KNOW THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE FORCE OF RESISTANCE AND SELF-DISCIPLINE II

 

Human beings are living a mechanical life today. The invention of computers has proved that man is a mechanical being. Each and every thing which he can do is being done by computers. Computers compose poems, frame questions and answer them. They solve the most complicated mathe- metical problems, memorize, predict future events, think, offer criticism, perform analyses and distinguish one thing from another.

What is then the difference between man and the machine? The difference is that the human being has a soul

which the machine does not have. And that is also the difference between the living and non-Jiving beings. Mahavira was asked if the soul breathed and he replied that it did not. Then he was asked if the soul thought and he replied that it did not. Then again he was asked if the soul ate and drank and he replied that it did not. Then the question was raised :

''How can you say that man has a soul ?" 

If the soul did not do any one of the things mentioned above, no human being can be said to possess a soul. If there were no soul, nobody could practise self-discipline and purify the depths of his being wherein reside the substantial causes of his actions. The mechanical conception will have to be given up. Mechanical activities are of a peripheral narnre. They are no way connected with consciousness. They happen on the outer circles of consciousness. In order to understand the dividing line between living and non-living beings, we will have to descend deep into our being where we neither eat nor drink, neither think nor analyse and where we are simply seers and knowers and nothing else. It is there that v.e will come across the substantial causes of our actions. When we have arrived at this depth our mechanical life comes to an end and we will come face to face with the essence of self-discipline. SSelf-discipline iscipline implies that state of the soul in which it is a spectator and knower par excellence. It is the awareness of this fact which keeps us self-disciplined. Self-discipline and self-restaint will suffer a set-back if we lost this awareness.

There are two theatres of the operation of consciousness: objects of sense-satisfaction and soul-perception and self-knowledge. Consciousness sometimes operates in the first theatre and at other times in the second. During the mechanical process of life, consciousness tries to seek and enjoy objects which provide sense-pleasures. This is the external orientation of consciousness.

The operation of consciousness in its own realm means its being engaged in its own substantial basis or its being seif-absorbed. It means its arriving at the state of self-perception and self-knowledge after breaking through the network of mechanical processes, thinking and breathing. The state of self-perception and self-knowledge is the native operational field of consciousness.

Sdf-discipline cannot be imposed from outside. SuSubstantial tantially it lies within us. The influence of external things begins to subside as soon as the soul has arrived at its native state. In this state, nothing will be able to influence it. External influences will continue until we have arrived at this state. Man's cravings and his restless tendencies and inclination will attract external influences only so far as he is not himself.

The first principle of the search for self-discipline is to connect consciousness with the state of self-perception and self. knowledge. The second principle is to sec with the eyes, hear with the ears, taste with the tongue without any kind of indulgence and attachments and aversions. It means simple and pure perception with the help of the sense-organs. It means perception par excellence unalloyed with likes and dis-likes. The first principle implies immunity from all kinds of external influences. The second implies the freedom of consciousness from all kinds of preferences. This becomes possible when we have become embedded in our own substantial nature. Otherwise we shall not be able to train ourselves in self-discipline which means freedom from attachments.

How to arrive at our substantial nature? What is the technique of arriving at it?

Let us for the time being leave the external influences alone. Let us consider the question whether the responses of the nervous system are genetic or hereditary. The habitual responses of the nervous system can be changed through what is called bhiivanii in ancient Jore and suggestion in psychology. The application of bhiivanii to bring about changes in the habitual responses of the nervous system has proved to be highly successful. The brain centres connected with the sense organs through a process of suggestions make responses in a controlled manner. First, we should locate the brain-centres connected with particular tendencies and impulses and then through successive suggestions given in an ordered way bring about the desired changes in the nervous responses. The tissues connected with knowledge are very delicate, and, therefore, the suggestions should be very carefully and mildly given so that they may be favourably accepted aad the desired responses
obtained.