Balance Existence For Balance Existence For Excellence And EffectivenessExcellence And Effectiveness

Dr P. GovindarajanDr P. Govindarajan

Associate Director Associate Director

PwC ChennaiPwC Chennai

Individual

Family

Society

Body

Mind & Intellect

Soul

Balanced Existence for Balanced Existence for ExcellenceExcellence

Culture is what is seen outside :

The Trunk, leaves , flowers and fruits

Ethos are the roots

INDIAN ETHOS

Aim of Indian Ethos:

To find out if India has a

distinctive note to play in

the world orchestra - not to

decry the scientific and

technological developments

made through western influence.

Indian Ethos

Aim of Indian Ethos:

• To discover unity in diversity -

universal values in diverse cultures

of nations.

• Indian Ethos is about 5000 years old,

according to the Westerners.

According to us, it is Anaadhi.

Indian Ethos

Western Civilization is based on the Greek

Model. It evolved in cities which were walled

in by forts and surrounded by moats.

Art of Greek - as close to reality as possible.

Idealising the real is their goal.

Indian Ethos

Indian Civilization evolved around riverbeds - in tune

with nature.

Indian Art - the goal is realising the ideal.

Indian Ethos

Western Civilization - Outward, objective and

aggressive.

Example: Colonisation - Subjugation of Nature.

East Asian / Chinese Civilization - Sideward,

mutual and harmonious.

Example: Gunpowder was developed in China &

it was not put to destructive use by them.

Indian Ethos

Indian Civilization: Inward, subjective and

autonomy.

Example: Balanced existence and Self-

realisation.

Indian Ethos

Transcendental Spiritual Values

Individual Human Values

Dharma, Arth, Kama & Moksh

Indian Ethos

Dharma – Disciplined life - good for himself and others

Arth – Wealth Kama – Desire

Moksh – Liberation

Doctrine of Karma

1) As a deterrent for wrong acts

2) As a incentive for good acts

The theory of karma keeps our consciousness

alive.

Indian Ethos

Doctrine of Karma

1. An effect in the present must have had a cause in the past - smoke presupposes fire - vedanta.

2. A cause in the present is bound to produce an effect in the future.

3. Like Cause, like effect.

Indian Ethos

Doctrine of Karma

4. The effect returns to the source of the cause.

5. Every cause will produce its own effect, there is no mutual cancellation.

6. The above set of laws is applicable as much in the case of an individual as in a family, society, the organisation and nations at large.

Indian Ethos

Five - fold debts (RIN)

1. Deva rin - debt to god

2. Rishi rin - debt to Rishis or Sages or Saints.

3. Pitri rin - debt to parents

4. Nri rin - debt to Humanity at large or society.

5. Bhuta rin - debt to Sub-human living species.

Indian Ethos

From Supra - Human to Sub-Human, we are indebted.

We are a debtor par excellence.

How to repay our debts ?

1. Sub-human level - caring

2. Society - charitable in thought, deed and caring.

3. Parents - Love and Service.

Indian Ethos

4. Rishi/Guru - repectful study and practise.

5. God - Surrender and work.

Indian Ethos

Indian Ethos

The need to go beyond the Karma theory

Ego is edging god out and putting I inside

Actions with ego result in Karma

We accumulate papa and punya

Papa is like an iron chain and punya a golden chain. Both bind us here.

Spirituality says we have to transcend both papa and punya

Indian Ethos

We have to be in constant remembrance of Him to get away from the Papa and Punya.

For this, we need the guidance of a Guru.

Gu means ignorance.

Ru means remover.

The Guru removes our ignorance and puts us on the divine path

Guru

Swami Vivekananda

He knows and he knows he knows, he is a leader - follow him.

He knows and he knows not he knows, he is sleeping - wake him.

He knows not and he knows he knows not, he is a child - teach him

He knows not and he knows not he knows not, he is a fool - shun him

Indian Ethos

We trace our ancestry to our Rishis - Gothrams.

Indian Model of Leader - Rajarishi.

Example: Raja Janak

He was secular and balanced.

Indian Ethos

Indian Ethos

How to identify the Guru?

If we sit by fire, we feel warmth

If we sit by ice, we feel chillness

If we meditate under the guidance of a Guru of caliber, we should feel the divinity in us.

Guru

Four questions which provide a basic framework for assessing possible ways of resolving an ethical dilemma

(1) Which course of action will do the most good and least harm? (Mill - Consequences)

(2) Which alternative best serves others’ rights? (Jefferson – Rights)

(3) What plan can I live with, which is consistent with basic values? (Aristotle – Integrity)

(4) Which course of action is feasible in the world as it is? (Machiavelli – Practicality)

WESTERN VIEW OF ETHICS

Level 1 : Stage 1 : Child – punishment and obedience orientation

Level 1 : Stage 2 : Child - right actions that satisfy the childs own needs. The child is now aware that others have needs and desires similar to his or her own.

Level 2 : Stage 3 : Loyalty to one’s own family, peer group. The person is motivated to conform to group’s norms and subordinates the needs of the individual to those of the groups.

Level 3 : Stage 4 : The person questions the law and values that society has adopted and redefines them in terms of self-chosen universal moral values.

The proper laws and values are those to which any reasonable person would be motivated to commit himself, whatever place the person holds in society and whatever society he belongs to.

LAWRENCE KOHLBERGS SIX STAGES OF MORAL DEVELOPMENT

Level 3 : Stage 5 – The person believes that all values and norms are relative and that apart from democratic consensus, all should be tolerated.

Level 3 : Stage 6 - Right action is defined in terms of universal principles, chosen because of their logical comprehensiveness, their universality and their consistency.

These ethical principles are not concrete like the ten commandments but abstract universal principles dealing with justice, society’s welfare, equality of human rights and respect for the dignity of the individual human beings.

According to Kohlberg, these six stages are sequential.

The study of ethics should enable the individual to acquire the more critical understanding of right and wrong and moral development.

Total SatisfactionTotal Satisfaction

• What we have is What we have is Life’s gift to usLife’s gift to us

• What we do, with What we do, with what we have, is –what we have, is –

• our gift to Life!our gift to Life!

Proficiency: What we HaveProficiency: What we Have

• SkillsSkills

• TalentsTalents

• KnowledgeKnowledge

• QualificationQualification

• Healthy emotionsHealthy emotions

Efficiency: What we GiveEfficiency: What we Give

• PerformancePerformance

• EffectivenessEffectiveness

• ResultsResults

• Touching the Touching the others’ heartsothers’ hearts

Fulfillment: our ChoiceFulfillment: our Choice

• More years in our More years in our life?life?

• More life in our More life in our years?years?

Three ObstaclesThree Obstacles

• Inertia, lazinessInertia, laziness

• Mind runs away Mind runs away into the past or into the past or futurefuture

• Resistance to team Resistance to team workwork

Inertia: Two KindsInertia: Two Kinds

• Not movingNot moving

• Moving in groovesMoving in grooves

Habits die hard!

Well Begun Is Half DoneWell Begun Is Half Done• Arise, awakeArise, awake

• Arouse, Arouse, awakenawaken

• Do important Do important things firstthings first

• Give timely Give timely directionsdirections

Inspiration and PerspirationInspiration and Perspiration

• Satsangatve Satsangatve nissangatvamnissangatvam: : Inspiration Inspiration removes inertiaremoves inertia

• Uddharet Uddharet aatmanaa aatmanaa aatmaanamaatmaanam: we : we are our best friendare our best friend

Time Is PreciousTime Is Precious

• Fruits of labour are Fruits of labour are sweeter than the sweeter than the rewards of fortune.rewards of fortune.

• Laghu-moolam Laghu-moolam mahodayam: Give mahodayam: Give importance to importance to importance, not to importance, not to urgencyurgency

Mind in BalanceMind in Balance

• Yesterday is historyYesterday is history

• Tomorrow is Tomorrow is mysterymystery

• Today is life’s Today is life’s “present” to us“present” to us

The Flight of a BirdThe Flight of a Bird

• Let the past leave Let the past leave no scars on our no scars on our heartheart

• No footprints on airNo footprints on air

Be EfficientBe Efficient

• Through team workThrough team work

• Empower, but Empower, but monitormonitor

• Train peopleTrain people

• Share workShare work

• Share gloriesShare glories

• Act, achieve:Act, achieve:

karma jyaayo hi akarmanahkarma jyaayo hi akarmanah

• Be in the present momentBe in the present moment

yudhyasva vigata-jvarahyudhyasva vigata-jvarah

• Think ‘we’: Think ‘we’:

sangham sharanam gacchaamisangham sharanam gacchaami

Observance of at least some of the ten maxims like essentials of good behaviour, good brotherliness and sisterliness among abhyasis and not to harm or hurt others by talk or by deed are part of normal daily ethical practice.

MINIMUM REQUIREMENT

Ten Maxims of Sahaj Marg

(1) Rise before dawn. Offer your prayer and puja at a fixed hour, preferably before sunrise, sitting in one and the same pose. Have a separate place and seat for worship. Purity of body and mind should be specially adhered to.

One of the Niyamas of Sage Patanjali is Saucham which talks of cleanliness.

Practicing this Maxim makes us disciplined in our habits. This discipline comes from within and is not imposed from outside.

Ten Maxims of Sahaj Marg

(2)Begin your puja with a prayer for spiritual elevation, with a heart-full of love and devotion.

(3)Fix-up your goal which should be complete oneness with God. Rest not till the ideal is achieved.

Sage Patanjali’s Niyamas tapah, swadhyaya and iswara prani dhaanam and yama brahmacharyam (Meditation, self-study about one-self and devotion and surrender to God without any expectation and to remain in the constant remembrance of the brahman).

Practicing the above Maxims leads us to our goal.

Three levels of discipline:

(1) Discipline for mutual understanding (like we have grammar in language)

(2) Discipline for mutual protection

(3)Discipline which we formulate for ourselves which we obey by ourselves, not subjugated to any external authority.

When we are alone, behaving as if we are being watched by everyone else.

4. Be plain and simple to be identical with nature.

Sage Patanjali’s yama astheya – non stealing and aparigraha – non-covetousness

5. Be truthful. Take miseries as Divine Blessings for your own good and be thankful.

Sage Patanjali’s yama sathya

Exceptions (1) to save life (2) to save honour of a woman

6. Know all people as thy brethren and treat them as such.

7. Be not revengeful for the wrongs done by others. Take them with gratitude as heavenly gifts.

Sage Patanjali’s yama - ahimsa

8. Be happy to eat in constant divine thoughts whatever you get, with due regard to honest and pious earnings.

Sage Patanjali’s Niyama – Santhosham – contentment

Story of bone – gold – desire

Desire only for oneness with God

9. Mould your life so as to arouse a feeling of love and piety in others.

10. At bedtime, feeling the presence of god, repent for the wrongs committed. Beg forgiveness in a supplicant mood, resolving not to allow repetition of the same.

The highest form of ethical practice is to follow One Master practice One Method and have One Mission

We are fortunate to have our Masterour Method andour Mission

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

I am thankful to Rev. Master, Dr Balasubramanian (Br.Kannan), Swami Chidananda, Prof. Chakraborty and Vaijayanthi Govindarajan for providing inputs for this presentation.

Thank YouThank You