Feb 29, 2024 Class Notes by Usha Chazhiyat

Introduction

When Shri Hanumana interacts with Shri Vibhishana while in Lanka, Shri Vibhishana provides a powerful insight about Lanka. He says, I’m living in a place that is worse than hell. I’m living in a place that is a Kalamandali – which means web of wickedness. How can a web of wickedness be worse than a hell? There is a space and time for rehabilitation. One rehabilitates hell and comes back to the world which is an automatic process and there is no evolution in it. In the web of wickedness, one doesn’t know they are in this web. They are caught in it and so they keep on getting sucked down more and more and more into this wickedness. Our course is in training and reflecting; importantly, reflecting on ‘am I tricking myself thinking I’m being happy, thinking I’m being mindful and thinking that I’m not wicked/”. We’re reflecting so we can ensure that we are not tricking ourselves. If you don’t reflect you can trick yourself.

Reminders from answers 61 – 70 :

·         Q61 – Clarity.

·         Q62 – Separation.

·         Q63 – Anger.

·         Q64 – Desire.

·         Q65 – Greed.

·         Q66 – Investment.

·         Q67 – Culture.

·         Q68 – Succession.

·         Q69 – Play.

·         Q70 – Automatic.

Review

Question 71: Darkness does not permit a thing to shine.

Question 72: The more useful you become, the less you use others. If you work hard and smart, you don’t need other people as much.

Discourse

The ego makes us artificial.

Question 73: What causes one not to go to heaven?

·         Answer : Attachment stops one from going to heaven.

·         Absolute : Think about the person you’re most attached to. Think about the first time you interacted with this person. When you first interacted with this person, were you attached then? Most likely we were not attached the first time but then we got attached.

·         In Narada Bhakti Sutra, Rishi Narada states – Negative people start off as a ripple but turn into a tsunami. When we get into a relationship it’s like an earthquake but then there is a shift. Earthquakes don’t last that long but the after-effects of it, the tsunami keeps building and building until one gets overwhelmed by this. We must be careful because we have developed attachment, we have to un-develop it. Whatever we get attached to, that’s all we’ll live for.

·         Relative : In Mahabharata, the icon of attachment is Dhritarashtra. Dhritarashtra was unable to see, he lacked objectivity. When one lacks objectivity, one’s mind becomes agitated. When one lacks objectivity, one lacks quietude of mind.

Question 74 : Which person is considered dead?

Answer : It is the daridhra or miserly that is dead.

• Absolute : A miser is someone who doesn’t use their potential and doesn’t encourage others to use their potential. One who is not using their intellect for enlightenment is a miser. They are alive but dead.
• Relative : Someone who does not see others and so they don’t share with others.

Question 75 : When does a land die?

Answer : A land dies when there is not a king or leader

Absolute : A raja or a leader is the one who has the most responsibilities (most impact).

Relative : When we are not responsible, only laziness can result. When the most responsible are not around, there is death and if we are not responsible, only laziness will be the result.

Question 76 : When is shraaddham considered dead?

Shraaddham – Ritual/Ceremony whereby you support/remember your family that has passed away.

Answer: The tradition of shraaddham is considered dead when there is an absence of one who knows.

Absolute: Shraaddham sounds like shraddha.  When one has shraddha, all around you is connected, that is marking that is celebrating.

Relative: When someone who is not a srotriya engages in this ceremony, then ceremony is dead – Meaning : srotriya means someone who is dedicated or knowledgeable or experienced. The experienced person (nishta) becomes the explaining person. When one is experienced, what they can do to those who have passed away is immeasurable.

Discussion Subject : Share with your group – What is the clearest sign that you’re attached? Once everyone shares, a different person in the group has to give you an objective practice to be less attached.

Vivekji’s reflection – How do you know you are attached? Even when you’re not with that being, you’re occupying your mind’s space. You are unable to compartmentalize, you’re unable to let go.

Objective Practice – Dismantle it by attaching to a higher purpose.

Dialogue :

1. On Question 52 – What is a person’s life support? Why is it the rain and not air or breath which is a person’s life support?

It’s because air cannot be controlled where water can be.

2. What is the distinction between difficulty and hardship?

With difficulty, we keep moving forward even though it is difficult. In hardship, we keep focusing on the hard part which gets harder and harder. The bhava to keep moving forward is the difference.

3. How to be less attached?

Attach yourself to a higher person who will get you to be attached to the higher purpose which will get you attached to the higher Presence.

4. I have a lot of ideas or problem solving that come to my mind, is that one’s intellect or mind or ego?

Specifically, it is the intellect which is the decision maker. However, what often comes with such problem solving is doership. The first expression that the ego gets to make is the intellect- ego has this abstract feeling but it’s in the intellect that it becomes crystal clear that I am the doer which leads the mind to think I am the deserver. We need to be careful that one’s intellect is not used for instructing but rather inquiring.

Reflection Adventure of the Week (RAW):- On Friday March 8th is Mahashivaratri. On that day, people will be fasting. Starting tomorrow, practice fasting from some facet of your life and continue that every day.