Harry Terhanian.com

meedkuh pahrehgahmnehreetz lahvakouinn eh ayn mahrtou hahmahr, ohv eesskhoum eh nuhrah vuhrah: sahgaiyn,ohv tzahkhaghvehl eh ayit kohrdzoum, eehr meedkuh tahrnoum eh nuhra ahmehnamehdz tuhssnahmeen.

By learning to control the mind, one can focus it in order to accomplish tasks effectively. Concentration of the mind is necessary to successfully achieve a goal in life. Success in life requires that one can control the urges of lust, anger, greed, envy, rash behavior without considering the consequences, and action prompted by a deluded state of mind. An uncontrolled mind that easily succombs to the above six urges becomes an enemy that subverts one’s ability to follow nature’s first law of self-preservation.

When one lives on the mental level, the mind accepts or rejects based on sensual perceptions, not on rational considerations of longterm good or bad for oneself. It is a natural and innate quality of a human being to follow the order of a superior. As long as the mind remains an unconquered enemy, one has to serve the dictations of lust, anger, greed,etc. But when the mind is conquered (controlled by superior intellect of the person), it voluntarily abides by the dictation of authorities that one may recognize. For example, if a person is sick, he or she may approach a doctor for help. If the doctor prescribes a medicine, the patient will most likely get the prescription filled and follow the doctor’s advice to heal their sickness.

During one’s life, there are many levels of authorities one may choose to follow. When one voluntarily accepts the authority of God (or His saintly messengers) and agrees to abide by His divine instructions, he or she completely conquers the flickering mind and becomes free of all degrading influences. Thus one can deliver oneself from unnecessary problems in life with the help of the controlled mind.

The mind can be trained not to be attracted by the glitter of material objects whether they are things or persons. When the mind is affected by the desire to control and exploit something or someone in this world for personal satisfaction, it becomes entangled. For example, when a man sees an attractive woman dressed in tight, suggestive clothing that reveal curves and bulges of her body, his thoughts, emotions and behavior may be affected. Thus, the more one is attracted to the objects of the senses, the more one is entangled in material existence.

In the Vedic Upanisad Amrita-bindu, it is said: “For man, the mind can be the cause of bondage and it can be the cause of liberation. The mind absorbed in sense objects is the cause of bondage, and the mind detached from the sense objects is the cause of liberation.”

One is freed from the bondage of material objects by learning how to use everything in the service of God. This requires voluntary acceptence of the authority and guidance of genuine spiritual teachers who give the knowledge of how to employ everything properly in the service of God. For example, to help control the mind from impulsive sexual attraction that may lead to irresponsible behavior, holy marriage is recommended by spiritual teachers. In such a union of man and woman, there is the development of respect, commitment, true affection and love solidified by the vow of marriage. The stability of society depends to a large degree on maintaining the vow of marriage by which the parents stay together and cooperate to educate their children, work responsibly by abiding by the laws of a country and gradually develop skills that enable them to contribute to the well-being of others.

This is one essential formula for success in one’s own life and for the entire human society.

ohrshnuhvahdz geenehr yohteh ahzneev hahdgoutiounehr uhstatzadz yehn ahstoudzmeheh

There are seven superlative qualities that are considered feminine; fame, fortune, fine speech, memory, intelligence, steadfastness and patience. If a woman possesses some or all of them, she is considered divinely blessed. These qualities can also be possessed by men who are saintly.

A genuininely righteous woman is a paradigm of society. In Armenian history, Hripseme was such a woman and Sourp Bahrsegh (Saint Blaise) was such a man. Sourp Bahrsegh’s history is very interesting. The legend is given by E.-H. Vollet, in the Grande Encyclopédie as follows:
“Blaise, who had studied philosophy in his youth, was a doctor in Sebastia in Armenia, the city of his birth, who exercised his art with miraculous ability, good-will, and piety. When the bishop of the city died, he was chosen to succeed him, with the acclamation of all the people. His holiness was manifest through many miracles: from all around, people came to him to find cures for their spirit and their body; even wild animals came in herds to receive his blessing. In 316, Agricola, the governor of Cappadocia and of Lesser Armenia, having arrived in Sebastia at the order of the emperor Licinius to kill the Christians, arrested the bishop. As he was being led to prison, a mother set her only son, choking to death of a fish-bone, at his feet, and the child was cured straight away. Regardless, the governor, unable to make Blaise renounce his faith, beat him with a stick, ripped his flesh with iron combs, and beheaded him.”

Saint Hripseme, a saintly nun from Rome, was also brutally murdered in Armenia by the Armenian king Drtad because she refused to renounce her Christian faith and chastity as a nun.

The opulence of pure love of God and the beautitude which is a result of such purity of spirit are important aspects of fortune. Fine speech is characterized as speaking words that are truthful, pleasing, beneficial, and not agitating to others and when possible based on holy scriptural authority.

The ability to remember what one has studied is a sign of good memory. Good intelligence is manifest by the skillful application of acquired knowledge to solve practical problems encountered in everyday life.

Steadfastness in the most trying situations where most persons succomb to
loss of courage or determination to complete an undertaking is a virtue of good character.

When one is highly qualified in knowledge and realization, yet always remains humble and gentle along with the ability to be equipoised in
happiness and distressed, he or she is graced with patience.

If a person possesses some or all of these qualities, he or she is considered graced by the mercy of God.

ahnhounahr mahrtee lehzoun yehrgahr guhleenee

vohkut kahree chee kahh

This phrase is used as a blessing to wish for good luck and success. It conveys the wish that one never encounter any obstacles that may hinder to achieving of a desireable goal.

“koutzeh” tzahnehl yehn, chee pouhssahv

Careless speculation often begins with “perhaps,(what)if, suppose, assume, imagine, etc. Such flights of the mind usually end up not producing any result and often divert one from ascertaining the truth.

nehruhss sehv, uhsbeedahkuhss touhrss

The colors white and black are used to contrast opposite states of emotion.
One may be experiencing emotional suffering in their mind, but appear stable and calm externally.

tzehrkuhs pahn, vohkuhss kehrehzmahn

In the last stages of sickness before death, one may be literally with both feet in the grave, yet continue to maintain a miserable existence that may be describe as “hand to mouth.”

keedounuh vohr keednah, mahzee behss guh pahreknah,
ahnkehduh vohr chee hahssghnah, kehrahnee behss guh kehrahnah

This proverb illustrates that wisdom leads to self-control by which one distances himself from exaggerated indulgences like eating too much. In contrast, the person who lacks wisdom becomes overly self-indulgent and engages in excessive eating and other activities for sense enjoyment.