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| Why Does Reincarnation Exist Or What is the Purpose Behind Creation? And How Does One Find Gurudeva A Response by Jagannatha Prakasa(John of AllFaith), 02.22.09 |
Hi Walt,
You Asked: "Why does reincarnation exist or what is the purpose behind creation?"
This, like most everything else, is debated.
A general answer -- and basically what I believe with a couple of minor caveats -- is as follows.
Existence exists is two basic "planes" of reality.
Nirguna Brahman: Nirguna means nir: no or non and guna or qualities/attributes.
Saguna Brahman: Sa means yes or with guna (qualities/attributes).
We are all "constitutionally" eternal beings existing within Nirguna Brahman (even now). Note that according to many "Nirguna" does not mean "no qualities" but rather "no material/conceivable qualities."
Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu -- in whose school of thought I am an initiate (along with other schools) -- explains the connection between these two realms as being "achintya bheda abheda," which is to say, "inconceivably the same and different."
There is only existence or be-ing (Brahman), but this fundamentally singular existence is experienced in these two essential aspects (this is similar to but somewhat different from the idea of yin, yang and tao taught by Lao Tsu if you are familiar that).
So then, the Soul (atman or jiva) exists eternally within Nirguna but at some "point in time" within this eternal existence the Soul "descends" into material nature.
Some say this happens so the jiva can learn and experience (and takes place by the choice of the Soul). Others say it is because the jiva becomes haughty (as Lucifer does in the Bible) -- and is cast downward into the "Dark Cloud". Others say its a form of punishment for deeds beyond our conception while still others maintain it is simply the Will of God and not to be questioned ... what we can say for sure -- from a standard Indian perspective -- is that Soul incarnates (not "reincarnates" at this point) within material existence (saguna).
Once the Soul is "materialized" within Saguna Brahman she (all souls are female -- only God (Ek Devata) is male and unto Him all souls yearn in various ways or bhavas -- this is tradition of course take it or leave it) become subject to the various laws of material nature.
Material nature exists within duality (as taught by the Dvaita philosophy of Srila Madhvacharya). Existing now under dvaita (dualism) every action (karma) produces a reaction (also called karma: they are one).
Three basic laws exist here:
- Karma: Action and reaction
- Dharma: Justice and Law.
- Marga: The Path walked accordingly.
As the Soul accumulates Karma she becomes enslaved by the necessity of satisfying this debt. We can say for instance as a very base example that the embodied Soul stole something. Something now must be stolen from her. The embodied soul caused harm and must now be harmed.
As the karmic debt mounts the Soul is cast, as it were, into the raging sea of samsara (rebirth) in order to satisfy all this mounting karma. Yet as karma is "worked off" more karma is accumulated and the Soul is seemingly lost in this process with no hope of escape...
BUT Dharma is also God's Will for our eternal good.
Karma is not "punishment." I did this and now I will be punished, no it is simple reciprocity. If I do this, this happens. If I hit my hand with a hammer I will experience pain. The pain is not punishment, it is simply the byproduct of another action. These actions and reactions can and do span lifetimes because for the Soul time does not exist. As Sri Krsna explains in the Bhagavad Gita:
2:11: The Blessed One said: While speaking learned words, you are mourning for what is not worthy of grief. Those who are wise lament neither for the living nor for the dead.2:12: Never was there a time when I did not exist, nor you, nor all these kings, nor in the future shall any of us cease to be.
2:13: As the embodied soul continuously passes, in this body, from boyhood to youth to old age, the soul also passes into another body at death. A sober person is not bewildered by such a change. (translation mine)
Through association with material nature the Soul is "yoked" or bound to material existence by contact with the Three Qualities of Material Nature:
- Sattva Guna: Goodness, purity, balance, intelligence.
- Raja Guna: Passion, activity, energy.
- Tama Guna: Ignorance, delusion, darkness.
Now, as I explained, everything here in Saguna Brahman is in duality. Since the Soul is yoked to material (saguna) existence there must also be a way to yoke with spiritual (nirguna) existence, and of course there is: Yoga.
Yoga means to yoke.
There are of course many different forms of yoga and often practitioners of one system will believe theirs is the highest. Its human nature! I practice Bhakti Yoga (yoking through devotion and surrender to God) coupled with Jnana Yoga (yoking through the acquiring of correct understanding) and believe this to be the highest hehe.
HOWEVER what is Hinduism? "Hinduism" is not the actual name! Hinduism is a slang term referencing the practices and beliefs of the people "living beyond the Hindu (Sindhu) River." The name of the faith is Sanatana Dharma: Universal Truth or Way.
According to this Way:
Ekam Sat: Vipra Bahudha Vadante:
"Truth is one; sages call it by various names."
And so each embodied Soul must follow the Path which leads onwards according to the Light current revealed. For some people one path is best, for another another. One may change paths as "time" goes by and more Light is revealed or one may traverse one given Path to its successful climax. It is the "Walking" that matters, not the specific Path. Each Path presents its way to "Return back Home to Godhead" or to re-absorption into Nirguna Brahman Consciousnesses: to awaken from the illusion (maya) of material existence which is Saguna Brahman.
Despite what some Hindu schools teach (such as Vedanta and Advaita), I believe (as do certain other Hindu schools) that both Saguna and Nirguna Brahman are fully "real" -- however Saguna is temporary while Nirguna is eternal. That's the difference. Nirguna is replete with Truth (capital T) while Saguna is filled with truths (small t) and confusion. When the Soul decides to leave confusion she seeks Truth through the yoga systems.
In a very general sense, the basic requirement is to replace dualistic karma of good and bad, black and white with the Oneness of Neutral Karma.
One of my gurus was once giving an early morning lecture and a student nodded off for just a moment. He opened his eyes with an embarrassed start when he realized we are all watching him. Gurudeva explained, "He has just experienced myriads of lifetimes within the material universes. This is how it is."
In other words, we may be here drifting though thousands or millions of material bodies, lives and experiences and yet for the Soul in Nirguna Brahman these experiences are no longer than a nod of the head, the twinkling of an eye!
Acintya! Inconceivable!
The second question is more difficult.
A teacher is very important as you say. It is debated why this is so and to what degree.
There are two basic "types" of gurus. GU means darkness - ignorance and RU means Light -- truth. Hence Guru means He who lifts the student from the darkness of ignorance to the light of truth.
Diksha Guru: Initiating Spiritual Master: This Spiritual Master should be (must be) an Uttama-adhikari, one who is FULLY enlightened and who exists within the consciousness of Nirguna Brahman at all times. Such a Guru is rarely found!
Sikhsa Guru: Instructing Spiritual Master: This Spiritual Master does not have to be fully enlightened, he merely has to excel the student in the area he teaches.
Often Diksha Guru (Diksha Guru is One regardless of individual identity according to tradition because he has transcended material consciousness) will instruct his student to study under one or more Siksha guru.
Now, you are asking for a lead to finding Diksha Guru Maharaja. This is difficult. Who is Diksha Guru? At any given time there are not that many true Uttama-adhikaris on Bhuvaloka (our planet).
Also, different maths or schools follow different approaches. One may be Vaisnava (worshiper of Lord Visnu/Narayana/Krsna, Rama etc), Shaivite (worshiper of Lord Siva, Mahadeva, Rudra etc), a worshiper Devi (Kali, Durga, Ma etc), a Vedantist, an Advaitin etc. One may seek a babaji, a sannyasa, a fakir... there are so many possibilities! One must decide what one is looking for or one must trust the hand of fate to direct one. Both are contingent on ones Marga.
My advice for now would be to continue to study and learn about the Sanatana Dharma until you feel you have a good handle on the different disciplines and what your personal bhava (your spiritual mood) is. Determine which if any you wish to pursue and then seek a Siksha Guru from that discipline. In time when you are ready you will doubtless find Sri Diksha Guru Maharaja. There is an ancient saying: When the student is ready the teacher will be revealed.
Hope this helps,
~ Jagannatha Prakasa
~ John of AllFaith
 Jai Jagannatha! | |
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