There has been a lot of randomness in my life of late. I'm not really sure how to deal with it, cause it's something that i've avoided before whenever it crept up. I'm trying to get my bearings on a lot of things and don't really know how to express it or make any real sense of it. Sooo...let me remove the spotlight from myself and move it to a more abstract level: Hypocricy and appearence. Adi Sankaracharya makes the claim "jagat mithyam brahma satyam" meaning the world is illusion and Brahman is supreme, Brahman referring to the Supreme Entity.
Lets take that statement and make it more practical or concrete, focus it onto the individual human being. Many, if not most, people assume two or three appearences. Usually, one is for the world at large, second for those they want to impress and finally the "real" them. The appearence they present or assume for the world at large is usually a professional or extremely superfical one. They will display their "respectable" qualities such as leadership, apparent moral fiber (or at least lip service to such), intelligence and drive. This way they can draw in many people and give them the impression that they are successful and "good" people. Granted some people are much better at this than others, the bad actors are the ones you can easily see through and sometimes get the impression of shadiness.
The second persona assumed is the one they want to show to people that they want to impress at a much more personal level. The qualities mentioned before are highlighted even further, they will also play upon the qualities that the other person finds appealing and enthralling. For example, if a person is drawn in by cultured individuals then the person assuming the mask will accentuate those cultural qualities. In this way, the first mask is affirmed by the assumption of the second mask. The really good actors will be able to convince others that they are sincere in their qualities despite indications that would logically dictate otherwise. Its not laudable but it is a practical and much used trait in the world we live in, which is based primarily on appearence and apparent superfical success.
Finally, the persona that rarely anyone sees and in many cases not even the individual themselves is the persona which defies and contradicts the previous two personas. The supposed cultural, moral and nice person is revealed to be a two faced hypocrite. Those qualities that are shown to the world and those they want to impress are merely clothes worn by the individual to further some goal. They want people to assume and infer that those qualities that they present to the world are how they truly are and thereby want to make people think that they are genuine people. This is extremely true in Indian society. Most indians of my generation and situation prove the above theory/opinion. They act one way with all the families and friends then an entirely different way with others, with whom they don't feel that cultural or familial connection with. Meaning, they will pretend to be respectful and upstanding people in front of family and friends but once away from them they will display contradictory qualities. It is hypocricy at its finest and most people can't even see that they are doing it themselves. How do we correct it? We should keep conscious of our actions and the appearences that we send off. The people who give off appearences are cowards because they can't bear to be seen for what they are, so they build up the appearences. Rather pathetic.
Monday, August 22, 2005
Thursday, August 04, 2005
Sunday, July 31, 2005
Montreal and Back
This past weekend we were all in Canaida (yes, i know its Canada but Canaida sounds better) specifically Montreal. We essentially determined amongst ourselves that it is 1 american dollar for every 100 canadian dollars or as we call it canaidios. Basically, most of the weekend I am not at liberty to comment on for it involves things that should not be spoken about. On the otherhand, we can confirm that Gates likes the she-males and has a weird obsession with standing by himself in dark closets. Also worth noting is that Montreal has a obscenely disproportionate amount of hot women. It was ridiculous, so many hot women. So we decide to try and act on this benefit by walking the streets drunk and yelling "Ladies....Mukunda" while pointing at me or "Ladies, if your man don't treat you right there is always Mukunda." Again pointing at me. I have this weird feeling that they all thought that Mukunda was a cuss word, go figure.
On a more somber note, this week is gonna be crazy busy. I'm moving all my stuff to Gates' place in jersey tomorrow. Then on tues and wed gonna be in NYC looking for apts. Then thursday coming back to boston to jump into a car and go to upstate New York for Girish's wedding which essentially will be from thurs-sun. Then monday head back to nyc and prolly fly back to cali on tues, need to still book my tix. Jam packed. I've said this before and I will say it again...girls are crazy, I don't get them and have no idea why I even try, just goes to show my idiocy. C'est La Vie.
On a more somber note, this week is gonna be crazy busy. I'm moving all my stuff to Gates' place in jersey tomorrow. Then on tues and wed gonna be in NYC looking for apts. Then thursday coming back to boston to jump into a car and go to upstate New York for Girish's wedding which essentially will be from thurs-sun. Then monday head back to nyc and prolly fly back to cali on tues, need to still book my tix. Jam packed. I've said this before and I will say it again...girls are crazy, I don't get them and have no idea why I even try, just goes to show my idiocy. C'est La Vie.
Tuesday, July 26, 2005
Day One over
Well, day one of my NY bar exam is over and it wasn't as bad as I figured but don't want to get ahead of myself because there is a good chance that I missed a lot of things but what is done is done. The past couple of weeks have been interesting, I finally put in work and did something that I should have done from the beginning of my academic career, which is simply study and put in effort. I've figured out a lot of things about myself that I didn't know before. No, I will not write about that because its pretty personal and I don't feel like sharing my deeper moments with everyone, yes despite all your conceptions of me, I do possess some depth. I've figured out things with what I want in life in regards to certain parts of my life. This was especially true this past week, right before the bar. Suffices to say, its been a interesting period for me with strong inclinations for something good but who knows how fate works.
Man, I've written some very thought provoking and what I consider interesting blogs in the past few months but rarely do I get any responses or comments, which is kinda weird considering that my hit counter tells me that I have about 15 people visiting my site every day of which half are new readers or at least passerbyers (yes i know not a real word but I make up stuff, its the price of genius.....come on someone lambast me). I'll let you in on something, I have learned that I come off a lot different than I really am, which in this case might have worked to my detriment but I don't think it did, just adds to the mystery that is me....haha i can't believe i just wrote that crap. I'm really not that mysterious i'm sooo transparent its not even funny. I'm just rambling on in this post, cause i don't wanna write anything deep or thought provoking. I'm saving my brain cells and neurons for tomorrow's test, which will be another six hours of exciting legal questions...utterly pointless. My problem with law as with many things is that the philosophy and lofty principles of metaphysics have been removed and separated from it but this is a discussion for another day.
Man, I've written some very thought provoking and what I consider interesting blogs in the past few months but rarely do I get any responses or comments, which is kinda weird considering that my hit counter tells me that I have about 15 people visiting my site every day of which half are new readers or at least passerbyers (yes i know not a real word but I make up stuff, its the price of genius.....come on someone lambast me). I'll let you in on something, I have learned that I come off a lot different than I really am, which in this case might have worked to my detriment but I don't think it did, just adds to the mystery that is me....haha i can't believe i just wrote that crap. I'm really not that mysterious i'm sooo transparent its not even funny. I'm just rambling on in this post, cause i don't wanna write anything deep or thought provoking. I'm saving my brain cells and neurons for tomorrow's test, which will be another six hours of exciting legal questions...utterly pointless. My problem with law as with many things is that the philosophy and lofty principles of metaphysics have been removed and separated from it but this is a discussion for another day.
Day One over
Well, day one of my NY bar exam is over and it wasn't as bad as I figured but don't want to get ahead of myself because there is a good chance that I missed a lot of things but what is done is done. The past couple of weeks have been interesting, I finally put in work and did something that I should have done from the beginning of my academic career, which is simply study and put in effort. I've figured out a lot of things about myself that I didn't know before. No, I will not write about that because its pretty personal and I don't feel like sharing my deeper moments with everyone, yes despite all your conceptions of me, I do possess some depth. I've figured out things with what I want in life in regards to certain parts of my life. This was especially true this past week, right before the bar. Suffices to say, its been a interesting period for me with strong inclinations for something good but who knows how fate works.
Man, I've written some very thought provoking and what I consider interesting blogs in the past few months but rarely do I get any responses or comments, which is kinda weird considering that my hit counter tells me that I have about 15 people visiting my site every day of which half are new readers or at least passerbyers (yes i know not a real word but I make up stuff, its the price of genius.....come on someone lambast me). I'll let you in on something, I have learned that I come off a lot different than I really am, which in this case might have worked to my detriment but I don't think it did, just adds to the mystery that is me....haha i can't believe i just wrote that crap. I'm really not that mysterious i'm sooo transparent its not even funny. I'm just rambling on in this post, cause i don't wanna write anything deep or thought provoking. I'm saving my brain cells and neurons for tomorrow's test, which will be another six hours of exciting legal questions...utterly pointless. My problem with law as with many things is that the philosophy and lofty principles of metaphysics have been removed and separated from it but this is a discussion for another day.
Man, I've written some very thought provoking and what I consider interesting blogs in the past few months but rarely do I get any responses or comments, which is kinda weird considering that my hit counter tells me that I have about 15 people visiting my site every day of which half are new readers or at least passerbyers (yes i know not a real word but I make up stuff, its the price of genius.....come on someone lambast me). I'll let you in on something, I have learned that I come off a lot different than I really am, which in this case might have worked to my detriment but I don't think it did, just adds to the mystery that is me....haha i can't believe i just wrote that crap. I'm really not that mysterious i'm sooo transparent its not even funny. I'm just rambling on in this post, cause i don't wanna write anything deep or thought provoking. I'm saving my brain cells and neurons for tomorrow's test, which will be another six hours of exciting legal questions...utterly pointless. My problem with law as with many things is that the philosophy and lofty principles of metaphysics have been removed and separated from it but this is a discussion for another day.
Wednesday, July 13, 2005
Law and Order?
Ok, my roommate Girish, Gopi and I were watching Law and Order: SVU today and i started a discussion. Basically what happened in the episode is that the ADA or assistant district attorney essentially broke the law in order to see justice done, to get crucial evidence in order to put an "alleged" child molestor away. So I said its a sad state in our society that we place an higher emphasis on procedural justice over substantive justice. Procedural justice equates to protection of individual liberities, due process of law and so on (it is an overly simplistic view i'm presenting at this point). A police officer must first met certain basic requirements before they are allowed to search someone's place or car, any place where an individual would have a reasonable expectation of privacy. This is necessary to ensure that the government cannot intrude into our lives at its whim and it is a very strong principle in our society, as it should be, especially when the government can be capricious.
Now, what is the purpose of criminal law? It is to maintain order in society and protect one citizen from another citizen's actions as to their property, life or liberty. This is the common answer but a deeper analysis as strongly and convincingly argued by many philosophers including Hegel and Kant is that criminal law is about retribution. Even deeper than that is the idea that law brings about order which brings up happiness and contentment with one's fellow human being. Underlying all that is the idea that we must all get along and if we don't something must be done to ensure we do, when we do something wrong there is a intuitive desire in us to "right" that wrong or make it just, return it to the status quo.
Kant's pure retribution is very interesting but I believe that Hegel offers a more powerful argument for the goal of laws, which is to balance the scale, or right the wrong, in essence bring about justice, which is oddly quite intuitive for almost all people. Hegel argues that a crime is a moral wrong that negates the moral order of a society and punishment is required to redress that negation. Kant's view of justice is necessiated by the idea of punishment to uphold the cosmic and metaphysical order, accordingly his view of justice is an "eye for an eye" retribution. Hegel is much more akin to question that method and offer a more proportional idea of justice, without delineating exactly what justice would demand in a particular situation.
What justice is, changes from time to time and place to place. Hammurabi's code was a mirror image law, eye for an eye. Islamic nations punish thieves by chopping off their hand, to the western world this would seem to go beyond the realm of what justice would be. Essentially there is no overarching generally understood idea of what justice is. What we do understand is that no wrong can go unattended, something must be done or happen. Our society in America, includes procedural justice as equally important if not more important than substantive justice, meaning the ends cannot justify the means. The means must be controlled and formal. If procedures cannot ensure justice than we are to discard the substantive justice in the particular case and move on. The abstract rights of the many triumph over the need for justice in a particular case. Isn't it worse that a rapist or murderer walks away from commiting such an act? The overwhelming focus on our society on privacy and absurd individualism is the heart of the problem. I do think we have a right to privacy but that right can and should be inconvienced in order that justice can be done. Justice simply means that the individual who committed a wrong is found and punished (which can include reforming). The particulars of the punishment are utterly dependant on the crime and manner of wrong. Thats it for now. comments?
Now, what is the purpose of criminal law? It is to maintain order in society and protect one citizen from another citizen's actions as to their property, life or liberty. This is the common answer but a deeper analysis as strongly and convincingly argued by many philosophers including Hegel and Kant is that criminal law is about retribution. Even deeper than that is the idea that law brings about order which brings up happiness and contentment with one's fellow human being. Underlying all that is the idea that we must all get along and if we don't something must be done to ensure we do, when we do something wrong there is a intuitive desire in us to "right" that wrong or make it just, return it to the status quo.
Kant's pure retribution is very interesting but I believe that Hegel offers a more powerful argument for the goal of laws, which is to balance the scale, or right the wrong, in essence bring about justice, which is oddly quite intuitive for almost all people. Hegel argues that a crime is a moral wrong that negates the moral order of a society and punishment is required to redress that negation. Kant's view of justice is necessiated by the idea of punishment to uphold the cosmic and metaphysical order, accordingly his view of justice is an "eye for an eye" retribution. Hegel is much more akin to question that method and offer a more proportional idea of justice, without delineating exactly what justice would demand in a particular situation.
What justice is, changes from time to time and place to place. Hammurabi's code was a mirror image law, eye for an eye. Islamic nations punish thieves by chopping off their hand, to the western world this would seem to go beyond the realm of what justice would be. Essentially there is no overarching generally understood idea of what justice is. What we do understand is that no wrong can go unattended, something must be done or happen. Our society in America, includes procedural justice as equally important if not more important than substantive justice, meaning the ends cannot justify the means. The means must be controlled and formal. If procedures cannot ensure justice than we are to discard the substantive justice in the particular case and move on. The abstract rights of the many triumph over the need for justice in a particular case. Isn't it worse that a rapist or murderer walks away from commiting such an act? The overwhelming focus on our society on privacy and absurd individualism is the heart of the problem. I do think we have a right to privacy but that right can and should be inconvienced in order that justice can be done. Justice simply means that the individual who committed a wrong is found and punished (which can include reforming). The particulars of the punishment are utterly dependant on the crime and manner of wrong. Thats it for now. comments?
Monday, July 11, 2005
15 days and counting......
Well, again I must apolgize for my delay in posting, I've been a bit busy with this little test called the New York Bar Exam, without which i cannot become a lawyer, or liar for all you people out there that still find that funny, lawyer, liar, ya i know, i get it. So you maybe asking, what have been up to? Well until the past week, i've been wasting a lot of time, sitting at my desk trying to convince myself to actually do work but somehow distracted and end up playing a video game or listening to music all day. I must thank and at the same time curse my roommate sir michael edward james gates III, for buying God of War. Damn that game is insanely addicting, i sit down and promise to only play for 1/2 hour and then 4 hours later I stop. But at least i'm close to killing Ares in god mode, yah whatever i like video games don't knock it till you try it, ya camacho i mean ur bitch ass, go put some meat on your bony frame.
I've finally started to get my head on straight and did about 8 hours of studying in the past two days, no not cumulatively but consecutively, yep add it up and its 16 hours total for sat and sun. Damn i'm proud of myself, i think thats about the entire time i spent in law school studying so basically i've met my quota and now i can sleep until the bar....i wish. I've also been watching a lot of movies from blockbuster. The most recent one i saw was last night, The Legend of Bagger Vance.
That was an interesting movie and from what i understand its a modern retelling of the Bhagavad Gita. Will Smith essentially plays Krishna or named Bagger Vance in the movie, similar to the name Bhagavan which refers to God. Matt Damon plays Rannulph Junah or R. Junah....Arjuna, one of the five protagonists in the Mahabharata and the center of the Gita. The game of golf becomes the equivalent of the battlefield and the story is about the journey of self-redemption. It is quite interesting especially considering that in Indian philosophy the entire cosmos and existence is considered a leela or game of God, in which we are all players. One of the teachings of the Gita is that as long as we are connected to and intertwined in this world, we must abide by its rules and live our lives with deeper moral and ethical considerations. The Gita admits and holds the view that morality and ethics are not absolute, they exist to serve a purpose and only exist at the phenomenal level. Meaning, they only exist as long we do not intuitive and experientally understand the true state and nature of reality.
I think this presents a really poignant issue for us in this day and age, when the idea that we should do whatever makes us happy is becoming more and more prevalent. Is it a product of captialism? Partially but I think it is extremely incorrect to blame all the problems and issues of materialism on capitalism as is done by many socialists, communists and marxists. That is a discussion for another time. Should we do what makes us happy? Yes but is that something that must be absolute, No. The idea of duty is what is missing from society in this day and age. I'm not talking about legal duties, like the duty of care to people in our homes or business but i'm talking about a much more social and deeper duty. The idea of legal duties is the bare minimum, it is the threshold we cannot cross otherwise we will be subject to legal censure. For example, we place a higher emphasis on evasion of responsibility than we do to the duty to take up responsibility. We applaud people who argue their way out of responsibility, the lawyer who is able to get a guilty person acquitted, the corporations that are able to avoid liability by declaring bankruptcy, leaders who blame terrorists or democracy or western evil for the acts they commit and the innocents that they kill...so on and so forth. Responsibility and Truth have been pushed to the wayside for "freedom" and good image.
We owe duties to each other simply by the basic fact that we live in a society composed of other individuals. Legal duties generally are not affirmative duties they are prohibitive duties, like do not steal or do not harm your fellow being. I don't agree in having affirmative legal duties imposed, rather i think it should be fostered in use as individuals through our interaction with our families and other individuals and society as whole. An example of an affirmative duty that i have in my mind is the golden rule, treat all others as you would yourself. Would u ever treat yourself as an means to an end? Most probably not, then why should another person be treated in that manner. Consider this, when a guy or girls goes to a club and meets another person and just has a purely sexual relationship with them, is that not treating that other person as an means to an end, to basically achieve your sexual needs. Is this an moral issue? No, not really but it is an issue of how you view that particular other person, as unique individual or just another object of your sexual desire. When a robber steals from another person, that robber essentially views that person as an object to be used then discarded. Ok i'll continue this later, gotta get to bed. drop a few comments and give me some input.
I've finally started to get my head on straight and did about 8 hours of studying in the past two days, no not cumulatively but consecutively, yep add it up and its 16 hours total for sat and sun. Damn i'm proud of myself, i think thats about the entire time i spent in law school studying so basically i've met my quota and now i can sleep until the bar....i wish. I've also been watching a lot of movies from blockbuster. The most recent one i saw was last night, The Legend of Bagger Vance.
That was an interesting movie and from what i understand its a modern retelling of the Bhagavad Gita. Will Smith essentially plays Krishna or named Bagger Vance in the movie, similar to the name Bhagavan which refers to God. Matt Damon plays Rannulph Junah or R. Junah....Arjuna, one of the five protagonists in the Mahabharata and the center of the Gita. The game of golf becomes the equivalent of the battlefield and the story is about the journey of self-redemption. It is quite interesting especially considering that in Indian philosophy the entire cosmos and existence is considered a leela or game of God, in which we are all players. One of the teachings of the Gita is that as long as we are connected to and intertwined in this world, we must abide by its rules and live our lives with deeper moral and ethical considerations. The Gita admits and holds the view that morality and ethics are not absolute, they exist to serve a purpose and only exist at the phenomenal level. Meaning, they only exist as long we do not intuitive and experientally understand the true state and nature of reality.
I think this presents a really poignant issue for us in this day and age, when the idea that we should do whatever makes us happy is becoming more and more prevalent. Is it a product of captialism? Partially but I think it is extremely incorrect to blame all the problems and issues of materialism on capitalism as is done by many socialists, communists and marxists. That is a discussion for another time. Should we do what makes us happy? Yes but is that something that must be absolute, No. The idea of duty is what is missing from society in this day and age. I'm not talking about legal duties, like the duty of care to people in our homes or business but i'm talking about a much more social and deeper duty. The idea of legal duties is the bare minimum, it is the threshold we cannot cross otherwise we will be subject to legal censure. For example, we place a higher emphasis on evasion of responsibility than we do to the duty to take up responsibility. We applaud people who argue their way out of responsibility, the lawyer who is able to get a guilty person acquitted, the corporations that are able to avoid liability by declaring bankruptcy, leaders who blame terrorists or democracy or western evil for the acts they commit and the innocents that they kill...so on and so forth. Responsibility and Truth have been pushed to the wayside for "freedom" and good image.
We owe duties to each other simply by the basic fact that we live in a society composed of other individuals. Legal duties generally are not affirmative duties they are prohibitive duties, like do not steal or do not harm your fellow being. I don't agree in having affirmative legal duties imposed, rather i think it should be fostered in use as individuals through our interaction with our families and other individuals and society as whole. An example of an affirmative duty that i have in my mind is the golden rule, treat all others as you would yourself. Would u ever treat yourself as an means to an end? Most probably not, then why should another person be treated in that manner. Consider this, when a guy or girls goes to a club and meets another person and just has a purely sexual relationship with them, is that not treating that other person as an means to an end, to basically achieve your sexual needs. Is this an moral issue? No, not really but it is an issue of how you view that particular other person, as unique individual or just another object of your sexual desire. When a robber steals from another person, that robber essentially views that person as an object to be used then discarded. Ok i'll continue this later, gotta get to bed. drop a few comments and give me some input.
Tuesday, June 07, 2005
Update
Yah i know that i haven't posted in a while but its been somewhat of a hectic month or so for me. Finals then graduation from law school then my family was in town and now bar review classes have started. Its not a very fun time but its necessary. I guess this is where i tell you all that one chapter in my life has closed and another will soon begin but thats a bunch of horseshit. Life doesn't have chapters where there are clear divisions where one chapter should end and another starts. I feel no different the day before graduation than i did the day after. I guess it is a milestone or some sort of achievement but it just seems a bit premature especially with the bar looming over our heads.
On a different note, our last week together in boston was a good one. We, meaning robin, leevin, angie and I kick started senior week off with a full day bbque at our place. We had about 40 or 50 people there, with a tremendous amount of food, granted mostly meat but only a few of us are veggies. Whatever food we lacked we made up for in beer and liquor. We all got really drunk that day, correction i got really drunk and so did most everyone else, since we had been drinking straight from 3 to 11 or 12. It was a great hurrah or whatever. The entire week was full of activities and i'm not in the mood to talk about them all now.
I just moved into Girish and Gates' place and its pretty cool, but it sucks it is right before the bar so there is some fear and tension in the air. Quite possibly this is one of the biggest tests in our lives and we all want to pass the first time we take them. I mean, i'm even studying and come on, me and study? never before have those two words been used together aside from saying that mukunda doesn't study. Its a sad sight to see me reading and outlining instead of sleeping or doing something fun. On another note, i'm having surgery on june 15th, yes the day that batman begins comes out, i am gonna go watch that movie at midnight right before my surgery, yes i am that big of a fan boy, get over it. Sadly i can take forever on how great the character is and what he means both in regards to american society and similarly to the human condition, welcome to the dorky side of mukunda, yes i know, you're asking but mukunda you are soo cool, we could never consider you dorky. As much as i am inclined to agree, i must say that even I have my moments of dorkiness and this is one of them. I've embraced it and sometimes even nurtured it, to keep the inner child in me alive, its what allows me to be stupid yet possess a certain charm and level of dignity while doing it. aight i'm out. peace.
On a different note, our last week together in boston was a good one. We, meaning robin, leevin, angie and I kick started senior week off with a full day bbque at our place. We had about 40 or 50 people there, with a tremendous amount of food, granted mostly meat but only a few of us are veggies. Whatever food we lacked we made up for in beer and liquor. We all got really drunk that day, correction i got really drunk and so did most everyone else, since we had been drinking straight from 3 to 11 or 12. It was a great hurrah or whatever. The entire week was full of activities and i'm not in the mood to talk about them all now.
I just moved into Girish and Gates' place and its pretty cool, but it sucks it is right before the bar so there is some fear and tension in the air. Quite possibly this is one of the biggest tests in our lives and we all want to pass the first time we take them. I mean, i'm even studying and come on, me and study? never before have those two words been used together aside from saying that mukunda doesn't study. Its a sad sight to see me reading and outlining instead of sleeping or doing something fun. On another note, i'm having surgery on june 15th, yes the day that batman begins comes out, i am gonna go watch that movie at midnight right before my surgery, yes i am that big of a fan boy, get over it. Sadly i can take forever on how great the character is and what he means both in regards to american society and similarly to the human condition, welcome to the dorky side of mukunda, yes i know, you're asking but mukunda you are soo cool, we could never consider you dorky. As much as i am inclined to agree, i must say that even I have my moments of dorkiness and this is one of them. I've embraced it and sometimes even nurtured it, to keep the inner child in me alive, its what allows me to be stupid yet possess a certain charm and level of dignity while doing it. aight i'm out. peace.
Saturday, April 30, 2005
Complexity?
Recently I was told by a close friend that I quite possibly am one the most complex people he knows, which is odd to me cause I think i'm really simple. There isn't that much to me, you meet me and you essentially get what you see. I don't really hide anything, yes maybe people don't know about my life experiences but that is usually gained through time and some sort of relationship. I didn't and still don't get how i can be complex. My friend says that compared to most people what I want out of life or how i approach life is entirely different. Most people would be satisfied with financial security, a nice loving family and a stable and successful career, maybe he is right about that. I on the otherhand would not be content or satisfied with that, there is soo much more out of life that I want or expect.
Human beings have to a have a greater purpose than simply to feel safe and perpetuate our species. Whether or not you believe in a higher purpose isn't the point here, the point is that we as evolved entities have the ability to create a purpose for ourselves that is beyond ourselves. Other animals cannot do this, they are guided by their basic instincts and drives. We are the only animal that can contemplate ending our own existence and do it, suicide. Why is it that we don't care to try and develop a higher purpose for ourselves. We look for contentment not peace and it is always self contentment. We pass through life looking at people around us who clearly are crying out for help or simply need some emotional or mental support yet we turn our backs to them because they don't fit into our lives, we live simply for ourselves. Don't get me wrong there are a select few that genuinely live to help others and through that help they fulfill themselves and find the peace that most of us spend our lives searching for but never find.
In the Bhagavad Gita, Sri Krishna says to Arjuna "Bahunam Janmanam Ante Jnaanavan Mam Praparyathe, Vaasudeva Sarvam Iti Sah Mahaatma Surdurlabhaha." What this means is "At the end of many lives that person situated in knowledge sees Vaasudeva (Krishna or God) in all things, such person is indeed very rare." The rarity here isn't that people cannot reach this stage it is that people don't care to reach this stage. This stage requires us to see in all things the same thing we see in ourselves, that spark of life, the dignity and respect we give to ourselves, the divine that we respect is present in us just as it is in your best friend, wife/husband and even that person that you loathe or find disgusting. Once you reach that level, how can you disassociate yourself from all those around, how can you let the plight of others go ignored? You can't, it is compassion, the same compassion that Buddha preached. Compassion isn't merely giving money to some charity it has to be much more personal than that. Maybe I'm a hypocrite because i haven't totally given myself to all this, i've done such work but not as often as I should or even want to. I think we can even make it simpler than that, just reach out and give a shit about the people around you, even the ones that you don't like so much, never leave anyone hanging, don't turn you back, put aside your own ego for a while and just be.
Human beings have to a have a greater purpose than simply to feel safe and perpetuate our species. Whether or not you believe in a higher purpose isn't the point here, the point is that we as evolved entities have the ability to create a purpose for ourselves that is beyond ourselves. Other animals cannot do this, they are guided by their basic instincts and drives. We are the only animal that can contemplate ending our own existence and do it, suicide. Why is it that we don't care to try and develop a higher purpose for ourselves. We look for contentment not peace and it is always self contentment. We pass through life looking at people around us who clearly are crying out for help or simply need some emotional or mental support yet we turn our backs to them because they don't fit into our lives, we live simply for ourselves. Don't get me wrong there are a select few that genuinely live to help others and through that help they fulfill themselves and find the peace that most of us spend our lives searching for but never find.
In the Bhagavad Gita, Sri Krishna says to Arjuna "Bahunam Janmanam Ante Jnaanavan Mam Praparyathe, Vaasudeva Sarvam Iti Sah Mahaatma Surdurlabhaha." What this means is "At the end of many lives that person situated in knowledge sees Vaasudeva (Krishna or God) in all things, such person is indeed very rare." The rarity here isn't that people cannot reach this stage it is that people don't care to reach this stage. This stage requires us to see in all things the same thing we see in ourselves, that spark of life, the dignity and respect we give to ourselves, the divine that we respect is present in us just as it is in your best friend, wife/husband and even that person that you loathe or find disgusting. Once you reach that level, how can you disassociate yourself from all those around, how can you let the plight of others go ignored? You can't, it is compassion, the same compassion that Buddha preached. Compassion isn't merely giving money to some charity it has to be much more personal than that. Maybe I'm a hypocrite because i haven't totally given myself to all this, i've done such work but not as often as I should or even want to. I think we can even make it simpler than that, just reach out and give a shit about the people around you, even the ones that you don't like so much, never leave anyone hanging, don't turn you back, put aside your own ego for a while and just be.
Saturday, April 16, 2005
What do you have to show?
Well, i've been alive for about 26 years give about 6 months, my time at law school is coming to an end and soon i will be joining the real world and work force. Apparently my entire life is ahead of me and there is so much for me to do. A random thought popped into my head as it every so often does and made me think what have I got to show for the past 26 years of life. I thought about it and sadly I don't think its much. I don't mean in terms of monetary or professional achievements, money has never been a goal of mine, it is only a means to achieving an end, not an end in itself. Although, most of the society essentially seeks the security and comfort that money affords them even if they claim they don't seek money as an end. A person is lauded as a success or something great once they have reached a certain level of financial power.
Our heroes are people who have achieved considerable amount of personal success, meaning success that concerns primarily themselves. The athletes, whose hard work and dedication is essentially for themselves so that they may either play the game out of love or benefits that come from being good at their sport. Same with musicians, actors and all entertainers. We have very few and far between heroes who really have done something outside themselves. Everyone wants to be a Michael Jordan or Kobe Bryant but who wants to be a Martin Luther King Jr. or Gandhi these days.
In Hindu thought there are four goals in human existence, they are called the purusha artha or four ends of mankind. The four goals are: artha (wealth), kama( bodily and mental desires), dharma (duty) and moksha (salvation). Human beings are to strive for each of these goals. Wealth is necessary for life within a society, desire is necessary because humans should not deny their most basic needs and urges. Duty or Dharma is very important because artha and kama should not be pursued without the binding force of Dharma, one is to try and achieve kama and artha within the guidelines of dharma, which also includes chairity (which many hindus convienently forget). Finally there is moksha or salvation from bondage of human existence and the universe of transience and impermenance. This is the final stage and also the hardest goal, and requires that three other goals be done with this goal in mind, it requires total surrender of the notion of the individual as an actor or agent into an instrument of the divine. That discussion is for another day.
Essentially, I was thinking about all this stuff and it sort of dawned on me that I really don't have much to show. If i were to die tomorrow, what would i leave the world? Aside from being a good friend, son, brother, cousin and/or person? Did I leave anything lasting or will my life too essentially fade into the wind as billions before me? We are taught in this society to live for ourselves and do what makes us happy, but is this necessarily the best way to live? Do we not have a duty to others around us? If all the people in world were to only look after themselves then we would have a world in which no one helped another aside from helping themselves. Do I have an answer to remedy this problem? Nope not yet. Will I ever? No idea but one can hope. All I know is that I don't have much to show for 26 years of existence, especially if the standard is monetary.
The world is such a selfish place, the root of it is the ego or Ahamkara (the "I" maker). It is the "I" or ego that makes the world a bad place, the idea that I am the actor, things are done by me, the world revolves around me. Somehow we differentiate ourselves entirely from everyone and everything around us, it is this process of differentation that creates a rift between people, a rift which perpetuates the false notion that we are each islands unto ourselves and all that matters is what we do for ourselves and therefore we owe no duty to others. Our lives should have meaning and impact outside the personal sphere of existence, meaning outside simply our circle of family and friends. To help others who you have no real personal relationship or connection with is amazing. There is a saying: Manava Seva Madhava Seva, it means the Service of Humanity is the Service of God, to serving others is equivalent to serving God, for God exists in all things and beings, so one should help and serve others as if they are helping themselves. Just food for thought.
Our heroes are people who have achieved considerable amount of personal success, meaning success that concerns primarily themselves. The athletes, whose hard work and dedication is essentially for themselves so that they may either play the game out of love or benefits that come from being good at their sport. Same with musicians, actors and all entertainers. We have very few and far between heroes who really have done something outside themselves. Everyone wants to be a Michael Jordan or Kobe Bryant but who wants to be a Martin Luther King Jr. or Gandhi these days.
In Hindu thought there are four goals in human existence, they are called the purusha artha or four ends of mankind. The four goals are: artha (wealth), kama( bodily and mental desires), dharma (duty) and moksha (salvation). Human beings are to strive for each of these goals. Wealth is necessary for life within a society, desire is necessary because humans should not deny their most basic needs and urges. Duty or Dharma is very important because artha and kama should not be pursued without the binding force of Dharma, one is to try and achieve kama and artha within the guidelines of dharma, which also includes chairity (which many hindus convienently forget). Finally there is moksha or salvation from bondage of human existence and the universe of transience and impermenance. This is the final stage and also the hardest goal, and requires that three other goals be done with this goal in mind, it requires total surrender of the notion of the individual as an actor or agent into an instrument of the divine. That discussion is for another day.
Essentially, I was thinking about all this stuff and it sort of dawned on me that I really don't have much to show. If i were to die tomorrow, what would i leave the world? Aside from being a good friend, son, brother, cousin and/or person? Did I leave anything lasting or will my life too essentially fade into the wind as billions before me? We are taught in this society to live for ourselves and do what makes us happy, but is this necessarily the best way to live? Do we not have a duty to others around us? If all the people in world were to only look after themselves then we would have a world in which no one helped another aside from helping themselves. Do I have an answer to remedy this problem? Nope not yet. Will I ever? No idea but one can hope. All I know is that I don't have much to show for 26 years of existence, especially if the standard is monetary.
The world is such a selfish place, the root of it is the ego or Ahamkara (the "I" maker). It is the "I" or ego that makes the world a bad place, the idea that I am the actor, things are done by me, the world revolves around me. Somehow we differentiate ourselves entirely from everyone and everything around us, it is this process of differentation that creates a rift between people, a rift which perpetuates the false notion that we are each islands unto ourselves and all that matters is what we do for ourselves and therefore we owe no duty to others. Our lives should have meaning and impact outside the personal sphere of existence, meaning outside simply our circle of family and friends. To help others who you have no real personal relationship or connection with is amazing. There is a saying: Manava Seva Madhava Seva, it means the Service of Humanity is the Service of God, to serving others is equivalent to serving God, for God exists in all things and beings, so one should help and serve others as if they are helping themselves. Just food for thought.
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