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Source: The Hindu (http://www.the-hindu.com)

 

Essential features of spiritual life

 

CHENNAI, MAY 15. There are certain basic features of spiritual

life which become apparent to a person who reflects on the

phenomenon of life in the world. The first truth every spiritual

aspirant learns is that the worldly joys and sorrows are like a

mirage because what gives joy becomes a source of sorrow later

and also the suffering one undergoes may not be ultimately as

distressful as one imagined it to be. The next truth everyone has

to learn at some stage in life is that there is a supernatural

power behind all the phenomena seen in the world. When one

accepts this mystery, then he learns to see that it is the Divine

will which sustains all the forces of nature.

 

In the Katha Upanishad in reply to Nachiketa's question as to how

man could overcome death, Yama, the Lord of Death, taught him the

mysteries of life and existence, and said that one who learnt

these truths before giving up the body would not be reborn - he

is liberated from bondage. The eternal nature of the Self (Atman)

is realised only by a very rare individual but this should not

deter anyone, as every human being has to realise the Self, for

which he has to make a beginning sooner or later and must not

give up hope till the goal is reached.

 

In his discourse, Swami Asutoshananda said it was not possible to

dismiss worldly experiences as a mirage especially when sorrows

beset a person for no apparent reason. As long as there are

desires, the Self cannot be realised as the mind is disturbed by

thoughts spurred by desires. Just as a rose plant will grow only

in conditions conducive to its growth, so also, the Self can be

realised only by one who never wavers from the goal he has set

for himself and does not allow his mind to be distracted by

worldly desires.

 

The thread of ``I'' consciousness runs through all our

experiences and by observing it a person can understand that

irrespective of the bodily changes, this consciousness remains

constant. In the initial stage of spiritual awakening the

understanding that the ``I'' is different from the body, comes

and goes as in a dream.One does not need an intellectual or a

spiritual outlook to go through the motions of life that involve

actions which can be performed by instinct. One who uses his

intellect mainly can be also led astray if he is not properly

anchored to the spiritual objective. There is another capacity,

intuition, which can guide man surely to the awareness of the

Self. In the final stage when the mind becomes steady the

spiritual aspirant perceives the difference between the real and

the unreal distinctly.

 

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