One World School

Disciples inquired Jesus; "when will the Kingdom come?"

He replied; "That which you seek for has already come, but you do not recognize it". (1)

The question of disciples represents the eternal search (becoming) of humanity for an Absolute freedom. The answer carries the certitude of the one of finalized view (Guru).


What is the most grievous default or the poverty of humanity? It is our ignorance towards the here and now fullness of life only. Insensitivity towards one’s brother/sister, to the living earth, is just an extension of the insensitivity towards oneself.

Schrodinger points out the difference between the correctly philosophical and the non-philosophical (ignorant) approaches as follows;

“ The unphilosophical and philosophical attitudes can be very sharply distinguished (with scarcely any intermediated forms) by the fact that the first accepts everything that happens as regards its general form, and finds occasion for surprise only in that special content by which something that happens here today differs from what happened here yesterday; where as for the second, it is precisely the common features of all experience, such as characterize everything we encounter, which are the primary and most profound occasion for astonishment ; indeed, one might almost say that it is the fact that anything is experienced and encountered at all”.(2)

Falling of fruit from a tree is nothing for us to wonder, but if a fallen fruit fly back to the tree, it is heavenly, ambrosial. For us, whatever we already have is taken for granted. Then we are in search….

The humanity in general, is fixated in the functional world of names and forms, in multiplicities.

While ignorance breeds delusions, true education makes us to realize that, we are already in Eden or we ourselves are Eden. One World School is for such an education. Education for the citizenship in Eden.

It's a contemplative association devoted to the study of the Science of the Absolute (Self) i.e to learn from the wisdom teachers of humanity. School is affiliated to the East-West University of Unitive Sciences (Narayana Gurukulum), Bangalore, S.India.

It offers comprehensive introduction to the science of the Absolute mainly through the texts; ‘Word of the Guru’ by Nataraja Guru, Bhagavat Gita by Guru Vysa, and One Hundred Verses of Self Instruction by Narayana Guru. It also offers the study of Geo-Politics. The syllabus includes one world economics, ethics, aesthetics etc.The literature ranges from One World Economics by Nataraja Guru, to the One Straw revolution of Fukoka and Manufacturing consent by Noam Chomsky.

The bi-polar relationship between the teacher and the taught is the vital part of the entire education process.

The campus of the School is the surface the Earth.



References;

1.Gospel of Thomas

2.E.Schrodinger, My view of the world, Cambridge University press.

The Science of The Absolute

Science seeks certitude. Man is naturally curious about two fundamental problems which are contained in the sentences: Whence this world? And Who am I? When the first of these questions is kept in mind, we may be said to limit our inquiry to the visible world, perceived or perceptible. In its extended sense this domain can be said to comprise that of physics.

When a man puts to himself the question, who am I? He has to do with the knowledge of factors, which are not merely physical. He has to rely more on concepts than on mere percepts derived from sense data. He introspects or speculates on general ideas mostly taken for granted by common sense experience. Such ideas are largely relied upon in the matter of arriving at any degree of certitude in metaphysics, which is the other aspect of knowledge, besides physics under reference here.

His whole vision vis-a vis - the physical world, together with his own subjective experience, which is not experimentally demonstrable, thus emerges into view as the legitimate and unified basis of our enquiry, containing the domains proper to physics and metaphysics. Physics is quantitative while metaphysics may be said to be qualitative. If physics gives primacy to space, metaphysics may be said to give primacy to time. If physics is phenomenal, metaphysics is noumenal. If physics is relative, metaphysics tend to look at this relative plurality in the light of something that is non-relative. When physics and metaphysics thus understood are treated unitively, so that the certitude contained in the one helps the certitude contained in the other by mutual verification, we have a beginning of a Science of the Absolute.

Science in its progressive and triumphant march and as it is now understood is faced with the problem of incertitude rather than certitude which it thought it was gaining. The inductive-hypothetical approach to the formulation of scientific laws or theories, based on calculations found permissible according to prevailing practices in mathematics yield at present varying pictures of the physical world. Scientific myth making is a danger to which we are becoming more and more exposed. When science is thus being allowed to part company with common sense, man becomes confused, both about what he should doubt as well as what he should believe. A normative or integrated notion of the Absolute can alone act as a regulative reference in this matter.

The notion of the Absolute

The notion of the absolute has gone out of favor in the world of modern thought. This notion often leaves a bitter taste behind it when mentioned in the various contexts of modern life. In politics this bitterness is felt at its worst, as absolutism is quickly associated with totalitarianism, fascism or dictatorship. The absolute religious authority of the church has also contributed to this aversion, nay horror in the best of modern western minds. The excesses of the inquisition and of the witch hunting, associated with the regime that has now been superseded by what is called the age of enlightenment of reason, has given to skepticism a more dignified position than to any dogmatically authoritarian set of beliefs. The very notion of the absolute, although implicitly taken for granted by almost all western philosophers, from Hume to Hegel, has begun to be at least explicitly discredited. Modern philosophy is sometimes characterized as being non-absolutist and analytical.

When we keep these modern prejudices in mind, we know in advance, the very title ‘Science of the Absolute’ will raise doubt and suspicion about the tenability even taking one’s position on the side of the notion of the Absolute. Our excuses for taking such a position is that modernism, especially modern scientific thought, has made it imperative for us to drastically revise epistemological, methodological and axiological foundations, whether of philosophy, or science or both.

United science knows no frontiers

Unified science cannot recognize any frontiers, nor can it set itself any limitation between the various scientific disciplines. It must form an interrelated whole with a proper absolutist epistemology, methodology and axiology. It must also transcend the limits of language, tragically referred in Bible as babelization or confusion of tongues. Parochial cultural values vary from one geographical unit to another. Linguistic frontiers exist between vernacular and vernacular. Tradition and custom also contribute to the crisscross patterns that across and divide common human understanding, making for any specialized and closed branches of their own. The bane of compartmentalization and over specialization of departments of knowledge is an impediment, rather than a guide to a healthy and intelligent life.

Conceptualism and perceptualism ought to lend validity to each other without either one being given exclusive primacy. The a priori approach and the a posteriori approach often interlace promiscuously making scientific literature sometimes resemble fable and even myth, and almost violating the standpoint of common sense. A unified or normative science based on the notion of the Absolute, can alone serve the branches of human enquiry. Thus it would be possible and necessary to transcend geographical, cultural and lingustical frontiers if anything like a unified science to emerge at all. Without this both physics and metaphysics treated unilaterally are bound to confuse the healthy sense of human values, which alone can guide purposefully and consistently to his natural goal.

An integrated Science of all sciences implying both normalization and the renormalization with reference to the domain of percepts has become in our times an imperative need.

(from the book 'An Integrated Science of The Absolute' by Nataraja Guru)

Geo-Politics

Humanity is one by its origin or kind (Homosapiens); a self-evident reality, which needs no further thesis.

Each one in humanity, in every moment of life striving for his/her happiness, irrespective of time and clime (through what means s/he derives it varies, according to the inner urges of the person) This motive of happiness is our common religion, which binds humans together.

Every one of us has a God/Value which we cherish most, which inspires and makes our life meaningful and worth living.

Thus the scientific formula, “One in kind, one in faith, and one in Goal/God is human” suggested by Narayana Guru is the a priori basis of the Geo-Politics. It has to be discussed under the light of the Sun, in terms of the justice of the Sun. It treats the planet Earth as a single unit called geos.

Human being could be considered as the meeting point of the Freedom and Food - just like the space, which supports the sky and earth. One is contingent while the latter is necessity. One without the other makes both meaningless.

What is the ultimate freedom for a human being? It is to realize oneself, Truth or Nature. When we do not know anything about ourselves or the life we live, that means in reality, we are completely out of touch with each of its moment. Then it’s just a projected illusion of transitory values; this breathing body or the earth is just a prison house, which is the seat of pure bliss otherwise.

How anything could be more terrible and schizophrenic other than to live such a life?

This is clearly stated in the Bhagavat Gita;

The Self is dear to one (possessed) of Self,
by whom even the Self by the Self has been won;
for one not (possessed) of Self, the Self would be in conflict-
with the very self, as if an enemy.(verse 6, Chap.6)

Jesus also asks; "What good for a man to gain the whole world, yet suffer the loss of his own self”?

The schooling by nation-states has reduced the humanness into the slogan of ‘food, clothing and shelter’. When we repeat this stupidity many times, we are actually teaching our children that the prisons are the best places to dream of to be in, where all of these would be available.

Why all these nation states (one of the biggest religions in our times) even communism, is being absorbed into the ultra of consumerism helplessly? The reason behind this lies in the ‘food, clothing business’. It worships the ‘golden calf’. Life is to eat (consume) it proclaims.

The life presents itself as a matrix of values for each human being. It is not just a ‘thing’ or ‘matter’ to be manipulated. Since each wo/man is inevitably a philosopher who must live his/her philosophy called life, it has to be philosophized and understood with full respect to its wholeness and integrity without any disproportionate objectification. The leanness to the Necessity factor has deprived the civilization/human being of its/his/her natural potentiality for the wisdom in living terms.

Then what about freedom without food?

Thus freedom and food are the non-divisible sides of the one human hood. Geo-politics acknowledge both the counterparts impartially.

Human life involves the complimentary, reciprocal, compensatory, and cancelable interplay of counter parts in life’s each moment, such as the self and the non-self, one and many, husband and wife, teacher and student, master and assistant. One doesn’t exist without the other. Geo-politics conceive both the counterparts unitively. It recognizes the absolute status of the law of double gain or double loss. There is no such a thing as one gains and another loses. Since Truth cannot be many, one person’s real happiness cannot be contradictory with the happiness of the other. It’s just recognition of the underlying unity of humanity, has nothing to do with any homogenization.

Since the ordering of human life in unitive lines is the goal of Geo-politics, the wisdom of The Science of The Absolute, is an integral part our study.

East-West University

Narayana Gurukulam (Guru-disperser of Darkness, Kula-Family) is a teacher - Pupil body founded by Nataraja Guru, the successor disciple of Narayana Guru in 1923.

He implanted it, as a scholar community where the ideals of self-realization as well as the world-citizenship can be actualized through an open and dynamic way of living. It is for the preservation and representation throughout the world, of the wisdom of the Absolute as taught and handed down by the Unitive teachers of mankind. While considering all religious/spiritual traditions as the common heritage of humanity, it also keeps neutral between belief and skepticism, as well as between all such bipolarities. Such a way of seeing "both together" instead of "either/or" is known as yoga (Union) in India.


Nataraja Guru saw the Gurukulams as "islands of neutrality in an ocean of insanity". He also called it ‘Narayana Gurukulam Unlimited’, means the liability of each to all and all to each is unlimited.


Narayana Gurukulam's East-West University of Unitive Sciences has came true with the formal inauguration on march 19th, 1974 at Guru Narayana Giri,Varkala,Kerala.

This university is not an institute to prepare people for ‘future’ or not a distributor of degrees and diplomas. It’s only a conscious recognition of growth, unfoldment and realization. As this process is going on everywhere, recognized or unrecognized, it is only bringing more and more light of conscious appreciation.

Narayan Guru (1854-1928)


In order to describe Narayana Guru the best thing would be to quote his disciple Nataraja Guru himself; “He was one of those who followed in his life the ancient and immemorial programme of oriental saints and prophets. He left his home in search of truth. He lived in lonely hills, caves or forests for years unknown to men, performing Tapas(1).He emerged from seclusion, having solved some great riddle in life and he wanted to give solution to the world at large. Therefore, without any hesitation whatever, he called himself a Guru or Teacher. Today his words are recognized as a most modern echo of the ancient wisdom of the orient. In him we had, combined once again a bard who sang about the aspirations of the soul of man, a philanthropist whose one aim in life, night and day, was to devise ways to minimize human suffering.” (2)


Some of the major works of the poet philosopher are;

- Garland of Visions (Darsana Mala)

- One Hundred Verses of Self Instructions

- The Science of The Absolute (Brahma Vidya Panchakum)

- Thought and Inertia (Cit-Jadangal)

- Scriptures of mercy (Anukampa Dasakam)


Nataraja Guru (1895-1973)


Nataraja Guru, an epochal dialectical revaluator of the Science of the Absolute (Brahma Vidya) which Conformed for the first time to the modern normative or experimental science, studied under Henri Bergson in the university of Sorbonne Paris, from where he got his D.Lit degree with Tres honors for the thesis “ Le facteur Personnel dans le Processus Educatif ” (The personal factor in educational process).

The Guru has translated into English and commented on all the major works of Narayana Guru, and has written on a wide variety of subjects, employing throughout, a protolingustic or structural approach, which could said to be his unique contribution to the perennial wisdom heritage of humanity.


Among the Guru’s major works are;

- The Word of the Guru, D.K.Books, New Delhi.

- A Scheme of Integration of Thought in View of a Language for Unified Science, D.K.Books.

- An Integrated Science of the Absolute, D.K.Books. - An Upsurging Billow of Beauty (translation and commentary on Guru sankara’s Saundarya Lahari). D.K.Books.


Notes;

1. Meditation and Self-discipline performed in retirement with a view to illumination.

2. Word of the Guru by Nataraja Guru. D.K.Books.

Glossary

Absolute, the – the non-dual principle of reality, equated with the self, intelligence and happiness. What is perfect and free from all imperfection, free from all taint of relativity.

Absolute, Science of the: methodological study and approach to reality, inclusive of disciplines and means of knowledge

Absolutist – One who is wholly dedicated and fully committed to the way of the Absolute, with no reservation and relativistic ties.

A Posteriori – (Latin, “from what comes after”) Knowledge derived from the observation of effects; causes inferred from effects.

A Priori – (Latin, a, “from” and priori, “Something going before”) Knowledge, which is present, already there, given, intuitively understood without recourse to inductive proof with causes put before effects

Advita –Philosophy of non-dualism

Dialectics- Greek name for the method of discovering the two sides of every problem and of resolving it by the neutral unitive approach .The same as the word yoga as revalued in Vedanta.

Relative the- What ever is partial ,dependent upon something else ,comparative and imperfect ,referred to philosophically for what is not absolute.

Articles;

- On Guruhood and Discipleship

(Edited version of the writing for the celebration of the 60th Birhtday of Rev.Fr.Dr.K.M.George. Principal, Orthodox Theological Seminary, Kottayam) by Vinaya Chaitanya, Dean. East-West university of Unitive Understanding (Narayana Gurukula).

Here our intention is to find points of agreement where all of humanity can look at all the many traditions, mystical, religious, philosophical, socio-political, cultural, linguistic etc. as belonging to their own common heritage and thus feel some sort of kinship with all expressions of human aspiration for a better life, here as well as hereafter. Better life, where the person can be guided to appreciate the collective wisdom of humanity, regardless of time or clime.

Wisdom means certitude - about our knowledge, emotions, all aspects of our being, the certitude we can have of what we know for sure. What we have to make sure is that, we live. Life is to be lived and living life to the fullest in the sense that, man is constantly aspiring to overcome him/herself and to reach to what in theological terms is called the ‘divine’. In Biblical terms you are asked to become as perfect as your Father in heaven is perfect. So the Father as a fullness of perfection, not as a bearded old man sitting somewhere up in the sky, keeping accounts of your good and bad doings, which is the old, static, anthropomorphic understanding of God; from that to a God of Love, God of Mercy, God of Kindness and the kingdom of God which is within and then without as well. But first, within.

Nataraja Guru defines God as that which is right when you are wrong. It is very important to understand this because one of the most misunderstood, misused words in any dictionary of any language is God or its equivalent. Another word is love, which Jesus equates with God. Every religion, any religion, is an attempt to actualize this perfection, to come close to this in every realm of life. Every person has to do this, every person is doing this. In that sense every person is religious, whether he admits it or not. And this also necessarily has a transactional or horizontal side- while this aspiration and actualization of fullness or perfection is a vertical dimension, its horizontal aspect is what binds you to your fellow person, fellow human being, your neighbor, to use the words of Christ. Hence, to love God with all one’s heart, might and soul and to love one’s neighbor as oneself - that is the transactional. If God is the common father, then all humanity belongs to one brotherhood. This is basic. And this is how God is love is to be understood in both its vertico-horizontal implications.

We have had model exemplars, teachers, Gurus who have personified in their own life this aspiration and realization of perfection, showing us the way how. Humanity has been very fortunate that such teachers have lived and taught such ways all over the earth in every time and even now. In India we call them Gurus. Words exist in all languages referring to this principle of a human exemplar personifying degrees of perfection possible. So we have divine humans or human Gods or Goddesses.

It is in this context that the principle of Guruhood has to be understood along with its dialectical counterpart, which is discipleship. We also feel that understanding this would help bridge the seemingly impossible gulf between the Christian insistence of Jesus being the son of God come down to the earth; and the understanding of people of other faiths. Looked at in the light of the principle of Guruhood and to see Jesus Christ, as a Guru of humanity would help to open up the understanding not only of Guruhood but also of Christianity itself. His disciples addressed Jesus himself as Rabbi in Aramaic, meaning Guru. Jesus goes to John the Baptist so that this principle of Guruhood handed down in vertical succession from Guru to disciple is acknowledged. And again at the last supper, Jesus Christ washes the feet of his disciples. It looks puzzling, the Guru washing the feet of the disciples. The Guru actually is purifying the disciples’ path; so that s/he is reborn to the pure ways of wisdom. Traditionally, disciples wash the Guru’s feet.

Gurus are revaluators. They constantly restate the eternal truth to meet the requirements of the particular situation. Also the disciple is greater than the Guru because he receives what is Guru’s, and builds on it. He is the empty vessel that’s filled. It is the disciple alone who has the Guru, who can understand the Guru. Thus s/he is greater than the Guru.

Wisdom is commonsense. It is the certitude we gain from life, if you live it honestly, if you are true to your self. To be true oneself is really the effort that the religious person makes. S/He has to be true to her/himself; and also has to respect the other persons who is also like herself trying to be true to themselves. So you require effort to come to the common truth. Private truths are also to be seen as the greatest enemy to world peace. And that effort required is what Jesus called your cross.

‘…take up your cross and follow me’. Unfortunately people seem to think that Jesus asked you to take up his cross. No, take up your cross he says. So what is your cross? The cross is the constant effort you make to live the highest value that religions call ‘God’ as your norm, and to actualize it; in and through your daily life. So religion is no longer a weekend or a private affair.

Jesus is constantly trying to bring his Father’s kingdom on earth as it is in heaven. So in heaven the kingdom already exists. You must think of all the references he makes to heaven; about children he says, ‘of such is the kingdom’. You get a better understanding of how God is love; how do children love. Why can’t adults love like children?

So Jesus was always trying to bring the kingdom upon the earth and for that you have to find it within yourself first. And immediately, once you find this kingdom, you are a citizen of the city of God. No longer of a spatially limited place, it cut through all that is transient.

Narayana Guru also in his Daiva Dasakam compares God to the depth of the ocean. What actually is depth? Where is depth, and how is it related to height? Depth is in the water. There is only water. If you look for depth you will find only water. There is not an actual thing as depth. We have to abstract the world, and then you get God. Abstract water you get depth. Water is deep only if you go down into the water. Then there is depth. If you look above from the surface, it’s all water, no depth. Understanding the depth is to find the kingdom within, to find the perfection that is God, not by adding on but by going back to the state of children. This is called the negative way of contemplation.

The word ‘Guru’ is made up of two sounds gu and ru. Gu stands for darkness. Ru is the elimination of darkness. The very word implies the negative process. It is not talking about putting on any light but of removing darkness, which overcovers the light within, in the depth.

Western ideas of ‘democracy’ came in the way of understanding the principle of Guruhood for the Europeans, as they associate it with abject kow-towing, and exploitation. So the Guru becomes a dictator instead of being somebody who gives you freedom and is an example in his life of that freedom. Now the Guru becomes your prisoner. This is not what’s meant. Like the child saying ‘no that is not a parrot, parrots have a cage around them’. Because the child has never seen a parrot without a cage. Sometimes he has to see the Guru without the person, sometime at least.

Tradition gives qualifications for Guru. S/He should be srotriya and brahma nishtha. Srotriya means one who has heard well from his/er own Guru. S/He should be well versed in sruti, the wisdom texts, also the spoken word of the Guru. Brahma Nishtha means firmly established or constant in the Absolute. So every time his/her constant reference will be the Absolute, which is the absolute Self of the human Kind.

The qualities of the disciple are also very clearly stated in all traditions. A beautiful one in the Christian context is the ‘Imitation of Christ’ by Thomas a Kempis, probably in 14th century. His instructions to the students or seminary disciples, but written as though Jesus Christ was speaking to the disciples.

Disciple should have four fold qualities or effort, Sadhana Chatushtaya Sampanna. Viveka ,Vairagya, shamadi shatka sampathi and Mumukshutvam. Viveka is the power to discriminate between lasting and non-lasting values. What is of permanent value; and what is only of significance to the particular time, and then it will go. Vairagya is dispassion and non–attachment; seeing the limitations of being entangled with the objects outside oneself, wanting them or avoiding them; having and enjoying them while at the same time afraid of losing; not having yet wanting or having and not wanting. So saying- no, I am not interested in all these; because all these things are passing ones. So Viveka helps you to have vairagya, dispassion. Becoming free from desiring-hating duality, that is vairagya.

Shamadi shatka sampathi, attaining of six qualities starting with shama; Shama is calmness within, control. Dama is controlling outer interferences with the inner calmness. Shama is restraining the inner from dissipating, state of not going out. Dama is letting it be without it coming in. Uparati generally translated as withdrawal, literally means- rati is enjoyment, upa means nearby. Finding enjoyment within so that seeking enjoyment outside is lessened. So proportionate to finding joy within, seeking of enjoyment outside diminishes. That is uparati. Titiksha means bearing with all pains in the path of wisdom search, without thinking of redressing them; apratikara poorvakam Chintha Vilapa rahitam. Chintha is anxiety, prospective worrying about the future, vilapa is regret about the past. So not worrying about what will happen tomorrow not worried about yesterday. Bearing up with whatever is happening. Bearing all sorrow without thought of redressing. Sraddha is the faith that the truth can be grasped and that one can have an understanding of truth through the words of the scripture (sastra) and from the word of the Guru. Scripture is the recorded words of Gurus.

Samadhana is equanimity. Sama adhana - sitting equally, not favoring any, neutrally. The word mumukshutva, the keen desire for liberation here own earth, Muktikaamo bhuvihi, liberation here on earth; not in some after life. These are the six traditional qualifications for the disciple.

Amen.

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One World School

e-mail - oneworldcommune@gmail.com

Narayana Gurukula (East - West University of Unitive Sciences)
28th km. Kanakpura Road
Bolare P.O, Banglore
S.india - 82.

e-mail - vinaya@unitiveunderstanding.org