Nature of life

Dr. Parimal Devnath

12B174- Valvan, Lonavla, Pune (India) 410403

What is the true nature of life?  In what way a human being encounters the events of life or contrariwise, how do the events reveal themselves to a man? There is pain and suffering in every human life.  What is the nature of pain? What way can the same be resolved? Yoga philosophy tries to give answers to such queries in a substantial manner.

a)      Parinaama- CHANGE:  Each split moment life relentlessly throws changes before each human being and everything in the world. All things and beings are constantly in a state of flux.  For a human being changes may be favourable or unfavourable, but they certainly impose upon him and more often one might feel completely helpless on the face of the changes.  No two moments are same.  Two events are never the same.

b)      Taapa- ANXIETY:  whether it is pleasurable or not, prosperity or not, one always remains anxious and concerned all the time.  For example, possession causes deep-seated anxiety of loosing and there prevails constant anxiety to posses what one wants to acquire.  At all times, one remains just anxious.

c)      Samskaara- ‘HABITUATION’:  it means, as per law of nature, an experience leaves an impression on all human vehicles such as body, mind, intellect etc.  Repeated exposure to a set of experiences deepens the groove in the mind and body and thus habits are developed towards surroundings, modes of living etc.  A man living in temperate zone will find it quite uncomfortable if shifted to a tropical environment.  Yet as the ‘law of nature of change’ challenges one’s developed habits or ruts.  And it is uncomfortable.

 

Simply put, life is full of suffering, pain, affliction, especially for a highly sensitive, evolved and wise person. A Yogi who is sensitive and wise, would consider both pleasure and pain equally as illusory, impermanent and transitory, which have no true substance at all.  For one who may not be wise, would feel the events of life to be ‘normal’, that is, one would draw pleasure out of the comfortable events and pain from uncomfortable happenings. On the contrary, an evolved being would consider both good and bad as being just equally ‘painful’ since they are impermanent and they leave an impression on human vehicles.    This conditioning by an impression on mind, intellect etc.  makes  it very difficult to adapt to the inevitable changes that are waiting to strike next moment. 

A sensitive person can be compared with the outer layer of an eyeball which is quite sensitive that even if the tiniest dust particle causes pain and irritation, whereas when the same on the skin would not generate any feeling.  Not-so-wise who lacks in ‘discriminative wisdom’, like the skin, would not feel the difference.

Some may brush this idea of sensitivity aside by saying that it is a pessimistic stand.  This kind of understanding that everything in life is painful may suck out the joy of living.   A so-called wise would be a dry person. 

There can be no easy answer to this.  One has to pay the price for being wise as one has to pay the price for being unwise as well.

 

Solution (what do we want)

All through the ages an effort has been made to find a lasting and acceptable solution to pain.  Hair-splitting philosophical discussion, orthodox religious practices,  rituals and rites, worship of gods and goddesses,  etc. (-- a very long list indeed)  have been tried and tested.  Without questioning their validity and effectiveness, one remains as much bewildered and helpless on the face of the stubborn travails of life.

Commonly all orthodox religions  fervently recommend adherence to good karma in the present life time to ensure  a bright future (entering into heaven) post mortem.  An after-life salvation of pain does not sound logical and practical.   A solution here and now would just be pragmatic.

 

Point No i:  Perhaps the most hopeful idea given by Patanjali (Sutra ii.16) says, “Afflictions which are yet to strike, can be avoided”.   Although misery is inherent in human life (only in graveyard there won’t be any pain), yet the forthcoming pain can be stopped through systematic practice of Yoga.  Yoga as a practical science charters the path for alleviating various phycisical, physiological amd psycho-somatic disorders through raising the energy level (praana), cleansing the body of impurities, bringing in a state of balabnce in emotional and mental states.  It also suggests systematic practices on the path of  spirituality ensuring ‘spritual relief’.     

 

Point No ii:  We can make a small effort to understand certain practical and realistic distinction between physical and psychological  nature of suffering.  Physical pain is experienced in the form of disease, decay, wound and old-age etc.  To alleviate these forms of pain there are many methods available such as medication, surgery, rejuvination, alternative therapies etc.  To a great extent these are successful, yet they cannot resolve the issue of physical pain completely.  A human being is destined to suffer physical pain to some degree or other.  

There is another form of suffering which can be called as psychological or attitudinal pain.  One can develop spiritually so much that despite inevitable physical suffering, one can maintain high level of composure.  This needs tapas.

Take the life examples of great spiritual Masters such as Paramahamsa Ramakrishna or Jesus Christ or Buddha. Almost all of them undergone immense physical suffering and tortue and tormentation which an ordinary man may not be able to withstand.  Yet, how did they endure such immense pain?  Here lies a crucial answer, the issue of a developed attitude towards suffering!  It is a choise one can make, despite physical suffering, one can build strong fortitude of calm and balance through disengagement with the body and mind.

This requires discriminative wisdom.  Through wisdom of discrimination a spiritual Master can see the difference between the mortal and immortal, transitory and permanent, relative and absolute.  One can see that physical existence is trasitory and impermanent and therefore is also not fully dependable.  Through spiritual practice one can thus disassociate with mortal body and all of its associates  in the form of changes.  By disengazing with the mundane existence and all its components and comforts, spiritual Masters successfully resolved the issue of physical pain. They realised the futility of recociling physical pain through physical methods.

 

Point No iii:  Moreover, disengagement with the body ensures association with the higher Self.  Self is said to be permanent, eternal and immortal.  Unlike physical plane, It does not change.  It does not decay.  It is absolute non-happening.  Since Self is Absolute, mundane changes do not effect It. 

The rationale for detachment towards material life is that it is inherently illusive. It gives a false impression of comfort.  It is a lure.

Treading the path of discrimation and awakeing of viveka buddhi (discriminative wisdom),  it is possible to rise above the illusion that is duality.  As a consequence, one can enjoy undisturbed state of equanimity and oneness. 

Perhaps this is what we all want most.