VINAYA- THE QUALITY OF HUMILITY !!!!!!

[Guest guest]

OPENING verse in shatpadee stotra by adi

shankara....

 

Avinayam apanaya vishno amaya manah

samaya vishaya mriga-trishnaam;

Boota dayaam vistaaraya Taaraya samsaara saagaratah

 

How do we describe the quality of **vinaya*** - while translating

this word into english, the beauty and the real

meaning of this word may be lost... Gentleness, humility,

consideration for others, freedom from egoism , lack of

arrogance etc - may somewhat describe all the qualities

inherent in a person blessed with "vinaya" -

 

In fact, the purpose of real education (SCHOLARSHIP) is to make one

acquire Vinaya (Vidyaa vinaya sampannah). this quality of

vinaya is inborn in some people and "acquired" in some

other people. we will often see vaishnavites signing

off as "dasa" or "servant" meaning they are always

"serving the lord and his creation." this is vaishnava

humility. When they approach god also they approach GOD in

a "humbler than a straw" attitude- (trinadapi

sunichena)

 

in many south indian temples of the olden days, ,

the temple doors are not very "tall" - so when one

enters the temple- one has to bow down to protect the

head- the idea being when you enter god's abode, be

humble!

 

Because of the emphasis on Vinaya, the

expression Vineya is used to denote a disciple. The meaning

of the word Vineya is one who is tendowed with

Vineya. :

 

IN the Shatpadee Stotra, Sri Adi Sankara

prays to God to remove Avinaya, evils like arrogance,

which are opposite qualities to Vinaya. Then Sri Adi

Sankara prays to God to keep his mind under control

(Damaya manah). When the mind is brought under control,

it will cease to race after transient pleasures, and

will remain steady in the thought of God. The next

prayer is to eradicate the desires prompted by the

senses. (Samaya vishaya mrigatrishnaam) when we no longer

hanker after worldly pleasures. (LIKE NAME, FAME,ETC) .

 

So Sri Adi Sankara next prays to enlarge his

compassion for all creation (Bhoota dayaam vistraaraya).

When the mind is so elevated spiritually step by step,

the inevitable result will be the end of birth and

death or the crossing of the ocean of Samsaara. So he

prays, Taaraya samsara saagaratah.

 

There is an aptness in the use of the term Mriga trishna in

connection with pleasures of the senses. The meaning of

Mriga is deer. When there is drought and deer are

wandering in quest of drinking water, they drift towards

the desert. They mistake the mirage in the desert for

drinking water and run in pursuit of it and ultimately

collapse and die. Similarly Kaama, (DESIRES)Krodha (ANGER)

MOHA (LUST), LOBHA (GRRRED), AHAMKAR (EGO), IRSHYA

(JEALOUSY), DWESHA (HATRED) ETC and other passions, generated

in us by our senses, are like mirage which drives us

ultimately to our destruction.

 

THE DESERT OF YOUR MIND (THE SAHARA)CAN BE TRANSFORMED INTO ANANDA

SAGARA

(OCEAN OF BLISS) if one conquers one's lowly passions !

 

 

based on a talk by paramacharya kamakoti swamigal

 

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