Spiritual Teachings of the Masters from the East and West
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Spiritual Teachings of the Masters from the East and West
JESUS CHRIST ON "A TRUE HEALER AND THE BEST MEDICINE"
Of course the will of man is remedy supreme; and by the vigorous exercise of will, man way make tense a chord that is relaxed, or may relax one that is too tense, and thus may heal himself. When man has reached the place where he has faith in God, in nature and himself, he knows the Word of power; his word is balm for every wound, is cure for all the ills of life.
The healer is the man who can inspire faith. The tongue may speak to human ears, but souls are reached by souls that speak to souls. He is the forceful man whose soul is large, and who can enter into souls, inspiring hope in those who have no hope, and faith in those who have no faith in God, in nature, nor in man.
There is no universal balm for those who tread the common walks of life. A thousand things produce inharmony and make men sick; a thousand things may tune the harpsichord, and make men well. That which is medicine for one is poison for another one; so one is healed by what would kill another one.
The virtue from the hand or breath may heal a thousand more;______________________
but love is queen.
Thought, reinforced by love, is God’s great sovereign balm."
Source: The Aquarian Gospel of Jesus the Christ by Levi
SRI RAMANA MAHARSHI ON "CONTROL OF THE MIND"
A devotee who received direct instruction for a long period of time from Bhagavan asks:
“Although I have listened to the explanation of the characteristics of enquiry in such great detail, my mind has not gained even a little peace. What is the reason for this?”
Bhagavan replied: “The reason is the absence of strength or one-pointedness of mind.”
Devotee: “What is the reason for the absence of mental strength?”
Bhagavan: “The means that make one qualified for enquiry are meditation, yoga, etc. One should gain proficiency in these through graded practice, and thus secure a stream of mental modes that is natural and helpful. When the mind that has in this manner become ripe, listens to the present enquiry, it will at once realize its true nature, which is the Self, and remain in perfect peace, without deviating from that state. To a mind that has not become ripe, immediate realization and peace are hard to gain through listening to enquiry. Yet, if one practices the means for mind-control for some time, peace of mind can be obtained eventually.” [1]
Once a devotee of Bhagavan asked:
D.: “What is the meaning of the strength of the mind?”
Maharshi: “Its ability to concentrate on one thought without being distracted.”
D.: “How is that achieved?”
M.: “By practice. A devotee concentrates on God; a seeker, follower of the jnana-marga, seeks the Self. The practice is equally difficult for both.” [2]
D.: “What are the steps in practical sadhana?”
M.: “They depend on the qualifications and the nature of the seeker. If you are doing idol worship, you should go on with it; it will lead you to concentration. Get one-pointed, and all will come out right. People think that Liberation is far away and should be sought out. They are wrong. It is only knowing (by direct experience) the Self within oneself. Concentrate and you will get it. The mind is the cycle of births and deaths. Go on practicing and concentration will be as easy as breathing. That will be the crown of your achievements.” [3]
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[1] Self-Enquiry (Vichara Sangraham) of Bhagavan Sri Ramana Maharshi, translated by Dr. T.M.P. Mahadevan, Sri Ramanashramam 2005, p. 16-17.
[2] Talks with Sri Ramana Maharshi, recorded by Sri Munagala Venkataramiah, Sri Ramanashramam 2006, Talk 91. p. 90.
[3] Reflections on Talks with Sri Ramana Maharshi, S.S. Cohen, Sri Ramanashramam 2006, p. 134-135.
BHAGAVAN ON BHAKTI
formed in the transcendental sky of the Lord's Feet,
pours down a rain of Bliss and fills the lake of mind to overflowing.
Only then the Jiva, always transmigrating to no useful end,
has his real purpose fulfilled."
(Talks #428)
ANANDAMAYI MA ON "CONTROL OF THE MIND"
The old man’s question was: How can the mind be brought to rest?
Ma responded: The mind is restless by nature. It naturally darts this way and that. It can have no rest till it gets its treasure which is its birthright—pure consciousness. So I interpret ‘Sadhana’ (spiritual discipline) as a bid for acquiring ‘Swadhan’ (one’s real legacy). The object of Sadhana is steadying the mind. Once the mind is steady, little remains to be desired. In order to steady the mind, one must adhere to a single preoccupation such as repeating the holy Name, taking part in religious discussion, reading spiritual books and the like. One should devote a greater part of the time to the spiritual path that one delights in.
The old man: If the mind flits from point to point while repeating the Name, is it any good?
Ma: Why not? If while walking you tread upon fire, you burn your foot whether you intend to or not. In the same way, repeating the Name will bring its own reward whether you do it attentively or absentmindedly. We often have the idea that repeating the Name is not proving effective. It is true that often we cannot trace the effect of repeating the Name. But actually it is never ineffective. It leaves on us an imprint of its own and later we realize that it has not been in vain. But there is a difference between repeating the Name attentively and doing it absentmindedly. An attentive repetition produces result quickly, while an inattentive one takes longer in showing effect. But the effect is not lost. So I say, it is good to repeat the Name constantly. However, it is not possible to repeat the Name for a long time at the outset, because one does not relish it. Children also are not inclined to study as they prefer play to studying. If children are to be educated, they have to be forced to study; similarly, some force has to be applied in the beginning for continuing the repetition of the Name. What is needed is the formation of habit. You see, utensils encrusted with dirt require a good rubbing to scour them clean. One round of rubbing cannot free them from dirt. The more they are scoured the cleaner they become. To strike a matchstick into flame also requires rubbing; there is no saying when it will break into flame. It is the same with repeating the Name. A continual practice brings result.
SRI SARADA DEVI ON "CONTROL OF THE MIND"
"Everything depends on one's mind. Nothing can be achieved without purity of mind. It is said, 'The aspirant may have received the grace of the Guru, the Lord, and the Vaishnava; but he comes to grief without the grace of "one.'" That 'one' is the mind. The mind of the aspirant should be gracious to him."
"My child, this mind is just like a wild elephant. It races with the wind. Therefore one should discriminate all the time. One should work hard for the realization of God."
Disciple: "I cannot concentrate my mind well during meditation. My mind is fickle and unsteady."
Mother: "Don't worry! Restlessness is the nature of the mind, as it is of the eyes and ears. Practice regularly. The Name of God is more powerful than the senses. Always think of the Master, who is looking after you. Don't be troubled about your lapses."
"Whenever the mind goes after anything other than God, consider that as transient and surrender the mind at the sacred feet of the Lord."
"The mind naturally tends towards evil deeds. It is lethargic in doing good works. Formerly I used to get up at 3 a.m. and sit up for meditation. One day I felt disinclined to do so on account of physical indisposition. That one day's irregularity resulted in the upsetting of my routine for a number of days. That is why I say that perseverance and tenacity are necessary for success in all good work."
ATTAINING PEACE THROUGH PRAYER
"If God - who is in the Heart - does not draw the (Sadhaka's) mind inwards by the might of His grace, who can attain Peace by diving into the Heart, by the mere power of his own mind, which is treacherous?"
(Guru Ramana Vachana Mala, 89)
COOK UNTIL DONE
Bhagavan: "All depends on a man's pakva (his maturity and fitness). Those who do not have the mental strength [another translation of 'mental strength' is preparedness gained through repeated practice] [1] to concentrate or control their mind and direct it on the quest are advised to watch the breathing, since such watching will naturally and as a matter of course lead to cessation of thought and bring the mind under control. Breath and mind arise from the same place and when one of them is controlled, the other is also controlled. As a matter of fact, in the quest method, which is more correctly 'Whence am I?' and not merely 'Who am I?'- we are not simply trying to eliminate saying 'we are not the body, not the senses and so on,' to reach what remains as the ultimate reality, but we are trying to find whence the 'I' thought for the ego within us arises. The method contains within it, though implicitly and not expressly, the watching of the breath. When we watch wherefrom the 'I' thought, the root of all thoughts, springs, we are necessarily watching the source of the breath also, as the 'I' thought and the breath arise from the same source.""In continuation of an old question of his with reference to a certain passage in Maha Yoga, the disciple asked Bhagavan whether it was necessary and a condition precedent for a man to watch his breathing before beginning the mental quest 'Who am I?' "
The disciple again asked whether, for controlling the breath, the regular pranayama (of regulated inhalation, retention and exhalation i.e. 1:4:2) is not better.
Bhagavan replied: "All those proportions, sometimes regulated not by counting but by uttering mantras, etc., are aids for controlling the mind. That is all. Watching the breath is also one form of pranayama. Retaining breath, etc., is more violent and may be harmful in some cases, e.g. where there is no proper guru to guide the sadhak (the one performing the spiritual practice) at every step and stage. But merely watching the breath is easy and involves no risk." [2]
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[1] The word pakva comes from the root "pak" which means fully cooked. Bhagavan used the derivative "pakwigal" which, by implication, means one who has become mature through the "cooking" process of sadhana (spiritual practice).
[2] Day by Day With Bhagavan, A. Devaraja Mudaliar, Sri Ramanashramam 2002, p. 55-56.
The Voice of Truth
In the Bhagavad Gita, Lord Krishna has said:
“O Son of Kunti (Arjuna), wisdom is clouded by desire. This constant enemy of the wise is as insatiable as fire.” [1]Admittedly, there is an entire school of religious thought that refutes this position as being of the less mature path of bhakti. They have voluminous advaitic (non-dual theism) scriptures of the jnana marga (way) that can be interpreted to support their claims. Regardless of this, there is universal agreement amongst all sects that due to adharma (unrighteousness of civilization) and the spiritual blindness ensuing from it, an embodiment of the divine state of perfection appears amongst humankind from time to time to establish dharma in the world.
In our times Sri Ramana Maharshi came forth as an embodiment of that Perfection. His teaching is recognized and accepted as the mahayoga (great path to union with God) through primarily the jnana marga. Although, he did say that to be a true jnani one would simultaneously become a true bhakta, and vice versa.
To know the truth regarding the need for a guru to lead one through the perils of engagement with an enemy that roams freely in a world ablaze with its desire of unappeasable fire, let us listen to the voice of the Maharshi, and the comments of one who lived by his side. Bhagavan said:
“The guru is the formless Self within each one of us. He may appear as a body to guide us, but that is only his disguise…the function of the outer guru is to awaken the inner guru in the heart.” The guru realizes the ultimate truth that: “There is no being of the unreal and no not-being of the Real.” … “And yet, paradoxically, it is also an impediment to assert that no effort need be made, on the pretext that, as ‘there is no being of the unreal and no not-being of the Real’ one is that now and has therefore no need to strive to become That. It sounds plausible, but it is an impediment because it is the pseudo-self, the illusory unreal, that is saying it. The Master can say that there is nothing to achieve because one is That already; the disciple can’t…Bhagavan expected the devotee to make effort, even while appreciating the paradox that there is no effort to make. In the same way he would say that for the Realized Man there is no guru-disciple relationship but added that for the disciple the relationship is a reality and is of importance.” [2]
The Enemy Within
We cannot manoeuvre and progress towards victory over an enemy that outnumbers us, in such an inimical battlefield called the human mind, without soliciting real help. Without an experienced guide as the General of our forces, we may even court a fatal consequence. By legitimizing and even deifying our ego’s habitual heedless indifference to God, and by labeling its urges as the ‘inner guru’ or ‘voice of our spirit’, we inevitably fall into the death grip of pramada.In the Udyoga Parva of the Mahabharata epic, the blind King Dhritarashtra, who symbolizes the blindness of the ego, cynically asks the Sage Sanat Sujata: “What is death?” The Sage replies, “Pramada is death!” It should be understood that the definitions of Sanskrit words are subject to philosophical intention, and thus are prey to individual bias. Therefore disagreement and even argument concerning proper meaning and usage are commonplace. Nevertheless, the most learned scholars agree that the ancient definition of the word pramada comes from its usage in this scripture. “Mada” means intoxication, when prefixed by “pra” it becomes intense intoxication to the degree of madness.
The ancient Saintly King Bartruhari, who became an enlightened Sage, used the word pramada in the correct spiritual sense indicated by the Sage Sunat Sujata. He proclaimed:
“Peetva mohamayeem pramada madiram unmatta bhootam jagat”
“This world (its inhabitants therein) has become mad after having drunk the wine of negligence (pramada: laxity towards the spiritual goal), which being of the form of moha (delusion), has overwhelming power to delude you.”The Sage Sanat Sujata is indicating that the presence of pramada brings about a spiritual death. Thus the spiritual madness that at first manifests as indifference, inattention and negligence becomes deadly because it is directed towards God. This is not to be defined as forgetfulness of the Self, unless one admits to a willful and belligerent forgetfulness.
The secondary meaning of pramada is procrastination and laziness, it means not taking any immediate action to rectify this most soul-stripping heedlessness. One may say: “God’s grace is always there, so somehow I will get back on my spiritual feet.” But the fatality of staying “dead level” without motivation to rise up comes upon us as pramada gives birth to its only-begotten son. This offspring of pramada is known in Sanskrit as duragraha. Duragraha means the adamant determination to do that which you know you should never do.
The compound spiritual fracture of being indifferent to God and habitually partaking in negative action with utter disregard for the negative consequences creates a karmic bloodletting fatal even to the strongest constitution.
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[1] Bhagavad Gita, Chapter 3, verse
[2] Be Still, It is The Wind That Sings, Arthur Osborne, Sri Ramanashramam 2000, p. 76.
BECOME A RIVER
The Master instructed an unhappy young disciple to put a handful of salt in a glass of water and then to drink it.
"How does it taste?" the Master asked.
"Awful," spat the apprentice.
The Master chuckled and then asked the young disciple to take another handful of salt and put it in the river.
The two walked in silence to the nearby river and then the apprentice swirled his handful of salt into the water.
The old Master then said, "Now drink from the river."
As the water dripped down the young disciple's chin, the Master asked, "How does it taste?"
"Good!" remarked the apprentice.
"Do you taste the salt?" asked the Master.
"No," said the young man.
The Master sat beside this troubled young man, took his hands, and said:
"The pain of life is pure salt; no more, no less."
"The amount of pain in life remains the same, exactly the same. But the amount we taste the 'pain' depends on the container we put it into. So when you are in pain, the only thing you can do is to expand your awareness of things ..... Stop being a glass. Become a river! - flowing unto God"
That Which is Transcendent is also Immanent
The way to Realization is a step-by-step methodical and gradual progression which begins long before samadhi [1], and ends far beyond the levels of samadhi normally reached by most spiritual aspirants. In the beginning we work to develop the skill called pratyahara, which is the reining in of the movement of the senses and turning it inward. This is greatly aided by prayer. In fact, experience shows that without prayer to God for assistance, we are fooling ourselves into thinking that we are successful when an honest account would reveal, as the Lord said to Arjuna, that our turbulent senses truly:
“Forcibly carry away the mind of even a wise man who is striving to control them.” [2]
So we watch and pray, as Jesus exhorted us to do. As we watch with constant effort our attainment brings us to the next step, a focused mind. By repeated effort this inward focus deepens and remains steady for a prolonged period of time. The wind of uncontrolled thought is still blowing, but we have found a shelter from its brutal treatment. This shelter is known as the steadiness of concentration. Sri Krishna refers to this when He says:
“The wise one is of steady mind, an enlightened person is one whose mind is established, unmoving and always steady. His mind never wavers from either sorrow or joy; he is free from attachment, fear and anger.” [3]In Chapter 2 of the Gita, the verses from 54th onwards are called the qualities of sthita prajna, steady unwavering Enlightenment. This is also exactly what Bhagavan meant when he would refer to God in Tamil as “kadavul”, meaning the transcendental Divine Self abiding within in Stillness and Silence. Words of spiritual content in the Tamil Language, much like Sanskrit, convey definitions that describe deep meanings as well as secrets to attainment. In this instance, ‘kada’ means to transcend, the root ‘ul’ means within; the implication is that which is transcendent is also immanent.
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[1] Samadhi: The state of complete mental absorption within which is experienced all-knowledge and joy; A state of Oneness; where the mind becomes identified with the object of meditation; the thinker and thought become one in perfect stillness of the mind.
[2] Bhagavad Gita, Chapter 2, verse 60.
[3] Ibid, verse 56.
