Do we need to follow some principles Delibrately?

 John 3:6

If everything exists obeying some principles to perform their functions, then human beings also should perform such principles to make possible their existence. Then why they need to obey some principles deliberately?  No other entity in the universe practice any principles deliberately!

Let us look into the facts in a little detail. All entities  exist performing their concerned functions by obeying some principles  . This is possible only by the application of an external power. No doubt, this is true in the case of human being also, because human being also exists within the universe . But what is the difference between the existence of human being and others. All other entities obey  particular principles concerned to their functions or behavior to exist. They cannot modify their functions or behavior and thereby these principles  . But man can modify his behaviors, in positive or negative manner. Example,  an animal is induced by  hungry  to search for food. It will continue its search either till get the food or till loss all its energy in search and die. It cannot modify this behavior in anyway. In  the case of all other material entities this is true. Look into the case of human being he can behave in some other ways also, he can control his hungry and stay without searching food or he can produce food by cultivating. Means, he can modify his behavior himself. 

This quality -self control or modification- is quite different from those seen in non-human entities. As this is a peculiar function, or behavior, seen in  human being alone,  there should be a peculiar plane of principles  in action in human beings that govern this peculiar behavior or quality. So in human beings two different sets of principles or planes (Actually it is not 2 sets of principles, same set working in different planes)   are in action,  as he is the part of common matter (universe)  he is governed by the principles which govern the universe,  the physical plane.  And the second set of principles, that governs the  behavior that peculiar to human beings,works in the second plane or spiritual plane. By the help of the second type of principles in action he can modify his behavior, or his character. If he doesn't do that, he will remain as an animal.

The second type of principles do not modify his physical being, but the behavior,  qualities or character. In nut shell, these set of principles control not the physical characteristics but non-physical(qualities) or spiritual characteristics, means a non-physical world exists in human being. We inherit some physical characteristics from our parents,from physical world, but it is not possible to inherit qualities from there, we know qualities do not have physical existence. Because,Flesh gives birth to flesh, but the Spirit gives birth to spirit. We are physically from our parents, from physical world, but qualitatively not from parents. Physical birth and existence is governed by  principles working in physical plane. The qualities are not governed by  principles working in physical plane, but non-physical plane, so we have to get it after our physical birth. In nut shell, we need a spiritual birth to the spiritual world to get the principles worked in us . Some time we can see the characters or qualities of our parents in us. It is not inherited but imitated. By allowing the  principles to work in the spiritual plane we can add qualities to us and we can completely override these so called inherited qualities and even the qualities produced by  the hormones  secreted by some physical organs - glands. Gradually we can be completely governed by these non-physical (Spiritual) principles or world and at that  point of time we will have only non-physical existence, because these spiritual principles(spiritual world) override all physical principles , leads to  give up physical existence, and achieve only spiritual existence ( Jesus resurrected).

With these spiritual principles, or spiritual world, only  we can perform miraculous deeds. Because, what overrides  principles in physical plane is called miracle. Now we can understand why we need to obey some principles to get access to the miraculous power. All entities can only function according to the  principles in physical plane assigned to them by the external power, but human being can access this power by performing functions obeying  principles in spiritual plane. And, sure, we can stay as animals without obeying these  principles.

Power of Principles or Power is Principles

Each and every element in the universe exists maintaining some specific internal as well as external functions. Otherwise, purpose of existence of an entity is performance of some specific functions. We know, to perform  functions some energy,  force or power is essential or inevitable. We know, equally, that a system or any entity will not function until and unless some external force is supplied to it.

That means, every element of universe, from the biggest known element galaxy to smallest one atom or its elementary particles such as electrons and protons, exists and functions,  since those are supplied with enough external energy or power. If the universe is a single material unit, it should get enough external power to perform its internal as well as external functions. In nutshell, everything exists performing their functions receiving external power. Is it true?

How can we make it sure that every thing is performing their functions receiving external power? Let us look into one familiar fact that the planets  revolve around the son. Scientists observed this movement very carefully and they could understand that these planets move along specific orbits. This phenomena begot the question, why they move along specific orbits as if some one directed them. The answer of this quest proved that some external forces tend them to behave in this manner. Whenever an external power influences an entity, that particular entity will respond or function in a specific way or order.  This specific way or order of function is  known as  'Law' or 'Principle'. So power, principles and functions are inter-related.The presents of power is identified by the presents of principles and function. The power works through some principles and results in some function.

If there is a principle  in action, there will be the presents of external force or power . So if we can maintain some principles in our activities, we can maintain some power also. The best examples can be pointed out are Jesus, Gandhi, Jefferson, Mother Tressa, Nelson Mandela etc. Gandhi defeated the British by the power of his principles which he put in practice. The British could not put in practice any principles that leads  humanity ahead. They believed in the power of wealth and weapons. But Gandhi believed in the power of principles. So British could not control people by wealth and weapons, because they could not use them according to principles. But Gandhi controlled them with his words which had high power because there had been a sound doctrine behind each and every word he uttered before the people. If we read his autobiography, we feel this power prevailing in the words that he has put in black and white.

When we read Jefferson, the great patriot and American freedom fighter, we could see that a great principle had been in action through out  in his life from which he received enough power to fight against the British and not only could participate in the process of building a democratic regime in America but also could become the architect of the same. We can read his principle, that generated tremendous power and induced the same to the American people, from the declaration of independence adopted on July 4, 1776 as follows "We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights; that among these are Life, Liberty, and the pursuit of Happiness." These words- a great principle- still remain  as the  light-tower of democracy and human rights in the world because, this principle generate tremendous power among freedom lovers.

Decades of imprisonment could not make Nelson Mandela weak, because of the above mentioned principle had been working in him even though he had been behind the bars. The apartheid regime  could not suppress the peace full freedom fight of South Africans. Why? They had not been fighting with wealth and weapons. But principles. The principles provided Nelson Mandela and South African people with enough strength and power. 

Where ever principles are in action, there  tremendous power prevails and miracles happen. This was the secrete behind the miracles performed by Jesus Christ. Jesus taught his disciples to practice sound doctrines, principles. He pointed out the events in the nature such as the life of birds in the air, life of plants in  field, life of prodigal son etc. Doing so, he taught his disciples to understand that behind every phenomenon in the nature  there are some divine principle in action, and if any body could realize it and put  it in practice could access the power that control all these phenomena. He practiced it and became an example for those follow him. Even the cruel whipping through out a whole night could not deviate him from his divine principles. Even at the moment of giving up his life on the cross he was not ready to give up his principles. That integrity of keeping principles in life made him possible to resurrect, or that gave him power to happen so.  In bible he is described as  "The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us." Word means the divine principles "Bible".

If principles generate great power, why those who know these principles cannot perform anything significant? A reasonable question. The principles should be in action within us, then only it will perform miracles.Principles won't work in us by Studying and achieving deep knowledge in them. The principles should function within us spontaneously. According to the scholars these principles are there in books, they quote them from there, principles are not living in them. Jesus never quote anything from Bible to teach his disciples, but to those who came to test him he quoted and explained. Because the principles had been working in him and accordingly teachings and miracles came out. He was the living Bible.

To achieve a great personal change, let some principles live in us and produce power, or the mighty power is available only by allowing some principle to work in us. 

Then how to let some sound principles work within us? Wait for the next post, please.

Worship The Biggest Asset.

A man who want to improve himself should first know that the most valuable asset is his inner-being. Everything in the world is the creation of the thought of man, means, not material wealth but what makes it, is the biggest wealth. We can buy anything with money, but we cannot buy this. This may bring wealth, but wealth cannot make this one. Many of us running after material wealth without knowing this secrete. When we run after material wealth or worship it, we lose all other qualities, the real wealth, and what we amass will not help either us or anyone else. So don't run after the creation of human hands and bow down to them but think about what make human being able to create, that force resides in everyone. Worship it, awake that force. In Bible, Isaiah says it very clearly in his book chapter 2:8-9 this truth. This kind of worship will bring human being low, because he will involve in any kind of activity to achieve what human hand and fingers have made - uses sword and spear.  

If we want to know more about it, we have to read the verse Isaiah 2:4. Here we can see a clear picture of  attitudinal change. Isaiah says,"They will beat their swords into plowshares and their spears into pruning hooks". What we need to beat our swords and spears into plowshares and pruning hooks? A change of inner-being, attitudinal change. A change from destructive mind to cultivable or constructive mind, that mind is the asset.

Those who bear sword and spear in their hands cannot "cultivate" anything, means will not have any "culture". Only those who bear plowshare and pruning hook can cultivate and produce.

Check Our Inner Being

Luke 17:20-21

Among Indian folks, there is a custom to educate youngsters morally, elder people tell them moral stories and ask them some questions in the end of each story to check whether the audience could learn anything from the story. I would like to retell such a story here purposely to check what we are.The story is as follows.

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There was a princess in a country. One day she went  to garden to stroll about and enjoy the scene, with her female friends. Previous to her coming out, Ajay, the son of a merchant, had come to take stroll in the same part of the forest and on beholding her became enamored. Being distracted by the pangs of separation, he involuntarily approached her, and seizing her hand, began to say, "  If you will not love me, I will sacrifice my life on your account."

She replied, "Act not thus, that would be a sin."

He continued, " your amorous glances have pierced my heart, and the fire of separation from you has consumed my body; my all consciousness and understanding have been destroyed by this pain; and at this moment, through the overpowering influence of love, I have no regard for right or wrong; but if you will give me your word, new life will enter my soul."

She responded, "On the fifth day from this day my marriage will take place; but I will first meet you, and afterwards abide at my husband's."  

After giving her promise she returned to palace. Her marriage took place as fixed and she went to her husband's. She entered her husband's chamber and sat depressed in a corner. Seeing this her husband asked the reason. She narrated all the story and the promise. Her husband could realize that he could not lead a happy family life with her, who nursing a dream of living  with someone else in her mind. So he allowed her to join with her beloved.

Having received her husband's permission, she started for Ajay's place in that night itself. A thief seeing her on the road, came up to her in delight, and asked, "where are you going alone, at this midnight hour, in this pitch darkness bedecked with such garments and jewels?"

She replied, "To the place where my dearly beloved dwells." The thief inquired,  "Who is along with you?"

The answer was sudden, "The love is along with me". having said this she narrated her whole story to the thief. And begged, "Do not spoil my ornaments, jewels and all; After meeting my dear I will return, then I will deliver my jewels to you."

On hearing this, the thief thought that why he should  take risk. He was going to get her jewels as per her own will. So he let her go. She reached Ajay's home and roused him. He arose bewildered, and asked that who she was. She reminded him the past events and related everything that happened.

On hearing this Ajay Said, "This matter is like jewels without apparel, or food without salt, or singing out of tune." After uttering these words Ajay answered her, "I will have nothing to do with another's wife." On hearing this, she took her way back home again. On the way she met the thief, and told him the whole story. The thief, on hearing it, applauded her highly, and let her go.

She came near her husband and told him all the happenings; but her husband evinced no affection for her, and said, "The beauty of cuckoo consists in its note alone; beauty of an ugly man is his knowledge;the beauty of a devotee is his patient suffering; a woman's beauty consists in her fidelity to her husband."

Now the question, who is the most righteous and noblest among the three?

Many may confuse, whether Ajay or  the husband? Not at all , the thief. Ajay and her husband were obeying some laws, social customs and traditions or acting according to the good for their own future. They have to obey something that was outside them. They feared them. But what about the thief. He had not to fear anything; had not to obey any code of conduct. But he acted completely according to his will without an external pressure. So he is.

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Kingdom of heaven is within us. Outside not. You are what your inner being is. This is very true for even some of us who always quoting  from scriptures. Why? According to them scriptures are there in the Books, chapters and verses, not at all the part of their inner being and life. If we do not take care of our inner being, we will get nowhere.

These Pharisees had been searching Kingdom of heaven asking 'when' and 'where', they wanted to see it in outside world. But Jesus advised them to go to their inner world.

Keep Our Inner Being Intact

We need to have a little understanding about mind to use it effectively for our progress. There are two views on the explanation of mind. Many Psychological books define it as the result of total function of sense organs. It will be foolishness to think so. Why? Consider the state of unconsciousness. In this state mind is not working. If the above mentioned definition or explanation is correct, this state of unconsciousness is the result of  total numbness of sense organs or non-functional state of sense organs. Is it true? Not at all. In the unconscious state first mind malfunctions, the result is the non-functional sense organs. Actually organs are in proper condition but mind is in "strike". From this, we have to understand that mind is an organ that controls the five other organs. This is the sixth organ through which the sixth sense is available .

Genesis 2:25 - 3:6

Genesis chapter 2:25 says like this "The man and his wife were both naked, and they felt no shame." Any way, they were not blinds still they felt no shame. Whose strength is that ? Mind or the organ of vision? We often blame the outer world for our emotional state and feelings. That is a big lie, our feelings and emotions are the creation of our mind, means our belief, in short, what we believe that we are. The five channels cannot create us, but our mid can create,  remould, us. Many great men are the creation of their mind,  their state of mind or their  mental attitude.One of my favorite writer is O.Henry. He was an American criminal. American judiciary sentenced  to send him to jail in Ohio. Jail life completely cut him off from the outer world and from his pleasures. His mind found this opportunity as the best time to function  and started telling stories . That stories made him one of the  world famous story teller in English. I like  'Ramayana' and 'Mahabharatha'. The authors of these world classics were illiterate Indian tribal men, Valmeeki and Vyasa. Valmiki was a criminal, his job was looting passengers. He decided to change himself after the commend his wife made over his job. He decided to cut himself off from the world and meditate. when he controlled his sense organs, the mind began to work at its full  swing and became the master. The mind began to recite a beautiful and unique story. What made him able to create such a work? His inner being, mind. Gandhi has mentioned many times  in his  autobiography that he took decisions and worked  according to the inner call he had time to time, he was a man who cut himself off from the worldly passions and pleasures . 

Adam and Eve lead a life without caring the surroundings. They didn't care their environment or outer world. Someone talked them from their inner world. They opened their ear to this talk always. But the perpetual interaction of their outer world with their mind and heart succeeded in taking  control of their inner world.  So the outer world became their inner world. The outer world influenced their inner through the five channels. The sense organs began to control the mind and mind lost the quality as an independent organ. So they began to become slaves of material environment. So the things changed, they began to be molded by environment. The new principle came into being " You are the product of your environment". That is why Adam blamed Eve and Eve the serpent. A care free life, nobody needed to take effort, but the situations and environment.  Yes, but the result will be "The Lost Paradise". They ran after contact-born pleasure. What was the result? All negative feelings began to make nest in their inner being. They felt shame, then fear so and so. No happiness. Pleasure and happiness are different facts which lead human to different poles. Happiness leads us to the pole that is opposite of the pole where pleasure leads us to.

So don't try to be the product of your social and natural environment. Take effort to become the product of your inner being. Then your social and natural environment will be your product. A lot of examples are there Gandhiji, Abrahan Lincoln, the trio in American freedom fight John Hancock, Samuel Adam and Richard Henry Lee etc.

What is the serpent's philosophy by which Eve was advised? "How the world so we are, so taste it and know it". We know that snakes  have limitation to know their surroundings. They cannot hear sounds. So they always flutter their tongues in the atmosphere to feel the sound waves, taste the waves and know, that is their method and philosophy. It offered one more thing that if she tasted, she would know good and evil. Till that moment she saw everything as good, very positive. But snake offered the knowledge of evil, negative,  as bonus in that sale. 

So don't try to be a serpent-philosopher going after the pleasures and attractions. Keep your mind and heart away from the influence of surroundings and be positive. You can influence the surroundings positively.

Power of attitude in life

The success lies in happiness. Means, with the state of mind. State of mind play a great role in life. That determines the  life and future of a person. State of mind or attitude towards  social as well as natural environment determines what a man is.

Let us look into Bible. Genesis 4: 3-7  . Abel offered a portion what he produced and Cain also did so. But Lord looked with favor on Abel and his offering. But he didn't looked with favor on Cain. Why? Both offered  portions of what had Lord given them. Then the problem was not  on what they offered. Then what? Lord knew before hand that Cain had the habit of maintaining  negative emotions and mental states,that are destructive, in his life . So Lord was not only testing Cain  but also proving that this negativism takes men to destruction. Lord didn't blame Cain before he became angry. When he got angry, what did lord ask?  "7If you do what is right, will you not be accepted?" Look into the grammar of this sentence. The question is not like this" If you did what is right........."  That means the problem was not on what he offered, but on what he continues doing, the habit, the character  --Getting angry and envy. When the things were not favorable, he found reason on his brother. He might have thought that Abel did a better job than he did, that was the problem. No, Abel had positive attitudes that God approved as fruits of spirit. Lord warned Cain saying" But if you do not do what is right, sin is crouching at your door; it desires to have you, but you must master it.” This  mean that, if Cain had changed his attitude even at that moment, even after the warning, he also would have been favorable for God.

So do whatever we do with a positive attitude. Not focusing on what others doing or to defeat others. Cain last decided to defeat Abel, what was the result? And don't compare our work and performance with others, that is the result of Cain-complex. We can compare our work and performance with our yesterday's work and performance and thereby improve ourselves. We are blessed  or we succeed not only by what we do, but by  the mentality, the state of mind or the attitude we maintain in life . 

Look into the life of Gandhi. He did everything with a sacrificial mind. Even at the time of sufferings he found utmost satisfaction in his life. He succeeded in his fight without wealth, without weapons even without trained men. The reason, he fought with positive mind and great faith. He was not fighting against anyone, he fought for freedom that was the right of a nation. The British were not his enemies.   He had not been endeavoring to become a world leader or even a national leader defeating some one else, but at last  he became so. 

I needn't mention the life of Jesus here to explain the same. So the real change, development or improvement is the result of maintaining positive attitude always. When we try to prosper or improve we should not posses Cain-complex, encroaching on others. Cain was a farmer, he might have encroached upon  nature as well as Abel . God mightn't have liked that also. Today we face many environmental problems because of selfish encroachment on nature,Cain-complex, defeat or destroy nature to have comforts.

Try  to maintain positive mentality for a certain period, the result will be beyond our expectation.  No doubt.