Acharya Tulsi
Man regards himself as religion. Whether he has faith in moral values or not? This question is relevant. First feature of religiosity is worship, prayer and rituals. A person cheats his customers, treats man as untouchable and disregards other religion, indulges into improper practices in election, takes drugs and intoxicant things. Yet he is called religious. Because he goes to temple daily, worships God, feeds rotten and decomposed bread to beggars, sings religious songs and meditates. 'Is it religiosity or illusion? Religiosity is related with morality and spirituality. It is most humiliating to get known ourselves as religious devoid of morality and spirituality.
Who is religious? What is his identity? Tilak, Bej, Dhwaj, Pratik (तिलक, बेज, ध्वज, प्रतिक) may be its medium of identity, but in fact these are the symbols of communities and not of religiosity. Religiosity of a person can be evaluated by these things. Religion is an intimate ingredient of life. Hence only by inner expression it can be identified. In view of this idea there may be five parameters of religion——Sham, Samveg, Nirved, Anukampa and Astikya (शम, संवेग, निर्वेद, अनुकंमा और आस्तिक्य).
If the consciousness of the person is affected by severe anger, pride, illusion and greed, how we will differentiate between a religious and non-religious person? When anger, pride etc., is fully overthrown, excellent religiosity flourishes. But no window of spiritual consciousness can be opened without pacifying its intensity. In order to open the windows of spirituality ‘Kasay’ (कषाय) must to be made ineffective.
Another parameter of religiosity is ‘Samveg’ (समवेग) Samveg (समवेग) means the desire to liberate himself from the undesirable attitudes alike Mithyatwa, Pramad, Kasay (मिथ्यात्व, प्रमाद कषाय) etc. He is-to liberate himself from the preventive feelings like violence, untruth etc. He is to liberate himself from the over attachment with the family, prosperity and body. In short it can be said that he is to liberate himself from the world, from the inevitable fate of birth and death. Unless the will to liberate him is germinated up, religiosity cannot crop up.
The third parameter to identify a religious person is ‘Nirved’ (निर्वेद). It means detachment. On the surface of detachment, the plant of religion blooms.
The fourth parameter is the feeling of friendship, kindness and equality. A religious person neither can kill any creature, nor can he torture and cheat anyone.
The fifth parameter is faith in ‘Atma’, ‘Karma’ and ‘Punarjanma’ (or rebirth) (आत्मा, कर्म, पुनर्जन्म), etc. This faith forbids a person from evil attitudes. If a person does not have belief on Atman, (आत्मा) why will he become a religious person?
If any person introspects himself on the parameter of these five points for the identity of religiosity, one can get relieved from the prejudice being followed in the name of religion.
