Practical Spirituality

Time is required for mind to adjust and absorb spiritual ideas.  In a sense, knowledge is not inborn-not imparted.  Modern science of semantics shows that words strain, crack and even break under the might of weight thought.

Knowledge is capable of a three—fold classification: (1) Vishayanubhuthi, (2) Vignanam and (3) Gnanam.  The first of the classification is simple sense-perception-what we see and hear, taste and touch.  They are mere sensations which are not knowledge by themselves; which are only the raw-material for thought.  In the second class of the classification are ideas Correlated sensations, i.e.; percepts have become concepts.  Whole realms of facts have become capable of being reduced to ideas.  In the third category of the classification, the first and second of the categories are sublimated.  By a process of transmutation percepts and concepts are oriented to universal pattern to a divine idea.

Thus Gnanam is integration of knowledge.  When integration takes place, no single idea or concept, will stand out isolated from the rest as unexplained or inexplicable.  Our knowledge mostly consists of isolated facts, which do not cohere in a system.  We learn a fact for example, such as; The Vedas were in existence before the cataclysm (pralayam) which changed the face of Central Asia about B.C. 10,000.  We learn another fact such as Running round the waist of a gigantic statue of Zarathusta which remains since ages, in the circular cave in one of the mountains of Bokhara, there is the awful inscription, “I am He who lives and dies.” These two facts, about the antiquity of the Vedas, and about the inscription with its interesting theory of cosmic evolution – these are facts typical of Vignyanic knowledge.  Possibly, in a person achieving gnanam, these two apparently isolated facts will be harmonized, and an orientation may be given to them, which will then cohere in a cosmic setting.

Gnanam is knowledge of deistic evolution in its entire totality.  Only when we know the nature of the Divine, can we know the direction and destiny of humanity.

The central problem of spirituality is the transmutation of Vignanam into Gnanam.  The personality of man is evolving his mental horizon too is widening.  Every effort of man towards Gnanam is a self-surpassing endeavour.

Two virtues pre-eminently qualify man for this self-surpassing endeavour.  They are courage and devotion.  By courage is meant here a deeper quality than physical daring, or mental stamina.  Courage here means impartiality of outlook – the courage to remain with the dangerous truth at all times and in every situation. A Courage “which no shape of danger can dismay, nor thoughts of tender happiness betray.”  A cleaving to truth at all cost.

Devotion here means, not external forms of worship.  It means that which imbues the active neutrality of selfless service.  Not the negative neutrality of indifference to the suffering of others, upon the theory that, suffering is the result of others, upon the theory that, suffering is the result of past Karmas, divinely decreed, and hence unalterable.

There is gradation in virtues.  Courage and devotion, as virtues, are preceded by “Samabhavana.”  This term, with its wealth of spiritual meaning, can be translated into English as environmental harmony—a state of peace with one’s surroundings and fellow beings.  When there is tension and conflict within ourselves, in the mento-emotional level of our being, we cannot know courage and devotion.

Samabhavana requires that we should learn to look at objects, to regard our environments, which include fellow-beings with sympathy and understanding.  This alone can induce in us the sense of spiritual well being, which nothing can perturb, which will never desert us during our worst difficulties.

The advanced minds of our time are beginning to recognize that there are spiritual causes for our physical maladies, that the complete man is not only body and mind not even individual soul, but the universal spirit itself miniaturized.  The psychosomantic system of medicine which is becoming increasingly popular is based upon the theory of making the cure rest upon the patient’s own sense of responsibility; and his own individual efforts of course scientifically guided and directed.  Such trends of thought indeed are happy signs of advancing knowledge.  Without learning the working of our own psyches we cannot develop spiritual insight.

If we long for a life of idealisms we have to work hard upon the preliminary disciplines.  Facility is begotten of effort.  Spiritual vision is only for those who can master the complexities of mind and phenomena.

Behind philosophical controversies is self-evident truth.  Gnanam is self-acquired knowledge of self-evident truth.  The pre-requisites for it are independence and individual responsibility.  Love of independence distinguishes the striving after perfection—whether in spirituality, or in the practical affairs of life.  The beauty of a life free from fear is itself proof of the existence of spiritual perfection.

What is one’s influence upon surroundings?  That determines what sort of person one is if he has inward peace.  Sambhavana, courage and devotion, they will follow him, as a fragrance and as a recognizable beatitude, wherever he will be.  Of Lord Buddha, tradition reports that his holy aura extended for miles from the place of his immediate presence.  This is said of his visible aura.  His invisible aura was verily illimitable, and still operative, through succession of centuries.

Closely connected with this kind of beatitude is the wonderful power of prophecy.  By prophecy is here meant, not the foretelling of upcoming events but revelation of mystery.  This gift is rare even among saints.  It is given only to him who got interior illumination from within himself, not from another.  This power is only for the truly self-realized; the wholly independent; those who have disciplined themselves in the ways of ethical action; who have discovered truth, not only in penance and meditation, but in the perfection of virtuous conduct.

The mysticism of the highest sainthood is not in abstraction from human situation, not in academic knowledge of the absolute, not in possession of occult powers, not in theology of religion, but in conduct, in morality and ethics.  Only those who have achieved personal purity of conduct are entitled to impart moral injunctions (Dharmopadesam) and prescribe ethical codes of conduct.  The experience of others is tainted; their conclusions, hence, are unsound and invalid upon the question of righteousness (Dharma).  Unfailing virtue is not mere conformity to external standards of conduct.  It is in the nature of an unfailing impulse to righteous action, from the super conscious.

Because of this impulse for righteousness indeed in the saintly nature, there is no struggle of the kind that others experience.  In the recorded prayers of saints, there are, no doubt, references here and there to inner struggles.  But they have correspondence to contemporaneous historical conflicts, or to the perpetual predicaments of humanity.  Such historical conflicts, and human travail, may become the background for their spiritual experience.  But their spiritual vision cannot be clouded by them.  The saintly spiritual experiences are like a stairway, each step of which is a jewel of moral virtue.

What make a saint unique are virtues which are referable to intuition.  The mystical utterances all have eternal unanimity with regard to one thing—the indispensability of the moral life.  What is moral life?  It can be defined as a life of honour and truthfulness.  Honour the divinity within; be truthful to the divinity without.  Here, the intimate experiences of the mystic, and the practical conclusions of the philosopher are at last in agreement.

Religious emotion is significant as fostering moral virtue.  Mystical experiences occur in the human context and have tremendous import for their bearing upon the spiritual destiny of man.  The ideal universal prayer finds its classic formulation in the Sanskrit language, “Subhamasthu” which means, may good triumph, may virtue be victorious.  In the moral life is the culmination of spirituality.

–          M. Narayanan Unni

One Response to “Practical Spirituality”

  1. Jai mata !
    Just a few thoughts that crossed my mind. A fascinating aspect of knowledge is that simple bhaktas absorb it quicker than the philosophers ! While the Gopis not ronly ecognised the God in Krishna and understood his ways and means, the sages gaped at Rama and said “We know you only as Dasratha’s son”. God reveals Himself fully to the bhakta rather than the jnani ! Not only that the knowledge is translated in to experience to the bhakta ! Knowledge without experience of the purported knowledge is a mere play of words. The best of knowledges are obtained by mere taking the name of the Guru in fervour ! The Word of the Guru and His Name is supreme source of all knowldges – be it spiritual or material !

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