Pranam.

"At times I feel quite happy and content, but such is short-lived and overtaken by some concern or other, even if such concern has absolutely nothing to do with me."

"Pursuit of lasting happiness begins when chase for transients ends.

Reality is, nothing was ever in your control, and never can be. Giving up on every chase of transients is also not in your hand.

Only absolute acceptance of reality of what we truly are...
... just a knower and seer, never a doer...
... will make you at ease in each and every situation.

And, such will come about at its opportune time, with  Self-realization, experience of own eternal reality/soul/Atam-Ram/Him-within."

"So, what do I "do" till then?"

"Contemplate on any aspect of eternal truth, rooted in the fact that I am nothing but eternal soul.

Take a deep dive into what 'I am eternal' means...
... If I am eternal, then I am not this perishable body.
... If I am not this perishable body, then this body is not mine.
... If this body is not mine, then what really in this universe is mine? Not any thoughts that come about in the mind tied to this body, not any speech that comes out this body, not any actions that this body is involved in or associated with.
... Further, if this body is not mine, then every association thereof is not mine. Not the house, not the car, none of any so-called possession, or any worldly identifiers like resident of particular country or race or color. No familial associations are mine, or any associations of friends or any acquaintances is mine.

I am simply by my Self, without any attachments, without any guilt, any fault, any shortcoming, any worries, just pure conscience, supreme being.
... I am such, and so is every living being in existence, exactly like me.

Stay on this chain of reality and every cause of passion (ego, greed, anger, deceit), which is the root of unhappiness, will be vanquished...
... If I and every other living being are exactly the same, then how can I be better than anyone or anyone lesser than me. There goes my ego...
... If I am pure conscience, supreme being, then there is nothing that can ever be added on to me or reduced from me. There goes my greed and fear...
... If I have nothing to save, gain or lose, with no cause for greed, then there goes my anger and deceit.

I am free of all passions... I am pure happiness."

🙏

About the author: Himanshu is based in Boston, MA and is an avid follower of Jainism. He can be reached at h.gandhi@samved.com.

Life, soul and purpose... Angles of our existence

Be aware of the critical factors at play that make us whole… and then raise our awareness of those… to lead us on to path of His wisdom.

By: Himanshu K. Gandhi

Trigonometry is a study of relationship of angles and their projections as the sides supporting them morph, giving an easy to analyze visual static components … to that which is dynamic and complex.

On the even plain of our character and conduct… introspection is such a science which unravels relationship of factors and forces, that internally shape our existence, and what we project outwardly… which gives us visual cues of what we are about, at a point in time.

If we care to deep dive and understand, then there are primarily five angles at play; Our…

1. Passions; of ego, greed, deceit and anger
2. Sensuous urges; to appease our sense of sight, hearing, touch, smell, taste, and mind.
3. Faith in His wisdom; complete acceptance of virtues and principles of righteousness laid out in ones own faith
4. Virtuous fellowship (Satsang) and
5. Concerted self effort (Purushartha).

Greater the angle of each of them... greater is the projection of its power and influence over us... at any point of time.

When we are angled in the corner of our passions and sensuous urges... we are overpowered by believing that which is untrue and ephemeral... circumscribing ourselves in a circle that encompasses corrupting influence (Kusang), passions and sensuous pleasures... and become increasingly unaware of existence and true nature of our soul.

The only way to breakthrough the self imposed submissiveness to harmful elements... is to come in closer proximity and get angled in by those that are virtuous, and gradually build up concerted self efforts/Purushartha.

And as we do that over the course of time... the angle of faith in His wisdom will exert stronger influence on us, greatly aiding that process. And eventually make us break apart completely from the baneful influences.

At which point, we are circumscribed in the virtuous circle... with angles of right faith, Satsang and Purushartha.

As a result of which our outward projections, while we remain in society, will lead us consistently towards acts of common good, driven by selfless motive. And once we renounce society to be an ascetic/Vitragta, drive us deeper towards Self-realization.

About the author: Himanshu is based in Boston, MA and is an avid follower of Jainism. He administers a Facebook group ‘SSS… Solution Starts with Self’, where his effort is to support thoughts that enrich the base ethos of simple, straightforward and honest conduct, to break the pace of greed and vice, everywhere we see. He can be reached at h.gandhi@samved.com.