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Gita Lesson - 1402: Practice of Meditation

Bhagavad Gita
Unit - 14
Lesson - 1402: Practice of Meditation
By Raja Subramaniyan

Mind continuously receives inputs from the world through the five senses and it is influenced by the nature of the inputs. Just as the quality of food and the amount of exercise determines the physical health, the quality of inputs from the five senses and the exercise we do (meditation) determines the health of our mind.

In order to keep the mind fit, we need to restrict the inputs that are acquired from the external world. While we can control the intake of food to maintain our health, we cannot control the environment to ensure right inputs to our five sense organs.

Example: One can drive as per rules following all the traffic regulations but cannot control a drunken driver crossing the lane without any warning.

Similarly, even if we try to regulate the inputs to the mind, invariably we encounter trying circumstances.

Besides, unlike exercising our physical body, the process of refining the mind appears to be a very difficult task. Each of the fourteen steps requires enormous effort. Therefore, it appears that it is not possible to complete all the steps and achieve Joyful Living.

There are six reasons why it is difficult to control our mind.

1. Mind is made up of subtle matter and not solid matter.
(It is more difficult to control water compared to controlling an ice cube. Controlling steam is even more difficult. Mind is subtler than steam)

2. Mind is to be controlled using the very same mind.
The efficiency of the mind determines how well it can be refined further. Therefore, an untrained mind will find it very difficult to progress.

3. When we use the word 'I' most of us refer it to mean our mind. It is as close as a pair of spectacles to the eyes that they appear to be part of the eye. Similarly, the mind reflects the truth of the Atman and we take the reflection as the original.
Example: If the spectacles are dirty, the object seen will not be clear. We do not try to make the objects clean. We wipe the spectacles clean.
We do not do this in case of our mind. We perceive the world through our mind. We see sufferings in the world because our mind is corrupted. Instead of refining the mind, we are trying to correct the world.

4. We have spent many lifetime thinking that we are the mind and the world is imperfect. It does not occur to us that the problem is in our mind. Since even this new and correct knowledge has to pass through the very same mind, it conceals the fact.

Example: A king rules a state without meeting the subjects in person. All the external communication is done through the prime minister who remains as the king's only spokes person for all purposes. If the prime minister is a corrupt person, it will be very difficult to expose him and more difficult to refine him.

Similarly, our mind is the only spokes person of us and therefore it is difficult to refine it.

5. Others cannot assist us in controlling our mind. We need to depend only on our own mind's ability to refine it.

A teacher can guide us in giving knowledge on how to go about in refining the mind as detailed in the fourteen steps. However, the practice of these steps is to be done by the concerned individual without any external support.

6. It is the nature of mind to oscillate between alternatives. It keeps jumping from the past to the future all the time. It either thinks about the past performance or worry about the results that will come in the future. This is the universal nature of the untrained mind.

When the mind is peaceful, suppose some one says a harsh word, immediately the mind is disturbed. Thus, any sensory inputs hearing, touching, seeing, tasting and smelling can cause mind to start wavering. The time the mind remains still appears to be an impossible task. This is true for the untrained mind.

Example: Driving a car may appear to be in impossible task before we are trained. There are many instruments to operate both by legs and by hands. It appears that high degree of coordination and concentration is required to drive the car. The functions of clutch and gear are confusing.

No one is a born driver. Everyone has to learn step-by-step. Prior to learning, it might appear as an impossible task. However, once we learn, driving the car becomes part of our nature. Initially one may require paying all the attention to driving but with experience, one can comfortably talk on the phone or watch the advertisement hoardings without paying any attention to driving.

Similarly, refining the mind is a long drawn process. In the case of driving, we see many people who have mastered the art of driving. However, in case of refining the mind, the proportion of those who have completed all the steps is very less compared to those who are trying. This is the reason why meditation appears to be a difficult task.

It should be noted that not everyone is expected to complete all the fourteen steps in one stretch. It is not possible to complete anyone to start from the first step and reach the top within one lifetime.

Example: The final exam in a school cannot be completed by the students in the first grade. They can only pass the first grade and then move on to the next grade.

Although apparently everyone appears to be adults and capable of completing all the fourteen steps, in reality the people of the world belong to the various grades. It takes many lifetimes even to finish one or two steps of the total fourteen steps. Therefore, it should not be expected that we complete the final step. Our focus is on the current step, which we are attempting.

Since it is not known that the number of steps that we might have completed in the previous births, everyone will have to start from the first step. Depending on the accumulated knowledge and practice, one masters each step at a faster rate.

Those who find a particular step easy to complete must have spent many lifetimes earlier to learn that step. Therefore, we should explore the possibility of completing all the steps in this lifetime and if it is not possible, it is not a cause of concern.

There are many who have completed all the steps and living joyfully. They are the proof that everyone can complete all the steps although they appear to be difficult. Since we do not know the effort put in during the previous births, we need to strive hard on the current step. We will automatically reach the top soon.

The mind is continuously refined based on the experience in every birth. On death, only the physical body is discarded. The subtle body, which includes the mind survives and takes on a new physical body to continue the journey towards the destination of Joyful Living. That is the reason, there is variation among people. Even among the siblings brought up in identical environment the mental attributes vary widely.

Some of us can ignore a harsh word spoken at us by our enemies but cannot take it if it is done by near and dear once. Some of us cannot take even if one stranger is shouting at another. Some will remain unperturbed even if insult is poured on him by all and sundry including those who belong to his first circle of friends and relatives. Thus, people respond differently depending on how well one has trained the mind in the previous births.

Even if one shuts oneself from the world, the accumulated preferences will keep generating thoughts in the mind. Such ramblings will go down only with long practice, which may take many lifetimes.

Since it is not possible to reach the end goal in one lifetime, it cannot be argued that one need not put in effort. There are two reasons why it is required that one makes continuous effort and make progress towards the destination.

Reason 1: Without spending time and effort in refining the mind, it is never going to be possible to reach the destination of Joyful Living.

Reason 2: We do get benefit according to the effort we put in and we do not have to wait until we reach the end.

Example: One has to eat a meal to solve the problem of hunger. It is not that only when the last mouth is swallowed the hunger disappears. For every morsel of food intake, we derive corresponding benefit.

Similarly, whatever effort we put in, in refining our mind, the quality of our mind will correspondingly increase. For example, those who are affected by the quarrel between the strangers earlier, will progress to the next level wherein only a personal involvement in a wordily dual will upset the balance of the mind.

Thus, the mind will become progressively steady and correspondingly the life will be more enjoyable. We continue our effort from the very same point in our subsequent births and ultimately we reach the destination.

Whatever be our current status of the maturity of our mind, our goal is to train it to remain unaffected by the changes in the external events and objects and keep it steady on the self-knowledge. If we follow the prescribed fourteen steps, we will be able to make the mind to remain steady on self-knowledge.

Chapter 6: Science of meditation [Verses: 33 - 47]

6.33 Arjuna said, Oh Krishna, the system of yoga which You have summarized appears impractical and unendurable to me, for the mind is restless and unsteady.

6.34 For the mind is restless, turbulent, obstinate and very strong, Oh Krishna, and to subdue it is, it seems to me, more difficult than controlling the wind.

6.35 Lord Krishna said, Oh Arjuna, it is undoubtedly very difficult to curb the restless mind, but it is possible by constant practice and by detachment.

6.36 For one whose mind is unbridled, self-realization is difficult work. But he whose mind is controlled and who strives by right means is assured of success. That is My opinion.

6.37 Arjuna said: What is the destination of the man of faith who does not persevere, who in the beginning takes to the process of self-realization but who later desists due to worldly-mindedness and thus does not attain liberation?

6.38 Oh Krishna, fallen from both yoga and karma and deluded in the pursuit of Brahman, doesn't the yogi perish like a scattered cloud?

6.39 This is my doubt, Oh Krishna, and I ask You to dispel it completely. But for Yourself, no one is to be found who can destroy this doubt.

6.40 Lord Krishna said, Oh Arjuna, such a person does not meet with destruction either here or hereafter. One who does good, My friend, is never overcome by evil.

6.41 The unsuccessful yogi, after many, many years of enjoyment on the planets of the pious living entities, is born into a family of righteous people, or into a family of rich aristocracy.

6.42 Or he takes his birth in a family of wise sages who are surely great in wisdom. Verily, such a birth is rare in this world.

6.43 On taking such a birth, he again revives the work done in his previous life, and makes further progress in order to achieve complete success, Oh Arjuna.

6.44 By virtue of his work in his previous life, he automatically becomes attracted to the yogic principles--even without seeking them. Such an inquisitive person, striving for yoga, stands always above the ritualistic principles of the scriptures.

6.45 But when the yogi engages himself with sincere endeavor in making further progress, being washed of all contaminations, then ultimately, after many, many births of practice, he attains the supreme goal.

6.46 A yogi is greater than the ascetic, greater than the empiricist and greater than the result oriented worker. Therefore, Oh Arjuna, in all circumstances, be a yogi.

6.47 And of all yogis, he who always abides in Me with great faith, worshiping Me and the mind absorbed in Me, is considered by me as the highest of all yogis.

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