The End of Times is the Beginning of the New

 

Dr. Vijai S Shankar MD.PhD.

Religie & Mystiek

The Netherlands


February 2005

Amended version 2009

 

In what manner should man understand that the end of times is the beginning of the new? Does man have to hope blindly for the end of times so that the new can begin? The hope for the end of times is an indication that times have not yet ended, and man somehow thinks or believes that times can end somewhere in the distant future so that the new can begin. The end of times (not time) means either the end of good times or bad times. By times is meant situations. Man would certainly not wish for good times to end so that the new could begin. The beginning of the new usually indicates something to do with good times.

 

Therefore, the end of times means the end to bad times. Man prays for the end of bad times, and this is his eternal request to God. Though he prays, plans, wishes and hopes for the end of bad times, they seem to be present in every corner of this world. The very outcry from man for bad times to end is proof of its very presence in this world. If man knows for certain that times should end, does God not know it too? And if God knows it, then why has He not ended it so that the new can begin? Does God not want the new to begin?

 

Religions in every form and practice have tried to end bad times, but they have not ended. This makes one wonder whether God is capable of ending bad times, or whether God is listening to man’s plea at all. Maybe there is nothing called bad times as a reality in life. They may merely be a figment of mind. Probably mankind has not really searched for its existence in life. It may be that the notion of bad times is just that - a belief, a thought, an idea, a conditioning, or an absence of thoughts of good times!

 

Many options are open to man to bring about the end of times (bad times). He diligently pursues these paths in the hope that they will produce the desired results. When will it happen, is the question. It has not done so thus far, so what is the assurance that it may in the distant future? All that such practices do is to instil a desire to practise more - a dream that remains a dream until the end of man's life! By then it is too late to realise that it was just a dream!

 

Man is ready to embrace beliefs for they offer him the comfort of a hope and a future. He is able to have the enthusiasm to live for another day because of a hope and a future. This statement that the end of times is the beginning of the new offers man a hope that it could happen. But could it happen, is the question. Man is not yet brave enough to face life directly and understand life in a deeper sense.

 

The end of times means that there could be an end, but the universe is beginningless and endless. If such is the understanding of the realised souls, how can man still harbour the belief that there could be an end to times? It also denotes a cause and effect phenomenon that the end of times will bring in the new. One must understand that world is without cause or effect. The cause is the effect and the effect is the cause. In other words, the world is without cause or effect. All such notions of cause and effect are an illusion for, in life, there cannot be an absolute cause or an absolute effect. There is no cut-off point between cause and effect. Life is continuous.

 

Times are just a logical assumption in the mind. The mind can only put a meaning if it separates the good from the bad. But both words, good and bad, are not separate from each other. They are both the same energy! Good is nothing but minimal bad and bad is nothing but minimal good! Both (good and bad) are present even when the mind proclaims one and pays attention to the meaning of that particular word (either good or bad).

 

Man is yet to understand that there can never be an end to times. If there were an end to times, then the mental world would cease to exist. This cannot happen for energy can neither be destroyed nor created. Energy just transforms from one form to another: bad to good and then good to bad - the circle of life goes on!

 

Another point to be pondered is this: who could bring about the end of times? Man surely cannot, for he did not invent times in the first place. If man invented times, would he create bad times at all? He certainly would not. Therefore, one must realise that there is nothing called bad times, as a reality. Careful observation indicates that bad times or good times are merely mental judgments depending upon likes and dislikes! To appreciate good times one needs the contrast of that which could be termed as bad times! Whoever has created times has done a very intelligent job. It is rightfully in its place, and that very intelligence has also instilled the concept that the end of times is the beginning of the new, so that man one day may understand that it is not possible! This understanding is the dawning of the new!

 

Times will always remain as thoughts within the mind. This cannot be eradicated. From the absolute one must enjoy this relative drama of times. Man must learn to live life without the support of any form of hope for the new to reveal itself. That new life will also include the times, which will not compel him to eradicate them. Why bother to wish for the end of times? Times (situations) end anyway, whether man tries to end them or not. All times are temporary and not permanent.

 

Why bother to end the temporary when temporary itself means that it, the situation, will pass? If times were permanent, then it would be logical to try to end it. But nothing in life is permanent. Life keeps on changing, that is, times keep on changing! To watch the changing times is the beginning of the new!

 

Man aspires for change and is never satisfied with the moment as it is. The moment is always interpretated and concluded because man believes the moment contains actions. He needs to understand that time is absent in life which makes the moment action- less. Man needs to understand that the moment is eternal and many moments do not exist in life.

 

Life is, therefore, a singular movement, which unfolds spontaneously, uncontrollably and unpredictably, and actions do not exist in life. Life has made the mind believe that life is action-filled. Life makes the ego aspire for a change of old times, with its bad times, to new times, with lack of bad times. The mind believes and hopes that new times will be devoid of bad tidings and be filled with good events permanently.

 

To aspire for life with good events, without bad events, is more a dream than a reality for life will always be dual, whether man likes it or not. Life needs to be dual for, without it, man will not be able to recognise. Man needs to understand that nothing happens in life and so, wishing for an end to old times so that new times may begin, is illusory rather than real.

 

Time is absent in life at the micro-level, i.e. sub-atomic level, and at the macro-level or beyond the Milky Way. The law of physics does not operate at the micro- or macro-level nor are directions and a sense of distance present. Creation, creator and transformation is non-existent at micro or macro ends of life. Therefore, to wish for a change is wishful thinking more than anything else.

 

Such a beginning of the new will make man realise that everything in this world is to be accepted and nothing can be rejected in preference to its counterpart; that everything in life is in its rightful place; that everything in life helps man understand that there is an absolute point and its counterpart, a relative point: both are in life. From the absolute point you accept the relative, and then a man becomes total and new! But if man is riveted only to the relative point and has no understanding of the absolute, then he will always be in the pursuit of ending times so that the new can begin.

 

Man must understand that life has to be accepted as it is being manifested, and that this manifestation has a mental frame that cherishes mental concepts and makes life a drama - a drama that is to be enjoyed - for man does not bring about this drama! This drama is merely a play of light and sound. Surely there must be great intelligence involved in such a projection.

 

Realising that such intelligence brings about the beginning of the new, while the end of times just cannot do that, for it is not meant to, is enlightenment!

 

© Copyright V.S. Shankar, 2009

 

 

Back to articles page

 

back to articles page