Scholars Around The World About Our Ancient Wisdom

"We do not appreciate what we have" - It is a very true psychological fact. It applies to all facets of life and the same rule holds good for our knowledge and wisdom too. In this simple post, I have tried to compile the views of scholars around the World about our ancient scriptures and wisdom. I have not provided a "quick view" because of the nature of this post. Instead I have presented this only with picture quotes and website links for further references.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Henry_David_Thoreau#Intellectual_interests.2C_influences.2C_and_affinities

Erwin Schrodinger (1887-1961) - Nobel prize winning Austrian Physicist :

By The original uploader was Bletchley at English Wikipedia
[Public domain], via Wikimedia Commons

There is no kind of framework within which we can find consciousness in the plural; this is simply something we construct because of the temporal plurality of individuals, but it is a false construction..... The only solution to this conflict insofar as any is available to us at all lies in the ancient wisdom of the Upanishad.

Vedanta teaches that consciousness is singular, all happenings are played out in one universal consciousness and there is no multiplicity of selves.

ARTHUR HOLMES (1890-1965) - BRITISH GEOLOGIST :

See page for author [Public domain],
via Wikimedia Commons

Long before it became a scientific aspiration to estimate the age of the earth, many elaborate systems of the world chronology had been devised by the sages of antiquity. The most remarkable of these occult time-scales is that of the ancient Hindus, whose astonishing concept of the earth's duration has been traced back to manusmriti, a sacred book.
When the Hindu calculation of the present age of the earth and the expanding universe is so astonishing, the precision with which the hindu calculation regarding the age of the entire universe was made would make any man spellbound.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hindu_cosmology

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arthur_Schopenhauer

And don't forget to watch these videos :

To know more about such views, please refer the following links :


http://en.wikiquote.org/wiki/Hinduism
http://www.boloji.com/index.cfm?md=Content&sd=Articles&ArticleID=717
http://archaeologyonline.net/artifacts/scientific-verif-vedas

http://www.hinduwisdom.info/Advanced_Concepts.htm

"You Are What You Eat" - The Science Of Food!!!!

Religion and food are interconnected!!! Is this statement true? Well.... when you see it from "Hinduism" perspective, is definitely yes! We have an extensive definition of food here.... We have rules for what to eat, what not to eat and also how and when to eat and how and when not to eat. I am really not sure if any other culture/tradition gives this much emphasis and importance to food but we have always considered food as God (Annapurni) which nourishes not only the body but also the soul.

In modern days, it is the job of the nutrition and dietitian experts to study and analyze the qualities of food and its impact on the body. But as far as Hinduism is concerned, it goes beyond and touches every part of life including this food science. It doesn't stop with showing the way for spiritual enrichment but also gives simple prescriptions that are needed for everyday life and which can be followed by a common man. This kind of multi-dimension is its unique specialty. 

QUICK VIEW :

Key concept	Food in Hinduism
Food science	Characterization of food according to their Gunas, Ayurveda and its medicinal aspects, Balance of doshas, Correct way of eating food.
Food rituals	Mindful cooking, Offering to God, Sharing with Guests and Food ethics
Other details in connection to food	Types of food for each Guna and Dosha, Vegetarian food, Fasting

The Three Gunas : 

First, let us see the classification of food (Bhojana) in spiritual perception. Human beings do have three Gunas (character) and each one has its own properties. They are Sathva, Rajasa and Tamasa respectively. 

Food that we eat are closely connected in enhancement of these Gunas and hence food is also divided into Sathvik food, Rajas food and Tamas food. 

Sathvik Food :

The food which nourishes, gives happiness, strength, purifies and enhances health is called Sathvik food. Such foods are sweet, juicy, fleshy and palatable. 

Rajas food :

The food which creates aggression, pain, distress and causes disease comes under this category. Such foods are too spicy, salty, sour, bitter, dry and hot. 

Tamas food :

The food which drives you into darkness, ignorance and sluggishness is Tamas in nature. Examples are food which is stale, unclean, decomposed, cooked more than three hours ago etc.

Ayurveda and Food :

Ayurveda is a pure scientific concept of food. It is a discipline of the "Upaveda" or "auxiliary knowledge" of Vedic tradition and its origins are traced back to Atharva Veda. Contemporary Ayurveda emphasizes in attaining vitality by building a healthy metabolic system and maintaining good digestion and excretion. Hence diet forms a major part of Ayurveda. Ayurveda classifies human body into three types namely Vatha, Pitha and Kapha (the three doshas). It also emphasizes on the six tastes (Arusuvai).

Ayurvedic diet focuses on complete balance between the above three doshas called vatha pitha and kapha.

For more details about Ayurvedic diet, please go to the following links :

http://www.doctoroz.com/article/ayurvedic-diet-how-eat-your-body-type
http://www.ayurveda-holistic-medicine.com/ayurvedic-diet.html
http://www.hinduism.co.za/food.htm
http://www.anniesremedy.com/chart.php?use_ID=191

Vegetarian food (Vegan) :

In Sanathan Dharma (Hinduism), nothing is a compulsion. It does not compel any one for anything. While it emphasizes the importance of vegetarian food, it does not keep it as common for all. It does allow non vegetarian food but gently tells to avoid on certain auspicious days. Vegan food is mainly prescribed for Brahmins and there is a scientific and psychological reason for this. Brahmins are required to mainly do spiritual activities only and hence do not have any physical labor or strain. Eating non vegetarian food would add excess calories to the body which they would not be able to burn due to the nature of their work. Others who do physical labor like kshathriyas etc.. are permitted to eat Non vegetarian food. This is the scientific reason. Eating non vegetarian foods will contribute to the enhancement of Rajas and Tamas Gunas and hence will hinder the spiritual progress. More over killing is against the Ahimsa Dharma and hence the restriction. These are the psychological reasons. Many people think that proteins are compensated in vegetarian meal and it is not so. Lentils do provide excellent protein. 

According to the ADA (American Dietetic Association) Vegetarians are at lower risk for developing :

• Heart disease
• Colorectal, ovarian and breast cancers
• Diabetes
• Obesity
• Hypertension (High blood pressure)

http://www.brown.edu/Student_Services/Health_Services/Health_Education/nutrition_&_eating_concerns/being_a_vegetarian.php

The process of Cooking :

It is a pure psychology that our thoughts influence food. We can experience this in our everyday cooking. Our mood really reflects on our cooking. That is why our scriptures mention to do cooking with mindfulness. It is an important ritual to offer food to God before eating. (I have given a separate list called "Food Ethics" later in this article). The process of producing food (farming) involves activities like plowing which contribute to the killing of many tiny organisms. Hence it is advised to do the entire cooking process by chanting the name of God (Manthras). Not only does this nullify the sins associated with the food production and preparation (like cutting vegetables and herbs) but also keeps our mood in control and without distraction. Food cooked in such a way offers real nourishment to both body and soul. Cleanliness is also very much emphasized. Taking bath before starting the cooking process is highly encouraged. 

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/deepa-s-iyer/a-foodies-daily-ritual_b_807350.html

http://hinduism.about.com/od/vegetarianism/a/prasada.htm

The process of Eating :

Okay... now its time to eat. But how do we eat? This is a very basic question but we do have extensive answers for it. 

How many times do we need to eat? 

A person who eats once a day is Yogi, twice a day is Bhogi (pleasure seeker) and thrice a day is Rogi (invites deceases).

Offering and sharing food :

Cooked food is first offered to God, then to Guests (Adithi) and then it is finally shared with the family members. Elders and Children eat first and finally the house holder along with his wife. Prayer is always offered to God before eating the food.

Sitting posture :

Indian way of eating is to sit down in the floor and eat (though we do not follow it much these days). When we sit on floor, we normally sit with crossed legs - which is an asana called Sukhasana or Half Padhmasana. These poses aid in proper digestion. Sitting in floor requires constant bending to reach for food and going back while eating. These frequent to and fro movements causes abdominal muscles to be activated thereby leading to increased secretion of stomach acids which promote better digestion. It also has significant weight loss benefits. In this position, we cannot overeat as compared to normal table meals.

Eating with hands :

According to Ayurveda, each finger is an extension of one of the five elements. Each finger aids in the transformation of food before the digestion stage. Gathering the finger tips to touch the food stimulates the five elements.The person who is eating becomes more conscious about the texture, taste and smell of food and promotes mindful eating.

Fasting :

As eating is considered as a sacred ritual, fasting is also another kind of ritual which is meant for the purification of both body and mind. From the spiritual perspective, it is a kind of detachment and denial of sensory pleasure. From the scientific view point, fasting cleans the toxic substances accumulated in the body. Digestive systems get rest and body mechanics are corrected. 

Food Ethics :

Hinduism diet is traditionally governed by Manu dharmasasthra. Here I summarize few ethics laid down by this scripture.....

• Never consume the food which is not offered with respect
• Must not eat food which has hair or insects on it or which stood overnight
• Must not eat food which is left out by somebody else or by a bird 
• One who cooks only for himself (not sharing with others) goes to hell
• Food should be greeted and honored when served
• Never find fault in food or speak ill of it
• Sit in a clean area facing East
• Eat slowly and relish every bite

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Diet_in_Hinduism

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dharma%C5%9B%C4%81stra

http://www.hafsite.org/media/pr/ethicaltreatmentanimals

Astrology - When and How this Science changes into Superstition...

Astrology - Who doesn't love to know the future? Who is not curious about what stars and planets are holding for us? Almost everyone Isn't it? But there are certain things that we should know about astrology in order to get better understanding about it and how and why it came into existence. 

QUICK VIEW :

Key concept	Astrology
Scientific perspective	Since it is based on the movements of Planets and stars. Macrocosm has definitely has its impact on Microcosm.
Main purpose of Astrology	To estimate the best time to perform Yagna, Homam and such Vedic rituals and also to determine the auspicious time for rituals in Human life from birth to death including naming ceremony, wedding ceremony etc.
When and how does this change into superstition?	When mixed with sentiments and personal emotions like selfishness, greed, insecurity and failure to realize that destiny can never be changed. Explained with examples from the two Epics.

Astrology, is in fact a vast ocean and its history dates back way in the past. Many cultures have attached importance to astronomical events. Indians, Chinese and Mayans developed elaborate systems to predict terrestrial events from celestial observations. Alexander the Great's conquest of Asia allowed astrology to spread to ancient Greece and Rome. Ancient Egyptians had a system called Decanic Astrology where Decans are 36 groups of stars which rise consecutively on the horizon throughout each Earth rotation. 

It is quite impossible to discuss about the astrological concepts of all the cultures as this post will never end then. Hence let us proceed with only our traditional "Jyotisha" and see how it impacts our lives today. Those who are interested to know about different variations in astrology, please refer the following links.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Western_astrology#Astrology_and_science

http://www.astrologyoftheancients.com/egyptian-astrology/

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chinese_astrology

Jyotisha :

Jyotisha, also known as Indian Astrology and Vedic Astrology, is the traditional Hindu system of Astronomy and Astrology. Vedanga Jyotisha is one of the earliest texts about Astronomy within the Vedas. There are three main branches of this Jyotisha.

• Siddantha - Indian Astronomy
• Samhitha - Predicting important events related to countries such as war, earthquakes, political events, house and construction related matters (Vastu) etc
• Hora - Predictive astrology in detail

Each one of the above branches have many sub categories. Considering the length of this article, let us only see the "Hora" branch now. This contains various aspects and it deals with the finer prints of predictive astrology. Given below are some of the sub divisions of this branch....

• Jataka Shastra (Natal Astrology) - It deals with the horoscopes of individuals.
• Muhurtha (Electional Astrology) - election of best time to initiate an activity to get the maximum benefit from it.
• Nadi Shastra - The part of astrology which can reveal the past, present and future of individuals based on the palm leaf manuscripts compiled by Sages.
• Hastha Rekha (Palmistry) - Predictions based on palm analysis.
• Shakuna (Omens) - Predictions based on omens
• Swapna Vidya - Interpretation of dreams
• Akriti Vidya (Physiognomy) - Predictions based on structure and moles on the body
• Prashna (Horary Astrology) - Predictions based on the time when a question is asked by the querist
• Ankjyotish/Kabala (Numerology) - Branch of Astrology based on numbers.
• Streejataka (Female Astrology) - A special branch which deals with female nativities.

Scientific Aspect :

Our traditional Astrology, is based on Astronomy with respect to 27 Stars and 9 Planets (NavaGraha) Here is what Sankaracharya says about Astrology. 

"The conditions of man corresponds to the changes in the position of the nine Grahas. A human being does not enjoy happiness all the time nor does he always suffer hardships. That is he experiences a mixture of happiness and sorrow. While he may be pushed to a higher position today, he may be thrust down to the depths tomorrow. It is not man alone that is subject to changes of fortune. Establishments too have their ups and downs, so also Nations. The Sages saw a relationship between the position and movements of the Planets and the destiny of man, the sorrow and happiness experienced by him. There is a branch of astrology called Hora-Skandha. If our horoscope is cast on the basis of the configuration of the Planets at the time of our birth, our fortunes over the entire period of our life can be predicted."

http://www.kamakoti.org/hindudharma/part10/chap5.htm

Since Astrology predictions are based on Astronomy (alignment of Planets and Stars) we can consider it to be scientifically relevant. But we should know the real reason behind Astrology. Our ancestors have taken great care to study the movements of Planets and Stars and have made tremendous contribution to the field of Astronomy. The real reason behind Astrology is only to know the right time to do the spiritual activities like Yagna, Homam etc and to fix the auspicious time for certain rituals including naming ceremony, upanayanam, wedding ceremony etc. In this sense, we can consider Astrology as a pure science as the auspicious time is fixed on the basis of cosmic alignment. The underlying fact is that Astrology is only pure prediction and it can never change or will change the fate. What is destined to happen will certainly happen no matter what we do. 

Transformation into a Superstition :

Okay. Here is the interesting part now. This is our exact situation in modern world. We have very much deviated from the very basic ideology of Astrology (to find the auspicious time for the vedic rituals) and mixed our sentiments a lot into it. Sentiments here mean our personal emotions like insecurity, selfishness, greed, curiosity, thirst for success and fame, relationship issues just to name a few. This made us to run behind Astrologers (who are minting a lot of money in today's world) with various questions about future, career, finance, personal issues and what not...... Most astrologers either scare us by telling that our life will encounter more problems thereby suggesting remedies or try to please us by saying that we will get a tremendous fortune and for that we should make some measures to destroy the obstacles which prevent us from getting that fortune. For those who believe that astrology can solve their problems (Remember - it can predict not solve) please go through the following examples which I have taken from two instances from our two great Epics. 

Example from Ramayana :

All set for the ceremony of "Pattabishekha". The whole city was overwhelmed about their favorite Rama to be crowned as the king of Ayodhya. Auspicious time (astrology as science) was fixed for the ceremony and the day had come. But what really happened? Was Rama got crowned as king that day? No. Instead he went to forest along with Sita and Lakshmana as per his father Dasaratha's wish. His incarnation itself was a predetermined one and so his life happenings (again Astrology as a prediction). Even though he was an incarnation (Godly) he accepted his destiny and was bound by human law when he lived in this Earth. He never went to any Astrologer to consult about his destiny and to find solutions or ways to solve his worries. He accepted the pain and lead a noble life in spite of his sorrow. 

Example from Mahabaratha :

The great war began and the whole kshathriya clan was in trouble. No one could really escape the hard grip of death. There stood Krishna as the charioteer of Arjuna, silent and peaceful.  The day had come for the death of Abhimanyu, his beloved nephew. (his sister Subathra's son). Was Krishna behind an Astrologer??? No. He accepted the destiny, predetermined fate of Abhimanyu and quietly did his duty. Same principle applied when he got the curse from Gandhari after the completion of the war and stood peaceful when his own city, Dwaraka was immersed in water. Again, he never tried to change anything even though he was an incarnation of Maha Vishnu.

The Bottom line :

Astrology is scientific with respect to its ability to judge the best time to perform certain rituals. It is also true that it can predict the life events of an individual based on the time of birth and planetary arrangements during that time. It is a good science when we approach Astrology without selfishness. But the moment we start mixing our selfishness, greed and such emotions into it, it becomes a superstition. Why because we run behind astrologers, trust everyone and blindly follow their prescriptions like "Parikaram" etc. Ultimately we want to change our fate and luck. we all want to experience only pleasure in life. Not pain. For even a small and minute problem, we start referring to Astrology and try to figure out what went wrong with our Stars. We never realize that fate and destiny can never be changed. This attitude is the one which makes this amazing science a crazy superstition. Yes... our sentiments change this science into a superstition.