) he will throw it away.
I feel, “how nice if he can give off that object to someone who need it or someone who has a desire to own it and enjoy it, so that they don’t have to purchase a new one from market. If my father gives off that object in charity, then one tape-recorder cum cassette player will not be purchased from the market. If one tape-recorder cum cassette player is not purchased from the market, then one producer will have to produce one of it less. In other words, one manufacturer will not use the Earth’s resources as much as he uses to make on Tape recorder-cum-cassette player. That is how we save the “natural resources” on this planet.
That is how we use the wealth produced optimally. That is how we save and preserve the depleting natural resources for the future generations.
Once we search any house in the world, we will find so much of unused material that could be of help/use to others. But what comes in the way of giving off all that unused material to poor people is our own attachment towards objects. There is no reason why people are attached to objects and keep them at home thinking this will be of use to me some day or the other. But that day never comes. A cement bag kept in the store room never comes out and it is forgotten by the owner of the house himself that he has it in his store room. And when he needs a cement bag for any repair, he will purchase a new one from the market!
That is why wise people said, “It is better to worry about worldly matters than about material; even better to worry about spiritual matters than worldly matters….”.
After I shifted my material to my sister’s house, I found so many objects here that she kept in her small house which almost looks like a Villain’s den. When I was eating food, I encounter so many insects. Yesterday when I was eating food, one spider came into my food to share it. I left the food as it is and took a new plate.
Lizards say Hello to me from the roof of the house. Every object inside the house is full of dust, but there is no way she gets the idea to get rid of those objects. That is a small house they stay. But they themselves say, because of the exhorbitant rise in real estate prices, that small house, the area occupied by that small house costs around Rs.18 lacs!
Now tell me when they are capable of getting 18 lacs by selling off that house, why should they worry about these small objects that does not cost even Rs.10000/- for them if their cost is totaled?
My brother-in-law took the Life membership of Country club spending Rs.40000/-. He spent another Rs.50000/- or so to construct a small temple in his village. He is a small employee in a small cooperative Bank. He cannot actually afford to do all that. But what motivated him to spend like this is, his inclination to get name and fame from his villagers, friends and relatives.
On the other side, my sister’s kitchen has grown dark with the smoke emanating from the stove. There is so much of dust gathered inside the kitchen around and inside the dust, spider’s webs, they have so many insects moving around. It just takes Rs.500/- to get it white-washed. They did not get the idea for the last 18 years or so, to get it white washed. If they get it white-washed once, so many insects will die and the room will look livable.
What is the reason…why my brother-in-law could spend Rs.50000/- to construct a temple in his village and Rs.40000/- to take Life membership of Country club, but he did not get the idea to get his house white-washed so that he could avoid insects falling into his plate when he eats food?
There is no reason why she has kept so many small, small objects in her house and living without being capable of cleaning them? I have discovered a big Jacket that I left in her house when I came 8 years back on the top of one wooden frame kept to throw away unused articles! That has been gathering dust there and so many little insects have started their families inside that Jacket.
I questioned my sister about so many objects. There are four legs of one cot, kept in the kitchen gathering dust. I asked my sister why did you keep them. She said, if you throw them away, your brother-in-law will scold me, he wants them to be kept.
Just see the ignorance of people!
I told my sister my philosophy. It just requires Rs.50000/- or so to get whatever material you want to make a living in a house, don’t worry about all these things, “can’t we afford to send Rs.50000/- or so when we need to spend on these objects….?”. I told her, “I will give you all the money you require in future to purchase objects such as these, now you get rid of all these unused things so that you don’t make your house a Hell…”.
She is convinced with my logic, but she is scared of my brother-in-law.
Just see how complex and unreasonable the human mind is!
They have kept all the objects without having time to clean them up, without having capacity to clean them up so that they can avoid gathering dust, and gathering insects, spiders, spider web around them etc. They themselves are capable of spending Rs.50000/- or so to purchase all those objects if they construct a new house. But their attachment to old articles have at present made their lives miserable. When they eat, we don’t know how many insects they eat along with their food!
My purpose of writing this to HR community is to think about it seriously.
Spend one Holiday paying a visit to unused and old articles kept in your storage places, store rooms, almirahs etc in your house. Say "hello" to every object and "good bye" to every unused object. It is time worth spending for your happiness and also for the happiness of all those people who benefit from your charity.
If you are not using them, just throw them away if they are of no use, or if they are of use to somebody else, and you don’t have interest to use, donate them to needy people!
There are millions of poor people in India who will willingly take what we offer to them, even if what we offer to them are old objects.
That will serve the cause of “transfer of wealth” from rich to poor and also it will make your lives easier and happier, and the lives of people who receive such objects happier because they can better enjoy the objects you offer to them in charity than you can!
thanks and regards,
Chandrasekhar
From India, Hyderabad
How to be more Happy than yesterday....
1. Decide that Today Will Be a Great Day.
Make it real by writing it down and saying it out loud to yourself. It may seem kooky but it works. When I set my wakeup alarm on my cell phone, I have this message displayed "Wake up and smile! Today is going to be a Great Day!" Don't be embarrassed. No one needs to know you do this. :)
2. Take it Slow.
If yesterday was bad or if you are tired today, take it slow to "warm up" before you kick your day into high gear. If you need to, stay in "slow & steady" pace for the whole day.
3. Cultivate Compassion,
Don't Judge. For a whole day make a pact with yourself not to judge yourself or others. Give everyone, including yourself, the benefit of the doubt for one whole day. Even if you don't believe what you're telling yourself at first, stick with it. It will help change the mental pathways that you tread every day. What do you have to lose except maybe a little misery?
4. Observe, Don't React.
When you encounter things that would normally make you angry, (traffic, certain people, slow computer, etc), plan to observe these things in a detached way as opposed to reacting with anger. If you are angry a lot, be kind to yourself and figure out what is making you angry. Often reacting in anger is a habit, and the good news is habits can be broken! Start slow. Are you chronically tired? Are you frustrated with something in your life? Write it down or talk it out with a friend and then make a plan to remedy your triggers.
If it's rest you need, take some time, say before bed or first thing in the morning, to mentally review which commitments you could cut back on or delete altogether. By freeing up some time, you could get some more rest, exercise, or time to work on something you want to change
If you're trying to change something in your life to rid yourself of frustration and anger, make a plan, and enlist someone to help you even if it is to just help keep you on track with your plan.
If you are angry about things in your life that you can't control, try to make a small dent in your frustration a little bit each day. A helpful question might be to ask yourself, "How can I be at peace with this situation today?"
5. Smile at People.
Smile at everyone you meet. Fake it 'til you feel it. Laugh at the ridiculous things that happen in life! Humor is the ultimate for producing a sense of well-being. If humor is not your forte, seek out or call the funniest person you know and tell them you need some jokes to get the ball rolling today.
6 Pay it Forward.
Do something nice for someone else. Try doing this all day. Compliment people, thank people, let people go ahead of you in traffic or in line. Watch how quickly that goodness comes back to you!
7. Treat Yourself!
Make it a point to indulge in a favorite treat or activity, or break one of your own rules today. You know that thing you always want to do, but you never allow yourself. Maybe it's a piece of chocolate cake or maybe knock off from work early for once. You could go to the bookstore, see a movie, go to the beach. Or you could include a friend or loved one in on the fun. Maybe you and some friends could go play paintball or go to F1 Go-Carts. Or perhaps you could pick up some food for dinner, grab a blanket, and treat your spouse/friend/kids to an impromptu evening picnic!
8. Count your Blessings.
Even when things are bad, there are always things to be thankful for. List them out in your head or write them down.
9. Get some Great Rest Tonight! You deserve it!
Have a great day!
Source: Written for Dumb Little Man by K. Stone, author of Life Learning Today
From India, Bangalore
1. Decide that Today Will Be a Great Day.
Make it real by writing it down and saying it out loud to yourself. It may seem kooky but it works. When I set my wakeup alarm on my cell phone, I have this message displayed "Wake up and smile! Today is going to be a Great Day!" Don't be embarrassed. No one needs to know you do this. :)
2. Take it Slow.
If yesterday was bad or if you are tired today, take it slow to "warm up" before you kick your day into high gear. If you need to, stay in "slow & steady" pace for the whole day.
3. Cultivate Compassion,
Don't Judge. For a whole day make a pact with yourself not to judge yourself or others. Give everyone, including yourself, the benefit of the doubt for one whole day. Even if you don't believe what you're telling yourself at first, stick with it. It will help change the mental pathways that you tread every day. What do you have to lose except maybe a little misery?
4. Observe, Don't React.
When you encounter things that would normally make you angry, (traffic, certain people, slow computer, etc), plan to observe these things in a detached way as opposed to reacting with anger. If you are angry a lot, be kind to yourself and figure out what is making you angry. Often reacting in anger is a habit, and the good news is habits can be broken! Start slow. Are you chronically tired? Are you frustrated with something in your life? Write it down or talk it out with a friend and then make a plan to remedy your triggers.
If it's rest you need, take some time, say before bed or first thing in the morning, to mentally review which commitments you could cut back on or delete altogether. By freeing up some time, you could get some more rest, exercise, or time to work on something you want to change
If you're trying to change something in your life to rid yourself of frustration and anger, make a plan, and enlist someone to help you even if it is to just help keep you on track with your plan.
If you are angry about things in your life that you can't control, try to make a small dent in your frustration a little bit each day. A helpful question might be to ask yourself, "How can I be at peace with this situation today?"
5. Smile at People.
Smile at everyone you meet. Fake it 'til you feel it. Laugh at the ridiculous things that happen in life! Humor is the ultimate for producing a sense of well-being. If humor is not your forte, seek out or call the funniest person you know and tell them you need some jokes to get the ball rolling today.
6 Pay it Forward.
Do something nice for someone else. Try doing this all day. Compliment people, thank people, let people go ahead of you in traffic or in line. Watch how quickly that goodness comes back to you!
7. Treat Yourself!
Make it a point to indulge in a favorite treat or activity, or break one of your own rules today. You know that thing you always want to do, but you never allow yourself. Maybe it's a piece of chocolate cake or maybe knock off from work early for once. You could go to the bookstore, see a movie, go to the beach. Or you could include a friend or loved one in on the fun. Maybe you and some friends could go play paintball or go to F1 Go-Carts. Or perhaps you could pick up some food for dinner, grab a blanket, and treat your spouse/friend/kids to an impromptu evening picnic!
8. Count your Blessings.
Even when things are bad, there are always things to be thankful for. List them out in your head or write them down.
9. Get some Great Rest Tonight! You deserve it!
Have a great day!
Source: Written for Dumb Little Man by K. Stone, author of Life Learning Today
From India, Bangalore
There are two ways we can make ourselves happy when we get angry with things around. One way is to change the things in the outside world that we don't like. Other way is to change ourselves to adapt ourselves to the things that we carry antagonism for in such a way that they don't disturb our peace of mind.
Most often it is not possible for us to change the things in the outside world that we don't/can't like because many things are not in our control. Hence the easier way is to transform ourselves rather trying to change the world.
But that does not mean we should not make any attempt to change the world. While making attempts to transform our innerself to adjust to the things we don’t like, we should also try to transform the things that we don’t like, because if our anger has a good reason behind it, then that means something is wrong in the outside world. In such matters we should not feel something is wrong with us that is why we are getting angry, nobody is worried about it.
People lived under British rule, till Freedom fighters like Gandhi, Nehru, Netaji, Sardar Patel etc. led them to Freedom and Independence. People generally sleep over many matters they don’t question. It is the leaders who have the resolve to change the things in the outside world that carry guts and determination to change the world. If we are unreasonably getting angry with the things in the outside world, then we should transform our innerself. But if our anger is reasonable, like our freedom fighters wanting Self-rule and not like the British rule then the only way is to struggle to change the world. It is in that process we became free.
Many things around us appear to us very unreasonable. People generally sleep over many matters until the leaders (not politicians...I am talking about true leaders) raise the issues and wake them up from their unconscious states of mind.
Take for instance the issue of “traffic” that we see on roads in Cities like Mumbai, Delhi, Calcutta, Chennai, Bangalore, Hyderabad etc. One of the reasons why there is so much of traffic congestion in peak hours is Taxis, Autorickshaws and Two wheelers. People use Taxis, Autorickshaws during peak hours because they don’t get city buses. They can’t even board the bus, because the bus is jampacked in almost all the cities I mentioned above during peak hours.
If we have the capacity to reason with, then the doubt we get is “what are the options available to the local travelers of these cities…”. I know about Hyderabad, because I was born and brought up there. In Hyderabad, let us take the route between Dilsukhnagar and ESI Hospital, the Bus number is 158. If anyone wants to go from Dilsukhnagar to ESI Hospitals, he has five options.
1. He should be having his own means of conveyance (Two wheeler or Four wheeler)
2. He can go by Call Taxi
3. He can go by Autorickshaw
4. He can go by Metroliner (Semi-luxury bus which costs somewhat more than ordinary city bus)
5. He can go by ordinary city bus service
The distance between Dilsukhnagar and ESI Hospital is around, say, 60 km. Let us say a person called X has a house in Dilsukhnagar and he has his office near ESI Hospital.
It takes around Rs.400/- per day for X if he is a four-wheeler owner (to go to Office and come back to Dilsukhnagar) on petrol assuming that Petrol per litre is Rs.50/- and the four wheeler gives 15 km per litre mileage.
It takes around Rs.100/- per day for X if he is a two-wheeler owner to go to office and come back assuming that two wheeler gives a mileage of 60 km per litre.
It takes around Rs.900/- per day for X if he wants to go by Call taxi to go to office and come back.
It takes around Rs.400/- per day for X if he wants to go by Autorickshaw to go office and come back.
It takes around Rs.40 per day for X if he wants to go by Metroliner to office and come back.
It takes around Rs.15 to 20 per day for X if he wants to go by City bus to office and come back.
Now when we see the above costs, the cheapest way one can travel to ESI Hospital from Dislukhnagar and come back is City bus. Next, cheapest way is Metroliner. The third cheapest option is two-wheeler.
Now you may ask what this has to do with traffic? I will tell you.
People are compelled to travel in Cars, Twowheelers, Taxis, Autorickshaws because the State Road Transport Corporation could not provide an option for them to travel in a Bus that carries no congestion. Even a common man is exploited by Autorickshaw driver because if he wants to go home early for some urgent work to attend at home, the only option available to him apart from City bus, Metroliner is Autorickshaw.
Let us say, Y is a Clerk in some government department, he goes to office everyday by city bus. It costs him Rs.750/- per month. One day, he had to take Autorickshaw to come home because his old mother has suddenly fallen ill during August 2007. During that month, his expenses on traveling shoots up to Rs.950/-!
A few days, he takes the luxury of Autorickshaw to come back home after toiling in office, it will cost him more than Rs.2000/-!
One side this is exploitation, another side, it increases traffic congestion because Autorickshaws add to the traffic during peak hours.
If we see so many Autodrivers, Taxi drivers getting business during peak hours in Cities like Mumbai, Delhi, Chennai, Bangalore, Hyderabad etc. we will come to know that there could be many Ys traveling in them.
All this happens only for one reason!
There is no option for travelers between Rs.40/- metroliner and Rs.400/- for Autorickshaw!!
It happens uniformly in all cities of India as if all the State governments have colluded with Autorickshaw drivers and Taxi drivers to benefit them and to harass and exploit common man both by way of increasing traffic congestion and also by way of exhorbitant charges collected by them.
My question to all those State governments is “Why not introduce, Luxury buses that would cost tickets of Rs.15/- (up to 15 km distance), Rs.40/- (up to 30 km distance), Rs. 60/- (up to 50 km distance) and Rs.75/- for any distance above 50 km.
Remove 100 to 150 ordinary buses from the fleet of ordinary city buses and introduce Luxury buses in all routes of these cities. People’s purchasing power has increased, they can easily purchase the tickets. There is no reason why we should think that “City bus fares should remain uniform and they are meant exclusively for middle class and poor sections of society”. In fact introduction of Luxury buses for Local travels helps middle class and poor people also because they can avoid Auto-rickshaws. Let us say, it costs Rs.75/- for Y to travel from ESI Hospital to home. Is it not cheaper than Autorickshaw fare that costs him Rs.200/-?
We have different tariffs for different comfort levels in all other services. Take Railways, there is Ist A/c, 2nd A/c, 3rd A/c, Sleeper etc. For theatres, we have Balcony, Dress circle etc. There are different tariffs for different comfort levels, people have got used to it, why can’t the same be introduced for City Bus traveling?
My point is it will benefit people two ways.
1. It will help people to avoid Taxis and Autorickshaws and that way it will avoid their exploitation
2. It will avoid traffic congestion because as many people who would use Cars, Two-wheelers, Taxis, Autorickshaws would use Luxury buses to travel.
My point is that there is so much of traffic congestion in major cities of India, because, the Local travelers have no option to choose between City bus and Autorickshaw and the difference of tariffs between these two will be too high for long distances leading to exploitation of travelers apart from increasing traffic congestion.
If the corporations like KSRTC, APSRTC, BEST etc cannot allow private travelers to introduce Luxury Local travel buses, let them introduce on their own! Just introduce Luxury buses and allow only 4-5 people to stand (for the purpose of occupying vacated seats) in the bus not more than that. Make such rule and implement it strictly.
Mumbai will surely become Shanghai if BEST can do that; not only Mumbai all other cities will look like that, because if 100 different passengers taking 100 Autorickshaws avoid travelling in 100 autorickshaws and instead use one Luxury bus, then the difference between space occupied by 100 Autorickshaws (on roads) and One luxury bus is the difference that we will make on our traffic!! That is how we can avoid traffic congestion in Cities.
People who can spend 400 to 500 rupees for Taxis and Autorickshaws for long distances will not mind spending between Rs.15 to 75/-. Isn’t it?
Avalok! Sometimes we have to observe and also react!! To create a better world….
…………
From India, Hyderabad
Most often it is not possible for us to change the things in the outside world that we don't/can't like because many things are not in our control. Hence the easier way is to transform ourselves rather trying to change the world.
But that does not mean we should not make any attempt to change the world. While making attempts to transform our innerself to adjust to the things we don’t like, we should also try to transform the things that we don’t like, because if our anger has a good reason behind it, then that means something is wrong in the outside world. In such matters we should not feel something is wrong with us that is why we are getting angry, nobody is worried about it.
People lived under British rule, till Freedom fighters like Gandhi, Nehru, Netaji, Sardar Patel etc. led them to Freedom and Independence. People generally sleep over many matters they don’t question. It is the leaders who have the resolve to change the things in the outside world that carry guts and determination to change the world. If we are unreasonably getting angry with the things in the outside world, then we should transform our innerself. But if our anger is reasonable, like our freedom fighters wanting Self-rule and not like the British rule then the only way is to struggle to change the world. It is in that process we became free.
Many things around us appear to us very unreasonable. People generally sleep over many matters until the leaders (not politicians...I am talking about true leaders) raise the issues and wake them up from their unconscious states of mind.
Take for instance the issue of “traffic” that we see on roads in Cities like Mumbai, Delhi, Calcutta, Chennai, Bangalore, Hyderabad etc. One of the reasons why there is so much of traffic congestion in peak hours is Taxis, Autorickshaws and Two wheelers. People use Taxis, Autorickshaws during peak hours because they don’t get city buses. They can’t even board the bus, because the bus is jampacked in almost all the cities I mentioned above during peak hours.
If we have the capacity to reason with, then the doubt we get is “what are the options available to the local travelers of these cities…”. I know about Hyderabad, because I was born and brought up there. In Hyderabad, let us take the route between Dilsukhnagar and ESI Hospital, the Bus number is 158. If anyone wants to go from Dilsukhnagar to ESI Hospitals, he has five options.
1. He should be having his own means of conveyance (Two wheeler or Four wheeler)
2. He can go by Call Taxi
3. He can go by Autorickshaw
4. He can go by Metroliner (Semi-luxury bus which costs somewhat more than ordinary city bus)
5. He can go by ordinary city bus service
The distance between Dilsukhnagar and ESI Hospital is around, say, 60 km. Let us say a person called X has a house in Dilsukhnagar and he has his office near ESI Hospital.
It takes around Rs.400/- per day for X if he is a four-wheeler owner (to go to Office and come back to Dilsukhnagar) on petrol assuming that Petrol per litre is Rs.50/- and the four wheeler gives 15 km per litre mileage.
It takes around Rs.100/- per day for X if he is a two-wheeler owner to go to office and come back assuming that two wheeler gives a mileage of 60 km per litre.
It takes around Rs.900/- per day for X if he wants to go by Call taxi to go to office and come back.
It takes around Rs.400/- per day for X if he wants to go by Autorickshaw to go office and come back.
It takes around Rs.40 per day for X if he wants to go by Metroliner to office and come back.
It takes around Rs.15 to 20 per day for X if he wants to go by City bus to office and come back.
Now when we see the above costs, the cheapest way one can travel to ESI Hospital from Dislukhnagar and come back is City bus. Next, cheapest way is Metroliner. The third cheapest option is two-wheeler.
Now you may ask what this has to do with traffic? I will tell you.
People are compelled to travel in Cars, Twowheelers, Taxis, Autorickshaws because the State Road Transport Corporation could not provide an option for them to travel in a Bus that carries no congestion. Even a common man is exploited by Autorickshaw driver because if he wants to go home early for some urgent work to attend at home, the only option available to him apart from City bus, Metroliner is Autorickshaw.
Let us say, Y is a Clerk in some government department, he goes to office everyday by city bus. It costs him Rs.750/- per month. One day, he had to take Autorickshaw to come home because his old mother has suddenly fallen ill during August 2007. During that month, his expenses on traveling shoots up to Rs.950/-!
A few days, he takes the luxury of Autorickshaw to come back home after toiling in office, it will cost him more than Rs.2000/-!
One side this is exploitation, another side, it increases traffic congestion because Autorickshaws add to the traffic during peak hours.
If we see so many Autodrivers, Taxi drivers getting business during peak hours in Cities like Mumbai, Delhi, Chennai, Bangalore, Hyderabad etc. we will come to know that there could be many Ys traveling in them.
All this happens only for one reason!
There is no option for travelers between Rs.40/- metroliner and Rs.400/- for Autorickshaw!!
It happens uniformly in all cities of India as if all the State governments have colluded with Autorickshaw drivers and Taxi drivers to benefit them and to harass and exploit common man both by way of increasing traffic congestion and also by way of exhorbitant charges collected by them.
My question to all those State governments is “Why not introduce, Luxury buses that would cost tickets of Rs.15/- (up to 15 km distance), Rs.40/- (up to 30 km distance), Rs. 60/- (up to 50 km distance) and Rs.75/- for any distance above 50 km.
Remove 100 to 150 ordinary buses from the fleet of ordinary city buses and introduce Luxury buses in all routes of these cities. People’s purchasing power has increased, they can easily purchase the tickets. There is no reason why we should think that “City bus fares should remain uniform and they are meant exclusively for middle class and poor sections of society”. In fact introduction of Luxury buses for Local travels helps middle class and poor people also because they can avoid Auto-rickshaws. Let us say, it costs Rs.75/- for Y to travel from ESI Hospital to home. Is it not cheaper than Autorickshaw fare that costs him Rs.200/-?
We have different tariffs for different comfort levels in all other services. Take Railways, there is Ist A/c, 2nd A/c, 3rd A/c, Sleeper etc. For theatres, we have Balcony, Dress circle etc. There are different tariffs for different comfort levels, people have got used to it, why can’t the same be introduced for City Bus traveling?
My point is it will benefit people two ways.
1. It will help people to avoid Taxis and Autorickshaws and that way it will avoid their exploitation
2. It will avoid traffic congestion because as many people who would use Cars, Two-wheelers, Taxis, Autorickshaws would use Luxury buses to travel.
My point is that there is so much of traffic congestion in major cities of India, because, the Local travelers have no option to choose between City bus and Autorickshaw and the difference of tariffs between these two will be too high for long distances leading to exploitation of travelers apart from increasing traffic congestion.
If the corporations like KSRTC, APSRTC, BEST etc cannot allow private travelers to introduce Luxury Local travel buses, let them introduce on their own! Just introduce Luxury buses and allow only 4-5 people to stand (for the purpose of occupying vacated seats) in the bus not more than that. Make such rule and implement it strictly.
Mumbai will surely become Shanghai if BEST can do that; not only Mumbai all other cities will look like that, because if 100 different passengers taking 100 Autorickshaws avoid travelling in 100 autorickshaws and instead use one Luxury bus, then the difference between space occupied by 100 Autorickshaws (on roads) and One luxury bus is the difference that we will make on our traffic!! That is how we can avoid traffic congestion in Cities.
People who can spend 400 to 500 rupees for Taxis and Autorickshaws for long distances will not mind spending between Rs.15 to 75/-. Isn’t it?
Avalok! Sometimes we have to observe and also react!! To create a better world….
…………
From India, Hyderabad
Good Mr. Chandrashekar,
Question: Are you a happy person?
----------------------------------------------------------
90/10 Principle
By: Steven Covey
Have you read this before?
Discover the 90/10 Principle. It will change your life (at least the way you react to situations). What is this principle?
10% of life is made up of what happens to you. 90% of life is decided by how you react. What does this mean?
We really have no control over 10% of what happens to us. We cannot stop the car from breaking down. The plane will be late arriving, which throws our whole schedule off. A driver may cut us off in traffic. We have no control over this 10%. The other 90% is different. You determine the other 90%.
How? By your reaction. You cannot control a red light. However, you can control your reaction. Do not let people fool you; YOU can control how you react.
Let us use an example: You are eating breakfast with your family. Your daughter knocks over a cup of coffee onto your business shirt. You have no control over what just what happened. What happens when the next will be determined by how you react. You curse. You harshly scold your daughter for knocking the cup over.
She breaks down in tears. After scolding her, you turn to your spouse and criticize her for placing the cup too close to the edge of the table. A short verbal battle follows. You storm upstairs and change your shirt. Back downstairs, you find your daughter has been too busy crying to finish breakfast and get ready for school. She misses the bus. Your spouse must leave immediately for work.
You rush to the car and drive your daughter to school. Because you are late, you drive 40 miles an hour in a 30 mph speed limit. After a 15-minute delay and throwing $60 traffic fine away, you arrive at school. Your daughter runs into the building without saying goodbye. After arriving at the office 20 minutes late, you find you forgot your briefcase. Your day has started terrible. As it continues, it seems to get worse and worse. You look forward to coming home, When you arrive home, you find small wedge in your relationship with your spouse and daughter.
Why? Because of how you reacted in the morning. Why did you have a bad day?
A) Did the coffee cause it?
B) Did your daughter cause it?
C) Did the policeman cause it?
D) Did you cause it?
The answer is “D”.
You had no control over what happened with the coffee. How you reacted in those 5 seconds is what caused your bad day. Here is what could have and should have happened.
Coffee splashes over you. Your daughter is about to cry. You gently say, "Its ok honey, you just need, to be more careful next time". Grabbing a towel, you rush upstairs. After grabbing a new shirt and your briefcase, you come back down in time to look through the window and see your child getting on the bus. She turns and waves. You arrive 5 minutes early and cheerfully greet the staff. Your boss comments on how good the day you are having.
Notice the difference?
Two different scenarios. Both started the same. Both ended different.
Why? Because of how you REACTED.
You really do not have any control over 10% of what happens. The other 90% was determined by your reaction.
Here are some ways to apply the 90/10 principle.
If someone says something negative about you, do not be a sponge. Let the attack roll off like water on glass. You do not have to let the negative comment affect you! React properly and it will not ruin your day. A wrong reaction could result in losing a friend, being fired, getting stressed out etc.
How do you react if someone cuts you off in traffic?
Do you lose your temper?
Pound on the steering wheel? A friend of mine had the steering wheel fall
Off)
Do you curse?
Does your blood pressure skyrocket?
Do you try to bump them?
WHO CARES if you arrive ten seconds later at work? Why let the cars ruin your drive.
Remember the 90/10 principle, and do not worry about it.
You are told you lost your job. Why lose sleep and get irritated? It will work out. Use your worrying energy and time into finding another job.
The plane is late; it is going to mangle your schedule for the day. Why take out your frustration on the flight attendant? She has no control over what is going on. Use your time to study, get to know the other passenger.
Why are stressed out? It will just make
Things worse.
Now you know the 90-10 principle. Apply it and you will be amazed at the results. You will lose nothing if you try it.
The 90-10 principle is incredible. Very few know and apply this principle.
The result? Millions of people are suffering from undeserved stress, trials, problems and heartache.
We all must understand and apply the 90/10 principle.
It CAN change your life!
From India, Bangalore
Question: Are you a happy person?
----------------------------------------------------------
90/10 Principle
By: Steven Covey
Have you read this before?
Discover the 90/10 Principle. It will change your life (at least the way you react to situations). What is this principle?
10% of life is made up of what happens to you. 90% of life is decided by how you react. What does this mean?
We really have no control over 10% of what happens to us. We cannot stop the car from breaking down. The plane will be late arriving, which throws our whole schedule off. A driver may cut us off in traffic. We have no control over this 10%. The other 90% is different. You determine the other 90%.
How? By your reaction. You cannot control a red light. However, you can control your reaction. Do not let people fool you; YOU can control how you react.
Let us use an example: You are eating breakfast with your family. Your daughter knocks over a cup of coffee onto your business shirt. You have no control over what just what happened. What happens when the next will be determined by how you react. You curse. You harshly scold your daughter for knocking the cup over.
She breaks down in tears. After scolding her, you turn to your spouse and criticize her for placing the cup too close to the edge of the table. A short verbal battle follows. You storm upstairs and change your shirt. Back downstairs, you find your daughter has been too busy crying to finish breakfast and get ready for school. She misses the bus. Your spouse must leave immediately for work.
You rush to the car and drive your daughter to school. Because you are late, you drive 40 miles an hour in a 30 mph speed limit. After a 15-minute delay and throwing $60 traffic fine away, you arrive at school. Your daughter runs into the building without saying goodbye. After arriving at the office 20 minutes late, you find you forgot your briefcase. Your day has started terrible. As it continues, it seems to get worse and worse. You look forward to coming home, When you arrive home, you find small wedge in your relationship with your spouse and daughter.
Why? Because of how you reacted in the morning. Why did you have a bad day?
A) Did the coffee cause it?
B) Did your daughter cause it?
C) Did the policeman cause it?
D) Did you cause it?
The answer is “D”.
You had no control over what happened with the coffee. How you reacted in those 5 seconds is what caused your bad day. Here is what could have and should have happened.
Coffee splashes over you. Your daughter is about to cry. You gently say, "Its ok honey, you just need, to be more careful next time". Grabbing a towel, you rush upstairs. After grabbing a new shirt and your briefcase, you come back down in time to look through the window and see your child getting on the bus. She turns and waves. You arrive 5 minutes early and cheerfully greet the staff. Your boss comments on how good the day you are having.
Notice the difference?
Two different scenarios. Both started the same. Both ended different.
Why? Because of how you REACTED.
You really do not have any control over 10% of what happens. The other 90% was determined by your reaction.
Here are some ways to apply the 90/10 principle.
If someone says something negative about you, do not be a sponge. Let the attack roll off like water on glass. You do not have to let the negative comment affect you! React properly and it will not ruin your day. A wrong reaction could result in losing a friend, being fired, getting stressed out etc.
How do you react if someone cuts you off in traffic?
Do you lose your temper?
Pound on the steering wheel? A friend of mine had the steering wheel fall
Off)
Do you curse?
Does your blood pressure skyrocket?
Do you try to bump them?
WHO CARES if you arrive ten seconds later at work? Why let the cars ruin your drive.
Remember the 90/10 principle, and do not worry about it.
You are told you lost your job. Why lose sleep and get irritated? It will work out. Use your worrying energy and time into finding another job.
The plane is late; it is going to mangle your schedule for the day. Why take out your frustration on the flight attendant? She has no control over what is going on. Use your time to study, get to know the other passenger.
Why are stressed out? It will just make
Things worse.
Now you know the 90-10 principle. Apply it and you will be amazed at the results. You will lose nothing if you try it.
The 90-10 principle is incredible. Very few know and apply this principle.
The result? Millions of people are suffering from undeserved stress, trials, problems and heartache.
We all must understand and apply the 90/10 principle.
It CAN change your life!
From India, Bangalore
Hi Chandrashekhar,
I agree with your view to a large extent. In this world it is not possible to live without "MOH" (i.e attachment) AND "MAYA"(i.e money).In this way you have already denounced the world when in fact you are in this living world. all the five senses god created has its own functions. Now, what is required is creation of balance among all the five senses and use it in the right manner. I quote one saying on how to live in this world: "you should live live in this world like a lotus flower, whose roots are in the mud and the distance between its flower is above the mud/root".
Yours truly,
satish kumar
From India, Delhi
I agree with your view to a large extent. In this world it is not possible to live without "MOH" (i.e attachment) AND "MAYA"(i.e money).In this way you have already denounced the world when in fact you are in this living world. all the five senses god created has its own functions. Now, what is required is creation of balance among all the five senses and use it in the right manner. I quote one saying on how to live in this world: "you should live live in this world like a lotus flower, whose roots are in the mud and the distance between its flower is above the mud/root".
Yours truly,
satish kumar
From India, Delhi
Dear Avalok & Satish,
I don't think we need to depend on Western psychologists or thinkers to mend ourselves. We have a wealth of knowledge in our own scriptures. The example of the father you have given is the example of a person who is under the influence of Rajas and Tamas. Why does a man gets angry when his daughter drops some coffee/tea on his business shirt? Because he is "passionate" about impressing his peers, subordinates, authorities, people he meets in his office. Why he wants to impress all these people? He wants to achieve success, glory, earn riches and so on. In other words, his mind is attached to "goals"/"fruits".
If he is a detached person he will think like this. What happens if I go to office with a spoiled shirt? People may look at me with a odd impression. Let them look. The boss may get angry and remove me from job. Let him remove me from the job, I already made enough money to survive even if I don't do the job now. Or, I can get a job somewhere else. Why should I get angry with my daughter who has done something without any motive to disturb my peace?
You spoke about Nishkaama Karma, hence I don't think I need to explain about Modes of Nature. But, for the convenience of readers I am quoting the Bhagwadgita here which helps us to know how to be detached from this material world and at the same time carry out our work (karma) without being attached to the fruits of the work. When we rise above Modes of Nature, we get detached from this material world.
Modes of nature cause "Maaya" (illusion) and people are always under the influence of feelings and emotions because of the influence of Modes of Nature. Feelings cause perceptions and emotions. For example how do you explain jealousy, what perception it causes/develops?
"HE/SHE HAS SOMETHING THAT I DON'T HAVE"
What perception is caused by Hatred?
"I DON'T LIKE"
Like this every feeling causes a perception in us and our feelings and perceptions determine our attitude towards the people we interact with.
Emotion is the expressed form of feeling. We are under the influence of feelings, emotions, wrong perceptions as long as we are influenced by Modes of Nature. We attain a state of mind, when we are not influenced by Modes of Nature. Then we get the ability to perceive the Truth the unconditioned way. (Unconditioned means, unconditioned by our feelings and emotions).
All people who achieve liberation from the influence of Modes of Nature are "Happy".
..................
sattvam rajas tama iti
gunah prakrti-sambhavah
nibadhnanti maha-baho
dehe dehinam avyayam
Material nature consists of three modes--goodness, passion and ignorance. When the eternal living entity comes in contact with nature, O mighty-armed Arjuna, he becomes conditioned by these modes.
tatra sattvam nirmalatvat
prakasakam anamayam
sukha-sangena badhnati
jnana-sangena canagha
O sinless one, the mode of goodness, being purer than the others, is illuminating, and it frees one from all sinful reactions. Those situated in that mode become conditioned by a sense of happiness and knowledge.
rajo ragatmakam viddhi
trsna-sanga-samudbhavam
tan nibadhnati kaunteya
karma-sangena dehinam
The mode of passion is born of unlimited desires and longings, O son of Kunti, and because of this the embodied living entity is bound to material fruitive actions.
tamas tv ajnana-jam viddhi
mohanam sarva-dehinam
pramadalasya-nidrabhis
tan nibadhnati bharata
O son of Bharata, know that the mode of darkness, born of ignorance, is the delusion of all embodied living entities. The results of this mode are madness, indolence and sleep, which bind the conditioned soul.
jneyah sa nitya-sannyasi
yo na dvesti na kanksati
nirdvandvo hi maha-baho
sukham bandhat pramucyate
One who neither hates nor desires the fruits of his activities is known to be always renounced. Such a person, free from all dualities, easily overcomes material bondage and is completely liberated, O mighty-armed Arjuna.
From India, Hyderabad
I don't think we need to depend on Western psychologists or thinkers to mend ourselves. We have a wealth of knowledge in our own scriptures. The example of the father you have given is the example of a person who is under the influence of Rajas and Tamas. Why does a man gets angry when his daughter drops some coffee/tea on his business shirt? Because he is "passionate" about impressing his peers, subordinates, authorities, people he meets in his office. Why he wants to impress all these people? He wants to achieve success, glory, earn riches and so on. In other words, his mind is attached to "goals"/"fruits".
If he is a detached person he will think like this. What happens if I go to office with a spoiled shirt? People may look at me with a odd impression. Let them look. The boss may get angry and remove me from job. Let him remove me from the job, I already made enough money to survive even if I don't do the job now. Or, I can get a job somewhere else. Why should I get angry with my daughter who has done something without any motive to disturb my peace?
You spoke about Nishkaama Karma, hence I don't think I need to explain about Modes of Nature. But, for the convenience of readers I am quoting the Bhagwadgita here which helps us to know how to be detached from this material world and at the same time carry out our work (karma) without being attached to the fruits of the work. When we rise above Modes of Nature, we get detached from this material world.
Modes of nature cause "Maaya" (illusion) and people are always under the influence of feelings and emotions because of the influence of Modes of Nature. Feelings cause perceptions and emotions. For example how do you explain jealousy, what perception it causes/develops?
"HE/SHE HAS SOMETHING THAT I DON'T HAVE"
What perception is caused by Hatred?
"I DON'T LIKE"
Like this every feeling causes a perception in us and our feelings and perceptions determine our attitude towards the people we interact with.
Emotion is the expressed form of feeling. We are under the influence of feelings, emotions, wrong perceptions as long as we are influenced by Modes of Nature. We attain a state of mind, when we are not influenced by Modes of Nature. Then we get the ability to perceive the Truth the unconditioned way. (Unconditioned means, unconditioned by our feelings and emotions).
All people who achieve liberation from the influence of Modes of Nature are "Happy".
..................
sattvam rajas tama iti
gunah prakrti-sambhavah
nibadhnanti maha-baho
dehe dehinam avyayam
Material nature consists of three modes--goodness, passion and ignorance. When the eternal living entity comes in contact with nature, O mighty-armed Arjuna, he becomes conditioned by these modes.
tatra sattvam nirmalatvat
prakasakam anamayam
sukha-sangena badhnati
jnana-sangena canagha
O sinless one, the mode of goodness, being purer than the others, is illuminating, and it frees one from all sinful reactions. Those situated in that mode become conditioned by a sense of happiness and knowledge.
rajo ragatmakam viddhi
trsna-sanga-samudbhavam
tan nibadhnati kaunteya
karma-sangena dehinam
The mode of passion is born of unlimited desires and longings, O son of Kunti, and because of this the embodied living entity is bound to material fruitive actions.
tamas tv ajnana-jam viddhi
mohanam sarva-dehinam
pramadalasya-nidrabhis
tan nibadhnati bharata
O son of Bharata, know that the mode of darkness, born of ignorance, is the delusion of all embodied living entities. The results of this mode are madness, indolence and sleep, which bind the conditioned soul.
jneyah sa nitya-sannyasi
yo na dvesti na kanksati
nirdvandvo hi maha-baho
sukham bandhat pramucyate
One who neither hates nor desires the fruits of his activities is known to be always renounced. Such a person, free from all dualities, easily overcomes material bondage and is completely liberated, O mighty-armed Arjuna.
From India, Hyderabad
Very Good Mr. Chandrashekar,
Wisdom is wisdom. Period.
No need to categorize it as western or eastern. We need to learn from all.
No need to get paranoid or jingoistic about the "ownership" of wisdom.
No need to be jealous of western thought Gurus.
This whole topic started from Ramana Maharishi's advice on " How to be happy".
I am glad you are beginning to see the Truth of the sage's advice.
Here are some quotes from "Tao de ching" ( Eastern Wisdom- Of course :o ):
A leader is best when people barely know he exists,
not so good when people obey and acclaim him,
worse when they despise him.
But of a good leader who talks little when his work is done,
his aim fulfilled, they will say: We did it ourselves.
I have three precious things which I hold fast and prize.
The first is gentleness;
the second is frugality;
the third is humility,
which keeps me from putting myself before others.
Be gentle and you can be bold;
be frugal and you can be liberal;
avoid putting yourself before others
and you can become a leader among men.
From India, Bangalore
Wisdom is wisdom. Period.
No need to categorize it as western or eastern. We need to learn from all.
No need to get paranoid or jingoistic about the "ownership" of wisdom.
No need to be jealous of western thought Gurus.
This whole topic started from Ramana Maharishi's advice on " How to be happy".
I am glad you are beginning to see the Truth of the sage's advice.
Here are some quotes from "Tao de ching" ( Eastern Wisdom- Of course :o ):
A leader is best when people barely know he exists,
not so good when people obey and acclaim him,
worse when they despise him.
But of a good leader who talks little when his work is done,
his aim fulfilled, they will say: We did it ourselves.
I have three precious things which I hold fast and prize.
The first is gentleness;
the second is frugality;
the third is humility,
which keeps me from putting myself before others.
Be gentle and you can be bold;
be frugal and you can be liberal;
avoid putting yourself before others
and you can become a leader among men.
From India, Bangalore
:D :lol:
Dear Avalok,
You need to develop a lot more.....to understand a little bit of what I am.....my sincere advice to you is to join some Vipassana course.....
(I am fully aware when I use a sentence like this.... you will tend to disagree with me and compete with me saying NO....those tendencies show that you still have "Ego")
Why I am advising this to you is, you are still suffering from "superiority complex"....and assuming yourself to be the Teacher and me to be your student who is suffering from "ajnana"....and you are assuming that you are driving me on the path of enlightenment.......
We are not in "knowledge competition".....I don't know about you, I know about myself....I am not in it....but the way you used tough English words, shows that your mind is still wavering between the pendulum swing of "inferiority complex" and "superiority complex".
If you practise Vipassana, then it will help you to treat others as equals....when we are under the influence of Rajas and Tamas, we often waver between the inferiority and superiority complexes in that process, we try to compete...and sometimes assume "we are too smart", and often we feel, "others need to know more....".
Usage of sentences like "you are beginning to see the Truth in Gurus advice..." and all are superfluous sentences, because I have already explained I have nothing against Spiritual Gurus in the beginning itself. They only show that you want to play the role of someone who leads others in the path of enlightenment.....that is why I am saying there are shades of "superiority complex" in your thinking patterns....
"Knowledge with humility" is always beautiful than "knowledge with superiority complex". You will grow as a better human being (you are already a good human being)....if you learn to listen more and talk less.....
All these complexes will go and we grow into modest human beings, who treat others with dignity and humility when we get rid of Rajas and Tamas....Vipassana meditation is one of the ways to get rid of it. When we don't have inferiority and superiority complexes, then we treat others as "equals", we achieve a state of mind where in we neither feel we are inferior to others and try to dominate them (to show and prove we too have knowledge, competence etc) like you have used "tough english words" to show off your knowledge...., nor feel we are superiors....like suggesting me...in the present communication...."you are beginning to see the light...."....as though you are leading me in the path of "enlightenment"...... :D :D :lol:
Chandrasekhar
P.S.
OK Avalok! It is nice interacting with you....I am not going to respond to any more communications..... in this forum/topic....thanks and bye....
From India, Hyderabad
Dear Avalok,
You need to develop a lot more.....to understand a little bit of what I am.....my sincere advice to you is to join some Vipassana course.....
(I am fully aware when I use a sentence like this.... you will tend to disagree with me and compete with me saying NO....those tendencies show that you still have "Ego")
Why I am advising this to you is, you are still suffering from "superiority complex"....and assuming yourself to be the Teacher and me to be your student who is suffering from "ajnana"....and you are assuming that you are driving me on the path of enlightenment.......
We are not in "knowledge competition".....I don't know about you, I know about myself....I am not in it....but the way you used tough English words, shows that your mind is still wavering between the pendulum swing of "inferiority complex" and "superiority complex".
If you practise Vipassana, then it will help you to treat others as equals....when we are under the influence of Rajas and Tamas, we often waver between the inferiority and superiority complexes in that process, we try to compete...and sometimes assume "we are too smart", and often we feel, "others need to know more....".
Usage of sentences like "you are beginning to see the Truth in Gurus advice..." and all are superfluous sentences, because I have already explained I have nothing against Spiritual Gurus in the beginning itself. They only show that you want to play the role of someone who leads others in the path of enlightenment.....that is why I am saying there are shades of "superiority complex" in your thinking patterns....
"Knowledge with humility" is always beautiful than "knowledge with superiority complex". You will grow as a better human being (you are already a good human being)....if you learn to listen more and talk less.....
All these complexes will go and we grow into modest human beings, who treat others with dignity and humility when we get rid of Rajas and Tamas....Vipassana meditation is one of the ways to get rid of it. When we don't have inferiority and superiority complexes, then we treat others as "equals", we achieve a state of mind where in we neither feel we are inferior to others and try to dominate them (to show and prove we too have knowledge, competence etc) like you have used "tough english words" to show off your knowledge...., nor feel we are superiors....like suggesting me...in the present communication...."you are beginning to see the light...."....as though you are leading me in the path of "enlightenment"...... :D :D :lol:
Chandrasekhar
P.S.
OK Avalok! It is nice interacting with you....I am not going to respond to any more communications..... in this forum/topic....thanks and bye....
From India, Hyderabad
The centipede was happy, quite,
Until a toad in fun
Said, “Pray, which leg goes after which?”
This worked his mind to such a pitch,
He lay distracted in a ditch,
Considering how to run.
:cry: :oops: :twisted: :evil: :shock: :( :o :? 8)
From India, Bangalore
Until a toad in fun
Said, “Pray, which leg goes after which?”
This worked his mind to such a pitch,
He lay distracted in a ditch,
Considering how to run.
:cry: :oops: :twisted: :evil: :shock: :( :o :? 8)
From India, Bangalore
:lol: :lol:
OK. Avalok!
If you don't think I am quoting out of context, let me share my views as to how we can be happy. If we share half of our job with someone who is in need, that makes us happy. It happens like this.
If you have influence to push these ideas across with relevant people, please do it for the sake of our country.
Thanks and regards
Chandrasekhar.
From India, Hyderabad
OK. Avalok!
If you don't think I am quoting out of context, let me share my views as to how we can be happy. If we share half of our job with someone who is in need, that makes us happy. It happens like this.
If you have influence to push these ideas across with relevant people, please do it for the sake of our country.
Thanks and regards
Chandrasekhar.
From India, Hyderabad
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