In the conclusion of The Bhagavad-Gita, the lord Krishna asks if the warrior-prince, Arjuna, after their long discussion, has destroyed his delusion, to which Arjuna replies, “Krishna, my delusion is destroyed, and by your grace I have regained memory, I stand here, my doubt dispelled, ready to act on your words” (Ch, 18, 73). Delusion and memory are two sides of the same coin, and a trait belonging to memory may find its opposite in delusion: desire for the fruits of action and discipline, ignorance and knowledge. Of the triad of nature’s qualities, passion and dark inertia lead to delusion, whereas lucidity leads to memory. However, the aspect of which the regaining of memory is most important is the complete devotion to Krishna. Discipline …show more content…
and the fruits of action, knowledge and ignorance, passion, dark inertia, and lucidity, no matter what path one takes, it is only the faith in Krishna that combats delusion and is true memory. Krishna advises Arjuna on action and discipline, which helps Arjuna on his path to revelation.
Arjuna is warned to “Be intent on action, not on the fruits of action; avoid attraction to the fruits and attachment to inaction” (Ch. 2, 47). To refuse the fight, to refuse to take action, as Arjuna is considering seeing his family across the field of war, is to take the road of cowardice (Ch. 1, 44-46). Yet, heaven will welcome with open arms he who is fierce and dies in battle, and should he live, he will be celebrated on earth (Ch. 2, 37). Arjuna is a warrior, it is his duty to fight, and taking the road of inaction, he chooses cowardice. Even in killing his family, they don’t really die (Ch. 2, 12-13), and so there is no reason to refuse to fight, as Krishna explains. It is the nature of both Krishna and Arjuna to fight, and they have been and will continue to do so for as long as their souls remain. To take inaction, Arjuna would refuse memory and instead welcome delusion, for he would be forgetful of the nature of his soul. However, Arjuna must also refuse the temptation of the fruits of action. Even though his senses might be under control, should he still crave the fruits of action, he will become a “self-deluded hypocrite” (Ch. 3, 6). Desire for the supposed reward of taking action clouds the senses and “driven by desire,
they strive after heaven and contrive to win powers and delights, but their intricate ritual language bears only the fruit of action in rebirth” (Ch. 2, 43). Should someone only seek to reap the rewards of wealth or power through their action, and not set themselves free of desire, they shall only be reborn unto the earth, remain in their delusion, and fail to reach Krishna in the after-life (Ch. 9, 3). To ensure that one is not tempted to be inactive or desirous of the fruits of action, one must have discipline. Men of discipline are unattached, freed from the cycle of rebirth, and their insight is sure (Ch. 2, 51). A disciplined man can see “action in inaction” and “inaction in action (Ch. 4, 18), he also has the power to “relinquish the fruit of action” (Ch. 2, 51). With discipline, a man can cast off the temptation of inaction and desire, he breaks the cycle of rebirth, and he destroys the delusion that clouds the souls of lesser men. Discipline, as explained by Krishna, is one of the necessary paths that Arjuna must travel in order to regain his memory, and he does so by seeing the fault in his own cowardice and the folly in desiring any reward. Knowledge, to the god Krishna, is the way for a man to cleanse his soul. Krishna describes it as “just as a flaming fire buns wood to ashes, Arjuna, so the fire of knowledge reduces all actions to ashes” (Ch. 4, 37) and even the “most evil of all sinners” will “cross over all evil on the raft of knowledge” (Ch. 4, 36). Knowledge is the life line of which Krishna praises, urging Arjuna to value it, for once he has realized its value, he “will not descend into delusion again” (Ch. 4, 35). Not only does knowledge dispel delusion, but those who are knowledgeable and devoted to Krishna are close to his heart. Nevertheless, there can be delusion found in knowledge, and it is in the sinners who are not devoted to Krishna that “demonic power” reigns over, and in their delusion cannot know memory (Ch. 7, 15). But, for those who express absolute faith in Krishna, just as Arjuna must, they are in themselves Krishna (Ch. 7, 18), and will find refuge and end their own cycle of rebirths through knowledge (Ch. 7, 19). As with discipline, knowledge is imparted on Arjuna as he continues to regain his memory, but, just as inaction and the fruits of action lead to delusion, so must ignorance. For, if knowledge is “knowing the self” and “seeing what knowledge of reality means”, ignorance must be the opposite (Ch. 13, 11). Krishna warns Arjuna against the dangers of ignorance saying “An ignorant man is lost, faithless, and filled with self-doubt; a soul that harbors doubt has no joy, not in this world or the next” (Ch. 4, 40), and that Arjuna must “sever the ignorant doubt” in his heart “with the sword of self-knowledge” (Ch. 4, 42). Knowledge is the only combatant against ignorance and its detriments that can result in delusion when subjected to the soul. If a soul cannot find joy in any life, it cannot know Krishna, and will forever be trapped in the cycle of rebirth, never to regain its full memory. The memory of the soul resides with Krishna, and it is only through faith in Krishna that ignorance can be defeated by knowledge, for he dispels the “darkness born of ignorance with the radiant light of knowledge” (Ch. 10, 11). The three “qualities inherent in nature”, according to Krishna, are passion, dark inertia, and lucidity (Ch. 14, 5). Passion is “emotional, born of craving and attachment” (Ch. 14, 7), and from passion, dissatisfaction and longing grow (Ch. 14, 12). For the soul to be passionate, it becomes attached to the body, deluded by the physical and its desire for worldly possessions, driving the soul away from Krishna. However, it is from dark inertia that pure delusion arises. Krishna tells Arjuna, “know dark inertia is born of ignorance as the delusion of every embodied self; it binds one with negligence, indolence, and sleep” (Ch. 14, 8). Those dominated by dark inertia are deluded through their ignorance, and cannot find refuge in Krishna, as they are too tightly bound to their bodies. Of the three qualities, it is only through lucidity that one can cast off delusion and regain memory. For “lucidity, being untainted, is luminous and without decay” (Ch. 14, 6), and “when the light of knowledge shines in all the body’s senses, then one knows that lucidity prevails” (Ch. 14, 11). Lucidity is the highest for the nature of the soul can take and is not hindered by ignorance or passion, but is blessed by knowledge. The three qualities are situated as such: those souls that are lucid ascend and are knowledgeable, those who are passionate remain in the middle suffering, and those of dark inertia are ignorant and vile, and their souls will descend (Ch. 14, 17-18). Passion, and especially dark inertia, are the fruits of delusion, and Krishna tells Arjuna that he must not fall into their grasp. It is through lucidity that one will gain knowledge and discipline, and it through lucidity that one’s soul finds Krishna and memory. The greatest step one must take to reach full enlightenment and regain their memory is to be devoted wholeheartedly to Krishna. He declares to Arjuna “the whole universe is pervaded by my unmanifest form; all creatures exist in me, but I do not exist in them” (Ch. 9, 4). Krishna is the creator of everything, and every fragment of the universe is of him, but he cannot be within those who do not put their faith in him. There are those who are not devoted to him, and therefore he is not in them, so their souls can never find Krishna and will continue to be reborn. Those who are ignorant of Krishna are deluded (Ch. 9, 11), unable to recognize that he is the “universal father, mother, granter of all, grandfather, object of knowledge, purifier, holy syllable OM, threefold sacred lore” (Ch. 9, 17). He is “immortality and death; both being and nonbeing” (Ch. 9, 19), the greatest form of memory is he, for he is everything. To be ignorant of Krishna’s totality is to be deluded, whether it is from passion, desire, or through dark inertia. All these aspects lend to the general delusion that prevents the soul from knowing Krishna. For it is he who knows Krishna that is freed from delusion and every evil, he is the “unborn, beginningless great lord of the worlds” (Ch. 10, 3). To have no beginning, to break the cycle of rebirth, the soul remains with Krishna and cannot forget or be affected by delusion, and therefore keeps its memory. Krishna tells this to Arjuna, saying “keep me in your mind and devotion, sacrifice to me, bow to me, discipline your self toward me, and you will reach me” (Ch. 9, 34). Should Arjuna remain wholly devoted to Krishna, he will find him, and his delusion will be shattered, replaced by memory that only Krishna the all-powerful can grant him. In concluding their discussion, Arjuna tells Krishna that his delusion has been cast off and he has regained his memory (Ch. 18, 73). His delusion is the combination of desire for the fruits of action, cowardice in inaction, ignorance, passion, and any form of dark inertia that has taken his soul. Through Krishna, he finds memory in his discipline, knowledge, lucidity, and in his devotion to the god. Yet, it was only through Krishna that he could dispel his delusion and becomes enlightened to the totality of Krishna, preparing his soul to find and remain with Krishna once his body has died. The souls that break free from the cycle of rebirth can no longer be trapped by the earth or bodies, and their memory of Krishna is regained. Arjuna, in remembering his soul’s nature, is ready to act for Krishna, his lord and true god.
From the beginning of humankind, people have constantly had to deal with inner battles. Many of these issues cease to exist as time goes on, while new ones arise to take their place. There is one issue, however, that has remained consistent throughout time – morality. For centuries, humans have fought against the outside world and themselves to keep their morals properly aligned. The issue of morality is so dominant that it is still plays a vital role in today’s society. This can be seen in wars, law systems, codes of conduct, and religious texts. An example of a religious text where this can be seen is in pages 185 - 188 of the Bhagavad Gita, where Krishna, also referred to as “The Blessed One”, guides Arjuna through his inner struggles between
Over the past weeks we have learned a lot of new things. I learned about different races, ethnicities, and cultures. The world would not be the same if everyone was the same race and it is a great thing to learn about everyone and where they are from, and where they have come from. Everyone is different in their own way and it is our duty to accept everyone as a whole. I am going to talk about the social construct of race today, some of our readings, and a lot of our discussions that are always fun.
In the Historical fiction, “The Red Badge of Courage”, written by Stephen Crane; a young man try’s to find courage in himself in the time of war. After watching your commander die in war, would you stay and fight or return home and be a coward? Enlisting Himself into war Henry, to be more than the common man to prove worthyness and bravery. With the sergeant dead will Henry lead his men to victory, or withdraw his men in war. Not being the only are faced with the decision Jim and Wilson Henry’s platoons will have the same decision.
But Lord Krishna says to Arjuna “If you turn from righteous warfare/your behavior will by evil/for you will have abandoned both/your duty and your honored name”, meaning that Arjuna’s cowardice will bring evil and his “honored name” will be lost and forgotten (Bhagavad Gita 1290). Arjuna is in fear of ending their lives, a plaguing uncertainty that is his fault they’ll perish away at his sword and he’ll just be as evil as the men who stole the throne away from his rightful claim. Lord Krishna is saying that it is Arjuna’s duty to fight for virtuous and moral reasons and forsaking his post to fight against the evil, and Arjuna will become what he is fighting against – evil. Arjuna’s external and internal actions are plaguing his eternal being at stake, as Lord Krishna continues with “People will speak of your disgrace…suffers a fate much worse than death”, meaning that shame will carry on in the next life he lives, forever haunted by the
Hinduism focuses on liberation from the realm of samsara, the cycle of rebirth and death, while Confucianism focuses on the Dao, the correct way to act for society, and ren, or benevolence. Both religions have religious texts that reflect these ideals, the Bhagavad-Gita belonging to Hinduism, and the Analects belonging to Confucianism. While these two texts originate from two distinct religions, the two have some similarities and differences. Both the Bhagavad-Gita and the Analects address the proper way for one to act; however, they differ when it comes to heaven and the main concern of each text. The main concern of the Bhagavad-Gita is a personal journey, achieving moksa through devotion to Brahman, and the main concern of the Analects is a communal journey, maintaining social propriety through the five relationships.
... As in the case of the warrior Nobutsura, whose life was spared after Kiyomori was given an account of Nobutsura’s meritorious reputation. Warriors would take time to justify why they are unable to save them from execution, as Yortiomo did with Munemori. Yoritomo elucidated “it is impossible for anyone born in this country to disregard imperial edict.” It is the actions of these warriors that exhibit characteristics of people who kill purely for duty.
The Bhagavad Gita is perhaps the most famous, and definitely the most widely-read, ethical text of ancient India. As an episode in India's great epic, the Mahabharata, The Bhagavad Gita now ranks as one of the three principal texts that define and capture the essence of Hinduism; the other two being the Upanishads and the Brahma Sutras. Though this work contains much theology, its kernel is ethical and its teaching is set in the context of an ethical problem. The teaching of The Bhagavad Gita is summed up in the maxim "your business is with the deed and not with the result." When Arjuna, the third son of king Pandu (dynasty name: Pandavas) is about to begin a war that became inevitable once his one hundred cousins belonging to the Kaurava dynasty refused to return even a few villages to the five Pandava brothers after their return from enforced exile, he looks at his cousins, uncles and friends standing on the other side of the battlefield and wonders whether he is morally prepared and justified in killing his blood relations even though it was he, along with his brother Bhima, who had courageously prepared for this war. Arjuna is certain that he would be victorious in this war since he has Lord Krishna (one of the ten incarnations of Vishnu) on his side. He is able to visualize the scene at the end of the battle; the dead bodies of his cousins lying on the battlefield, motionless and incapable of vengeance. It is then that he looses his nerve to fight.
For example, when Salva was on the plane to the United States, a waiter asked him what drink he wanted, Coca-Cola or orange juice. This reminded Salva of something which caused him to remember the flashback of when “Salva’s father had once brought a few bottles of Coca-Cola “ and when he drank it he “remembered his family passing the bottles from hand to hand...laughing with every bubble…” (Park 93) The memory of his family made him think about his future and if they would ever be out back in it. Salva always wanted to see his family throughout the journey and it was very hard for him to forget them. But he used the good memories of them to keep him motivated and change his mood or emotion about hard challenges such as the journey. As Salva thought more about his family, the more he wanted to see them. So when Salva found out about his father in the medical clinic in Sudan after Salva was transferred to Rochester, New York, he convinced his new family to bring him back to Sudan to find him. Knowing how positive and convincing Salva is, his new family made up the money and they traveled to Sudan where Salva found his father. When Salva found his father, he was the happiest he ever was and got to find out about the rest of his family. Although Salva heard some bad news, he still was very happy and glad to be reunited with his father. Therefore, Salva’s memories motivate him and allow him to do the impossible in his
A large amount of ancient texts contain themes relating to violence, power, and war, while others, such as The Bhagavad Gita and Confucius’ Analects, focus on individual and collective development through a series of selfless acts. The two texts provide an in-depth system of duties and learning created to provide direction for the betterment of the self, as well as society as a whole. The Bhagavad Gita places a greater focus on the duties of individuals that must be fulfilled to achieve an enlightened state with the divine forces. Contradictory consequences are presented for those who choose to act in an egotistical manner and deny their duties. Confucius’ Analects, on the other hand, places its main focus on collective development and responsibility
Memory is a marvelous aspect of who we are as human beings. It can produce delight, warning, affection, thought, sentimentality, and feelings of commitment. When memory is invoked, we are called to attention. The past becomes present and we become present to events in the past in a way that pushes us into the future. Memory is the way past events and commitments “live” for us and continue to touch us in a very real way.
One of the main concerns of contemporary philosophy has been the role of the memory in the life of the individual and the group, or more precisely - the lack and excess of memory. Memory is something very unreliable, because it causes the same kind of decay that invades our physical bodies, undermining the identity of every individual and every society. Even though human identity is based on historical memory, neither individuals, nor societies should be limited in categorical way by it and the importance of forgetting should not be diminished. In consideration of memory, psychoanalysis and history as disciplines may be merged to provide one with a more expansive view of this phenomenon, without reducing one to the other. Reading Freud's account of melancholia in relation to Nietzsche's account of historical illness can help enhance the understanding one derives from each individual discourse, in addition to highlighting an important theme in contemporary philosophy.
As I have been reading memoirs about memory for this class, each essay made me recall or even examine my past memory closely. However, the more minutely I tried to recall what happened in the past, the more confused I got because I could not see the clear image and believe I get lost in my own memory, which I thought, I have preserved perfectly in my brain. The loss of the details in each memory has made me a little bit sentimental, feeling like losing something important in my life. But, upon reading those essays, I came to realize that remembering correct the past is not as important as growing up within memory. However, the feelings that were acquired from the past experience tend to linger distinctly. The essay that is related to my experience
...th intense compassion and love for the enemy and wait for the enemy to shoot him down. My contention is that war is impossible when every one follows the principle of “Love they neighbor…” and “service before self”. However, my ethical system does not propagate relinquishing one’s duty. It is possible to imagine a soldier fighting a war as a part of his duty, slaying his enemies even as he continues to love them. This was what Krishna preached in Bhagwadgita to his disciple Arjuna who was horrified at the sight of his kinsmen fighting on the enemy’s side.
The Bhagavad-Gita teaches many things, and amongst these, morality and moral law are developed for the Hindu religion. What Krishna, the primary Hindu god, declares in this somewhat epic poem to be the "basis of good in this world" (stanza 3, pg. 620 of text) is for people to take action. Action, as he goes on to state, is within the very nature of our beings to do. Krishna even states that "without action you even fail to sustain your own body" (stanza 8, pg. 620 of text). Thus, Krishna feels that action is very important and key. To take this concept as a relation to ethics, Krishna tells Arjuna, the warrior he is talking to in this poem, that "Action imprisons the world unless it is done as sacrifice; freed from attachment, Arjuna, perform action as sacrifice!" (stanza 9, pg. 620 of text). Thus, Krishna is prescribing that, in order for an action to be considered good, the good that he already declared to be the basis of all good in the world, one must detach himself from the action being performed and perform the action sacrificially. The detachment aspect is incredibly important to Krishna, for he proclaims that in "performing action with detachment, one achieves supreme good" (stanza 19, pg 620 of text). By doing this, Krishna believes that the world is preserved, for other people will follow the warrior's actions and imitate them in their own lives. A leader, such as a warrior or king, "sets the standard for the world to follow" (stanza 21, pg. 621 of text), as Krishna says and thus must take whatever action is necessary for the world to not be destroyed, to set examples of goodness and right in his own actions. By separating himself from these actions, thus becoming detached, he can achieve this. Another main reason that Krishna feels detachment is necessary is this: "You have a right to perform your prescribed duty, but you are not entitled to the fruits of action. Never consider yourself the cause of the results of your activities, and never be attached to not doing your duty." (Bhagavad-Gita 2.47). Thus, so long as one does not profit from his own actions, the action itself is good. And, this is Krishna's prescription for leading a life of morality and duty is the moral law to follow in order to achieve this.
Hamlet is an extremely contemplative man, whether it is deciding to terminate his life or his uncle’s, Hamlet is constantly thinking. One of Hamlet’s most famous soliloquies “To be or not to be” demonstrates Hamlet’s lack of inability to decide his own fate. "The line; Who would bear the whips and scorns of time" (3.i.72) is a classic example of Hamlet weighing the pros and cons of taking his own life. Here, Hamlet is not only thinking of himself but the consequences it would have on everyone else. Hamlet is fueled by his emotions, and comes to the conclusion that if he takes his own life, no one will avenge his father’s death. Hamlet also decides that being being damned to hell for eternity is not worth it as evidenced in the line (3.i.85.) “The conscience does make cowards of us all." Hamlet wants to end the pain in his life but realizes it is much nobler to liv...