Dr. Vijai S Shankar MD.PhD.
Published on www.academy-advaita.com
The Netherlands
10th April 2016
Nature (1)
“Intelligence”
Nature’s intelligence is taken for granted. Man neither wonders nor ponders the intelligence in nature as to how everything in nature could and does happen. Nothing in nature either living or non-living has the ability to think what to do, when to do, where to go, what should happen, and what should not happen, except man. Yet everything does happen in nature without the thinking. Also no living entity in nature either decides or chooses, except man.
Man is the only living entity in nature interested in knowing what to do, when to do, where to go, what should happen and what should not happen. Man neither wonders nor ponders how he does what he does, when he does or where he goes to. He takes it for granted that he decides, chooses and does. To logic and reason it appears that man decides, chooses and does as well.
To deep logic and reason, however, this is intriguing because man too is made up of what nature is made up of, namely the five elements. So how could a part of nature just happen without the need for thinking, decision and choice and only man has to think, decide, choose and do? This implies that the intelligence in nature is partial.
But is the intelligence in nature partial is the question to be addressed? In nature everything happens instinctively. Instinctively implies a spontaneous, uncontrollable and unpredictable movement of intelligence without the need for thinking, decision or choice. This is evident because a flower blossoms, a fruit ripens and every bird, fish, insect or animal lives instinctively due to the intelligence in nature, and not because of thinking or doing. This implies that everything happens precisely when it is meant to happen in nature without the need for thinking or doing, for example blossoming, ripening, eating, drinking water and growth.
The intelligence in nature is neither partial, nor impartial, because the intelligence present in nature is present in man as well. Man too instinctively moves as well and goes and comes where he is meant to go and come. Man precisely gets his food and water as it is meant to happen, grows precisely as he or she is meant to grow.
The intelligence in nature, however, has evolved intellect in the mind of man that manifests a deception of thinking as to what to do, when to do, where to go and what should happen, while everything that is meant to happen keeps happening just as it does to everything else in nature.
Thinking what to do, when to do, where to go, what should happen, what should not happen, what should not be done, what should not be said is unnecessary and is equivalent to happenings which are unnecessary in nature as well. Yet they do or do not happen. For example, thorns do grow, weeds do grow, some flowers do not blossom, some fruits do not ripen and catastrophes do happen in nature. This implies that what is meant to happen will happen and what is not meant to happen will not happen to man as well.
When man understands that the intelligence in nature looks after him just as it looks after every living entity in nature as it is meant, trust in life, which is the intelligence in nature, blossoms in man. This blossoming of intelligence in nature in man is enlightenment.
Author: Dr. Vijai S. Shankar
© Copyright V. S. Shankar 2016
Editor’s Note:
Nature, fondly referred to as Mother Nature, is everyone’s friend and companion. Its power is respected and even feared, particularly when man is disturbed by its spectacular displays. Man has no difficulty in accepting and understanding that it is nature and not he or she that is the intelligence governing much of what he sees and experiences in his life, including his own birth, growth and span of life.
Understanding that this same intelligence in nature controls every aspect of his own life dissolves the limitations of his thinking and opens the way to eternity.
Realising this is the supreme gift of the wise.
Julian Capper, UK.
German Translator’s Note:
Dr. Shankar’s article “Nature“ gives a deep insight in the nature of life including, especially, the mind. We all are part of nature. Whatever we do, it is natural. Whatever we don’t do, the not-doing it is natural too. Because it is nature which happens as us doing, illusory though, we can trust life as it happens, whatever it may be and however the mind comments about it. Understanding that man is part of nature too, allows us to live our lifes naturally. The mind is there, perfectly in place, naturally too, but we are no longer dependent on the mind as if it were the doer.
Marcus Stegmaier, Germany.