I am pleasantly surprised by the response this column has evoked. Some readers have raised specific questions while few questions are general in nature. It is my attempt today to accommodate as many questions and answer them briefly given the space limitation. Many of you may find the answers to your questions in my later articles as well.
What causes agony, suffering and grief?- Ramakrishnan H
All this is experienced by the Mind. To cryptically reply and leave it as a teaser for a detailed explanation in my later articles, it is essentially the need to have different experiences that cause agony and suffering etc.
Does Good and Bad exist?- Bharini Kumar
Good and Bad are relative concepts. Mind creates the discrimination and to facilitate practical life, some code of conduct which labels outcome as good and bad is essential. However, other than for general rules, it is the intent of our action which really determines what is good and bad. In the modern world, bad is anything illegal or anything which directly harms others (not what is assumed by others as harmful). I believe, we should be able to rise above all relativity and make that our intention rather than stop with trying to understand what is good or bad.
If you are born as human being because of your good deeds in the previous birth, then why is there disparity among human beings?; Is it true that you cannot get initiation without a Guru?- Vijayan
What matters to me is what I will do now rather than worry about how I got here! Disparity amongst human beings is essential for practical life experience and that is caused by our intention and effort which I will talk about in later articles.
Yes, I feel a Guru is essential but once you trust in Him above all and earnestly request Him to guide you to Him, He will come in many forms or in one form to be your Guru. So the first and the foremost need is for us to want to attain Him in all possible ways, then a Guru will come to help us.
Is there a purpose of Life? Nothing seems to make sense to me. Should I satisfy myself or others?
My experience has been that if you choose “Being Happy and making others Happy” as the first and primary purpose of life, it is a good starting point. The question of what comes first - My satisfaction or other's can be answered again by which makes you happier for longer is better always. However, this dilemma will go away when the need/desire is to be always happy (not in the material sense but through an inner awakening).
How to improve memory and concentration?- K Babu
Learn meditation or yoga; Find the right teachers and; Eat the right food. The only solution to achieve better concentration is practice. Actually, you don't need concentration but a relaxed mind (less thoughts).
Is there a way to chose between personal and professional goals?- V. Arun Kumar
The Law of Nature is such that one has to sacrifice something to attain something. It sometimes seems one has to choose between personal and professional goals but it has to be the individual's choice at that time. Whatever be one's choice, we have one thing which we can control ‘ourself'. Therefore, while choosing any option to pursue, we must give up regret over why we have chosen or not chosen the other.
We must also not allow the dilemma of what to choose to torture us. While this seems easy when reading, it is difficult to practise but unless we practise, circumstances compel you to face more such dilemmas in future.
Is every work / action of ours to be enjoyed driven by passion and will it lead us to a perennial joy?- S Radhakrishnan
Yes, partially it is correct but passion or enthusiasm is only the first step. Freedom from anxiety / doubt or too much expectation at the time of action with full focus on the action rather than the result is equally essential. Later, when this is practised, instead of ‘passion', one will feel a calmness which is Joyful in Itself. That state will progress (ripen) to perennial joy.
Focusing on task without thinking of our past mistakes will lead to success but how many are capable of doing it?; Absence of negative thoughts is joy - if a person who is unable to satisfy the above what is the remedy available?- R S Umapathy
This is like asking which comes first – chicken or the egg. The ideal way out is to trust and have faith in the force higher than our present ignorant state and try and silence the Mind to the extent possible. The only time past mistakes or habits don't matter is when the Mind is silent; hence the perfect solution is to make the Mind as silent as possible. In the Mind's silence, all negativity goes away. This is of course not easy but practice is the only solution with faith and not frustration.
Normally comparison with others leads to jealousy / frustration / becoming small before others. Please clarify.- M Govindaswamy
Comparisons are not positive and they corrode our normal thoughts. However, if at all useful, comparison or competitiveness could fulfill the purpose of motivating one to achieve better without the negative emotions of jealousy, frustration etc. being allowed to take hold of our thoughts.
How to align goal with that of others who are involved in my goal?- R Govindarajan
This is one of the practically difficult things we face in life, i.e. how to align either our goals or other's goals with ours. For this communication, understanding and adjustment is required on all sides. As the person driving towards a goal, you will have to first see how to make others happy and involved so that they pursue a common goal with full enthusiasm and zeal.
On seeing a beggar on road, does my relationship / responsibility end on dropping a coin or two? Or, what would be an ideal action / reaction?- Narayanan V.
This is a very complicated thought process. How one reacts to a beggar is dependent on one's tendencies and interests. However, seeing anyone else suffer (assuming the beggar is suffering which we do not necessarily know) can at best make us feel compassionate. Goodwill and love for all need not and cannot translate into action always. However, if helping a beggar or beggars in general is your chosen goal, then you should try to help them. Therefore each one has to determine what action to pursue on seeing a beggar, but a feeling of compassion or goodwill is at least expected.
(The writer is the Joint Managing Director, TVS & Sons Ltd., and MD, TVS Logistics)
