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प्रकृति क्या है, क्या सिखाती है, क्यों भाती है? || आचार्य प्रशांत (2018)
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5 years ago
Prakriti (Nature)
Peace
Consciousness (Chaitanya)
Purush (The Self)
Suffering
Mind-Brain Distinction
Restlessness
Experientialism
Description

Acharya Prashant explains that nature does not teach anything; it simply is. He states that the nature within a person is the same as the nature outside, encompassing plants, trees, and animals. The human body, with its inherent demands and tendencies, is very similar to that of an animal, a fact that should not be forgotten. He dismisses the idea that nature is inherently peaceful as a romantic notion. Citing the example of a barking dog, he questions where the peace is. He explains that in nature, there is a constant struggle for survival, a cat-and-mouse game. The peace observed is momentary, existing only when the stomach is full. Even a lion is calm only after a meal and soon becomes restless to hunt again. This peace of nature should not be mistaken for true peace. If it were so easy to attain, being an animal would be preferable, and there would be no need for spiritual practice or enlightenment. The reason people are drawn to nature is that human society is even more restless, a comparative hell. We are so restless that nature seems more peaceful in comparison. However, this attraction is a form of experientialism, a desire to consume nature, which will not quench one's thirst. If living near nature led to enlightenment, all those living in the mountains would be Buddhas. Acharya Prashant clarifies that the primary nature (Prakriti) is one's own brain, intellect, and memory. The brain, like the external world, operates on fixed, mechanical laws. Therefore, the brain is not consciousness (Chaitanya); it is merely natural (Prakritik). Consciousness is something else, distinct from the brain. The one who becomes untouched by these natural processes, such as aging and anger, is the 'Purush' (the Self). Otherwise, everything, including the human being, is just Prakriti.