Back to the Basics

Arya Putra

In this country (USA), we often hear the phrase, “Take Care.” Unfortunately, this is usually just another empty ‘good-bye.’ Until we say ‘good-bye’ to our violence we will continue to live careless lives. Until we become more selective of the food we eat, the thoughts we hold, and the company we keep, we will never have good health, peace of mind, and a healing spirit (good vibration).

Some people take better care of their pets than they do their children. They are more kind to their dog or cat than they are to their husband or wife. They save the whales and cry for the seals but kill the cows and eat veal without any shame.

People campaign for world peace but have not made peace with themselves. People convert others to their religion without converting their own noble intentions into good actions. In fact, often people’s intentions are not really noble, because most people are brainwashed to believe that what is false is true, what is harmful is helpful, and what is unreal is real.

We need to go back to the basics. Krinvanto Swayam Aryam. We need to make ourselves noble by removing that which is ignoble within ourselves. Only then have we taken the first step in making the whole world noble (Krinvanto Vishvam Aryam).

People are inclined to maim and kill human beings because they have had lots of practice killing and eating animals, birds, and other creatures. Human beings have lost touch with their own humanity. They have forgotten their Real Nature.

The Isha Upanishad tells us: Om Asuryaa Naama Te Lokaa Andhena Tamasaa Vritaaha. Taamste Pretyaabhigacchanti Ye Ke Caatmahano Janaaha. This mantra is saying that people who act contrary to their real nature (who do not act as Wise men and women), remain stuck in their negativity and are suffocated by their own dense ignorance. People who deliberately ignore their conscience are murdering their own soul (consciousness).

When people cause injury to other living beings for their pleasure or due to carelessness, they are acting ignorantly and are inflicting pain on themselves without realizing it. Eventually they cannot stand to suffer anymore and look for ways to end their pain and suffering. The answers lie within but as long as we keep lying to ourselves we never look within. We are lying to ourselves when we blame our problems on things outside of ourselves.

Religion is NOT the answer. The answer is found in Truth, and Truth is found in truthfulness. There is ‘something’ absolutely pure and good within every man, woman, and child on this planet Earth. That ‘something’ is our Essence which is the very basis of our being. If we stick to the basic truths (and the most basic one of all is Non-Violence), then our Self-knowledge (the knowledge of our Essence) will grow in our mind. If the mind is guided with divine wisdom, that knowledge will grow rapidly. When that knowledge (of the Self) is applied, our problems go away.

The mind which is NOT purified with wisdom will eventually putrefy, and its ugliness will create hell on earth. This is the problem in the world today. Ignorance prevails because people are ignoring the basics. The cry for “Back to the Vedas” is a noble one, but the more important need of the day is ‘Back to the Basics.’

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