Chapter XIV
Swami
continues,
"About anger, spiritual aspirants have to be vigilant even about the most minor matters that might provoke them, because if they are careless, they cannot progress in the least. Such people must cultivate a humble, loving spirit. Then the bad traits will disappear. Some aspirants become very angry when someone discovers and announces to them the bad traits they possess. This makes matters worse!
Eliminate pride
Aspirants must always
have the inward look; if they allow the mind to wander outward, they cannot
identify their own faults. Pride prevents the inward look and confuses the
examination of the mind. When aspirants want to achieve success, they must bow
down to those who point out their faults. That is the way to progress quickly
and fast in the path of meditation. And they must endeavor not to entertain the
faults any longer.
It is hard to get rid of
pride and self-love or ego (ahamkara),
for everyone has been shaping this life from the beginningless period. Everyone
has been allowing their mind to flow in the direction it likes for ages past,
so it is very difficult now to turn it from its accustomed path and bend its
steps in another direction.
Individuals full of I (aham) love to exercise authority over others. They will
not agree with others that it is “bondage”, for the arguments of others are not
advanced by them! They see everything through glasses coloured by the smoke of
selfishness and self-love. “My words are true.” “My opinion is correct.” “My
deeds are right.” Thus, they feel and thus they spend their days. Such
behaviour is very harmful for spiritual aspirants. They must look forward
eagerly to any helpful criticism or suggestion or advice, from whatever
quarter.
Besides, aspirants must
minimize all discussion and argumentation, for this breeds a spirit of rivalry
and leads one on to angry reprisals and vengeful fighting. Do not struggle to
earn the esteem of the world. Do not feel humiliated or angry when the world
does not recognize you or your merits. Learn this first and foremost if you are
an aspirant for spiritual success. Do not become happy when you are being
praised; therein lies a deadly trap, which might even lead you astray and
endanger your progress.
Thus, you must reform
your mental traits and habits. Cultivate the habit of never causing pain to
others. Try to understand others and sympathize with them and do things that
will be helpful. Train yourself to take insult and criticism as “decorations”
awarded to you. Struggle hard to be friendly with everyone, whatever their
nature or conduct.
A sense of joy is
necessary for meditation and concentration to progress, but many things deprive
you of the atmosphere of joy. So, you must pray sincerely, to be free from such
obstacles. The recital or repetition of mantras will be of great help.
Introspection
There is nothing to write on today’s
Dhyana Vahini post as Swami has written so clearly that anyone can understand.
Let us just take one part from today’s post
where Swami Says,
“Do not struggle to earn the esteem of
the world. Do not feel humiliated or angry when the world does not recognize
you or your merits.”
“Do not become happy
when you are being praised; therein lies a deadly trap, which might even lead
you astray and endanger your progress.”
In this context, instantly, a verse from Vivekachudamani came into author’s
thought, which he has quoted many times in various spiritual sessions.
This verse is about a Jivanmukhta, one
who is liberated while he is alive.
This verse echoes exactly the portion
taken up in today’s introspection.
It goes like this,
इष्टानिष्टार्थसम्प्राप्तौ समदर्शितयात्मनि ।
उभयत्राविकारित्वं जीवन्मुक्तस्य लक्षणम् ॥ ४३४ ॥
iṣṭāniṣṭārthasamprāptau samadarśitayātmani |
ubhayatrāvikāritvaṃ jīvanmuktasya lakṣaṇam ॥434॥
434. When things pleasant or
painful present themselves, to remain unruffled in mind in both cases, through
the sameness of attitude, is a characteristic of one liberated-in-life.
Describing this quality of Jivanmukhta,
Swami Chinmayananda in one verse of this sacred treatise, says,
So, in the context of what Swami has
written, this mental attitude of not being affected by praise or abuse must be
practised by a sincere seeker in the beginning and it requires deliberate
efforts in the beginning.
However, this is the very nature of the
one who realizes SELF, as given in the Vivekachudamani
verse.
And, towards the end of today's portion,
Swami leaves a very important message for all sincere spiritual seekers. He
writes,
"A sense of joy is
necessary for meditation and concentration to progress, but many things deprive
you of the atmosphere of joy.
Dear Seekers,
Spiritual Sadhana, as we evolve from the
kindergarten stage, must be taken up with great sense of joy, great sense of
motivation, great sense of exuberance.
Sadhana is never an
escapism from misery, to be filled in misery and then crying out to the Lord in
sadhana to remove misery.
It is precisely for this purpose that Swami advises students to take up simple bhajans giving great ananda, with expressions filled with Ananda.
Swami says, keep all your sad moods, sad
bhajans to yourself and sing when you are alone. When you are in group bhajan
singing, sing with joy, for, that joy would spread in the gathering very
fast.
Love.
