Likes and dislikes?

July 11, 2007

Steve - PraNAms

According to Vedanta, Likes and dislikes are subtler

impressions left behind, after an ego-centric action.

In your example, when I take for the first time a cup

of coffee, I enjoy it at that time. That enjoyment

gives an immediate pleasure or happiness. But in

addition to that tangible result, that enjoyment also

leaves an impression in my subconsciousness to repeat

that experience in future. If I keep repeating that

experience of taking coffee and enjoying every time,

the subtler impression in the mind get further and

further reinforced and that forms what Vedanta calls

as 'vaasana'. Similarly an experience of unhappiness

is also leaves an impression in the mind as 'dislike'

- these likes and dislikes are called 'raaga and

dveSha'.

All my pursuits in my life are essentially directed to

fulfill the likes that I like and avoid the dislikes.

Hence I keep gravitating to environments that are

conducive for my likes and try to avoid environments

that give experiences that I do not like. The

accumulated likes and dislikes in the past (the past

includes the past lives) propel me to seek birth in an

environment that is conducive for my exhaustion. In

the process of exhaustion of these I may end up

accumulating new ones which can be either exhausted in

this life or in future lives. Hence my life is

propelled by these likes and dislikes or vasanaas. If

the impressions are strong, my desires to achieve will

also be strong. Anger and frustrations will also be

strong if they are not fulfilled. My life is tossed

between my likes and dislikes. I become ready to

compromise my values to fulfil what I like strongly.

But in that very fulfilment I reinforce those likes

and dislikes. I become prisoner of my own likes and

dislikes.

Yoga is that which tries to neutralize these likes and

dislikes so that mind is free from the pressure of

these. Mind becomes pure when all the likes and

dislikes are neutralized. Blessed are those whose

minds are pure -says the bible. Mind that is pure is

the suitable mind for contemplation and for receiving

knowledge. Karma yoga, bhakti yoga and jnaana yoga

are the means for neutralizing these likes and

dislikes.

The correct word for these is 'vaasana' - and likes

and dislikes poor translation to that word.

Hari Om!

Sadananda

--- otnac6 <otnac6 wrote:

> This matter of likes and dislikes. I interpret that

> to mean extreme

> likes and dislikes, likes and dislikes to the point

> of obsession or

> bias or prejudice.

July 11, 2007

Thanks so much for your reply!

Karma yoga, bhakti yoga and jnaana yoga

are the means for neutralizing these likes and

dislikes.

I think what I was getting at is that I always have to make choices in

life. I have to eat to live. It seems that I have to discriminate among

foods, though. If I have diabetes or some other reason for

discriminating among the various foods such as being overweight, then

it seems I'm into the realm of liking and disliking, I think. I dislike

the idea of illness so I discriminate among food. This is just a basic

example. It seems choosing one thing over another may fall into the

realm of like/dislike. I like the idea of Self Realization so I try to

act/do/practice in such a way as to move toward that (understanding

that I can never get away from it and all that seems necessary is to

remove the samskaras!) I choose to practice inquiry, I choose not to

murder...

I'm not trying to argue and I really appreciate your answer. I'm just

trying to get this narrowed down to everyday, workable, understandable

levels since I want to PRACTICE and not have it in the realm of theory

and thought alone...I practice what I think of as Karma Yoga and

inquiry. Acting, doing and inquiring into the nature of the doer,

trying not to get hung up on the results of actions. Constant inquiry

throughout the day--with many gaps!!!--. Still when I go to a

restaurant I have to have some basis for ordering food. My choice is

based on what I believe to be beneficial food, rather than what " just

tastes good " . I inquire even when it's easier not to, again with many

gaps! Thanks again and best wishes, Steve

July 11, 2007

--- otnac6 <otnac6 wrote:

Steve - PraNAms

Yes, you are doing the right thing. Man, with the

intellect evolved, has a choice of action at every

moment. We are not animals to follows instinctive or

predetermined path. One has to make a choice. My

likes and dislikes or vasanaas determine the

environment that I am in at any time and my choice of

action in the present will dictate my future

environment that I am going to encounter. What choice

of action I exercise depends on my value system, my

education and my goals in life. Many a time, I know

what is right thing to do, but I compromise and do

what I feel like doing due to pressure of my vasanaas.

One needs to have guts to stand apart and say NO even

against the strong pressure of vasanaas. That one only

evolves, if the choice results in neutralizing the

vasanaas.

> I think what I was getting at is that I always have

> to make choices in

> life. I have to eat to live. It seems that I have to

> discriminate among

> foods, though. If I have diabetes or some other

> reason for

> discriminating among the various foods such as being

> overweight, then

> it seems I'm into the realm of liking and disliking,

> I think. I dislike

> the idea of illness so I discriminate among food.

> This is just a basic

> example.

Yes, you gave the right example - I can make my choice

based on intellectual understanding of what is good

for me (or my body - mind or intellect), based on the

advise of my doctor or my teacher.

>It seems choosing one thing over another

> may fall into the

> realm of like/dislike.

Choosing not what I like, but what is right, makes the

mind free from the pressure of vasanaas. That is what

is called Dharma. Dharma is very simple - What I

expect others to follow, I should follow and what I

want others not to do, I should not do - take for

example - I do not want others to hurt me for their

pleasure, therefore I should not hurt others. I do

not want others to steal my property or lie to me or

insult me etc - I should not do to others. I want

others to be compassionate towards me, forgive me for

my mistakes, love me and care for me when I need help

etc - Hence I have to all those to others - That is

the dhaaramic way of living and such a living

neutralizes my likes and dislikes. I am propelled by

what is right rather than what I like or dislike.

Krishna advises Arjuana to follow his dharma and says

that will not bind him.

I like the idea of Self

> Realization so I try to

> act/do/practice in such a way as to move toward that

> (understanding

> that I can never get away from it and all that seems

> necessary is to

> remove the samskaras!) I choose to practice inquiry,

> I choose not to

> murder...

>

Yes, follow your dharma - that is called swadharma -

that is what Krishna teaches.

If you do that the mind becomes less and less agitated

and more and more contemplative.

When the mind is free to contemplate -

inquire about the nature of the inquirer or the truth

of the inquirer - for that only, Vedanta helps.

Vedanta becomes a means to inquire ‘who that inquirer

is’. Ramana calls this as 'analyze the analyst'. But

that is subtle inquiry since it is not an objective

inquiry and one does not want to get entangled with

'thought of inquiry'. The correct inquiry has to

terminate with 'being' that I am, which is beyond any

inquiry.

Hope this helps. Thanks for your input.

Hari Om!

Sadananda

> I'm not trying to argue and I really appreciate your

> answer. I'm just

> trying to get this narrowed down to everyday,

> workable, understandable

> levels since I want to PRACTICE and not have it in

> the realm of theory

> and thought alone...I practice what I think of as

> Karma Yoga and

> inquiry. Acting, doing and inquiring into the nature

> of the doer,

> trying not to get hung up on the results of actions.

> Constant inquiry

> throughout the day--with many gaps!!!--. Still when

> I go to a

> restaurant I have to have some basis for ordering

> food. My choice is

> based on what I believe to be beneficial food,

> rather than what " just

> tastes good " . I inquire even when it's easier not

> to, again with many

> gaps! Thanks again and best wishes, Steve

>

July 11, 2007

Thanks again much for your reply! I appreciate it! Steve.

July 11, 2007

advaitin , kuntimaddi sadananda

<kuntimaddisada wrote:

>

> --- otnac6 <otnac6 wrote:

>

> Steve - PraNAms

>

> Yes, you are doing the right thing. Man, with the

> intellect evolved, has a choice of action at every

> moment. We are not animals to follows instinctive or

> predetermined path. One has to make a choice. My

> likes and dislikes or vasanaas determine the

> environment that I am in at any time and my choice of

> action in the present will dictate my future

> environment that I am going to encounter.

Namaste,

Well our bodies are genetically 98.5% Anthropoid Ape! Presumably that

makes us an animal.

Instinct is just prior learned behaviour like human samskaras and

vasanas. Choice is an illusion, only the exercise of imagining that

we have one isn't.

Gorillas and Orang Utans don't eat meat and this may make them

more 'aware' intellectually than an human ape that has a so called

higher IQ, but a primitive vijnanamayakosa.

Animals make choices(illusory) all the time, consistently just as

humans appear to do.

Read Ramana Maharshi or Lakshmana Swamy for info on thinking animals

with choices.........Hu

July 12, 2007

Namaste dear Hupa Ramdas:

The human body is 61.8 percent water by weight. Protein accounts for

16.6 percent; fat, 14.9 percent; and nitrogen, 3.3 percent of human

body weight. Other elements account for the remaining 4.4 percentage

of body weight. The above corresponds average adult composition and

these percentage vary between individuals.

Though 61.8 percent of human body consists of water, this will not

make the human equivalent to water! Our focus is rightly to find the

controlling force for one's likes/dislikes. What you have provided in

the very first paragraph of your post is a good illustration of using

inappropriate logic to derive any conclusion.

The Vedantic message is subtle and the instrument (SELF) which

controlls everything in this universe has no dimension or form!

Vedanta provides many hints through subtle messages hidden underneath

the scriptures (specifically Upanishads, Bhagavad Gita,

Brahmasuutra). An action (Karma) when it is conducted without raga

and dwesha will automatically become inaction (Akarma). Every action

can produce either a `desirable' or `undesirable' result. If we

develop the attitude to accept both the desirable and undesirable

results of our action then we neutralize the Vasanas! As long as we

live, we have to act (to do karma) but when we develop the attitude

to accept all the results we establish a `stable mind' and we become

a `Perfect Yogi.' Bhagavad Gita chapter 2 verses 55 to 72 describe

the entire process of becoming a perfect yogi.

With my warmest regards,

Ram Chandran

advaitin , " hupa_ramdas " <hupa_ram>

wrote:

>

> Namaste,

>

> Well our bodies are genetically 98.5% Anthropoid Ape! Presumably

that

> makes us an animal.

>

> Instinct is just prior learned behaviour like human samskaras and

> vasanas. Choice is an illusion, only the exercise of imagining that

> we have one isn't.

>

> Gorillas and Orang Utans don't eat meat and this may make them

> more 'aware' intellectually than an human ape that has a so called

> higher IQ, but a primitive vijnanamayakosa.

July 12, 2007

dear steev

there is nothing wrong to choose when choice is available to you without you

having to run after it.likes and dislikes are ok as long as you don't get

addicted to anything of it.the basic thing is desire leads to action and the

resultant palam/fruit is unavoidable and that the external world of objects

does'nt give permanent happiness.

so take coffe if you like but dont get dissappointed when you cant get it in a

place.go for a mercedes if you can afford but it should neither affect you

possesing it or to give it away.that is the essence and the discrimination to

decide accordingly as it is demanded of the situation.

this is not written as if you dont know this but restricing to what you have

written in the post.i have followed all your posts earliar which is very

interesting.