Chapter XIII
The inert mind reflects the intelligence
Of course, the mind is inert (jada). Just as when water, inert matter, begins to shine when it is placed in the sun, the inert mind borrows effulgence from the Atma and appears as if it has consciousness (chaithanya).
The intellect (buddhi) gets reflected in the mind, so it looks as if
the mind is also intelligent, that is all. Its real nature is ignorance. The
mind is not self-effulgent, like the Atma. The mind’s splendor is as the
luminousness of insects in the rainy season. The Atma, however, is the sun of
suns, the effulgence of all effulgence, the Supreme Light (Paramjyothi), the self-effulgent (swayam-jyothi).
Introspection
The essence of Drk Drsya Viveka has been captured in the above part written by Swami.
We learnt from the DDV
session (available in YouTube channel) about the sequence of the seer and seen,
starting from the grossest level and reaching to the subtlest level, as
under.
|
Seer |
Seen |
|
Senses |
Outer objects |
|
Mind |
Senses |
|
Intellect |
Mind |
|
Atma (Consciousness) |
Intellect |
And
Swami concludes with the line “The mind is not self-effulgent, like the Atma.
The mind’s splendor is as the luminousness of insects in the rainy season. The
Atma, however, is the sun of suns, the effulgence of all effulgence, the
Supreme Light (Paramjyothi), the self-effulgent (swayam-jyothi).”
Swami continues,
Control the senses as well as the mind
The senses can do
nothing by themselves. They are not independent. If the mind is brought under
control, the senses can also be controlled. Some people undergo mere asceticism
of the senses to control the mind! They are ignorant of the real discipline
that is necessary. The real discipline is the destruction of desire.
However vigilant warders
may be, a clever robber can still steal in a hundred amazing ways. So too,
however skillfully you may try to control the senses, the mind will drag them
to its side and execute its desires through them. Note how the sage Viswamitra,
inspite of his austerities, fell before the wiles of the celestial nymphs (apsaras) sent by Indra to tempt him.
If only the outer door
is closed and the inner door is left unbolted, calamity is certain. But if both
the exterior and the interior doors are safely bolted, you can sleep
peacefully, for no thief, however clever, will find it easy to enter and do
harm.
Therefore, the aspirant
should establish mastery over the external senses. Then, the mind, immersed in
the continuous succession of subject-object (vishaya) relationship, must be controlled by means of
peace (santhi) and
renunciation (vairagya). When
that is done, one can experience real spiritual bliss (ananda) and visualize the Atma, in its real form. That
is why Krishna once told Arjuna, “Those who aspire to have mastery over the
senses must have full faith in Me.”
The senses are always
extrovert in nature; they are greedy for external contacts. Therefore, they
drag the ignorant perpetually toward external objects. So, the spiritual
aspirant, endowed with discrimination and renunciation, must place obstacles in
their outward path and suppress their outbursts, just as the charioteer,
wielding the whip and the reins, does to the raging steeds. Uncontrolled senses
cause great harm. People in their grip cannot engage themselves in meditation,
even for a single second.
Introspection
A Monk of Rama Krishna Mission recounts
the interaction of Thakur with disciples with respect to mind control, thus: -
“Devotees would often come to Sri Ramakrishna
and unburden to him the contradictory feelings arising in their minds. They
would say that the mind constantly swung from one extreme to another, from good
to bad, with apparently no control or restraint whatsoever.
In fact, this is the exasperation which Arjuna expressed to Sri Krishna: “The mind verily is, O Krishna, restless, turbulent, strong and obstinate. I deem it as hard to control as the wind.” (चञ्चलं हि मनः कृष्ण प्रमाथि बलवद्दृढम्। तस्याहं निग्रहं मन्ये वायोरिव सुदुष्करम् ।।Gita 6.34।।).
Thus, he would tell them that the world
in its very nature is full of contradictions. Since we are the creations of
God, we also experience such dramatically opposite feelings in our mind.
He would then say, “But just as
it is up to the people to reject the sour fruits and eat the sweet fruits only,
it is up to the individual to control one’s mind through a proper and
well-regulated method of spiritual striving.”
In fact, Sri Krishna in the Bhagavad Gita supported Arjuna’s view and said, “Doubtless, O mighty armed, the mind is restless and hard to control; but by practice and non-attachment, O son of Kunti, it can be controlled.” (असंशयं महाबाहो मनो दुर्निग्रहं चलं। अभ्यासेन तु कौन्तेय वैराग्येण च गृह्यते ।।Gita 6.35।।)
It is only by intense and relentless
practice along with a certain degree of dispassion it is possible to bring
under control the restless mind and go forward in our spiritual journey.
One should be extremely
alert and constantly discriminate between right and wrong or good and bad.
God’s creation is so baffling that sometimes bad things appear alluring and
attractive. Eternal vigilance is the price for spiritual progress.”
Love.
