HINDUSIM,IS IT A COMBINTION OF CULTURES, RELIGON OR SCIENCE?

[NOV]

I feel that more than the guru, the student must be ready. And passing of teachings from one generation to next, isnt that a duty?

Can you tell me how we can keep emotions in check.... that could be the first step towards spirituality attainment?

[anbu_kathir]

I feel that more than the guru, the student must be ready. And passing of teachings from one generation to next, isnt that a duty?

Can you tell me how we can keep emotions in check.... that could be the first step towards spirituality attainment?

Of course, the student has to be ready, but it is purely the Guru's (the one who is already "free") grace that the student can receive the teaching. This because such a Guru has no obligation to teach, because he/she is not bound by the world and does not care about any of the benefits he accrues from doing anything at all. So no, it is not the "duty" of the Guru to teach for duties are for those who are still bound/attracted by what the world has to offer. So the word that is generally used in this is situation is "compassion", as the Guru teaches for no benefit (or to avoid no curse .. not even as a gratitude towards the lineage itself).

The short answer to your question is that - unselfish action along with an humble attitude will automatically generate the ability to regulate emotions.

However, towards a proper answer to your question, it is necessary to have some understanding of the Indian philosophical systems ( and I also do not know what your idea of "spiritual attainment" is, so anything more that I mention directly will result in more confusion). So, here goes. I have to use the technical terms from Sanskrit here, as they is imperative to have any meaningful discussion in this topic.

The Indian systems traditionally starts by recognising the individual (called Jeeva/Jiva - and is not restricted to a single birth) and his goals (called Purushaartha-s in the Indian systems) in life. There are 4 such Purushaarthas (SS and I mentioned the connections to the Tamil words and ThirukkuraL here http://www.mayyam.com/talk/showthrea...330#post689330) :
1. Artha (food/clothing/shelter) = PoruL from the ThirukkuraL
2. Kaama (any additional comfort) = Inbam
3. Dharma (proper -actually the only true- means of acquiring above) = Aram = One could say in simple terms as a certain degree of Unselfishness.
4. Moksha (liberation - "from what?" is an obvious question here, answered briefly next) - this is known as the Parama Purushaartha or ultimate goal. = Veedu

All of these four are in reality only ramifications of the Individual's need to be happy, and any of the results that motivate our actions can be classified into one of these.

Now coming to the question of the not so self-explanatory "Moksha" in the list. If one enquires into the nature of happiness, it can be seen clearly that the objects of the world (Artha/Kaama therefore) in themselves do not possess happiness, and moreover whatever pleasure one derives out of the objects is only temporary. Moreover, the individual can also recognise that whenever he depends/expects something beneficial to happen to him - and it doesn't happen, he is disturbed and suffers. This expectation/dependency is essentially the only reason for suffering (note here that we exclude physical pain - even with physical pain one need not suffer mentally). Therefore, all this analysis begs at the question - can there be permanent happiness/contentment, which is undisturbed by the occurrences of the world, at all? If the answer is yes, the individual definitely would want to have it. Now, the Indian system says that there is indeed such a thing, and this is termed generically as Moksha (thereby meaning Liberation from suffering AKA from the dependency on the objects of the world for happiness).

From now on, I will subscribe to a particular philosophy called Advaita Vedantha AKA Non-Dualism (there are several other Indian philosophical systems, including Atheistic ones, I don't know much about them more than their names). Advaita is strangely both atheistic and theistic, but this again is a deviation from our goal here.

The path of the individual for achieving these goals is divided in Advaita into two subpaths, each of which each Jiva must necessarily go through. The first one, called Karma Yoga (EDIT: Karma Yoga cum Upaasana Yoga) involves the preparation of the individual to enter into the second subpath, caleed Jnana Yoga, which alone confers Moksha on the individual. Note that in both of these two subpaths, "humility" is a prime requisite. The quality of humility is signified in Advaita by Bhakthi - devotion/surrender to a higher order/power/personal god/impersonal god/life (as per one's mentality this entity can be changed).

Karma Yoga - is the path of action according to Dharma. The individual performs the different duties prescribed in the Veda for the time/space he occupies and the mental/physical capacities that he possesses. It is reasonable indeed to expect that this stage could be variable for different people, and the only real judge of whether one is a practising Karma Yogi is a self-assessment of whether one is being Dharmic (unselfish-broadly) and has Bhakthi (a humble attitude towards life).

EDIT: Upaasana Yoga is an integral part of the first subpath which can be combined with Karma Yoga to yield more benefit and clarity of mind to enter the second subpath. All of the mental practices, including that of the various forms of meditations, come under Upaasana Yoga. If I am not wrong, this is also called Raaja Yoga.

EDIT: The performance of Karma/Upaasana reaps two kinds of benefits depending upon the mindset of the performer of Karma/Upaasana. If that person performs these activities for selfish reasons, then they give the first two purushaarthas (Kaama/Artha) in heaps and bounds, but however much one may receive here, one would not have progressed anywhere in the realm of real spirituality and permanent happiness.

EDIT: If on the other hand the performer does perform Karma/Upaasana with the attitude of surrendering all the benefits of his actions to a higher perform, wanting nothing for himself, then such a person receives the necessary qualifications to enter into the second subpath, and therefore into real spirituality.

Therefore, a practising Karma/Upaasana Yogi, as it turns out, achieves the necessary qualifications to go into the subpath of Jnaana Yoga, which is the only way towards Moksha . These qualifications are four-fold and can be read here - http://swamij.com/sadhana-chatushtaya-shatsampat.htm. One of these qualifications is Sense-control, and thereby your question is answered.

Jnaana Yoga is the beginning of real spirituality, and is to be undertaken strictly under the guidance of a Guru who is already well versed in the scripture and if possible himself "achieved" Moksha. An explanation of Jnaana Yoga is trickier and looks at more fundamentals - I tried to bring out some facets in the old thread - http://www.mayyam.com/talk/showthrea...330#post689330 - but it is probably much beyond the scope of this post as of now.

Sincerely,
Prasad.

[anbu_kathir]

Did I chase everyone away :P?

[NOV]

Deep thoughts Prasad -ji.
Let me mull over "unselfish action along with an humble attitude will automatically generate the ability to regulate emotions."
This itself is difficult enough for the materialistic among us.

[pradheep]

but then how is it applied in plants ?
Plants structures also has some similarity (long stamens carrying male pollen and sac like ovary of females) similar to higher animals.

[pradheep]

By doing yoga and Meditation can you actually activate the Pineal Gland?
Astrology talks about sun, moon and stars. But in reality, astrological sun and moon are not these physical sun and moon. Yet the physical sun and moon's properties do reflect qualities of astrological sun and moon. This is similar to Pancha Bhoota's air water, fire etc. The physical is not the real the vedas talk about, at the same time the physical do reflect the qualities. This applies to the pineal gland. Yoga, mediation activates not the physical pineal gland and at the same time, the physical pineal gland reflects those qualities.

Again this applies to chakras and the experiences too. For every "relative" level, the experiences are so valuable. However at the absolute level, they dont matter. For a child, the school experiences are so exciting to be shared. But for a grownup they may not be anything to be considered. A matured grownup, accepts the child's experiences and at the same motivates to go beyond the experiences to "knowledge".

[PARAMASHIVAN]

but then how is it applied in plants ?
Plants structures also has some similarity (long stamens carrying male pollen and sac like ovary of females) similar to higher animals.

Yes , that is true, this thought slipped my mind

[PARAMASHIVAN]

Pradheep

What is the "significance of having a nandi" in front of the Adhi moolum? I have also read some where that "initially" the Nandi was facing the lord (before the Aryan invasion) and the Aryan built temples made the nandi to face the opposite side (that is not facing the adhi moolum). The apparent reason for the Nadi to be facing the Lord is to display "Ashwini Mutra/ Chakra”. If Try to Explain this, it may be a bit rude in hub. But I was told that the reason for Nandi to facing the lord is to display the "Ashwini mutra". Is this true? But Ashwini is a Sanskrit word for horse right?

[PARAMASHIVAN]

Way to keep away from "Emotions" is to keep your inner energy (Soul) away from the physical body! All emotions and pain are phyiscal, even the mind is physical.

[pradheep]

Pradheep

What is the "significance of having a nandi" in front of the Adhi moolum?

Nandi
Five ways to understand as per Sakthi foundation uni5 principles.
Body level : Nandi represents an individual (identified to body) who looks for a purpose in life, a goal, Eternal happiness (Shiva). This is a message , temple is giving that everyone should should have such a goal in life.
Mind Level: Nandi represents and individual (mind) who understand that peace of mind comes only when keeping the mind thinking of Shiva the Consciousness. Nandi dances as a gana with joy in kailasa.
Intelligence level: Nandi represents Dharma (intelligence) our focus towards righteous actions.
Awareness Level: Nandi represent the Awareness we have on Consciousness.
Consciousness Here Nandi identifies to Shiva, the Consciousness.

(more details click here)