Bridle Your Emotions For A Stress-Free Life -- Article by Acharya Mahapragya

Why are people moody? This happens because they have no control over their passions. The first step in preksha meditation is to learn how to control emotions. After a session, in general, people would say that they got peace of mind, happiness and goodness. This happens, but these are mere formal truths.

We need to focus on overcoming our emotions and passions if practice of preksha meditation is to be worthwhile. Physical stress can be removed with simple practices. Practice should ensure that mental tension is not created at all. By hearing some words, if tension is created, we should develop the right perspective to prevent tension. Three paths have been enumerated for attaining moksha or liberation. Acharya Umaswati has written, there is only one path leading towards emancipation.

It has three constituents:

a) Right perspective,

b) Right knowledge, and

c) Right conduct.

Tension occurs in the absence of right knowledge. By adding right speech to knowledge, our perspective would leave no scope for tension. Acharya Bikshu's Chaturmas — a period of four months' stay in one place during the rainy season — was held in Pali, Rajasthan.

With the owner's permission they stayed in a shop. Some mischievous people told the owner that these monks may never leave. So it would be better to ask them to leave before they settled down. The owner did as he was told. Acharya Bikshu left the shop. Although there was good reason to react, Acharya's enlightened perspective was so strong that he did not fly into a temper.

It was the rainy season. The shop collapsed due to heavy rains. Acharya Bikshu said, “Such a kind person he was! He told us to leave before the shop collapsed. Had we been there today, what would have happened to us?!” How did he gain
such complete acceptance? It happened because of right perspective.

Let's not blame any one for anything. If we see the incident in the right way, tension will never arise. Otherwise, there is enough frivolous talk around us to cause agitation without any concrete reason. Man gets overwhelmed by his emotions. It is not by facts, but only by sheer imagination, that man gets filled with stress.

When someone says 'So-and-so is speaking such-and-such about you' we do not know for a fact if that person did say those things. But we get swayed by emotions that result from such an exchange.

Through analysis we will come to know that many tension-filled situations are created by imagination and unreal doubts. We can escape tension through right perspective. A person with right perspective, right knowledge and right conduct does not experience tension.

Until he breathed his last, Acharya Tulsi kept saying, "I do not know what tension is". A man of 83 says he didn't have tension throughout his life! It means either he did not live his life, or perhaps there is some secret. We need to discover that secret.

A person gets tense only when he is buffeted by his emotions. Through the practice of preksha meditation, we can master the special technique of pacifying our emotions. We can see that they are not provoked. This, in itself, is adequate spiritual practice or sadhana. If someone asks you for the essence of preksha meditation, your answer should be, "Subsiding of emotions". This is the core of preksha meditation, the formula for a stress-free life.

Development of Consciousness

Social consciousness will not awaken without being based on the purity of individual consciousness, opines Acharya Mahapragya.

The drop and the ocean have been related since ancient times. Likewise, the body and the universe have been deemed to be related in Philosophy. In simple language we can use the terms man and the world. The latter is a totality comprising not only man but also other beings and material objects. Every man is related to the world. In order to understand a single individual the whole world will have to be understood and vice versa. They are so internally related and interactive that one cannot be interpreted without the other.

Even if an atom is to be understood, the whole world will have to be understood. Mahavira said, (he who knows one, knows all and he who knows all, knows everyone). No one can be known without knowing all. Externally, all appear separate, but internally all are interrelated. I have a piece of cloth in my hand. Even though very small, it is related to the whole world. Space is associated with it, which is related to another part and that to the third and so on.
It is a whole series. A quiver in this piece of cloth creates vibrations in the whole world. Two doctrines were prevalent in the whole world of philosophy- dualism and monism. The former posited two elements, the animate and inanimate. Both are independent. The latter posited only one element, viz the animate. The other does not exist. In reality, the two doctrines cannot be separated. Anekantvad (the doctrine of non-absolutism or manifold aspects) has viewed them together and that is why it has properly explained both man and the world.

If we interpret man for our own convenience, for making right individuals and the right world, for making conduct and behaviour right, it implies the development of individual consciousness. If we interpret the world, it will imply the development of group or collective consciousness. Every man's consciousness needs two dimensions. Anuvrat is the principle of the development of individual consciousness. Fraud and deceit prevail and many problems arise where group consciousness is sought to be developed without first developing individual consciousness.

Political ideologues tried to develop socialism and communism. The motive was not bad; in fact it was sublime and compassionate. But one thing was forgotten. They tried to develop collective or group consciousness and forgot to look after individual consciousness. As a result, the noble aim sought was defeated, purity was lost, fraudulence and deceit went on flourishing and the rot spread to the whole society. Development of individual consciousness is vitally important.

Anuvrat's code of conduct is a code to develop individual consciousness. It is said that anuvrat does not address itself to the development of group or social consciousness. Particularly people in western countries keep telling that while they are working for the good of society, we are doing it for the good of individuals. They wonder how the entire world can improve in a finite period of time of attention is directed to individuals.

According to them, each individual would reform in one stroke once social consciousness was developed. It is a nice thought but impossible to translate into reality. Social consciousness will not awaken without being based on the purity of individual consciousness .

SEVEN RULES TO BE A GOOD AND SUCCESSFULL MANAGER

BY HIS HOLINESS ACHARYA MAHAPRAGYA

The Non-violent Jain tradition attaches utmost importance to an individual's emotional competence as the key to success in his life. It does not ignore the intellectual side too and pleads for a balanced development of both the right and the left parts of the human brain. In order to enhance a manager's emotional competence as well as intellect 1 consider the following seven principles vitally significant. They will ensure that both the right and the left parts of a manager's brain get equal attention for their development and thus enable him to be both a good and successful manager:

1. Non-absolutist Attitude ( anekant dristi )

The first principle to be a successful manager is non-absolutist attitude. The truth derived from an absolutist view makes a problem more complicated and it cannot solve it. The manager who looks at a problem from a relative standpoint can make progress in the process of development. The manager who looks at it from a biased angle cannot succeed in his work. A biased person does not see what is rational but is inclined towards that which is irrational. In activities relating to industry and business several persons work together. They do not have the same views. On account of their divergent views an environment of opposition crops up. In a situation like this what is imperative for a manager is concord and conciliation. One angle of the philosophy of non-absolutism ( anekant ) is that the opposite views can be reconciled, an environment of peaceful co-existence can be created.

2. Good Behaviour

The second principle to be a successful manager is good behaviour. How does a businessman behave with another businessman? One can assess the success or failure of a person merely on the basis of his amiable or temperamental disposition. Courteous, sincere and compassionate behaviour attracts the heart of another person who becomes instrumental in a manager's progress.

3. Alertness or Vigilance

The third principle to be a successful manager is alertness or vigilance. It has three dimensions i.e.

• Review of the past -- introspection of the mistakes made in the past,

• Self-criticism of the present. For example:

• What did I do today?

• What remains to be done for me today?

• What is that which I can do but I am not doing on account of lethargy or laziness?

• Does someone observe my lethargy or do I observe my lapse myself?

• What is that weakness which I cannot give up?

• Pledge of the future – one should pledge oneself so that one may not make a mistake in the future. There are three elements which weaken a person's resolution:

• Fickleness of mind,

• Intolerance,

• Unrestrained sensual desires. One should remain on one's guard against them.

4. Control Over Impulsive Acts

The fourth principle to be a good and successful manager is exercising control over one's impulsive acts. The manager who is not able to control his impulsive behaviour will not be able to get the work done by his subordinates. He will also make mutual and human relationships bitter.

5. Self-restraint

The fifth principle to be a good and successful manager is self-restraint. Addiction to sensual pleasures and fickleness of mind create obstacles in one's professional competence. It is imperative for a manager to restrain his sensual desires and mind. The manager who doesn't practise how to restrain his senses and mind cannot fulfill his responsibilities properly and for him even the door to corruption opens.

6. Human Solidarity

The sixth principle to be a good and successful manager is human solidarity. ‘ I am a social creature. I am not alone ' – this trend of thinking awakens one's consciousness. “Just as my rights are dear to me, similarly others also like to uphold their rights, hence I shouldn't be an impediment in the way of the right of others' livelihood. ”

7. Freeing Oneself from Tension

The seventh principle to be a good and successful manager is to free oneself from tension. The person who doesn't know how to live in the present invites tension knowingly or unknowingly. Memory is good but inessential memory causes tension, hence it is imperative to restrain one's memory too. Imagination is essential but unnecessary imagination creates tension hence it is imperative for a manager to restrain his imagination too.

The greatest cause of tension today is the reactive violence. Many times it happens that a subordinate official murders his superior officer. Its cause lies in reactive violence. He who doesn't react angrily to a situation and doesn't give his subordinates a chance to react angrily becomes highly successful.

Thought of the Day 7 May 2008

Every person wants to solve his problems, but how best to do it is something that requires some consideration. Is it possible merely by one's physical efforts? Or does one require another person's help for it? None of the two alternatives are acceptable. If one does not put in the right and sufficient effort, then finding the solution to any problem is not possible. Even if all that is done, the help of another may still be required. Therefore it is that we have the tradition of seeking the support of the ideal. But unless there is an identification with that ideal, support will not be forthcoming. One should always keep this truth in mind.

Thought of the Day 6 May 2008

The one who writes prayers of eulogy writes it either out of experience or some revelation. It is possible for a person who writes in praise of the Lord to be in possession of some revealed knowledge. Experience is not a necessary condition. One who has not practised the Mantra described in the adulatory text cannot be free from fear by mere repetition of the words. In the context of fear, devotion becomes exaggerated and the identification with Isht or the person's ideal becomes complete; it is then that fear comes to an end. It is essential to learn to establish that identification.

Thought of the Day 3 May 2008

If everybody were to have similar thoughts then the doors to progress would be shut. Varied types of flowers and their varied colours add to the beauty of the garden. Variety is not a problem in nature. In the world of thoughts, however, variety is a problem. To be different has come to mean to be in opposition. This itself is a result of thinking. One thought is cutting into another. Can we then accept that adjustments are not natural to thoughts? It is keeping this aspect of nature in view that Acharyas of Anekant have given the sutra of relativity. The collision between one thought and another can be avoided only on the basis of relativity.

Thought of the Day 2 May 2008

It is in the law of nature to move and to rest. If one were constantly moving, then the power of movement would gradually weaken. If one were to only rest, then laziness will overpower one and it will be one failure after another. Therefore it is that a balance has to be found between movement and non-movement or rest. This is the fundamental basis for Kayotsarg. The present age is the age of tension. In this age this balance is very essential. Practise thinking and non-thinking. Practise talking and remaining silent. This is an essential part of the daily routine of Jain monks. It seems as if in the present day lifestyle, this should be an essential part of everybody's routine.