Home » Lessons on Vedanta » Panchadashi Lessons » Panchadashi Module - G: Joyful Living » Panchadashi Unit - G02: To be this ONE » Panchadashi Lesson G0211: Resolving Deficiencies

Panchadashi Lesson G0211: Resolving Deficiencies

Panchadashi
Module - G
Unit - G02
Lesson G0211: Resolving the deficiencies of the mind
By Raja Subramaniyan

Steps to resolve these two deficiencies in the mind

There are four steps to be completed before the mind is relived of these deficiencies. These steps are to be performed in the order given. This effort is called 'Inner Transformation'.

Inner Transformation means internalizing the knowledge ("I am this ONE") gained through learning and enquiry.

Step 1: World is false.

The second deficiency namely thinking that the world is real is more dangerous than the first one. Therefore, one should check whether the statement that the world is an illusion is fully understood or not. One should not say, "Yes I know the world is an illusion but I need to buy a new car in order to be happy". It should be understood that there is no happiness in the objects/ persons/ events of the world.

This is difficult to understand due to the following fact.

Fact: ONE cannot experience the world. ONE is totally connectionless.

In order to experience, the world one needs body/ mind complex. The happiness, which we seem to get from the name/ fame/ money/ wealth/ power/ position/ status/ relationships/ friendships etc are reflected happiness. The original happiness is the nature of ONE. The sadness or miseries of the world do not belong to the world. When one undergoes a sorrowful event, the mind is clouded with worries/ anxieties/ fear and such negative thoughts that it does not reflect the natural happiness of the ONE.

Thus, it should be clearly understood that the world is not the source of happiness or sorrow. It is not enough just to keep claiming that the world is an illusion.

Step 2: Reduction of PORT

Once the above step is completed, one should reduce PORT, which is an acronym for the following four:

Possessions
Obligations and duties
Relationships
Transactions

It is not that one should renounce everything that one possess and become a forest dweller. Too much of PORT will force one to give reality to the world. If one spends all his time on doing business or working in an office it is impossible to retain the knowledge that the world is an illusion.

Therefore, one should reduce the PORT to the extent that one can handle without compromising on the practice of Inner Transformation. It is advisable to retain only as much as required to meet the food/ clothing/ shelter requirements of the family and nothing more.

In addition to reduction of PORT, one should also reduce the interest in worldly affairs. One should stop reading the newspaper and stop watching the television. Names, places and date keep changing in any news item but the news content never changes. It is the same news keep repeating repeatedly. The ill effect of following the news is it gives reality to the world around.

During the period of Inner Transformation, it is essential that one should contemplate on the fact that the world is an illusion. If there is a break during this contemplation, one should return to the practice as soon as possible. If the break is too long, it may not be possible to continue. One may have to start all over. For this reason, PORT and news input should be minimized.

Reduction of PORT is applicable only during the stage of Inner Transformation. Once the knowledge becomes steady, there is no restriction at all. One can possess the whole world and can retain the knowledge that the world is an illusion.

Example: King Janaka is an enlightened one. He was a successful ruler with perfect awareness that the world is an illusion. Once when Mithila, his capital was on fire he remained perfectly cool and calm while giving instructions to his subordinates. After the event when someone asked him how come he is not affected by the event, he replied "Either the whole world belongs to me (Mithila is one small part) OR nothing belongs to me."

Thus once the knowledge becomes steady life will be joyful. No event/ person/ object in the world will have any effect on our life. In addition, reading the news and even creating news could be done without any attachment.

Step 3: Meditation

It is necessary that one should do meditation for making the mind steady. This can be attempted only after completing Steps 1 and 2.

The nature of mind is to oscillate. It is necessary to train the mind in one pointed concentration in order to overcome both these deficiencies. If the mind is steady and peaceful without being pulled by the worldly objects/ events/ persons then it will have the capacity to stay in the true knowledge. Such a mind could be easily controlled by the intelligence. The moment the intelligence gains the true knowledge the mind will get steady on it.

Since most of us do not have such a trained mind, it is necessary for us to practice meditation for making it peaceful and steady. One can follow whatever meditation technique one is comfortable. There are no specific set of rules for the purpose of inner transformation. Any meditation will do. However, it is preferable that it is done under an expert guidance.

One such technique is mentioned below:

Vipasana Meditation: One can do this meditation any time / anywhere in any posture. One should observe the breathing in and breathing out. The goal is to stay in the present. Normally people think about either the past or future. They never stay in the present. Vipasana meditation trains one to be in the present. If the mind starts thinking about the past or future one should just label it as thoughts and come back to observing the breath.

Thus, any meditation, which disregards the apparent reality of the world and turns our attention inward, is good enough.

Normally our mind tends to think about the past or future. Both are irrelevant. Since the world itself is an ever-changing illusory phenomenon, there is no point in keeping track of the past or future. However, our mind tends to give reality to them and in addition; it adds its own frills/ imaginations.

If the mind is trained to be still on a particular thought, then it will gain the capability of retaining the knowledge that the world is illusion even while doing the day-to-day transactions.

Example: When a new student starts singing, it is very difficult to keep track of the sruti. However, with practice an expert singer can always keep track of the sruti irrespective of the complicated song that he is singing. As and when he lose track of it, he leans back to the sruti box and picks it up.

Similarly, when the mind is not trained we lose track of the fact that the world is an illusion. However, after sufficient training even while dealing with the worldly affairs one can remember that the world is not real. In case we are about to lose we can lean back to the scripture and become steady on our knowledge.

Step 4: Living in meditation.

This is the final step in the Inner Transformation stage.

Once the knowledge "I am this ONE" is gained one might find it difficult to do conventional meditation. One should concentrate on the fact "I am this ONE" or "World is an illusion" during the day-to-day living. One is encouraged to talk, hear, read and write on this new knowledge. It is fine to give reality to the world to the extent it helps us to progress in the Inner Transformation.

Example: If the son looks at the father as a friend, it is fine. However, if he sees him as an enemy then it is wrong.

Similarly, if one thinks that his body/mind complex is helping him to find the ultimate knowledge it is fine. However, if he thinks he is the body/mind complex then it is wrong.

This final step is a very interesting process since the mere practice towards perfection is enjoyable.

Example: Eating the food will resolve the problem of hunger. Moreover, the process of eating is enjoyable.

Similarly, our goal is to become steady on our knowledge that the world is an illusion. This final step is to keep reminding the mind everything that goes around is part of that illusion. Suppose someone insults us, we need to remind ourselves that this is an illusion. The person who is insulting us is also the very same ONE. It is a mono act play in which I am insulting myself.

Such recollection will relive us from the current problem and in addition helps us to progress towards our goal.

While the conventional meditation could be compared to doing exercises in a gym, the final step of living in meditation could be compared to playing an outdoor game. Both have the desired effect of keeping us fit. However, playing a game is more fun than doing a work out. Similarly, while living in meditation we need to deal with each thought and keep telling ourselves "I am the only reality and all the rest is illusion". Whenever we miss reminding us this, we are caught in the world. More successful we are more soon we will become steady in the knowledge.

It is quite all right to forget the truth (that the world is an illusion) but one must never think that the world is real. Similarly, it is fine to forget that "I am this ONE" but one should never think that one is a body/mind complex.

Completion of all the four steps:

Once all the above four steps are completed, which might take sufficiently long time depending on the seriousness with which one practices, the knowledge gained will become steady.

After this stage, life will go on as before. Nevertheless, those who got the steady knowledge will not get affected by the events/ persons/ objects of the world. Their life will be joyful all the time. However, the ignorant people will continue to be swayed by the pairs of the opposites.

The very same event might bring misery to the ignorant and joy to the wise.

Example: It rains heavily. The ignorant will complain that he is not able to carry out his daily routine. The wise will be happy saying that he got a break from the daily routine.

It does not rain at all. The ignorant will complain that there will be shortage of drinking water. The wise will be happy saying that the roads are not flooded.

It should be noted that the wise person says something for the sake of saying. For him happiness comes naturally and he can find reasons for his happiness very easily and effortlessly.

For the wise, the whole life is a drama so he enjoys whatever happens. However, for the ignorant even the drama is real and makes him suffer.

Example: When a child is enjoying himself in a playground even if he falls down and hurts himself it does not pain. Nevertheless, if the same child gets a minor corporal punishment he suffers a lot.

Similarly, in the game of life, the wise see problems and sufferings as setbacks in the game and do not give them any reality. However, the ignorant person does not know the reality and therefore he suffers.

Thus we have seen the meaning of the first part of the key statement "If a person knows himself to be this ONE, desiring what and for whose benefit will he struggle?" which talked about the required practice for joyful living.

Once the practice is completed, the seeker of the Joyful Living would have gained the true knowledge that he is ONE, which supports the illusory world (that includes his body/mind complex). The second part of the statement describes the benefit of this understanding.

Panchadashi Lesson G0210: Steady Knowledge << Home >>

Requires Log-in
Log-in Required Register * Log-in * Log-out

Online Books

All Rights Reserved. Unauthorised Copying, Distribution and Publication of these Online Books
without the prior written permission of the Publishers or Translators are prohibited.
MySQL: 0.0567 s * PHP: 0.5911 s * Total: 0.6479 s
Document Retrieved from database.
Copyright © 2002-2012 Celextel Enterprises Pvt. Ltd.
Vedanta Spiritual Library is Powered by MODx CMS.
Wednesday * February 22, 2012 * 11:36 PM [IST]

Rama

Swami Vivekananda

Sri Ramakrishna

Sarada Devi

Krishna