環境與你
聖者 詩麗詩麗 若威香卡
動物是神聖的，鳥類也是神聖的。不神聖的可就難說了！一切存在於這世上的都是神聖的。對我們而言，這就是帕卡递（Prakarti）及布魯夏（Purusha）它們都是神聖的。帕卡递（Prakarti）是觀念／物質，而布魯夏（Purusha）就是那靈性／精神。不是只有靈性才是神聖的，靈性借由它而展現自己的工具亦是神聖的。知識是神聖的。。。金錢亦是神聖的。
森林裡是沒有污染的；只有人類才會製造污染，動物不曾造成污染。動物不使用塑膠袋。你是否曾在哪裡看見過死去的烏鴉？你是不會見到的，因為烏鴉知道如何照顧環境。鳥類知道如何去保護環境；猫也知道如何避免環境的污染。
那麼，為何我們卻忘了如何去保護環境呢？這是因為我們遠離了自己的本性。大自然的一切都皆依據本性來過活，但我們卻沒有。我們活在自己狹窄觀念的世界裡，而不是真實的世界。
為了作出改變，我們需要將三件東西帶到我們的生活裡～它們是三個C：
第一個C是宇宙觀（Cosmology）
每一個小孩都應該知道一些有關宇宙的事。根據科學家的估計，這個宇宙已經存在有1197億年。而印度的古老經典記載的是1195億年，而這是較為準確的。你可以計算這些星球繞著太陽運轉的次數而得知。
關懷環境既是宇宙觀。對宇宙的知識能增強我們的覺知。身體的每個細胞都是再循環的物質！在座每位都是再循環的物質，我們都是再循環的物質。水、泥土都是再循環的，它們會以許多不同的方式重複回來。每一次回到這個星球，我們都是來淨化，淨化這個環境。
第二個C是承諾（Commitment）
第三個C是愛護與慈悲（Care and Compassion）
這就是愛護與關心環境，關心生活裡的一切，因為生命既是環境。
當這三個C聚足時，它們成就了另一個大C～文化（Culture）。如果這個大C不出現，那麽另一個C～貪污（Corruption）便會產生。貪污不會給你對人生的宇宙觀。你不會對那些有歸屬感的人貪污；你的貪污對象只會是那些你不覺得有歸屬感的人。當歸屬感不存在時，只是維持一些禮儀並不會帶來任何舒適的生活，或去除壓力、焦慮及恐懼。
宇宙觀～對宇宙的研究，既是以宏觀的角度來理解人生。我們有靈修練習，宗教上的教導，發願或唱頌一些咒語。當你體悟到時空的浩瀚，它會把你帶回到當下，發一個願，立下一個承諾。那麽，那個承諾將是更堅定的。當以更開闊的心胸及時空觀點，所立下的承諾都將變得更堅定。
你們有想過我們到底花了多少的時間在做事嗎？
比方說你可以活80年，那麽40年的人生是花在睡覺上；8至10年花在浴室及厠所裡；你也花了相同的時間在吃東西，大約10%的人生花在吃東西；你花15年在交通往返。因此，我們只有5年的人生是活在愛、慈悲、關懷與喜悅中，這一些時候才是我們真正活出人生的光彩，其他的只能算是準備階段。在這準備的過程中，你承受了很大的壓力，變得疲備、擔憂、緊張。。。這是我們要的生活品質嗎？
當你變得緊張及焦躁時，你也污染了這個環境，你散發出不和諧的振波。不要以為那樣的污染或環境只與有生命的東西有關，它也影響到更精微的層面。當你在房間裡生氣、焦慮或沮喪，別人進去了也會感到沮喪，因為你所營造的環境，造成的結果。
若我們不能帶著小孩般的心境，那我們每天都在污染環境。小孩可以現在是很生氣，而一下刻他又開心起來！但是，如果換成你，那就需要很長的時間來恢復正常，再次的恢復笑容。
我們以負面的振波來污染環境。當你走過毒品販賣區或紅燈區時，你會有一種沉重、不舒服的感受。那裡的磁場是很不好，使得你想立即的離開。你不會想開車到那裡去，你會想要離開那裡。
相反的，當你開車經過學區、寺廟或有人做禮拜的地方，那裡有一個輕鬆的氛圍。我們的心智透過振波、思維模式來造成污染，而使得我們的生活中缺乏承諾。
慈悲、關懷、宇宙觀及承諾～它們鞏固了我們的人生，創造了我們所渴望的人生。
你們知道嘛，嬰孩一天笑400次；青少年一天笑17次，而成年人卻完全不笑！當我們升職時，更糟糕！我們變得更苛刻；別人會疑感，『他昨天還好好的，可是今天怎麽了？』當生活上有些成就時，我們變得更拘謹、不友善，我們在污染環境，我們營造了貪心、憤恕及挫折感的氛圍。
你們知道好的同伴有那些徵兆嗎？你們想知道嗎？唯有你們想知道我才會告訴你們！好同伴的象徵是：
如果有人帶著問題來找你談，當他回去時，他的感受是如何的？當別人和你談過後，他離開時是感到更沉重？失魂落魄？問題比他想像的更大？還是當他離開時，他感到輕鬆、感覺問題都不存在了？如果是後者，那麽你就是個好同伴！
我們是去分擔別人的問題？還是去製造問題？如果你有能力帶領大家一同前進，支撐這個環境；你也是在維繫一個嶄新的靈性環境，那正是我們與身俱來的環境。
每一個人與身就具備了靈性。只是在我們成長的過程中，它消失了。而我們致力於找回那份上天賦予的天真、簡僕、喜悅及友善。有一些簡單的技術能夠幫助我們回到那自然的狀態。我們給它們取了一個全世界都能接受的名字～生活的藝術。那有一些簡單的智慧，能提昇你，使你變得開心及充滿熱忱。讓我看看到底有多人真正的在歡笑！
我們不曾教導自己的小孩如何友善的與人相處，這不是很奇怪嗎？我們心存防備，我還發誓『就算要我的命，我也不會看他一眼！我也絕不喝他家的水！』如果你心存憤怒或仇恨，是誰的損失？在你報仇之前，仇恨早已經把你吞噬掉了，把你摧毀了。如何克服它？如何再次變得純淨？如何再次回到像小孩般的生活？這些都是我們需要學習的。
在我們的奧義書中提到存在的五層面：環境層（Annamay kosha）、能量層（Pranmay kosha）、心智層（Manomay kosha）、直覺層（Vigyanmay kosha）及至福層（Anandmay kosha）。而第一層就是環境。
在古時候，人們是如何看待靈修與環境？這份理解是很重要的。人們把對宇宙的理解當作是環境與靈修的一部份。然而今天，我們卻迷失在消費主義中。早期，我們在印度是用葉子作的盤子，所用的東西都是可以生物分解的。杯子、殺蟲劑都是能生物分解的。我們用印楝（Neem）作殺蟲劑，而它也是能生物分解的。為了維繫健康，我們向女神Shakti祈求，避免受到病毒及細菌的侵入，又不污染環境。我們把一切都視為是神聖的。
現在全球都在重新思考有關葬禮的事，人們普遍認為火葬較好。火葬是保護環境最好的方法。試想一想，如果我們都選擇土葬，地球可用的地方就不多了！所以我們需要去教育人們有關這些人生大事。撇開宗教不談，火葬是比土葬在很方面更能拯救地球。而在中東，因為那裡缺乏升火的材料，所以他們只能選擇土葬。這都是環境因素所造成。但現在有了電流的火葬場，火葬就較土葬來得節省空間。
我們一定要去認清靈修與宗教的區別：宗教就像香蕉皮；而靈修就像香蕉，每一個宗教都在靈修，而靈修提昇你的精神素質；而這份提昇使你保持熱忱、勇氣、自信及帶著笑容過生活。
我們都在擔心如何將小孩帶大，如何讓他們茁壯成長，成家立業。。。這些都是每位父母所關心的事。但是，相反的：成人何時能再度擁有小孩的心境？變得像小孩般的天真、純淨、無憂無慮、友善？我們活在自已渺小有限認知的世界裡；我們活在狹小的殼裡，相互的怨恨。
要如何才能再次回到小孩般的心境？
學習生活的藝術課程。在這個過程中，我們學習一些有關自己存在的七個層次～身體、呼吸、心智、理智、記憶、我執及本我。
發願的力量是很大的，生活可以是那麽愉快的事；而是這一切正是我們所渴望的。如果你每天靜坐15至20分鐘及做一些呼吸法的練習，我們就可以把累積已久的壓力都排除在外。
不要空手而歸，把它帶回到你的鄉村、城鎮或都市裡去。告訴那些工業家不要再生產塑膠袋、有害的化學品、殺蟲劑、DDT等等，一起來拯救我們的地球，回歸自然。
我祝福大家都能成功的把神所賜的環境，打造成一個美麗的環境。
Environment & You
By H. H. Sri Sri Ravi Shankar
Animals are sacred. Birds are sacred. What is not sacred is very difficult to say! Everything that exists on the planet is sacred. For us, this is “prakarti” and “purusha” – these are so sacred. Prakarti is the concept and purusha is the spirit. It is not just the spirit that is sacred, but the instrument through which the spirit manifests itself is also sacred. Knowledge is sacred… and money is also sacred.
Now, in a forest, there is no pollution. It is only men and women who create pollution. No animal ever causes pollution. No animal uses plastic. Have you ever seen a dead crow anywhere? You will not have seen one because crows know how to care of their environment. Birds know how to take care of the environment. Cats know how to keep the environment pollution-free.
So why have we forgotten how to take care of the environment? This is because we have moved away from the spirit. All of nature lives with the spirit, but we have moved away from the spirit. We are living in a small, little, conceptual world, rather than in the real world.
To change this, we need to bring three things into our realm – these are the three “Cs”:
The first “C” is Cosmology.
Every child should know something about cosmology. This universe is 119.7 billion years old (according to science). Our shastras (ancient sacred texts) say it is 119.5 billion years old – and this is much more accurate – you calculate how many cycles the world has gone through (around the sun).
Caring for the environment is cosmology. The knowledge of cosmology increases our sense of awareness. Every cell in the body is recycled material! Everyone sitting here is recycled material. We are all recycled material! Water is recycled. Soil is also recycled. They come back again and again, but in many different forms. Every time we come back , we come back to purify, to create more purity.
The second “C” is Commitment.
The third “C” is Care and Compassion.
This is care and concern for the environment, and concern in general for everything in life because life is environment.
When the three “Cs” together, they make one big “C” – i.e. Culture. If the big “C” doesn’t happen, then another “C” – i.e. Corruption – comes into the picture. Corruption doesn’t give you a cosmic view of life. You cannot corrupt people with whom you have a sense of belonging. You can only corrupt those with whom you feel no belonging – where you feel that they don’t’ belong to you. When there is no sense of belonging, just “keeping” a mannerism is not going to bring any comfort in life, nor is it going to bring down tension, anxiety and fear.
Cosmology – the study of cosmology – is the understanding of life in the context of the universe. There are spiritual practices; there are religious practices – where we “take a sankalpa” or we recite a mantra. If you remember the vastness of space and time, come into the present moment, and then take a sankalpa – i.e. make a commitment – that commitment is stronger. Commitment becomes stronger when taken in the larger context of time and space.
Have you thought about how much time we spend on doing things?
Suppose you live for 80 years. Then 40 years of your life are spent sleeping. 8-10 years, you spend in the bathroom and toilet. You spend the same amount of time on traveling. So we spend just 5 years of our lives in love, in compassion, in care, in joy – and that is the time we are really living life. The rest is just preparation to live life. In the process of preparation, you get so tense, so tired, so worried, so stressed out… Is this the quality of life we want?
When you are tense and agitated, you are also polluting the environment. You are shooting out vibrations, which are not harmonious. Don’t think that pollution or the environment are only related to living things. They are also related to subtle things. If you are in a room, and you are angry, agitated or depressed, anyone who enters the room also feels depressed because the environment you have created causes that effect.
We are polluting our environment everyday, just by not being children. A child is upset… and the next minute, he (or she) is happy! However, if you are upset, it takes time – for you to come back to your normal state. If you are upset, it takes such a long time for you to smile again.
We are polluting our environment with negative vibrations. Walk in an area where there is drug dealing or in the red light areas of a city – it is such a heavy, horrible feeling. The whole vibration is so bad that you want to run away. You don’t want to drive through those roads; you want to run away from there.
On the other hand, when you drive through an area where there is a school, a temple or a place of worship, there is lightness in the atmosphere. So our minds also cause pollution through vibrations – through a pattern… and that is why we don’t have commitment in life.Compassion, Care, Cosmology and Commitment – all these things integrate life. They create the life that we are all looking for.
You know, a baby smiles 400 times a day, an adolescent smiles 17 times a day and an adult does not smile at all! As we get promoted at work, we become worse! We become more stern. People wonder, Kal thak tho theek thaa, aaj kyaa ho gayaa?! [He (or she) was fine until yesterday – what happened today?!] As we succeed in life, we become more rigid, more unfriendly – we pollute the atmosphere. We create greed, anger and frustration around us.
Do you know the sign of good company?Do you want to know?I will tell you only if you want to know! The sign of good company is this:
If someone comes to you with a problem, how does he (or she) go back feeling – once he (or she) has spoken to you? When people go back after talking to you, do they feel heavier, do they feel that they are falling apart, do they feel that the problem looks enormous – or does the person who came to you with a problem, go back feeling lighter, feeling that the problem does not exist? If it’s the second, then you are Good company!
What do you do? Do we share people’s problems… or do we create problems for them? If you have the ability to take everybody in your arms and move on, then you are holding up your environment. You are “keeping up” the pristine spiritual environment, which we are all born with.
Everyone is born with spirituality. Somewhere, as we grow, it gets lost. Our whole effort is to bring back that innocence, simplicity, joy and friendliness that we are born with. There are certain simple techniques by which you can come back to your natural state. We gave them a name, which everybody in the world can accept – The Art of Living. These are simple wisdom – to keep you elevated, happy and enthusiastic.Let me see, how many of you are really smiling!
We have not taught our children how to be friendly with everybody. Is this not strange? We harbour militant feelings towards other people. We take vows and make promises: Chaahe marr jaoon mein, uskaa chehraa nahin dhekoonga! Uske ghar ka paani nahin peeoonga! [Even if I have to die, I will not look at his face! I will not drink water from his house!] If we harbour anger or hatred towards somebody, who is at loss? The revenge simply chews us up before it destroys the other person, it first eats you up – it first destroys you. How dose one get over this? How can one be pure again? How can one be like a child again? This is what we all need to learn.
Hamaare Upanishad mein paanch kosh ki baat ki gayi hai [Our Upanishad talk of five koshas]. They are : Annamay kosha, Pranmay kosha, Manomay kosha, Vigyanmay kosha and Anandmay kosha. Of these, the environment is the first one.
In ancient times, what was thought of spirituality and the environment? – This is very vital to understand. The understanding of cosmology is a part of the environment and spirituality. Today, we are lost in consumerism. Earlier, we always used plates made of leaves. We always used things, which were biodegradable – our cups were biodegradable, our pesticides were biodegradable. We used neem as a pesticide, and it was biodegradable. To remain healthy, we prayed to Shakti – the Mother Divine – to take care of our viruses and bacteria without polluting the environment. We attached sacredness to all things.
Today, the world over, people are re-thinking burials. They think they must cremate instead. Cremation is the best way to preserve the environment. Just imagine – if we keep burying people, there will be little place left on the planet! So we need to educate people about their rites. Irrespective of religion, cremation would be better than burial. It will save our planet in many ways. In the Middle East, there was nothing with which one could make fire. All that they could do was buried. It was because their environment, their situation, was like that. Today, with electric crematoriums, it is better to cremate a body than to bury it and have it occupy place.
We must make a distinction between spirituality and religion: Religion is like a banana skin, and spirituality is like a banana. Spirituality is common to all religions. It is that which uplifts your spirit. This “upliftment” keeps enthusiasm, courage, confidence and smiles alive in our lives.
We are worried about how to bring our children up – about how they will grow up, about how to get them established in life… these are the concerns of all parent. However, there is another thing as well: when will grown-ups become like children again? When will they start behaving as innocent, pure, carefree, friendly children again? We live in a small, little world with limited understanding. We live in a small, little shell, holding grudges against each other.
How does one become like a child again?
-Learning this process is called The Art of Living. In this, we learn a little bit about our seven layers of existence – body, breath, mind, intellect, memory, ego and self.
There is so much “Sankalpa Shakti” – there is so much power, so much joy in living our lives… and this is what you are all craving for. If we do one meditation for 15-20 minutes a day and some breathing exercises, we can check the stress accumulating in our systems.
Do not leave this knowledge in this room. Take it back to your village, town or city. Tell the industrialist to stop making plastics, harmful chemicals, pesticides, DDT, etc… and save our planet. Return to nature.
I wish you success in creating a beautiful environment in the environment, which god has given us.
留言列表
