15. TEN COMMANDMENTS
Following the commandments should
be always perfect and then only we can say we
are following the system. There is need for commitment
to realise ones self- without that precious little
can be achieved in sadhana. It is for you to gird
up your loins as Master said.
Let the Commandments of the Master be the guiding
principles of your life. Then you become lovable
to the Master and Love from him flows even as
we desire.
The book Practice and Efficacy of Rajayoga may
be a useful study to understand the importance
of following the commandments of the Master.
Clarifications
1. Insincerity in following the commandments is
still there.
Is it not amusing that we tend to neglect
his commandments though we feel His blessings!
2. I continued to reduce
my activities. I have noticed an increasing tendency
to be plain and an aspiration to treat my family
members with due attachment.
We have all become so very unnatural
it may appear difficult to become simple and natural.
When the Love for God takes deep root and it starts
resounding, all this becomes simple and easy.
Patience and tolerance needs to be developed and
our progress internally enables us to achieve
these virtues faster. In fact you already have
the same to a considerable extent and that will
increase.
3. There is a little
bit of understanding that whatever miseries that
we think we have, are because we deserve them
but the attitude of being thankful about them
is still not there.
When we know and realise that we got
rid off a samskara when we underwent suffering
or misery this wisdom shall dawn. Please do read
Masters' works on this topic often.
4. I rate myself as fair
in commandments 5 to 7.
The commandments 5, 6, and 7 are that
difficult to follow if you realize nothing happens
to us unless we have ourselves created them by
our earlier actions and thoughts. I know it is
difficult to accept them; but if you accept them
even in one single case you will find that it
radically changes your state of mind and will
continue the same with reference to others. Do
and feel as Master says.
5. I made some headway
in speaking and aspiring for truth. I think I
am only treating miseries or events as per past
karma and not as divine gifts for my betterment.
Karma is the logic and there is no other
truth. The attitude of treating miseries as Divine
gifts develops when we start thinking how kind
was the Master/God in having given us an opportunity
to get insulted and disgraced and other wise similarly
treated that such events not only made us go deeper
into the realms of humility but also made us feel
the need to embrace the Master. It is this feeling
that they have enabled us to think of the Master
that makes us feel that these miseries etc., are
gifts of the Divine. These are lessons in humility
and they come to be learnt when we get disgraced,
defeated, defamed and dishonored etc.,
6. When the health is
not that good, remembered that all miseries as
divine gifts, even though initially bothered about
the pain of the body.
Health is not the only aspect. When we
have possessiveness in any relationship that is
the cause of misery. You need to understand this
first. The concept of Divine gift is well explained
in the book “Commentary on Ten Commandments
of the Master available in Imperience Beckons”
read it well and get a better understanding.
7. For the first time
in my sadhana there was a feeling that even the
bad that happens to us is for our own good and
so we should accept it with happiness.
There is nothing like good or bad it
is only our point of view that makes us state
something as good and some other thing as bad.
A sincere reading of the Commandments of the Master
and the notes can help you understand things better.
8. Occasionally I feel
angry which doesn't stay long. I feel I am being
influenced by eeshana treyas at heart although
my mind doesn't allow me to get influenced. As
a result I sometimes get into uneasiness due to
this conflict in some of the dealings.
We can win battles in the mind but in
the heart, love is the only way.
9. I am able to make
a more honest assessment of myself than before.
Once a while I feel hurt by the actions of other
despite trying to take them as divine gifts
Learning to ignore many reactions and
actions of others is the first lesson. Patience,
tolerance and fortitude are all steps before we
really understand the meaning of the advise to
take the wrongs done by others as ‘divine
gifts’. It is good you are preparing for
developing stoic attitude in life.
10. As you suggested,
I am trying to imbibe forgiveness in day-to-day
life. I find it not so easy, however I will continue
my efforts.
Remember the act of forgiving is really
the nature of the Divine and when we practice
it naturally there are bound to be difficulties.
But then that is sadhana.
Forgiving is the noblest of all virtues and the
toughest to cultivate. Even when the heart is
prepared to forgive the mind generally does not
permit the same. That it is said that while evaluating
oneself we should use the mind and when we evaluate
others we should use the heart.
11. Sometimes I feel
not to be revengeful for the wrongs done by others.
However it is sometimes difficult to decide thin
line between fighting back for the good &
small revenge. Trying to remind myself for constant
remembrance of Master. Also trying to mould living
so as to rouse feeling of love & piety in
others. Please guide me in this regard.
If you read X commandment you will find
that we seek the Master for forgiving us for our
lapses. Forgiving is the Divine quality and when
we seek to become Divine we need to develop this
quality ourselves also. Of course this comes as
we progress in the path but we can aid the process
if we also think positively about this. Forgive
and see the difference in your mental state. Then
you will realise it is better to forgive.
12. I rate myself as
“Fair” in following the commandment
7.
Have you ever thought revenge is a delayed
reaction and is really useless? It is like trying
to stone the dogs that barked long back and has
fled the scene. It is a useless activity and consumes
lot of energy. Awareness of our being nothing
that we realize during meditations should enable
us to implement this commandment more easily.
Food habits in day-to-day
life
It is absolutely necessary that the food
we take should be of the sattvic type and there
may not be any exception to this in the name of
work etc.
13. I still eat chicken/fish
when I get a chance. Not that I crave for them,
but can't deny either when there is opportunity.
Also during office gatherings, I join them for
beer! I don't know how to control
I lived with a native American (a Jew)
long back in 1970s. He and his wife lived with
their son and daughter. He had a house near Cleveland
in over 300 acres of land. He never ate meat or
any non vegetarian food nor his family members.
He did not take any intoxicants and that included
Coffee. He was unhappy that I take Coffee and
wanted that I try instead Sanka (a decaffeinated
drink). He avoided even milk saying it is non
vegetarian. IF YOU WANT TO HAVE ANY THING TO DO
WITH THIS SYSTEM OF PAM YOU MUST STOP YOUR NON
VEGETARIAN FOOD AND TAKING ALCOHOL