Namaste,
I was inspired for this thread from Suhas’s post in the Patanjali as a scientist thread. Suhas writes “STATEMENTS; NOT EXAMPLES” meaning that sometimes we write statements without actually giving any reason to demonstrate our statements. This is a bad practice, because it lets anybody say anything they want and get away with it. In the field of Yoga, Indian philosophy and Indology in general there is already so much disinformation, misconceptions and bad scholarship, that we don’t want to add to this ignorance. We need to get in the habit of giving reasons for our statement, because a reason is something we can test. We can ascertain whether a statement is true, false, valid or invalid, sound or unsound from the reason given.
The word BECAUSE is a brilliant word and we need to all get in the habit of using it. You may note that I use this word a lot in my posts, I often make a statement and then use the word BECAUSE immediately after. I don’t want to make statements that my readers cannot test. We already use the word ‘because’ subconsciously in our speech “I think it is going to rain, because…” “I don’t think it is a good idea, because…”
In Indian Logic(Nyaya) the BECAUSE clause has been turned into a formal method of scientific reasoning. The formal syllogism goes like this
- Statement - “There is fire on the hill”
- Reason - “Because, there is smoke on the hill”
- Example - “Where there is smoke, there is fire, such as in the kitchen”
- Application - “Such is the case on this hill”
- Conclusion - “Therefore, there is fire on the hill”
This is a brilliant method of reasoning out any statement. I guarantee that if you start to practice this method in all your statements, including your school essays and work, your powers of reasoning, your arguments and sentences will become much more solid.
I have seldom ever lost an argument with somebody, because I follow this method. I give solid reasons, and plenty of examples to back up my statement. I am not exactly a genius, I have an average IQ, I am just practicing honesty - satya. When I cannot give reasons or give examples I remain silent. If I recognize fallacies in my reasons I drop my statement. If my opponents arguments are stronger, I accept my opponents arguments.
We need to cultivate this level of honesty in our thoughts, speech and actions. If one is proven to be wrong, then that does not mean one has been defeated, the only loser ever is the ego; truth is always the victor. The fundamental cause of our bondage and suffering in life according to Yoga is ignorance, ignorance is our biggest enemy; ignorance is our devil; ignorance is the only evil. By the practice of Satya we begin to hack away at our webs of ignorance and the more ignorance we cut through the less our bondage and suffering becomes.
So I prescribe based on my own experience, learning and wisdom to make the practice of Satya the fundamental pillar of your life. Learn to love truth, becomes lovers of knowledge, let knowledge be all that is divine and sacred, worship knowledge. Such people will always succeed in life.
