TWO - Meditation and the Mind
Question: You mention meditation; is meditation very important to control the mind or purify the heart?
The answer must be addressed step-by-step. So long as you are struggling to control the mind, it is not deep transformative meditation. It is, however, an essential mental exercise, for it is a purifying process and thus an important first step towards one-pointedness of mind. Initially, the grossest tamasic impurities must be held in check and eventually sublimated. This is not simply a curbing of negative traits; rather it is their elimination, which is achieved by observing the negative consequences of our habits and changing them. One simply says: “The reaction to that action was harmful to me spiritually, so I will not do that again.” At first we must exercise willing introspection and right perception, and then crucially is the honesty to acknowledge the consequences of our behavior without any sort of denial or cover-up. Although in reality our divine nature is immutable, eternally unchanging and free of all taint, our consciousness depends solely upon our perception, and the ensuing thought fabrications that manifest and literally ‘create’ our awareness. The Buddha thus declared:
“Mind precedes all mental states, mind is their chief; they are all mind wrought.”
This perception can be, and is, daily affected by our skillful or unskillful actions. Actions enlighten or darken our perception; their consequences determine the degree of influence that grace has in our lives.
Again, this is why Bhagavan Sri Ramana declared:
“Practice is necessary, there is Grace.”
Quality of Mind
When our mind is too gross, tamas or dullness and rajas, which is activity govern it. When one is in this condition, the sattva or quietude is not predominate. In the absence of sattva, the qualities of tamas and rajas become the reigning powers. Being thus overwhelmed, such a mind becomes very dull. So the real work is how to bring such a person into spirituality. In the beginning he should be given a purifying activity, for he cannot be made naturally to sit still.
Bhagavan Sri Ramana Maharshi would often use the Tamil word kada vul in reference to God. It literally means the divine and eternal Self that abides within in stillness and silence. This supreme quietude, which is the manifestation of Wisdom, is unquestionably our own very Self and our greatest friend. However, because of the governance, through an externalized mind, deluded by the distracting and veiling powers of rajas and tamas we are seeing, feeling and ‘living’ life in the death grip of the devouring ego, our worst enemy.
So in the Sanatana Dharma, Hinduism of India, what is done in the beginning is to give such a person some action, which has by its very nature a purifying effect.
You see that even though a person has a sincere longing for spiritual attainment, one is not always able to perceive the dullness of their mind. The scriptures say that the ego has mainly two powers in its arsenal; vikshepa or distraction, and avarana, which is a veiling of the truth.
If a person remains unskillful throughout his life, and maintains an indifferent regard towards spiritual growth then a third power is available to the ego. This third power is mala or gross impurities. Of course this third power must be removed, but in truth the very first step is to become aware of its existence.
Purification through Action
Placing a person in an environment where sattva (a pure condition) is active and assigning work such as in a Temple or an Ashram affects one through mere association with the qualities inherent in doing work for God, even if it is only something like cleaning the place of worship or the pots and pans or picking flowers.
The first phase of transformation away from the dullness of the tamasic mind can begin with these actions. He is working for the benefit of a place that promotes higher life, he becomes acutely aware of their own disinterest, negligence, laziness, and disregard for the work, and through grace a sense of shame emerges. By placing someone in a Godly environment and having them do work solely for God, the higher power takes away the ego’s power of avarana. The veil is removed and now the dull and distasteful and shameful qualities of tamas are seen face to face. Also through this divine association, this powerful form of satsang, the mind and heart are invested with a determined desire to rise out of heedlessness.
An awareness and recognition of the intoxicating addiction to heedlessness is also brought to light together with a resolve to strive for true spiritual growth. Thus the all-knowing God begins by infusing into us the will to change and seek a pure life.
“The quality of soul that makes it possible for man to rise to spirit life is purity…that which one wills to do, he has the power to do. Knowledge of that power is faith; and when faith moves, the soul begins its flight.”
The Path of Assent
We have begun; we have made a start. In the truest sense we have now set our hands to the plough. In the entire Srimad Bhagavatam Sri Krishna reveals the quintessence of His teaching in one statement:
“Shake free of sloth, and merge your mind within Me.”
Though we might believe that only a simple start has been made, the shaking free of slothful heedlessness is declared by God to be half the battle.
We have recognized that there is a fog that clouds our vision, and obstacles (restlessness and slothfulness), that literally obscure the manifestation of the light of the Self in our consciousness.
Regardless of whatever ‘label’ we choose to call this effort, whether it be deemed purification, removal of defilement, awakening, being in oneness or even becoming still, it should be known that Bhagavan said it is “effort that instills purity” and stressed that without it the goal of vichara (enquiry) will not be reached.
In direct reference to this Sri Muruganar heard the following profound statement from Bhagavan and recorded it that our doubts might be cleared:
“Know that the wondrous jnana vichara is only for those who have attained purity of mind by softening and melting within. Without this softening and melting away of the mind, brought about by thinking of the feet of the Lord, the attachment to the “I” that adheres to the body will not cease to be.”
Focusing on the Goal
Having arisen out of a body full of tamasic habits, we must now set to work to focus the mind by gaining a depth of concentration needed for merging with and realizing our divine nature. This is essential, for concentration on one object effectively reduces the onslaught of thoughts habitual to our mercurial minds. This cannot be imagined or conjured up by any form of laya (trance-like state), and Bhagavan repeatedly stressed avoidance of what can be rightly referred to as an ‘effortless’ cover-up.
Bhagavan often seemed to stress for most of us that ‘Knowledge of the Self’ is attained by an integrated practice of jnana (path of Knowledge), bhakti (path of Devotion) and sankhya (yoga emphasizing control of the mind and senses). In this regard the master declared:
“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.”
In fact, when Bhagavan was once asked to define ‘yoga’, He replied:
“Effort itself is yoga.”
How can this statement be true when standing alongside the propounded emphasis by some that we need only ‘be as we are’, for the Self is the only Reality, and ever shining within? Simply speaking, this position is putting the cart before the horse. Bhagavan’s own words bring to light the Truth that long practice from past sadhana and then further effort alone makes permanent the effortless state.
The difficulty in dealing solely with dry theory is put to rest by the experience of That, the samadhi (meditative absorption) referred to in the Kaivalya Upanishad called vijnana vedanta, which the theory only implies. When the question was put before Bhagavan of the need for practice and then further practice being required to attain the final state of the highest and permanent samadhi, He declared:
“People have all sorts of notions about nirvikalpa… All this is due to their viewing it intellectually. Nirvikalpa is Chit- effortless, formless Consciousness… To some whose minds have become ripe from a long practice in the past, nirvikalpa comes suddenly as a flood, but to others it comes in the course of their sadhana, which slowly wears down the obstructing thoughts and reveals the screen of Pure Awareness ‘I’-‘I’. Further practice renders the screen permanently exposed. This is Self-realization, Mukti, or Sahaja Samadhi, the natural, effortless State.”
We must never become foolish in allowing our prideful ignorant ego to talk us into imagining that we have arrived at the Goal without putting forth an ounce of effort along the path. It does not work in practical worldly endeavor and likewise it will not work in the ‘life of the Spirit’.
_________________________________
1. Dhamapada, translated by Ven. Acharaya Buddharakkita, Buddha Vachana Trust, p. 7, verse 1.
2. Guru Ramana, S.S. Cohen, Sri Ramanashramam, 2006, p. 76.
3. See Srimad Bhagavad Gita, Chapter 6, verse 6.
4. Aquarian Gospel of Jesus the Christ, by Levi, DeVorss & Company 2001, p. 87
5. Srimad Bhagavata, S.S. Cohen, Sri Ramanashramam 2007, Book Eleven, Uddhava Gita.
6. Padamalai, Teachings of Sri Ramana Maharshi Recorded by Muruganar, Avadhuta Foundation 2004, p. 186. (Reference to Sri Ramana Jnana Bodham, vol. 7, verse 340).
7. Self-Enquiry (Vichara Sangraham) of Bhagavan Sri Ramana Maharshi, translated by Dr. T.M.P. Mahadevan, Sri Ramanashramam 2005, p. 16-17.
8. Guru Ramana, S.S. Cohen, Sri Ramanashramam, 2006, p. 74.
9. Guru Ramana, S.S. Cohen, Sri Ramanashramam 2006, p. 88-89.
Comments