How To Face Problems Of Life?-A Vedantic Approach III

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Lord Krishna gives this simple instruction in the Gita. Likes and dislikes and such reactions create so much of unrest in us. What is the solution? Be duty conscious. If you perform your duties, you will lessen your problems. We say that duties are difficult, and duties themselves create problems. But if you are negligent, not performing your duties properly, you will create more problems. Therefore, do your duties properly.

The Lord further speaks about buddhi yoga, i.e. use your discriminative mind, buddhi. Buddhau sharanamanvichcha take refuge in buddhi. One must develop the capacity to reason, to analyze and think. In Vedanta, great importance is given to the function of buddhi or vichara or enquiry, as a means to resolve problems. Thus all our external and internal problems can be solved by proper use of buddhi.

There is this yoga of 'skill in action' in the Gita. Yogasthah kuru karmani sangam tyaktva dhananjaya engage yourself in action with mind steadfast in yoga. Through yoga you can quicken your growth, solve problems and overcome obstacles. 'Yoga is skill in action.' When you live, live skilfully. Our problems come mostly with our working area, be it home or office or social circle. One area is work and another is human relationships. In this, problems come because we are not using that skill. Lord Krishna speaks about skill in action. Without getting caught anywhere, without making a mess, keep yourself clean, free. When the hands are not clean we contract some diseases, likewise we contract mental diseases also. The whole of the Gita deals with that.

Mahatma Gandhi used to say that yoga of non-attachment is the main message of the Gita, and that when the problems arise one should take them to God by Buddhi Yoga. Problems have come from Him, so let them go to Him. We are devotees of God and hence should turn the problems to God. Why should we own problems? They are not ours. If you accept, they will become yours and if you do not accept them, they are not yours.

One should develop the attitude of being an instrument. Nimitta matram bhava savyasachin—'Be thou but an instrument thereof, O Arjuna.' I am only a nimitta, I am not the problem-bearer. Problem is of my Master. I am only an instrument, a puppet. Take refuge in Him. When we are with the Mother we are very strong, as strength comes from Mother. Shankara says in a hymn, Matastadanu-sharanam kleshaharanam—'O Mother, by following you, by being with you, all the klesha has gone, all problems and sufferings have gone.' Mother's lap is all peace, all love, all protection and it is safe. No problem comes there.

Tasmat sarveshu kaleshu mamanusmara yudhyacha. Therefore the Lord asked Arjuna to remember Him and fight the battle. When you have problems, do not run away but hold on to Sri Ramakrishna. When you are busy doing work, hold on to God with one hand and do your jobs with the other. When you are a little free, then hold on to God with both the hands.

Buddha's Method of Right Mindfulness

Lord Buddha used to speak about 'right mindfulness'. One must be mindful, otherwise it will create more problems. This has been discussed in Sanatsujatiya and Vivekachudamani and other places at length. Inadvertence and carelessness are to be avoided. Lord Buddha's last message says how to attain nirvana: just be vigilant—Apramadeva sampadevam. By being vigilant, you will attain nirvana.

Remember Your True Nature

There are other Japa Yoga methods. Remember that you are the Atman, ever free. Therefore you never had any problem. Atman is ever pure—nitya shuddha buddha mukta. Your true nature is ever pure, ever free, ever blissful. Call it God or Atman, your true nature is untouched by all these problems. You are like the sky and all these are like clouds. Let them pass on. Even serious problems may be there but all of them will pass. They will all go like the human bodies. Brahman alone is true, brahma satyam. That's why the problems are said to be mithya. They are psychological problems. Mana eva manushyanam karanam bandha mokshayoh. The mind alone is the cause for all the bondage and also for liberation. In fact our true nature is all peace, love and joy.

About The Author

Swami Prabuddhananda, a senior monk of the Ramakrishna Order, is the Minister-in-Charge of the Vedanta Society of Northern California, San Francisco, U.S.A. This is the text of his speech delilvered at Ramakrishna Math, Hyderabad, India

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