Triple Filter Test of Socrates April 15, 2012
In ancient Greece , Socrates (469 – 399 BC) was widely lauded for his wisdom.
One day the great philosopher came upon an acquaintance who ran up to him excitedly and said, ” Socrates, do you know what I just heard about one of your students? “
” Wait a moment “, Socrates replied, ” Before you tell me I’d like you to pass a little test. It’s called the Triple Filter Test.”
” Triple Filter ? “
” That’s right “, Socrates continued, ” Before you talk to me about my student, let’s take a moment to filter what you’re going to say. The first filter is Truth. Are you absolutely sure that what you are about to tell me is true? “
” No “, the man said, ” Actually I just heard about it and…”
” Alright “, said Socrates, ” So you don’t really know if it’s true or not. Now let’s try the second filter – the filter of Goodness. Is what you are about to tell me about my student something good ? “
” No, on the contrary….”
” So “, Socrates continued, ” You want to tell me something bad about him, even though you’re not certain if it’s true ? “
The man shrugged, a little embarrassed.
Socrates continued, ” You may still pass the test though, because there is a third filter – the filter of Usefulness. Is what you want to tell me about my student going to be useful to me ? “
” No, not really…”
” Well “, concluded Socrates, ” If what you want to tell me is neither True nor Good nor even Useful, why tell it to me at all ? “
The man was defeated and ashamed.
This is the reason why Socrates was a great philosopher and held in such high esteem.
http://jyotsna-collectionofshortstories.blogspot.com/2011/01/triple-filter-test.html
Law of Polarity May 15, 2008
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„A second characteristic of Krita Yuga is that whenever there is a falling away from dharma, the inner Divine laws of Righteousness which are innate and which regulate both human existence, the whole worldly structure, as well as the manifestation of the cosmos – will arise as a result, with a corresponding, compensatory effect. |
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This is called the “Law of Polarity” or in Sanskrit “Karma Phalam” (the fruits of action), which means in practical terms, that whatever you have done, you will get the fruits of those actions: “As ye sow, so shall ye reap”. So in this Yuga [Age], all persons will get their Karma Phalam. If they have led their lives in accordance with the universal and eternal laws of being (dharma), they will enjoy an existence which is harmonious and fulfilling. |
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But on the other hand, whatever wrongs they have done, i.e., whenever they have fallen out of the central path of dharma, either individually or collectively, they will have to pay for that in this life time.” – (Shri Mataji Nirmala Devi – Meta Modern Era, Chapter 1, Modernism and Rationality ) |
SIMPLE GIFTS March 31, 2008
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Description: Traditional Shaker song written by Elder Joseph Brackett in 1848. Arrangement by Aaron Copland from Old American Songs for voice and piano. |
| ‘Tis the gift to be simple, ’tis the gift to be free, ‘Tis the gift to come down where we ought to be, And when we find ourselves in the place just right, ‘Twill be in the valley of love and delight. |
| When true simplicity is gain’d, To bow and to bend we shan’t be asham’d, To turn, turn will be our delight, Till by turning, turning we come round right. |
| Tis the gift to be simple, ’tis the gift to be free, ‘Tis the gift to come down where we ought to be, And when we find ourselves in the place just right, ‘Twill be in the valley of love and delight. |
CAN WE FOLLOW CHRIST? March 18, 2008
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Can we fulfill the words Christ? So far I am not familiar with person who can comply with these words. |
| 27 “You have heard that it was said to those of old, ‘You shall not commit adultery. 28 But I say to you that whoever looks at a woman to lust for her has already committed adultery with her in his heart. 29 If your right eye causes you to sin, pluck it out and cast it from you; for it is more profitable for you that one of your members perish, than for your whole body to be cast into hell. 30 And if your right hand causes you to sin, cut it off and cast it from you; for it is more profitable for you that one of your members perish, than for your whole body to be cast into hell. –(NKJV) |
THE BLIND MEN AND THE ELEPHANT March 16, 2008
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John Godfrey Saxe’s ( 1816-1887) version of the famous Indian legend |
| It was six men of Indostan To learning much inclined, Who went to see the Elephant (Though all of them were blind), That each by observation Might satisfy his mind. |
| The First approached the Elephant, And happening to fall Against his broad and sturdy side, At once began to bawl: “God bless me! but the Elephant Is very like a wall!” |
| The Second, feeling of the tusk, Cried, -“Ho! what have we here So very round and smooth and sharp? To me ’tis mighty clear This wonder of an Elephant Is very like a spear!” |
| The Third approached the animal, And happening to take The squirming trunk within his hands, Thus boldly up and spake: “I see,” quoth he, “the Elephant Is very like a snake!” |
| The Fourth reached out his eager hand, And felt about the knee. “What most this wondrous beast is like Is mighty plain,” quoth he, “‘Tis clear enough the Elephant Is very like a tree!” |
| The Fifth, who chanced to touch the ear, Said: “E’en the blindest man Can tell what this resembles most; Deny the fact who can, This marvel of an Elephant Is very like a fan!” |
| The Sixth no sooner had begun About the beast to grope, Then, seizing on the swinging tail That fell within his scope, “I see,” quoth he, “the Elephant Is very like a rope!” |
| And so these men of Hindustan Disputed loud and long, Each in his own opinion Exceeding stiff and strong, Though each was partly in the right, And all were in the wrong! |
| MORAL. |
| So oft in theologic wars, The disputants, I ween, Rail on in utter ignorance Of what each other mean, And prate about an Elephant Not one of them has seen! |
WHAT IS EVOLUTION? March 14, 2008
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There is a big diversity between perceptions of animals and human beings. |
| If there is a flower the bee can sense only the aroma, the human being can sense the aroma and the beauty of the flower. |
| The enlightened soul can sense the aroma, the beauty and the vibrations/energy/ of the flower. |
| I think that this we can call it EVOLUTION. |
How to Search for God March 11, 2008
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To pitch darkness they go who worship the Unmanifested (Prakriti). To a greater darkness than this go those who are devoted to the Manifested (Hiranyagarbha). – Isa Upanishad |
| The ancient Indian saints and sages were most advanced in their spiritual pursuit. They composed voluminous texts named ‘Vedas‘ in order to describe their spiritual findings and realizations. The cream of Indian spiritualism is found in the Upanishads, which are the last volumes of Vedas. It is believed that Vedas were composed from 1500 BC onwards and Upanishads were composed from 700 BC onwards. Upanishads are not only for Hindus, but for the whole of mankind. |
| Out of eleven principal Upanishads, it is accepted that Isha Upanishad is the oldest of all. Let us see what this Upanishad describes in order to search for God. |
| God resides in living beings. Isha Upanishad begins by describing that whatever living beings inhabit the world here, God resides in all of them. There are two things in the world — on one hand is life and consciousness and on the other, inert matter. God does not reside in the inert and unconscious matter or material world. The material world appears to exist for God or a divine truth exists. But God resides in the living beings in the form of life and consciousness. The essence of a being is its life and consciousness. The source of life and consciousness in living beings is called self, soul or Atman. At death when Atman departs from the body, it remains behind as dead matter. Nothing can give new lease of life. So Atman is everything of a being and the home of God is Atman. |
| A self-slayer is one who does not realize Atman. Isha Upanishad describes self-slayers as those who do not try to realize Atman as the home of God. As a consequence after their death, they enter into a world of blind darkness. So without spending time, men should try to realize God within. |
| Turn away mind from outside. The consciousness of Atman is expressed and felt in the mind. The nature of mind is to move fast. Sometimes it moves, sometimes it is static; sometimes it is far away, sometimes it is very close. This mind is the heart of all. So in order to realize Atman, one has to turn away one’s mind from the outside world and concentrate it on Atman. |
| All souls are one. One who sees all beings in oneself and oneself in other beings comes to know everything. Nothing remains undisclosed for him. He becomes omniscient. All souls are one and the same. One should not see differences between beings or between self and God. |
| Strike a balance between spiritualism and materialism – Isha Upanishad describes that those who worship false-knowledge (avidya) enter into darkness. In spiritual language, knowledge (vidya) means know-how about things which exist. In the world, only life and consciousness exist. So knowledge means know-how about life, consciousness, soul and God. Conversely false-knowledge is the know-how about things which do not exist. Material world and worldly objects in reality do not exist. Knowledge indicates spiritualism, and false-knowledge indicates material science. |
| Upanishad further describes that by knowing the futility of false-knowledge, you can overcomes death, and by realizing knowledge, you get immortality. Death is equal to matter. So by turning away from the material world, you overcome death and get immortality. Since you have material body, you cannot turn away from the material world completely. So you have to strike a balance between the material world and life or between science and spiritualism. Progress on science and spiritualism should go hand in hand. Otherwise civilization shall be destroyed. |
| By Premansu Chand |
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