Sandeha Nivarini - Post 36

Devotee: This means that all spiritual exercises are included in the path of inquiry (vichara-marga)?

Swami: Yes. The teaching of Vedanta is about “Who am I?” Only those equipped with the four instruments are competent to make this inquiry. The purpose of the four is to realise that the Atma is real and that all else is unreal and to discriminate between Atma and all else. 

Devotee: How is that to be realised, Swami?

Swami: By inquiring into the nature of the Atma! First they do all varieties of spiritual exercises and nally enter upon this. While a child, they teach you A, B, C, right? Even M.A. and B.A. curricula consist of the A, B, C, D and their permutations and combinations! But to realise this fact, one has to complete one’s studies! The spiritual texts (sastras) are based on akshara; meaning both letter and the Imperishable. All paths are based on the path of inquiry (vichara-marga).

Devotee: But there are some who attain samadhi. Will they have all this enquiry, etc. in samadhi?

Swami: Wonderful fellow! How can there be inquiry in samadhi? When you sleep soundly, do you have any

thoughts about the world around you? Samadhi is like that. 

Devotee: There will be no mind in samadhi, will there?

Swami: The mind that persists in sleep will be there also.

Devotee: They talk of a “beyond stage (thuriya)” in samadhi. What is that, Swami?

Swami: Beyond the waking, dreaming, and deep-sleep stages.

Devotee: Why are those stages absent there? What are the characteristics of that stage?

Swami: Those three stages are the characteristics of I-ness. Ego (ahamkara), the person with mind (manas), who does all acts. That will not be present in the “beyond” stage. It would have disappeared long ago. For them, it is all the same, with eyes open or with eyes closed. It is all One.

Devotee: Swami, without that “I (aham)”, how can they talk?

Swami: What was “I” in the beginning is transformed into the true entity (swarupa) when the reality is grasped; this is referred to as the destruction of the mind (mano-nasanam).

Devotee: So, this undifferentiated deep communion (nir-vikalpa-samadhi) is all destruction (naasam)?

Swami: Well, my boy, all samadhis are merging (laya), not destruction. The spiritual-aspirant stage is when you have both construction and destruction.

Devotee: This subject is very interesting, Swami.

Swami: Don’t sit quietly, merely appreciating it. Practise it in daily life. All right, you can take leave.

Devotee: Very good Swami. Please bless me in that practice. I shall be back soon. 

Swami Sivananda