Bandana - bond

Recap-

• We respond to stimulus. When we like the stimulus we draw the object closer to us, this is called raaga in Sanskrit and when we dislike the object, we push it away. This is dwesha in Sanskrit.
• The movement of drawing closer or pushing away is called karma or action in Sanskrit.
• Karma results in an awareness of the situation and this is called vijnana. This awareness of situation acts as an input to our sense of identity, this is jnana.
• The above stimulus-response transaction is called an experience or anubhava in Sanskrit.
• The experience and its impact on the sense of identity results in a change to one’s conditioning called svadharma in Sanskrit.
• The change in conditioning is reflected in one’s behavior or svabhaava. So, one’s behavior is a manifestation of personal conditioning.
• Behaviour and conditioning cannot be separated; one’s behavior is determined by conditioning, just as conditioning determines behavior and the two act in unison in a weave, which is called svatantra or independence in Sanskrit.
• Transactions are always unequal. We either give or take more. This is called rinn or debt in Sanskrit.
• The transaction results in a relationship between us and the object we are transacting with and is called bond or bandana in Sanskrit.

Characteristics of the bond (bandana);

Initially, the bond is formed to validate one’s own existence. This is an existential bond and will be explored in later posts.

Transactional bond can be of 2 types;

Equal bond or sambana in Sanskrit (sama = equal + bandana = bond). Equal bonds exist when give and take occur in equal measure. This generally occurs in a marriage, where give and take is a continuous process. This is why marriage in India is called Sambandh and in-laws are called Sambandi or Samdi.

Bond of debt or rnanubandana in Sanskrit (rnanu= that of debt + bandana = bond). All bonds other than sambandana fall into this category. Rinn or rn or rna occurs when one give or takes more from the other. The debt created has to be liquidated and if it is not completed in this life, it will spill over to the next. This is the basis for logic of rebirth.

The dissolution of debt involves 2 terms which need to be understood;

Since all the karma accumulated is often not liquidated in a single transaction, the balance debt is accumulated and this is called sanchita karma (accumulated karma in Sanskrit)

The debt coming up for liquidation is called prarabda karma or undertaken karma in Sanskrit.

Rnanubandana or bond of debt is transactional in nature. When we transact with any object, the process is as follows;

First, an existential bond is established. This bond is devoid of any experience or action.

Then there is the experience or like or dislike leading to action or karma.

Assimilation of a transaction:

During the transaction, our experience moves from confusion regarding the transaction to effort to understand it and finally harmony with the transaction and bond with the object.

The 3 stages of our comprehension of the transaction is called guna or attribute.

Attribute is an ever changing balance of 3 attitudes; Inertia, Passion and Harmony.

Tamas (Inertia): This aspect is characterised by fear, laziness, indolence, confusion, delusion etc. and is governed primarily by the physical/ static element of our being. A person with predominance of this state generally is confused, lazy, giving excuses, indecisive and very high on maintenance (will not do work unless pushed, monitored).

Raajas (Passion): This state governs nearly all forms of action, driven primarily by emotions. This aspect drives our orientation towards results and desire for achievement. A person in this state would typically be result oriented, dominating, driving, aggressive, brooking no resistance, impatient etc.

Sattva (Harmony): This occurs when a person tries to balance result with resource, process, tries to balance task result with quality & relationships. This is driven by a need for balance. This person avoids confrontation unless absolutely required. When in a conflict situation, the person is calm and absorbs all kinds of emotions. Avoids personal & and judgmental remarks.

Anecdotes, experiences and situations to help understand…

(Wikipedia extract) Alvin Cullum York was a United States soldier, a famous World War I hero. He was awarded the Medal of Honor for leading an attack on a German machine gun nest, taking 32 machine guns, killing 28 German soldiers and capturing 132 others.

York belonged to a Christian denomination, the Church of Christ in Christian Union which, despite having no specific doctrine of pacifism, discouraged warfare and violence.

When York was drafted into the army for World War I, he tried to avoid induction as a conscientious objector due to his religious beliefs. His status as a true conscientious objector was rejected since his church had no official standing and he reluctantly reported for army basic training. During basic training, his superiors found out that he was a phenomenal marksman and promoted him to corporal.

York still wanted nothing to do with the army and killing. A sympathetic commanding officer lectured York about U.S. history and gave York temporary leave to go home and think about fighting to save lives, assuring him that if York was convinced that he still did not want to fight he will discharge him from the army. York thought about it, decided to serve his country and reported back for duty, though he still doubted he could kill anyone.

His unit was shipped out to Europe and participated in an attack. Pinned down by German fire and seeing his friends being shot down all around him, his self-doubt disappeared. Owing to the large number of casualties, York suddenly found himself placed in charge. He worked his way around behind German lines and shot with such deadly effect that the Germans surrendered. York later explained that he did what he did to hasten the end of the war and minimize the killing.

Here is an example of a person whose Dharma was non-violence. Yet, he went to war, performed valorous deeds because he believed that would end the war quickly.

Analyse the following of Alvin York:

• His conditioning: What was York’s view of the world?
• His self-identity: How did York’s conditioning and behavior get affected by his sense of identity?
• His experience of confusion: How did his sense of identity change and as his evolution occurred? How did the attributes move from confusion to conviction? How did it change with his bond to his country? 
• Alignment of action with conditioning: What was the impact of his changed conditioning on his subsequent actions? 
• Have you had a similar identity and conditioning conflicts? How did you resolve it? 

Share your opinion and experiences:

• What is a bond? How does it occur? 
• How is a bond formed, sustained and dissolved? 
• Is a bond possible between animate and inanimate objects? For example, how can one define a bond between a car and a person? 
• What is prarabda karma and how does it affect us? 
• If prarabda karma exists, the how much of our decision making is actually done by us? 
• What happens to a bond in a stress situation? 
• What is guna? How does it affect decision making? 
• How does guna affect stress? What are the changes which occur in our guna during a stress situation?