స్వగతం - కొన్ని "టర్నింగ్ పాయింట్స్ " - మహాత్మా గాంధీ పాకీ పని చేసే వారట - అందుకని మేమూ చేశాం - వై నాట్ ?

స్వగతం లో 

కొన్ని "టర్నింగ్ పాయింట్స్ "

Dr A.P.J. అబ్దుల్ కలాం, నాకు చాలా, చాలా నచ్చిన భారత రాష్ట్రపతి. మత వాదాలకు, రాజకీయాలకు ,  అతీతుడైన  మహా మనీషి గా చెప్పుకోవచ్చు .  ఆయన రాసిన "టర్నింగ్ పాయింట్స్ " అనే పుస్తకం చదువుతూ వున్నాను . అకస్మాత్తుగా - నాలో వొక వూహ ; ప్రతి వొక్కరి జీవితం లోనూ యేవో కొన్ని "టర్నింగ్ పాయింట్స్ " వుంటాయి కదా - అని.  అవి బాగు పడటానికి కావచ్చు.   చెడి పోవడానికి కూడా  కావచ్చు. ప్రతి టర్నింగ్ పాయింట్ లోనూ - మనం నేర్చు కోవాల్సిన పాఠాలు ఎన్ని వుంటాయి కదా. 

 అయితే , నా జీవితంలో "టర్నింగ్ పాయింట్స్" ఏమిటి - అన్న మథనం  మనసులో కదిలింది . వస్తున్నాయ్ ; వస్తున్నాయ్ ; జగన్నాథ రథ చక్రాల్  వస్తున్నాయ్ ; అనే లా  ఎన్నో సంఘటనలు మనసులో  కదిలాయి . అన్నిటికీ జీవితంలో,  నా భవిష్యత్తు ను దిద్దడం లో ఎంతో కొంత మఖ్యత్వం కనిపించింది . 

జరిగినవి మంచీ, చెడూ రెండూ వుండనే వుంటాయి . గాంధీ గారైతే చెడును కూడా యథా తథం గా రాసుకున్నారు. అలా రాయడానికి వొక్క గాంధీ గారే సమర్థులు . ఆయన జీవితంలో అసత్యానికి గానీ, హింస కు గానీ తావు లేదు. పొగడ్తలకు ఆయన పొంగి పోలేదు . విమర్శలకు క్రుంగి పోలేదు. అలా మనం వుండగలమా - అన్నది నాకు సందేహమే . కానీ, అలా వుండాలి - అన్నది మాత్రం తెలుసు .  అందుకే , ఆయన మహాత్ముడు ; మనం కాదు . మనం - అంటే నేను . మీ సంగతి నాకు తెలీదు . 

కానీ మహాత్మా గాంధీ గారి ప్రభావం - మా చిన్న తనంలో మాపై చాలానే వుండేది . నేను పుట్టిన అసలు తేదీ 26 - 01-1950 ఆట. కానీ, స్కూల్  రికార్డుల్లో  26-12-1948 గా నమోదయ్యింది. చిన్న తనంలో, యింట్లో నేను చేసే గోల భరించ లేక - స్కూల్ లో చేర్చారట. వయసు చాలదు కాబట్టి - కొంత ఎక్కువ వేశారు. అందువలన, పెద్ద నష్టం ఏమీ లేదు. కానీ, ఉద్యోగంలో చేరడం, ఉద్యోగ విరమణ - రెండూ, అర్హత కంటే - వొక సంవత్సరం ముందుగా జరిగిపోయ్యాయి.  కానీ, నా పుట్టిన రోజు మాత్రం 26 జనవరి నాడే - అప్పుడూ, యిప్పుడూ యింట్లో జరుపుకుంటాం. 

స్కూల్ లో, మాకు నచ్చిన హీరో లు - గాంధీ, నెహ్రు , సుభాస్ చంద్ర బోస్ . వొక్కొక్కరు, వొక్కొక్క విధంగా నచ్చారు . కొంత వరకు పటేల్ గారు కూడా. ఆ కాలంలో - వారందరి గురించి గొప్పగా పాఠాలుండేవి.   మరి, యిప్పుడున్నాయో లేదో - నాకు సందేహమే. తమిళ నాడులో అస్సలు వున్నాయా  అంటే - నాకు తెలీదు . 

మన  జాతీయ గీతం  అంటే - మాకు చాలా యిష్టం . స్కూల్లో అది పాడేటప్పుడు, గొంతెత్తి , బిగ్గరగా, పాడే వాళ్ళం . ఆ కాలంలో - సినిమాల కెడితే , సినిమా చివర , జాతీయ గీతం  రికార్డు  పెట్టే  వారు . మేము, పిల్లలు మాత్రం, ఠంచను గా, నిలబడి, ప్రక్కనున్న వారు మమ్మల్ని తోసుకుని వెడుతూ వున్నా, మళ్ళీ సర్దుకుని - జాతీయగీతం  పూర్తి  అయ్యే వరకు - అటెంషన్ పోజు లో నిలబడి వుండే వాళ్ళం . జయహే, జయహే, జయహే, జయ,జయ,జయ, జయహే - అనేటప్పుడు, గొంతు పూర్తిగా విప్పి పాడే వాళ్ళం . 

మాలో దేశ  భక్తి - వుండేదా ? తప్పకుండా వుండేది. చదువు వలన , గురువు వలన దేశ భక్తి  తప్పకుండా వస్తుంది . మరి - అవన్నీ యిప్పుడేమై పొయ్యాయి . అప్పట్లో కూడా - కొంత మంది జాతీయ గీతం వస్తూ వుంటే  - నిలబడే వారు కాదు. నిజమే. కానీ, నిలబడే పిల్లలు ఎంతో మంది. నాకు తెలిసి, ఆ నిలబడని వాళ్ళు - నిలబడడం లేదని, జాతీయ గీతాన్ని అవమానిస్తున్నారని - సినిమాల్లో, చివర్న , అది వేసే పద్దతి నిలిపి వేసినట్టు - అప్పట్లో చెప్పుకున్నారు . నిజమో కాదో, నాకు తెలీదు. కానీ, అలా, నిలిపి వుండ కూడదనేది - మాత్రం, మా పసి మనసులకు - అప్పుడే తెలుసు. కోకొల్లలుగా దేశ భక్తులు, సత్య వ్రతులు  తయారవుతున్న దేశంలో - లంచ గొండి  తనం,  దేశ భక్తి లేక పోవడం, వొకరిపై వొకరికి సుహృద్భావం లేక పోవడం - యిప్పుడు చెప్పిన, యిటువంటి చిన్న, చిన్న తప్పుల వల్లే  జరిగాయి . ఇవి- మాలోనూ, దేశం లోనూ  కూడా - వొక పెద్ద టర్నింగ్ పాయింట్,  అనడం లో నాకు సందేహం లేదు .  దేశం తప్పు దారి పట్టింది .

సరే . అప్పట్లో - గాంధీ గారి పాఠాల్లో  వున్న - ఎన్నో అంశాలు - మా మనసుల్లో  తిష్ట వేశాయి. 

ఆయన పాకీ పని తమ యింట్లోనే కాక, అందరి యింట్లో చేయడానికి కూడా ముందు నిలబడే వారట. ఇల్లు శుభ్రం గా వుండాలంటే, మన మల మూత్రాలు మనమే శుభ్రం  చేసెయ్యాలి - కానీ, అది మరెవరి కోసమో, నిలుప కూడదు - అని ఆయన సిద్దాంతం. అది ఆయన ప్రతి రోజూ చేసే వారని - మా పాఠాల్లో  వుంది. 

అప్పట్లో, మా పిల్లలందరి యిళ్ళలో , సరైన శౌచ స్థలాలు లేనే లేవు. చాలా మంది మగ వాళ్ళు - వూరి బయట,  పొలాల మధ్య , చెట్ల వెనుక వెళ్ళే వారు . ఆడ వాళ్ళు, యింటి వెనుక ఎక్కడో వెళ్ళే వారు . బయటకు  వెళ్ళ లేని మగ వారు కూడా - యింటి వెనుకే . ఏదో చిన్న గొయ్యి త్రవ్వినా - అది యిట్టే నిండి పొయ్యేది. దాన్ని మళ్ళీ ఎవరు ఖాళీ చేస్తారు?  చెయ్యరు. అలా, యింటి వెనుకంతా - అసహ్యంగా, దుర్గంధం తో నిండి  వుండేది . 

గాంధీ గారి కథ చదివిన, వినిన- మాకందరికీ, అందులో, చాలా ముఖ్యమైన ఆరోగ్య సిద్దాంతం, వుందని తెలిసి పోయింది. మా పెద్దలు యిది విన లేదు కాబట్టి - వారికి తెలీదు;  మేం చెప్పినా, వారి మనసుకెక్కదు . చెప్ప గల వయసూ మాకు లేదు.  అందుకని, మా అందరి ఇళ్ళ లో, గాంధీ గారు చేసినట్టు, అసలింకా  బాగా చెయ్యాలని  నిర్ణయించుకున్నాం . 

అంతే  - పిల్లందరూ కలిసి , ప్రతి యింట్లోనూ, మట్టితో, దొరికిన రాళ్ళతో  శౌచ స్థలాలు తయారు చేశాం . ఆ చిన్న గోడలు ఏదో కాస్త అడ్డు. అలాగే - దాని వెనుక నున్న మల మూత్రాలను మేమే చేటలతో - ఎత్తి, దూరంగా, పారబోశాం. ఆ స్థలాలు కాస్త శుభ్ర పడ్డాయి. మా యింట్లో - ఈ పనులు చెయ్యడంలో -  అందరు పిల్లలూ   పాల్గొన్నాం . మాకెప్పుడూ - అది తప్పని అనిపించ  లేదు . 

అమ్మలందరూ, పిల్లల  మల మూత్రాలు ప్రేమ తో ఎత్తి పోస్తున్నప్పుడు - అదే, మేం చేస్తే  తప్పెలా అవుతుంది . అందులోనూ గాంధీ గారు కూడా అది చేసి చూపారుగా. కాబట్టి, అది మనం చెయ్యాల్సిన కార్యమే. మేం - ఈ పనులు చాలా ఏళ్ళ పాటు, మాకు తోచినట్టు, మాకు తెలిసినట్టు చేశాం. మా పెద్దలు ఎవరూ, ఈ మా పనికి  అడ్డు  చెప్ప లేదు. ఎందుకంటే, అంతకు ముందు వారు పడుతున్న , నానా అవస్థలు మా వలన - కాస్త తీరాయి కదా. అలాగే - ఆడవాళ్ళకు, కాస్త మరుగు, శుభ్రమైన స్థలం దొరికాయి . మరెందుకు అభ్యంతరం చెబుతారు ? 

యిటువంటి కొన్ని సంఘటనలు మా జీవితాలపై , మనస్తత్వాలపై - చాలా, చాలా ప్రభావం చూపాయి. 

వొక ఆదర్శ నాయుకుడు - మన మధ్య వుంటే - వారి ప్రభావం మనపై, ముఖ్యంగా పిల్లలపై - బలంగా వుంటుందనడానికి - యింత కంటే నిదర్శనం కావాలా ? భావి పౌరులకు - అలాంటి ఆదర్శ నాయకుడు ఎప్పుడూ వొకడుండాలి . 

యిప్పుడెవరున్నారు  చెప్పండి?  పోనీ, నిస్వార్థంగా, అలా, దేశ  సేవ కై ఎవడైనా, ముందుకు వస్తే , అతడిని, నాయకుడిగా - మీరు, నేను అంగీకరిద్దామా ?

అలాంటి వాళ్లకు - పట్టం కట్టి, కులాలకు , మతాలకు అతీతంగా - వారికి వోటు వేసి గెలిపిద్దామా?

ఉదాహరణకు - Dr A.P.J. అబ్దుల్ కలాం; మన జయప్రకాష్ నారాయణ్ గారు,  లాంటి వాళ్ళు.  యింకా ఎంతో మంది వుండొచ్చు . పదండి చూద్దాం . మన మనస్సులో - ఈ జగన్నాథ రథ చక్రాలు సాగనియ్యండి. ఎక్కడో వొక చోట - ఆ జగన్నాథుడే  ఎదురు రావచ్చు . 

మరో  స్వగతం లో - మరో టర్నింగ్ పాయింట్ తో కలుద్దాం.

= మీ 

వుప్పలధడియం విజయమోహన్

PARADOXICALLY SPEAKING - EVE TEASING IS ONE EASIEST THING TO CURB WITHIN A WEEK - IF WE "WILL"

3 QUICK STEPS TO STOP EVE-TEASING WITHIN A WEEK

(& RAPES WITHIN 3 MONTHS)

Rapes are not new to India. They were there always, but their number has considerably increased in recent past due to various reasons.

We must all have been deeply concerned about these crimes - every time they happen. We were not. There was a public molestation of a woman on the streets in Guwahati. Media showed up some energy initially - and then lost track of it. Kolkata had a Gang rape inside a car. It seems nothing has moved on ground in that case so far.

There have been any number of rapes and gang rapes in Haryana. We raised some small concern. What is this? Haryana is hogging all the lime light! So, Bangalore had a few. Some other states are also coming up with one or two.

So what is special about the Delhi case. The sheer Brutality of the Gang Rapists puts any human being into a sense of horror and shame.

So, naturally, the women of Delhi took to streets. But, from day one, there were water cannons and tear gas shells showered on the peaceful protesters. But, the protests continued. The Police actions also continued. Nothing moved in the corridors of Power. They probably thought, the agitation by the Girls will dissipate and  disappear in 2-3 days. Admittedly, as we saw on TV screens, the young girls were being intimidated by the Police in many ways.

The Delhi Police did not cover itself with any glory by repeatedly beating up some of the Girls and women.

Then came AAP and Swami RamDev. Instantly, Delhi Politicians branded them as violent, this and that...Who was violent before their coming? We saw it all on TV screens. Public and Political Parties do have the right to agitate on such a National Issue.

We don’t want rapes, gang rapes and eve-teasing to go on any further. Now, Government and some other Political Pundits and even some women’s organizations are coming up with demand for changes in Law.

Changes in Law are not the immediate need. Change of heart is what is need immediately – and that comes by a sound Education system which inculcates CHARACTER and mutual respect between Boys and Girls – and a strong Public-safety mindedness in our Police. Yes, of course, that takes some time. May be a few months for a determined Political administration and a few years for a lackadaisical one.

In the mean time, eve-teasing can easily be curbed – if only SPECIAL SQUARDS of Men and women police specially picked for the purpose, go round in plain clothes – in Buses, Bus stops, colleges and other sensitive places, look for hard core eve teasers, round them up, thrash them and Jail them for a week. It can be done ALL OVER INDIA within a week. Leave it to special squads and special Courts to punish the culprits picked up by them. What the squads say shall be the only evidence needed. No further evidence shall be needed. Punishment shall be handed down by special courts instantly and it shall be 1 week in Jail. No change in Law is needed for this. All women all over India will immediately feel relieved. What can be done with a small PIN, we are trying to do with a huge, rusty, useless axe. Do this exercise for 3 months – the country will feel like a Heaven -  comparatively, that is.

Do you believe in the ability of ordinary Police to curb crime? Don’t you think, most constables may collapse with a heart attack if you ask them to run / jog for a kilometer or two. So, how will they catch any criminal? And then, if they CAN catch a criminal, will they? How many Police will not bargain with a traffic offender, for instance? Unfortunately, even for naked corruption, there is no one in India  who raises his/ her eye brows. No one says,  all are corrupt. But, have we made any attempt to stop even the naked corruption that goes on in our streets, or in Police stations? How many are good officers and how many are bad officers? Can Good officers prevent Bad officers? Is there a serious, free, fearless dialogue in Public on this?

I am not talking of Delhi Police. I am talking of Police in all States. We, as Public, have to raise serious questions on all these issues. If we think, that if we make a water-tight, stringent, fearsome, awesome law, things will go right – Please be sure that -  the Murphy law will apply there. Whatever can go wrong, will go wrong!

In India, it will. In UK it may not. In US, it may or may not. But, in India, it will.

I therefore suggest JUST 3 THINGS.

1.  Appoint Special squads to catch Eve-Teasers  and special courts to punish them. In one week, 90 % of eve-teasers will learn their lessons. There will be 90% less eve-teasing. This is the TOP, IMMEDIATE PRIORITY.

2.  Ban all Item Numbers, half naked dresses (especially by Heroines, long drawn rape scenes and eve-teasing scenes especially by Heroes – in our movies and on TV. A 24 hours x 365 days beaming of these things on various TV channels sexually provoke all Males – young and Old. They either become sexually mad and go for eve-teasing / rapes, or become sexually incompetent, if there is no outlet. There are reports that Indian Males are fast losing their sexual Potency –considerably. The Gentlemen become impotent. The rogue becomes a rapist. So, One way or the other, these nonsensical things must be banned at least from TV broadcasting.

3.  Introduce Education that teaches character, ethics, mutual respect among our boys and Girls.

Do these. The first is the easiest. The second is the next easiest. The third is the third easiest. None of them are difficult for a determined Government and Public.

All eve-teasing and rapes will diminish considerably and life will be much better for our Boys and Girls.

We do want to see our Boys and Girls happy and friendly and mutually respectful - not mutually suspicious. 

We also want our Policemen to create a more publicly sensitive, honest and courageous  Image of themselves - and that depends on them only.

Beyond this comes – reduction in drinks, drugs, smoking, Internet and so on. They can be tackled after 3 months- that is, after tackling the first 3 priorities.

Sarve Janah Sukhino Bhavanthu

Yours

(V.VIJAYAMOHAN)

PARADOXICALLY SPEAKING- Wanted - United Nations Religious Organization (UNRO)

 

 

PARADOXICALLY SPEAKING

Wanted !

United Nations Religious Organization (UNRO)

Religions arose to civilize people. That's what they want all of us to believe;

Contrary to what they say, we painfully find that - in today's world, religions essentially teach Hatred against whoever does not belong to their particular Religion. 

LOVE ALL - BUT, "THEY" ARE NOT GOOD - is the essence of today's RELIGION. Some may even say : HATE THEM - KILL THEM -  even if you don't love our people.

At the minimum, most of them tell Children - look at them, they are going to hell, while, we are all going to heaven. Brainwashing the children is an essential task, religions indulge in. Else, as Grown ups, people may not believe much of what they say.

If Yours is an exception to this, I would be glad to hear that. But, if we as children are brainwashed this way - the world cannot but be full of hatred and bloody wars, FAR, FAR  away from the LOVE the religions profess to teach.

Some  have made this into school curriculum - convert or kill those, who do not belong to us. Things like that. Approximating to that. History is replete with killing of even very old people, women and children of other religions - in the name of religion and God. 

Do you honestly feel that this could have been God's teaching?

Religions tell us the histories of people from the times of GOD - and these are totally inconsistent with every scientific theory of evolution, and far away from any reasonable LOGIC. 

Even so, had all those histories from different religions been identical, it would have been wonderful. Even if they were factually incorrect, it would have been easier to accept them as History. But, there are serious differences among religions - on almost every thing concerning WHAT HAPPENS  AFTER DEATH- and therefore what should be done when alive.

 So, world built by God with so many different religions, differing so wildly from each other - is not the ideal world in which peace and love will rule. So, from one perspective, God doesn't seem to be an ideal creator. Or perhaps, he has other reasons for creating such a world, which he does not reveal in THE BOOK.

In religion, people are ordained to be essentially Blind. 

Religion wants you to have FAITH. But Faith in what?

If EARTH IS FLAT,as per your BOOK, it is. You can't question it. No amount of evidence  will be accepted by your religion to the contrary.

For instance, many things that Einstein, Newton and other scientists found were normally beyond the human mind's reach. Likewise, what Patanjali wrote as YOGASUTRAS is absolute science. 

They, much like religious leaders, had special "revelations" of those things to them - and now they have largely become part of LOGICAL SCIENCE.Yet, some religions fail to accept them as science.

The problem with religion is - where LOGIC clearly shows that - what religion says is very obviously and clearly wrong or unethical; even there, you and I are directed to have BLIND FAITH in such teachings.  Else, we go to Hell, they warn.

Today, most wars across the world are essentially religious wars. There seems to be no hope of at least the major religions of the world ever reconciling to each other and living in harmony - without trying to convert (ELSE, KILL ??) each other - constantly.  

Intra-religious hostilities and wars are also - another running feature of religious History.

 

Wasn't there a time when there were none of these religions?

There were Good and honest people in those days, people who honestly searched for TRUTH.  Perhaps they found it too. And they seem to have said - YOU, and only YOU, have to search, and inside yourself, and you will find the TRUTH there.

Perhaps that is the WAY. The only way.

Until You and I find the way (and the Goal) within us - we need a way to stop all this HATRED from the people of faith.

Or, there is another middle path.

People with robust LOVE, COMMON SENSE & WISDOM - from different religions must come together, sit in concert, study all religions deeply - and come to some form of common, universally acceptable religion, free from logical pot holes and pit falls, enabling future correction of any currently held beliefs, and laying a foundation for a peaceful and love-filled world here - and a heaven (minimum) hereafter.

It is much like the    UNO on the Political plat form. We need  United Nations Religious Organization, which functions on the basis of REAL LOVE for all.

PS : I wish to love all people, irrespective of religion. Many readers do. We are all God's children - or so we believe. Many great visionaries say - Have an Impossible Dream - for the world's Good. May this Dream come true.

=Yours

vuppaladhadiam vijayamohan

Paradoxically speaking - I Don't know myself - Nor Do You !

Paradoxically speaking

I Don't  know myself

The Hindus (I am one myself) have done a lot of research into the inner, invisible, non-cognizable Self. 

And, they discovered a lot of facts about this thing called, the inner self. 

One of them is - that the inner self is all over the universe. 

Another is - my inner self is - none other than your inner self - which is the same as that of all the Christians. Muslims, Buddhists, Jains, Jorashtrians, Zews, the communists, the Hindus and whoever else exists in the world.

Which means - when I and my wife are quarreling - my inner self only is quarreling with me. 

When Osama Bin Laden plotted to bring down the world trade centre - it was actually George Bush's inner self which was plotting from within Osama Bin Laden. And Osama was plotting to kill a few thousands of Americans, who are his OWN VERY inner self.

It is much like - my own teeth happily biting away my own little finger.

Why on earth do I do such stupid things?

Why don't I know that I am biting away my own little finger?

That is the paradox.

I have been reading about this stuff for last three years. The Hindus call them UPANISHADS. They are Master pieces of logic, investigation, inquiry, discovery, invention and what not - of science. They call it the the inner science. The ostentatious name they give to it is - ATMA JNANA - or Self Knowledge.

In very simple terms, their final discovery is - you are yourself the God. There is no other God. There is in fact no God other than You. 

What the Hell is this discovery? The communists also say - there is no God. Many non-communists also say, there is no God. So, what is the Big deal ?

The Big Deal is - there is God. And, that God is none other than YOU !

You have ample,total, undeniable, irrefutable, unbelievable, un-arguable proof for it.

It is like the onion. You must peel of one layer after another. When all outer layers are peeled of - you arrive at the God. And, that God is YOU!

Each layer is called - a layer of ignorance. or Maya! or, Avidya.

It is like finding out after a laborious peeling off of the layers of my foolishness, that I am a fool - and that I don't know it. 

But, once I know it, I become the wisest on earth; wisest in the Universe. 

I am one of the Polar opposites right now. I will become the other, when I know this.

The process of this knowing is very simple. 

Try to know - what You don't know - from what you know.

Proceed from the known to the unknown - and know what you don't know.

Let's start with the simplest. The physical body.

You are a Body which is visible, touchable, smellable, tastable and somewhat audible too.

Therefore it exists.

But, what Exists?

A head, a Trunk, 2 hands, 2 legs. What else?

I would say - I possess..., a heart, 2 lungs, pancreas, blood, nerves, veins, arteries, digestion system, excretory system, thinking system, feeling system - and so many computer-like systems inside.

You will agree. You will also say that you also have all these in your body. But wait.

What on earth have you ever, actually seen in your own physical body? Have you seen or touched any one of these blessed organs of yours? How do you know they exist? 

Factually, I have not seen a darned thing in my Body - except the OUTER MOST LAYER OF MY SKIN!

Somebody found the other day, that he didn't have a kidney inside. This was stolen, when his Appendix was operated upon. But, he didn't know.It is like -  He didn't know that his Bank account was short by a million dollars / rupees, until he made his next withdrawal.

I and you know nothing of our bodies in reality - except the outermost layer of our skin. We make lot of assumptions. This is there. That is there. These things do exist inside. These things actually work inside. And so on. One day, Doc says, man, your pancreas are refusing to work; so what shall we do? Well,what? whatever he says. World over, Docs and Pharmacologists etc - are minting money over non-working pancreas.

Many things inside the Body go out of order very frequently. 

Buddha knew it well after his enlightenment. He asked an old lady - please go and find out a person who never fell ill and get me some Mustard seeds from him - and I will make your dead son alive. The lady happily went; but came back  unhappily that there was no such person in the town. Buddha asked her - be happy with that news.

So, let us all be happy - that not only me and you - but my neighbor (and Yours) also falls sick periodically. That's great news.

If things in your house are stolen - remember - you are not alone - there are many others, whose houses themselves are stolen. If you lose your Job, remember, there are thousands of others, who lost bigger Jobs and fatter salaries. If your wife divorces you - ditto. if your husband deserts you , ditto.  If your daughter goes away without telling you - ditto. If your company goes bankrupt - ditto. If you get aids, cancer, dengue or whatever - you are never alone in any of these things. If you die - ditto.

There is nothing in the world which happens to you exclusively. You are never alone in anything - good or bad. Just that - You know it now - and you can live happily hereafter.

Know that You don't know. Knowing that you don't know - makes you know.

Upanishads are very clear on this point. They say categorically - the one who thinks he knows, doesn't know. The one who thinks he doesn't know, knows.

Whoever knows this much has all the possibility to know. Do You?

This is the point. it is not a question of being humble. Humility is EGO IN REVERSE GEAR. Humbleness is ditto. A child is not humble, nor does it practice humility. It knows that mother and father know better. When it grows - this knowledge, that it doesn't know,  goes up in smoke.

Upanishads say - know that you don't know. Once you know this, you will know.

The desire to know - brings you the knowing. Nature brings to you or takes you to - your Guru. Then, starts knowing. It continues, until you begin to feel, you know. That again makes you practice Humility, the ego in reverse gear. You will start saying, i know nothing at all - to everybody, while internally feeling that, I know much better than all these fellows who are listening to me.

You really do not know yet. That's true, though you only say it but don't believe it. When you know THIS, the knowing starts again. This continues until you really know and know that you know.

We said that, all that we really know a little about - is the outermost layer of our skin. That too is not true.

All of us - without exception - have not seen - even the outermost layer of our skin - completely. Test for yourself. When have you seen the Back of your body? Your massage therapist may have seen and touched most, if not all,  parts of your skin. But have you? You haven't. 

This is not possible also. For the simple reason that, every day, your skin is losing millions of cells - and is manufacturing millions of new cells - all without you permission - express or implied. 

What you have seen last week -is not your today's skin. That was long gone. The snake loses once in a quarter or whenever the new skin has formed completely below the old skin. But, You and I do it - all the time. 

Sorry. I am wrong  WE don't do it. Our skin does it all the time. Nothing ever seeks our permission - either to work, or stop working. Your heart, lungs, kidneys, pancreas, digestion, excretion - nothing happens  with your permission - not even with your knowledge.

All that we can do is - eat,drink,bathe,run,walk, sing,talk, see, hear etc.

Even in these - many things happen unconsciously. You eat when you feel hungry - that is when the inner body organs urge you to put some food into them. You drink - at the behest of these inner organs. You bathe - somewhat at your choice. But, if you don't, someday, you will feel compelled. So, it is just periodicity. Every thing happens because of independent, inner organ demands.

You wake up - in the morning. That's what you feel. No. Not at all. You don't. You are woken up - by an unseen force. 

Likewise, You don't sleep. No. you don't have that choice too. You are put to sleep. By an unseen force.

Who is working inside you? Who is doing all these things inside you? 

Not you. You don't fool yourself saying  I am working my inner organs. You don't. On the contrary, they are making you work for them. You are an almost helpless slave to them.

Who the hell are they - that are making you work for them - all day - all the year round - all the life - to keep you alive - to keep themselves alive? Who are they?

There is a consciousness - there is an independent being in there - and if you want to call him God, you are free to do so - because, he is the controller of You - and YOU are controlled by him. 

When you feel the urge to urinate and defecate - Please see, know and understand that - all that happened in you that resulted in this nonsense called Urine etc - and now, its ejection - none of them happened with your consent or your knowledge. You ARE A SLAVE to some thing inside you.

When you love, or make love, there again, don't think you love freely, on your own, with your free and independent will, because of the rights given to you under your country's constitution. It is nonsense again. You are acting as a slave - to a different urge inside you. Somebody rapes. somebody loves. Small differences. But, FREE WILL - There is nothing like that in any of these.

You don't grow a single hair or nail with your free will. Not even President Obama can do this - despite beating Romney in a grueling contest.

The Xs and Ys in all this are - that - You don't know anything about what you see - as your body. 

If that is the case, with what you see,  what is the case with what you don't see - that is, your mind, your thinking, your feeling ????

Its a horrible mess - up in your mind. We will deal with it later.

But Know - that You don't Know - and be happy that you don't know - for - you will know - only when you know that you don't know.

That's Good news !

Paradoxically speaking.

Yours

(v.vijayamohan)

PARADOXICALLY SPEAKING - CAN I (OR YOU) LIKE A SINGLE PERSON ON EARTH TOTALLY?

PARADOXICALLY SPEAKING,

WHO THE HELL IS IT

WHOM I LIKE ?

Many events happen in life. Most of them - are not according to our Plan. 

People come into our life. People go out of our Life.

Likewise, we get into others' lives. We get out of others' lives.

We can easily see this incessant, NON-STOP  Journey on a linear time-path, which is going on - all the time. 

We enter into this time-path somewhere, some time - and we go out of this path, somewhere, some time. 

There is no other time-path - that we can get into.

It is a totally choice-less path. 

Our birth is not the beginning of the path. Nor is our death the end of it. This path is an infinite one.

What was happening before our Birth - we do not know. There are no Doors into that past. There is no backward Journey  allowed on this path.

Likewise, we have no Doors into the future. We can't see the world how it will be one second later - one second in advance. When it comes, we are in it. As simple as that. We can't live anything in Advance. Fast forward journey also is not allowed on this path.

If you are 16 or 65 - you are that. You can't be older or younger by a second NOW. There is no such choice for us.

Did we choose our Parents - or ancestors - or, place of birth - or time of birth - or colour of our skin - or our genetic make up (intelligence-health-diseases etc) - or brothers and sisters - or relations - or mother tongue - or religion - or just about anything of us - what did we choose as our genetic baggage and environmental baggage?

SIMPLY NOTHING ! We came into this world with no choice what so ever !!

And yet, we fight each other - or befriend a few - just on one or the other of these choice-less labels pasted on us at the time of birth !!!

Right now - How many friends do I have with whom my friendship is total - without any arguable differences?

There is none in this world with whom I have no differences of opinion - on one or the other aspects with which he and I are born -

I don't like "his religion" - because, my "BOOK" says so - or, my priest says so - or my co-religionists say so - 

And, because, I don't like his religion, I don't like him (& all of them) too. This is so with the vast majority of the people, like me and him.

In today's world, most conflicts happen because of this factor. When will we stop them? I don't see it happening for the next 100 years. 

I am proud of my place of Birth. I don't like any other place of Birth. Because of this, I am unable to like most people on earth. I can't like people of my neighbouring districts, neighbouring states and neighbouring countries. All of them have qualities I don't like at all.  I don't like them - even if they belong to my religion, because, they are not from my place of Birth. They can't share the waters of the river flowing through my birth place, nor the electricity, nor any thing from my place.

I am proud of my language, though I do not know it fully; or even, sufficiently. But, my language is great. That I know. so, I don't like other languages. So, I don't like people who speak those languages - even if they are of my religion or from my place.

I am proud of caste, though, it may not have any great specialty today. I do not many people of my caste, but, I am proud of my caste. I don't do any thing that my caste people are supposed to do. But, I am proud of my caste. For this reason, I don't like people of other castes - even if they belong to my religion, my language or my place of birth.

I don't like the colour of others' skin - for different reasons. Not that, I am able to like the colour of my skin. When a fairer person passes by me, I dislike him/her. When a person not as fair as I am  passes by me, I dislike him/her also. I don't like them - even if they belong to my caste and my religion, my language and my place of birth.

I used to like the persons of the opposite sex - for no apparent reason. They look better, treat me better (or worse) - or so I thought - for some reason, I liked them - and wanted their company. A few months after I kept their company, I found them not to my liking.

I am still searching for a person - at least one person - whom I can wholeheartedly and completely like for at least  a few years.

Can I succeed?

The way I am, You know I can never succeed. Nor can you - if you are like me. But, You are not like me. 

If you are like me - can I perhaps like You ???

Paradoxically speaking -

= Yours

(v.vijayamohan)

THE CREATOR = THE CRITIC = THE BYSTANDER

Who Changes the World?

How do you change Yourself or the world?

It depends upon how you approach yourself and the world.

Either you can be a creator; or a critic; or a mere bystander, wondering what the other two are doing.

The creators make things happen in this world. They generate ideas, accept ideas, explore possibilities, improve things, create new things, new methods, new paths, and whole new ways of living. Nothing they ever did was perfect. 

Nothing ever will.

But, what matters is – they improves the world; they create; they rejuvenate; they alter life drastically.

Even the Lord God had never created any thing perfect. Nor will he ever in future. His most beautiful creation, the man (and woman) is also imperfect.

He has left every thing in his creation a little imperfect; some times a lot imperfect; – so that man can think and go on improving them; the way God himself does; God loves the creator in the man; the creator sees glimpses of God in himself when he is creating.

And then, there is the Critic;

the critic looks at every thing that the creator creates; the critic finds everything imperfect; and of course, he is right;  he goes on finding the faults; the more, the merrier;

the critic looks at the beautiful, sparkling white wall; and finds the small black spot in it some where;  he then stares  at the small black spot until, he sees only the black spot and not the white wall;

But, if he so chooses, he can be an admirer of the white wall and the black spot; he does rarely. Yes. Critics can turn admirers too.

And then, there are the bystanders, who do not know what the creator and the critic are doing; those who do not understand either the creator or the critic;

but the critic is louder than the creator; so, the bystander often feels the critic is right; actions should speak louder than words; but often, words speak louder than actions. The creator’s actions are overshadowed by the critics words often initially;

but sooner or later, the creator forces his creation on the world; the creation compels attention; world accepts the creations, skeptically and grumblingly initially; and then comes full acceptance; like the world accepted the electricity, the radio, the TV and a host of other creations. The critics fall into dustbin; the creator looks like God, which he is;

life moves on; more colourful than before;

Would you like to be a creator; or critic; or a bystander?

The choice is yours.

= yours

Vuppaladhadiam vijayamohan

Dated 30,May,2011.