The Cave of Wisdom (Part Two)

By Rajesh Nanoo

This Book is the Eversion of my paperback book The Cave Of Wisdom. The paper back book has 725 pages, so i have decided to make this Eversion in three parts for easy reading. This book is the Second version. It contains the gist of mystical teachings from Esoteric Eastern Philosophy and is also blended finely with the very essence of Semitic philosophy that is spread through Christianity, Islam and Judaism. The book has extensive quotes and stories said by various masters like Sri Ramakrishna Paramahamsa, Swami Vivekananda, Ramana Maharishi, Zen and Tao Masters. The book also contains many Upanishad mantras translated by the author. The principal ideologies in Upanishad are mostly discussed in the book.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Rajesh Nanoo
• Release date: May 22, 2015
• ISBN: 9781310475450

Rajesh Nanoo

Rajesh Nanoo. Born and Bought up in Kerala/South India.From childhood onwards, I had a deep inclination towards spirituality. After the studies, I was fully engrossed on mastering subtle philosophies (like Vedas, Zen, Sufism, Taoism, Buddhism etc), Semitic philosophy (Judaism, Christianity, Islam etc) and Healing modalities (Reiki, Yoga, Herbalism, Naturopathy). Acquired a Master Degree in alternative medicine and practiced as healer for chronic diseases and also did counseling.This study was completed at the age of 25, so I moved on to Multimedia and learned the fundamentals of computer programming. Soon, I was evolved to don many roles starting with Author, Poet, Column writer, Motivational speaker, Freelance Designer, Art director, Creative director, Script writer and Director.Even after all these metamorphose, unto now, I define myself only as a spiritual person as the greatest power in me is spirituality. It is due to the spiritual power, I could evolve to many roles. Just like the water when poured into different vessels or glasses gets a particular shape, similarly my writings, designs and film making transitioned from spirituality to that particular format. In every work I did, from creativity to healing, this spiritual undercurrent can be clearly traced. Due to this mentality I do every work, not as a work but as worship, with utmost sincerity, hard working and deep focus.Interests & Passions - Social networking, blogging, microblogging, networking, music designing, reading, researching, analyzing and watching moviesAchievements in Creative Field :My columns and books were published by the top most publishers of that area.Scripted for Malayalam Feature FilmWritten and Directed two english short films and an animation short film

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About the Author

From childhood onwards, I had a deep inclination towards spirituality. After the studies, I was fully engrossed on mastering subtle philosophies (like Vedas, Zen, Sufism, Taoism, Buddhism etc), Semitic philosophy (Judaism, Christianity, Islam etc) and Healing modalities (Reiki, Yoga, Herbalism, Naturopathy).

This study was completed at the age of 25, so I moved on to Multimedia and learned the fundamentals of computer programming. Soon, I was evolved to don many roles starting with Author, Poet, Column writer, Motivational speaker, Freelance Designer, Art director, Creative director, Scriptwriter and Director.

Even after all these metamorphose, unto now, I define myself only as a spiritual person as the greatest power in me is spirituality. It is due to the spiritual power, I could evolve to many roles. Just like the water when poured into different vessels or glasses gets a particular shape, similarly my writings, designs and filmmaking transitioned from spirituality to that particular format. In every work I did, from creativity to healing, this spiritual undercurrent can be clearly traced.

Rajesh Nanoo

Revathy

Ayyankavu Temple Road

Irinjalakuda (Post Office)

Thrissur District

Kerala, India

Pin code- 680121

Website – rajeshnanoo.com

Email - [e-mail]

Whats App/Viber – 0091-9895-369-280

Oh Divine Agni,

Thou know everything I did,

Guide me, to prosperous path

Disdain my sinful deeds.

Oh Divine Agni,

Here is my, numerous adoration

Ishawasya Upanishad

One

Inner Dialogues

1. the submission - in the islamic way

Who can be better in religion

than one who submits his whole

self to Allah, does good, and

follows the way of Abraham the

true in Faith? For Allah did take

Abraham for a friend.

Quran

All religions emphasize on submitting to God, this is also termed as an advanced state. Obviously the question that lingers is, how to submit? If you are submitting your will to God then without any sorts of complaining you should take good, bad, evil, kindness, cruelty, everything as the blessing of God. Only this can be called submitting. There is a story said by Sri Ramakrishna on this regard.

There was a monastery in a certain place. The monks residing there go to beg their food. One day a monk, while out for his alms saw a landlord beating a man mercilessly. The compassionate monk stepped in and asked the landlord to stop. But the landlord, filled with anger, turned his wrath against the innocent monk. He beat the monk till monk fell unconscious. Someone reported the matter to the monastery.

The monks ran to the spot and found their leader lying in ground. They carried him back to monastery and laid him on a bed. He was still unconscious. The monks sat around him, sad at heart: some were fanning him. Finally someone suggested that he should be given a little milk. When milk was poured into his mouth he regained consciousness. He opened his eyes and looked around. One of the monks said, let us see whether he is fully conscious and able to recognize us. Shouting into his ear he said, revered sir, who is giving you milk? ‘Brother’ replied the holy man in a low voice: He who beat me is now giving me milk.

Every incident that happens in life either good or bad should be reckoned as ‘good’ and should also climb down from the complaint box. Every one accepts fate but the difference between the submitted person and other person is, the submitted person accepts everything without complaints while the later accept it by lamenting. The events may be that of evil nature or good nature but submitted person take both in the same sprit like the story said by Sri Ramakrishna.

In a certain village there lived a very pious weaver. Everyone loved and trusted him. The weaver used to go to the market to sell his cloths. If a customer asked the price of a piece of cloth, he would say: By the will of Ram a, the yarn costs one rupee; by the will of Rama, the labor costs four Paisa; by the will of Rama, the profit is two Paisa; by the will of Rama the price of the cloth as it stands is one rupee and six Paisa. People used to have such confidence in him that they would immediately pay the price and take the cloth. The man was a true devotee. At night after supper he would sit for a long time and meditate on God and repeat His holy ‘name.’ 

Once it was late in the night. The weaver hid not yet gone to sleep. He was sitting alone in the courtyard near the entrance, smoking. A gang of robbers was passing that way. They wanted a porter and seeing this man, they dragged him away with them. Then they broke into a house and stole a great many things, some of which they piled on the poor weaver’s head. At this moment the watchman came.

The robbers at once ran away, but the poor weaver was caught with his load. He had to spend that night in confinement. Next morning he was brought before the magistrate. The people of the village, hearing what had happened, came to see the weaver. They unanimously declared, Your Honor, this man is incapable of stealing anything. The magistrate then asked the weaver to describe what had occurred. The weaver said: Your Honor, by the will of Rama, I was sitting in the courtyard. By the will of Rama, it was very late in the night. By the will of Rama, I was meditating upon God and repeating His holy ‘name.’ By the will of Rama, a band of robbers passed that way. By the will of Rama, they dragged me away with them. By the will of Rama, they broke into a house. By the will of Rama, they piled a load on my head. By the will of Rama, I was caught. Then by the will of Rama, I was kept in prison and this morning I am brought before your Honor. The magistrate, seeing the innocence and spirituality of the man, ordered him to be acquitted. Coming out, the weaver said to his friends, "By the will of Rama, I have been released.

What is the moral of this story? The tailor in his good, bad, or on all occasions said "by the grace of God" all things happened. He didn’t differentiate good incidents and bad incidents but took all incidents in the same viewpoint as the grace of God. He cannot see anything that was not gift from God that is why there is no differentiation. We should also follow this example. Shoulder good and bad things as the grace of God without making even small a remark, ‘Oh God why you did this to me’. This attitude is called submitting.

The reward for submission is, it ends up all fears. When the submitter sees everything as God, then what sought of fears he could have? For him every face is his beloved face, in every situation he sees only his beloved face and that face is the most pleasant, then how can fear tiptoe in? Only submitter is fearless, everyone else is enmeshed in fear, because others fear the nature that may unfold.

This very idea of good and bad things makes him panic when they start to flow in the future. Can we say this? When something good happens ‘ok good’, when something bad happens ‘ok good’. If you can honestly say it in that way then you are fearless, otherwise not. The underline message of this Quran verse is similar. Whoever submits His whole self to Allah and is a doer of good, - He will get his reward with his Lord; on such shall be no fear, nor shall they grieve"

The submitter never perceives him as a great person, nor he perceives others as extraordinary. He has the insight that, where ever there is an exhibition of talent it is because of the blessings (karmic debts) not due to individual greatness. If I am great then it is due to the display of my deeds, if you can do good deeds then you can also be good, hence how can I claim myself great from others when they too have the equal chance to be great? The important thing is, if one person can do something great it means anyone can do it.

There is no monopoly for anyone and anything. We can term someone as great only on that occasion, in which he can do something while none others able to do it. But when there is no exclusive for anyone then how can the claim of great be valid? Not only that, when talents are blessing then how can any individual claim greatness? It is due to some other power you became great and you claim the title of greatness exclusively to thy intellect? How much blasphemy that would be?

Hence whatever praise he begets, it is due to the power behind but people see only individual and declare him great but in reality, great is he who bestowed the power and made him talented. Thus submitter says proudly Thee, the master I am thy instrument.

Similarly a submitter will never have his own will, in all matters he let God to decide. That is why Christ looked at heaven and said ‘let your wish fulfill, not mine’. Muhammad said there is no guarantee that we can meet tomorrow so say by Inshah Allah (God’s grace) we meet tomorrow. There is a story in Mahabharata in connection with this topic.

King Yudhistira the wisest man had four brothers. One day a beggar came to his court and asked money. The king said, come tomorrow, today I am busy. Hearing this beggar went away. His second brother (Bhima) laughed.. He didn’t stop laughing even after some time, so king Yudhistira asked, brother why are you laughing?

Bhima replied- I was thinking about your mighty wisdom! You became a great man because you know future! You know that, tomorrow you will be alive and also you be the king. You will also have these possessions intact as to give charity! Not only that you are sure that beggar will be alive and is in need of money so he will come to you seeking it? Oh!! I have never seen a wise person like you! King rectified his mistake; he called back the beggar and gives him money. It is certain that only God knows about tomorrow, hence the submitter surrender his fate at God’s feet and keep quiet.

There is another story of a child monk in India about God’s kindness.

A child monk (age 10) begs from house to house for food. He came to a house and begged food. The monk was totally unaware about world and people. A little girl (16 age) gave food to him, after that her mother came. The monk asked, mother does your child have any problems?

She said no, why you asked so? The monk said, I saw a small bump in her front I think it is some sort of disease. The mother laughed and said, listen child, it is not bump it is called breast. She is young now later she get married and have kids. At that time her breast will be filled with milk for the kids. The child monk exclaimed Oh! How great is God, he has arranged all things before. So why should I bother of tomorrow?

God is the greatest planner and provider of all things. The thing is, God created all things long before our needs. What we need is patience. Remain patient till it is unfolded for you, whatever that is needed for the submitter will be taken care of. We never understand this and plan things for the future and future does not unravel as per your plans! Woody Allen used to say If you want to make God laugh, tell him about your plans. The submitter comprehends this truth, refrains from planning, remains patient and does his duties well. The Semitic religions too gave importance of being patient. They teach the devotees that God is with the one who has patience.

Submitting bestows humbleness. Lack of egoism is humbleness. How can we cultivate humbleness? When we comprehend the true knowledge that, we are instruments then our egoism disappears. Know that, the Lord covers whatever exists in this ‘changing universe’. Hence is there anything ours? He is the sole owner of the universe. This gratitude brings humility. Swami Vivekananda said; The Lord is the only giver; all the men in the world are only shopkeepers. Get his cheque and it must be honored everywhere. You should be grateful to the world for everything that world has bestowed upon you.

Is it correct to think that everything is happening due to our actions? We can think that, we took the effort and got results so why should we unnecessarily bring a third party and give a great share to him? This is sheer ignorance. Sri Ramakrishna said, Even the leaves moving are because of his will. If every result is the outcome of effort, then there should not be two types of results for the same effort. If the actions yield results then we should get the same results every time, which is not happening. So the real answer is, actions and its result is due to the will of God (Karma), we are only instruments in his hands.

In Bhagavad Gita, Arjuna said I cannot kill any body; Krishna replied you are not needed to kill anybody, I (God) have killed them already, you just perform the action. There is a similar verse in Quran also You did not slay them, but it was Allah Who slew them, and you did not smite when you smote (the enemy), but it was Allah Who smote, and that He might confer upon the believers a good gift from Himself; surely Allah is Hearing, Knowing".

From all these examples know our role. Our role is to just do the duty, take hands off from the result. This knowledge brings humbleness and gratefulness. To become a servant is not at all easy task, because one has to renounce everything in search of God. Quran said:

He, who leaves home

in search of knowledge,

walks in the path of God.

The father, mother and relatives become no more dearer, or no one is more dearer than God. Quran said:

None of you really believes (God)

until he holds me dearer to him than

his father and his son and all mankind’s.

All our love is limited, it is bound in the walls of selfishness and God’s love is unbound and unselfish. As said in Quran, God’s kindness towards his creatures is more than a mother’s towards her baby. Hence love for God should be paramount and be ready to sacrifice anything whatsoever while trekking towards Godward.

If you have the strength to go in this way then I will call you as ‘the servant of God’. Otherwise you are only a devotee. If you want to be a servant of God then you have to give up everything that you felt as precious, because the only thing that is precious is God. The only pleasure is the divine love.

Imagine what we normally call pleasure is really a pleasure? It is coming and going, never sticks on. When it moves out then pleasure become painful. Pain is the real name of pleasure. Pleasure is like a dream or a butterfly. The moment we try to catch it, it flees! I believe that absence of pain can be called as pleasure. If you do not have pain then you are in pleasure. The sense enjoyments cannot be labeled as real pleasure as its nature is very little.

All enjoyments including sex, money making, power and fame is utter waste, because they disappear some day and give everlasting pain. Self-discipline is a must as to avoid pain and pleasure. Wearing bad cloths or eating bad food is not Self-discipline. What is self-discipline? It is ‘lack of desires’. The main battle in which a submitter is engaged is the fierce battle that is fought within, to control desires. Muhammad said:

Truly, my prayer and my service of sacrifice,

my life and my death, are (all) for Allah,

the Cherisher of the Worlds.

That person is wise and reasonable

who control his worldly desires

(like pride, sex, enjoyments, etc.)

and hopes for reward.

And he is an ignorant man

who follows his lustful hunger and

with all this he asks God’s forgiveness.

Hence be independent, raise yourself philosophically, none can help you. In short whomsoever can put his finger in chest and declare this Quran verse, as the way in which he lived in Earth is a submitter.

Truly, Greed is poverty and having no hope

is richness, a man when he has nothing

to hope for, is independent.

The Echo

Buddha -- That which is most needed is a loving heart.

Guru Nanak -- God is not pleased by obstinate penance or

by many religious garbs. He who fashioned the vessel of

the body and poured into it, His ambrosial gifts, will only

be satisfied with man’s love and service.

Jesus Christ -- "Teacher, which is the great commandment

in the law? And he said to him, You shall love the Lord your

God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with

all your mind. This is the great and first commandment."

Judaism -- Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one;

and you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart,

and with all your soul, and with all your might.

Mohammed -- Whoever loves to meet God, God loves to

meet him.

Zoroaster -- As the Fire on the censer consumes sandalwood

so let the Fire burning within you consume your heart with

love for Ahura Mazda.

2. inner light of islam

Explaining first few chapters

of Quran through the light of

Indian philosophy

I don’t think Quran is very much different from Indian philosophy. I have found that both say the same thing, only the styles are different not the essence or aim. I am trying to explain the concept about God, philosophy, master, religion, way and aim. I have seen those key truths in Quran in which I built my life for the last 20 years or so using Vedantic principles.

I am not interpreting Quran according to Vedas; it is not my job to do it and also not at all interested in doing it. To me Quran is similar to Vedas, in larger concepts; there is a faction of alignment. I am explaining Quran in the sense I understood, it can be right or wrong but I think I am right. And at the same time I am saying this also, I am ready to correct them, if someone interpret it differently and more than that- his interpretation should be true.

Firstly, about the concept of God and master: for me master is not different from God and my master is not a personality, it is God itself. I have faith only in one God and there is nothing in this world without him. Ishawasya Upanishad starts with this verse, This universe is entirely that of God and there is nothing ours. I have seen the same concept in Quran also.

And whatever is in the heavens and

whatever is in the earth is Allah’s;

and Allah encompasses all things.

This concept of God is not a personality and truth of everything- It is the light of the universe, it is the light of the sun and it is above our senses mind, and brain. It is also beyond the 3 states, waking, dream and sleep. This Upanishad concept can be found exactly in Quran.

Allah is He besides Whom there is no God,

the Ever living, the Self-subsisting by Whom all subsist;

slumber does not overtake Him nor sleep;

whatever is in the heavens and whatever is in the earth is His;

who is he that can intercede with Him but by His permission?

He knows what is before them and what is behind them,

and they cannot comprehend anything out of His knowledge

except what He pleases, His knowledge extends over the

heavens and the earth, and the preservation of them

both tires Him not, and He is the Most High, the Great.

The concept about Aim: Upanishad explains that the sincere seekers aim is to know God and soaking in worldly pleasure is immaterial. This concept is portrayed beautifully in Quran many times; following Ayah is one example of that.

The love of desires, of women and sons and

hoarded treasures of gold and silver and

well bred horses and cattle and tilth,

is made to seem fair to men;

this is the provision of the life of this world;

and Allah is He with Whom is the good goal (of life).

The concept about the way to reach Godward: Upanishad has said the truth lies in heart, so it should be searched there, so following the heart is one of the major way discussed by the saints. In that path, it is the God that shows the devotee the way and the way will be different for everybody because God knows what will be