Tattva Bodha - Post 6

Saadhanachatushtayam kim?

Nitya anitya vastu vivekaha

Ihaamutra arthaphala bhoga viraagaha

Shamaadi shatkasampattihi

Mumukshutvam cheti

What is Sadhana Chatushtayam?

Discrimination between the real and the unreal objects.

Dispassion towards the enjoyment of fruits of one’s own action here and hereafter.

Six Discipline starting from Shama etc.

Burning desire for liberation

We are going to learn about the 6 virtuous qualities which a spiritual aspirant in the path of wisdom / Self enquiry must attain, which lead him to develop an intense craving for Self Realization.

It has to be noted and driven deep into our heart / mind that the following sequence cannot be changed / done away with:-

1st - Viveka i.e., Discriminating between real and unreal - Sat and Asat.

2nd - Vairagya - Dispassion for the unreal. This is possible only after we have exercised Viveka. If one is not able to discriminate between real and unreal, then how possibly can one develop a dispassion for the unreal? 

Now, coming to the six virtuous qualities, let us be sure that only after Viveka and Vairagya, can we develop these qualities, not before that.

Sama is serenity or tranquility of mind

Sama is serenity or tranquility of mind that is brought about by eradication of subtle desires. Serenity is the state or quality of being serene. It is calmness or coolness of mind, or peace. It is evenness of temper and undisturbed state of mind.

A serene mind is unclouded or unruffled. In a serene mind alone the Divine Light descends.

Serenity comes when you annihilate all desires and cravings. Desires and cravings produce restlessness. If you are serene, it is the greatest manifestation of power and strength. When one is serene, the mind is kept in the chambers of the heart and is not allowed to join with the senses and to move outside into sensual objects. The mind is fixed in the source.  

Serenity of mind is the most important qualification for an aspirant. This is difficult for attainment, but the aspirant must have this qualification at any cost. It demands incessant and protracted practice.

Dama is control of the Indriyas (sense-organs)

Dama is control of the Indriyas (sense-organs). This is rational control, not blunting or deadening of the sense by foolish austerities. 

This body is the moving temple of God. It should be kept healthy and strong. It is a vessel to take you to the other shore of fearlessness and immortality; it is a horse to take you to the goal.

Ignorant people adopt foolish methods to control the senses.

Remember, it is only the abuse or misuse of the organs that brings misery and untoward results. The senses should be consecrated at the Lotus Feet of the Lord for His services. They should be utilized in serving one's Guru and other Mahatmas. 

If the senses are disciplined properly and if they are kept under control, they become your useful servants.

People ask: "Where is the necessity for the practice of Dama, when one practices Sama?" Dama, control of the senses, is also necessary. Then only will one get supreme control of mind. 

Though the senses cannot independently do any havoc when the mind is under control, yet their control ensures perfect safety and supreme peace of mind.

When one's inclinations and emotions, desires and appetites, senses and mind are under control, it is called self-control. Control yourself first, then you can control others. Self-control clears the mind, strengthens judgement and elevates your character. 

There is no triumph more glorious than that of the victory obtained over your own Self. Till you have done this, you will only be a slave of the senses. He who is subject to his passions is the worst slave on the surface of this earth; he who rules his passions, desires, cravings and senses is the real King of Kings.

Continued....

Love.

Tattva Bodha - Post 5

Viraagaha kaha?

Iha swarga bogashu Ichahaah ahithyam

What is dispassion?

The absence of desire for the enjoyment (of fruits of one's action) in this world and also in any other world.

As a result of one's discriminative capacity (Viveka), when one differentiates between the real and the unreal in the world outside or in the world within, all false values automatically drop off.  

When once a thing is understood to be full of bitterness, pain and imperfection, rare is the man who will continue to court it.

Thus, Vairagya born out of Viveka is what is called as detachment.

The author (in his teens) interacted with a sanyasi while he was in Mathura. The sanyasi was from the West and had opted for sanyas and was staying in Brindavan in an ISKCON ashram. He was young and energetic. 

Author asked him one question - "If you ever happen to like a girl and want to marry her, what would you do"?

The answer was - "I shall leave this sanyas and marry the girl".

The reason for narrating this incident is not to undermine that sanyasi but to drive home one point strongly.

If the sanyas was taken up out of differentiating between real and unreal and out of a strong conviction to discard this world and take up spiritual Sadhana and evolve spiritually to realize SELF, then the possibility of marrying would have never ever been there for that westerner turned sanyasi.

How Vairagya Dawns 

Note how Vairagya arises in the mind. Once, through Viveka, one is able to clearly see and know the transitory and perishable nature of all objects in this world, then, to the extent one is able to know / experience this unreal / anitya nature of all objects in this world, to that extent - dispassion towards the same sets in!! More you are aware that some thing is unreal / ephemeral, more you develop dispassion or Vairagya towards that!!

An irresistible feeling arises in our mind, viz., that the finite can never satisfy the Infinite within us, that the changing and perishable cannot satisfy the changeless and deathless nature of ours. 

Love.

PS - While Vairagya has been described in the traditional way it is understood for centuries (detachment / dispassion developed for that which is known as unreal through Viveka), here, the author would like to give a newer and more positive dimension to "Vairagya".

Vairagya need not be due to dispassion / aversion for unreal things. 

Vairagya could also be (and is most preferred) due to our Love / our craving for that which is eternal and for that, we could prostrate and bid goodbye to all other  things / all other companions / all other objects that have been closer to us until then. In this case, even while discarding all that is ephemeral or temporary, there is no dispassion / negative feeling developed. We just say within, "My gratitude to you for being with me in my life all through, now I am taking off for a higher journey towards SELF, so I may not be able to be with you from now onwards, Prostrations and love to you!!".

Love.

Tattva Bodha - Post 4

Nithya Anithya Vasthu Vivekaha kaha?

Nithya Vasthu Ekam Brahma Tathvyathiriktam Sarvam Anityam
Ayameva Nitya Anitya Vastu Vivekaha

What is discrimination between real and unreal?

Brahman alone is real, other than Brahman everything is unreal.

This is what is called discrimination between real and unreal.

We read on the 4 qualifications or the Sadhana Chatushtaya in the previous post.

Let us know about the first qualification - Viveka (Discrimination) in today's post.

Viveka is the intellectual ability to discriminate between real and unreal or what is described as Nitya and Anitya.

This Viveka is a slow process. We live our life. We begin with many desires and ambitions. We fulfill each of them. Yet we find an emptiness inside – that emptiness inside is the feeling of being wanting, which leads us to imagine that by doing something else we will become fulfilled.  

Slowly we begin to understand that no matter what I do, no matter how many ambitions I fulfill, the emptiness inside does not seem to go. 

Then what is the solution? This is where all the paper-back knowledge comes in handy… you read a book, or you go for a Satsang. There you know that the TREASURE you have been looking for all your life is within you… is you. 

It is not out there in the changing world – the changing world cannot give you what you are looking for … you are looking for PERMANENCE – permanent happiness and permanent security…… that is God … who is your True Self. So turn your attention now to God, who is your True Self…., who never deserts you. God is permanent happiness and God is permanent security. 

So Nitya vastu is GOD who is your TRUE SELF. Now there is a longing to get one's TRUE SELF. 

So far one was happy with the crumbs of happiness given out by life. 

Now, one understands it is Anitya - temporary…. and the interest in gaining Anitya happiness and security etc., simply drops.

Discrimination or Viveka is the 100 percent conviction that the SELF alone is real and that objects are apparently real.

Discrimination is the sense of right judgement and understanding to differentiate between the permanent and the impermanent.

The Anitya or impermanence comes in the form of various situations, opportunities and pleasures while the permanence is the VERY SELF, the TRUE nature of one's SELF. 

While one may be very intelligent at surface level, it is the subtlety of the intellect to delve into things / events / happenings / relationships etc., and to clearly discriminate between what is TRUE and what is FALSE, or rather, what is FACT in the context of present time and phase and what is TRUE always, irrespective of the time, irrespective of situations.

An example is given to differentiate between fact (Nijam) and Truth (Sathyam).

A king had a beautiful queen to whom he was so attached due to her beauty that he spent most of his lifetime with her, engrossed in her beauty.

The queen dies one day and once she dies, the body is kept for couple of days due to some reason and the same king, who was so attached to her physical beauty, is not able to go near the body due to its bad smell.

The beauty of that queen during a certain time phase is FACT or NIJAM, which is relevant / valid for a particular time. Readers may co relate so many such FACTS in various phases in their own lives. 

However, after a particular time period, the Fact is no more a fact, when the body is dead. 

However, the one Truth SAT - CHIT or SELF or GOD beyond a form, is not a mere fact but it is TRUTH for all times, in all yugas.

Viveka or Discrimination is to know clearly the difference between That which is / are unreal or just fact(s) and, That which is eternally real, the only TRUTH (Our existence in pure canvass / the Knower who is changeless who is self illumined in and through all Koshas, all states of consciousness and even beyond all of them).

That Eternal Truth is our true nature - Divine SELF.

Love.