"A medical graduate asks: "What is the best form of prayer? How much time should be spent at it?"
"In my opinion to do justice is the best form of prayer and one who is sincere about doing justice to all does not need to do any more praying. Some people spend a long time over sandhya and 95% of them do not understand the meaning of what they say. In my opinion prayer should be said in one's mother tongue. It alone can affect the soul best. I should say that a sincere prayer for one minute is enough. It should suffice to promise God not to sin.
Prayer means asking God for something in a reverent attitude. But the word is used also to denote any devotional act. Worship is a better term to use for what the correspondent has in mind. But definition apart, what is it that millions of Hindus, Mussulmans, Christians and Jews and others do every day during the time set apart for the adoration of the Maker?
It seems to me that it is a yearning of the heart to be one with the Maker, an invocation for His blessing. It is in this case the attitude that matters, not words uttered or muttered. And often the association of words that have been handed down from ancient times has an effect which in their rendering into one's mother tongue they will lose altogether.
Thus the Gayatri translated and recited in, say, Gujarati, will not have the same effect as the original. The utterance of the word "Rama" will instantaneously affect millions of Hindus, when the word "God", although they may understand the meaning, will leave them untouched. Words after all acquire a power by long usage and sacredness associated with their use. There is much therefore to be said for the retention of the old Sanskrit formulae for the most prevalent mantra; or verses. That the meaning of them should be properly understood goes without saying.
There can be no fixed rule laid down as to the time these devotional acts should take. It depends upon individual temperament. These are precious moments in one's daily life. The exercises are intended to sober and humble us and enable us to realize that nothing happens without His will and that we are but "clay in the hands of the Potter". These are moments when one reviews one's immediate past, confesses one's weakness, asks for forgiveness and strength to be and do better. One minute may be enough for some, twenty-four hours may be too little for others.
For those who are filled with the presence of God in them, to labour is to pray. Their life is one continuous prayer or act of worship. For those others who act only to sin, to indulge themselves, and live for self, no time is too much. If they had patience and faith and the will to be pure, they would pray till they feel the definite purifying presence of God within them. For us ordinary mortals there-must be a middle path between these two extremes. We are not so exalted as to be able to say that all our acts are a dedication nor perhaps are we so far gone as to be living purely for self.
Hence have all religions set apart times for general devotion. Unfortunately these have nowadays become merely mechanical and formal, where they are not hypocritical. What is necessary therefore is the correct attitude to accompany these devotions.For definite personal prayer in the sense of asking God for something, it should certainly be [our] own tongue. Nothing can be grander than [to] to make us act justly towards everything that lives."
Young India, July 10, 1926
Also see article in Wikipedia, Satyagraha. Also see other articles by Gandhi here.
Friday, October 17, 2008
Friday, October 10, 2008
Our Masonic Penalties by MWBro Jack Levitt, PGM, GLC
"The penalties by which every Mason symbolically binds himself to fulfill his obligations are ancient in Masonry. No man is certain of their origins. But they were probably added to the ritual at a time of great persecution, when the very lives of Masons depended upon the secrecy of their Brothers.
Our enemies believe that Masonic metaphors mean exactly what they say and nothing else. In other words, they believe that Masonry is composed of “signs” like “stop” and “yield” traffic signs or the “exit” sign over a door. To them signs mean exactly what they say and are not liable to interpretation. But the fact is that Freemasonry is made up of metaphors and symbols which allow multiple interpretations.
When a man comes into Masonry, his life changes from the dead letter of “sign” to the living letter of metaphor. The metaphoric content of Freemasonry is signaled to the proto-Mason exactly where is should be - at the obligation, the most solemn, emotional, and impressive part of the initiation, not at some other “explanation” part where only the intellect is concerned. The candidate has already been told that the obligation contains nothing contrary to moral, civil and religious duties.
The only penalties Masonry inflicts are reprimand, suspension and expulsion. We retain the ancient penalties, not to frighten or disgust, but because they are important symbols in the tradition and in the study of the fraternity. At the very least, they make plain the torture and agony of conscience any good man should feel at the thought that he had violated his sworn word - for the good and honest man is ever his own most severe judge, censor and critic.
We may escape the judgment of others for our misdeeds, but never the condemnation of our own conscience. In the symbolism of the penalties, as in all things Masonic, let the wise man seek for further enlightenment."
From the compilation of PGM Jack Levitt, GLC * * Most Worshipful Jack Levitt was one of the PGM introduced at the 2008 Annual Communication last month.
"WE DO GOOD THINGS BETTER" - PinoyMasons
As emailed and shared by Bro Bert Guiang, Anacapa 710, Oxnard, Camandy City/lingayen/ Zambales
http://www.zambales Lforum.org/ bertguiang/
http://www.angelfire.com/on4/zambalesforum/doonposaamin.htm
Moderator's Note: In some jurisdictions, the Masonic penalties are referred to as "symbolic penalties" or "former penalties". In other words, no one in his right mind nowadays would take the Masonic penalties literally. They are now symbolic as far as mainstream Freemasonry is concerned or in ancient times might have been but not anymore.
Our enemies believe that Masonic metaphors mean exactly what they say and nothing else. In other words, they believe that Masonry is composed of “signs” like “stop” and “yield” traffic signs or the “exit” sign over a door. To them signs mean exactly what they say and are not liable to interpretation. But the fact is that Freemasonry is made up of metaphors and symbols which allow multiple interpretations.
When a man comes into Masonry, his life changes from the dead letter of “sign” to the living letter of metaphor. The metaphoric content of Freemasonry is signaled to the proto-Mason exactly where is should be - at the obligation, the most solemn, emotional, and impressive part of the initiation, not at some other “explanation” part where only the intellect is concerned. The candidate has already been told that the obligation contains nothing contrary to moral, civil and religious duties.
The only penalties Masonry inflicts are reprimand, suspension and expulsion. We retain the ancient penalties, not to frighten or disgust, but because they are important symbols in the tradition and in the study of the fraternity. At the very least, they make plain the torture and agony of conscience any good man should feel at the thought that he had violated his sworn word - for the good and honest man is ever his own most severe judge, censor and critic.
We may escape the judgment of others for our misdeeds, but never the condemnation of our own conscience. In the symbolism of the penalties, as in all things Masonic, let the wise man seek for further enlightenment."
From the compilation of PGM Jack Levitt, GLC * * Most Worshipful Jack Levitt was one of the PGM introduced at the 2008 Annual Communication last month.
"WE DO GOOD THINGS BETTER" - PinoyMasons
As emailed and shared by Bro Bert Guiang, Anacapa 710, Oxnard, Camandy City/lingayen/ Zambales
http://www.zambales Lforum.org/ bertguiang/
http://www.angelfire.com/on4/zambalesforum/doonposaamin.htm
Moderator's Note: In some jurisdictions, the Masonic penalties are referred to as "symbolic penalties" or "former penalties". In other words, no one in his right mind nowadays would take the Masonic penalties literally. They are now symbolic as far as mainstream Freemasonry is concerned or in ancient times might have been but not anymore.
Tuesday, October 7, 2008
Wisdom and on Mandela by Malcolm Fraser
"One of the greatest gifts one generation can give to another is the knowledge gained from experience. Inspired by this concept, photographer and filmmaker Andrew Zuckerman asked some of the world's leaders in the arts, religion, business and politics, all over 65, about wisdom."
So as the Good Weekend (Sept 20, 2008 issue, pp 32-38) spread article began. What caught my interest is the excerpt from Malcolm Fraser's answer. Malcolm Fraser is a former Prime Minister of Australia, and as far as I know is not a member of the craft. But reading his comments, he could have been a craftsman:
"Compromise is a question of judgement - how far can you go without forgoing a matter of great principle?" Malcolm Fraser
"Wisdom is a rare commodity. There are a lot very brilliant people, bright people, clever people; not so many people who are wise. I'm not sure I can define wisdom in any clear, short way that's going to make a great deal of sense. But once you've known somebody for a while, you'll begin to understand whether they're wise or not.
Of all the people I've met anywhere in the world, I think the wisest and the best person was [Nelson] Mandela: somebody who could endure what he endured over the best part of three decades, come out of that with no sense of bitterness, no sense of sourness, who made friends with his jailers, recognised the other fellow's point of view, realised you can't come to a solution unless the point of view of the person to whom you're sometimes very strongly opposed is also taken into account.
The man's charity, his humanity... he may be the living definition of wisdom (Mod note: also a great man full of wisdom is the late Mahatma Gandhi.). But you can't describe Mandela just in a sentence or a paragraph.
The first time I met Mandela was in Pollsmoor Prison. He'd been taken into a sort of guest house and he was formal; he wasn't in prison clothes, he'd been given a decent safari suite to wear. Tall, upright. A spare man. A twinkle in his eye after 27 or 28 years in jail; still, the twinkle's still there. And he said, "Mr Fraser, can you tell me, is Donald Bradman (Mod note: The great Australian cricketer and a famous Freemason.) still alive?"
We begin to understand a person's wisdom based on what they do, what they stand for. If you take some examples out of recent times, there are people who train to believe in the rule of law, due process, equal application of the law to all people regardless of race, colour, religions; and then you look at what they do and you find they don't mean a word of it.
I sometimes see the wheel going around in relation to these things. I've experienced a little bit, I've read a little bit more history, and the sorts of things that are said now used to be said in Australia. For example, "We'll today Muslims aren't really Australians, because their first duty is to the Prophet."
In my father's time people said that of Roman Catholics: "They're not really Australians, their first duty is to the Pope." Now, nobody believes that any more, but for a number of reasons... that involved bigotry and hatred - total lack of reason - people believed it of Catholics, 50, 60. 70 years ago, and it created a sourness, a bitterness in this country that endured and among older people is not entirely dead.
When are we going to learn from history? Perhaps the most important thing to try to learn is that if you are ever going to get to a solution, if you are ever going to create a peaceful world, you are going to ask: what is it possible for the other fellow to do - for your opponent to do? If you are going to stand up and preach at him and say you've got to do this, you've got to do that, there'll never be an agreement.
I don't know that I can give anyone advice about going into politics, but I can say what I would hope people would go into politics for ... I would hope that somebody would have some fairly deeply held beliefs of the kind of society that he or she wanted to help create."
(Edited extract from Wisdom by Andrew Zuckerman, published by Hachette Australia on October 1; rrp $75. Wisdom is supported by a free multimedia exhibition of the same name at the State Library of NSW from October 18 to November 16; for details visit http://www.sl.nsw.gov.au/ )
So as the Good Weekend (Sept 20, 2008 issue, pp 32-38) spread article began. What caught my interest is the excerpt from Malcolm Fraser's answer. Malcolm Fraser is a former Prime Minister of Australia, and as far as I know is not a member of the craft. But reading his comments, he could have been a craftsman:
"Compromise is a question of judgement - how far can you go without forgoing a matter of great principle?" Malcolm Fraser
"Wisdom is a rare commodity. There are a lot very brilliant people, bright people, clever people; not so many people who are wise. I'm not sure I can define wisdom in any clear, short way that's going to make a great deal of sense. But once you've known somebody for a while, you'll begin to understand whether they're wise or not.
Of all the people I've met anywhere in the world, I think the wisest and the best person was [Nelson] Mandela: somebody who could endure what he endured over the best part of three decades, come out of that with no sense of bitterness, no sense of sourness, who made friends with his jailers, recognised the other fellow's point of view, realised you can't come to a solution unless the point of view of the person to whom you're sometimes very strongly opposed is also taken into account.
The man's charity, his humanity... he may be the living definition of wisdom (Mod note: also a great man full of wisdom is the late Mahatma Gandhi.). But you can't describe Mandela just in a sentence or a paragraph.
The first time I met Mandela was in Pollsmoor Prison. He'd been taken into a sort of guest house and he was formal; he wasn't in prison clothes, he'd been given a decent safari suite to wear. Tall, upright. A spare man. A twinkle in his eye after 27 or 28 years in jail; still, the twinkle's still there. And he said, "Mr Fraser, can you tell me, is Donald Bradman (Mod note: The great Australian cricketer and a famous Freemason.) still alive?"
We begin to understand a person's wisdom based on what they do, what they stand for. If you take some examples out of recent times, there are people who train to believe in the rule of law, due process, equal application of the law to all people regardless of race, colour, religions; and then you look at what they do and you find they don't mean a word of it.
I sometimes see the wheel going around in relation to these things. I've experienced a little bit, I've read a little bit more history, and the sorts of things that are said now used to be said in Australia. For example, "We'll today Muslims aren't really Australians, because their first duty is to the Prophet."
In my father's time people said that of Roman Catholics: "They're not really Australians, their first duty is to the Pope." Now, nobody believes that any more, but for a number of reasons... that involved bigotry and hatred - total lack of reason - people believed it of Catholics, 50, 60. 70 years ago, and it created a sourness, a bitterness in this country that endured and among older people is not entirely dead.
When are we going to learn from history? Perhaps the most important thing to try to learn is that if you are ever going to get to a solution, if you are ever going to create a peaceful world, you are going to ask: what is it possible for the other fellow to do - for your opponent to do? If you are going to stand up and preach at him and say you've got to do this, you've got to do that, there'll never be an agreement.
I don't know that I can give anyone advice about going into politics, but I can say what I would hope people would go into politics for ... I would hope that somebody would have some fairly deeply held beliefs of the kind of society that he or she wanted to help create."
(Edited extract from Wisdom by Andrew Zuckerman, published by Hachette Australia on October 1; rrp $75. Wisdom is supported by a free multimedia exhibition of the same name at the State Library of NSW from October 18 to November 16; for details visit http://www.sl.nsw.gov.au/ )
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