by Naresh Jotwani, Jayram Daya, R. Srinivasan
This is an attempt to summarize, using a broad sweep, global events over the past few centuries. Viewpoints may differ, of course, but it is hoped that the summary does capture the essentials.
Continue reading A STORY IN THREE BROAD SWEEPSby Naresh Jotwani
Foreword:
Based on an earlier post on this blog (here), Keshav Vaze raised a very interesting question. His question prompted me to look for a rational answer, in the sense defined below. Some prior knowledge of Spinoza and of Vedant helped in formulating the answer, which I hope the reader will find to be of interest.
Keshav:
As an exercise in logic, can we arrive at Santana Dharma – that is, eternal law – through a point of view which is not anthropocentric?
Consider this excerpt from an earlier post:
A broadly accepted list of virtues in our tradition is this: generosity, morality, renunciation, wisdom, perseverance, forbearance, truthfulness, determination, love and equanimity.
According to Spinoza, these concepts of ethics are human-centric, but there is no basis for believing that God — or Nature or some law of Physics — created the universe with humans in mind. In Spinoza’s philosophy, humans are not considered inherently more important than any other part of nature.
According to Spinoza, true ethical behaviour arises from understanding our place within this unified system and aligning our actions with the natural order. In this way, we can talk rationally about ecology, environmental protection, bio-diversity … et cetera.
Continue reading East meets westby Naresh Jotwani and K. M. Chandrashekharan
Naresh Jotwani:
(1) In the age of the ancient Rishis, spiritual knowledge was imparted by Rishis to small groups of disciples. Few means of transportation and communication were available, and therefore the education must have proceeded without distraction.
(2) Today, educational institutes, run by highly business- oriented managements, impart education to millions, all of whom have the primary objective of learning how to earn. At the same time, means of transportation, communication and entertainment are all-persavive, resulting in all kinds of distractions during student life.
If truth and the search for truth are essential in any healthy society, what do the above two observations imply?
Continue reading Mind the three T’s!between Naresh Jotwani and Jayram Daya
Naresh Jotwani:
Namaste, Jayrambhai!
I summarise my views on Advaita very briefly, as follows:
(1) I believe firmly in the truth of Advaita, and like to conduct my life — to the extent that is possible! — in consonance with Advaita.
(2) For that reason, I am extremely sceptical about anyone claiming ‘God-given’ rights or ‘God-given’ identity. Very often, ‘God-given’ rights exclude totally any matching ‘God-given’ duties and responsibilities! In other words, ‘God’ is defined by people merely to suit their needs and instincts.
(3) A broadly accepted list of virtues in our tradition is this: generosity, morality, renunciation, wisdom, perseverance, forbearance, truthfulness, determination, love and equanimity.
I take these virtues as being universal, and respect greatly any tradition which regards these virtues as primary — whether or not the tradition claims to be blessed by a ‘God’.
(4) In ‘materialistic pursuit’, many wrong actions are justified in the name of ‘God’, ‘manifest destiny’ … or some other BS.
I would appreciate very much your views on this broad topic.
Continue reading Honest exchange #1by R. Srinivasan and Jayram Daya
R. Srinivasan:
My question is: Why do our thoughts on life, death and other spiritual issues crop up only when we grow old, and usually face a health crisis? Then we start wondering about the futility of life’s material pursuits. Why are we born, only to die eventually? What is the reason for the life-death cycle in this universe in the first place? What is its purpose?
I share my thoughts and questions here as a seeker of truth. I have been exposed to many views on this subject, starting from my childhood, and through reading and listening to our traditional philosophy. But I am still asking this basic question again and again, without attaining clarity in my mind.
Continue reading WHY NOW?by Naresh Jotwani and R. Srinivasan
Should I try to be a moral person? A nice guy? A law-abiding citizen? Or would that turn me into a loser? An impractical dreamer?
How do I become a winner? A realist?
Can I become a cunning operator in a philanthropist’s garb? Is that option available to me? Or only to some billionaires? Is greed really good – as they say on Wall Street?
Questions, questions … and more questions! But – alas! – no clear answers!
In the hope that a discussion around such questions would be of interest to everyone, we attempt here an exploration of some basic issues.
Continue reading Two Powerful Wordsby Naresh Jotwani
A young physicist on vacation, trekking through a dense jungle, had to spend a night at a hamlet with a tribe of friendly jungle-dwellers. In the morning, fully rested, he saw tribal elders praying in front a few small piles of dust of different colours. The dust was yellow in one pile, orange in another, red in yet another … and so on. The coloured piles were neatly arranged in a geometric pattern.
Continue reading SCIENCE OR TRUTH…?by Ashok Jain
Foreword
Guest author Ashok Jain (brief profile here) has followed up on Jayram’s post by pointing out the crucial association between Democracy and Dharma.
While no system is perfect, democracy is better than the other forms of government which have been tried, such as autocracy, feudalism, communism, fascism, religious fanaticism et cetera. Democracy is ingrained in Indian political and religious thought from times immemorial, quite simply because it is ingrained in the concept of Dharma. Dharma provides a sense of fairness in society – as against blind adherence to rules and laws. Additional societal values infused by Dharma are equality, fraternity and justice for all.
Continue reading Democracy as Dharmaby Jayram Daya
Editors’ foreword:
Today we see tensions and conflicts in many parts of the world, caused by internal strife and external pressures, which affect the lives of ordinary people. The former colonial order has disintegrated, giving way to countries which – in theory – are sovereign. A sovereign country should aim to improve the lives of her citizens, but the country is also affected by pressures from the outside. Meanwhile, the old colonial powers find their own backyards affected by globalization, leading to backlash against immigrants. Western power is being challenged by emerging nations which have come together to resist hegemony and improve the lives of their citizens.
We all seem to be visited by that famous Chinese curse: May you live in interesting times!
In this context, our friend Jayram Daya shares his insights from his hometown of Standerton in South Africa. Readers are invited to post their views as comments.
Continue reading Whither democracy?by Jayram Daya
Moments that touch my senses create memories that shape how I see myself. I had this experience rather intensely while watching the recent Olympics, where my role as an observer taught me a lot about human emotions.
I noticed how my feelings would change based on whether I was cheering for the winners or feeling sorry for the losers. When someone I liked won, I felt pure joy, with no thought of those who lost. But when my favourite person lost, I felt disappointment and even resentment towards the winner.
This made me realize how our emotions are tied to personal preferences and connections. It also showed me that by thinking about and understanding our feelings, we can better manage them, seeing the human side in all our experiences.
Exploring ‘Me and Myself’ also helped me understand why people seek happiness and excitement. Here are some of my observations:
Interestingly, people sometimes even prepare for losing, for the following reasons:
All these elements combine to make live sports events a part of our culture and entertainment.
What is happiness?
Everyday experience suggests that happiness is a state of mind born from sensory moments. It can be brief and powerful, but it is often tied to the moment. As I narrated above, this became clear to me as I watched the Olympics. My emotions were a reflection of my connections, my likes, and my sense of patriotism.
This got me thinking about why we are so happy when things are our way, and why happiness often does not involve any compassion for others. I realized that our emotions are tied to our desires. When our hopes are fulfilled, we feel joy, but when they are not, disappointment can cloud our ability to appreciate others’ success.
I learned that true happiness might not come from winning, but from appreciating the effort and the spirit behind both victory and defeat. Happiness, in its purest form, is about understanding and accepting both victory and defeat.
Winning and losing
Through my study of ‘Me and Myself’, which reflects the connection between my inner self and outer persona, I noticed how emotions are expressed physically and emotionally in moments of victory and defeat.
When someone wins, they often run towards their loved ones and hug them tight, joy evident in their laughter and tears. But when someone loses, the pain can be overwhelming, leading to tears, frustration, and a desire to be alone.
These experiences illustrate that all five senses — sight, sound, touch, taste and smell — play a role in expressing happiness or sadness. The body also responds in other ways, relieving stress through bodily gestures that express our feelings.
This understanding highlights the deep connection between our bodies and minds in these intense moments. It also raises the question of whether we can discipline our senses to manage these expressions better.
What does ‘Me and Myself’ mean?
‘Me and Myself’ represents the connection between my inner self and outer persona, embracing my uniqueness and solitude. Spiritually, I see ‘Me’ as consciousness, and ‘Myself’ as the one who interacts with the five senses.
The mind, as ‘the sense within’, processes and integrates information from the five senses, enabling thought and consciousness. Happiness is therefore a state of mind born from sensory moments, integrating information from the five senses and the mind — ‘the sense within’ — processing and interpreting sensory data.
Ananda
Further reflection activated a realization that mastering the senses, as emphasized in ancient Indian tradition, can lead to a stable mind. Sat-chit-ananda is a Sanskrit term that describes the true nature of reality as existence, consciousness, and bliss. It refers to the ultimate, unchanging reality known as Brahman. Sat means existence; chit means consciousness, and ananda means bliss, the absence of suffering.
Unlike momentary happiness tied to external objects, ananda is a profound, inner bliss, which is not dependent on the material world, but is a spiritual joy experienced deep within.
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