“There is in the living being a thirst for limitlessness. Knowingly or unknowingly humans are indeed running after limitlessness.” Shrii P. R. Sarkar
When discussing the problems confronting today’s world many people share a common vision: economics based on caring and cooperation, ethically based leadership, a sustainable environment, a strong community base.
Following the demise of Communism in Europe those of us concerned about society being split into two distinct groups by the reign of capitalism – the haves and have nots – have sought external solutions to a growing social dilemma. To talk of creating a ‘steady-state’ economy makes sense yet this remains an allusive quest as the real source of power for change has not been realized…
The crux of the problem is that directing the human mind only at outward goals is mainly an analytical approach to social problems – without directing oneself and culture towards the attainment of higher states of spiritual experience – does nothing to shift us away from a condition of the engaged mind called ‘inner imperialism.’ A constant craving for more material wealth expansion and the commensurate greed ethic that follows, sets in motion conquests over one another. The conflicts caused by imperialism to capture another countries resources to feed a corporate engine begins with the urges of humans that are being misdirected.
The instincts and base nature of humans cause them to try to accumulate and enjoy material objects in an unlimited manner. These urges towards the acquisition of physical wealth are common to all living beings, but in human beings are never satisfied. Observe a small child who sees a toy in a shop they must have. Their mind goes into emotional overdrive as they cajole a carer. Following an outcry and not long afterward the toy is discarded for another fascination. When the mind’s desire matches with the object a temporary state of happiness arises (and for the carer!). When a baby is born, apart from growing pains and hunger pangs, the babies mind is in a relative state of peace and contentment. As time passes the baby-child begins to grasp the external world. Until eventually the adults ‘inner imperialism’ is translated by personal urges and the push of commercialism into full-on materialism. An externalization of one’s mind.
The impetus from crude mental urges gave birth to capitalism. In capitalism the psychology of the acquisition of material wealth, be it land, money, metal or other property, strongly predominates.
Such crude urges remain unchecked and unbridled in capitalism and turn into a hungry profit-motive in the market system. As a result, traders, industrialists and business people suffer from a mental disease of accumulating more and more wealth by any means, even to the point of depriving other human beings of their basic requirements. For instance, just 400 individuals in the USA own more wealth than 150 million of their fellow citizens.
Exploiters forget the basic truth that this material world is very limited, whereas mental desires are propelled by unlimited urge. When unlimited mental entities are let loose in the limited material world, exploitation starts. A few become rich and others become poor. In such a condition millions die without food, live without shelter, work without education, suffer without medicine and proper clothing. Ironically, as acqusitors get older they begin to realize they have mortal frames and cannot take one atom of their horde with them as the time of passing of their soul-minds gets closer.
Unchecked urges for material acquisition ends in merciless exploitation and mass-level deprivation of millions of people. The curse of capitalism engulfs the whole of society and is anti-human. Although individual capitalists may be capable of generosity and compassion this does not make up for the overall consequences of an extremely unbalanced system.
Communism is also a socio-economic-political theory based on materialism. In communist society people’s mental urges instinctively run after material acquisition and crude enjoyment. When the mental condition is guided by materialist outlook, humans develop negative behaviour patterns. They develop strong attachments to material wealth and worldly pleasure, become aggressively intolerant of other’s views and thoughts, resort to brutal force to repress opponents, deny the existence of spirituality and suppress the psychic urges of the people. Communism suffers from all these evils. The collective capitalist system under totalitarian rule suppress the tendency towards material enjoyment by brute force in the name of equal distribution – a proposition which is basically wrong and illogical. In such a defective society that suppresses urges, life loses its dynamism.
Under both Capitalism and Communism instead of urges being properly channelized, are involved in detrimental physical and psychic interactions. Causing negative movement of the mind. Under the forced imperative of growth (credit to debt) the commercial media constantly goad people with images that perpetuates the drive for one object after another (forced growth paradigm) Mind constantly creates objects in its objective chamber. In such a condition the mind becomes extroversal, multi-directional, weak and static.
The collective psychology arising from so many objectified human minds gives rise to social inequality, economic exploitation, political suppression, religious bigotry, cultural perversion and all-round degradation of the individual and society. Crude psychic longings cause the degeneration of the individual and collective mind.
Transformation by sublimation (not suppression) of mental urges is required as part and parcel of seeking a balance between objective adjustment and subjective approach in one’s lives and that of collective existence. A vital necessity culturally.
Social structures that are derived from the progressive utilization of human potential and material factors require at the same time cultural imbuement towards spiritual attainment. A pyscho-spiritual approach. The Supreme Entity is always one – there is no room for duality in infinity. In the psycho spiritual approach the goal of psychic urges is always singular. An array of intellectuals may think this is nothing more than an emotional subjective experience, having not once tried spiritual practices for transcendental experience that was also known by some indigenous clans of Australia.
The psycho-spiritual approach is inspired by the spirit of social equality leading along the path of spiritual attainment. We adopt a synthetic approach to life, never an analytical one. That is why creating a better world and a reaching for perfection in all areas can never be based upon ideologies that seek to focus on external factors as the answer to happiness.
Those imbibed with spiritual idealism are dedicated to the all-round elevation of humanity, free from the slavery of capitalism and the repression of communism. Established in Neo-Humanism, being one of the pillars of PROUT.
With the smooth, natural and progressive channelisation of psychic urges will come the conversion to pyscho-spiritual food of the mind or ‘pabula.’ Society should no longer be held back by religious dogma and the limitations of scientific materialism. Rule of rationality is required beginning with genuine intent to transform society by social, economic and political means given a spiritual stance.
The role of intellectuals and academics is paramount in aiding ideation towards spirituality while improving our material foundations accordingly. The intelligent community of well wishes have the role of ‘priests’ in guiding society towards a greater destiny. Theirs is the worship of the supreme transcendental Nucleus based upon devotional outlook. Their expanding minds by dint of spiritual practices such as meditation – vanquish religious and economic dogma in the light of reason. They are the Unit Minds flowing back to the omnipotent consciousness and ‘Ocean’ that is the Cosmic Mind…
An analysis of the constitutions of political parties from all quarters in Australia reveals that none recognise the need for developing spiritual culture and goals. This is the way to counter the imperialism of mind being engrained on society by capitalism’s ultimate source – us: (see Microvita), including so-called ‘progressive capitalism,’ – a contradiction of terms.
PROUT has comprehensive aspects including the establishment of four parts of an economy. Namely, the people’s economy that deals with essential needs; the psycho-economy that is concerned primarily with the provision of the minimum necessities of life and increasing the psychic mental food of individual and collective mind (two branches), the commercial economy that develops scientific and efficient methods of production that will not incur loss: the General economy that will include all the existing theories in general, whether capitalist, socialist or Proutist, and include mainstream economics that is taught at colleges and universities today (many aspects to this, planning, tax, etc).
At this juncture people’s economy and pyscho-economy are almost totally unknown to modern economists and could find no place in the present mode of economic thinking.
The PROUT general economy is based upon a three-tiered economic structure – large scale key industries managed as public utilities; cooperative economic sector and small scale concerns privately owned.
Minimum requirements must be assured through guaranteed purchasing power. Enshrined in the constitution and reflected in any political party charter or similar. Established as a fundamental human right or cardinal human right. Under such an arrangement this will give the citizens of the country the power to sue a government if their minimum requirements are not met.
Understanding the Social Cycle of the four collective psychologies (value classes) is another aspect of PROUT. The co-existence of the warrior, intellectual, merchant and manual working classes are indispensable in the development of society. Their potentialities should be fully utilized instead of suppressed (eg., intellectuals in China and entreprenuers in Russia). No value class should be permitted to drag society into a calamity due to its self-serving grip. To date historians, professors of politics and economics have not come to appreciate the role of ‘value classes’ that are pivotal to human history.
An omni-dynamic economy based on full democracy adjusts with time place and person and requires principles that stand the test of time. The five fundamental principles of PROUT contain the basis for far greater achievements in human endeavour and welfare that promote physical, mental and spiritual development. If a better ideology comes along then PROUT will be replaced or adjusted in favour of a more advanced spiritual paradigm serving the good of all.
No one should be left behind. PROUT understands the innate drive of people to expand their minds and seek greatness. We are much more than animals limited by base propensities.
By making the maximum utilization of resources as a principle, negative outcomes can be minimized and become a part of planning for achieving a steady state economy. For instance our Internet network and satellite systems leave us highly vulnerable if assailed in some way. Indigenous cultures in Australia intrinsically understood physics shown in their transformation stories about a spiritual journey many thousands of years before religious notions where imposed on them. Strictly speaking the only real progress is spiritual or moving towards a higher state (not stage). A journey towards the Cosmic Nucleus. Evolution is not only biological but an integral evolution of Mind (another article). The laws of physics makes it clear that for every positive gain there is always a negative cancellation on the physical and mental planes. Acidification of our oceans and damage to the ozone layer highlights the duality of physics. Nervous and emotional disorders also validate this axiom as well.
Human beings want selfless service. It is the spiritual force of human beings that is the real source of power. PROUT is dedicated to the service and welfare of one and all. The spirit of service comes from serving the Supra-Conscious Entity. Where the spirit of serving the Supra Mental entity is lacking, there cannot be any service spirit in any emanation or any manifestation. This endeavour is not about austere practices but a positive expansion in all aspects of personal and social transformation.
So the transformation of the pyschic condition and moving from the crude towards subtle attainment is the essential tenet of PROUT.
The application of spiritual culture in our endeavors and universal values is the only panacea for society. Exchanging the word ‘exploitation’ in our doctrines for ‘utilization’ in a progressive manner. Transforming an analytical approach for the path of synthesis. Genuine love and concern stemming from the wellspring of spiritually. This is no idle dream but a practical requirement as we continue our journey towards liberation from bondage individually and socially.
‘The eternal longing for happiness can only be satiated by realization of the Infinite’
Shrii P. R. Sarkar
1st fundamental principle of PROUT
No individual should be allowed to accumulate any physical wealth without the clear permission or approval of the collective body.
Purport: The universe is the common property of all. All people have usufructuary rights, that is, the right of enjoyment, but no one has the right to misuse this common property. Those who gather much wealth and hoard it directly curtail the happiness and convenience of others in society. Their behavior is flagrantly anti-social. Therefore no one should be allowed to hoard wealth without the permission of society.
2nd fundamental principle of PROUT
There should be maximum utilization and rational distribution of all mundane, supramundane and spiritual potentialities of the universe.
Purport: The wealth and resources inherent in the crude, subtle and causal worlds should be developed for the welfare of all people. All resources hidden in the five fundamental factors – solid, liquid, luminous, aerial and ethereal – should be fully utilized and this endeavor will ensure the maximum development of the universe. People will have to earnestly explore land, sea and space to discover and manufacture the necessary resources. There should be rational distribution of the accumulated wealth of humanity. In other words, apart from meeting the indispensable minimum necessities of all, the necessities of meritorious people and those with special requirements must also be met.
3rd fundamental principle of PROUT
There should be maximum utilization of the physical, metaphysical and spiritual potentialities of the unit and collective bodies of human society.
Purport: The collective body, collective mind and collective spirit must be developed. One must not forget that collective good lies in individuals and individual good lies in collectivity. Without providing for the comfort of the individual through proper food, light, air, accommodation and medical treatment, collective good can never be accomplished. So it is with the sole intention of doing collective good that one will have to devote oneself to individual good.
The development of the collective mind is impossible without developing a proper social consciousness, encouraging a sense of social service and awakening knowledge in every individual. So, inspired with the thought of doing good to the collective mind, one has to do good to the individual mind. Absence of spirituality and spiritual morality in an individual will break the backbone of the collectivity. So for the sake of collective good one will have to awaken spirituality in individuals. One or two powerful, learned or worldly-wise people, or one or two spiritualists do not indicate advancement and progress of the whole society. The body, mind and self of every individual have the potential for limitless expansion and development. This potentiality has to be harnessed and brought to fruition.
4th fundamental principle of PROUT
There should be a proper adjustment amongst these physical, metaphysical, mundane, supramundane and spiritual utilizations.
Purport: While promoting individual and collective welfare there should be proper adjustment amongst the physical, mental and spiritual and the crude, subtle and causal factors. For example, society has the responsibility of meeting the minimum necessities of every individual but if society arranges food and builds a house for everyone under the impetus of this responsibility, individual initiative becomes retarded. People will gradually become lethargic. Therefore society has to make such arrangements so that people, in exchange for their labor according to their capacity, can earn the money they require to purchase the minimum necessities. In order to raise the level of minimum necessities of people the best policy is to enhance their purchasing capacity.
The law of adjustment further stipulates that while taking services from a person who is physically, mentally and spiritually developed, society should follow a balanced policy of adjustment. If only one of these three capacities – physical, mental or spiritual – is developed in a person, society should take the one that is developed. If both physical and intellectual capacities are sufficiently developed in a person, society should adopt the policy of adjustment, which takes more intellectual service and less physical service, because intellectual power is comparatively subtle and rare. If all three capacities – physical, mental and spiritual – are found in one person, society should make greatest use of their spiritual service and least of their physical service.
The greatest service to the cause of social welfare can be rendered by those who have acquired spiritual power, and the next service by those having intellectual power. Those having physical power, though not negligible, cannot do anything by themselves. Whatever they do is done under the instructions of those with intellectual and spiritual power. Hence the responsibility of social control should not be in the hands of those who have great physical capacity, or in the hands of those endowed with courage, or in the hands of those who are intellectually developed, or in the hands of those with worldly skills. Social control should be in the hands of those who are spiritual aspirants, intelligent and brave all at the same time.
5th fundamental principle of PROUT
The method of utilization should vary in accordance with the changes in time, space and person, and the utilization should be of a progressive nature.
Purport: The proper use of any object changes in accordance with the changes in time, place and person. Those who cannot understand this simple reality want to cling to the skeleton of the past and are consequently rejected by contemporary, living society. Sentiments based on narrow national outlook, regional outlook or caste pride etc., tend to keep people away from rudimental facts and original ideas. Those influenced by such sentiments cannot openly accept the simple truth. Consequently they are compelled to slink away to the back stage after having done indescribable damage to their country and fellow citizens.
Changes in the use of every object inevitably occur according to changes in time, place and person. After recognizing this fact people will have to progressively utilize every object and every idea. For example, scientific research must be applied so that a person, instead of wielding one huge hammer today, will be able to wield many hammers simultaneously, using the same strength. In other words, scientific research, guided by progressive ideas, should extract greater and greater service from the same human potential. It is not a sign of progress to use outdated scientific technology in an age of developed science.
Human beings will have to bravely face whatever large and small obstacles that may arise due to the use of various resources and materials created by progressive ideas and developed technology. Human beings have to march forward to victory on the path of all-round fulfillment in life.
Humanity is one and Indivisible