SIX - The Ultimate Secret
Question: The Noble Ones say that japa (continuous repetition of OM or the Name of God) leads to concentration, and concentration leads to meditation, and meditation to samadhi, and when samadhi is steady one is established in yoga. But if the Wisdom of the Self arises only from the heart, how can I come to understand that states of mind, even exalted states like yogic samadhi, will lead me to the discovery of the ultimate secret which is an awakened realization of the Self? And finally, how will I know outside of meditation, in my normal daily life, that such a permanent transformation of consciousness has occurred?
When we normally speak of going into a state of samadhi, we are rightly referring to its lower stages that are not close to complete absorption in the Self. It is a great step forward, but in relation to the final goal it is just another achievement of progressive steps, though at higher levels.
An advanced and skillful Buddhist will propound an understanding of this that refers to 4 separate stages of jnana or samadhi. They are simply seen as high states of mind that can ultimately lead one to the thoughtless (mindless) state, therefore not the Self that dwells exclusively in the heart. Nevertheless, the uniqueness of these ‘mind states’ is that their movement develops concentration and takes you within, directly to the door of the heart. Hindu cosmology agrees, differing mainly with reference to the description of separate stages.
The Yoga Sutras of Patanjali, which Bhagavan often referred to, propound the Hindu view of the essential need for progressive stages of mental strength and development of acute awareness that in time lead one towards and finally into samadhi. According to the various interpretations of Patanjali’s Sutras, there ranges from between 6 to 12 separate progressive stages all referred to as ‘samadhi’ (absorption in meditation).
Focusing on That which can be Seen
Bhagavan’s teaching is in harmony with Patanjali in that the effort to ‘know the Self’ is an actual experience that involves a progressive and protracted sadhana that culminates with the awakening (remembrance) of the immaculate nature of a Pure Mind. In this regard a devotee asked Bhagavan:
“What is that Self in actual experience?”
Sri Bhagavan tells us: “It is the Light which ever shines in the Cave of the Heart as the flame of the Consciousness ‘I’ ‘I’ – the eternal and blissful Sat-chit-ananda. This is the answer to the vichara and its fulfillment. The ‘I’, which has carried out a determined and protracted search into its own nature, has at long last found itself to be not other than the Pure Mind, the immaculate Being, which is eternally wrapped in blissful stillness. This is Turiya, the Fourth, or Samadhi (the highest stage).” 1
This statement reveals an essential aspect of Bhagavan’s teaching that is often misunderstood. Many adherents to the ‘Ramana Way’ flatly proclaim that vichara (reflective enquiry) is effortless. They adhere to a mistaken interpretation of Bhagavan’s method of enquiry that denies the need for an active and acute awareness within the mind. They firmly proclaim that vichara, even in it’s preliminary stage, is not an intellectual process.
Patanjali clarifies this error, for he declares that achievement of the lower stages of samadhi are essential. For in them there is a witness that experiences first the lower plane where there distinctly exists the knower, the object as the known and the knowledge. Ultimately the highest stage is reached when the ‘many’ dissolves into the One, which connects them.
Bhagavan concurred with this when in conversation with Mr. Cohen it was said:
Mr. Cohen: “There seems to be nothing but awareness, for to know anything there must be knowledge – we cannot get over that.”
Bhagavan: “Certainly. Subjective knowledge – knowledge knowing itself is jnana. It is then the subject as the knower, the object as the known and the knowledge which connects them.”
Mr. Cohen: “This last is not clear to me in this case.”
Bhagavan: “Why so? Knowledge is the light which links the seer to the seen. Suppose you go in search of a book in a library in pitch darkness. Can you find it without light, although you, the subject, and the book, the object, are both present? Light has to be present to unite you. This link between the subject and the object in every experience is chit, consciousness. It is both the substratum as well as the witness of the experience, the seer of Patanjali.” 2
First Things First
Patanjali’s Yoga Sutras present a progressive advancement of effective methods for controlling the thought waves (vritti) of the mind, which will result in the focusing and strengthening of awareness.
Questions regarding the need for the establishment of progressive effort that leads to a fully aware and controlled mind were placed before Bhagavan:
Mr. Cohen relates how the reading of Patanjali Sutras in 1926 had greatly impressed him. The first few sutras had convinced him of the truth of the teaching, but unfortunately there was no one to give him proper guidance until he met Sri Bhagavan early in 1936.
Bhagavan: “Patanjali’s first sutras are indeed the climax of all systems of yoga. All yogas aim at the cessation of the vritti (modification of the mind). This can be brought about in the variety of ways mentioned in the scriptures through mind control, which frees consciousness from all thoughts and keeps it pure. Effort is necessary. In fact effort is itself yoga.”
Mr. C: “I suppose efforts have to be made in the waking state, which implies that moksha can be gained only in jagrat?”
Bhagavan: “Quite so, awareness is necessary for mind control; otherwise who is to make the effort? You cannot make it in sleep or under the influence of drugs. Also mukti has to be gained in full awareness, because the Reality itself is pure awareness.” 3
The testament of practically all of the central disciples who lived with Bhagavan exclaimed that the achievement of “freeing consciousness from all thoughts and keeping it pure,” involved constant spiritual practice and real non-dependence (vairagya) on the objects of the world.
They were right, for they were perfectly guided to this understanding by the Guru Sri Ramana whose life was a living demonstration of supreme control and vairagya.
There are two aspects of controlling the mind, abhyasa and vairagya. Abhyas is adopting any particular spiritual discipline and repeating it continuously. Vairagya is developing detachment and dispassion towards objects of the world that degrade your mind.
As you conquer your desires one gets a sense of mastery over the objects of the world. Objects of the world have no real bearing upon the mind, but they become important and impinge upon the mind because of the desires towards them. As we advance we begin to discover that the innermost Self is an ocean of bliss. The realization of that Self puts an end to all desires.
However, this process is progressive. As the mind gains insight into the transient nature of things of the world, it comes to realize that the seeking of happiness from the objects of the world has effectively reduced one into a beggar.
The mind’s nature is to be constantly feeding on the objects of the senses. Inwardly, the mind never loses its attraction for more happiness than already has been gained and is forever on the prowl in the world for fresh pleasure. Unfortunately for most, the strongest vasanas (latent tendencies) direct the mind towards the lower realms of sensual attraction. Thus we end up searching, as it were, in the garbage cans of other people for the things to feed on. The mind has left its own home, and moves about in the streets of worldly pleasure feeding on that which will momentarily satisfy its craving. The greatest burden of these irresponsible actions comes from the certainty that there is alongside the craving a complete disregard for the suffering that is produced both within oneself and within those who are the objects of desire.
How can we secure our happiness on the basis of a world that is constantly shifting? If you have illusion about the world and become its beggar, the world will always be there to dominate you. To the extent that this illusion breaks, you become the ruler of that which had previously conquered you. If you have no desire for the objects of the senses, your rulership is known as vairagya. Vairagya is not the development of disgust for the objects of the senses, but rather the discovery of the majesty of the power of rulership over them. Your revelation is that the objects are dependant on you; you are not dependant on the objects.
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1. Guru Ramana, S.S. Cohen, Sri Ramanashramam 2006, p. 73.
2. Guru Ramana, S.S. Cohen, Sri Ramanashramam 2006, p. 75.
3. Guru Ramana, S.S. Cohen, Sri Ramanashramam 2006, p. 74.
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