THE LACK OF A PHILOSOPHY OF LIFE
Dr Jayadeva Yogendra
Journal of The Yoga Institute
Also published in Yoga and Total Health, July 1986
Often an individual does not have a definite philosophy as he starts his life. In fact, a philosophy comes from his own observations and experiences, from his own feelings and beliefs, from his ideals and values since all these emerge during his participation in life's mysterious drama. It is often that we import ideas into our life from those of others. Many, therefore, do not have a philosophy of life that has grown from their own experiences but have borrowed philosophy just like one borrows an umbrella or borrows a book of fiction. The other day, the Head of a State while showing around his beautifully furnished library quipped to his friend. "How do you like my collection of books? Mind you every single volume in this collection has been borrowed from friends. I never returned these books to them." In fact, as with the books, some of these leaders work on a borrowed philosophy of life. We can trace much of our imperfections to our outlook to life - these things do not spring from within during efforts at self-development.
Strangely, it is our personal views and emotional opinion-habits that become the basis of our thinking and action. We see through blinkers, refuse to look at certain obvious facts, and import certain perceptions which are not really there. In Yoga, this structural defect within us is avidya – to see things permanent when they are not, to see things as our own when they do not belong to us, or to see things as perfect when they are imperfect. I remember that once a domestic servant had confronted me about getting angry with him for dropping some very old pieces of crockery. "Did you think that these cups and saucers were permanent?", he asked me, looking into my eyes without batting his eyelids. "They had to break some time and this was the time," he said. Well! I thought he spoke straight from Patañjali's Yoga Sutras.
Actually, if we look at it this way then it seems that we function in this world in such a way that many times we remain under the influence of incorrect thinking and we suffer a lot as a result of such ignorance (avidyā).
Avidyā is a structural deformity of the intellect. We are creatures possessing defective minds. Our 2+2 never makes 4. As in the systems of Indian Philosophy, our perceptions, observations and memories remain heavily vitiated by ignorance. E.g. a person with an unskilled eye might make the mistake in observing a piece of solid steel. We consider the steel piece as impregnable but the same piece under X-rays may appear porous. On such faulty observations, we build up a larger edifice which we call our philosophy of life. Most of our actions therefore flow out from such a philosophy.
This sensate approach to life is indeed a very limiting one. Behind the facade of glitter and glamour of this world lies the hidden reality. Unfortunately, like little children witnessing a three-ring circus, we remain so much occupied with this external glamourous world that we are not able to go into ourselves to find out the more worthwhile reality behind. We are involved in trifles and feel a lot about matters which are just of a passing nature.
Ramakrishna Paramahamsa narrated a story of a villager who learned of a drama group that was scheduled to give a performance in a neighbouring village. The villager was so enthusiastic and excited that he went a couple of hours ahead of time to witness the drama. Unfortunately, he had come much in advance and the drama group was still busy pitching their tents and fixing up the stage. The villager who carried a mat with him spread it out in a strategic corner and rested his tired limbs. However, it so happened that the villager fell asleep and when he woke up, he was shocked that while he rested on the mat, the drama was already enacted, and the drama group was getting ready to move away. The villager was frustrated and disappointed. He collected the mat, rolled it up and put it under his armpit and started walking towards his village. Ramakrishna, in his characteristic style, says that this is the story of each one of us who come into the world to participate fully in all that goes around us. But before we get ready to participate and enjoy life, we find that the time for our departure is due.