Religion
I was on my way to participate in a programme of Kalpataru Sangha in Kanchrapara. Since the day was Sunday, and the time was afternoon, the train was empty. I took a seat by the window. Winter was about to bid farewell. Outside, the bright afternoon sun shone like silver. A waft of the cool breeze that gently caressed me drew my mind into a pensive mood. I lost myself far into the distance, over meadows, paddy fields and the wide open sky.
In front of me sat 5/6 persons huddled together. A debate appeared to be in progress about religion or rather which one was the best. The discussion touched all religions like Hinduism, Islam, Buddhism, Christianity, Jainism etc. The debate that started as a discussion soon took shape into a noisy verbal battle. My mind which was lost into the wide expanse was compelled to withdraw into the limits of the noisy compartment. Examining each participant of the debate closely, I found that except one all others were quite young in age. Gradually, I also got myself entangled in the debate. With due credence to all opinions, I said something that brought silence into the compartment. The passengers exchanged glances among themselves and one of them asked me, “You spoke well. May I know to which religion you belong?” For a while I remained silent. My co-passenger lost his patience and asked me again, “Why don’t you say which is your religion – Hinduism, Islam, Christianity, Buddhism?
During the discussion I mentioned the names of Allah and Ishwar with the same reverence as I spoke of Jesus or Buddha. At the same time I occasionally had mentioned Brahman, Atma and Bhagwan. Possibly this led my co-passenger to be curious about my religion and faith. Finally I replied. “I am a human being. Humanity is my religion. Religion is something which is acquired by birth. As the offspring of an animal has the religion of animal, the child born of a human has the religion of Humanity. Hence, the entire mankind has the religion of Humanity. The co-passenger drew closer and asked, “What do you mean by Humanity?” I replied, “Simplicity, humility, tolerance, broadness and expansiveness. These are the five basic traits of a true human being. The person who possesses these traits is finally endowed with Nababhakti and the six attributes of godliness (sham, dam, titiksha, uparati, adou-shraddha, and samadhan). A man awakened in humanity gives due regards to all and thus an intimate relationship grows within him with one and all.
Humanity is the inseparable and integral part of the truth eternal. As the rays of the sun is nothing but a part of the sun itself or the moonlight is a part of the moon, similarly Humanity and Truth are one and the same. One of the passengers asked, “Then Islam, Christianity or Buddhism, are these not religions? “No.” I answered. “These cannot be told religions in the true sense. These assist in awakening the true religion of Humanity.”
“Religious sermons and practices vary with culture, beliefs and doctrines. For example those who believe in Vedas and Upanishad are known as Hindus. Those who follow the path of Hazrat Muhammad are called Muslims; the followers of Jesus are called Christians etc. In every case the sermons, rules and regulations are necessary to attain the final goal – awakening the religion of Humanity. But, ignorance makes us think that the physical practices of religious processes are true religion and lead us to superstitions and dogmas. These finally culminate into violent outbursts of the animal instincts in the name of protecting religion. It would not be irrelevant to mention here that sanatan dharma is the fundamental or the root of all religion. It is universal, complete in itself and devoid of communalism. The words of sanatan dharma are the vibration of the cosmic. In these words lie embedded the power of awakening Humanity in the universal man.”
“The ways and instructions given by various seers and ascetics in the subsequent years and the way they lived their lives in pursuit of enlightenment had formed the basis of various religious groups propounded by their followers. Although a number of religious sects have been formed in this manner, none of them has gone beyond the path directed by sanatan dharma. As such, it can be seen that sanatan dharma can be considered to be the main trunk of the tree with the religious sects as the branches. However, in true religion there is no place for groupism and sectarianism. Definitely, that day is not far when the universality of the religion of Humanity will encompass and vibrate the world. Consciousness will eclipse the influence of all sectarian religious practices. Standing firmly on the foundation of Humanity the world will experience the unique era of one single religion and a single language of inner expression for the entire world. These are the words of our Guru Sri Madhab.”
The local train was moving in slow speed halting at all stations. We were so engrossed in our discussion that we were oblivious of our surroundings. Coming and going of passengers had no significance to us. The touch of universality in the discussion drew us deep into a uni-directional thought. A passenger asked, “If all of mankind has the eligibility for the awakening of Humanity, why then is the need for so many religious disciplines? Why do people indulge in inhuman deeds?” In reply I said that in order to understand this we should have some idea about the body and its functions (deha-tatva); to know the components that constitute our body that symbolises the entire universe and to know who directs and drives these components.
Our body is made of five fundamental elements (panch bhuta). There are 25 elements derived (panchikrita) out of these five fundamental elements. In addition there are five vital elements (pancha prana), five perceptory senses (pancha jnanendriyas), five motive senses (pancha karmendriya), mind (man), intellect (buddhi), chitta, and ego (ahankar). So, there are a total of 49 elements and sub elements that make our body.
Due to ignorance bred out of ages of worldliness the true Self has remained subdued and the Mind has taken control of the body in the form of master, consumer, ignorance, restlessness, desire and restrictiveness. As the master and the consumer Mind experiences the subject of vision, taste and smell through the sensory systems. All this time our true Self remains a prisoner in the realm of the Mind and appears to be no different from it. Under the influence of tamas the Mind leads us towards inhuman deeds in order to satisfy its base desires, while under the influence of raja guna it spends the life in excessive consumption, luxury and decadence. In this state the Mind stays worldly and its action is assisted by shara ripu (the six basic vices), ill intention and asta pash, who are the children born out of its consort, pravritti (the worldly desire). The other consort of the Mind is nivritti (abstinence). Good intentions and conscience can be called the products of nivritti. Another name for conscience is anuvritti.
The resulting actions arising out of the analytic process of the conscience leads a man to rectify himself and satisfy his needs without indulging in excessiveness. Anuvritti assists in awakening Humanity in man. The sermons and teachings of ascetics and saints were also meant to kindle and awaken the power within man and were based on the dictates of anuvritti. Under the influence of anuvritti the mind is brought under the control of the Self. My co-passenger said, “Then you mean that different religious faiths were formed in order to clean the mind of the effects of excessive desire and bring it under the control of the true Self.” “Yes, exactly so,” I told. “The main subject of mental activity is to fluctuate between decisions and alternatives. There are two characteristics from the point of view of the mind’s activity. – Outward or involvement in worldly matters and Inward or introspective. Again it has five basic states – kshipta (frantic), vikshipta (distracted), mudha (ignorant), ekagra (concentrated) and niruddha (dissolved). When the Mind remains under the influence of the baser and vital instincts (tama and raja guna) indulging in satisfaction of excesses of desire and lust, man continues his existence steeped in worldliness. This gradually draws him away from his basic religion of Humanity and brings about his downfall under the influence of jealousy, hatred, shame and fear. On the other hand sattva guna releases the Mind from the clutches of these negative attributes and leads him towards the Truth culminating into enlightenment.”
“The mind becomes listless in the state of deep introspective concentration. At this moment the Self awakens and takes over the control of the body and the mind. When Humanity blooms in man he carries out all his normal activities and duties but progresses to a state that transcends all that divides man from man. The mind comes to the realisation that the Truth or the Supramental Consciousness pervades all Creation to its tiniest unit. This leads him to the perception of the Divine Love that flows in the entire universe and thus a bond of love with entire creation grows within him.”
It is, therefore, clear that the desire that gives rise to gratification of excesses and lust is maya or illusion potent with the intention to consume. On the other hand the intention that leads to fulfilling one’s duties to one’s parents, wife, children, neighbours and countrymen is a state that arouses a sense of deep affection and oneness with the creation untainted with excesses of desire and lust. Hence, this cannot be called maya. The person who has developed the skill of carrying out his duties free of selfish desire is eligible to attain Humanity. This type of person remains firmly anchored to truth. He has the knowledge of his own Self and thus can ignore the beckoning of illusory attraction of gratification of excesses of desire. Only he can completely and unconditionally surrender to the Truth. One of my co-passengers spoke with an inspired voice, “Yes. You are absolutely right. The religion of mankind is undoubtedly one.” I replied. “As the religion of the entire mankind is Humanity, likewise they are all human beings; caste or creed is meaningless impositions. Similarly the language of their inner expression is one, irrespective of the spoken dialect which may vary from country to country. Also, their Istha (subject of worship) is the same, that is Sri Guru. Sri Guru is the force that creates, sustains and destroys. He is Parama Chaitanya (Supreme Consciousness) – the embodiment of eternal Truth.”
The mind that lost itself in the vast blue expanse of the sky had remained confined within the walls of the noisy compartment, but once again lost itself engrossed in the depths of discussions in universality. As I glanced outside the compartment, I was surprised to see my fellow guru-brothers and guru-sisters standing on the platform and frantically waving their hands at me. Ah, we have reached Kanchrapara – our destination! Bidding farewell to my co-passengers I quickly alighted from the train. Like birds in flight, we marched with joy towards our final destination wrapped in the welcoming warmth of the winter sun.