We communicate through words. Each word has a visual and phonetic characteristic to it. The mention of an “elephant” brings out a name and form in your thought process. Information through perception, inference, written or verbal testimony define a name and form.
What visual phonetic patterns trigger in your mind when you hear “spirituality”, “religion”, or “tradition”?
Terms and their accurate definitions are important for our higher learning. Generality prevents us from having a rational understanding.
Let us look at some common faith-based terms and their interrelationship. Understanding their meaning would set the foundation for our spiritual learning and journey. Later in this article, we also discuss the meaning of the phrase “spiritual”. Please note: words in italics are comparable Sanskrit language terms.
sanskruti or the macro genetic code: A set of characteristics practiced over time becomes part of an identity. Nations or countries develop their own identities. At a macro level, these shape the culture of the country.
sanskruti is the macro genetic code of a nation, it is the cultural characteristics. Anyone belonging to that nation inherits such characteristics is the assumption.
Indians in general have a family-oriented outlook. Vibrant and culture-rich festivals and weddings are part of the culture. The genetic code or sanskruti of India is then family values and vibrant festivals. Put another way, it is the genetic code of a geographic block.
parampara or Lineage: The ancestral or succession lineage of an individual is parampara. This term usually represents a faith-based lineage or a teacher-student lineage. It also gives connectivity to the family ancestry and heritage – “I come from a family of freedom fighters” and so on.
sampradaya or Tradition: Practices carried over generations by a family or a community is an identity of that family or group. sampradaya is the set of holistic practices. They represent the preferences of individuals belonging to a community or group. Macro genetic code, demographics, theistic beliefs, and religion (defined below) influence sampradaya.
aasthika or Theism: Having belief in a higher-powered divine and associating “that” with a name (naama) and or a form (rupa) is aasthika or theism. This is the exact opposite of one who does not believe in a higher power, called naasthika or atheism.
Another term for the divine is “supreme” -a higher power with all possible or infinite characteristics.
muth or Religion: Beliefs and practices when grouped, connected, and organized make up religion. Religion is then given a name or label. The purpose of religion is to establish a common fabric for its followers. It prescribes a set of daily operational practices and a series of dos and don’ts. Religion and theism usually go hand in hand. The practices usually have a scientific or contemporary value. Some of the practices might be only relevant for a particular geography or even a time period. While certain others could be universal.
Also note, religion answers the hard question of right vs. wrong or the question of morality.
adhyatmika or Spirituality: Experiencing divinity is spirituality or adhyaatmika. Unity in diversity is spirituality. Connecting to the divine is spirituality.
adhyatmika in its purest form is:
- Recognizing the divinity or unity behind diversity.
- A “personal” experience of the divine. Starts within and expands. Through the experience, the divine emerges.
- Experiencing the supreme energy that pervades and propels all.
- Experiencing the inseparable connection to the supreme, the source of all.
- Unperturbed peace and recognizing that it is the default nature of all.
- Recognizing that our tendencies and behaviors cloud our true default nature. Hindu philosophers and scriptures use the term ignorance or maya.
- Develop the intellectual discriminating abililty to differentiate between a material body and a continual pervading and powering energy within.
- Demonstrate spirituality through our thoughts and actions.
- Recognizing that we can only exercise or execute thoughts and actions. The outcome is a confluence of diverse energies over which we do not have control.
- Distinguish between love and attachment and recognize that spirituality, divinity are alternate forms of love.
A true spiritualist does not shun religious or traditional practices. They don’t need them to achieve an awakening experiential state. A disciplined religious practice will help instill discipline, but religion itself is not spirituality. Unfortunately, spirituality is often misunderstood and mixed up with tradition, religion, and theism. Spirituality cannot be equated to practices, people, or institutions. Spirituality is an experience.
The entire cosmos is one universal or cosmic person for the spiritualist. They are like branches of a tree held by a resolute trunk. The supreme sustains the universe in its entirety. The supreme is the trunk and its roots.
The locus of the magnum opus of the Hindu scriptures – Upanishads and Gita is to show the path of spirituality. It is for us to seek and travel. A peaceful life is one when we are crystal clear on the purpose of our life. We then live it through our thoughts, actions, and choices.
Krishna, the preceptor of the Gita says
बहूनां जन्मनाम् अन्ते ज्ञानवान् मां प्रपद्यते ।
वासुदेवः सर्वम् इति स महात्मा सुदुर्लभः ॥ १९ ॥
bahūnāṃ janmanām ante jñānavān māṃ prapadyate |
vāsudevaḥ sarvam iti sa mahātmā sudurlabhaḥ || 7.19 ||
After many births and deaths, a true spiritualist or a knower is one who inculcates the knowledge and demonstrates through thoughts and actions that everything, both conscious and inert, sentient and insentient, substance and attribute is pervaded, connected, and part of the supreme. Alas, such individuals are so few.