Jnana Vahini - Post 3

Dear All,

Swami writes,

"VIKSHEPA (Waywardness): the mind seeks to run after external objects and so constant effort is needed to turn it inwards, away from the attractions of sensory impressions. 

This has to be done through the rigorous exercise of the Intellect, of Inquiry. Discriminate and get the conviction driven into you that these are evanescent, temporary, transformable, liable to decay and, therefore, unreal, Mithya not Sathya. 

Convince yourselves that what are sought after as pleasurable and avoided as painful are only the fleeting products of sensory contacts; train yourselves in this way to avoid the distractions of the external world and dive deep into Dhyanam.

A sparrow pursued by a hawk flies in despair for shelter into a house; but it is anxious to again fly into the outer world, isn't it? So also, the mind is anxious to go again into the outer world, from the Atma where it takes refuge. 

Vikshepa is this mental attitude, the urge to run back into the world from one's shelter. The removal of Vikshepa alone will help the concentration of the mind in Dhyanam."

(Author's note - We may occasionally find it very hard to meditate because the mind keeps wandering. This restless wandering of mind is called Vikshepa in Sanskrit. It is the second major obstacle to meditation. This obstacle appears when the mind is in a state of preponderance of Rajas. 

Usually two techniques are used to overcome this obstacle. The first is to force the mind by sheer will power to concentrate on the object of meditation. A person who lacks adequate will power will find it hard to do. It may also pose a health hazard for someone suffering from hypertension by temporarily raising the blood pressure.

In the second technique we have to say to the wandering mind, “Go wherever you want, but know that I’ll be watching you.” As we keep on watching the mind, it stops wandering and gradually becomes calm. This entire process usually takes ten or fifteen minutes, though for some it may take longer. Once the mind has been made calm it can be focused on its object of meditation.")

"KSHAYA: The mind is drawn with immense force by all the unconscious impulses and instincts of passion and attachment towards the external world and its multitudinous attractions. It therefore experiences untold misery and might even get lost in its depths. This is the stage called Kshaya or decline.

The state of inertia into which one is driven by despair cannot be called Samadhi; or one might even indulge in day-dreaming in order to escape from present misery; or one might start building castles in the air. All this is due to attachment, to the temptations of the outer world. There is another type of attachment too, the attachment to the inner world ... the planning within oneself of various schemes to better oneself in the future as compared to the past. Both these form part of what is called Kshaya. The basis for both is the attraction of the outer world. Attachment brings about desire; desire leads to planning."

(Author's note - To counteract this obstacle any of the following can be done: (i) Sing devotional songs or listen to devotional music. (ii) Read inspirational religious literature. (iii) Imagine that we are giving personal service to God, a divine incarnation. (iv)Listen to the discourses of Incarnation/Realized master and try to contemplate on the discourse essence.

Any of these techniques is capable of removing the feeling of dryness from the mind. However, it is advised that we not leave our seat while practicing these techniques. As soon as the mental dryness is gone we must start meditating.)

Love.

Jnana Vahini - Post 2

Swami continues, 

"If fire can give the splendor, then, why does not a stick or blade or pebble placed in the fire become as shining as gold? So one has to conclude that the splendor came not through fire but out of its own inner nature. 

The Prathyagatma, or the Inner presiding Atma, is separate from the five Sheaths of the Individual, the Pancha Koshas; it shines with its own splendor; it is the witness of the activities and consequences of the three Gunas; it is immovable; it is holy and pure; it is eternal; it is indivisible; it is self-manifested; it is Peace; it has no end; it is wisdom itself. Such an Atma has got to be cognized as Oneself!

To realize this Atma, this Jnanaswarupa, there are four obstacles to be overcome: Laya, Vikshepa, Kshaya and Rasa-aaswaadanam. Let us take these one by one.

LAYA (Sleep): when the mind withdraws from the external world, it enters into deep sleep or Sushupthi, on account of the overpowering influence of Samsara. 

  

The sadhaka should arrest this tendency and attempt to fix the mind on to Atma vichara, or the Inquiry into the nature of the Atma. He must keep watch over the mind so that he may keep awake. He must discover the circumstances that induce the drowsiness and remove them in time. He must start the process of Dhyana again and again. 

Of course, the usual producer of drowsiness and sleep during Dhyana is indigestion. Over-feeding, exhaustion through too much of moving about, want of sufficient sleep at night, these too cause sleepiness and drowsiness. 

So it is advisable to sleep a little during noon on those days when you wake up after a sleepless night, though generally all those who engage in Dhyanam should avoid sleep during daytime. 

Do not eat until you feel proper hunger. Practice the art of moderate eating. When you feel three-fourths full, desist from further eating; that is to say, you will have to stop even when you feel you can take a little more. 

The stomach can be educated in this way to behave properly. Over-exercise too is not good; even walking can be overdone. You can walk until you conquer drowsiness; but remember, you cannot plunge into Dhyanam immediately after you have warded off sleep.

Author's note

Laya is a very restful and refreshing sleep, and those not experienced in meditation may consider it some kind of spiritual experience. Once a student came to his Acharya  and announced proudly, “Swâmî, when I was meditating last night I experienced Samâdhi. I felt great inner peace!” 

On inquiry, the Swâmî understood that the student had not had Samâdhi. Instead, he had encountered the obstacle Laya. 

Laya is caused by a temporary preponderance of Tamas in the mind. To prevent Laya it is best to meditate when not tired. A tired body naturally induces Laya. At the end of a busy working day we easily may feel tired and fall asleep during meditation. 

Early morning is more suitable for meditation because the mind and body are fresh and alert at that time. If we want to meditate in the evening, it is advised to have a short nap, if possible, for one hour. This will effectively prevent sleepiness during meditation. Sleeping longer than one hour may produce an adverse effect. It may make the body and mind sluggish and lethargic.

We will move to the next obstacle pointed by Swami- Vikshepa, in next post.

Love.

Jnana Vahini - Post 1

Swami writes,

"As fog before the Sun, Ignorance melts away before Knowledge." Knowledge is acquired by uninterrupted inquiry. One should constantly be engaged in Inquiry on the nature of Bramhan: the reality of the I, the transformations that occur to the individual at birth and at death and such matters. 

As you remove the husk that covers the rice, so too the Ignorance that adheres to the mind has to be removed by the frequent application of the abrasive Atmic Inquiry. It is only when full knowledge is won that one can get liberated, or, in other words, attain Moksha. After the attainment of the above - said Atmic knowledge, one has to follow the path of Brahman and act according to the New Wisdom.

(Author's note -Swami starts this vahini with instruction of Atmic / SELF enquiry and says that only through SELF enquiry, Ignorance or Avidya can be removed, like the husk is removed to get the rice)

All doubts that afflict the mind have to be solved by consulting those who know, or the Sadgurus, one has the chance to meet. Until one gets firmly fixed in the path that the Guru or Sastra has shown, one has to obey the rules and directions steadfastly and be in their company or be associated with them one way or other. 

(Author's note - Need for a Sadguru in the path of Jnana is insisted by the supreme Sadguru Sai in the above para.)

Because one can progress very fast if one keeps close to the Wise Person who has realized the Truth, one must, with unrestricted renunciation and sincere earnestness, follow the instructions of the Teacher and of the Sastras; this is the real Tapas; this Tapas leads on to the highest stage.

(Author's note - Having reached to Sadguru, Swami insists the need for following the instructions of Sadguru, being in close proximity with Him (His teachings) - This is the real Tapas, our SAI says)

When ignorance and its concomitant delusion disappear, the Atma in every one shines in Its own splendor. All that we see is as a mirage, the super-imposition of something over the Real and the mistaking of that for this. 

Things have a beginning and an end; they evolve and involve, there is evolution as well as involution. When all is subsumed by involution, or Pralaya, only Moolaprakriti or the Causal Substance endures. Only the unmanifested Cause survives the universal dissolution.

(Author's note - In a previous post in Tattva Bodha, the sequence of the creation of 5 elements was shared with you. While the entire creation, including the 5 elements may end during Pralaya, Swami says, the Cause for this entire creation is the only thing that exists, without any change)

When gold is melted in the crucible, it shines with a strange yellow glory. Where did that light emanate from? From the gold or from the fire? What happened was only the removal of the dross by the fire; the effulgence belonged to the gold itself; it is its very nature. The fire is only an instrument for the removal of the dross. Nothing has been added to the gold by the fire in the crucible!

(Author's note - The Dross referred by SAI is our ignorance, Avidya. The Gold that shines upon removal of the Dross is we, the SELF, ATMAN, which shines in all its glory. Swami says, just because we are clouded by our Avidya, it does not mean that we are Anatman / Non- Self.)

Love.