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Dharma

By Shrii Shrii Anandamurti
Human beings seek psychic expansion. Not wishing to be confined in one place, they seek expansion on all sides. The inner urge for expansion is an innate characteristic common to humans and persists until the body is destroyed. Those who do not try to expand, however, or those who block the path of expansion of others by imposing various dogmas and isms, are certainly committing a sin. Also, those who do not try to expand their inherent qualities are as good as animals. We shall not suppress anyone, nor indeed shall we block anyone's path of expansion. Rather, we shall give encouragement to those people who do not make sincere efforts for their expansion. We shall never seal the path of progress. This is flow. An unbroken cosmic flow is in extensive motion in this universe. This flow has created the universe and maintains it. Behind every action there is mobility: everything is on the move, everything has speed, nothing can remain static.

Regarding the Supreme Consciousness it has been said, "rasah vae sah." He is the embodiment of rasa - flow, He is the universal flow. Humans are the most developed of his progeny so it is natural that there should be a flow in them as well. That's why it is said, "Human existence is an ideological flow." So the old concept of man being a rational animal is defective. It degrades human dignity.

Human beings have certain common characteristics with plants and animals - they eat, sleep etc - but that does not mean they are animals or plants. Elephants and ants eat and sleep, but does that make them equal? Of course not. Human beings have the inherent quality of serving others. The inner spirit of a commercial transaction is, "Give me something and take something in return." "Give me one dime and take goods worth one dime." This give and take is bilateral. Service, however, is unilateral. That is, I give everything to the Supreme Consciousness and wish for nothing in return. I only want to merge in Supreme Consciousness, the most valuable treasure in the universe, and so I give away the most valuable thing of mine - my very existence. The most precious things have to be given in exchange for the most precious things. I give everything to Him, keeping only a very negligible portion of my existence. Why should I retain a very negligible portion of my existence? Because I wish to see something, wish to hear something, wish to obtain something. But if I don't pay the price, I won't get the coveted object. Expansion, flow and service are parts of human dharma or divine dharma, and in this divine dharma lies the excellence of humanity. It is the supreme dharma for the humans. That's why it has been said, "If one's own dharma is difficult to follow, that is, if this human dharma or divine dharma is fraught with merits and demerits, with bliss and pain, humans should persist with this dharma alone to maintain their true identity." Ordinary dharma, the dharma of animals and plants, can be easily followed. A tree remains fixed in one place, an animal roams around in search of food. They only perform a few actions like eating, sleeping etc. A human being who behaves just like an animal goes against the very spirit of expansion, and is no better than an animal. A person who is afraid of work, who does not even like to move, following the principle of "pi-pu-phi-shu,"* is no better than a plant. Such people spend their lives in comfort, sleeping, without doing any work. That sort of dharma is not meant for human beings. It is easy, no doubt, but is not meant for humans.

*The story goes that four lazy people were relaxing in a house that caught fire. They were too lazy to leave the house and even too lazy to say a complete word. The first said, "Pi" (the first syllable of "pita" meaning "back"), the second said, "Pu" (the first syllable of "pure jacche" – "is burning") the third said, "Phi" and the fourth , "Shu" (meaning "phire shao" – "turn around"). After saying, "Pi-pu-phi-su" (that is, "Our backs will burn, turn around"), they were engulfed by the flames!

Copyright Ananda Marga Publications 1999