My dear friends from across Mother Earth, across religions and cultures,
A relaxed Friday evening to all of you. Many a time, I used to wonder the usefulness of religion in modern era, especially in a civilized society. We are aware that religion based differences have started countless wars, even their sects with almost no difference, claiming more lives than any other cause in recorded history.
Ravi: Pranams to you Shri. GRK. It was an awesome week that went by with almost doing nothing, but watching. Today was one the happiest days. Watching Ashwin ball-by-ball score a delightful maiden Test century against the Windies. Understanding cosmic consciousness and the connect; one of my prediction did come true today. Like to hear?
GRK: I already wished to you in your ‘inner’ introspections and ‘external’ adventures, my boy. Go ahead.
Ravi: Thanks to ‘Times of India’, had an opportunity for a teta-a-tete with cricketer Ravichandran Ashwin and was simply stunned by the difference in the Thought(s), Word(s) and Action(s) process in him. A week after the first meeting, as playful am till today, I was playing cricket on my mobile phone when Ashvin, coming at number 7 top scored in two matches! Quite a feat considering that he is an off-spin bowler and that there are real batting stalwarts before him. I promptly SMSed him of this ‘playful’ incident and wished him that he would become the highest scorer in an innings. 8/10 would laugh at this or say wishful thinking, as we all know Ashvin as an off-spin bowler and not a batsman. Well, today, he scored a delightful Test century without any fuss and was the highest scorer in the Indian innings - coming at No.8 with only Nine, Ten and Jack to follow! FELT extremely glad that my wishful thinking came true.
On Religion
Ravi: Well, that’s the ice-breaker for the main course today. The Dalai Lama exclaims “We can live without religion and meditation, but we cannot survive without human affection.” How true?
GRK: Nice to hear about Ashwin though I don’t follow cricket. From what I hear from you, cricket is his religion and a way of life for him.
Well, Ravi, Religion means religiosity. Religiosity is an attitude of the brain. It is a way of life, practicing of a set of values such as
· Love Gentleness
· Non-violence Compassion & Concern to co-beings
· Neighborliness Nobility
· Contentment Restraint on over-indulgences
Ravi: THEN, Are visiting the places of worship, performing rituals NOT the means to reach GOD?
GRK: That’s the SAD part. Unfortunately, for majority of us religion has come to mean temples, mosques, and the churches. It has come to mean a system of beliefs and prejudices and a set of idols and rituals, rites and funerals and pilgrimages and holy bathes. Thus, we forgot that religion is only a means to realize an end, i.e., god or godliness. In this sense, religion has become a dividing force (among the people), destructive force and a negative force.
Ravi: But it is also a great unifying force, gentleman!
GRK: Yes, ONCE religion was a unifying force when humans were uncivilized or semi-civilized. However, in today’s context, in a civilized society, it ceases to be a unifying force, a constructive force or an inspiring force. An organized religion represents a hierarchy of power and thus creates and encourages a vested interest. Religion no longer represents religiosity. On the other, it is more a negation of religiosity. Hence, organized religion has no place in enlightened humans.
On Culture
Ravi: “Religious” people bound to disagree with this. So are people who believe in rituals. Let’s go with it. Moving forward, what is the real meaning of culture? Is it something to do with the way we dress or speak English?
GRK: Nice joke. “Culture” does not mean table manners. It does not mean sophistication in dress, diet, housing and way of living.
Culture means refinement- meaning culturing, softening and mellowing of heart. It means the development of RIGHT brain – Resourceful states such as love, tolerance, generosity, compassion, tenderness, non-violence and above-all, forgiveness. Real love means a great concern to co-beings, to co-human beings-nay to the nature and surroundings. This love-this great concern-to others and their sufferings is possible when only we accept them and appreciate them as they are; but do not attempt to judge them according to our pre-conceived standards. This love nay humane love is possible only through real culture.
Ravi: May I add that, in other words, culture means tolerance to others and their way of life, however crude or imperfect it may appear to us. When only we can appreciate other, we can give tolerance to them. When only we tolerate others then only we can feel love or concern to them. Then only we can be generous and forgive the human weaknesses. For this we need tremendous patience, especially patience to bear with those who are inadequate and vulnerable (Children, women, subordinates, etc.)
GRK: Well said. Culture does not mean the development of LEFT brain and its faculties alone. It does not indicate acquiring cleverness, smartness, IQ and manipulativeness etc. it also doesn’t mean an ability to remember and acquire information (wrongly called knowledge). It is nothing to do with having status, rank, power, privilege and an influence. It certainly does not mean an ability to compete and win. Even in these days of aggressive competition, culture doesn’t mean the manipulative faculty of a person to survive in the struggle for existence, which on the other hand is feature of a ‘jungle’(sic) and NOT of a civilized society.
Ravi: That’s awesome learning. Is culture got to do with universal values, we discussed earlier? Our first PM, Shri. Jawaharlal Nehru said “Culture is the widening of the mind and of the spirit.”
GRK: Absolutely. Culture is a set of human values which are universal in scope, appeal and implications. Practicing of these values and this culture-a culture of compassion, concern, non-violence, non- aggressiveness and co-existence is the only way for lasting peace and brotherhood on this tiny and fragile Earth. Thus, we need to understand and define culture in a more humane way.
Ravi: Well, not to worry Shri.GRK. I asked my daughters if they know their friends’ caste(s) and sorry came the answer. The world is in SAFE hands. Not to bother. For the moment, let’s CELEBRATE Ashwin’s century - Help yourself with a glass of beer and let me get a glass of butter milk with its condiments for myself - A toast for his religiosity and culturedness – AND, a toast to his ever-supportive family and meaningful friends as well.
Signing-off with a straight batted six! Have a celebratory weekend. Happy Thanksgiving Day as well!
Yours Truly
Ravichander Venkatraman
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