Study of Addiction from the Perspective of Lord Buddha and Vethathiri Maharishi

A lot of miseries is borne by families across the globe when a family has a member addicted to some substance or a bad habit. Addiction is nothing but a collection of attachments. It can be addiction to alcohol, tobacco, drugs, food, pornography, sex, exercise, TV, mobile phone, cinema or even shopping. If we see the source of addiction, it generally starts as an interest. This interest gradually develops as preference, then creates an attachment to that something which later strengthens its gravity. The person slowly becomes more and more attentive to that interest and succumbs to the effect and becomes increasingly dependent in body, mind and spirit. This fundamental concept of addiction has been already dealt by Buddha (563 BC to 483 BC) who lived 2600 years ago. Lord Buddha taught that desire is the cause of all miseries. Vethathiri Maharishi also taught that desires have to be moralized otherwise it will lead to misery. This can be interpreted in the same way, within a small campass in the light of knowledge from the perspective of Yogiraj Vethathiri Maharishi, the saint of the modern age who lived in the present century. Panchashila and Gnana Kalinjiyam stand literary testimony to the greatness of Gautama Buddha and Vethathiri Maharishi respectively. Their teachings on the ethical code of conduct stand true for ever, leading the mankind eternally. World Community Service Centre (WCSC), a spiritual oriented educational centre (founded by Vethathiri Maharishi) is taking steps towards deaddiction through its various camps and imparting Simplified Kundalini Yoga (SKY) (devised by Vethathiri Maharishi) to the rural masses in their Village Service Projects (VSP) across various parts of our country.