Not too loose, Not too tight, " JUST RIGHT"!!!

After a big cribbing session, I had an opportunity to go thru a book, which threw some light over my ignorance!

Here's a small chapter from the book Tuning the Mind by Swamini Viamalananda...

Every effect must have a cause. Its naturally follows that the world we experience must also have a cause. There are various causes for the various objects, phenomena, circumstances and experiences of the world. For example, a seed gives rise to a tree, condensation causes rain, unfulfilled desires causes frustration and anger and so on. There may be one or more causes for a phenomenon, For example, India won a cricket match because of good fielding, good bowling and indifferent batting by its opponents, But what is the Ultimate cause - the Cause of all causes – the cause of the entire world and not jus a small part of event of it? Both science and religion seek this Ultimate Cause.

Logically thinking, an object energy or phenomenon of the world cannot be the Ultimate cause of the world since:
1.A part cannot create the whole. The finite cannot create the infinite.
2.Any object being a part of the world cannot be itself be the cause of the world
3.The cause has to precede the effect. The object would have to exist before the world came into being and yet all objects are logically a part of creation.

These and many other logical fallacies would occur if we assume that an object, form of energy or phenomenon is that Ultimate cause of the world. Therefore the ultimate cause cannot be an object or aspect of the world. Then, what is it?

Let us first see what the world is. Then we can arrive at its cause by negating all the world represents. The creation, universe and world are names for forms and their attributes, which exist within the realms of time and spaces. Therefore, the Ultimate cause of the recreation must be a nameless, formless, quality-less, timeless and space less entity. It is called GOD in religion and TRUTH in philosophy.

This Truth ( Purusha or Brahman) has the unmanifest infinite potential (prakriti) to create the vast universe. This potential first manifest as the five subtle elements (Tanmaatras) : Space, Air, Fire, Water and the Earth. The elements are called sublet because they cannot be perceived by our sense organs. These subtle element s form the entire subtle world of our thoughts, emotions, talents and abilities. They then grossify to form the five gross elements. These form the gross world that we perceive with our five sense organs (eyes, ears, nose, skin and tongue) as form. Sounds, smells, touch and taste.

If everything has emerged from the same Truth, the same unmanifest potential, the same subtle and gross elements, then why do we perceive differences? Why is one brilliant and another dull?

Prakriti, the unmanifest potential, inherently has three qualities. These manifest in various ways causing a wide range of differences. For example, tea contains milk, sugar and tea powder. The various permutations and combinations o f these three ingredients create a variety of tastes. Similarly, everyone and everything in the creation is made up of three qualities (Gunas) : Satva, Rajas and Tamas. The permutations and combinations of these three crate the vast variety in the world.

The main characteristic of Satva guna is knowledge. Other characteristics are compassion, faith, love, self-control, understanding, purity, equanimity and memory. The main characteristic of Rajo Guna is activity. Other characteristics are ambition, dynamism, restlessness, haste, anger, jealousy, greed and passion. The main characteristic of tamo guna is Inertia. Other characteristics are disorganized thinking or behavior, carelessness, laziness, forgetfulness, violence and criminal thoughts.

The cause pervades the effect. Hence, these three qualities of prakriti pervade everything in the creation. However, when one quality is predominant, the other two lie dormant. The inert world of objects is predominantly tamasic. Plants manifest more rajo guna than stones do the animals even more than plants. Man can manifest satva guna to a greater extent animals, and presiding deities even more than man, even amongst plants, flowers, trees, animals and birds, some are satvic, others rajasic and yet others tamasic. The Tulsi, lotus, peepal(banyan), cow and swan are seen to be more satvic and are therefore, worshipped in India. The pitcher plant, sunflower, mango tree, monkey and crow are more rajasic whereas weeds or cacti, babul, the buffalo and the vulture are more tamasic, look around at the world and try to see these gunas in the beings around you.

Human beings too have these three guans. Different qualities gain dominance at different times, but one of them generally dominates each personality. Hence, we may categories people as satvic, rajasic, and tamasic. Remember everything we4 do – the way we sit, eat, walk, talk, work or behave – reflects the quality or mood of the mind. For example, in a satvic mood we eat unhurriedly and neatly; in a rajasic mood hurriedly and barely chewing; while in a tamasic mood in a sloppy and lethargic manner.

What do we want to be? What is the ideal combination of the gunas we should strive to have?
When the strings of a sitar (or any other stringed instrument) are too loose, they produce a base and unmusical sound. If they are too tight, they make a squeaky or shrill sound. But when they are tuned right, they produce melodious music. Similarly, if the stirrings of our mind are too loose (tamo guna) we are dull, lazy and often negative in our thoughts. If they are too tight (rajo guna) then despite being ambitious and hard working, we are often tense, worried and unhappy. But when the strings of our minds are tuned right (Satva guna) then we are poised, successful and happy – there is beautiful music in our lives. Therefore, the formula for success and happiness is – ” Not too loose, not too tight, JUST RIGHT.”