In the name of GODDESS

                                                           

                                                                     

 When we see picture of goddess Durga in the form of Kali, Chandi, or Chamunda having terrible giant black skin, huge red tongues, many arms holding weapon, necklaces of human head gives the glimpse of Dashain festival. It’s a time for celebration with family, relative and friends. The dark-side of this celebration appear on ‘Maha Ashtami’ when countless innocent buffalo, goats and birds are sacrificed in the name of Goddess Durga to enrich one with power and wealth from the Goddess. Does it make sense? It is not a matter of debate whether killing animals to please Goddess is righteous or wrong. Living or non-living things, we are part of organic unity. In the absence of one, a picture on the canvas is incomplete. Slaughtering animal shows that we have no respect for nature.

I have been through different religious scripture to know how scripture are shaping the believers’ consciousness. There are three main religions originated in the Middle East, these three religions appear to be similar. Judaism believes in Torah, it is similar to Old Testament of Christian holy Bible. It prohibits the consumption of blood but allows flesh (Genesis 9:4) “Only flesh with the life thereof, which is the blood thereof, Shall you not eat”. (Leviticus 17:14) “You shall eat the blood of no manner of flesh; for the life of all flesh is the blood thereof”.

The extracted lines from holy book reminded me the drama, named “Merchant of Venice” written by William Shakespeare where we can encounter with a situation of a person who has taken loan under contract. The contract states that if the person is not able to pay back the loan within the stipulated time then in return one pound flesh will be cut off from his body. Accordingly, drama progresses and the court states that “start cutting, but if you shed any blood, your life is forfeited.” The verdict is funny as a story of Bible. Is it possible to have flesh without blood shedding? Similarly, Muslim holy book Quran support for non-vegetarianism (5:3, 2:173, and 6:145) says, “In all that has been revealed unto me, I do not find anything forbidden to eat, unless it be carrion, or blood poured forth, or the flesh of swine.”

The oriental religions prohibit slaughtering animal for food but many followers are going on against their own religion. Jainism is the first religion which preached vegetarianism. Hindu scriptures, too, advocate for vegetarianism. Yajur Veda (34-51) says, “They that trouble others for the sake of their own good are Rakshas (monster) and they that eat the flesh of birds and beasts are Pisachas (Devil). In Surangama Sutra, Gautam Buddha says, “If a man can control his body and mind and thereby refrains from eating animal flesh and wearing animal products, I say he will really be liberated”. The Sikh scripture Guru Grantha Sahib strongly condemned meat consumption. It says, “You kill living beings, and call it a righteous action. Tell me, brother, what would you call an unrighteous action?”

As we know that food affects the mind, we are what we eat. It is impossible to upgrade human consciousness unless they stop absorbing animals. Those who practice meditation can understand the meaning of vegetarian food and reincarnation because their consciousness becomes so pure and sensitive to understand the spiritual fact. Shri Madbhagavad Gita speaks about eating only high-quality food, because food shapes the personality, mood and mind.

Indian mystic Osho says, “Life in its infinite forms exists as one organic unity. We are part of it: the part should feel reverence for the whole. That is the idea of vegetarianism. It simply means: don’t destroy life, because life is God. It is really just a question of aesthetics: one’s sensitivity, one’s respect and one’s reverence for life.”

Not only from aesthetics point of view, slaughtering animal not good from environmental point of view.  A study of the production and distribution of 20 common agricultural products, conducted by the Environmental Working Group (EWG), found that red meat such as beef and lamb is responsible for 10 to 40 times as many greenhouse gas emissions as common vegetables and grains. As millions of people living in the emerging economies are craving for more meat in their food, it’s obviously going to have a huge environmental impact.

Consumption of vegetables and fruits is associated with a substantially lower risk for many chronic diseases, including certain types of cancer. Research has shown that people who follow a vegetarian diet are at a lower risk for obesity, cardiovascular disease, hypertension, type 2 diabetes, diverticulitis, renal disease, some cancers (including lung and breast), and gallstones. Vegetarian diets have also been shown to benefit people who already have 2 type of diabetes. In one study, 43% of the people with type 2 diabetes who ate a low-fat vegan diet reduced their need for diabetes medications. The reason for these health benefits comes from the lower intakes of saturated fat and cholesterol and the higher intakes of complex carbohydrates, dietary fiber, certain minerals, and photochemical. Cholesterol is only found in animal foods, so vegan diets are completely cholesterol-free.

Naturally there are differences between the habit and physical appurtenance of vegetarian and non vegetarian animals. During the birth eyes are open to those babies who are naturally vegetarian and eyes are close to those babies who are natural non-vegetarian. For example man, cow, buffalo, goat etc. are vegetarian so their eyes are open during birth and in contrary lion, tiger, dog, cat etc are non-vegetarian who has closed eyes for few days after the birth. Vegetarian suck/drink the water while non-vegetarian licks the water. Vegetarian animal has flat teeth while non vegetarian has canine teeth.

Lion eats meat but does not eat our fruits but so called civilized human beings are trespassers. We must be held accountable for ecological disorder and pollution. From the gender perspective also, men slaughter animals while women encourage it. Men are bound to stop slaughtering animals if women stop cooking meat and decorating it on the dining table. By birth, babies are not flesh eaters but they are conditioned by our so called socio-cultural ritual. Vegetarian foods are good for healthy living but our society still largely allows slaughtering animals in the name of various rituals and festivals. There is a need for a conscious social movement to end such an inhuman practice. We have no right to destroy the God’s creation if we can’t create it.  

By Giri Bahadur Sunar

Giri Bahadur Sunar DC Nepalcom Samakon 29 Augutst 2014

The Great Poet, Kabir Das

                                                                                    

                                                        

                                                                                                          

Kabir Jayanti reminded me those schooling days of mine in Assam, a province of India. When, I read a poem of Kabir Das as it was included in my curriculum of compulsory Hindi subject, a chapter dedicated to Kabir Das with the title of “Kabir Ke Dohe”.  In those days, poems were not interesting topic for me, with the growth of my age I have realized that I was lucky enough to know little bit of Kabir even in my childhood. Now, belatedly I am realizing that Kabir Das was pearl of Poetry, poet among the poets. Apart from my childhood experience of Kabir, my beloved master Osho added more interest toward Kabir through his discourses and bhajan which played during spiritual gathering.  My love to Kabir urges me to visit Magahar where his Samadhi is located near from Gorakhpur railway station and Kabir Chauraha in the forest of Amarkantak where Kabir stayed and sang his poetry during his tour. Kabir Das is very popular among Nepalese too; there are many ashrams around Kathmandu city where Kabir followers are practicing his teaching. To dedicate my love to Kabir Das, I have done little bit research and heard discourses of Kabir given by Osho as he is very important figure in spiritual world.

There are plenty of legends associated with his the  birth and death of Kabir Das; some people says that, he was born in a Muslim weaver family, while others say that he was born to a Brahmin widow. It is quite difficult to say much more about his life with certainty. It is understandable believe that the mystical poet and great Saint Kabir Das was born in the year 1440 and died in the year 1518.  The message about his life and work that has come down from his own time has been embellished by oral tradition and manipulated by religious groups with their own agenda, to a point where it is impossible to establish even such basic facts as the places and dates of Kabir Das birth and death. The popular story is that his mother was said to be a virgin widow who conceived through a blessing given by the great teacher of South India, Ramananda, on a visit to the spiritual quest. Ramanand, while blessing her, offered her the usual wish that she might conceive a son, not knowing her state of widowhood. After the birth of Kabir, his mother abandoned him in the corner of the bridge near the pond because of social fear and hypocrisy of then Brahmin family. The small baby boy was found and adopted by a Muslim weaver family.

His early upbringing is much clearer.  Kabir was raised among a Muslim community of weaver. He lived most of his life in Banaras and he was a weaver by profession, one of a low ranked caste that had become largely Muslim in Kabir time.  He was never formally educated and was almost completely illiterate. From his childhood, Kabir was deeply devoted to God and he felt attracted towards the Bhakti philosophy of Hindu saint Ramananda. Being Muslim, Kabir hoped to become a disciple of the Hindu mystic Ramananda. In the beginning Ramanada was not agreeing to accept Kabir as his disciple because of Kabir’s caste and religion as Muslim, realizing that his chances were slim, He lay down on the steps of the bathing ghat where Ramananda was in the habit of going down for his predawn ritual. In the dark he stepped on the young boy and aghast that he had trampled underfoot a human being and he uttered the divine name, "Rama! Rama!" for his mistake, after that Ramananda accept him as his disciple. His guru has given him the name of Lord Rama as a guru mantra which he mentions in his own way. Ramananda's Hindu attendants as well as local Muslim observers were outraged, but Kabir continued to claim discipleship with the Ramananda, and the great saint was impressed with his persistence.

Kabir Das is often depicted in modern times as a harmonizer of Hindu and Muslim belief and practice. Kabir was influenced by the Hindu religious thoughts but side by side, he learnt much of Islam. He felt greatly attracted towards the Sufis. He found the substance of both the religions dearest to his heart.  Kabir strove for the one truth. He described himself as the son of both Ram and Allah. It represented a synthesis of Hindu and Muslim concepts. From Hinduism he accepts the concept of reincarnation and the law of Karma and from Islam he takes the affirmation of the single god and the rejection of caste system and idolatry. Not only did Kabir influence the Muslims and Hindus but he is one of the major inspirations behind Sikhism as well. The basic religious principles he espoused were simple, according to him, all life is interplay of two spiritual principles. One is the personal soul and the other is God. It was Kabir's view that salvation is the process of bringing into union these two divine principles.

 Kabir was bold preacher. He criticized the outer modes of religions. His satires were aimed at the orthodox Maulavis and Pundits. He asked who the Lord of Earth is if Allah stays inside Mosque. Who is looking after the world if Rama is inside the image? To Kabir Rama does not exist in the east and Allah in the west. They, as one, are inside the human heart. Human being’s duty is to surrender to the will of God. Muslims place him in Sufi lineages, and for Hindus he becomes a Vaishnava. Kabir believed in the sameness of Hinduism and Islam as far as the love of God was concerned. To him, the true love of God could be achieved only through devotion or Bhakti. This devotion should come from within the heart, not from external shows. He criticized the formalities of all religions, worships or prayer in temples or mosques was meaningless without true devotion. By emotional Bhakti, man could come nearer to God. Kabir said with courage: “if by worshiping stones one can find God, I shall worship as mountain: better than these stones (idols) are stones of the flour mill with which men grind their corn.”

Kabir's poetry is best known in the west through Rabindranath Tagore's translation, published in 1915; all quotations in this essay are taken from that translation. The authenticity of the 100 "Songs of Kabir" contained in that volume which has been questioned, but there is no such thing as an authentic body of Kabir's words, apart from Tagor, Osho the mystic of twenty first century  has contributed immensely  to resurrect  Kabir once again through his discourses and book around the world. Kabir  is ranks among the world's greatest poets. Kabir played the role of a teacher and social reformer by the medium of his poetry, which mainly consisted of the two line verses called Dohas. He composed devotionals Bhajans, known as the Kabir Doha. His songs touched heart and roused emotion. Kabir, being illiterate, expressed his poems orally in vernacular Hindi, borrowing from various dialects including Avadhi, Braj, and Bhojpuri. His messages were mainly based on the concept of reincarnation and karma. His orally transmitted message includes Bijak, Sakhi Granth, Kabir Granthawali and Anurag Sagar. Kabir's philosophy about life was very clear-cut. He believed in living life in a very simplistic manner.

The story says that Kabir Das has chosen his place of death, Magahar which is located about 30 km away from Gorakhpur railway station in order to remove the myth from the people’s mind that one who takes his last breaths and die in the region of Magahar would never get place in heaven as well as take birth of donkey in the next life, Kabir Das died in Magahar instead of Kashi just because of breaking the myths and superstitions of people. It is believe that those who die in Kashi go to the heaven directly that is why Hindu people go to the Kashi during their last time and wait for death in order to attain the salvation but Kabir died out of Kashi to demolish the established myth.

Dozens of legends that surround his life and death, It is said that Hindus and Muslims wrangled over his dead body, with the Hindus wanting to cremate it according to custom, while Muslims argued that he should be buried. In the midst of the argument, Kabir appeared in the air and told the disputants to pull back the cloth that covered him. They did so, and found a pile of flower petals. The petals were divided, with the Muslims burying their half and the Hindus burning theirs. Half of these were burnt after the Hindu custom at a spot now known as Kabir Chaura in Benares, and the rest were buried at Maghar, which became the headquarters of the Mohammedan portion of the sect that still follows Kabir. Kabir attracted countless Hindus and Muslims. By the time of his death, he was renowned as a great saint. Kabir was the foremost champion of Hindu-Muslim unity. The members of Kabir followers are known as the Kabir Panthis, a religious community that recognizes him as its founder who had extended all over the over north, central India and some part of Nepal.

 By Giri Bahadur Sunar

Celebration, Fact, Revolution and Teaching of Buddha

Buddha Jayanti is widely celebrated across the world on full moon day with ritual prayers; meditation and sermon on the life of Gautam the Buddha, according to the English Calendar Gautam the Buddha became 2557 years old on 14th May, 2014. This day has great significance because it is thrice blessed day, on this day Gautam the Buddha was born, enlightened and left his physical body. Those countries which follow Buddhism, celebrate full moon day as a public holiday in honor to Buddha, the decision made to celebrate Buddha birthday was formalized at the first conference of the world fellowship of Buddhist held in Shri Lanka in 1950. Buddha Jayanti is a very special day so on this day monasteries and Boddhi tree are beautifully decorated with colorful flags, candle and incense are offered in prayer, scented water is sprinkled in the root of Boddhi tree and reciting Buddhist scripture is common practice.

Out of four important Buddhist pilgrims, one falls in Lumbini, Nepal where Gautam the Buddha was born and other three falls in India; Bodh-Gaya where he achieve enlightenment, Saratnath where he gave his first sermon after enlightened and Kushinagar where he left his physical body at the age of 80. There is only 9% Buddhist in Nepal out of total population (CBS-2011) while India has 0.8% (2001) only, and interesting part is that we are debating on the right birth place of Buddha without any shame. The world knows that Buddha was born in Nepal while India is preaching contrary to pollute the established truth, it must be long term strategy of India to misguide the upcoming generation; the fact is that, the power has always dominated the historical truth. It is our poor mentalities to bind such a liberator in man made political boundary, enlightened master are asset of whole humanity. It is our misfortune that we are not able to rightly grasp the Buddha teaching otherwise why there is big gap in our national population. We must not forget that the world’s largest Buddhist populated country is Thailand where there are 95% of its total population are Buddhist, like wise Cambodia has 90 %, Myanmar 88%, Bhutan 75%, Sri Lanka 70 %, Tibet 65%, Laos 60%, Vietnam 55%, Japan 50%, Macau 45%, Taiwan 43%. Presently, Buddhism is becoming very much popular among European and American due to its openness, non-violence and scientific for the modern people. Buddhism was not able flourish immensely in India and Nepal as it flourishes in other county because of similarity in-between Hindu and Buddhism teaching.

Buddha accepted many followers in his Sangha without any discrimination on the basis of caste, color, gender and geographical boundary. The upper caste believed that accepting lower caste and women in a Sangha may disrupt the existing order in society but Buddha did not care. In the beginning Buddha was little bit confused so he refused his foster mother Maha Prajapti saying that it was not yet time for women to become nuns. Maha Prajapati took revolutionary step by shaving her head; putting on orange robs of monk with fifty other women and she went again to the Buddha, the very revolutionary incident forces Buddha to reconsider his word and agree to ordinate women as a nun. That incident was the most revolutionary idea of that time. Buddha believes that male and female has an equal capacity for Buddha hood. Since then Buddhism open to all, weather rich or poor, men or women, lower cast or upper without any boundary of Nation.

According to the legend, it is believe that Sidhartha Gautam was born in 563 BC, fully awakened on the night of full moon in Lumbini Nepal near the present border of Northern India from the womb of Queen Maya Devi and father King Sudrodhana. King Sudrodhana was the ruler of small feudal Kingdom of Sakya Clan in Kapilvastu, Nepal. During Buddha’s birth day celebration, a sage named Asita, a psychic reader travelled to Kapilavastu and announced that the child would either become a great King or a sage by examining baby Siddhartha birth marks. King Sudrodhana wanted to make his son successor of his kingdom but the prediction of sage made him worried. Kind Sudrodhana provided all possible luxury to the Siddhartha Gautama so he will not discontent and chose the path of sage in future, trained the athletic skill at the age of 7 and schooled in the Hindu faith as he was born in Hindu family, married to Yashodhara at the age of 16 and had son named Rahul.

One occasion, Sidhartha Gautam was out of his palace to see his subject with his charioteer Channa, on the way he saw an old man bent and trembling, second sick man suffering from disease, third funeral procession and a corpse and on the fourth he saw a wandering monk. The very incident made him discontent and brought significant change in his life, on the night of 29th birth day; the young prince renounced the luxurious life and left his sleeping wife and son Rahul in search of truth. Siddhartha started to live ascetic life to practice Yogic mediation with Master Alara Kalama and Yoga with Master Udaka Ramaptta. Shiddhartha Gautam mastered both teaching and left both masters for further quest though each of them try to make him their successor. Buddha did his best for enlightenment, for six years, Siddhartha Gautama starved and punished his body. He became so weak and said that he was nearly drowned while having bath in Narmada River. Seeing the weak Siddhartha, a girl named Sujata offer a bowl of milk, Buddha realized that without food one can do nothing. Five fellow traveler of Siddhartha Gautam left him alone when they found Siddhartha’s changing attitude of hard life penance, journey started alone and he determined not to move until and unless found the answer of his sought. One the night of full moon, under the Boddhi tree in Bodh-Gaya, Siddhartha Gautam attained enlightenment, mind became clear and clam and understood the cycle of birth, death and the wheel of life.  

After the enlightenment Gautam the Buddha gave his first sermon in Sarnath, near the Hindu and Jain pilgrimage site of Varasani in Uttar pradesh, India, the basic concepts of his insight called the Four Noble Truths. First is, The truth of suffering (Dukkha,) Second is, The truth of the origin of suffering (Samudāya), Third is, The truth of the cessation of suffering (Nirodha), and the Fourth is, The truth of the path to the cessation of suffering (Margga). Further Buddha explained his Eightfold Path after the four noble truths they are Right Understanding, Right Intention, Right Speech, Right Action, Right Livelihood, Right Effort, Right Mindfulness, Right Concentration.

He was 35 years old at that time, after that for the next forty five years, until his death he pursued his life mission. Buddha travel across India and Nepal to give his Dharma teaching. The three Jewels of Buddhism is Buddham Saranam Gachhami, Dharmam Saranam Gacchami and Sangham Saranam Gachhami. It means, “I go to the shelter of Buddha, I go to the shelter of Dharma and I go to the shelter of Sangha”. The final word of the Buddha before living the physical body were, “All component things decay, work on your own salvation with diligence”.

By Giri Bahadur Sunar

Meditation for Student

                                                                 

                                                       

As the exam draw closer, most of the students feels kind of pressure, often they are distracted when they sit down for the study, the mind goes here and there, sometime they are  able to focus on study and sometime not. Usually different topic becomes interesting rather than the study topic, most of the students are overwhelm by so many things when they have to do number of things in one sitting. They have to remember so many events and formulas during exam preparation. It is crucial and important to place students’ attention in only one thing. Worrying is the process imagination, we are expert to make headache out of headache; the worst which worries creates is emotional anxiety. The pressure of study is natural, nothing is wrong with it. It is positive energy which is urging us to focus on right direction; sometime we are not able to understand the inner calling, confused to prioritize the important topic. Most of students are trying to do different thing at a time which is not possible, especially during the time of exam. The vehicle will not move if we press everything at a time like accelerator, break, and clutch.

I love to share an analogy to clear it out, our mind does two things: thinking and acting. Thinking is like accelerating a vehicle in neutral gear, and acting is like accelerating the vehicle on top gear. If we accelerate the vehicle and increase the gear, the vehicle moves, and in contrast, when we do not increase the gear but continue to accelerate, the vehicle just makes noise. For the vehicle to move there must be a proper combination of gear and accelerator. The noisy vehicle can be compared to a frustrated and disturbed mind which has so many plans but no action. This state of mind is not trustworthy. The student has to start the action of reading, just sitting and thinking will not lead to desired destination. There must be good combination between thought and action for the better result.  How to deal with such stressful situation and confusing situation? Meditation could be the best answer.

What is meditation?

Each act it meditation, whether we are eating, reading, dancing or playing, everything is meditation, we just need to add something on it, that is awareness on and it becomes meditation. Reading about mediation will not help, it will be like reading “water, water and water”   in a book which will not quench your thirst of water until and unless you drink it, likewise you have to practice meditation for benefit. Meditation does not involve any religion or philosophy; it is a discipline to achieve deeper state of relaxation or awareness, so let us make a daily routine for meditation. Students have to commit about 20 to 30 minutes a day in order to start seeing benefits. Meditation isn’t just sitting; it is not easy task when we are trained to constantly multitasking.  As the body need physical exercise to keep fit so the mind needs meditation to keep brain cells healthy. Meditation is good for all age group; especially it is very important for students who are using their brain more than normal people.

I would like to share another situation so student can understand the meditation properly, did you ever try to throw a stone in a pond, If not try it. What will you see once you throw a stone in the center of a pond? In response, you will see frequent wave or whirlpool rising from the center, expanding and going out, just keep on watching unless the rippling stop, similarly our mind is rippling with different thought. We just need to sit in relax mood, keep on watching the thought without distracting and judging write or wrong, suddenly a time will come when the rippling of thought stop as the whirlpool was stopped in a pond. Our mind is multitasking like a T.V. frequency where more than hundred of channel are broadcasting at a time, we can’t see all channel, it is impossible, we have to prioritized preferable channel to enjoy the whole series, like wise different subject matter are running in the mind of a student, some are necessary and some are not, focus in one subject, you can do one thing at a time so, schedule your activities and act accordingly, practice meditation with awareness, you will be calm, relax and fresh for the next challenges.

Meditation is known as Raja Yoga (The king of yoga) among Karma Yoga, Bhakti Yoga, Jnana yoga and Hatha Yoga. Meditation is best for the students; it is the right age to practice some of the rules and regulation formulated by Patanjali which is not possible for married man.  Students are chaste and innocent so they can be trained for right life. In his eightfold path (Ashtanga Marg), Patajali focus on Yama, Niyama, Ashana, Pranayama, Pratyahar, Dharana, Dhyana and Samadhi.

How to start meditation?

The eight fold path work together, first five are Yama, Niyama, Ashana, Pranayama and Pratyahara, these are the basic of Raja Yoga to build the foundation of spiritual life, concerned to the body and brain and last three are not possible without the previous step concerned with the reconditioning with the mind. These eight steps basically act as guidelines on how to live a meaningful and purposeful life. It serves as a prescription for moral and ethical conduct and self-discipline; it direct focus toward one's health; and it can help student to acknowledge the spiritual aspects of our nature. Usually most of modern gurus are not giving importance to the basic of meditation like Yama, Niyama, Ashana, Pranayama and Pratyahara but I would like to share the basic of it so students can understand the alpha the omega of meditation. Yama means abstentions, not participating in the following five activities of Non-violence (Ashimsa), Truth (Satya), Non-stealing (Ashatya), Chastity (Brahmacharya) and Aparigraha (Non-greed) and Niyama means moral observation of following five activities of Purity (Saucha), Contentment (Santosha), Austerity (Tapas), Study of the holy text (Swadhyaya) and Surrender to God (Ishwarasamarpan). Pratyahara means withdrawal of the senses from objects, the natural tendency of the senses is to go out towards the objects of the world; the mediator must be able to pull the senses within to keep the balanced and peaceful mind. Pranayama means controlling the vital energy through breath work.

Body and mind are intimately connected and if the body is agitated the mind will be agitated, in order to meditate successfully one must develop a very steady posture (Ashana). One thing necessary for the posture is to sit cross legged on a comfortable place, close your eyes, left palm over the right palm, hold the spinal column free, sitting erect, holding the three parts the chest, neck, and head in straight line. Let the whole weight of the body be supported by the ribs, and then you have an easy natural posture, with the spine straight. Sometime people need anchoring (Dharana) tools for meditation (Dhyana) like focusing on breath (Pranayama), image of God, reciting mantras or sometime being like a cowboy, let the cow  prances where it wills,  no judgment and distraction just a watcher. According to Osho, meditation is sitting silently doing nothing, the spring comes and the grass grows by itself.  Enlightenment (Samadhi) is union with the divine; Samadhi refers to perfect union of true Yoga. It is like vehicle in neutral gear, no acceleration, Just pulsation, beyond the sensation of pleasure and pain, tuning with cosmic energy. These eight steps of yoga indicate a logical pathway that leads to the attainment of physical, ethical, emotional, and psycho-spiritual health. Yoga Sutra suggests the practice of Asanas and Pranayama as preparation for Dharana, because these influence mental activities and create space in the crowded schedule of our life. Once Dharana has occurred, Dhyana and Samadhi can follow. I would like to suggest visual meditation (Imagination) for the students to internalize the subject what they had read for the preparation for the exam.

What is Visualizing Meditation?

Visualization meditation is a variation on traditional meditation that requires you to employ not only your visual sense, but also your sense of taste, touch, smell, and sound. When used as a relaxation technique, visualization involves imagining a scene in which you feel at peace, free to let go of all tension and anxiety. If you are nerves, worry about exams and revision than practice visualizing meditation, a part of passive meditation. It will be better if you practice jogging every morning as a part of active meditation to balance the body and mind. For the student visualization meditation will be helpful to build confidence on a daily basis. This meditation could be a good master for a student, so let us find a quiet and relaxing environment void of distraction, sit in a comfortable position on the level ground, keep your back straight and relax your entire body, close your eyes, pay attention on your breath because all habit of mind is associated with the pattern of breathing, once you change the pattern of breathing, mind change immediately, after that choose whatever setting is most calming to you, start mindfulness visualization or recall the topic which you have just studied. Visualization can be done on any topic; it is like rehearsal before presentation. Recalling information strengthens it to memory and will facilitate to recall on the day of the exam and this raise confidence levels. Anybody can do this visualization meditation in any topic like a lover can do this meditation, sitting silently and imagining a good time being with beloved one in preferable setting and background. The meditation practitioner visualizes themselves on a movie screen in their minds. Let into the habit of sitting daily intention each morning by simply sitting quietly for a few minutes, relaxing and dealing how you want to feel about ahead and how you will structure your study time. Meditation is extremely beneficial for all walks of life.

Some pretty amazing benefit of regular meditation

# Better brain integrity, efficiency and memory power

# Improve academic achievement for better future

# Improve learning disorder

# Effective to increase creativity or intelligent

# Lower absentees from class

# Help to know own inner potentiality

# Help to develop self-confident

# Reduce psychological disorder including stress, anxiety and depression

# Makes social from antisocial behaviors

# Makes moral and help healthy habits

# Help to overall emotional well being.

Meditation may be frustrating at first, if you find it is difficult to concentrate on your breathing don’t get upset or quite the idea of meditation. Sometime mind goes here and there; bring your attention  back to the present moment, refocus and re-centre your attention, start from shorter period of time and build your way up to longer stretched. I would like to suggest private and public school to adopt meditation class as an extra curriculum activity with the strong support of parents, educators and government. Meditation class should be compulsory for the student because it will help to shape the better future of the student. The great spiritual master Osho of our time suggests, “The base of new education will be meditation”. So, let us plant a seed of meditation in our daily life as early as possible so the plants grow up on time to its maturity to give better environment for peaceful, healthy and prosperous society.

-By Giri Bahadur Sunar

The author is a meditation practitioner and sociologist can be reached at

 girithejorba@gmail.com

Being Untouchable

                                                                                                             

                                                     

                                                                    

The older, I grow the better I seems to think of caste and feel the discrimination, I remember that day when I was debating on negativity of caste system with Swami Tathagat, Swami Birendra and others at Osho Sansar bookshop in Kingsway, Kathmandu. Swami Tathagat was in favor of caste system and stressing philosophically that caste is not by birth but it is based on quality. In response I asked him, if it is so than why I am still regarded as untouchable despite of my quality. How do you judge the quality?  If it is judge based on education, economic, religion, politics, cultural civilization and others mental and physical well being than I am equally capable as you. I am still confused what does it mean by quality? Why am I regarded as untouchable and discriminated on the basis of my caste if it is not by birth. I know that even changing of occupation does not change my caste, if it so then, many upper caste people who has adopted the job of untouchable like tailoring, metal works and others but they are still high caste, they are not regarded as untouchable nor untouchable as upper caste by changing their traditional occupation. The caste system is rigid, where there is no social mobility. It is easy to express philosophic idea but ground reality is different. The wearer only knows where the shoe pain.

Later on Tathagat Swami Stress his argument by saying, “there is discrimination among untouchable caste group focusing on Kami on top and Sharki, Damai, Gaine on descending order”. Yes, it is there but who has planted the seed of caste discrimination in their mind? Who has condition them to live accordingly? The answer is the dominant Vedic Brahamanical orthodoxy and its stratified caste system with Brahmin on the top, Kshatrieya, Vishay and Sudra at bottom. What about that discrimination which you practice within your own cast group? The Upadhyaya Brahmin are discriminating Jaisi Brahmin, Brahmin group are discriminating Chhetri and other indigenous groups and so forth, despite of that, you enjoy pointing your finger toward untouchable. You must not forget that when you are pointing your one finger toward others, there are three fingers pointing back to you.

Our castes and our institution are apparently linked with our religion which is not a perfect institution. When we look back to the various stage of development of cast system in Nepal, than we must not forget the Manusmriti, a guided book of Hinduism on stratification of caste, The then first Malla King, Jayasthiti Malla of Kathmandu valley in 1382-1395 AD had brought five Brahmins from India, according to their guidance he segregated the masses into a caste system, second was King Ram Shah of Gorkha in 1606-1636 AD who followed the idea of caste system propounded by Jayasthiti Malla and finally the first Rana Prime Minister Jung Bahadur Rana.

The Nepali Civil code (Muluki Ain) 1854 AD was introduce and promulgated by Junga Bahadur Rana after his European tour. Nepalese caste system is more complicated because this system was previously prevalent in the core Hindu society but since the unification of Nepal in the 18th century, various indigenous tribes have been incorporated within the caste hierarchy of Hinduism. According to the Nepali civil Code 1854, the cast hierarchy system is as following:

Tagadhari (wears of the holy thread): Udadhyaya Brahman, Rajput (Thakuri), Jaisi Brahman and Chhetri etc.

Namasinya Matawali (Non-enslave able alcohol drinkers): Magar, Gurung, Newar, Sunuwar, Rai, Limbu etc.

Masinya Matawali (Enslaveable alcohol drinkers): Tamang, Sherpa, Chepang, Kumal, Tharu, Gharti etc.

Pani nachalne, chhoi chito halnu naparne (impure but touchable): Jogi, Kashain, Khadgi, Muslim and European.

Pani nachhalne chhoi chitto halnu parne (Untouchable or the caste whose water is defiled): Kami, Damai, Sharki, Gaine etc.

Various legal and constitutional reformed has been made in-between like old wine in new bottle. The laws were passed against the caste discrimination in 1962 AD, caste system and legal code were publicly outlawed by the 1990 AD Constitution and finally by the Interim Constitution of Nepal-2007, No person shall, on the ground of caste, descent, community or occupation, be subject to racial discrimination and untouchability in any form. Such a discriminatory act shall be liable to punishment and the victim shall be entitled to compensation as provided by the law” but the discrimination is still continuing though the rules are not as rigid as they were in the past because of western influence, education and modern communication system.

Sometime, upper caste people blame that lower caste people are unclean so they deserve to be discriminated by preventing them entering into the Hindu temple, receiving education, listening to high caste people’s teaching, worshiping, inter-caste marriage, non-acceptance of cooked food from lower caste and participating in fairs and festival. Yes, I accept the charges they are unclean due to their workshop where they have to work with black coal, above the hundred degree temperature to give the shape to weapon, utensils from a raw metal, Shoe maker has to work with leather, Tailors has to stitches clothes so, time and again they have to put their finger in the mouth to sharpen the thread to enter  into the ear of needle and sweeper has to clean the street, this is their nature of work based on Manusmirti and enforce by legal code of Nepal to Nepalese. No choice, it is choice less choice.

What about the so called upper caste people? Are they clean enough if it is the matter of cleanliness? What about those Brahmin who are unconsciously laying in the gutter due to excessive consumption of alcohol? You must have notice those Brahmin sitting entrance of the Hindu temple as their business to recite the mantra and other ritual things.  If yes, then I must say that they are the most unclean creature for that holy business because of their ugly uncut nail, stinking shocks and mouth, having cigarette and offering holy thread and vermilion with same hand, polluting surrounding and holy rivers banks with plastic and flowers, offering falls promises of heaven to the innocent one. Did you ever notice the cleanliness of the Church, Mosque, Synagogue, and other type of Monasteries? Which one is clean? Definitely, other temples are clean in-comparison to Hindu temple. The Brahmins are the unclean one who has been polluting the Hindu temple since aged. If I am right, cleanliness means pure consciousness which is possible through the process of clean and health body, healthy vegetarian food, honesty and clean vision with moral living. We must not forget that our consumption disrupts the psychological balance which reflects itself in mind and therefore the consciousness of consumers.

I want to say that untouchables are the most creative people. Can you imagine those times when there was no global market system? In those days people were depending in their own internal local market. Blacksmith/ Goldsmith were the one who used to make utensil, weapon, ornament, musical instrument and statue of God and Goddess, Shoe makers were the one who used to make shoes, tailor used to make clothes and others works like  singing and playing musical instrument in fair and festival etc. What did you make and gave to the humanity? Nothing accept the misinterpreting the perfect holy scripture into imperfection. The Holy Scripture is misinterpreted by you to divide the other cast group to rule, for dirty politics and to discriminate. You must not forget that untouchable were the one who made you civilized, they made weapon for you to expand the territory of nation, they made the statue which you worship, and they made the clothes, ornament and shoes to protect you from heat and cold. What have you given to them, nothing accept hatred and discrimination. Can you imagine yourself without cloths and utensils? I can visualize you as beggar, a jungle man without cloths and utensil.

Not only that, you don’t accept the water touch by untouchable but in the time of urgency, you accept their blood to protect your beloved one, you enjoy the hidden sexual relation with the brother and sister of untouchable groups, sometime forcefully raped and abuse them but you guys remain still holy because you got that privilege by birth. You upper caste people are just nursing your false pride of birth; you are hypocrite, living in double standers.

You ask untouchable to read and write to be like Upper caste, forget about education, how it was possible than while untouchable were not allowed to reading and hearing from educated Brahmin. You were the privileged on by birth not us. The then existed system denied untouchable to read and write. We have the brain and more energy and more guts than you but we were chained by your law, now time has change, untouchable are educating themselves but still you are discriminating innocent brother and sister by not letting them sit together in school and not letting them drinking water from the same water jar of the very class room.

Many untouchable are turning into Christianity and other religion, why? Don’t think that this is due to their hunger and lust of other opportunity; it is because of your discrimination in religious practice, social affairs, political participation, economical and other daily affairs. Person like Dr. Bhimrao Ramji Ambedkar know as Babasaheb converted to Buddhism and is also credited with providing a spark for the conversion of hundreds of thousands of lower caste into Buddhism.

Dr. Ambedkar was appointed chairman of the constitution drafting committee, charged by the assembly to write India’s new constitution in 1947. He declared that he was born as a Hindu but will not die as a Hindu”.  I would like to add one more saying from Swami Bibekananda, According to him, “We are day and nights calling out to them don’t touch us! Don’t touch us! The religion has entered in the cooking pot. Is there any compassion of kindliness of heart in the country? Only a class of don’t touchism; kick such custom out! Don’t touchism is form of mental disease”.

Tathagat swami ji, I know what you mean by, I accept that caste system was designed for division of labor, stability of job in society but the noble idea has been corrupted by so called cunning criminal minded Brahmin. They became more intelligent than lord Krishna so, they interpreted the noble idea into their own intelligence to dominate other caste group. The Bhagvad Gita, Chapter-4, Verse: 13 lord Krishna say, “The fourfold caste has been created by me according to the differentiation of Guna and Karma” He is therefore the creator of the four divisions of the social order, beginning with the intelligent class of men, Brahmins who are predominated by Sattva-guna and they are assigned the task (Karma) of Meditation due to their being situated in the mode of goodness. Next is the administrative class, Kshatriyas, they are predominated by Raja and Sattva guna and they are assigned to be warrior due to their being situated in the mode of passion. Third is the mercantile men named as Vaishya, they are predominated by Raja and Tama-guna being situated in the mixed modes of passion and ignorance, assigned to be farmers and traders and finally comes the Sudras or laborer class, predominated by Tamas and Raja-guna and their Karma (task) is to serve other, they are situated in the ignorant mode of material nature.

The four-fold order is designed for human evolution; Lord Krishna verse has been misused by social criminals to justify the perverted form of the Caste System. “Varna” or caste refers to different shades of color but not in the context of the color of a person’s skin but Hindus are discriminating European and American brothers and sister on the basis of color and not letting them entering into the Hindu temple while they do not discriminate Hindus entering into their Church and Mosque. God does not discriminate but the so called Brahmin does so.

 Lord Krishna does not belong to any of these divisions, because He is not one of the conditioned souls. Human society is similar to any other animal society, but to elevate men from the animal status, the above-mentioned divisions are created by the Lord for the systematic development of Krishna consciousness. Lord Krishna emphasis on Guna (aptitude or modes of instinct) those are pre-installed in all being and Karma (function), not on caste by birth. The Verna whom we belong is independent of sex, birth or breeding.  A Verna is determined by temperature and vocation not by birth or heredity. There is caste in religion but no caste discrimination; it is social custom which is discriminating certain caste group by few cleavers Brahmin.

I remember that day too when swami Tathagat’s eyes became wet when he read my status on face book with the title of “Kami Dai”, I know that you are not the man who discriminate the untouchable. I am happy that we are sannyasin (monk) initiated by Osho where a man from the highest caste and a man from the lowest caste become equal, no discrimination, and I believe that it is a perfect communism where we meditate together, eat together, worship together and celebrate together. Sannyas system is the ultimate communism where there is no discrimination on the basis of cast.

I sometimes feel the urge to break the barriers of untouchability by bringing together to those who are downtrodden and discriminated on the basis of cast, a bloody revolution to terminate the evil practice of society. The problem of untouchability supposed to be a matter of class struggle, struggle between caste Hindu and the Untouchables, a class struggle for social status but so called Brahmin had divided untouchable into many class so there is no question of unity among them though they have similar type of class consciousness, few untouchable elite group are silently running their business out of it in the name of NGO and other type of organization, untouchable are divided into many political parties. For the unity, untouchable have to mingle with each other to eliminate untouchables practice within and united together under one umbrella system to bring revolutionary social change but they are enjoying the blessing of political parties for their personal goal rather than communal. I don’t mean to say that they have not done anything politically, they have, but it is in black and white form, not in practical. I like the idea of  Karl Marx, “Change comes from the barrel of a gun” but I don’t want to seize the opportunity of fighting in the name of caste, I am not a influential political figure for that job, no use of fighting on which cast is high and which cast is low, what success will it achieve? It will divide us, weaken us, and degrade us; the solution is not by bringing down the upper caste but by raising the lower caste up to the level of higher with positive discrimination, no privilege for anyone, equal chance for all.  It is the nature of society to form itself into group. I can perform my on duty in social life and you another; there is no reason why you are greater than I.  We are dependent to each others.

 I just want to let you know that my quality will not change my caste neither your effort because the Holy Scripture has been already polluted, raped and murdered by so called Brahmin. I am unique in my quality and happy for it.  It is not my mistake to be born in untouchable family. You can’t change my caste because it is by birth, you just need to cooperate with us and support us by not discriminating and not humiliating. After all untouchable are also human being as you are, they are God’s creation, how can you neglect them? Are you superior to the God? Don’t you love God’s creation?

Religion is major concern of man. Lord Krishna is encouraging people to change their existing miserable life through different means of Yoga like Bhakti yoga, Karma yoga, Gyana yoga and Raja yoga while Brahmin are discouraging people from attempting to change their life situation.The Brahmins are the part of superstructure in society; they are misinterpreting Holy Scripture for controlling and maintaining social inequality through means of religion. Brahmin are promoting and trying to sustain the existing religious practice, socio-economic and political inequality. How long the social injustices remain? The present social reality is different than lord Krishna’s Gita. The Brahmins are imposing falls consciousness in society, they are trying to distract the present situation of people blaming to their past Karma, creating more hopeless situation for untouchables. Hello! Lord, Krishna, your Gita has been misinterpreted, raped, abused and polluted, why do you providing more fertile ground for such Brahmins? When do you supposed to come back to punish these criminals? What about your promises of “yada yada hi dharmasya glanir bhavati bharata abhyutthanam adharmasya tadatmanam srjamy aham” (whenever and wherever there is a decline in religious practice, O descendant of Bharata, and a predominant rise of irreligion--at that time I descend myself.)? The issue of caste-based discrimination against untouchable is of great importance in the 21st century, and remains one of the last customary bastions of discrimination, resulting in a mixture of both short term atrocities and long term effects on untouchable’s dignity. We want liberation from the bondage of caste system which you designed.

-By Giri Bahadur Sunar

Email: girithejorba@gmail.com

Mahaveer

I had my childhood schooling among the friends of Jain families, my master Osho was born in Jain family who has given discourse on “ Mahaveer Meri Dristi Me”,  all these environment inspired me to write down something about Mahavira, the twenty fourth Tirhankara of Jainism, before starting my article, I have visited to the Jain temple in Kamalpokhari, Kathmandu to know more detail about Jainism, I got surprised seeing the temple of both sects Swetambar Jain and Digambar Jain in the same building in different floor. What a unity? I found similarities in the idol of different twenty four Tirthankara and ask the reason behind the similarities and came to know that they represent the quality and virtue of Tirthankara not any physical body, however, at the bottom of each idol a unique symbol is placed to differentiate them, Load Mahavira idol is recognized by the symbol of a lion.

Jainism existed before Mahavira; He was reformer and propagator of an existing religious order rather than the founder of a new religion. He was revolutionary thinker, questioned the dominant Vedic Brahamanical orthodoxy and its stratified caste system with Brahmin on the top. Jainism is offshoot of Hindu religion, the center tenet of their faith is to renunciation of violence in all its form and a concern for all form of life. Jain teaching is simple and natural, free from elaborated ritual complexity. Jaina does not ask any favor or material benefit from their God or from Tirthankara, they dissonance the worship of God and Goddess as a means of Salvation.

Mahavira was the last Tirthankara among twenty four of Jain religion, all Tirthankara were born in human form and attained a state of enlightenment through meditation and self realization. Tirthankara are known as Arihants or Jinas, Tirthankara is the one who established the four fold order  of Monk, Nun, Layman and Laywomen,  Arihants  means who destroys inner enemies like anger, greed, ego, possession etc and Jina means the one who conquered inner enemies like greed, ego, anger, possession etc , so the follower of Jina  are known as Jainas.

Jain followers and historian believe that Mahavira was born in 599 BC in a Royal family, place in Bihar, India and place his date of birth on the month the thirteen day of the rising moon in the Vira Nirvana Sambat calendar (Gregorian calendar March/April), His father name was King Sidhartha and mother name was queen Trisala. The Jain scripture kulpasutra says that, “before Mahavira’s final birth, when he was after many life times ready to achieve enlightenment, he took the form of an embryo in the womb of Devananda a Brahmin women, The Indra, King of Gods believe that it was not fitting for a future great spiritual leader to be born to a women of a Brahmin caste and that he should be born instead into a Royal Family of warrior caste Chettriya. Accordingly mother Tirsala experience fourteen auspicious dreams, the very dream image was seen by Devananda also when Mavhavira was in her womb. Mahavira was subsequently born to Trishala and was given the name Vardhamana.

As a prince, Mahavira had all luxury at his command though he abandons all the comfort of Royal life; left his home and family at the age of thirty to live ascetic life for spiritual quest as Gautam the Buddha did at the age of twenty nine. He underwent sever penance, even walk without clothes and accepted the alms in the hollow of his hand for more than twelve years, he neglected his body and abandon the care of it. He used to pluck out his long hair to embark on the path of austerities; Today Jaina monk and nun still pluck their hair in their initiation ceremony.

The word Mahavira means “Bravest among Brave”, during the year of wandering as a homeless ascetic he endured great hardship, including cruel treatment by men and animals attacks. He spend the next twelve years in deep silence and meditating to conquer his desire and feeling, we went without food for long period, he carefully avoided harming or annoying living being. He got enlightenment after Thirteen years of wandering. After achieving Kevala Jnana (enlightenment) he travelled all over the India for next thirty years in bare feet preaching to the people the eternal truth which he realized, He attracted people from all walk of life, rich and poor, kings and public, men and women and beggar to Priest, touchable to untouchable.

The ultimate objective of his teaching was to attained the total freedom from the cycle of birth and death, according to him every living being is in bondage of Karma, under the influence of Karma, the soul is habituated to seek pleasure in materialistic belongings and other type of possession which are the deep rooted causes of self centered violence thought, deeds, anger, hatred, greed and such other vices. He preached Right Faith (Samyak Darshan), Right Knowlage (Samyak Jnana)  and Right Conduct (Samyak Charitra) together to attain the liberation from the cycle of Karmic life and five great vows for the jainas as Nonviolence (Ahimsa), Truthfulness (Satya) Non-stealing (Asteya), Chastity (Brahmacharya) and Non-possession (Aparigraha) which is similar to the Yama of Raja Yoga as stated by great sage Patanjali.

Jaina receives their inspiration from the five benevolent for the right path of true happiness and total freedom from the misery of life. So the Jaina bow their heads with the Navakar Mantra as I bow to the enlightenment soul (Namo Arihantanam), I bow to the liberate soul (Namo Siddhanam), I bow to the religious leaders (Namo Ayariyanam) , I bow to the religious teacher (Namo Uvajjhayanam) and I bow to all monk of the world (Namo Savva Sahunam) as the Buddhist prayer Buddham Sharanam Gachhami (I bow to the all enlightenment one), Sangham Sharanam Gachhami (I bow to the all organization) and Dharmam Sharanam Gachhami (I bow to the all Dharma).

There are some similarities between Buddhism and Jainism, Buddhism and Jainas practice form of Ahimsha (Non-violence), Buddha and Mahavira believe to be contemporary, Buddhism received the royal support and patronage of king like Asoka but Jainism did not receive strong royal support and patronage so Jainism did not travel outside the Indian boundary while Buddhist spread to foreign land.

Most of the followers of Jainism are from the merchant family, they are lowly populated in different part of business city of Nepal like Kathmandu, Biratnagar, Jhapa, Morang, Parsha etc. Out of the 24th Tirthankaras, 19th Tirthankara was Mallinath, a female who was believe to be born in Mithalapuri (Janakpur) in Nepal and twenty first Tirthankara, Naminath was also said to be born in same place.

As I have already mentioned, there are two sects in Jainism, one is Swetambar and another is Digambar Jain. There is only little noticeable difference between two sects regarding the sex of the nineteenth Tirthankara named Malli. If I have to analyze the both sect from Gender perspective than Swetambars are more liberal to women than the Digambars, the Swetambars believe that Malli was a woman while Digambars think that Mallinath was a man. Swetambar Jain believes that women can attain enlightenment in this life which they call Sabastra Mukti while Digambar Jain believes that women cannot attain enlightenment in this birth but only in future birth. Digambars deny of Swetambar belief about Mahavira’s embryo was taken from the womb of a Brahaman women Devananda and transferred to the womb of Chhetriya queen Trisala, Swetambar followers believe that Mahavira was married and had a daughter while Digambar followers does not accept it. Digambar monk wear no cloths, they believe that they are wearing the sky (Dig+ Amber = Space cloth) while Swetamber wear cloths (Swet+ Ambar = White clothes).

Lord Mahavira purified soul left his physical body at the age of 72 attaining complete Moksha (liberation), According to Mahavira, “A living body is not merely an integration of limbs and flesh but it is the abode of the soul which potentially has Perfect Perception (Ananta Darshan), Perfect Knowledge (Anant-Jnana) and Perfect Bliss (Anant Sukha). I believe that religious scripture and Satasanga (fellowship) shape the believers’ consciousness, I am happy that I had good fellowship of Jaina family in my childhood and my master Osho in my adulthood to shape my mind of non-violence.

The author is a meditation practitioner and sociologist can be reached at

 girithejorba@gmail.com