Dr. Vijai S Shankar MD.PhD.
Published on www.academy-advaita.com
The Netherlands
7 September 2019
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“Mind’s Hunger”
Wisdom questions that in a world, which is without cause or effect, could the word ‘more’ mean anything? Knowledge informs that the word ‘more’ surely has a meaning, but could the meaning be real? It just cannot be real in a causeless and effect-less world.
Wisdom reveals that the world is said to be a singular process of uncontrollable and unpredictable sophistication, which happens eternally and spontaneously. Nevertheless, the word ‘more’ is present in the mind of man and logic, in knowledge, informs that to be successful in life man should aim for ‘more’.
The mind with knowledge questions in order to find as many ways as possible to have ‘more’- more of just about anything that is available in the world. These have invariably become the must-have in life.
They range from food, clothing, housing, family, money, power, pride etc.: the sky is the limit for some and not for all. The word ‘more’ and its meaning strengthen the belief that man is the doer. Once again, how could man be a doer in life which is pure energy? Life sophisticates and the word ‘more’ is a camouflage to its power of sophistication, which is evolution.
Man believes he is the doer and so, through available means, he sets about becoming materialistic and the objective is to have ‘more’. Man with knowledge has no control over ‘more’ and no control over the emotions of having or not having more. Man with wisdom, however, is calm and steady with patience and trust in life.
So what is the wisdom of ‘more’, is the question?
Wisdom reveals that every moment contains the five elements air, water, heat (fire) and earth in time and space. Wisdom reveals that the five elements evolve as what is present in any moment.
Wisdom reveals that what is present in any moment in life cannot be more or less than what is present in a particular moment. Wisdom reveals that man neither makes any moment in life nor the five elements heat, air, water, earth, time and space.
The enlightened have rightly proclaimed that man is not the doer and that man will have what he is meant to have and no force on earth can stop it.
Author: Dr. Vijai S. Shankar
© Copyright V. S. Shankar 2019
Editor’s Note:
The celebrated writer, Charles Dickens, once told the story of Oliver Twist, a boy who lived in a workhouse. At supper once, after the main course of gruel, Oliver remained so hungry that he courageously asked: ‘Please sir, I want some more.’ The shocked master shouted ‘MORE?!’ and became so angry that Oliver was ordered into instant confinement. The concept of ‘more’ is legendary and is the mantra of every generation of man in every continent. As exemplified in WWII, more territory and more domination were crucial motivators, albeit illusory.
In their compassion for his welfare, the enlightened never cease to gift to man their deep understanding of what he is meant to have, which no force on earth can deny. Understanding that what is present in any moment cannot be more or less than what is present ushers in trust in life and its provision.
Julian Capper, UK
German Translator’s Note:
More or less is relative and not absolute. It is determined by comparison. The comparison is only possible through thoughts of past and future. Anyone who lives in the timeless here and thoughtless now, that is, who is aware that everyone and everything is only alive in the timeless here and thoughtless now, understands that there cannot be "more" or "less" as reality. Dr. Shankar's article does not deny the existence of "more" or "less", but shows that both exist only in the human mind as illusory thought, not as reality in life. "More" is a very emotional thought, which essentially shapes the often restless and dissatisfied attitude to life of the modern human being. It is the thought "More", from which man must be free in order to live calmly and patiently in every moment. This is the invaluable gift of wisdom shared in this article on www.academy-advaita.com
Marcus Stegmaier, Germany