Need for an Alternative

Need for an Alternative for humanity


by Shri A Nagraj






Dear friends, fellow human beings,


Ecologically unbalanced Earth is fast becoming unlivable for mankind. Pollution, rising temperatures, melting glaciers, vanishing bio-diversity, changing weather-patterns, shrinking natural-resources etc are evident now. If our dependency on fossil fuels and nuclear materials does not end, we shall perish together.We call this the environment problem.

Meanwhile, every sect and creed is insecure of each other and within. Sectarianism, divisiveness and strife is on the rise leading to increased social unrest and violence. Fundamentalist ideologies are leading to religious intolerance and terrorism. Our tools of war are now large scale, threatening millions of us at the same time and our excuses for war have become economic, ideology and pride (control) driven.We call this the geo-political problem.

Large percentages of the population are denied, and forced to struggle for physical survival. With exploitation at its center, we seem unable to resolve the conflict between wanting the right to wealth and material goods to those that work for, or have the opportunity to have them on the one hand, and ensuring the rightful opportunity for every family to fulfill its material needs for survival on the other.
We call this the economic problem.

People are getting estranged from each other. Relationships are in turmoil. Our family and social lives are being increasingly unsettled. We are becoming strangers to each other. There is discrimination on the basis of caste, class, gender & wealth. Our current way of life seems to be tearing apart our families. This is an issue of relationship. We call this the social problem.

The cosmos seems to be in chaos. Reality seems to have become constricted. There is scope for both definiteness and indefiniteness. Man is a stranger to his own self. He is still a mystery. The answers to his fundamental questions remain incomplete.We call this the existential problem.

In the midst of, and around all this, has been the rapid progress of science and technology - in understanding and transforming the physical reality around us: equipping us with the means and tools that affect our daily lives, our relationships, the environment, our health, our physical comfort, our social interactions, our wars and our efforts for peace. Our lives have become meaningless and mundane and we seem to be chasing some goal that does not seem to clarify itself. We ignore our relationships, and educate our children to grow up & become robots that earn money mindless of everything else. We are verily, becoming the ghost in the machine.

We have yet to coin a term for this problem.
Mankind has reached a deadlock for these situations. Even as we 'progress' and improve in some areas, we seem to be getting more and more embroiled in problems at larger levels. Our problems seem to be merely shifting around. No clear answers or resolution seems to be available.
Why have we come to be this way? Why is that some of us want peace, while some want war? Why are some concerned about the environment and some not? Why do some want profit at any cost, while other stress on material equality? Why do some intuitively sense that existence is in harmony, while others feel it is basically chaotic? What do we want? Do we want chaos, or do we want harmony? Can have what we want? Is there a possibility of harmony in existence? How is this to be known? How this to be had? Is it even possible to know? Or, are we going to keep groping forever? Doomed? In that, "this is the fate of mankind"? Why are some tortured by the need to know? Why is it that some are bothered about these issues while others don't seem to care?
The long history of mankind has seen numerous attempts to tackle these issues. Numerous ideologies & schools of thought have been put forth to date, while various social experiments have been carried out, all to varying success - in addressing our fundamental issues.
Man has also tried to demystify his own self and his living, understand and explain the larger existence in which he lives and make sense of it. While the era of pre-scientific thought ended in secrecy/mysticism and overlooked the use of logic & reason; the scientific method founded on logic & reason; on observable, verifiable proof has enabled understanding certain dimensions of the physical world. This has also led to improvements in our physical comfort by means of technology. However, the fundamental questions about man and Existence (Existence: all that exists) itself still remain unanswered. Mans condition remains unresolved.
There is a need to solve our problems:

• Humans want to be free from crimes - on the earth and on each other.
• Humans want to be free from the walls that divide them
• Humans want to be free from illusion/living with incomplete understanding

We need answers to our questions.
We need a resolution to our problems.
Out of all the problems we have, the environment problem is the one that threatens our existence the most. There is an urgent need to solve it.
We must shake ourselves out of this slumber - before it is too late.

Madhyasth Darshan Sah-astitvavaad: Overview of the Alternative
Do you think the issues we elaborated earlier are linked? Or are they isolated? On careful consideration, it turns out these issues are inter-related. And at the centre of it all, there is man. The human being.
The problems/issues in society and the larger world are somehow tied to our larger questions about ourselves, our purpose of life - the very nature of the human being & Existence. This is currently seen as something that cannot be defined or understood, something that is subjective, an 'opinion' at best. This has led a vast majority of us to believe that no answers are even possible, or that any such answers would at best be a belief system.
Mans 'need to know' and 'resolve his living on this planet', 'to know what to do with himself' and 'fulfill his objectives' however remain to be fulfilled and it remains to be established as to what correlation there exists between

• mans need to know and.
• human conduct or character ('humanness') and.
• human living in various dimensions and..
• man and nature: what nature and existence are like, and mans relationship with it and.
• human problems at multiple levels and.
• mans need for happiness and.

Knowledge itself, Wisdom itself, Science itself, Human Conduct itself, Happiness itself, Human organization itself, Human tradition itself, Existence itself - all remain to be properly understood.
Madhyasth-Darshan is an "Alternative" proposal before mankind - which has propositions for such understanding.
It has the resolution for the issues/deadlocks faced by human beings, a resolution for human problems. This proposal is not linked to any past ideologies, schools of thought or belief-systems known to mankind. It has the human being at the centre and existence as its basis. (astitva moolak manav kendrit chintan) Madhyasth Darshan (or Jeevan Vidya) is an existence based human centric 'darshan' (Darshan = direct insight into/realization/understanding of reality).

It has a resolution for the issues/problems faced by mankind in his 6 levels of living viz:

• in the Self,
• with the Body,
• with Family,
• with Society,
• with Nature and
• in Existence (Existence - All that IS).

i.e. it proposes that there actually is an existential harmony between the 6 levels outlined above.
It proposes that there actually is a harmony in the 4 dimensions of human existence:

• Realization (knowledge)
• Thought
• Behavior
• Work

According to Madhyasth Darshan - A human-being is the knower in existence. Entire existence expressing itself as coexistence is study-able for the human-being as the object for knowing. This itself is wisdom of Darshan.

Madhyasth Darshan is shared in the form of proposals and expects every person to rigorously self-verify the veracity of what is being stated. Taking it as a 'belief' or something to be 'followed' defeats its very purpose, its very objective, its very foundation. The objective is to have the understanding in ones own right.

* Until such time that we are able to 'see' these meanings ourselves, verify the proposals ourselves, have the understanding ourselves, all the material provided here remains information, and hence a proposal. Hence, for the reader any claim made by Jeevan Vidya remains just that - a claim, a viewpoint, or 'yet another viewpoint'. This is fully understood. Hence, the request for sincere consideration and thought - before you reach any conclusions - as mentioned, the 7 day workshop is probably the best starting point. i.e. this information is not sufficient in itself. It needs a human being to explain it. Communication of knowledge is only possible from one human to the other. The rest is information, technique and skills.

Scope

• It opens up the possibility to understand the human being (conscious and physical aspects)
• It opens the possibility to understand the world/existence around man
• It has proposals for human conduct, human constitution, human culture and human organization.
  
  
  • Relationship with other humans in the form of 'behavior'
  • Relationship with the rest of nature in the form of 'work'.
• It thus opens up the possibility for a just and humane order

On the basis of the above a resolution for the following deadlock becomes possible

• Climate-Change (Ecological Problem)
• Communal-Divisiveness (walls between human beings)
• Criminal-Mentality

Objective of Jeevan Vidya:

• Qualitative-improvement from animal-consciousness to human-consciousness in humankind by means of value-education
• Realizing humane-conduct in humankind
• Realizing undivided-society and universal-orderliness - along with omni-dimensional solution and prosperity.

Essentially, work to ensure the human target:

• Resolution in every individual (happiness)
• Prosperity in every family
• Trust in Society
• Co-existence with nature, with existence.

The following systems would be needed to ensure the fulfillment of the above human 4 objectives/human target:

• Education-Right values
  
  
  • Consciousness development based value education to ensure right understanding
• Health-Discipline
  
  
  • For nurturing and maintaining the body
• Production-Work
  
  
  • For maintenance and enrichment of the family (producing in line with principles in nature- i.e. using alternative sources of energy like solar, wind, water)
• Exchange-Storage
  
  
  • For maintenance and enrichment of the community (based on mutual fulfillment and not exploitation)
• Justice-Security
  
  
  • For maintenance and enrichment of the entire Nature (co-existence with nature)

The above is made possible via:

• Existentially resolving the conflict (identifying the harmony) between
  
  
  • the 4 dimensions (thought, behavior, work, realization).
  • and 6 levels of living (self, body, family, society, nature, existence)
• Identification of 'humanness' as it is, in existence, as:
  
  
  • Knowledge (gyaan)
  • Wisdom (vivek)
  • Science (vigyaan)

Investigation reveals that Madhyasth Darshan is

• Universal: for all space, time and individuals
• Natural for humans, nature and existence. i.e. it can be understood by every human, lived by every human, and gives self assurance and satisfaction in all dimensions of human living
• There is a provision in existence for its fulfillment

Madhyasth Darshan has come about by an "Alternative Way" and is being put forth as an Alternative to the proposals available with mankind.

Notes
Jeevan Vidya (Madhyasth Darshan).

• Is not a retro-fitment or re-fitment of existing human knowledge systems to achieve a 'new combination' - it has come about in an Alternative way.
  
  
  • Is not linked to any past ideology, belief system or religion
• Is not affiliated or limited to any caste, creed, religion, sect, gender, geography (space) or time.
• Does not talk of "Do's & Don'ts": Is not something to be 'learned' and 'followed' - but to be studied and 'understood'. If we 'understand' reality, it comes in our living.
• Is not an organization or a Not for Profit (NGO). It is the name for a set of proposals. There is no channeling of, or any interest in channeling money.
• Has no 'central organization'

* Concluding lines from "the Alternative" (Vikalp) by Shri A Nagraj Sharma (original in hindi, English translation by Rakesh Gupta)

The need for 'The Alternative' has become urgent due to Global Warming - that has raised a serious question-mark on whether human-race itself would be able to survive on Earth or not. Global Warming - an indicator of imbalance in Earth's eco-system - is result of humankind's living in animal-consciousness by ruthless exploitation of Earth for greed.
The need for 'The Alternative' has become urgent due to imaginary walls of mine versus not-mine between peoples having become higher than ever in human history. This is reflected as conflicts, revolts, exploitation, and wars - in various forms all over world. Absence of trust between peoples is result of humankind's living in animal-consciousness.
The need for 'The Alternative' has become urgent due to criminality having spread in every dimension of human-living. Present education-systems are unknowingly propagating this mindset of criminality. There is a need to incorporate consciousness-development and value-education in education-systems all over world.
The need has come to build a Humane-Society - that is free of imaginary walls of mine and not-mine, which is free of hatred, and which is free of criminality against nature and against other humans. The need has come to build humane-orderliness - that realizes human-consciousness.
Madhyasth Darshan can fulfill these needs. This proposal is not a continuation of any of the past ideologies of history. I have answers to any questions based on this presented information for taking decisions for constructive purposes.
A Nagraj Sharma,
Originator - Madhyasth Darshan Saha-Astitva-Vad
Divya Path Sansthan,
Bhajanashram, Amarkantak,
Distt Shahdol
Madhya Pradesh, INDIA


For Whom does it apply? We see that people today fall in one of 3 categories:

• "The knowers":
  
  
  • Those that are in pursuit of knowledge. Feel that they have knowledge/right understanding. There is the possibility to find out whether knowledge is indeed esoteric and secret or whether it can be told, expressed. Whether such knowledge denies or ignores certain dimensions of existence we live with or whether it includes all such dimensions. Whether such knowledge manifests in living and resolves human problems. Whether the expression of knowledge is logically consistent. Whether such knowledge can be communicated, and on communication, understood by the listener and lived.
• "The scientists"
  
  
  • Those that are involved in the scientific method. There is the possibility to understand the formless dimensions of physical reality in addition to its formful dimensions, to understand the nature of consciousness, to resolve many issues faced right now. Resolve intuition and logic/reason, understand the linkages between physical reality and human living.
• "The rest"
  
  
  • Those that are neither of the above. That have daily problems.

And ofcourse, there will be many that are a combination of the above! And those in 1 & 2 will also have the issues in 3!
Madhyasth Darshan essentially concerns a human being. i.e. an entity that thinks, desires, is curious, inquisitive, wants knowledge, is striving for perfection: wants happiness, i.e. when we talk of the human being, the 3 categories above: 'knowers', 'scientists' and the 'the reat' collapse together into one.
Method of sharing: 'shivirs' or workshops

The information on Madhyasth Darshan is being shared by means of seven day long workshops conducted at various places . Jeevan Vidya is presented in the form of propositions, that are expected to be rigorously self-examined by the listener. The whole objective is to get beyond assumptions/faith/beliefs and perceptions to knowing in ones own right. Through the process of studying directly in existence (Hindi: adhyayan prakriya) Jeevan Vidya helps us understand the basic nature of all entities. The participants are requested to evaluate these propositions on their own right (Hindi: adhikaar) without taking any recourse to past beliefs/conditioning (Hindi: manyata). The whole workshop is conducted in the form of a dialogue where the basic nature of, and issues in, the self, the body, family (human relationships), society, nature and existence are explored and their inter-relationships are explored. Multi-dimensional contemporary issues, from the seemingly mundane to the supposedly profound are investigated into. Whether or not to accept what is being stated is completely unto the participants - the objective being to enable the person to 'verify' the veracity of the proposals within themselves - and not to convince. If a participants ends up assuming what is being as stated as true, the objective is lost. There are no fees for the workshops, and the boarding and lodging costs are usually managed by the participants themselves.

Why this Blog

Why would we want to share this? - Simply because we feel what we have to share is valuable to other humans and it becomes our responsibility to share - it gives us satisfaction. It is in line with our objectives in life.
From our own experience, it is now clear that knowledge is not esoteric and in-expressible, it is not the domain or the right of the 'few': it can be transferred from one human to another. This knowledge-transfer requires Communication. Language is the most potent means of communication between humans. Information is the first step towards Knowledge. The objective of this website is to make this information to those that are interested in such a possibility, to humanity in general.
The capacity of language itself is tested in carrying this message. The words and language-constructs we use have a strong influence of past ideologies. One option would have been to construct a new language - and the other, to redefine words in prevalent languages. The propounder chose the latter - and presented his accomplishment in the Hindi language by giving definitions to 'tat-sam^[1]' words in it. These definitions connect words in the Madhyasth Darshan literature to Realities in Existence - which he experienced, and realizes.
^[1] Tat-sam words are those which have been incorporated in Hindi without modification from the Sanskrit language.
It is hoped that you will internalize the presented information - using your own good reason.
Experience so far It has been over 25 years since the information on this finding, this "Alternative" has been shared with people, primarily in India as of now. The basic work has now been presented in the form of over 13 books by its originator. These are in the Hindi language. The work of bringing the basic literature into English is underway. The workshops are also now conducted in English.
Over the past few years, people from all walks of life have attended workshops on Jeevan Vidya and many are now seriously studying it. These include academicians, social activists, housewives, students (of all age groups), social workers, scientists, working professionals, psychologists, doctors, politicians, bureaucrats, farmers, carpenters, tribals etc. It has now now become part of the curriculum in a number of technical institutes and efforts are on to take this to other levels and areas of education. National Institute of Technology (NIT) Raipur and more than a dozen institutions from Chattisgarh are incorporating Jeevan Vidya into Education. Itis also in the process of adoption as an accompanying reader for Classes 1 to 5 in the state if Chattisgarh. Jeevan-Vidya has now become a part of the curriculum at IIIT, Hyderabad. It is also active in IIT Delhi, IIT Kanpur, KJ Somaiya Group of Institutes (Mumbai) and Society of Integrated Development of Himalayas (SIDH), Mussoorie. People from each of these places have very encouraging results to share.
On the personal front, a number of people engaged in studying this proposal are finding that they are able to resolve their long-standing questions, have these answers for themselves and are finding that once understood, knowledge automatically manifests in living, leading to resolution in the 6 levels and 4 dimensions of human living.
Questions for you, the reader Do you have a proposal for the resolution of the human condition on earth? Is there anyway in which the multitude of problems in various dimensions of human existence can be resolved? Do you think there is an alternative to the current scheme of things?
In other words;

• Is there a resolution to our current problems by way of ideologies?
• Is there a resolution to our current problems by means of science?
• Is there a resolution to our current problems by means of technology?
• Is there a resolution to our current problems by way of theology?
• Is there a resolution to our current problems by way of spirituality?
• Is there a resolution to our current problems by way of sociology?

If you think there is, it is welcome ! We would be happy to engage with you in a dialogue...
If not, we invite you to consider Madhyasth Darshan as an Alternative. We trust you shall study and evaluate this proposal using your sincerity and good reason. Would you like to get into its details?
The Person Madhyasth Darshan or Jeevan Vidya has been propounded by Shri A. Nagraj Sharma of Amarkantak, Madhya Pradesh, India. He is 89 years old and lives there with his wife, children and grandchildren. The entire work is a culmination of research in inquest he undertook - to find answers to questions that bothered him. On realizing (discovering) these answers directly in existence after 25 years of rigorous internal quest (Hindi: sadhana) at Amarkantak, he found fulfillment within himself. Recognizing that what he had obtained was something that was the property of the entire human race, is needed by the entire human race, he then felt the need and usefulness to share this information with others - which is when the literature consisting of 13 books and the workshops (hindi: shivir) came about.
All his energies are now channeled into ensuring that maximum number of peoples can have this understanding/knowledge. The objective is replicate this understanding in others, just as a seed keeps replicating into a tree. He continues to earn his own living at this age - by means of Ayurvedic (Ayurveda: Indian Medicinal System) practice in which he is an expert.
Definitions of words used

• 'Jeevan Vidya' [English: Jeevan - Self; Vidya - Knowledge] is the name of the program to take this information of Madhyasth Darshan to people. Jeevan is the name given for the Conscious Self. Vidya means to know, 'Vid' means that which holds knowledge.
• It is also called 'Sah-Astitva-vaad' [Co-Existentialist Thought] or
• 'Astitva Moolak Manav Kendrit Chintan' [English: Existence based Human Centric Thought Chintan]
• Madhyasth means Mediating. Darshan means Insight (of reality - direct understanding of reality or knowledge).