Date: Sun, 11 Mar 2012 19:23:43 -0700
To: am-global@earthlink.net
From: Paramatman Deva
Subject: Baba Story: I am Not a Sinner
Baba
Namaskar,
Baba graced me with the opportunity to have personal contact (PC). During PC, Baba pointed out my past sins and punished me on each account.
After that He blessed me and said, "From now onwards, look forward and forget about the past. Now you are pure."
The next day I had a strong desire to go to Baba's room and massage His feet. Those days, i.e. in the early 1960's in Jamalpur, it was not difficult to get permission to enter Baba's room. Family margiis had various opportunities, if one desired. I put forth my request to PA Dada and by Baba's grace it was approved.
I entered Baba's room and began massaging His feet. Then Baba started explaining about the different types of sinners: Patakii [sinner], atipatkiis [bad sinner] and mahapatakiis [worst sinner].
After telling about these three categories of sinners, Baba looked at me and asked, "Which category are you in?"
Instantaneously, at that very moment, one spontaneous idea sprouted in my mind. It was as if Baba was forcing the thought in my mind.
I replied, "Baba, I do not fall in any of these categories. I am not a sinner."
Baba smiled and laughed. He appreciated the response and said, "Yes, you are right; you are not a sinner."
That was eye-opening for me. Usually in life if people commit a sin - whether knowingly or unknowingly - they remember those misdeeds again and again. They cannot forget them. And that gives way to feelings of pain, shame and guilt. Indeed they feel guilty even after getting punished. But with Baba as the Guru it is not like that.
On the previous day Baba punished me and told me that, "From now onwards, look forward and forget about the past. Now you are pure." And while this was all very new to me, internally I really did feel cleansed and pure. I understood that by coming in contact with Parama Purusa, one's sins vanish.
Baba gave me a new vision: I had made mistakes, I underwent punishment for those sins, and now I am pure, by His grace. There were no lingering stains.
Parama Purusa is most gracious.
Namaskar,
Sudarshan
In the above story told by Shrii Sudarshan Rao, there are some valuable lessons to keep in mind.
1. Sometime people think that they are a sinner. They feel their life is bound up in sin and there is no escape. This type of defective outlook is prevalent in the Semitic religions of the west. But in AM our view is totally different. Baba guides us that we should never think, "I am a sinner" rather one cultivate the idea that, "I am the blessed child of Parama Purusa."
Baba says, "A man may always think: “I am a sinner, I am a sinner, I am a sinner.” If he feels like that, if he thinks like this, that “I am a sinner,” then actually one day he will become a sinner. Actually he is not a sinner, but if he thinks like this, that “I am a sinner, I am a sinner,” what will happen? – he will actually become a sinner, because it is the characteristic of the human mind that it takes the form of its object. So when a man thinks, “I am a sinner, I am a sinner, O Lord, I am a sinner, O Lord, I am a sinner,” then actually he will become a sinner. So such a psychology is fundamentally defective. You must never think that you are a sinner. You should think: “It may be a fact that I was a sinner in the past, but from this very moment I am on the lap of the Almighty Father; I cannot be a sinner, I am not a sinner. I am seated on the lap of my Supreme Father, I am not a sinner.”" (Ananda Vacanamrtam - 34, Be Free from All Complexes)
Baba says, "If you say, “I am a sinner, I am a sinner,” you will be a sinner. Even if you are not a sinner but you always think, “I am a sinner, I am a sinner, I am a sinner,” you will be a sinner because that sinning becomes your mental object. So you should never say, “I am a sinner, I am a sinner, I am a sinner.” You should say, “O Lord, I am your child, I am your son, I am your daughter. I have the birthright to sit on your lap. Please purify me.” This is the proper approach. This is the proper approach." (Ananda Vacanamrtam - 12, Everything Comes from Something)
Indeed in multiples discourses Baba clearly guides us that we should never think of ourselves as sinners, rather we are the divine children of Parama Purusa.
2. Those unfortunate persons in the general society who cultivate this sinner's psychology pollute their mind and degrade themselves.
Baba says, "And you know, if you always think, “I am a sinner, I am a sinner”, then actually you will become a sinner, if you are not already a sinner – because what a person thinks, he or she will become like that. If you always think, “I am a sinner, I am a sinner”, then actually you will become a sinner." (Subhasita Samgraha - 12, The Noumenal Cause and the Personal God)
That is why Baba always reminds us that we should see always try to rectify ourselves and seek His grace.
Baba says, "So what are you to think? What are you to ideate upon? That is: “Oh Father, I am your loving child. I was a bit misguided, now please help me. I want to sit on your lap, I want to remain with you, I want to be an ideal boy, an ideal girl of yours, just help me. I am very weak and you are the strongest personality”, you should say like this." (Subhasita Samgraha - 12, The Noumenal Cause and the Personal God)
3. Another key point in all of this is that if someone commits a wrong then they should not just arrogantly declare that they do not care or that it was not their fault. This type of hubris will make the situation worse and cause one to stray from the path. Humans make mistakes and we should be honest and humble in this regard. That is Baba's teaching; we should always request His help in rectifying ourselves and receiving His grace.
4. In Prabhat Samgiita #737, the idea is expressed that:
Usually those who think that they are sinners do not want to go close to Parama Purusa because of their inferiority complex. They think, "How can I go to Him - to the Lord." But AM philosophy teaches something else - all are encouraged to go close to Parama Purusa. By ideating on Him, by sheltering in Him, the stain and negative samskaras vanish and one's existence becomes pure.
It is just like if you bring a lamp to the darkness or drag the darkness to the lamp; in either case the darkness vanishes. Likewise, in His presence the filth of sin gets wiped away.
Certain religions harp on this sinner's psychology: I am sinner, I am sinner. They fundamentally believe that everyone is born in sin. The nucleus of their teaching is based on sin. That idea is faulty. In Ananda Marga we cultivate the notion that, "I am the blessed child of Parama Purusa."
The central idea is that by ideating on Him the mind becomes totally pure - all the black marks vanish - and the sadhaka can march forward on the path of spirituality and reach unto Him, by His grace.
Namaskar,
Paramatman Deva
To: am-global@earthlink.net
From: Paramatman Deva
Subject: Baba Story: I am Not a Sinner
Baba
== BABA STORY: I AM NOT A SINNER ==
Note: The following is the first-hand account
of Shrii Sudarshan Rao, an important margii of South India.
Namaskar,
Baba graced me with the opportunity to have personal contact (PC). During PC, Baba pointed out my past sins and punished me on each account.
After that He blessed me and said, "From now onwards, look forward and forget about the past. Now you are pure."
The next day I had a strong desire to go to Baba's room and massage His feet. Those days, i.e. in the early 1960's in Jamalpur, it was not difficult to get permission to enter Baba's room. Family margiis had various opportunities, if one desired. I put forth my request to PA Dada and by Baba's grace it was approved.
I entered Baba's room and began massaging His feet. Then Baba started explaining about the different types of sinners: Patakii [sinner], atipatkiis [bad sinner] and mahapatakiis [worst sinner].
After telling about these three categories of sinners, Baba looked at me and asked, "Which category are you in?"
Instantaneously, at that very moment, one spontaneous idea sprouted in my mind. It was as if Baba was forcing the thought in my mind.
I replied, "Baba, I do not fall in any of these categories. I am not a sinner."
Baba smiled and laughed. He appreciated the response and said, "Yes, you are right; you are not a sinner."
That was eye-opening for me. Usually in life if people commit a sin - whether knowingly or unknowingly - they remember those misdeeds again and again. They cannot forget them. And that gives way to feelings of pain, shame and guilt. Indeed they feel guilty even after getting punished. But with Baba as the Guru it is not like that.
On the previous day Baba punished me and told me that, "From now onwards, look forward and forget about the past. Now you are pure." And while this was all very new to me, internally I really did feel cleansed and pure. I understood that by coming in contact with Parama Purusa, one's sins vanish.
Baba gave me a new vision: I had made mistakes, I underwent punishment for those sins, and now I am pure, by His grace. There were no lingering stains.
Parama Purusa is most gracious.
Namaskar,
Sudarshan
REFLECTION
In the above story told by Shrii Sudarshan Rao, there are some valuable lessons to keep in mind.
1. Sometime people think that they are a sinner. They feel their life is bound up in sin and there is no escape. This type of defective outlook is prevalent in the Semitic religions of the west. But in AM our view is totally different. Baba guides us that we should never think, "I am a sinner" rather one cultivate the idea that, "I am the blessed child of Parama Purusa."
Baba says, "A man may always think: “I am a sinner, I am a sinner, I am a sinner.” If he feels like that, if he thinks like this, that “I am a sinner,” then actually one day he will become a sinner. Actually he is not a sinner, but if he thinks like this, that “I am a sinner, I am a sinner,” what will happen? – he will actually become a sinner, because it is the characteristic of the human mind that it takes the form of its object. So when a man thinks, “I am a sinner, I am a sinner, O Lord, I am a sinner, O Lord, I am a sinner,” then actually he will become a sinner. So such a psychology is fundamentally defective. You must never think that you are a sinner. You should think: “It may be a fact that I was a sinner in the past, but from this very moment I am on the lap of the Almighty Father; I cannot be a sinner, I am not a sinner. I am seated on the lap of my Supreme Father, I am not a sinner.”" (Ananda Vacanamrtam - 34, Be Free from All Complexes)
Baba says, "If you say, “I am a sinner, I am a sinner,” you will be a sinner. Even if you are not a sinner but you always think, “I am a sinner, I am a sinner, I am a sinner,” you will be a sinner because that sinning becomes your mental object. So you should never say, “I am a sinner, I am a sinner, I am a sinner.” You should say, “O Lord, I am your child, I am your son, I am your daughter. I have the birthright to sit on your lap. Please purify me.” This is the proper approach. This is the proper approach." (Ananda Vacanamrtam - 12, Everything Comes from Something)
Indeed in multiples discourses Baba clearly guides us that we should never think of ourselves as sinners, rather we are the divine children of Parama Purusa.
2. Those unfortunate persons in the general society who cultivate this sinner's psychology pollute their mind and degrade themselves.
Baba says, "And you know, if you always think, “I am a sinner, I am a sinner”, then actually you will become a sinner, if you are not already a sinner – because what a person thinks, he or she will become like that. If you always think, “I am a sinner, I am a sinner”, then actually you will become a sinner." (Subhasita Samgraha - 12, The Noumenal Cause and the Personal God)
That is why Baba always reminds us that we should see always try to rectify ourselves and seek His grace.
Baba says, "So what are you to think? What are you to ideate upon? That is: “Oh Father, I am your loving child. I was a bit misguided, now please help me. I want to sit on your lap, I want to remain with you, I want to be an ideal boy, an ideal girl of yours, just help me. I am very weak and you are the strongest personality”, you should say like this." (Subhasita Samgraha - 12, The Noumenal Cause and the Personal God)
3. Another key point in all of this is that if someone commits a wrong then they should not just arrogantly declare that they do not care or that it was not their fault. This type of hubris will make the situation worse and cause one to stray from the path. Humans make mistakes and we should be honest and humble in this regard. That is Baba's teaching; we should always request His help in rectifying ourselves and receiving His grace.
4. In Prabhat Samgiita #737, the idea is expressed that:
Tumi eso eso more ghare baso
Sab kichu a'lokita kariya
Sab kichu a'lokita kariya
O' Lord please come and sit in my abode and make
everything effulgent,
by Your divine touch. All the stains, dirt, sins will vanish.
by Your divine touch. All the stains, dirt, sins will vanish.
Usually those who think that they are sinners do not want to go close to Parama Purusa because of their inferiority complex. They think, "How can I go to Him - to the Lord." But AM philosophy teaches something else - all are encouraged to go close to Parama Purusa. By ideating on Him, by sheltering in Him, the stain and negative samskaras vanish and one's existence becomes pure.
It is just like if you bring a lamp to the darkness or drag the darkness to the lamp; in either case the darkness vanishes. Likewise, in His presence the filth of sin gets wiped away.
Certain religions harp on this sinner's psychology: I am sinner, I am sinner. They fundamentally believe that everyone is born in sin. The nucleus of their teaching is based on sin. That idea is faulty. In Ananda Marga we cultivate the notion that, "I am the blessed child of Parama Purusa."
The central idea is that by ideating on Him the mind becomes totally pure - all the black marks vanish - and the sadhaka can march forward on the path of spirituality and reach unto Him, by His grace.
Namaskar,
Paramatman Deva
PRABHAT SAMGIITA
"Toma'ke cena' na'hi ja'y..." (P.S. 2089)
Purport:
Baba, it is not possible to recognize You. When I think that I have recognized You, then my consciousness gets completely enveloped by the Cimmerian darkness.
Baba, Your divine Presence shifts from one extreme to the next. On the one side You are so tough and other times You are very soft and sweet. Baba, sometimes You are vehemently preaching Your sermons with the beating of the marching drum and blowing of the military trumpets; and on other occasions You are smiling sweetly and showering Your causeless grace with the flower pollen. Baba, such is Your beauty.
O' Baba, in the end, in the lonely, isolated moment, I see that everything happens by Your grace. What You desire is what happens - that is the final truth.
O' Parama Purusa Baba, in Your grand Kingdom, everything belongs to You. I cannot boast that anything is mine; indeed to think that something is mine is a crime. Because everything is created by You - this whole expressed universe is Your thought projection. Then how can I say that anything is mine.
Baba, only You are mine; everyone is Yours. Baba, everyone longs for Your karuna' - divine compassion.
Baba, to recognize You is not possible without Your grace. Baba only with the showering of Your grace can one realise You - otherwise not. Baba please grace me...
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The Gospel of Neo-Humanism
The Gospel of Neo-Humanism
Baba says, "Preach the theory of one spiritual inheritance-- that every living being is the child of the Supreme Entity and that all the people of the world belong to the same family. This will have to be explained to all-- that there will be a clash between different nations so long as the feeling of nationalism exists." (PNS-4, p. 45)
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