From Attributes To Consciousness

Additional Attributes:

Keeping in mind the evils of birth, disease, old-age and death: It is imperative for our intellect to decide the importance of spiritual wealth over material enhancement. That is essential for building the Will to learn about the Self. When our intellect is attracted by the world, it weakens the resolve to go after knowledge of self. That is why one should learn about the problems which are inseparable part of life in the material world. More and more we experience adversities, more we learn about the material world. For some that realization comes with one experience and for others, it comes over many such adversities. Learned people say that we are born to learn not to be born again. When a birth takes place, it means there are accumulated karmas which again means there is disease, old-age and death to come in future. When one serves the community of people who are suffering from old-age and illness, one is supposed to learn this important lesson and make amends to not suffer such things in future.

Non-attachment: Dispassion towards the world is not easy. How do we make the mind to detach from material objects and persons? We are intertwined with conditional love with the family and attachment to material objects. We should learn to consider our kith and king and material we possess as a gift to us and we are holding them in trust. That mindset strengthens the resolve to pursue spirituality and love for God. The worst disease called "Mine" comes from clinging to spouse, children, home and so on. When we lose someone we are deeply attached, the separation makes our heart heavy and some dispassion towards world but this feeling doesn't continue beyond a certain period. We must do our duty towards them, without attachment, as the medical professional does his/her work to the sick or as a teacher does the duty to educate children without any preference to a child.

Even-mindedness: Pleasure and pain are pair of opposites and they come without any expectations from us, just like the seasons. Only way we can rise above them is by strengthening our spiritual resolve. We should learn not to celebrate our pleasure excessively nor should get upset with the adversities we encounter. We should remain balanced as they come and go. The center of gravity of the swing is when it is closer to the earth and not when it swings towards the front or back.

Constant and exclusive devottion to God: Life is not remaining detached and not make further progress. The life is about engaging in spiritual pursuit. The desirable goal of life is to surrender to the Will of God. Keeping God as our companion helps us to be vigilant of the pitfalls in life.

Inclination for solitary places: A devoted person is not drawn to a company to overcome the feelings of loneliness. One should prefer solitude that enables them to engage the mind in communion with God. The inclination for solitute comes from that pursuit to be able to concentrate and contemplate the life's purpose. Eventually, one learns there is no other purpose much more important than self-realization. The eventually when one merges with the Self, one learns knower, Known and Knowledge are all to disintegrate into one that is inseparable and formless.

Constant in spiritual knowledge: Knowing what to do by reading scriptures is of no use unless one puts into action. One may know the enemies of the mind and still get subsumed into those without eleminating them or making an attempt to eliminate them systematically. Unless one contemplates continuously about the Truth, mere hearing about it will not solve the problem. Unless mulling over the Truth becomes life's purpose, we don't get to the finish line.

Aversion for mundane society: As long as we continue to find pleasure in talk about worldly people and affairs, this dispassion towards the world can not be established. That is why spiritual pursuit as part of daily routine and contemplation of God become essential. It is prescribed to avoid mundane society. If getting involved in the society is part of the spiritual pursuit, devotees accept it and develops strength to remain mentally unaffected by it.

Philosophical pursuit of the absolute Truth: The man is given the discrimination faculty only to be different from the animals who do only bodily activities such as eating, sleeping, mating, and defending. The man is created to contemplate questions such as "Who am I? Why I am here? What is the goal of life? How was this world created? How am I connected to the Creator? How will I fulfill my purpose in life?" When we contemplate these questions, it helps us to learn the divine science of God-realization. Questions are the best way to contemplate and find the Truth.