Higher Dimensional Science

In a recent discussion somebody posed an interesting question: "How can you be sure of the integrity and antiquity of the Bhagavad-gita? Could it not be a man-made scripture?"

From historical linguistics we can tell that ancient Sanskrit texts are very old. We know they go beyond the human mind, due to the subtleties and nuances of the conversations and descriptions. It would be impossible to cover such expansive topics, in such great detail over multiple volumes of books, and still remain consistent and comprehensible. It just wouldn't be possible according to the capacity of the human brain.

But that still doesn't prove much. The ultimate proof is in the spiritual science the Gita outlines. There is a certain hypothesis about life, a process by which one can directly perceive such truths and ultimately an observation where one actually experiences it. Whereas other spiritual paths seem to culminate in faith, the Gita starts with faith, and then moves on to higher dimensional science.

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Rewind... Play... Fast Forward...

The other day, I was calculating how much time I spend in the 'past'. Often we reflect on times of laughter, recognition and happiness, or lament over mistakes, lost opportunities and bad decisions. Very little of this time has anything to do with progressing our future. It’s all just 'mental download'.

Then I was considering how much time I spend in the 'future'. Visions of success, fame, and respect from others, or fears over obstacles, conflicts and threats to our own comfort. Most of this time is simply hallucination, or worry over things that will probably never happen.

Then I reflected on how much I live in the present. There wasn’t really much time left at all. It seems that when we feel some vacuum in our life, some lacking, then we look to the past and future as sources of comfort. All the while we fail to relish life and the wonderful experiences and interactions we are going through every day. The self-realised souls are completely free from lamentation over the past and hankering for the future, and instead are completely satisfied in the present.

One who is thus transcendentally situated at once realizes the Supreme Brahman and becomes fully joyful. He never laments or desires to have anything. - Bhagavad-gita 18.54

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Religious Extremes

We had an interesting ice breaker at SOAS last week. I asked everyone to introduce themselves and also cite a piece of wisdom that has guided their life. It was amazing to see how universal spiritual ideas and concepts are, spanning cultures across the world.

One religious extreme we often come across is the idea that there is only one way. The notion that spirituality and God consciousness can only be experienced through a certain path and practice never made much sense. We clearly see that there are so many spiritually advanced people from many diverse cultures. How can one tradition have a monopoly over all spirituality? Thankfully, God is not a religious fanatic.

The other extreme is to see all traditions as completely identical. Proponents claim that it doesn't matter what you follow since everyone will end up in the same place eventually. This 'new age' approach may do wonders for PR, but logically and philosophically has no foundation. We clearly see differences in terms of detailed knowledge of the spiritual reality, and the subsequent results for practitioners.

The Vedas outline that there is a unity in diversity. If one is able to go beyond ritualistic, cultural and often superficial differences between religious teachings, at the very essence of each message are the same core principles. However, there is a progression of thought amongst these traditions, each with a different emphasis, and each approaching God with varying levels of intimacy.

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Emotional Issues?

You may have seen the latest ad campaign. Seeing people passionately assert and preach atheism has always baffled me. The idea that we die forever, that there is nothing more than this and that life ultimately has no spiritual value... they basically condemn themselves to complete NONEXISTENCE yet remain inspired and enthusiastic to share the ‘good news’ with everyone. Maybe it’s just me, but it all seems a bit strange.

To logically prove or disprove God is very difficult – yet people fervently hold themselves to the atheistic viewpoint which provides no tangible benefit. The net result of the philosophy is that we are all accidents, our life here has no real meaning, and we are subjected to complete annihilation of identity at the end of this life. I can’t find anything inspirational about that.

It seems that those who dedicate their lives to teaching this most likely have some emotional issue and predisposition to deny God in any shape or form. No offence, but it almost seems stubborn and irrational. Let’s take out all the failings of religion. Let’s forget all the hypocrisy and ritualism in the name of God. Let’s forget all those fire and brimstone sermons aimed at inciting fear in the people. Let’s forget our anxieties of everything that we'd 'miss out on' if God really did exist and we had to follow Him. For a moment, let’s just look at the world rationally as a neutral observer. At least as a working hypothesis, would it not be fair to assume there is some intelligence behind it?

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Mr Nice Guy

A few years ago I was facilitating a session at Kings College London entitled 'Why do bad things happen to good people?' I could see someone in the crowd itching to speak. I gave her the opportunity. "I just want to help others and serve humanity - that is my religion” she said. “If I don't believe in God does that mean I can't be a good person?" It was a sticky situation, especially given the emotion with which she expressed her position. I didn't want to come across judgemental, but shared a few simple thoughts with her.

- To be a good person means to do something beneficial for others
- In order to benefit someone, we need to know something about them - we have to understand what they need
- Until we come to the point of understanding the real self, we cannot understand the real needs of a person
- Self realisation necessitates God realisation - since the soul ultimately comes from God, how can we understand the self if we have no concept of its source?

Even though we may have the best motivations in the world, if we lack knowledge we'll be limited in our attempts to help others. I may desire to help people medically, but if I don't take the time to study medicine my best intentions may be a threat to society. Similarly, we may want to alleviate peoples suffering, but until we understand the root cause of the problems, our best efforts will still be frustrated. The greatest need in society is 'good people' - compassionate, knowledgeable & spiritually realised.

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Principles of freedom

One of our guru's was once asked - "what do you have to give up to become a monk?". He immediately replied "just give up suffering!" It really was spot on. The monastic life is a simple, sublime and happy life, free of worry and anxiety.

That’s not to say, however, that there is no strictness. As monks we refrain from intoxication, meat eating, gambling, and maintain vows of celibacy. These principles liberate one from the dictates of the mind and senses, and allow one to function on the level of spiritual inspiration. Far from limiting the person, such principles help the person to develop a higher consciousness and awareness, enabling them to really exercise free will in the consumerist world we live in.

If a man was jumping off a cliff and a friend demanded "DON'T jump!" - that friendly advice (restrictive as it may sound) would significantly affect the man’s ability to exercise free will in the future. Restriction is not opposed to a freedom. Accepting vows of restraint do not obliterate one’s opportunities for happiness, but instead open up a whole new realm to discover.

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