Talks mar 17

269

Talk 289. 

While discussing Karma, Sri Bhagavan said: “Karma has its fruit (phala). They are like cause and effect. The interrelation of a cause and its effect is due to a Sakti whom we call God. God is phala data (dispenser of fruit). A visitor had been speaking of the Self having forgotten its true nature. 

Sri Bhagavan after some time said: “People speak of memory and oblivion of the Fullness of the Self. 

Oblivion and memory are only thought-forms. They will alternate so long as there are thoughts. But Reality lies beyond these. Memory or oblivion must be dependent on something. That something must be foreign too; otherwise there cannot be oblivion. It is called ‘I’ by everyone. When one looks for it, it is not found because it is not real. Hence ‘I’ is synonymous with illusion or ignorance (maya, avidya or ajnana). To know that there never was ignorance is the goal of all the spiritual teachings. Ignorance must be of one who is aware. Awareness is jnana. Jnana is eternal and natural. Ajnana is unnatural and unreal. 

......

D.: Having heard this truth, why does not one remain content? 

M.: Because samskaras have not been destroyed. 

Unless the samskaras cease to exist, there will always be doubt and confusion (sandeha, viparita).

 All efforts are directed to destroying doubt and confusion. 

To do so their roots must be cut. 

Their roots are the samskaras. 

These are rendered ineffective by practice as prescribed by the Guru. 

The Guru leaves it to the seeker to do this much so that he might himself find out that there is no ignorance. 

This truth mentioned is in the stage of the hearing of the Truth (sravana). That is not drdha (firm).

 For making it unshaken, one has to practise reflection (manana) and one-pointedness (nididhyasana). 

These two processes scorch the seeds of vasanas so that they are rendered ineffective. 

Some extraordinary persons get drdha jnana (unshaken knowledge) even on hearing the Truth only once (sakrchhravana matrena). 

Because they are krthopasakah (advanced seekers), whereas the  akrthopasakah (raw seekers) take longer to gain drdha jnana (unshaken knowledge). 

People ask: “How did ignorance (avidya) arise at all?” We have to say to them: “Ignorance never arose. It has no real being. That which is, is only vidya (knowledge).”

..........

D.: Why then do I not realise it? 

M.: Because of the samskaras. 

However, find out who does not realise and what he does not realise.

 Then it will be clear that there is no avidya (ignorance).

......

D.: Association with the wise may strengthen the mind. There must also be practice. What practice should be made? 

M.: Yes. Practice is necessary too. 

Practice means removal of predispositions. 

Practice is not for any fresh gain; it is to kill the predispositions. 

D.: Abhyasa (practice) should give me that power. 

M.: Practice is power. If thoughts are reduced to a single thought the mind is said to have grown strong. When practice remains unshaken it becomes sahaja (natural). 

D.: What is such practice? 

M.: Enquiring into the Self. That is all. Atmanyeva vasam nayet ..... Fix the mind on the Self. 

D.: What is the aim to be kept in view? Practice requires an aim. 

M.: Atman is the aim. What else can there be? 

All other aims are for those who are incapable of atmalakshya (having the Self for the aim). 

They lead you ultimately to atma-vichara (enquiry into the Self). 

One pointedness is the fruit of all kinds of practice. One may get it quickly; another after a long time. Everything depends on the practice. 

D.: Peace is extolled more than anything else. How shall we gain it? 

M.: It is your very nature. Forgetfulness never overtakes the Self. The Self is now confounded with non-self and that makes you speak of forgetfulness of the Self, Peace, etc. Oblivion will never rear up its head if this confusion is put an end to. 

D.: How is that done? 

M.: Enquiry into the Self. One-pointedness means cessation of mental activities. Forgetfulness must be for the self - well, of what? Of the Self? Are there then two selves? Practice removes the samskaras.

D.: But samskaras are infinite and eternal - from beginningless time. 

M.: This itself is a samskara. Give up that idea and all samskaras will disappear at once. That is visranti (repose), santi (peace). Peace is ever present. But you hold it down and rise over it and thus disturb it. Then you say, “I want Peace”. 

D.: Will Peace be gradual? 

M.: Yes. Make the mind gradually still (Sanaissanaih uparamet) says the Bhagavad Gita.

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Talk 293. 

Mr. K. K. V. Iyer: There is no way found to go inward by means of meditation. 

M.: Where else are we now? Our very being is that. 

D.: Being so, we are ignorant of it. 

M.: Ignorant of what, and whose is the ignorance? If ignorant of the Self, are there two selves? 

D.: There are no two selves. The feeling of limitation cannot be denied. Due to limitations.... 

M.: Limitation is only in the mind. Did you feel it in deep sleep? You exist in sleep. You do not deny your existence then. The same Self is now and here, in the wakeful state. You are now saying that there are limitations. What has now happened is that there are these differences between the two states. The differences are due to the mind. There was no mind in sleep. whereas it is now active. The Self exists in the absence of the mind also. 

D.: Although it is understood, it is not realised. 

M.: It will be by and by, with meditation.

277

D.: Meditation is with mind and how can it kill the mind in order to reveal the Self? 

M.: Meditation is sticking to one thought. That single thought keeps away other thoughts. Distraction of mind is a sign of its weakness. By constant meditation it gains strength. 

i.e. to say, its weakness of fugitive thought gives place to the enduring background free from thoughts. 

This expanse devoid of thought is the Self. 

Mind in purity is the Self. Sri Bhagavan continued in reply to the former questioner: Everyone says “I am the body”. It is the experience of the sage as also of the ignorant. 

The ignorant man believes that the Self is confined to the body only, whereas the wise man believes that the body cannot remain apart from the Self.

The Self is infinite for him and includes the body also.

..........

Mr. Bose said that he felt peace in His presence which lasts some time after. He added: “Why is it not enduring?” 

M.: That Peace is the Real nature. Contrary ideas are only super impositions. This is true bhakti, true yoga, true jnana. 

You may say that this peace is acquired by practice. The wrong notions are given up by practice. This is all. Your true nature always persists. These flashes are only signs of the ensuing revelation of the Self.

 In reply to the first questioner Bhagavan said: 

The Heart is the Self. It is not within or without. 

The mind is Its sakti. After the emergence of the mind, the universe appears and the body is seen to be contained in it. Whereas all these are contained in the Self and they cannot exist apart from the Self.

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Talk 294. 

Mr. Parkhi: How is meditation to be practised? 

M.: Meditation is, truly speaking, Atmanishtha (to be fixed as the Self).

 But when thoughts cross the mind and an effort is made to eliminate them the effort is usually termed meditation. 

Atmanishtha is your real nature. Remain as you are. That is the aim. 

...........

D.: But thoughts come up. Is our effort meant to eliminate thoughts only? 

M.: Yes. Meditation being on a single thought, the other thoughts are kept away. Meditation is only negative in effect inasmuch as thoughts are kept away.

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D.: It is said Atma samstham manah krtva (fixing the mind in the Self). But the Self is unthinkable.

 M.: Why do you wish to meditate at all? Because you wish to do so you are told Atma samstham manah krtva (fixing the mind in the Self); why do you not remain as you are without meditating? What is that manah (mind)? 

When all thoughts are eliminated it becomes Atma samstha (fixed in the Self). 

D.: If a form is given I can meditate on it and other thoughts are eliminated. But the Self is formless. 

M.: Meditation on forms or concrete objects is said to be dhyana, whereas the enquiry into the Self is vichara (enquiry) or nididhyasana. Explaining adhyaropapavadabhyam (superimposition and its elimination), Sri Bhagavan pointed out that the first turns you inward to the Self; and then according to the second, you know that the world is not apart from the Self.

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D.: Pray help me realise Atma - Paramatma - Satchidananda. 

M.: Atma - Paramatma - Satchidananda mean one and the same thing, i.e. the Self. The Self is eternally realised. Otherwise there will be no pleasure in it. If it is not eternal it must have a beginning; what begins will also end; so that it is only transient. There is no use seeking for a temporary state of affairs. 

The fact is that it is the state of effortless, ever alert Peace. 

Effortlessness while remaining aware is the state of Bliss, and that is Realisation.

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D.: I do not want intellectual answers. I want them to be practical. 

M.: Yes. Direct knowledge does not require intellectual discourses. Since the Self is directly experienced by everyone, they are not at all necessary. Everyone says “I am”. Is there anything more to realise?

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