FIRST THINGS FIRST
Questions were often placed before Bhagavan regarding the need for the establishment of progressive effort that leads to a fully aware and controlled mind:
“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.”The testimony of practically all of the disciples who lived with Bhagavan proclaims that the achievement of “freeing consciousness from all thoughts and keeping it pure,” involves constant spiritual practice and real non-dependence (vairagya) on the objects of the world. In rare instances, though some people seem to have achieved the state of thoughtless purity without effort, it may, as Sri Ramana himself said, be due to effort done in the past.
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.”(Guru Ramana, S.S. Cohen, Sri Ramanashramam 2006, p. 74)
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. Abhyasa 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 one conquers one’s 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 in our sadhana 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 one gains insight into the transient nature of the things of the world, one 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 dependent on you; you are not dependent on the objects.
Comments