Swami Bodhananda Saraswati is trained in the Shankaracharya Tradition and has been teaching Vedanta since 1978. He is the Spiritual Founder and Director of several organizations under the umbrella of the Sambodh Foundation, New Delhi . This is a collection of quotes from books by Swami Bodhananda
Every failure becomes a stepping stone toward the higher mountain peak of experience. Failure is not a problem. Lack of effort is the problem. When you make one step forward, God takes ten steps towards you.
Enlightenment cannot come as a result of evolution. Awakening is not a result of evolution. Awakening is a 'waking up'.
Most of us find that there is no fulfillment either in our home or work life. Our occupational and marriage relationships often give an appearance of satisfaction and harmony, but are you enjoying and growing as a person? No. You feel locked up, boxed into a situation and don’t know what to do.
You lack energy to do anything, and the reason is because, from the very beginning, you did not say exactly what you wanted from the relationship or contract with another.
Without acknowledging what your needs and the other person’s needs are, how can a common understanding develop? How can you discover a common ground so that, jointly, both of you can grow?
‘Saha dharmam caratha’ – ‘Let us walk together on the path of righteousness.’ This line is recited in Hindu marriage ceremonies. That is the basis and meaning of marriage: we are trying to mutually grow in our association with one another. As we mutually grow in relationship, the unique needs and talents of each person are expressed and fulfilled. (Source: Extract from the book ‘Seven Hindu Spiritual Laws of Success’ by Swami Bodhananda)
The
human is a conglomerate of energy vibrations. This vibration rests in vacuum and vacuum rests in
consciousness. It is this consciousness which Rishis know and realize through
meditation as Sacchidananda and Bodhasvarupa.
Man ends up a samsari and unhappy person when he leads a
body-oriented life without knowing these different dimensions of existence.
Identified with the superficial manifests of consciousness such as name and form,
and forgetting the essential relationship with the depths, he as a limited and
insecure individual spends his lifetime, eating, sleeping, and procreating.
Human consciousness which is trapped in the four
expressions: desire, anger, fear and greed needs to be awakened and heightened,
led through the different dimensions of existence, and integrated with the
comprehensiveness of consciousness. What is called for is a self-fulfilling
pilgrimage from selfishness to selflessness.
The universe is full of energy vibrations with different
frequencies. The Rishis realize the totality of these vibrations as aumkara – the
pranava. (Source: Article written by Swami Bodhananda, Sambodh News
(Bangalore) Vol.1, No.1, 1996)
Ahamkara is the feeling of 'I am the doer'. Whatever you do you entertain such a feeling. You also feel that since you are the doer you should get the credit too. If you don’t get the credit you become violent, you react and feel miserable.
In Vedanta, 'ahamkara' means 'I am the doer' attitude.
Instead of saying 'I am doing it' say 'He is functioning through me; I am only
a pencil in the hands of the Lord'. This should be your attitude, that you are
not the doer, but an instrument, a vehicle through which the Lord expresses.
Ahamkara is the feeling of 'I am the doer'. Whatever you do you entertain such a feeling. You also feel that since you are the doer you should get the credit too. If you don’t get the credit you become violent, you react and feel miserable.
One who does not feel that he is the doer, who feels that he
has been given an opportunity to be used by the higher power – he is one who is
free from the doership notion. . .