The Kybalion, Hindu Philosophy and the Four Maha Vaakyas (Grand Statements)

The other day, I was searching for Aldous Huxley’s writings and chanced upon a century-old school of thought, propounded by Hermus Trismegistus. The philosopher’s preaching, compiled ‘by three initiates’ in a book titled, ‘The Kybalion’, if not for its name, the contents of which, was intriguing enough for many of its similarities with the Hindu philosophy. At least to the extent that I know of.

Rather than being founded on vast internal searching, arguments, experiments and debates with other sects of philosophies and evolving on those foundations over centuries, if not millennia, allowing for constructive mutation, ‘The Kybalion’ was simple, direct, did not show any proof of long evolutionary process and yet resembles Hindu philosophy in more than many ways.

Acknowledging mind-body dualism, belief, subject-object metaphysical relation, prevalence of truth and falsity are few of those. Though, I would not completely term Hindu philosophy a typcial folk psychology, ‘The Kybalion’, which stronly resembles Hindu philosophy, seems founded and to be thriving on it.

One good example of its folk psychological orientation is where it declares that the book and its wisdom would make their appearance in one's life at an appropriated time for the person to receive them. I was reminded of so many occasions in Indian Hindu lives where we were advised to cross-over a hurdle, a misfortune or a loss caused by inexperience and ill-fortitude, as the time was not yet right for us to receive them.

Thus, being a receiver of good wisdom and fortune, henceforth also is a factor of appropriate timing in one's life, widely believed karmic, the basis of Hindu philosophy.

Hindus often undertake committed (to God, of course, by way of prayers) pilgrimage to various temples in India, though not bound by the scriptures to do so. While plans would be afoot to reach a temple shrine, mostly preceded by 40 days’ structured life style, denouncing sex, meat, smoke, liquour, comforts (even soft beds, hot water and three meals – only two are allowed and not to forget the non-usage of footwear!) and daily congregational prayers in the evenings, few may not make it to the pilgrimage, owing to many unavoidable reasons.

“The time to make the pilgrimage and be THERE to receive His blessings has not yet come”, would be the consoling words given by elders.

Receiving good wisdom, good companionship and mental peace and satisfaction, usually are connected to an appropriate divine timing, usually out of bounds for human beings' control or manoeveuring.

Comparing Hindu Philosophical Components to The Kybalion

Samkhya, the oldest of many philosophical systems of Hinduism, is a dualistic philosophy between the soul and matter, as against the Kybalion, which advocates the dualism between mind and the body. Atman, the soul, is different from mind, by its characteristics which state that atman is the absolute reality which is all-pervasive, eternal, indivisible, attributeless and the pure consciousness. It is non-matter and is beyond intellect.

Hence Hindu philosophical tenets are founded on the acceptance of atman’s existence – Jeevaatma, which is indestructible, as against Kybalion’s defining the duality with, what its calls, ‘The principle of Mentality’, the first of its seven principles. ‘All that is’, is mentality, the Kybalion states.

Four Mahavakyas (Grand Statements) of Hinduism and the seven Principles of The Kybalion

Principle of Mentalism

“All that is Mind” is the principle of mentalism by Kybalion. This connotes that the power of one’s mind is limitless. If one could master his own mind, he is mastering himself and hence could master the universe.

Equivalently, ‘Looking into thyself’, is how Hindu philosophy states. Looking into oneself is the most excruciating task in the Hindu spirituality which has led to scores of yogis penancing collectively for thousands of years.

Many great Hindu treatises have been written on just that one statement. The great sage Ramana Maharishi from the south of India had stated that ‘while trying to look into oneself, appreciate that the mind keeps wavering from one point to the other. One should not try to hard to stop it at one point, initially though, since for an untrained mind, it is near impossible. Go with it, oscillate and improve and increase the insight into the mind. This is possible only with a rigorous practice’.

There is nothing called a part achievement in this process. Either it is there or not. The Mind is everything.

The manifestations of mind, Brahma in best characterised in the four Mahavakyas - the grand statements, as it is called in Sanskrit
Delving deeper into these four grand statements, presents one with the four missing pieces of one jigsaw puzzle, which when fitted and seen together, gives a compelling and fulfilling picture of soul, mind and consciousness.

The Four Mahavakyas

1. Prajnanam Brahma - "Consciousness is Brahman" (Aitareya Upanishad 3.3 of the Rig Veda)

2. Ayam Atma Brahma - "This Self (Atman) is Brahman" (Mandukya Upanishad 1.2 of the Atharva Veda)

3. Tat Tvam Asi - "Thou art That" (Chandogya Upanishad 6.8.7 of the Sama Veda)

4. Aham Brahmasmi - "I am Brahman" (Brhadaranyaka Upanishad 1.4.10 of the Yajur Veda)

Pragyanam Brahma - "The self or the consciousness is Brahman" or "knowledge (Pragyan) is Brahman".

This mahavakya is called ‘Lakshana vakya’, meaning that the statement explains the characteristic of Brahman.

Think this in connection with Principle of Mentality which states mind is everything, the All. Pragyanam Brahma states that consciousness, which is the manifestation and chief characteristic of mind, is Brahman or everything.

Ayam Atma Brahma- "The self is Brahman".

This statement is termed ‘anubhav vakya’, meaning that the statement originates from the direct experience when seeker’s consciousness unites with Brahman.

Tatvamasi - "Thou art that ".

This statement is called ‘Updesha vakya’, meaning that it instructs a seeker on the nature of Brahman.

Aham Brahmasmi - "I am Brahman".

This statement is termed ‘prasthav vakya’, meaning that it comes as a final, suggestive statement after merging with the Brahman.

As per the Hindu Vedas, the four states of “I am ness” are:

1. I am aware that I exist but I cannot conceptualize it
2. I am aware that I exist in relationship with things, objects and beings
3. I am aware that I exist. I am also aware that I am existence itself – tatvamasi – state of atman
4. I am I am – state of no duality. I am limitless and absolute, state of indivisible, infinite, immeasurable, unknowable state of being.

The last mahavakya, ‘Aham Brahmasmi' – ‘I am I am’ is the supreme state of self realisation and is denoted, I would believe, by the principle of Mentality in The Kybalion. All other stages of realisation in the Hindu Philosophy are more exactly capturing one’s progress in looking unto oneself and achieving higher self realisation.

However, Principle of Mentalism sums up the stages and equates to ‘Aham Brahmasmi’.

Principle of Correspondence

The Kybalion’s second Principle of Correspondence states that there is always a correspondence between the laws of phenomena of the various "planes" of being and life.

‘As above, so below; as below, so above’

This principle also states that there is a harmony, agreement and correspondence between these planes, delineated as

• The Great Physical Plane
• The Great Mental Plane
• The Great Spiritual Plane

By the above statement, one can observe that there is literally no reference point between the correspondence planes. They are, ‘as above, so below; and, as below, so above’.

Principle of Vibration

The Kybalion’s third, Principle of Vibration, states that motion is manifested in everything in the Universe, that nothing rests, and everything moves, vibrates, and circles.

This principle explains that the differences between different manifestations of Matter, Energy, Mind, and even Spirit, are the result of only different "vibrations". The higher a person is on the achievement or self initiation scale, the higher the rate of vibration will be.

However, the interesting point the principle makes, which is worth noting is, that at the ultimate level, The All is purported to be at an infinite level of vibration, almost to the point of being at rest. There are said to be millions upon millions of varying degrees between the highest level, The All, which is at highest level of vibration (or otherwise at a state of rest), other objects of the lowest vibration and objects with intermediate vibrations, all forming the universe.

The Kybalion proposes that, ‘mental transmutation is described as the practical application of this principle. To change one's mental state is to change the degree of vibration. One may do this by an effort of Will, by means of deliberately "fixing the attention" upon a more desirable state’.

It is common in Hindu spiritual knowledge to denote a spiritually acclaimed and achieved person to posses ‘higher vibration of energy’. Going one step further, different temples – the abodes of divine energy, too, are categorised as possessing various degrees of vibration.

As higher the vibration one feels in the vicinity of an achieved ‘atma’, the closer the ‘atma’ is to God, it is stated in Hindu belief. At the highest level, many yogis, sadhus and gurus are worshipped as God. All the efforts which go into achieving higher vibration is to get closer to Godhood, either by one’s one will or by the divine design.

Principle of Polarity

The Kybalion’s fourth, The Principle of Polarity, embodies the idea that everything is dual, everything has two poles, and everything has its opposite. All manifested things have two sides, two aspects, or two poles.

The next interesting facet to this principle is that ‘everything "is" and "is not" at the same time, all truths are but half truths and every truth is half false, there are two sides to everything, opposites are identical in nature, yet different in degree, extremes meet, and all paradoxes may be reconciled.

Another extension of duality principle.

So, if every truth is half false, how to accept it (the truth)? Having known that false contains truth and vice versa, how to handle that knowledge? Which is true and which should be accepted?

If what is stated in The Kybalion is to be taken as the truth and nothing but truth, then as per its own principle, it must be containing half false. The Kybalion does not address this paradox for the reader and resolve the conflict.

Principle of Rhythm

The Principle of Rhythm, is The Kybalion’s next principle which embodies the idea that in everything there is manifested a measured motion, a to and fro, a flow and inflow, a swing backward and forward, a pendulum-like movement. This principle explains that there is rhythm between every pair of opposites, or poles, and is closely related to the Principle of Polarity. It can be seen that this Principle enables transition from one pole to the other, and not necessarily poles of extreme opposites.

I believe, in effect, this principle is a combination of the two previous principles, the principle of vibration and principle of polarity. As vibration constitutes a rhythm of movements from various degrees.

Another question arises: If truth is at one pole and false is at other diametrical end, how could one reach truth from falsehood, if his path is oscillating? By one’s own will, if one intends to increase his level of vibration, to achieve the level of higher mentality, how is he to travel within these poles?

Principle of Cause and Effect

The Principle of Cause and Effect explains that there is a cause for every effect, and an effect for every cause. It also states that there is no such thing as chance, that chance is merely a term indicating extant causes not recognized or perceived.

This principle seems an extension of the Hindu Karmic principles. ‘Whatever has been given unto you, has been done so, as you have earned it’, says Lord Krishna, in his treatise, Bhagavat Gita.

‘Nothing is given to you or you are not enduring anything which is not fit of and which you do not deserve of’, is what the Lord says.

Bhagavad Gita takes it one step further, being a practical tool for a Gruhasta (a person who is leading a familial life and yet is bound by, and could perform, the spiritual and righteous duties, as against a sage), by saying that one should ‘be the cause of an activity and need not long for the effect of his activity’, which shall be given unto him, rightfully.

Principle of Gender

The last and one of interesting Kybalion principle is Principle of Gender which states that gender is manifested in everything. The three initiates or the authors of The Kybalion state that this does not relate explicitly to the commonly understood notion of sex, but rather "... to beget; to procreate, to generate, to create, or to produce..." in general. Gender is manifested as the Masculine and Feminine principles, and manifests itself on all planes.

The principle does not refer to the physical gender of someone, nor does it suggest that someone of a certain physical gender necessarily has the same mental gender. Ideally, one wants to have a balanced mental gender.

The Masculine principle is always in the direction of giving out or expressing, and contents itself with the "Will" in its varied phases.

The Feminine principle is always in the direction of receiving impressions, and has a much more varied field of operation than the Masculine. The Feminine conducts the work of generating new thoughts, concepts, and ideas, including the work of the imagination.

It is said that there must be a balance in these two forces. Without the Feminine, the Masculine is apt to act without restraint, order, or reason, resulting in chaos. The Feminine alone, on the other hand, is apt to constantly reflect and fail to actually do anything, resulting in stagnation. With both the Masculine and Feminine working in conjunction, there is thoughtful action that breeds success which points out that both the Feminine and the Masculine fulfill each other and complement each other.

The satvik and Saivistic principles of Hinduism states that all animate and inanimate things in the universe or manifestations of Shiva (the male equivalent), the doer and Shakthi (the female equivalent), the energy. They are equal and opposite, complement each other and cannot survive without each other.

If Shakthi, the female quotient, is absent and taken out of the equation, nothing could be done as only she provides the prime force for any activity. Similarly, if Shiva was not to be there, mere energy, Shakthi, will not be able to execute anything.

All these musings rendered me one inference: the great religion of Indian subcontinent had inspired Hermus Trismegistus in formulating the seven principles of The Kybalion. I am sure much deeper insights are required by experts into the understanding of dual existence and achievement of higher vibration.

Sources: The Kybalion

The Philosophy of The Panchadasi by Swami Krishnananda

ஓரங்கம்

என்னை பற்றிய
உன் புரிதல்களின் மேல்
எழுப்பப்பட்ட
இந்த உறவுக்கு
இறுதி விடை கேட்டு
காத்திருக்கிறாய்
என்னை பற்றிய
என் புரிதல்களும்
நானிறுக்க வேண்டிய
விடையின்
ஓரங்கம்
என்று புரியாமல்

Efficient State Health Delivery System and Social Conservatism

Societal affiliations and restrictions on humans tend to be stronger and more pervasive wherever the state’s health and welfare provisions are either inadequate or absent.


Parents from a developing, third world country’s society is more likely to hold to their growing children to a much longer period, marry them off with their consent, within their social strata and religious/communal boundaries and play more decisive and influential role, than would a parent from a developed nation with a better health management and delivery system.

Women tend to be freer, individualistic and independent of their parents, husbands and other relationship connections, in a country where pre and post natal care is adequate and affordable. Legality of abortions is another factor inducing women to be liberalized from their societal bonds.

In Asian countries, barring a few, and in Africa, sticking to traditional and outdated maternity-natal practices, confounded by the impoverished state expenditure, has led to thousands of women dying every year during child birth and pre natal complications.

In a reverse application of the above statement, one can infer that, the higher and better the state intervention into its peoples’ health and welfare, the farther the people move away from their conservative, sentimentalist and, what is often believed as, traditional upbringing and mentoring of their off-springs, which would, on the longer run, lead to an egalitarian society devoid of deep rooted striations.

Akira Kurosawa’s ‘Seven Samurai’ – A Review

Akira Kurosawa’s Seven Samurai has received and will be receiving numerous glowing reviews. Mine, for this 1954 film which is set in the 16th century Japan, should be forgiven for its limited understanding and constrained knowledge.

This is my second experience with Kurosawa, the first being his ‘Rashomon’, another classic. I was to write about Rashomon, but watching ‘Seven Samurai’ made the decision reversed and an immediate urge to express my feelings on this masterpiece was irresistible.

The film is 3 hours 27 minutes long, co-written, edited and directed by Akira Kurosawa. Music is by Fumio Hayasaka and cinematography is by Asakazu Nakai. Story revolves around a village of farmers who are repeatedly looted by a group of bandits hire seven samurai to fight and destroy the bandits.

Kurosawa’s two preferred actors for most of his films play the lead roles. Takashi Shimura plays Kambei Shimada, the aged, strategic samurai who is the leader of the seven. Toshirō Mifune, the energetic bandit in Rashomon, plays the role of Kakuchiyo, the playful, show-off, brave outcast who is later accepted as a samurai.

Cinematography

Very slick and concise in camera movements, cinematography for this black and white film is memorable for three reasons: one, as widely acknowledged, Kurosawa’s use of wide angle lenses which tends to flatten the depth of field. He addresses that issue by enhancing the contrast between foreground, midfield and background subjects. Combining light and darkness/shade for the foreground objects to the background creates a stunning painting like quality, hallmark of Kurosawa.

Second, composition of frames. Shots without faster camera movements are invariably composed systematically, symmetrically and aesthetically. I could not recollect even one frame which is not elegantly composed.

Third, creating sense of movement. Be it horses speeding through mountainous jungles or samurai running across the thick shrub, the speed with which camera moves with the subject creates the sense of viewer moving with the subject. Be it difficult terrain with steep gradient or thick forests, the precision and maintenance of focus is absoloute.

Music

As in Rashomon, mostly single instrument is preferred, but in Seven Samurai, there are certain orchestration and strings involved, often mingled with chorus. In critical situations, Kurosawa leaves with actual BGM and cuts off any instrumental accompaniment as in the climax.

BGM

Very sensitive and meticulous mixing of actual BGMs run throughout the film. The hut in which the seven samurai stay has a small stream running by the side. Whenever the camera enters the hut, distant gurgling of water starts. Not one scene misses it.

In the climax, a calculated mix of sounds of rain, feet crumpling in the mud, trampling horses’ hooves and human cries with the editing of Kurosawa projects a very powerful visual. Larger legs of horses and thin legs of men move in an intertwined pattern of back and forth in the close-up shot creating the mayhem in the viewer’s mind.

Acting

Takashi Shimura as Kambei Shimada, the leader of the samurai, is a philosophical, war scarred veteran. The wry smile and cool headedness, even during the most trying times like unwelcoming attitude of the farmers initially, their accusations, losing his men – he holds aloft the character.

Only scene where his eyes gloss with tears, that too a suggestion, was when Kakuchiyo pours out that it was samurai who had made the farmers greedy and ruthless by killing them and raping their women. By his histrionics, Kakuchiyo reveals unintentionally that he was not a samurai by birth, but a farmer’s son himself. Kambei Shimada, sitting quietly all through the show, lifts his head to Kakuchiyo and as camera moves to a closer shot, one could see his face as calm as ever, lips uttering, ‘You are a farmer’s son!’ but eyes filling up.

I do not recollect such histrionics in performing an ebullient and rebellious character. May be M.N. Nambiar of Tamil filmdom, I think I can equate to Toshiro Mifune’s Kakuchiyo in Seven Samurai. Kakuchiyo is fun loving, poking the villagers to be brave, loud and often mischievous. Brave and often trying extra hard to prove a point to the leader (probably because he is originally an outcast and not a samurai) in his commitment to the cause, he dies in the climax, killing the bandit leader.

There was this 3 minutes solo scene for Mifune, when the samurai team finds out that the farmers are not as innocent as they look and they have killed samurai earlier in fear of losing their women to samurai. As the team sits and muses over it, Kakuchiyo (Mifune), wearing an armour of a deceased samurai, performs a scene which I think is matched only by Al Pacino in the climax scene of ‘The Devil’s Advocate’ as a Satan, for its grace and intensity.

Kikuchiyo accepts that the farmers are deceiving and yes, they had killed samurai earlier as well. But who had made them do that? It was samurai, he accuses, pointing his finger at the other six sitting watching his intensity. He finishes, breaks and falls to the ground and weeps.

Again the composition of the shot is marvelous. To Kakuchiyo’s back was the opening to the hut, outside which was brightly lit, so brightly lit that no objects were identifiable. The squarish opening to the hut forms the background canvas for the bearded Kakuchiyo with dark metal helmet and armour, moving across the canvas in a mid long shot. Looking directly into the camera for almost the entire shot, Mifune gives an unforgettable performance.

Editing

Akira Kurosawa’s editing is crisp, to say the least. Not one shot or the length of any frame is superfluous in the entire film. Uncomplicated cuts and mix of close-ups and mid shots make one wonder how adequate it would be for master director to be editors themselves!

Human Values

When samurai enter the village, the farmers are unwelcoming since they fear that samurai could covet their women and say so to them. Yet they finally settle down amicably with samurai to fight against the bandits. Kambei, the leader of samurai, commits nothing to the villagers on that and sets about setting the place right.

But mid way through their preparations, the youngest samurai of the seven, Katsushiro falls in love with Shino, a village girl, who stimulates him to be with her. When he hesitates, she even calls him, chicken.

On the eve of the final battle with the bandits, she pulls him into a hut and they come out of it after a union. Father of the girl catches them red handed and becomes furious. In front of the leader, he accuses that the samurai had seduced his daughter. The girl cries silently not refuting the allegation. The high point of the scene is Kambei remains silent and when the father refuses to get calm, one by one, the crowd, the father, Kambei and his men leave the scene, all in different direction into the night, leaving the weeping girl on the ground and the young samurai alone facing different directions – from an aerial view.

The girl was selfish – representing the farmers’ collective opinion about samurai and their utility to them. When the final battle with the bandits was won, losing four samurai, including Mifune, they prepare to leave the village. The villagers were enjoying, playing drums and singing songs and planting paddy seedlings – none of them accompanying the remaining three samurai.

As the three depart, the girl approaches and crosses the young samurai without a word, goes over to her field. The samurai hesitates, turns from his master toward the girls and steps with a hurt look. The girl glances back on him, and in a swift move to her work as it to swipe everything off what happened the previous night, she starts to plant the seedlings with a hurried song.

She had, while luring the samurai into the hut the previous night, says to him that they may not live the next day, meaning time is short and that they should make love. The unsuspecting young samurai replies, “We may live”.

The farmers feigned weakness and fear of the bandits. Yet they hid the fact that they had killed some samurai earlier. The farmers had lost very few in the defeat of the bandits for paying just three meals a day to the samurai and as their goal is achieved, their innocence or cowardice was taken over by their crude happiness. Kambei muses dryly to the other samurai that they were defeated and it was the farmers who had won. He means that they had fought other’s battle and were not reciprocated.

That single statement was the only expression of resentment from the samurai who otherwise was a committed soldier. This questions the values of fighting for a cause and the reciprocation for the losses suffered. How a class is ruthless, extracting and yet surreptitiously vile to others is depicted subtly.

Use of Nature as Elements

As always Akira Kurosawa uses all natural elements – jungle, mountains, streams, trees and even wind to maximize the composition of frames and enhance the impact value of the scenes.

His favourite element, rain, returns in the climax to a grand effect, creating a dark mood. Felling of humans and horses, mud sodden bodies and criss-crossing shots amidst the non-ceasing rain and thick BGM adds to the heightening climax.

In contrast, the immediate next scene depicts the samurai leaving the village, as the farmers return to their fields, singing in bright sunshine, in clear mix of shots. The shock value created of this intentional mix of mood and contrast is immense.

A master’s true masterpiece!

Birthday Party in RFA!

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Singapore

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Trip to Pangkor Island, Malaysia

Pangkor Island, Malaysia