Swami Vivekananda
The Law of Karma
The law of karma, in the first place, is not a law. That word gives it an aroma as if it is something scientific, like the law of gravitation. It is merely a hope, not a law at all. It has been hoped for centuries that if you do good you will attain to good results. It is a human hope in existence which is absolutely neutral.
If you look at nature, there are laws -- the whole of science is nothing but discovery of those laws -- but science has not come even close to detecting anything like the law of karma. Yes, it is certain that any action is going to bring certain reactions, but the law of karma is hoping for much more. If you simply say any action is bound to produce some reactions, it is possible to have scientific support for it. But man is hoping for much more. He is asking that a good action inevitably brings a good consequence with it, and the same with a bad action.
Now, there are many things implied in this. First, What is good? Each society defines good according to itself. What is good to a Jew is not good to a Jaina; what is good to a Christian is not good to a Confucian. Not only that, what is good in one culture is bad in another culture. A law has to be universal. For example, if you heat water to one hundred degrees centigrade, it will evaporate -- in Tibet, in Russia, in America, even in Oregon. In Oregon it will be a little puzzled, but all the same at one hundred degrees water will evaporate. Certainly the law of karma is neither a scientific law nor part of any legal system.
Then what kind of law is it? It is a hope. A man wandering in immense darkness, groping his way, clings to anything that gives a little hope, a little light -- because what you observe in life itself is something totally different from the law of karma. A man who is a well-known criminal may succeed and become the president, the prime minister; or vice versa: he was not a criminal before, but when he becomes the president or prime minister of a country he becomes a criminal... So in life this strange situation happens: bad people reach good positions, become respectable or honored, not only in their time but throughout history. It is full of their names. In history, Gautam Buddha, Mahavira, Kanad, Gautam, Lao Tzu, Chuang Tzu, Lieh Tzu -- people like these you will not find even in the footnotes. And Alexander the Great, Genghis Khan, Tamerlane, Nadirshah, Napoleon Bonaparte, Adolf Hitler -- they make up the major portion of history. In fact, we have to write the whole of history again because all these people have to be completely erased. Even the memory of them should not be carried on, because even their memory may have evil effects on people.
A better humanity will not give these names even a place in the footnotes; there is no need. They were nightmares; it is better they are completely forgotten so they don't follow you like shadows. And we have to discover people who have lived on this earth and made it in every way beautiful; shared their joy, their dance, their music, shared their ecstasies -- but lived anonymously. People have completely forgotten even their names. To me, certainly each action has its result, but not somewhere far away in a future life. The action and the result are continuous, they are part of one process. Do you think sowing the seed and reaping the crop are separate? It is one process. What begins in sowing the seed, grows, and one day the one seed has become thousands of seeds. That's what you call your crop. It is the same seed which has exploded into thousands of seeds. No death is intervening, no afterlife is needed; it is a continuum.
So the one thing to be remembered is: in my vision of life, yes, every action is bound to have some consequences, but they will not be somewhere else, you will have them here and now. Most probably you will get them almost simultaneously. When you are kind to someone, don't you feel a certain joy? A certain peace? A certain meaningfulness? Don't you feel that you are contented with what you have done? There is a kind of deep satisfaction. Have you ever felt that contentment when you are angry, when you are boiling with anger, when you hurt somebody, when you are mad with rage? Have you ever felt a peace, a silence descending in you? No, it is impossible. You will certainly feel something, but it will be a sadness that you again acted like a fool, that again you have done the same stupid thing that you decided again and again not to do. You will feel a tremendous unworthiness in yourself. You will feel that you are not a man but a machine, because you don't respond, you react. A man may have done something, and you reacted. That man had the key in his hands, and you just danced according to his desire; he had power over you. When somebody abuses you and you start fighting, what does it mean? It means that you don't have any capacity not to react.
अंधविश्वास के बदलते फैशन: ओशो
हर युग के अपने अंधविश्वास होते हैं। अंधविश्वास का भी फैशन होता है। ध्यान रहे, अंधविश्वास का फैशन होता है। हर युग में अंधविश्वास नए तरह के होते हैं। पुराने अंधविश्वास से आदमी छूटता है और नए पकड़ लेता है। लेकिन अंधविश्वास से कभी नहीं छूट पाता। बदलाहट कर लेता है, लेकिन हमें खयाल में नहीं आता।
समझ लें कि अगर एक जमाने में अंधविश्वास था कि सिर पर टीका लगाने वाला आदमी धार्मिक है। हालाँकि सिर पर टीका लगाने से धार्मिक होने का क्या संबंध? लेकिन यह खयाल था, तो आदमी टीका लगाता था और समझता था कि धार्मिक है। और जो नहीं लगाता था, उसे समझता था था कि वह अधार्मिक है। यह पुराना अंधविश्वास है, यह चला गया। अब नए तरह के अंधविश्वास है। उनमें कोई फर्क नहीं है। अगर एक आदमी टाई बाँधता है, तो समझते हैं कि प्रतिष्ठित आदमी है। और नहीं बाँधता है तो समझते हैं अप्रतिष्ठित है।
ठीक वही का वही मामला है, इसमें कोई फर्क नहीं है। क्या फर्क है? टाई तिलक से बेहतर तो नहीं है, बदतर हो भी सकती है। तिलक का कोई अर्थ भी हो सकता था, टाई का बिलकुल ही अर्थ नहीं है। इस मुल्क (भारत) में तो बिलकुल ही नहीं है, किसी मुल्क में हो भी सकता है। किसी ठंडे मुल्क में टाई का कोई अर्थ हो सकता है कि सब गले को बाँध लो।
निश्चित ही उस मुल्क में जो आदमी अपने गले को नहीं बाँध पाता है, वह गरीब आदमी है। निश्चित ही जो आदमी इतनी सुरक्षा नहीं जुटा पाता कि अपने गले को बाँधकर सर्दी जाने से रोक ले, वह आदमी गरीब है। जो सुविधा-संपन्न है, वह अपने गले को बाँधकर सर्दी से बच जाता है। लेकिन गर्म मुल्क में आदमी टाई बाँधे बैठा हुआ है, तब जरा खतरनाक मालूम पड़ता है कि यह आदमी या तो पागल है- सुविधा-संपन्न है या पागल है?
सुविधा संपन्न होने का मतलब तो यह नहीं है कि गर्मी सहो, गले में बाँध लो, फाँसी लगा लो। वैसे टाई का मतलब फाँसी ही होता है, टाई का मतलब होता है गाँठ। ठंडे मुल्क में तो कुछ मतलब भी हो सकता है, गर्म मुल्क में बिल्कुल फाँसी है।
लेकिन प्रतिष्ठा का खयाल वाला आदमी फाँसी लगाए हुए खड़ा है। नेता है, फाँसी लगाए हुए खड़ा है। और उससे पूछो तो वह कहेगा, ये सब टीका-तिलक लगाने वाले सब अंधविश्वासी हैं। उससे पूछो, यह टाई तुम कैसे बाँधे हुए हो? यह अंधविश्वास नहीं है? यह तुमने कौन-सी वैज्ञानिक व्यवस्था से यह टाई बाँध ली है?
लेकिन टाई इस युग का अंधविश्वास है, इसलिए चलेगा। टीका पुराने युग का अंधविश्वास है, इसलिए नहीं चलेगा। जैसा मैंने कहा कि ठंडे मुल्क में अर्थ भी हो सकता है टाई का, और कुछ लोगों को टीका लगाने का भी अर्थ हो सकता है। इसको बिना खोजे अगर हमने एकदम से अंधविश्वास कह दिया, तो खतरनाक है, गलत बात है।
अब आपने कभी सोचा भी नहीं होगा कि टीका लगाने का क्या मतलब है। अधिक लोग तो अंधविश्वास की तरह ही लगाते रहे हैं। लेकिन जिन्होंने पहली दफे लगाया होगा, उसमें कुछ साइंस ही थी। कुछ विज्ञान ही था। असल में जहाँ टीका लगाया जाता है, वहाँ आज्ञा चक्र है। और जो लोग भी थोड़ा ध्यान करते हैं, वह स्थल गर्म हो जाता है। और उस पर अगर चंदन लगा दिया जाए, तो वह ठंडा हो जाता है। और चंदन उस पर लगाता बहुत वैज्ञानिक प्रक्रिया है।
लेकिन वह बात गई, उसके विज्ञान से कोई मतलब नहीं है। कोई भी चंदन लगाए हुए चला आ रहा है। जिसे आज्ञा-चक्र का न कोई पता है, न जिसने कभी ध्यान किया है। वह टाई बाँधे हुए है गर्म मुल्क में। टाई वैज्ञानिक हो सकती है ठंडे मुल्क में। आज्ञा चक्र पर काम करने वाले आदमी को चंदन का टीका भी वैज्ञानिक हो सकता है, क्योंकि चंदन उसे ठंडक देता है। और जब कोई ध्यान की प्रक्रिया करता है। उसको ठंडा करना जरूरी है, अन्यथा मस्तिष्क को नुकसान पहुँचेगा।
लेकिन अब अगर हम पक्का कर लें कि नहीं, टीका मिटा डालना है। तो जो व्यर्थ लगाए हुए हैं उनका तो मिटाएँगे ही हम, लेकिन बेचारा अपने किसी काम से लगाए हुए है, उसका भी पोंछ डालेंगे। और नहीं पोंछेगा, तो कहेंगे अंधविश्वासी है।
साभार : मैं मृत्यु सिखाता हूँ
सौजन्य : ओशो इंटरनेशनल फाउंडेशन
Interesting facts about India.
History
India is the world's largest, oldest, continuous civilization
Although modern images of India often show poverty and lack of development, India was the richest country on earth until the time of British invasion in the early 17th Century. Christopher Columbus was attracted by India's wealth.
India never invaded any country in her last 10000 years of history.
India is the world's largest democracy.
The four religions born in India, Hinduism, Buddhism, Jainism, and Sikhism, are followed by 25% of the world's population
Chess (Shataranja or AshtaPada) was invented in India.
Varanasi, also known as Benares, was called "the ancient city" when Lord Buddha visited it in 500 B.C.E, and is the oldest, continuously inhabited city in the world today.
The art of Navigation was born in the river Sindh 6000 years ago. The very word Navigation is derived from the Sanskrit word NAVGATIH. The word navy is also derived from Sanskrit 'Nou'.
Medicine
Sushruta is the father of surgery. 2600 years ago he and health scientists of his time conducted complicated surgeries like cesareans, cataract, artificial limbs, fractures, urinary stones and even plastic surgery and brain surgery. Usage of anesthesia was well known in ancient India. Over 125 surgical equipment were used. Deep knowledge of anatomy, physiology, etiology, embryology, digestion, metabolism, genetics and immunity is also found in many texts.
Ayurveda is the earliest school of medicine known to humans. Charaka, the father of medicine consolidated Ayurveda 2500 years ago. Today Ayurveda is fast regaining its rightful place in our civilization.
Math
The value of "pi" was first calculated by Budhayana, and he explained the concept of what is known as the Pythagorean Theorem. He discovered this in the 6th century long before the European mathematician.
India invented the Number System. Zero was invented by Aryabhatta.
Bhaskaracharya calculated the time taken by the earth to orbit the sun hundreds of years before the astronomer Smart. Time taken by earth to orbit the sun: (5th century) 365.258756484 days.
Academic
The World's first university was established in Takshashila in 700 BCE. More than 10,500 students from all over the world studied more than 60 subjects. The University of Nalanda built in the 4th century BCE was one of the greatest achievements of ancient India in the field of education.
Grammar constitutes one of India's greatest contributions to Western philology. Panini, the Sanskrit grammarian, who lived between 750 and 500 BCE, was the first to compose formal grammar through his Astadhyai.
India is the world's largest, oldest, continuous civilization
Although modern images of India often show poverty and lack of development, India was the richest country on earth until the time of British invasion in the early 17th Century. Christopher Columbus was attracted by India's wealth.
India never invaded any country in her last 10000 years of history.
India is the world's largest democracy.
The four religions born in India, Hinduism, Buddhism, Jainism, and Sikhism, are followed by 25% of the world's population
Chess (Shataranja or AshtaPada) was invented in India.
Varanasi, also known as Benares, was called "the ancient city" when Lord Buddha visited it in 500 B.C.E, and is the oldest, continuously inhabited city in the world today.
The art of Navigation was born in the river Sindh 6000 years ago. The very word Navigation is derived from the Sanskrit word NAVGATIH. The word navy is also derived from Sanskrit 'Nou'.
Medicine
Sushruta is the father of surgery. 2600 years ago he and health scientists of his time conducted complicated surgeries like cesareans, cataract, artificial limbs, fractures, urinary stones and even plastic surgery and brain surgery. Usage of anesthesia was well known in ancient India. Over 125 surgical equipment were used. Deep knowledge of anatomy, physiology, etiology, embryology, digestion, metabolism, genetics and immunity is also found in many texts.
Ayurveda is the earliest school of medicine known to humans. Charaka, the father of medicine consolidated Ayurveda 2500 years ago. Today Ayurveda is fast regaining its rightful place in our civilization.
Math
The value of "pi" was first calculated by Budhayana, and he explained the concept of what is known as the Pythagorean Theorem. He discovered this in the 6th century long before the European mathematician.
India invented the Number System. Zero was invented by Aryabhatta.
Bhaskaracharya calculated the time taken by the earth to orbit the sun hundreds of years before the astronomer Smart. Time taken by earth to orbit the sun: (5th century) 365.258756484 days.
Academic
The World's first university was established in Takshashila in 700 BCE. More than 10,500 students from all over the world studied more than 60 subjects. The University of Nalanda built in the 4th century BCE was one of the greatest achievements of ancient India in the field of education.
Grammar constitutes one of India's greatest contributions to Western philology. Panini, the Sanskrit grammarian, who lived between 750 and 500 BCE, was the first to compose formal grammar through his Astadhyai.
Karmanye Vadhikaraste
In Devnagari: कर्मण्ये वाधिकारस्ते म फलेषु कदाचना कर्मफलेह्तुर भुरमा ते संगोस्त्वकर्मानी॥ च २, ४७
In English transliteration: Karmanye vadhikaraste ma phaleshu kadachna Karmaphalehtur bhurma te sangostvakarmani. Ch. 2, 47
In English translation: You have a right to perform your prescribed duty, but you are not entitled to the fruits of action।
Never consider yourself the cause of the results of your activities, and never be attached to not doing your duty.
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