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"Even though thou pursue thy appointed path through the world, O
Ram, there is
beneficent quietude in the throne of the All-Wise, if thou but recognize the Knower
with thy mind. So long, Ram, as you attain the Atmic state by thy constant mastery
of externals, your mind will ever be engaged in enquiry into the unlimited pure
wisdom (inculcated by your wise Guru and the Holy precepts). The supreme state may
be reached through Atmic enquiry; by turning aside from worldly objects., discernment
of the true significance of the Books of Wisdom; one's own intelligence; initiation
by a Guru; refraining from taking the life of any living thing; purity; or it can
be attained by one's intelligence alone. Lacking all else, liberation will be his
who is possessed of subtle and stainless intelligence, and is initiated by a Guru.
Upon hearing Muni Vashisht, Ram enquired: "The persons named by you divide into
two classes. One class frees itself of pain and attains the unity of wisdom by going
into Samadhi while still doing the work of the world; the other retires from action
in the world and goes into Samadhi. Of these two which is superior? Please enlighten
me clearly on this point."
To which Vashisht answered: "In Samadhi there is recognition of the inactivity
of this world. The mind becomes completely passionless, with no concern for the
world or its objects. Whether one enters Samadhi from amid the turmoil of the world,
or the quiet depths of a forest, there is no difference. Both have attained complete
equipoise of mind, and the incalculable fruits of the great meditation are theirs.
In this state of illumination, the serenity of mind is absolute. Therefore, O Ram,
it matters not by what door one enter:, the sublime state of Samadhi—within lies
liberation.
"When the desires are extinct, the performance of actions will be as if not done,
like one, who, deep in mental concentration does not hear the voices of by-standers.
But if the gross mind still has desire, though one has withdrawn from worldly action,
then one's actions are performed in the dreaming state when the body is as if paralyzed.
Know, O Ram, when the mind performs action, but is yet free from it, that state
is called the blissful Samadhi; the unchanging Nirvana and transcendent bliss.
"The two kinds of vision, meditation and non-meditation, are the results of the
steady mind and the oscillating mind. Therefore, all the attributes of the mind
must be controlled. It is said, that meditation is the firm mind itself, devoid
of desire or vexatious thoughts. Pain, internal or external, wears away in this
Nirvanic state. A mind which is above its worries will reach Nirvana. Desires breed
endless pain and misery in mental worry, and should therefore be reliquished.
"When all conception of "I" among the multitude of visibles is vanquished, it
does not matter where you live, O Ram, whether in a house, on a hillside or in the
great forest. The blessed of quiescent mind, who have let go egoism find in the
busiest household, the solitude of the forest. They who stroll in a street. desiring
nothing therein, really possess the street. Similarly, to those in full spiritual
beatitude, the city and the wood are the same. The forest retreat and the city abode
become alike to him of introspective mind, and the functions of sleeping, waking
or walking do not disturb this tranquillity of mind.
"O quiescent mind, thou twin of Prana, thy cooling dew will chill the hot flowers
of desire, and over all the universe shall be sweet peace. But should the mind become
heated with the illusion of the world, then the hot breath of desire will sweep
over the universe, like a great raging forest fire, leaving but ashes in its wake.
"The inner processes of mind are revealed in external actions. The earth, sky
and air are all manifestations of the lower mind. He who loses himself in earthly
joys will never enjoy the surpassing delight of Samadhi. But he who recognizes that
the function of the lower mind must operate, but yet is aloof from mundane enjoyment,
finds pure delight in Atma (wisdom). He who lives in the life of others, spurning
wealth, and seeing the world as it really is, is the real Knower.
"Whether death comes now or at the end of a cycle, these wise ones will never
be corrupted in mind. The Vedas proclaim them as the blessed conquerors of the illusory
conceptions of duality and belief in endings and beginnings, true enjoyers of bliss.
By these characteristics, may we recognize those who have attained wisdom. But the
recognition will not aid, O Ram, in the conception of the universal soul, for in
words alone wisdom does not lie. Only in the divine word OM is Brahma hidden.
"O, benignant Ram, I shall relate to thee a story which illustrates the attainment
of Atmic wisdom. Hear thou this history of Suragho, which is indeed wonderful.
"Suragho was a mighty hunter and ruler of the Kiratas
*140. He lived with his people, who were adepts in
archery, in the Kailasa hills on the summit of the Himalayas.
"Whilst he administered royal justice with strict impartiality, rewarding the
righteous and punishing the wrongdoers, he soliloquized: 'If in the exercise of
my royal power I afflict my people, are not their pains mine? Yet, if I do not punish
them according to prescribed law, they shall have lived in vain. It is indeed a
difficult task to rule over a kingdom.'
"The tender king was sorely troubled in mind.
"Muni Mandavya made a timely appearance. To him Suragho paid honor, and addressed
him: 'O virtuous Muni, thy coming fills me with happiness. It is indeed a blessing
to know that I am in thy notice. Thou, righteous Lord, hast long been free from
melancholy of spirit. Help me to clear my mind of the misgivings that assail me.
What else torments the mind of man more than doubt? My head is awhirl, O Muni, with
the miseries and joys my subjects experience in obeying my will. Let the sun of
wisdom light the darkness of my mind, and equality of vision comfort me.'
"Muni Mandavya replied: 'Atmic enquiry will clear away the fog of illusion, Suragho.
Ask thyself ceaselessly, Who am I? Whence came the universe? Whence came birth and
death? If you do this faithfully the reward of the Brahmic Seat shall be yours.
When you make Atmic enquiry habitual, your mind will obey your will and you will
cease your agonizing. To a poised mind the ups and downs of life appear trivial.
Does the elephant flee at sight of oxen tracks? What is of no consequence to
the wise is appalling to others. For does not the rain, gathered in the footprint
of a cow, seem an ocean of incalculable area to a mosquito? Know thou, Suragho,
that the farther removed thou art from worldly distractions, the brighter the light
of God illumines thee. Just so long as you are engrossed in the affairs of the world,
the true principle of God will not be recognized by you. Deific light will not shine
when dualities still exist in the mind. It is as difficult to realize Atmic Reality,
as to know that the alchemy of gold is not more to nature, than that of the baser
metals. Therefore, longing for the things of the world must cease. The reward is
the attainment of liberation—the supreme Brahmic state. O illustrious hunter, control
your mind, and keep it free from bodily and unwise desires; so shall you then attain
the stainless and beneficent Principle.'
"So saying Muni Mandavya returned to his own abode.
"The mighty hunter withdrew into his cave and in solitude began enquiry into
origin ofthe "I". His meditations took the following form.—How
absurd, he thought, to call my body "I", for my body is composed of flesh and bone,
which in its separate arts is passive. Hence my body is not 'I'. The ten organs
of sense are other than the 'I'. I am not, then, the organs of my body. What remains
is ego. What actuates my ego? Consciousness. But the universal consciousness cannot
be termed the Reality. Therefore, I shall free myself from the Jiva
143* state and become "THAT"
143** which above all else,
I desire to know. The fullness of wisdom, changeless and stainless, alone is my
Reality. This transcendent Wisdom pervades all like the strand upon which pearls
are strung,—Vishnu, Brahma, Devendra, Yama and all other states. This supreme and
powerful Wisdom or Realization is not tainted by worldliness, is of divine aspect,
and finds completion in all objects; has neither existence nor non-existence; is
subtle and permeates all, even the abode of Truth where lives Brahma. This consciousness
is the residual of all other potencies. It is due to motion or fluctuation of this
consciousness, and to nothing else, that the diversified objects of this world are
due.
"Having relinquished the objective world and freed himself from the shackles
of desire and delusion—delusion which follows one even in his seventh rebirth—Suragho
maintained equality of vision, as one stationary in the Sushupti
144* state. Free at last, though living in Atmic
reality, he reached the Brahmic state and attained the status of a Brahman, like
unto Raja Rishi Viswamitra, of extraordinary meditation.
"Thus did Suragho reach the Sushupti or dreamless state, wherein action is stilled,
like a picture of a candle alight. In that state he was, and the opposites of love
and hate, blessing or curse, association or separation, intelligence or ignorance,
assailed him not.
"Vashisht continued, O Ram, pillar of strength hear also what took place between
Suragho who attained, and a Raja Rishi named Parnada. Suragho had a friend, Parigha
by name, of the race of Paraseeka, who was also a king. When Parigha's kingdom suffered
a ten year drought, and famine and his people perished in great numbers, his heart
gave way . He left his native country and went into a forest to meditate, denying
himself food and subsisting upon dry leaves. Because of this he was called
Parnada 145*. Through
the renunciation he practiced and his holy meditations, he attained Atmic wisdom,
for none could compete with the strenuosities of this kingly recluse. This Muni,
who traveled the three worlds as though he walked thru the room of a dwelling, appeared
before King Suragho. Each responded to the other's affectionate greeting and found
pleasure in reciting their respective experiences.
"In welcome Suragho said, 'My heart overflows with joy and exquisite bliss. I
hail thee, O, honorable One.'
"Parnada answered; 'The sight of thee lifts me into that Jnana
145** state into which Muni
Mandavya initiated you. O, King, art thou able to direct thy worldly affairs with
equality and clarity of vision? Hast thy body, changed by the passing years, remained
free from diseases, either physical or mental? Canst thou preserve thy equilibrium
of mind amid the inordinate luxuries of wealth? Hast thou been able to merge into
Samadhi ***145 without thought,
by following the paths of extreme serenity and solitude and forms actions or not,
he who has Realized will always be poised in the Samadhic state. O Brother in Attainment,
they who have not equanimity of mind will never be able to go into Samadhi, even
though they sit in the Padme posture and offer salutations to Brahma. It is the
fullness of Atmic wisdom which constitutes the noble Samadhi. If the mind controlled
by concentration knows Reality, such a wise one may be said to enjoy Samadhi. The
intelligence of the wise, free from illusion, yet mindful of worldly action, will
not forget for a moment the eternity of Atmic Reality. As air flows freely in any
direction, the wise intelligence will always follow the path of unchanging Atmic
wisdom. The wise, who are in rapport with the indivisible Intelligence, having abandoned
the illusion of the opposites except as worldly recognition is necessary, can be
said to have attained the Brahmic Seat. Therefore, those blessed in wisdom, who
refrain from too much consideration for bodily action, and who have enlivened the
intelligence by the acquisition of holy knowledge, may penetrate everywhere. Thou
hast recognized the Intelligence which is wondrous and changeless. Thou hast attained
the Brahmic state. Thy mind has been purged from worldliness, and thy heart is liberated
from egoism. Having known the certainty of Atma, thou art complete and full in thy
Self.
"Suragho made answer: 'Of what avail are circuitous expressions? To say it briefly,
it is this, when all longing for the fruits of action cease, and the mind looks
upon all equally, being directed within itself, then Brahmic bliss arises, the incomparable
Wise-Vision is developed, and the resolute Atmic Reality alone illumines.'"
Yoga Vashisht Chapter Links
Footnotes
140:* Hunters.
143:* Ego
143:** Brahma
144:* Dreamless.
145:* Parna—leaves; ad—to eat.
145:** Wisdom.
145:*** Blissful state.
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