NINE - Prayerfully Seek and Find ‘From Whence We Came’
Question: What exactly is the way to conquer the desires that obscure my vision of the ‘Truth and the Light’?”
The ‘way to Realization’ is a step-by-step, methodical and gradual progression, which begins long before the samadhi, 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 reining in 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 in fact an honest account would reveal that our turbulent senses truly, as the Lord said to Arjuna:
“Forcibly carry away the mind of even a wise man who is striving to control them.” 1
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. This is what Sri Krishna is referring to 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.” 2
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 was referring to when he would refer to God in Tamil as ‘kada vul’, meaning the Divine Self abiding within in Stillness and Silence.
Going Forward
For us, working towards purity of mind, we are talking of the experience of being at the very door of the heart. But where is the key? In fact, where is the keyhole? The key turns out to be the next stage, which needs further skillful development. Yes, we must slog on! The key has been gifted to us. Remember that all along, with each and every meditation we are praying for the Lord’s embrace, for the Divine to ‘take my hand, and lead me on’. The attainment of purity comes from the mutual interaction of our effort and God’s grace. Without the hand of the Lord upon us, our effort will yield little. Bhagavan echoed this profound Truth in His “Marital Garland of Letters” by declaring:
“Unless Thou extend Thy hand of grace in mercy and embrace me, I am lost, O Arunachala.” 3
“Unless Thou embrace me, I shall melt away in tears of anguish, O Arunachala! 4
“Sri Bhagavan spoke and wrote most about the vichara or Self-enquiry, and therefore the opinion arose that He prescribed only jnana-marga, the Path of Knowledge, which most people find too sheer in this age. But in fact He was universal and provided guidance for every temperament, by the path of Devotion no less than of Knowledge. Love and devotion to Him are a bridge across the abyss to salvation. He had many devotees for whom he prescribed no other path.” 5
Though it is true that the path of bhakti (devotion) does not suit the temperament of all spiritual aspirants, it is undeniable that thinking of God, thinking of the “feet of the Lord”, does attract His grace. Whether devotion is achieved through bhakti or jnana, when the grace of God dawns upon us, our devotion deepens into love of Him. The love of God is the key that opens for us all knowledge, peace and purity.
This key is the keen and lively awareness and our patient endurance, while ‘waiting on the Lord’, which we have developed by persistently weathering out the storms of thought that mercilessly attempted to turn our attention outwards.
Beyond Samadhi
So we can see that to be in the lower states of samadhi is really not a big deal when compared to the goal. Paradoxically however, to be fully aware and alert within those states is a very big deal. For this alertness is in reality true manana, watching with reflection.
By watching this condition with reflection, we begin to awaken to its ‘source’ with the query not only of “Who am I?” but as Bhagavan said it is more correctly a query of “Whence am I?”. (See quote from footnote #41)
Bhagavan often directed many before him to reflect on “Whence am I”. Two clear examples of this are as follows:
“A young man, Mr. Knowles, came for darshan. He had read Paul Brunton’s two books. He asked: “The Buddhists say that ‘I’ is unreal, whereas Paul Brunton in the Secret Path tells us to get over the ‘I- thought’ and reach the state of ‘I’. Which is true?”
Maharshi: “There are supposed to be two ‘I’s; the one is lower and unreal, of which all are aware; and the other, the higher and the real, which is to be realized… the idea of diversity has arisen along with the body-consciousness; this body-consciousness arose at some particular moment; it has origin and end. What originates must be something. What is that something? It is the ‘I’-consciousness. Who am I? Whence am I? On finding the source, you realize the state of Absolute Consciousness.” 6
At a later date Bhagavan was more succinct and as was his way more profound:
Devotee: “I want to get rid of pain. To be rid of it is said to be liberation.”
Maharshi: “That is what all religions teach.”
D.: “But what is the method?”
M.: “To retrace your way back.”
D.: “Whence have I come?”
M.: “That is just what you should know.” 7
Thus our reflection is transformed into a ‘state of awareness’. Now our job is to make this state steady and continuous. Steadily following the thread inward toward whence we came. This entire process is what the Saints, and Bhagavan, rightly call purification of the mind by softening and melting away of the obstacles that have for lifetimes barred our way to the door of the heart. It is also important to understand, as has been understood by experience and seen in the upadesha (spiritual instruction) of these very same Saints and Sages, that this process can be accelerated and the sublimation of the ‘mind of man’ can be quickened by the use of japa (constant repetition) usually of the Name of the Lord or OM (the single-syllable pranava mantra).
A Firm and Glorious Support
The ‘keyhole’ to life Divine is what we rely on as a support to maintain physical life- our own breath. For when the storms of thought worlds crashed in upon us, we were keeping within the shelter of the breath, constantly pulling the outward tendency of movement back, ever back to the movement of the breath. The Buddha, Sri Krishna, Sri Ramana Maharshi and the scriptures of all major religions declare that by pulling the externalized mind always back to the breath we will be taken inward towards its source, all the way to Nirvana.
So now one can see that the early stages called samadhi, though exalted in their own right, have become a platform on which so much more attentive practice needs to be accomplished. Yes, the enormity of all this seems to take ones breath away. But that is why we have been praying, and our prayers have been answered, for our breath is always very much with us- all the way home!
The Buddha said that the key to all of this is para mukha, which literally means ‘before the face’. Simply speaking, ‘right under our noses’, the dwelling place of our physical breath.
It is the simplicity of this that behooves us. God has made the way straight. Though we have created lifetimes of detours through our pramada, our indifference, inattention, and willful procrastination, our way may at times seem hopeless, but it is never helpless. Prayer will straighten our way back to God. For the Lord is “Glorious in His Saints”, and if we seek their aid through prayer, they will help us find in this life the key to heaven.
Question: Is it correct to say that we are not trying to annihilate the mind, but rather be non-cooperative with its outward moving tendency?
Yes, this is exactly correct. We firmly, though very respectfully, do not “tag along” with the mind’s endless adventures into innumerable worlds of thought. If the mind demands an ‘excuse’ for our satyagraha (peaceful non-cooperation with untruth), we simply respond: “No, Sir or No, Madam”. If the mind gets belligerent, we should then respond with: “No thank you; not now, come back later!” We will conquer the mind by ignoring any thoughts and focusing within the present moment.
At all times we must remember that we are engaged in the art of vichara (reflection on the source of the ‘I’ thought which is the goal). The Maharshi has repeatedly said that the ‘I’ thought and the breath arise from the same source. Our ‘yoga’ is to practice what He taught! This is done by focusing our attention on the movement of the breath that is occurring only in the present moment. This is never accomplished by attempting to apply a ‘strangle hold’ on the mind, for this form of engagement only strengthens the mind’s excited desire to travel outwards.
A true story that demonstrates this truth concerns the ‘liberator of modern India’. A devotee of Mahatma Gandhi once inquired of the Mahatma how mano nasa (destruction of the mind) is achieved. Though Gandhiji knew well the correct path to this achievement, he instructed the disciple to seek the answer from a great Saint living in the foothills of the Himalayas. The implication was that usually when a disciple is living day in and day out with his Master, he becomes complacent and therefore might not take an utterance of profound Truth to heart.
The disciple traveled the long and hard road northwards with a heart full of anticipation for a revelation that would change his life. Upon reaching his destination, he fell at the feet of the Saint and introduced himself as a devotee of the great Mahatma Gandhi.
The Saint, following the mystic tradition of the Himalayan Masters flatly said: “Tell me! What do you want?” The now weak-kneed devotee arose and said: “How is the mind to be destroyed?” The Saint, much aghast, proclaimed: “O my God, you come from Gandhiji with “destruction” upon your lips! Your Master’s very life proclaims the answer. Satyagraha, non-cooperation with the mind is the way! Remaining still, and therefore not cooperating with the mind’s egotistic intentions to move into the external world achieves your victory over distractions! Your efforts to conquer the mind should be two-fold. When the mind says, “Come out with me and play”, you first ignore the invitation, and then turn your awareness inwards upon the breath and thus stay at home with God. Your inevitable victory will proceed gradually, one success at a time.”
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1. Bhagavad Gita, Chapter 2, verse 60.
2. Bhagavad Gita, Chapter 2, verse 56.
3. Marital Garland of Letters (Sri Arunachala Akshara Mana Malai). Sri Ramanashramam, verse 51.
4. Ibid, verse 34.
5. Ramana Maharshi and the Path of Self-Knowledge, Arthur Osborne, Sri Ramanashramam 2002, p. 174.
6. Talks with Sri Ramana Maharshi, recorded by Sri Munagala Venkataramiah, Sri Ramanashramam 2006, Talk 53, p. 57.
7. Talks with Sri Ramana Maharshi, recorded by Sri Munagala Venkataramiah, Sri Ramanashramam 2006, Talk 479, p. 473
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