BEING SELF-ISH, PRACTICE SELF-ISM ( NOT OTHER -ISMS )
This sounds strange to say that one should become Self-ish and Self-centered. Generally being self-ish and self-centerd is considered bad. It would depend on if one is centeed in self or Self. The small self or the big Self. Being selfish is bad and tamasic, being Selfish is good and sattvic. Being self centered is bad and tamasic, being Self centerd is good and saatvic.
Being selfish and self centered: We are doing things and all our endevours, efforts, strivings and motivations are for the fulfilment of only our personal and individual desires. We only do things which help me only. When I am driven by that only than I am not concerned about anyone else and not concerned about how my actions could hurt others and the environment.
But on the other hand being Selfish and Self centered instantly transforms one’s actions and motivations and the outcome of those actions. What I do is not just for my individual gain. All my actions take into account the greater good. Greater good would include everyone as a beneficiary of my actions. In that case I won’t do anything that would hurt anyone including the environment.
Here The Self is the Universal consciousness that my little self is a part of but “I” has built walls to demarcate and partition the self from the Self and enclosed it in a compartment called this physical body made up of senses, body, mind and intellect. These layers enclose what is really a part of the Self into a smaller space and compartment and interrupts it’s inherent connectedness and it’s naturally being part of The Self.
In Gita Ch 18 v 66 Lord says:
One example would be the space. Before a house is built in a given area there is open empty space unbound and un partitioned. When walls defining a home are built those walls enclose a portion of that space within those walls. Now that space inside the house enclosed within the walls is separate from the larger space outside the walls of the house. If the walls are broken and brought down, that space inside the house that was previously enclosed within the house is freed up again and it rejoins and becomes part of The Space outside again, thus merging back in the universal space.
Our body is like this house and it’s walls, the space inside the house is the little self that has become separated from the Self due to the walls ( the body ), When the body dies the little self is liberated and merged back with the greater Space, the Univrsal Consciousness. It stays merged with the Universal Consciousness until another body encloses the little self again within the sense, body, mind, intellect complex and creates an individual living body. But it really is the little self separated from the Universal Self.
One does not have to wait for the body to die, one does not have to wait for the sense, body, mind intellect complex to dissolve physically to experience the oneness with the Universal Self. Through spiritual practices such as meditation etc one can, while living in this body, transcend the sense, body, mind intellect complex and reestablish and experience the oneness of the little self and the Universal Self. That is the state of Brahma nishtha gyanis, or realized souls. They have realized and experienced this oneness. Such a gyani is established in the Universal Self and is satisfied and happy through this connectedness with his True Self.
Gita Ch 2, 55
“When one thoroughly casts off all the cravings of the mind, and is satisfied in the Self through the joys of the Self, he is than called the stable of the mind”
After experiencing this one ness and this establishment in the Self, he does not see the multiple forms of existence. He sees everything as a part of the Universal being. This has been called Vaishvanara in the Upanishads. Such an individual sees gold and dirt with the same equanimity. He sees a wise man and a fool with equanimity.
Gita Ch 5, 18
The humble sage, by virtue of true knowledge, sees with equal vision a learned and gentle brahmana, a cow, an elephant, a dog and a dog-eater [outcaste].
This sounds strange to say that one should become Self-ish and Self-centered. Generally being self-ish and self-centerd is considered bad. It would depend on if one is centeed in self or Self. The small self or the big Self. Being selfish is bad and tamasic, being Selfish is good and sattvic. Being self centered is bad and tamasic, being Self centerd is good and saatvic.
Being selfish and self centered: We are doing things and all our endevours, efforts, strivings and motivations are for the fulfilment of only our personal and individual desires. We only do things which help me only. When I am driven by that only than I am not concerned about anyone else and not concerned about how my actions could hurt others and the environment.
But on the other hand being Selfish and Self centered instantly transforms one’s actions and motivations and the outcome of those actions. What I do is not just for my individual gain. All my actions take into account the greater good. Greater good would include everyone as a beneficiary of my actions. In that case I won’t do anything that would hurt anyone including the environment.
Here The Self is the Universal consciousness that my little self is a part of but “I” has built walls to demarcate and partition the self from the Self and enclosed it in a compartment called this physical body made up of senses, body, mind and intellect. These layers enclose what is really a part of the Self into a smaller space and compartment and interrupts it’s inherent connectedness and it’s naturally being part of The Self.
In Gita Ch 18 v 66 Lord says:
"Abandon all varieties of religion and just surrender unto Me. I shall deliver you from all sinful reaction. Do not fear."
Here this should not be taken to mean that one should give up all other religions and embrace Hinduism. Here it should be taken to mean that one needs to surrender to the Supreme Self. This Supreme Self is not defined or bound by any religion. All religions are supposed to only help the seeker to realize this Supreme Self. All religions are in reality the small self we talked about earlier. The way these religions operate they are no different than any other materiality. They are merely a tool, a means and a path, and not the goal or the destination.
The concept of self and Self could be also understood from the following:
One example would be the space. Before a house is built in a given area there is open empty space unbound and un partitioned. When walls defining a home are built those walls enclose a portion of that space within those walls. Now that space inside the house enclosed within the walls is separate from the larger space outside the walls of the house. If the walls are broken and brought down, that space inside the house that was previously enclosed within the house is freed up again and it rejoins and becomes part of The Space outside again, thus merging back in the universal space.
Our body is like this house and it’s walls, the space inside the house is the little self that has become separated from the Self due to the walls ( the body ), When the body dies the little self is liberated and merged back with the greater Space, the Univrsal Consciousness. It stays merged with the Universal Consciousness until another body encloses the little self again within the sense, body, mind, intellect complex and creates an individual living body. But it really is the little self separated from the Universal Self.
One does not have to wait for the body to die, one does not have to wait for the sense, body, mind intellect complex to dissolve physically to experience the oneness with the Universal Self. Through spiritual practices such as meditation etc one can, while living in this body, transcend the sense, body, mind intellect complex and reestablish and experience the oneness of the little self and the Universal Self. That is the state of Brahma nishtha gyanis, or realized souls. They have realized and experienced this oneness. Such a gyani is established in the Universal Self and is satisfied and happy through this connectedness with his True Self.
Gita Ch 2, 55
“When one thoroughly casts off all the cravings of the mind, and is satisfied in the Self through the joys of the Self, he is than called the stable of the mind”
After experiencing this one ness and this establishment in the Self, he does not see the multiple forms of existence. He sees everything as a part of the Universal being. This has been called Vaishvanara in the Upanishads. Such an individual sees gold and dirt with the same equanimity. He sees a wise man and a fool with equanimity.
Gita Ch 5, 18
The humble sage, by virtue of true knowledge, sees with equal vision a learned and gentle brahmana, a cow, an elephant, a dog and a dog-eater [outcaste].
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