Three Modes of Nature
Recently, I have came across this Youtube drama from a friend of mine's Youtube wall. At first, it was funny and nice to watch, but soon, it started to reveal some things.Source : http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8lMMo6V2kb0&feature=related
The drama is based on Shri Krishna's sermon in Bhavagad Gita on the three modes of (human) nature and how it conditions the individual into behaving as they do.
Source : http://asitis.com/14/
Chapter 14, Verse 5.
Material nature consists of the three modes--goodness, passion and ignorance. When the living entity comes in contact with nature, he becomes conditioned by these modes.
Chapter 14, Verse 6.
O sinless one, the mode of goodness being purer than the others, is illuminating, and it frees one from all sinful reactions. Those situated in that mode develop knowledge, but they become conditioned by the concept of happiness.
Chapter 14, Verse 7.
The mode of passion is born of unlimited desires and longings, O son of Kunti, and because of this one is bound to material fruitive activities.
Chapter 14, Verse 8.
O son of Bharata, the mode of ignorance causes the delusion of all living entities. The result of this mode is madness, indolence and sleep, which bind the conditioned soul.
Chapter 14, Verse 9.
The mode of goodness conditions one to happiness, passion conditions him to the fruits of action, and ignorance to madness. So, basically humans are divided into three categories as according to the modes which they are active in.
A person who is in mode of Goodness will seek knowledge and spiritualism, become active for sake of others and find peace and happiness in working for others, his society and the World in General.
A person who is in mode of Passion will seek pleasures of life and to fulfill his own worldly desires - which could be anything - money, power, women/men, long live and much more. He will only work for himself and his family and become very attached to his possession.
A person who is in mode of Ignorance become lazy, seeks only to fulfill his stomach and his lust, does nothing which is benefits the society or even his own family. He eats, drinks, sleeps and have sex to fulfill his desires and do nothing else. And he will call this Living, even so such living makes him no different from cats and dogs in the street. Here's what I thought when I was watching that drama from my friend's Facebook wall. What IF those modes doesn't just imply to individual and how these mode conditions them? WHAT IF the modes applies to religion and how it influence the general society as well?
Religion which is in mode of Goodness could be Hinduism and Buddhism - as they have less impact on the World and other sentient beings - being non-meat eating, Ahimsa principles as well as respect toward the World (as Earth Goddess).
Religion which is in mode of Passion could be Christianity - Christians are very passionate about living to the point that Christians chase after worldly pleasures and passion like a blind man chasing after light. They have very little thoughts of the actions they are committing, believing that their actions and sin are sanctified by Jesus, thus making them sinless (and therefore, should not worry too much about responsibility and effects of their sinful actions).
Judaism can be considered as religion of passion as well, except that they seems to be more controlled than Christianity. They follow their laws as best as they could, and even so many could fall from being good Jews, they do not forget that there is judgment to come and be mindful of that.
Islam is definitely the religion of Ignorance. Islam teaches nothing about living responsibility toward non-Muslims nor the World which the Muslims will leave behind once they die. They marry more than they could afford and have children by dozens, many of them will not have good education or even proper food and clothing on their backs. Poverty seems to accompany Muslims wherever they go and they multiply too quickly and do very little to improve themselves over time. Their very existence have very little positive outcome to the World which they live in. The Modes of the Religion should be determined by the Impacts of their followers onto the World.
While all religions of the World does look similar; and even when they are not, many of the followers of some religion could like to associate themselves with more successful religion in order to draw followers into their own religion. Power of Association have been tool to draw followers into various cults for ages. Cults which started small quickly grew into a group as man of power start of with his own family and those who are closest to him, and use them to build the moment required.
When one determines which religion is true and which is merely cults which have been bloom into mainstream religion, one must examine the religion's impact on the society and the World in general. These impact in turn will determine the modes which the religion operates, similar to how an individual operates within the World using one of these three modes. It is my opinion that the true religion of God MUST have three basic characteristics :
1. How the followers behave among themselves and with others (non-followers).
2. What contribution the followers make to the society in general (regardless whether they are majority or minority in a society).
3. What contribution and affect the followers have on the World in general.
Point 1 - Many religious followers often say that their religion teach them to behave properly. However, many beliefs (and cults) teach the followers to separate themselves away from non-believers. It is my opinion that True Religion of God will teach its followers that it's laws applies fairly to both believers and non-believers. For example, murder is a sin in Hinduism and Buddhism. It does not matter if the victim is a believe or non-believer or whether the culprit was a believer or a non-believer. The crime is the same regardless of who they were and judgment for this crime are the same. Therefore, the religions promote a unified views of Mankind as a whole race and do not divisible Mankind into groups or categories (of believers or non-believers).
Point 2 - What contribution the followers make for the society? Today, many who lives in the World do so without making proper contribution to the society. Many do not pay their taxes, do not keep their neighborhood clean, willing to commit petty crimes if they could get away from it, and have poor morale and ethical standards (such as willing to engage with prostitution if they wish for it). While religion can promote good ethical guidelines to their followers; it is up to the followers themselves whether to follow this guidelines or not.
Therefore, Good religion = a Religion which promotes positive contribution to the society and not just make the followers bred like mosquitoes (in large numbers) and do nothing except to eat, sleep and make more children. Also, a religion that forces its followers to make changes (like Syariah Laws) have very little effect in the long run. Forcing people to change often does not promote the change in them. The change must be done softly but firmly and by religious teachers and guides who they themselves are symbol for the very change which they wish the society to follow.
No change can come from the end of a whip. {:1_149:}
Point 3 - Very important but often neglected. The contribution to the World in general. A good religion = one which makes most positive contribution to the World in general. A religion which promotes peace, co-existence, mutual understanding and cooperation among the races are welcomed. A religion which promotes vegetarians dietary as well as love for environment and Nature are welcomed.
The way I see it today, most people forget that they are just one generation today, and if they continued to live without self-restraint and control, making mess of the environment and the World in general, then they will inherit this messed-up World to their children. Spiritualism CANNOT BE developed in a messed-up World. No one can actually pray with a calm and tranquil mind when their surrounding are full of garbage and the smell stinks to the high heaven. Therefore, Good Spiritual practice (religion) = Taking good care of the Environment. The Three Modes determine the Effectiveness of a Religion
One of the most common misconception among religious followers (and atheists) are that a religion will determine the attitude of a follower. This means that, a person who is in specify religion will have a set of behavior which similar to others in the same religion, and they can be grouped together via attitude. This allows some religious followers to shrug away evil deeds done by others in his group as individuals who are performing their own actions freely, while keeping their religion clean from effects of evil deeds of their "rogue" followers.
Also, many believe that by following a specified religion in their own ways (fanatically or by modern standards), they too can reach a higher form of spiritual practice which not available to others who they see as misusing the belief.This allows the majority to divide themselves into two - conservative and secular; each fighting to determine that they are the ones who are in the correct path.
However, if one were to look at the religion through the concept of the Three Modes, things becomes clearer. First fact which one must understand is this - the Modes determine individuality (the Mind of the Follower, not the Soul) and individuals gather together to follow a belief thus influencing the flow by which the beliefs flows. In another word, if a religion is a "clean slate", the individuals are the ones who will determine how the religion will be portrayed among their own society and in eyes of others who doesn't follow that belief. Non-believers will look and make up their own opinion of specify religion based on the actions and behavior of the followers.
A religion where the followers are in Mode of Goodness will put the religion toward Goodness, despite on how the religion looks like to those who doesn't believe in it. Which could be why Hinduism and Buddhism continues to attract people despite of being around 5,000 (Buddhism - 2,500) years, with it's multiple gods and goddesses. While the concept of multiple gods and goddesses seems to be confusing to the mainstream populations (especially in the West), the concept like Ahimsa, Non-Vegetarian dietary, Karma, Dharma and Reincarnation continues to bring interest from outsiders.
A religion where the followers are in Mode of Passion will attract those who are in the "quick lane". They do not have time to pray, meditate and take time to enjoy the Nature. They become too active, and wants more and more, thus suffering due to their own greed and ambition. Religions such as Hinduism and Buddhism which teaches the followers to stop and smell the flowers will not be suitable for people who are in Mode of Passion. Their hearts are too full of desires and wants and religions is pushed aside as a something which is necessary but not important.
It is my opinion that Westerners (especially Americans) are incapable of evolving spiritually because their Mode is that of Passion. Till they learn to let go of their desires and work for greater good than their own passionate needs, they cannot change their own Modes to that of Goodness and develop the necessary spiritual mindset to reach God.
Religion whose followers are in Mode of Ignorance will not benefit the World and Society in general. While the religion maybe "innocent" of it's followers' actions (or lack of action), it doesn't change the fact that such religion will serve as to attract others into the Mode of Ignorance, thus pushing the followers deeper into a dark well. The followers will - Eat, Sleep, Drink and Make Babies and they will call this as a religious duty (to procreate). They will not progress Spiritually nor do they work for the benefits of the World (because they believe the World exist to serve them). The Mode and Individuality of an Ignorant Person
Before I continue here, everyone who reads this should remember one simple rule - Mode does determine individuality but a person with a free will can change their individuality as they see fit. A Good person can become passionate, a passionate person can become ignorant, an ignorant person can become passionate and a passionate person can become Good. All it will take is for the person to accept what Mode he is in, and change accordingly.
For example, an ignorant man could be a drunkard, a wife-beater, sexually addicted or pedophile or even someone who eats due to graving of his tongue. All of these people will have the same problem - they will not accept that they have problems and choose to ignore the signs. Some could try to rationalize their actions through some reasons which they believe is proper. For example, a drunkard could blame the society or his personal problems to his drinking problems; a wife-beater could rationalize beating his wife like a cow as an act of discipline or a pedophile could rationalize his sick obsession to the society or how others dress or behave. The bottomline here is, those who are ignorant will rationalize their behavior as something which they cannot control or have power over.
Even if a person who is ignorant accepts his fault, he will not change easily. He will try to push the necessary change to another time, and make further excuses not to change till it is too late or till a new excuse comes.Ignorant is a deep, dark well. Once you have fallen inside, it will be very hard for a person to climb out of the well and into the light above.
Does religion promote Ignorance?
Unfortunately, the answer is Yes. Any religion which does not promote Living on this World as a necessary and important task actually promotes ignorance. While Living on the World is hard and full of suffering, it is a necessary suffering in order to determine our worth.
A sword is created by heating the metal, banging it with a hammer and then cooling it down in water before repeating the process. Diamonds are created through intensive pressure and heat inside our Planet. This are just some example how hardship is required to create something useful. In the same way, young boys and girls have to go to school and learn in order to become useful individuals. Humans were born in this World (among other Worlds) for sole purpose of LIVING.
We live to learn and become strong and well-discipline individual and once we die and shred this mortal flesh, we will return back to our primordial state. At that time, how well we have learn on this World will determine our worth in afterlife. This is the Goal of Spiritualism - to be strong and beneficial to everyone and everything, NOT to daydream about some heaven with virgins or flowing rivers of wine and honey.
However, some religions continue to push mankind toward the Path of Ignorance. Individuals who have fallen here will rationalize their behavior through rules set in their religion and fight to protect the religion which support their ignorant ways (which is easier to follow). The highest level of Ignorance is Madness - thus, those who have indulge for too long in Ignorance will lose all sense of Goodness and become Mad. They will use physical abuse and all the conducts which they know are evil actions to protect their religion which promote Ignorance. Suicide are common among such mad individuals.
So, therefore, those who read this, PLEASE take some time and sit down. Examine carefully what you are doing and whether you are following the right path and whether the Path you choose actually bringing you peace, tranquility and love with yourself and with others (especially those who are not in the same Path as you are). Madness Vs Mysticism
What is Mysticism? Is it a form of Madness as well? What level is the Mysticism exists in?
Madness as I have stated before comes from the Mode of Ignorance. A person who is so ignorant of the World, the Mode which he is in as well as how he lives have reached a certain level of mentality where he choose to become Mad. He is mad in his religious following, unable to be rational and think straight. Violence seems to be an easy way out of the situation and many even promote violence as a way of reaching the higher level of Spiritualism (Goodness).
In Mode of Ignorance, these madmen could actually believe that they are in state of Spiritual development and their path will lead to God. They will not accept that they are heading away or walk in the Path of God nor Goodness. They will associate meager physical activities like fasting, wearing clean and "virtues" clothing and talking with humble manner as "Spiritual" way of life while ignoring that the TRUE SPIRITUALISM lies in attitude and how one interacts with other human being (especially those who are not in their groups) and with the World in general.
Mysticism in the other hand can be considered as the highest level of Spiritualism - above even the three Modes of Nature, to the point that the Mode of Mysticism can be considered as something Supernatural (above Normal Mode).
A Mystic have no desires for himself Yet he lives peacefully with himself, others around him and the World in general. He knows, understand and "sees" God (as Energy) in everything and everyone and understands the Flow by which these Energy influence the World. In another Word, a Mystic could sees and understand hidden things which normal people (including those in Mode of Goodness) could not able to understand.
A Mystic doesn't wear nice clothing, live in a nice house or have family or relatives who surrounds him. Many Mystics like the Hindu Siddhis are actually hermits who wear rag-tagged clothing, walk barefoot and have very little belongings. Matter a fact, if one were to meet a Mystic in the road, one could likely to consider them as a beggar or a vagabond and not as someone who is close to God.
To a Mystic, their relative and friends is God and God alone. Many of them have such a close relationship with God that they could sense His presence and "talk" with Him on daily basis (of course, normal people will consider it as an act of someone who is mentally unstable). Their understanding of the Energy which flows within the World (and all physical realm) is so great, they could understand hidden things by merely touching an object or a person.
So, the difference between a madman and a Mystic is that a Mystic will not abuse God's name nor His Knowledge given to them for any reason. They will walk around, serve God in their own ways and we could not even know they exists while Madmen will howl and bark at everyone in name of God.
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