THE IDEAL OF LIFE

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THE PHILOSOPHY OF LIFE

 

The aim of philosophy is right living. The meaning of right living depends on

how it is defined. It is a life of wisdom, free from the imperfection, which

characterises unphilosophical life. Philosophy is neither intellectual diversion

nor aristocratic pedantry which overlooks the facts of experience in the world.

As against a feat of scholarship or a mere hobby of the care-free mind,

philosophy is the intelligent analysis of the implications of experience and a

scientific theory evolved from such wise meditations for the purpose of

regulating the functions responsible for the various experiences in the world.

Philosophy is, therefore, the great art of the perfect life, a kind of life

where the common notion of life is transcended and where the Supreme Life, which

is identical with existence itself, is realised.The philosophy taught by me is

neither a dreamy, subjective, world-negating doctrine of illusion, nor a crude

world-affirming theory of humanism. It is the theory of the divinity of the

universe, the immortality of the soul of man, which is identical with the

Absolute Self of the universe, there being an essential unity of everything in

the universe with the highest Brahman, which is the only existing Reality. The

Vedanta does not shut its eyes to the heart-rending pitiable condition of the

world, nor does it ignore the body and the mind with their downward pull towards

an empirical life, though the province of the Vedanta is supra-mundane.INTEGRAL

DEVELOPMENTThe one Brahman or the Supreme Self appears as the diverse universe

in all the planes or degrees of its manifestation, and, therefore, the aspirant

has to pay his homage to the lower manifestation before he steps into the

higher. Sound health, clear understanding, deep knowledge, powerful will and

moral integrity are all parts of the process of the realisation of the Ideal

preached by the Vedanta. I insist

on an all-round discipline of the lower self. The teachings of the Vedanta are

not in conflict with Yoga, Bhakti or Karma. All these are blended together as

elements constituting a whole in the several states of its experience.To adjust,

adapt and accommodate, to see good in everything and to bring to effective use

all the principles of Nature in the process of the evolution of the individual

towards Self-realisation along the path of an integrated adjustment of the human

powers, are some of the main factors which go to build up my philosophy of life.

To love all and to see God in all, to serve all, because God is all, to realise

God as the identity of all in one fullness of perfection are the main canons. In

all my writings I have prescribed methods for overcoming and mastering the

physical, the vital, the mental and the intellectual planes of consciousness in

order to enable the aspirant to proceed with his Sadhana without impediments

towards this

great spiritual destination, the realisation of the Absolute. The Vedanta is a

philosophy and way of life which teaches the method of spiritual realisation,

the direct experience of the immortal, the omnipresent nature of the Self, where

the universe is realised as identical with the Self, where nothing second to the

Self can exist, and as the result of this high realisation, the realised sage

becomes the Saviour of the Universe, Sarva-bhuta-hite Ratah.MY CREEDTo behold

the Atman or Self in every being or form, to feel the Brahmic consciousness

everywhere, at all times and in all conditions of life, to see, to hear and

taste and smell and feel everything as the Atman is my creed. To live in

Brahman, to melt in Brahman and to merge and dissolve in Brahman is my creed. By

dwelling in union with Brahman, to utilise the hands, mind, senses and the body

for the service of humanity, to sing the Lord’s Names for elevating Bhaktas,

to give instructions to

sincere aspirants and to disseminate knowledge far and wide through books,

pamphlets, leaflets, magazines and platform lectures is my creed.To be a cosmic

friend and a cosmic benefactor, a friend of the poor, the forlorn, the helpless

and the fallen is my creed. It is my sacred creed to serve sick persons, to

nurse them with care, sympathy and love, to cheer up the depressed, to infuse

power and joy in all, to feel oneness with each and every creature and to treat

all with equal vision. In my creed there are neither saints nor sinners, neither

peasants nor kings, neither beggars nor emperors, neither friends nor foes,

neither males nor females, neither Gurus nor Chelas. It is all Brahman. It is

all Satchidananda.SECRET OF ENERGY AND DYNAMIC WORKI am now 72 (in 1958). I keep

myself busy. I am always blissful and happy. I can do more work. I personally

attend to hundreds of students at the Ashram and manage the affairs of the

Divine Life Society, the

Forest University, the General Hospital and guide thousands of students at far

off places through correspondence. I pay much attention to the Printing Press

and the despatches of useful books to the students, libraries and religious

institutions. I can do more. The secret of my energy for the dynamic work is the

keeping up of the Divine Consciousness throughout.Change the angle of vision and

be always happy and cheerful. See only good everywhere. Dance in joy. Saturate

the mind with divine thoughts. You will at once feel tremendous, inner spiritual

strength and spiritual power from within. The peace you enjoy now cannot be

described in words. Adopt any method that can make your mind move inward, that

can make the mind one-pointed and steady. Keep control over the senses. Have a

careful vigil and intense faith. Develop will-power. Otherwise, Vikshepa and

Alasya (oscillation and laziness) will overpower you.HEALING THROUGH PRAYERSAll

over the world,

doctors experiment on the poor patients with so many medicines. How to expect a

permanent and lasting cure when the doctors work with the selfish motive of

earning more and more wealth? In the Ayurvedic system experts prepare genuine

drugs from Himalayan plants, seeds and roots. They study the pulse of the

patients and diagnose the case properly and prescribe effective medicines for

bringing a permanent cure in the patients. The patients also should follow

natural methods to a great extent and select suitable food-stuff and follow the

instructions of the expert doctors.In this Ashram I combine all the methods in

the Sivananda General Hospital. There are expert doctors in all systems of

medicine. In addition to this, I have great faith in the power of Mantra and

grace of the Lord. Through special prayers conducted in the Lord Viswanath

Mandir, I have seen miraculous cures of the hopeless cases even in distant

places. I have tremendous faith in healing

through prayers—healing of diseases by chanting of Mantras and prayers. The

results are wonderful. The Lord’s Name is so effective. I call this NAMAPATHY.