KNOWLEDGE ABOUT BODY

"The body, the senses, the mind, and the intellect are only the vestures put on by man".
Only when we understand the nature and significance of these adjuncts, can we make proper use of them. Likewise, the body is our garment.
"It is only when we know how to wear it and use it appropriately that we can make good use of it get the best out of it".

Please remember!

"The body is inert". Many may argue as to how the body can be called 'inert', when it is seen to be capable of growth.

"The answer to this doubt is that when you clean your house daily and go on dumping the sweepings in one place, it will grow into a big heap. Likewise, when you go on dumping into your body, various kinds of food so many times a day, your body, though insentient, will grow like the heap of garbage."

It should however be realize that the:
"body is able to function by way of eating, talking, walking and growing etc."

Because of the 'Consciousness' within it. In this respect the body may be compared to 'a car'.

"Eyes are like the headlights, tongue like the horn, and ears like the loud speakers. It is because of the battery inside the car that the above mentioned parts of the car are able to function. Similarly, the various organs of the inert body are able to function only because of "the Divine Power inside the body". "To cite another analogy, the inert iron fillings are able to move hither and thither when attracted by the power of magnet".

So also, the operation of all organs of the body, which are inert by themselves, is made possible by the presence of the "Divine Power" inside.

"It is a pity that we spend a lot of time, effort and money to beautify the transient and inert body, forgetting our real Divine, which is permanent and sentient".
Man is prone to three kinds of misconceptions in relation to his body.

"One is to mistake himself to be something which is not his real self".
"Another is to regard persons or objects that do not belong to him as his own".
"The third is to believe the evanescent to be the everlasting".

Man considers the body as his real self. If that is the case, why should he say,... "This is my body, because the owner is different from what he owns."

"For instance, when a man says, this is my shoes, he is apart from the shoes. Hence,how can one say that he is the body? This is the first and basic blunder."

Secondly, in worldly matters man is misled by the belief that he is the owner of various kinds of properties like houses, lands, vehicles, etc.

You build a house and call it yours, when you sell it, it is no longer yours. Likewise, you buy a car, and call it yours. When it is sold, it ceases to be yours. So, things are yours only as long as your own and use them. Forgetting that all these possessions are temporary, like fleeting clouds, you develop undue attachment for them. In fact, "nothing is yours, how can those which belong to the body be yours?"

All these "misconception are caused by the evil of Maya, delusion and the resultant sense of possessiveness and the aberrations of the mind."

Prior to marriage, no one can say, "who is the husband, and who is the wife?" Before birth, nobody can say, "who is the mother? And who is the child?" Only after marriage, you say, "this is my wife." It is only after birth, you declare - "he is my son." But these relationships are transient and not permanent and are based on the wrong identification of oneself with the body.

"Nobody brings with him, even a tiny piece of cloth at the time of birth, and nobody leaves his address even, at the time of death." If they are really yours, "why won't they give you their address at the time of final departure?...
Nothing belongs to you."

Forgetting your own reality and mistaking the unreal as the real in this illusory world, you are creating problems for yourself. You are always yourself only. You don't belong to anybody, nor does anyone belong to you. "There is only one thing that exists. 'THAT IS THE GOD'." We continue to believe wrongly that diversity is real - The right way to believe is ... "Unity in Diversity." You have to do your duty for your kith and kin. But while discharging your duties, you should never deviate from the spiritual path.

"One should recognize the fact that nothing belongs to him, whether it is mother, father, brother, kinsmen, house, etc." All these ephemeral things are related to the changing body which is the basis for all mental aberrations.

The body undergoes various changes due to food and other living habits. Whatever be such changes in the body the individuality (the Soul) remains unchanged. The "changes of name and form" such as .... "childhood, boyhood, manhood, and old age pertain to the body and are hence, illusory".

Please remember!

You should not, therefore, consider the body as real and permanent at all. "Nevertheless, it is your duty to ensure that the body is not subjected to diseases and is maintained as a fit instrument".
"As long as you sail in the river of life, you must see to it that the boat of your body does not develop holes or leaks thereby preventing water from entering into the boat".

The boat maybe in the water, but there should be no water in the boat. Remain in the world and attend to your duties, "but don't allow worries to enter your mind and make your body susceptible to all kinds of diseases".
"Consider, the body as only an instrument".

To keep this instrument of the body in good trim, you have to regulate your food and other habits. Also, look upon the body as your vesture of clothing, and resort to washing it clean from time to time, just as soiled clothes are cleaned by the washerman.

"All that the washerman does is to remove the dirt from the cloth enabling it to regain its original whiteness, so too, purity is natural to the human body".

"But it becomes dirty due to improper use, and therefore you should get it cleaned with the help of GOD as washerman, by resorting to such practices as prayer and 'LOVE OF GOD'."

The washerman alone can wash the clothes. So also, God alone - and none else - can cleanse your heart of its impurities. Never forget that this body is only an instrument or a garment.

"It is due to ignorance that you look upon the body as your real Self. Only when you get rid of this ignorance, will you shine as the effulgent 'Sun of Wisdom'."

Please note!

Although the human body is worthless in itself and is impermanent, it has to be carefully looked after, because it enshrines the "Divine (God is always with you)". This is man's primary duty, to understand that "God is always with him". Without a healthy and strong body, man will fall an easy victim to numerous ailments.

Please remember!

"The body is merely the foundation of life."

The body is a world in itself. It is the collective assemblage of many organs and limbs. Each organ has its own beauty, which has to be fostered. A weak and unhealthy body is incapable of any resolute action. Pure, noble and sublime ideas can emanate only from a strong and healthy body.

"All religions are agreed on this point."

Although the body is impermanent, special care should be taken to maintain it properly, because the "Divine Spirit" illumines the body. "Although the latter is composed of flesh, blood, faeces, urine and other foul-smelling and impure things."

Please remember!

"The Spirit is not subject to growth or decay. It is ever pure, precious and immutable. The splendour and effulgence of the selfless, stainless, eternal Spirit principle will in, no way be diminished by human body full of impurities."

"Although the body is a mere instrument" :

Its use has to be regulated according to prescribed standards and limits. And every object in the world is governed by certain regulations. It has rightly been said that we cannot achieve any success or progress without observing such discipline. The body too is governed by certain regulations:

"We should develop purity in our thoughts, feelings, looks, and actions. If, on the other hand, one uses his senses and limbs in impure ways, one's nature would degenerate from humane to demoniacal".

Our life can be compared to a business enterprise. The body's normal temperature is 98oF. If the temperature goes up to even 90oF, it is a symptom of disease. Our blood pressure, too is 120/80 mm. If it becomes more or less, it is considered as disease.

Even our eye can see light within a particular range. Any deviation from the range will result in damage to the retina. Similarly, our ears can hear sound within a range; beyond that limit, the ear-drums will be damaged. "Thus our body may be called a limited company". So a careful observance of these limits should / have to be made while making use of the body. Whether in the food we eat or water we drink, or the words we speak and hear, in fact, in all our living habits, moderation should be observed as the key-note. Exceeding the limits will entail danger.

Excessive eating or talking results in mental aberration. While moderate eating or talking is conducive to pleasantness in life. Therefore, the body should always be used in such a manner only which confers happiness in man's life.

Man's knowledge can be classified into 'five' categories.

The 'first' type of knowledge which is most widely prevalent now-a-days is bookish knowledge. "We are wasting our entire lives for acquiring such bookish knowledge which is merely superficial." On account of this, today the absence of "General knowledge" and commonsense has become obvious.

There two, namely, general knowledge and commonsense cannot be gained from books, but "only from various experience" in actual day-today's living, "especially through service to society".

The fourth one is "discriminative knowledge". This type of knowledge is now-a-days being used perversely for selfish ends. This is not the right use of discrimination. What is wanted is the kind of discrimination which keeps in view not the selfish individual good but the collective good of the society at large. Young people should particularly avoid justifying the wrong use of their discrimination for self interest.

Understand the body which liable to decay. At the time of birth, the body is a lump of flesh and blood. As it grows, it attains beauty and enters the stage of adolescence and adulthood, "when it becomes puffed up with the pride of beauty and vigour ect."

In due course it is overtaken by the ravages of old age, resulting in loss of vitality and susceptibility to diseases. Thus, the body is subject to many a change. Use the body with discrimination to achieve the purpose for which it is meant. Just because you have this body, you should not use it according to your whims and fancies. Forgetting the fact that the body has a 'Soul' which should, therefore, be used for sacred purposes.

Please remember!

There can be no body without the senses nor senses without the body. These two are inseparable and interdependence. Negative without positive, or positive without negative (in the case of electric current) will serve no purpose. Likewise, a body without senses, or senses without a body cannot function. Hence it is imperative for every person to take proper care of the body.

"A healthy mind has a healthy body."

Look at the galaxy, the Sun, the Moon, the Earth, all the planets move around their own axes, and also around one another. Their movements are all governed by natural laws. They never try to break the laws. They are rhythmically helping mankind selflessly. But on the contrary, man breaks natural laws and harm mankind. That is why man at ... dis - ease is called 'diseased'.


From Empty Hands,
A. Rahman bin Mahadi
Labis, Johore
016-6020321

13 December 2010

Next Topic: 1. "Memahami Apa Yang Dikatakan Akal Separuh Sedar".

2."Pay Special Attention For Aged Parents (Father and Mother)"