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Four Spiritual Disciplines |
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as per Bhagavad Gita karman.yevaadhikaaras the' maa phalesuu kadaachana | Thou hast a right to action or work alone, and never to its fruits;
Do thy work being steadfast in devotion and abandoning attachment, O
Arjuna !
O' Arjuna mere action performed with attachment is inferior to action
performed
i. The Spiritual Discipline and Teachings Applied for the Practice The Philosophical teachings of Hinduism, like any scientific theory,
are of no use to the common man unless it is applied for their daily
practice. It has survived the test of time for many thousand years and
still remains popular due to the sound principles on which its practice
is based. It gives different rules of ethics and conducts for various
categories of people. The Dharma Sasthras and Smrithis teach us of
normal conduct in performing our work. Dharma, Artha, Kama and Moksha
are the four Purusharthas that govern out activity. Dharma is the proper
rules of one's duty, which literally means "that which holds"
the universe and its beings. They are classified as Samanya Dharma or
the general and universal rules and Visesha Dharma or specific personal
rules for each individual. They give peace, joy, strength and
tranquillity. Artha and Kama are the materialistic desire and passion,
that also govern our actions. Unless one seeks the material benefits and
pleasures within the scope of Dharma, it will cause grief with greed and
lust. Moksha is the relief from pain and suffering and ultimate
liberation that is the main reason for all our actions. As rituals became popular and were being considered as the sole path
for the eternal bliss, the soundness of its philosophy and ethics of
practice were reestablished by the sages. The four Yogas give us the
spiritual discipline of our conduct. Karma Yoga is the correct path of
performing work without greed or desire and the action performed without
looking for the fruits of benefit or loss. Raja Yoga is the discipline
of control of our body and mind. It teaches concentration, meditation,
breathing and physical exercise and a state of equanimity of the mind as
a natural reaction to all activities. Bhakthi Yoga is the spiritual
discipline of absolute devotion and love of God. It teaches prayers and
surrender to God at all times. It teaches to see and feel God in all
people and all actions. Jnana Yoga is the path of obtaining Spiritual
knowledge through action, study, meditation and devotion. Vedas describe three personality traits, Sathvika, Rajasika and
Tamasika. Sathvika Gunas are present in the pious person who follows all
teachings of the faith and Dharma. Compassion to all animals, Ahimsa and
vegetarianism are advocated as Sathva Guna. The Rajasika Gunas are
present in people who enjoyed some amount of worldly pleasures directed
by desire and ego, which are Artha and Kama. Tamasika persons have no
knowledge of the proper Dharma or they do not care for them. They are
driven solely by Artha and Kama which are passion, greed and lust. These
Gunas are present in all but one is dominant. The Yogas advocate the
ways to follow the superior Sathva Guna and the ways to suppress the
undesirable Artha and Kama without the proper Dharma. Performance of
proper Dharma and all the Karma leads to a sense of peace and equanimity
of mind and eternal bliss. The individual makeup of a person, his Guna
and effects of his Karma determines the rebirth and ultimate liberation.
Performance of one's duty without devotion to God is dry and empty.
Performance of such duty should be without any attachment to its fruit
but as a devotion to God. Hinduism gave us the four Vedas, the three
Agamas, the six Dharsanas and the four Yogas. |