February 15, 2024 Class Notes by Yaishna Santchurn

Introduction

• Our Original Parent’s nature is love.
• Hardships are a call to look within more and to come back home.
• When testing comes in life, try not to react but to learn.

Pariksha cont’d (covers questions 32-62 in Yaksha Prashna)

• This test is given out of love for us to be more inward-looking and to come back home to our Original Parent.

Q11: What does not have a heart?

• A stone
  • A stone is made of Existence-Awareness-Joy (Sat-Cit-Ananda) but it does not have a subtle body, which is why it can’t think and express.

Q12: What is the reminder for Answer 35?

• Independence
  • A family member can be known if they make you more independent.
  • If a family member is not making you independent, it is a legal relationship, but not a spiritual relationship.

Q13: Why is fire significant in our culture?

• Fire is a personal icon of Divinity.
  • Fire is the ambassador of the sun, which reminds us of Divinity.

Q14: What should you not have with that which is moving?

• Expectation
  • Our expectations are for stability, but if something is moving, it cannot provide that.

Q15: What does the moon symbolize for us?

• The mind
  • The moon keeps changing as does the mind (moodiness).

Q16: Where do you go by following the truth?

• Heaven
  • When we tell and follow the truth, our mind becomes quiet, which is the experience of heaven.
  • When we follow disintegration (say something but don’t follow through with it), we put ourselves in hell.

Q17: What is the reminder for Answer 49?

• Inclusive
  • A sign of nobility (sheela) is being inclusive.

Q18: What is a person’s upajivanam (life support)?

• Rain
  • Rain symbolizes knowledge.
  • Physically, we need water, but metaphysically, we need knowledge to be less fearful. 

Q19: What is a sign of one who is sadbhih (good-natured)?

• They are ones who give.
  • Good-natured people interact with us not to get anything but to give.
  • Only a sadbhih is one who can help us be secure.
  • Society’s major problem is insecurity.
  • Society’s minor problem is isolation.

Q20: What do you wish you could change about your life?

• Seeker to reflect on this personally–no wrong answers!
• Vivekji’s reflection: encourage more culture

• We do a pariksha to be active (seeker) instead of passive (searcher).
  • A searcher wants happiness but is not looking in the right place.
  • A seeker needs happiness and is looking in the right place.

Discourse

• Moodiness is indicative that one is not a seeker because they are giving the world more power than their will.
  • A searcher is one who feels world power is greater than their willpower
  • A seeker is one who feels their willpower is greater than world power.
• Dialogue with Dharma = Reflecting on Responsibilities
  • When one is reflective towards their responsibilities, they become steady and their willpower grows stronger.

Review:

Answers 62-65: related to hitva (to give up or renounce)

Answer 63: Anger, when given up, leads to no regret.

• Anger is the second gate to hell.
• In Sanatana Dharma, hell is an avastha, meaning it comes and goes, i.e. we don’t believe one will be in hell forever.
• Hell is an opportunity for rehabilitation.
  • Being reflective about one’s anger reveals one’s weaknesses, so this reflection is a form of rehabilitation.
• A way to inhibit anger is to not helicopter around it.

Answer 64: Desire, if forsaken, makes one wealthy.

• Desire is the first gate to hell.
• External/resource-oriented wealth provides the opportunity to enjoy whatever experience one is going through 
• If one doesn’t have desire and is enjoying what one has, it’s as though one is wealthy
• When we interact with someone who has a lot of desires, we feel more confused. When we interact with someone who has less desires, we feel more clear. 

Answer 65: Greed, when renounced, makes one happy.

• Greed is the third gate to hell.
• Desire (kama) → Anger (krodha) → Greed (lobha) 
• Anger comes in fast, whereas greed comes in slow. 
• Practice renouncing greed by focusing on only a person’s eyes.
  • This will lead to more objectivity and less judgment/comparison. 

New Content: 

Questions 66-69 structure: artha = what is the reason for/meaning behind

Q66: Why does one give charity to a brahmana?

Answer: For the sake of dharma (responsibility)

• Absolute Narrative
  • A brahmana is one who follows through with viveka (prioritization) of inner development. 
  • Since they prioritize inner development, everyone receiving a brahmana’s knowledge should support their external needs.
    • They are helping with our inner world, so we should help them with their outer world.
• Relative Narrative
  • A brahmana is filled with sattva – they are large-hearted and long-term in thinking.
  • You are assured that your giving will be used well when giving to this type of person.
• Tactile Moment
  • Seeker to reflect and personalize.

Q67: Why should artists be rewarded (i.e. appreciated and supported)?

Answer: For fame

• Absolute Narrative
  • Giving helps one to develop the habit/virtue of appreciating.
  • Whatever we give we tend to appreciate more.
    • If you intentionally give, it’s because you know the value of what you are giving. 
  • Appreciation, when deepened, is humility.
• Relative Narrative
  • Raja Prthu looked after the Earth so much that Bhoomi came to be known as his daughter, Prthvi.
    • 3 responsibilities
      • Follow dharma
      • Facilitate dharma
      • Felicitate dharma
  • Felicitate those who are following and facilitating culture and art
    • This is how a legacy lives.
• Tactile Moment
  • Seeker to reflect and personalize.

Discussion 

Reflect on and share a vulnerability about an experience you’ve gone through or an equipment you have.

• Vivekji’s observation: Fear of being judged affects one’s actions
  • Whenever we make decisions out of fear, they are not going to be the right actions or good actions.
  • Fear is a virus that compromises ‘right action, right attitude.’
  • When you are called to speak publicly, realize that as you are speaking, everyone else is not listening to you but stuck in their own heads, so be less concerned about them judging you, so you can better follow the right actions.

Dialogue

How does one transition from acting for fulfillment to acting from fulfillment?

• Wanting to make this transition (to be free) is a desire, but it is a desire to be desireless. You are acting for fulfillment so you can act from fulfillment. You are following the means to the ends. 
• It is one’s honor to be able to love one who is great (preethyartham). If one feels this love, one is transitioning to independence.

How does one practice living more slowly?

• Say ‘no’ more, specifically to socializing
• Unitask to develop a focused mind

RAW

• Last week: Prepare for pariksha
  • The more you give, the more you get.
• This week: Listen to the song ‘We Are The World’ everyday