Right Living

Viswamitra · Aug 7, 2015

“More people died because of religion than because of cancer but we are finding cure for cancer” roared the wall of the Facebook page of an ILite. “Before the arrival of white men, there were no lock on our doors, no private property, no sense of possession, no beggars, no jails, no police, no hunger, no banks, no money currency, no rich or poor, and no pollution; yet them claimed we were uncivilized” said another post in Facebook. Whether one considers this statement effusive or try to remain ambivalent with respect to the religion, there is truth in the above statements. These cryptic messages appear to say something substantive and definitely bolster right living and ridicule the callous behavior of the humanity as a whole.

How many lives had been taken away, be it a genocide systematically carried out by the Hitler’s Nazis regime executing the Jews in the gas chamber, be it the partition riots that happened between the Hindus and Muslims in India, be it cantankerous terrorism unfolded between Catholics and Protestants in Ireland, be it fundamental Christians’ atrocities committed against the innocent Muslim civilians in Bosnia, be it the misguided terrorism unfolded against all other religion in the name of Islam from specific countries located in the Mideast.

The religion that doesn’t unite people together is no religion. The word religion means “that binds to the origin” meaning communion with the Creator. At present there is an active debate in the United States whether guns kill people or the people kill other people. There seems to be no end to this debate. Similarly, as long as religions exist, the enigma about the purpose of the religion will be questioned.

Sanatana Dharma which I translate into bundle of right living or Eternal Order teaches us as follows:

‘[FONT=&amp]Ajyesthaso akanishthaso ete sambhrataro vahaduhu saubhagaya’ [/FONT]
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“No one is superior, none inferior. All are brothers marching forward to prosperity.” [/FONT]

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Om sarve bhavantu sukhinah. Sarve santu niraamayaah.[/FONT]
[FONT=&amp]Sarve bhadraani pashyantu. Maa kaschid dukhbhaag bhavet.[/FONT]

[FONT=&amp]“May all beings be happy. May all beings be healthy.[/FONT]
[FONT=&amp]May all beings experience prosperity. May none in the world suffer.”

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None of the founders of any religion taught hatred but always carried the message of love.

Peter 3:8: “Finally, all of you, have unity of mind, sympathy, brotherly love, a tender heart, and a humble mind.”

Colossians 3:14: “And above all these put on love, which binds everything together in perfect harmony.”

“Hatred does not cease through hatred at any time. Hatred ceases through love. This is an unalterable law.” – Buddha

“Teach this triple truth to all: A generous heart, kind speech, and a life of service and compassion are the things which renew humanity.” – Buddha

“Show mercy to those on earth so that He who is in heaven will have mercy on you.” – The Prophet Muhammad

“Believers are like a single person; if his eye is in pain his whole body pains, and if his head is in pain his whole body pains.” – The Prophet Muhammad

Atrocities committed in the name of the religion is erroneous and should be condemned by the entire humanity. I am not trying to be didactic. It is plain and simple lack of erudition of the respective religion by the people who commit such atrocities. It is not faith that causes such callous behavior but the lack of faith in the minds of those who don’t grasp the essence of the respective religion. Being born in a religion doesn’t automatically makes a person a Buddhist or Christian or Hindu or Muslim but practicing the religion does. Right living is the essence of all religions which elevate human beings into divine beings. On the contrary, if a man behaves like an animal by killing people of other religions, he doesn’t deserve to be called human, leave alone calling him religious.

I have come to the conclusion that whatever teachings that came out of each religion will become history unless people practice those teachings. Those who practice violence against humanity and not in harmony with people of other religion are the worst destroyers of the religion. I would rather prefer a human being who doesn’t believe in any religion but practices right living and develops a great character than a person who associate himself with a religion but doesn’t practice it. There is no way this world can eradicate religions altogether. Then, what is the remedy? One can adapt to the changing world but the principles of right living can’t be compromised. If each individual questions his/her own thinking irrespective of whether one believes in religions or not, the world will be a better place to live. Tom Robbins, the famous American author of many books said, “There are many things worth living for, a few things worth dying for, and nothing worth killing for.”

Srama · Aug 8, 2015

Dear V sir,

You are right with right living one can actually transcend religion itself and see the universal good. Too bad too many things happen in the name of religion. The quotation by Tom Robbins if profound. Thank you for sharing that.

Viswamitra · Aug 8, 2015

Dear Sabitha,

Thank you for your response. Humanity can survive with or without religion but can't without right living. If religions don't refine or transform humanity, their purpose will be defeated. If human beings don't serve each other because of religions, what purpose is served by religions. Killing in the name of religion is the most disgraceful act and insult to the religion. A true follower of a religion would not hate anyone.

Viswa

parineetha · Aug 8, 2015

Dear Viswa Sir,

As usual great insights, wonderful message. Cant agree with you more.

we all know, the basic premise of most of the religion is love, compassion, peace and forgiveness.
But how often the core values are conveniently forgotten ? And how most often the half-baked understanding, mis-interpreted notions, falsely professed philosophies take command to ruin the actual essence of holy books?
Whom do we blame for all these conflicts in the name of religion?

Sometimes, I feel the less the understanding, the more we are better off rather reading too much into Christianity with the views of trinity and its coinage for polytheisms, reading into Quran and finding that its master’s commands punitive amputation and ridiculing Hindu scriptures for belief in “philosophy of pantheism”. Less said is better and less argued is better off.

One the other hand, Religious scriptures have been commandeered as political manifestos to achieve global political ends, such as fighting wars in the name of God, and for justifying inappropriate behavior in the name of commerce and territorialism.
In my view, this is yet another nail in the coffin of globalization, and religion has probably been one of the major sacrifices.

jayasala42 · Aug 8, 2015

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[TD] Dear Viswa,
You have taken a great topic for discussion and more or less concluded that belief in religion is insignificant compared to right living which is the most essential thing in life.

There have been many discussions on this topic from my college days.
First of all what is right living?As society exists now, there is no right way of living. You have to earn a livelihood, you marry, you have children, you become responsible for them and so you accept the life of an engineer or a professor.

What is one to do in a society which is corrupt, which has such contradictions in itself, in which there is so much injustice - for that is the society in which we live?

Is it possible to live in this society, not only to have a right means of livelihood, but also to live without conflict? Is it possible to earn a livelihood righteously and also to end all conflict within oneself? Now, are these two separate things: earning a living rightly and to have a right living ,that is a living without a shadow of conflict in oneself.

Are these two in separate, watertight compartments? Or do they go together? To live a life without any conflict requires a great deal of understanding of oneself and therefore great intelligence - not the clever intelligence of the intellect - but the capacity to observe, to see objectively what is happening, both outwardly and inwardly and to know that there is no difference between the outer and the inner.
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It is possible to live a life without a single shadow of conflict only when you have understood the whole significance of living - which is, relationship and action. What is right action - under all circumstances? Is there such a thing? Is there a right action which is absolute, not relative? Life is action, movement, talking, acquiring knowledge and also relationship with another, however deep or superficial. You have to find right relationship if you want to find a right action which is absolute.

All our relationships in this world ,whether romantic, filial,are generally sensuous - begin with that - then from sensuality there is companionship, a sense of dependence on each other; then there is the creation of some bondage-either of a family or community - which increases dependence on each other. This dependence gives us a sense of security; a protection against this vast world of terror. We say: "I love you." In that love there is always the sense of possessing and being possessed.
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The moment you are tied to another person, or tied to an idea or concept,(even concept of God) corruption has begun. Attachment is not the opposite of detachment. I am attached and I struggle to be detached; which is: I create the opposite. The moment I have created the opposite conflict comes into being. Right living ceases to exist.

Leave alone the above views of a great philosopher.
What is actually right living in common man's point of view?

Is it to deal with post trauma stress?

"Is it about removing the woman from the abuse, or is it about removing the abuse from women or
men too?
Is it to learn about love or be careful about 'love addiction'?

Is it to learn about people who violate your time, space, finances and first voice?Is it the art to distinguish and keep people at arm's length?

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Boundaries are the most important tool, because boundaries are what give us the power to keep
the bad out and the good in.
Is it to declare openly"“My life is not a dumping ground for your unresolved issues. Come get your junk!”

'always forgiving'may seem to be a good idea to have a good day but may lead to bad life in the end.
There is an appropriate way and time even to forgive and regret.

Right living and wrong living,surrender or no surrender,attachment and detachment are only relative terms
and cannot be specifically defined and come under the category of 'generally acceptable' and rely more on practical thinking and worldly wisdom.

Jayasala 42

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PushpavalliSrinivasan · Aug 8, 2015

Dear Viswa,
it is better to be an atheist or an agnostic leading a virtuous life than to be a religious fanatic. These religious fanatics are really a threat to humanity.

No religion supports violence and mindless killing. All religions teach only love, harmony and peaceful living.

I believe that religions were started to teach the people right living .

PS

Cheeniya · Aug 8, 2015

My dear Viswa
Centuries ago, when the Age of Religion prevailed, the motive was to transcend oneself, to go beyond oneself, to adopt every positive means to bring about complete detachment from material concerns and to look for methods by which one could have total perception of reality. Naturally the goal was a sense of fulfillment. Not that the seeker had necessarily had a vision or insight of God or any other spiritual power. It gave him mastery over his own self so that he could distinguish between truth and non-truth, between reality and illusion. Every child that lived in that age was tutored by the father or the teacher to adopt a lifestyle of austerity that was not only good in itself but also provided a powerful impetus to look beyond his body-mind complex.

With all the advancement of science and technology, the Age of Rationality set in and brought about an era of dominance of reason and logic. It has ushered in science, the master tool that is enabling mankind to plumb deep into the cosmos, to unravel newer and newer facts that have come to constitute the truth as it is. We are living in that era. I can give you the example of Stephen Hawking. Initially he did not rule out the existence of a Creator but his subsequent studies kept altering his views. In his ‘A brief History of Time’, he wondered if the existence of God was necessary to explain the origin of the Universe!

Science, the daughter of reason, and technology, its granddaughter have conferred many benefits upon us. It has basically given us a better standard of life. It has shown us the way to better and superior health. It has the capacity to eradicate poverty and disease from the face of the earth. But…a big but! It is also an Era of Competition, an upsurge of egoistic values, narcissistic drive, the ‘me-me’ sensationalism that eagerly builds on and thrives by externalism. Concern for the other person is no longer in the agenda. If it is there, it is selfish, non-genuine and the concern is shown for a purpose.

I cannot refrain from making a mention of Kaliyuga in this context. The venerated sage Sukha narrates to Parikshat the dominance of adharma in Kaliyuga thus:
Scriptures are spoken of lightly by a growing number of non-believers. The rulers prey upon their subjects. Students do not observe celibacy or lead pure lives. Religious mendicants show themselves to be inordinately fond of wealth. Unrighteous men climbing to the seat of power and honour lay down the law in regard to dharma as they perceive it.
Sri

Viswamitra · Aug 9, 2015

Dear Neethu,

I listen to you with great care especially when you talk about how religions are hijacked for promoting personal agenda considering you are from a State where people from three different religions live in perfect harmony with each other. I feel it is lack of understanding and wrong interpretation of scriptures fron various religions that results in people justifying their wrongful acts as sanctioned by the scriptures. We all know their interpretations are for from truth. If people learn the scriptures properly, practice religion with care with the motive to be righteous and be considerate to the fellow beings, the world will be a better place. Having said all that, if some of the religious practices have outlived the time, one should use common sense to adapt to the new world and should be willing to break the barrier.

Celibacy is practiced by Cathelic priests from time immemorial because they had great mind control. When some priest faulted their character by misbehaving (I am using a much polite word here because this is a public domain and it is difficult to write this subject to someone I consider as my daughter) with young boys, the purpose of celibacy is defeated. I felt it is better if they are allowed to marry. Similarly, I have discussed the subject of Jihad with very learned Muslims in the U.S. They told Holy Quran does talk about holy war against infidels but in their opinion, it is a fight against anger, ego, greed, hatred, jealousy, pride, etc., the enemies inside of each person. It is my humble opinion, the learned Muslims should voice their opinion and prevent the terrorists misguiding so many young men. Similarly, in Sanatana Dharma, a particular set of people are supposed to interprete Scriptures and guide others about right living and in return the rest should provide for their living. Instead they pursued other professions to satisfy their greed resulting in learning and interpreting Scriptures becoming thing of the past with a very few exceptions. Now, other than for reciting and conducting ceremonies, very few cares to read, understand and interprete Scriptures.

That is why I feel it is time to break the barriers and change things around to get back on track with the purpose why Scriputes were written and religions were founded.

Viswa

Viswamitra · Aug 9, 2015

Dear Smt. Srinivasan:

I couldn't agree more with your response. No religion teaches violence and the religions are founded only for one purpose i.e. to promote right living. Therefore if some one practices right living even if he is an atheist, he should be revered.

The one who interpret Scriptures to suit personal agenda is the true destroyer of the religion. If religion doesn't transform human being to become a better person, the purpose of the religion will be defeated.

Viswa

Kamalji · Aug 9, 2015

Dear Vishwa,

Very true , how many people die bcs of religion and fights due to it. Like my god is right, all otehrs are wrong, and if u dont follow mine, u are my enemy.

Sad really. Dont we all have different food hhabits and we speak different languages ? Same way is religion, we follow what our parents follow, so why dont people tolerate the other person, and his or her likes, or dislikes.

Very well written Vishwa. Superb.

Regards

kamal