Courtesy: Amrithavarshini
Ten commandments for Hindus by Swami Paramatmanada
1. Ahimsa (non-violence) is the avoidance of violence and injury. Ahimsa has several
aspects. The grossest form of himsa is physical violence. Physical violence is
not confined to beating people but includes actions such as throwing or banging
things. When we begin this program, we must first pay attention to physical
violence. If we feel we are already free from this weekness, we can concentrate
on verbal violence - shouting or using abusive or indecent
language
2. Satyam(truthfulness) is primarily a verbal
discipline. We maintain harmony between knowledge, motives and words. Our words
must not hide our knowledge or motives. There must be harmony between thought
and word. Satyam is a positive attribute and yet it is listed as a yama.
So we have to redefine satyam as something to be given up, i.e. the
avoidance of asatyam. We must emphasize more on eschewing asatyam,
by not telling lies or speaking untruths
3.
Asteyam ( nonstealing ) literally means nonstealing. We may wonder
whether this value is required for us because we are not thieves. Steyam is not just breaking into a house and stealing. Any unfair transaction through
which we derive some benefit is steyam. Noyt paying a person his due is a
form of stealing because we keep what legitimately belongs to another
person
4.
Brahmacharyam(chastity) means having the right attitude towards members
of the opposite sex. Men must have a decent and appropriate attitude towards
women and similarly women must have a decent and appropriate attitude towards
men. Like satyam, brahmacharyam is a positive characteristic and yet finds a
place among the yamas. So we understand brahmacharyam as giving up
a indecent and inappropriate attitudes towards the opposite
sex
5. Aparigraha ( nonpossession) is the fifth yama. Parigraha means possession.
Aparigraha is literally nonpossession and must be understood as leading a simple
life. There are two aspects to aparigraha - owning less and having the right
attitude towards what little we own. We give up luxury, pomp and show. We draw a
line and limit our possessions to what is necessary. A simple life alone is
suitable for high thinking.
We should not develop possessiveness
towards the limited possessions we have. This is even more important that owning
less. We should remind ourselves that what we have belongs to the Lord and is
given to us temporarily for us to grow. We can use our possessions with
gratitude to the Lord and are willing to return it to the Lord who may claim
them at any time giving advance notice or not.
6. Saucham (purity) means cleanliness or purity. We must first focus on gross or physical
purity and later we can concentrate on subtle or inner purity. Saucham can be
understood as keeping ourselves and everything around us clean. This includes
our body, clothes, possessions and house. Saucham is not only cleanliness but
orderliness. Our house may be very clean but due to disorderliness we nay have
to search for anything and everything. A good maxim to follow is 'a place for
everything and everything in its place'.
7. Santosha (contentment) means contentment or satisfaction. Santosha has to be developed at
two levels because life is a twofold pursuit - earning and owning. Initially we
aspire to earn a lot of wealth and also own many possessions. The first stage of
contentment is at the level owning. We are satisfied with our possessions and
stop yearning for more. Earning continues but spending decreases. Such a person
produces more, consumes less and creates wealth for the community, society and
nation is called a karma yogi.
The second stage of contentment focuses
on earning. We stop craving for moreand more.Such a person is
ajnana yogi. Contentment at both the levels of earning and owning is
calledsantosha or tripti and should be practiced as aniyama meaning with a positive attitude. We think of what we have rather than what
we do not have and give beggarliness of the mind. We tell our mind that we have
plenty. This is the principle of abundance.
8. Tapas (austerity) literally means austerity and kike ahimsa and santosha has many
dimensions. The grossest form of Tapas pertains to physical activity. Activity
is important not only from religious and spiritual angle but also from the
aspect of health. In the olden days the very lifestyle ensured that people were
physically fit. Today we can consider some form of exercise. An ideal exercise
is the surya namskar. It is common to hear people say that they do not have time
for exercise. Those who cannot spare a few minutes a day for maintaining their
health today may have to spend months later recovering (lost) health due to
sickness
9. Swadhyaya ( spiritual study) is the study of our scriptures and is a very important
commandment. Many years ago swadhaya was done by every person. It is a daily
ritual known as Brahma yagna. Today people do not give much importance to
spiritual study. Many people think it is meant for intellectuals and those who
want to take to monastic life. At minimum we must study a few verses of the Bhagavad Gita everyday and reflect upon the teaching
10. Iswara
Pranidanam ( surrender to God) is looking upon every experience in our
lives, favorable or unfavorable, as God's will because every experience we
undergo is the result of our past actions. This is called karma-phalam and can be pleasure or pain. Behind every karma-phalam is the law of karma and
behind the law of karma is the Lord. The Lord is invisible, the law of karma is
invisible but when the Lord and the law of karma function, the result is a
tangible experience. So we accept every experience without resistance. And the
mind is free of negative emotions and thoughts. This acceptance is calledIswara Pranidhanam or saranagati. An inability or unwillingness to do so
will produce unhealthy thoughts in the mind and lead to bitterness, anger,
frustration, hatred etc.
For the 11th 12th
months
The aspirant must strive to give up
one bad habit- be it smoking or losing one's temper. Again, we can start from
gross, physical habits and proceed to subtler weaknesses. During this month you
can study the sixteenth chapter of the Bhagavad Gita where Krishna
discusses the negative qualities of a person and how it can be
modified
During this month you must try to
cultivate a good habit that you would like to have. If you have the habit of
criticizing others you may want to develop the practice of giving praise where
it is due.
Incase of a doubt regarding what habits
or attributes to focus on, you may again refer to the sixteenth chapter of the
Bhagavad-Gita where Krishna discusses divine traits otherwise called Dhaivi
Sampath or positive attributes
aspects. The grossest form of himsa is physical violence. Physical violence is
not confined to beating people but includes actions such as throwing or banging
things. When we begin this program, we must first pay attention to physical
violence. If we feel we are already free from this weekness, we can concentrate
on verbal violence - shouting or using abusive or indecent
language
2. Satyam(truthfulness) is primarily a verbal
discipline. We maintain harmony between knowledge, motives and words. Our words
must not hide our knowledge or motives. There must be harmony between thought
and word. Satyam is a positive attribute and yet it is listed as a yama.
So we have to redefine satyam as something to be given up, i.e. the
avoidance of asatyam. We must emphasize more on eschewing asatyam,
by not telling lies or speaking untruths
3.
Asteyam ( nonstealing ) literally means nonstealing. We may wonder
whether this value is required for us because we are not thieves. Steyam is not just breaking into a house and stealing. Any unfair transaction through
which we derive some benefit is steyam. Noyt paying a person his due is a
form of stealing because we keep what legitimately belongs to another
person
4.
Brahmacharyam(chastity) means having the right attitude towards members
of the opposite sex. Men must have a decent and appropriate attitude towards
women and similarly women must have a decent and appropriate attitude towards
men. Like satyam, brahmacharyam is a positive characteristic and yet finds a
place among the yamas. So we understand brahmacharyam as giving up
a indecent and inappropriate attitudes towards the opposite
sex
5. Aparigraha ( nonpossession) is the fifth yama. Parigraha means possession.
Aparigraha is literally nonpossession and must be understood as leading a simple
life. There are two aspects to aparigraha - owning less and having the right
attitude towards what little we own. We give up luxury, pomp and show. We draw a
line and limit our possessions to what is necessary. A simple life alone is
suitable for high thinking.
We should not develop possessiveness
towards the limited possessions we have. This is even more important that owning
less. We should remind ourselves that what we have belongs to the Lord and is
given to us temporarily for us to grow. We can use our possessions with
gratitude to the Lord and are willing to return it to the Lord who may claim
them at any time giving advance notice or not.
6. Saucham (purity) means cleanliness or purity. We must first focus on gross or physical
purity and later we can concentrate on subtle or inner purity. Saucham can be
understood as keeping ourselves and everything around us clean. This includes
our body, clothes, possessions and house. Saucham is not only cleanliness but
orderliness. Our house may be very clean but due to disorderliness we nay have
to search for anything and everything. A good maxim to follow is 'a place for
everything and everything in its place'.
7. Santosha (contentment) means contentment or satisfaction. Santosha has to be developed at
two levels because life is a twofold pursuit - earning and owning. Initially we
aspire to earn a lot of wealth and also own many possessions. The first stage of
contentment is at the level owning. We are satisfied with our possessions and
stop yearning for more. Earning continues but spending decreases. Such a person
produces more, consumes less and creates wealth for the community, society and
nation is called a karma yogi.
The second stage of contentment focuses
on earning. We stop craving for moreand more.Such a person is
ajnana yogi. Contentment at both the levels of earning and owning is
calledsantosha or tripti and should be practiced as aniyama meaning with a positive attitude. We think of what we have rather than what
we do not have and give beggarliness of the mind. We tell our mind that we have
plenty. This is the principle of abundance.
8. Tapas (austerity) literally means austerity and kike ahimsa and santosha has many
dimensions. The grossest form of Tapas pertains to physical activity. Activity
is important not only from religious and spiritual angle but also from the
aspect of health. In the olden days the very lifestyle ensured that people were
physically fit. Today we can consider some form of exercise. An ideal exercise
is the surya namskar. It is common to hear people say that they do not have time
for exercise. Those who cannot spare a few minutes a day for maintaining their
health today may have to spend months later recovering (lost) health due to
sickness
9. Swadhyaya ( spiritual study) is the study of our scriptures and is a very important
commandment. Many years ago swadhaya was done by every person. It is a daily
ritual known as Brahma yagna. Today people do not give much importance to
spiritual study. Many people think it is meant for intellectuals and those who
want to take to monastic life. At minimum we must study a few verses of the Bhagavad Gita everyday and reflect upon the teaching
10. Iswara
Pranidanam ( surrender to God) is looking upon every experience in our
lives, favorable or unfavorable, as God's will because every experience we
undergo is the result of our past actions. This is called karma-phalam and can be pleasure or pain. Behind every karma-phalam is the law of karma and
behind the law of karma is the Lord. The Lord is invisible, the law of karma is
invisible but when the Lord and the law of karma function, the result is a
tangible experience. So we accept every experience without resistance. And the
mind is free of negative emotions and thoughts. This acceptance is calledIswara Pranidhanam or saranagati. An inability or unwillingness to do so
will produce unhealthy thoughts in the mind and lead to bitterness, anger,
frustration, hatred etc.
For the 11th 12th
months
The aspirant must strive to give up
one bad habit- be it smoking or losing one's temper. Again, we can start from
gross, physical habits and proceed to subtler weaknesses. During this month you
can study the sixteenth chapter of the Bhagavad Gita where Krishna
discusses the negative qualities of a person and how it can be
modified
During this month you must try to
cultivate a good habit that you would like to have. If you have the habit of
criticizing others you may want to develop the practice of giving praise where
it is due.
Incase of a doubt regarding what habits
or attributes to focus on, you may again refer to the sixteenth chapter of the
Bhagavad-Gita where Krishna discusses divine traits otherwise called Dhaivi
Sampath or positive attributes
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