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Faith, Frenzy and Fanaticism

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  The recent events relating to the stampedes during the Mahakumbh mela and the similar accident at New Delhi Railway station has set me thinking about the problem of Bhakti and the distinct possibility of faith turning to a frenzy and leading to fanaticism. While the message of religion and Self realisation is not easy to understand especially when there are so many distractions surrounding us there is a constant urge to over to find easy way out and anybody offering a quick fix solution is more welcome than the serious strict demanding teacher of Vedanta.  Kumbh Mela in India is an annual event which celebrates the full orbital revolution of Jupiter around the sun. The event which is in the month of January and February becomes what in the most populous country of the world the largest peaceful gathering of humanity. Every 12 years this alignment of Sun, moon and jupiter happens. I really don't quite know the importance of Jupiter but science says that the larger planets hav...
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My Perspective on Money

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  I have often wondered about the concept of money and what is represents to each and everyone. The concept of money is based on value which is not related to the material value of what represents money. For example a coin, a piece of paper, or even a number notionally in your bank account, stock account or bitcoin account is worth nothing if the power of authority is withdrawn. Was there a reason to create money and why was it introduced? Has money in the present form existed from time immemorial? As the hunter forager man settled into agriculture, animal domestication, agriculture and subsequently ownership of good, instruments, properties etc. there came the need to measure value, barter and exchange. While I was always curious about the name and surnames especially mine, I was told that Jokhi is the comes from the verb jokhvanu which means to weigh and jokhi who can be an observer.  When man settled into communities and started having possessions it was necessary for men a...
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What is a black swan?

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As a doctor and a man of scientific temper, I have realized that even as we want to believe that the science of medicine is chasing consistency in clinical outcomes these elude us. For routine ailments we get predictable outcomes and as this happens more we tend to become complacent, till we get surprises and shocks. The universe has laws and modern allopathic medicine too has rules evidence and algorithms. But, medical treatment is an art too and human beings are not mere physical creatures, they also have mind and the intellect to deal with. Besides this there is the individual and universal consciousness which are beyond the realms of the body mind and intellect. This means a pure mathematical logical model cannot and will not work. Intuition, faith belief can play a role in clinical outcomes. These can make a mockery of "evidence based medicine". However, this blog is not about medicine but is about statistics and probability.  While doing the course on hospital administr...
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Thoughts Words Deeds "Humata," "Hukhta," and "Hvarshta"

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 I would like to today write about the simplistic mantra from Avesta language which is kind of thrown by Parsis to all and sundry as the simple pillars of the faith. It is almost used as an excuse to compensate for the fact that Parsis meant by the narrow term practicing Zoroastrianism have little knowledge of the faith in which they are born. Yet, the rituals and the prayers and the manthravani have a magical effect on many.  The words Humata Hukhta and Hvarshta come from Avesta language and mean good thoughts, good words and good deeds. These are countered by the opposite Dushmakta, Duzhukhta and Duzhvarahta meant to be bad thoughts, bad words and bad deeds. The Parsi faith came from prophet Zarathustra who in the face of a society which was polyesthic and multiple Gods wanting their own sacrifices and competing for attention leading to a divided cruel society. This was replaced by a monotheist Ahura Mazda, a single God emphasized purity and righteousness. This was a huge ad...
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Why do the persecuted perpetrate the same when in power?

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  This question has haunted me for a long time and I do not think I have an answer to it. Since time immemorial there have been power asymmetries and there have been oppressors and the oppressed. Revolts against the oppressor have been seen and the fight between good and evil is the subject of books, wars and the basis of religions. The simplistic narrative of all such situations is that evil is all evil and good is all good and the good will eventually win and destroy evil. This is the black and white certainty of most of our belief systems the stuff of our childhood story tales and Hindi films which end with a happy ending.  The symbolism since time has been the theme of dark forces black battling against the good forces which are always shown as bright or pure white.  The power of our conscience is such that we see everything clearly and in many cases we see wrong things being done like stealing, cheating, being unfaithful, deceiving, slandering and even killing. At su...
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Four Wise Buddhas

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 Today I wish to write about the wisdom of the Buddhas signified by the Japanese proverb.  See no Evil. Hear no Evil. Speak no Evil. Think or Do no Evil.  While this seems good to display, is it justified in terms of way things pan out in this world. We are surrounded by evil forces and the high standards of ethical and moral behaviour are rarely if ever upheld. The lines between correct and incorrect are indistinct if not completely invisible.  Many believe that we are living in the worst times, where the human intellect has fallen beyond measure. But this position too is relative as evil and good exist as surely as day and night for as long as humans existed and will continue to do so in differing proportions. So while it is important to recognize this duality it is equally important to be extra careful to verify and be clear as to the veracity of what is fact or fiction and truth or untruth.  The monkeys or Buddhas are symbolic of a slow measured pace of life...
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State and Nations are perpetrators of Justified Violence

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 There are a few books I usually read simultaneously and the sequence of books read is generally random based on some recommendations.  Many of these are heavy non fiction books. Books on public policy have been on my reading list for a while and the realization that simplistic state interventions based on hunches not well researched can have effects which are opposite of what was intended. The state by itself tends to be an oppressor and has a monopoly on sanctioned violence. So if the common rights of one are infringed by another there are laws to justify punishing the infrigers on behalf of the oppressed. While there maybe safeguards to prevent misuse, these too can be set aside and state can selectively misuse the law and become an oppressor itself. The state can and does take away your land and possessions for the greater common good and also in fact take nearly one third of your hard earned money as tax to ensure you get basic amenities and as a nation guard you against ...
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