How do we practise this discipline?
Practising can be made effective using the following five fold strategy
:
 1. Sankalpa (
resolve ) means making a resolve every day. We begin the day with a
resolve that we will practise the commandment chosen for that month. For
example, during the 'ahimsa month' we firmly resolve - 'Today I will
practise ahimsa. I will not shout at my family members, subordinates,
etc.' We must maintain a mental file and soon after getting up we must
reaffirm to ourselves 'I will practise ahimsa today' 24 times. We should
reaffirm this with a full heart, sincerity and commitment.
2. Avadhanam (
precaution ) is especially important. The scriptures say that for a
spiritual seeker, negligence is destruction. Many railway accidents
occur due to negligence of simple precautionary measures. Precaution is
within our capacity. We must be alert and avoid the contributory
factors that make us violate the commandment. This applies even to our
health. Maintaining health requires adherence to a few simple rules
neglecting which we may have to face the consequences for a life time.
3. Samyama (
restraint ) comes into play when avadhanam fails. Violations
(of the commandments) will occur, especially in the initial stages and we
display the negative behaviour we have been trying to avoid. The moment
we realise we are using abusive language, we must strive to control
ourselves. We practise restraint before the situation gets out of hand.
4.
Simhavalokanam ( introspection ) is the fourth strategy and should be done every
day. At the end of the day, we look at our behaviour and determine to
what extent we fulfilled our resolve the chosen commandment. For every
violation we must take out our mental file and repeat mentally with
dedication 'om sri gurubhyo namah' 24 times. There are three
benefits in so doing. First, it serves as a prayaschitha or repentence
for violating the commandment. Secondly, we invoke the grace of the
guru. Guru includes God because adiguru or the first guru is
Bhagavan. Thirdly, by the grace of the guru, the circumstances or the
occasions that made us violate the commandment will become fewer and
fewer.
Also, there will be a change in our attitude. Presently, we are likely
to think that our violations are necessary, dictated by the
circumstances. We consider them a necessary evil. As we progress, by the grace of
the guru, we will find that we do not violate the commandment even in
situations where we once thought it was necessary. Thus by the grace of
the guru, the number of occasions that are likely to provoke us become
lesser and lesser and further, even on those fewer occasions we do not
get provoked and violate the commandment like we used to.
The above four strategies should be practised every day.
5. Vichara (
study ) is a powerful and the most important strategy. It involves the
study of the significance each of the commandments. It is seeing the
'value of a value'. Each month we must focus on the commandment chosen
for that month. During the 'ahimsa month' we must collect as much
information as possible on this commandment and study the literature for at
least an hour a week and try to understand its significance.
Why is peace not
possible without giving up himsa ?
Why do we resort
to violence - physical or verbal ?
What
precautionary measures can we take to avoid himsa ?
Our analysis may reveal that our violent behaviour is always preceded
by anger. We can further analyse :
Why do we get
angry ?
Is it because of
the behaviour of certain people ?
How can we
change our behaviour ( rather than expect others to change theirs ) to avoid
or minimise getting angry ?
Vichara can be done individually or even collectively by forming and
participating in study groups. Study groups meet periodically and members
of the group get an opportunity to share with the other members the way
in which they are handling the commandments. There is a discussion and
a healthy exchange of ideas that is beneficial to all the group
members. Study groups inculcate seriousness and a sense of commitment towards
practising the commandments. Participation in study groups is highly
efficacious and strongly recommended.
Vichara will reveal that each commandment has a gross aspect and a
subtle aspect or may be even many dimensions. In the first year, sadhaks
can focus on the grossest aspect of each commandment and in subsequent
years turn their attention to the subtler aspects.
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