nirmal baba 3
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Thursday, October 30, 2008
Wednesday, October 29, 2008
Sivananda Daily Reading for 26 October
SIVANANDA DAILY READING FOR 26 OCTOBER
IGNORANCE
The mind is a creation of avidya! (ignorance) and it is the effect of
avidya. The mind is filled with delusion - this is why it tempts you
and makes you go astray. If you can destroy the cause of the mind by
getting knowledge of the supreme self, the mind is nowhere; it
dwindles into an airy nothing.
The whole experience of duality, made up of perceiver and perceived,
is pure imagination. There is no ignorance apart from the mind. On
the destruction of the mind, all is destroyed. The mind's activity is
the cause of all appearance. On account of illusion you think that
the outside objects are separate from you and real.
As long as there is mind there are all these distinctions - big and
small, high and low, superior and inferior, good and bad, etc., - but
the highest truth is that there is no relativity. If you can
transcend the mind by constant and profound meditation on atman you
will be able to attain a state beyond the pairs of opposites wherein
lies supreme peace and highest knowledge.
The first thought is the `I-thought'. As this `I-thought' is the base
of all other thoughts, egoism is the seed for the mind. The idea
of `I' brings in its train the idea of time, space and other
potencies. With these environments, the name `jiva' (soul) accrues to
it. And contemporaneously with it there arise buddhi (intellect),
memory and manas (mind) which is the seed of the tree of desire.
You cannot realise God if you have the slightest trace of egoism, or
attachment to name and form, or the least tinge of worldly desire in
the mind. Try to minimise egoism little by little. Root it out by
self-sacrifice, by karma yoga, by self-surrender, or by vedantic self
enquiry. Whenever egoism asserts itself, raise the question within
yourself: "What is the source of this little `I'?" Again and again
ask this question and, as you remove layer after layer, the onion
dwindles to nothing. Analyse the little `I' and it becomes a non
entity.
The ego is the Lord for whose entertainment the dance is performed
and the objects of the senses are his companions. The intellect is
the dancing girl and the senses are the persons who play on the
instruments which accompany the dance. The saksi (witnessing soul) is
the lamp which illumines the scene. Just as the lamp, without moving
from its place, furnishes light to all parts - so too, the saksi from
its unchangeable position illumines everything situated inside or
outside.
IGNORANCE
The mind is a creation of avidya! (ignorance) and it is the effect of
avidya. The mind is filled with delusion - this is why it tempts you
and makes you go astray. If you can destroy the cause of the mind by
getting knowledge of the supreme self, the mind is nowhere; it
dwindles into an airy nothing.
The whole experience of duality, made up of perceiver and perceived,
is pure imagination. There is no ignorance apart from the mind. On
the destruction of the mind, all is destroyed. The mind's activity is
the cause of all appearance. On account of illusion you think that
the outside objects are separate from you and real.
As long as there is mind there are all these distinctions - big and
small, high and low, superior and inferior, good and bad, etc., - but
the highest truth is that there is no relativity. If you can
transcend the mind by constant and profound meditation on atman you
will be able to attain a state beyond the pairs of opposites wherein
lies supreme peace and highest knowledge.
The first thought is the `I-thought'. As this `I-thought' is the base
of all other thoughts, egoism is the seed for the mind. The idea
of `I' brings in its train the idea of time, space and other
potencies. With these environments, the name `jiva' (soul) accrues to
it. And contemporaneously with it there arise buddhi (intellect),
memory and manas (mind) which is the seed of the tree of desire.
You cannot realise God if you have the slightest trace of egoism, or
attachment to name and form, or the least tinge of worldly desire in
the mind. Try to minimise egoism little by little. Root it out by
self-sacrifice, by karma yoga, by self-surrender, or by vedantic self
enquiry. Whenever egoism asserts itself, raise the question within
yourself: "What is the source of this little `I'?" Again and again
ask this question and, as you remove layer after layer, the onion
dwindles to nothing. Analyse the little `I' and it becomes a non
entity.
The ego is the Lord for whose entertainment the dance is performed
and the objects of the senses are his companions. The intellect is
the dancing girl and the senses are the persons who play on the
instruments which accompany the dance. The saksi (witnessing soul) is
the lamp which illumines the scene. Just as the lamp, without moving
from its place, furnishes light to all parts - so too, the saksi from
its unchangeable position illumines everything situated inside or
outside.
.
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Sure Ways to Success in Life and God-Realisation by Sri Swami Sivananda (Msg 9)
SURE WAYS TO SUCCESS IN LIFE AND GOD-REALISATION
BY SRI SWAMI SIVANANDA
(Message 9)
----------------------------------------------------------
CHAPTER II (concluded)
PRACTICE OF MEDITATION
Concentration is fixing the mind on one point. It is called Dharana
in Yoga philosophy. Concentration is collectiveness of thought. It is
said to be the placing, settling of mind and mental properties,
fittingly and well on a single object. That state, by the strength of
which mind and mental properties are placed in one object fittingly
and well, without wavering, without scattering, should be known as
concentration. Meditation follows concentration. There is a
continuous flow of one idea only.
The characteristic of concentration is non-wandering. Its essence is
to destroy wavering. Its manifestation is non-shaking. The mind of
the happy man is concentrated. Happiness or ease is its proximate
cause. Concentration is accompanied by ease, even-mindedness and
raptures.
You must be regular in your practice of meditation. You must sit
daily both morning and night, and at the same hour. The meditative
mood or Sattvic Bhava will manifest by itself without any exertion.
You must sit in the same place, in the same room. Regularity in
meditation is a great desideratum and sine qua non. Rapid progress
and great success can be attained if regularity is maintained by the
practitioner. Even if you do not realise any tangible result in the
practice, you must plod on in the practice with sincerity,
earnestness, patience and perseverance. You will be crowned with
sanguine success after some time. There is no doubt of this. Do not
stop the practice even for a day, under any circumstances, even if
you are ailing. Meditation is a first-class tonic. The wave of
meditation will remove all sorts of diseases. It will infuse
spiritual strength, new vigour and vitality. It will renovate and
completely overhaul the different systems and constitutions.
Meditation will give real rest to the body. Be on the alert to catch
the Sattvic wave or the meditative mood. If the meditative mood
manifests, stop at once work of any kind, reading, etc. Sit for
meditation in right earnest.
Pride, self-sufficiency, arrogance, self-assertive Rajasic nature,
irritability, curiosity about the affairs of other people, and
hypocrisy are all obstacles in meditation. Subtle forms of these
Vrittis lurk in the mind. They operate as oceanic undercurrents.
Under pressure of Yoga and meditation, various sorts of dirt in the
mind come out, just as dirt of a room that is shut up for six months
comes out when you carefully sweep. Aspirants should introspect and
watch their minds. They should remove them, one by one, by applying
suitable, effective methods. Pride is inveterate. Its branches ramify
in all directions in the regions of the Rajasic mind. Again and again
it manifests, although the wave subsides temporarily for some time.
It asserts when opportunities crop up.
If the aspirant has the nature of being offended easily for trifling
things, he cannot make any progress in meditation. He should
cultivate amiable loving nature and adaptability. Then this bad habit
will vanish. Some aspirants get easily offended if their bad
qualities and defects are pointed out. They become indignant and
scorn the man who indicates the defects. They think that the man is
concocting them out of jealousy and hatred. This is bad. Other people
can very easily find out our defects. A man who has no life of
introspection, whose mind is of outgoing tendencies (Bahirmukha-
Vritti) cannot recognise his own mistakes. The self-conceit acts as a
veil and blurs the mental vision. If an aspirant wants to grow, he
must admit his defects when pointed out by others. He must try his
level best to eradicate them, and must thank the man who points out
his defects. Then only he can grow in spirituality and meditation.
It becomes a difficult task to eradicate the self-assertive nature.
Every man has built his personality from beginningless time. He has
given a long rope to the Rajasic mind to have its own ways. This
personality has grown very strong. It becomes very difficult to bend
this personality and make it pliable and elastic. The man of self-
assertive nature wants to dominate over others. He does not want to
hear the opinions and the reasons advanced by others, even though
they are sound, logical and tenable. He has a pair of jaundiced eyes
with Timira (caract) also. He will say: "Whatever I say is correct;
whatever I do is correct; the actions and views of others are
incorrect." He will never admit his mistakes. He will try his level
best to maintain his own whimsical views by crooked arguments and
reasonings. If arguments fail, he will take to vituperation and hand-
to-hand fight. If people fail to show respect and honour, he is
thrown into a state of fury. He is immensely pleased if anybody
begins to flatter him. He will tell any number of lies to justify
himself. Self-justification goes hand-in-hand with self-assertive
nature. This is a very dangerous habit. He can never grow in
meditation and spirituality so long as he has self-assertive nature
with the habit of self-justification. The self-assertive man should
change his mental attitude. He must develop the habit of looking at
matters from the viewpoint of others. He must have a new vision of
righteousness and truthfulness. An aspirant should treat respect and
honour as offal, and censure and dishonour as ornament.
Man finds it difficult to adjust to the ways and habits of others.
His mind is filled with prejudice of caste, creed and colour. He is
quite intolerant. He thinks that only his views, opinions and ways of
living are right, and the views of others are incorrect. The fault-
finding nature is ingrained in him. He jumps at once to find the
faults of others. He has morbid eyes. He cannot see the good in
others. He cannot appreciate the meritorious actions of others. He
can brag of his own abilities and actions. That is the reason why he
has no peace of mind even for a second. That is the reason why he
disagrees with all people, and cannot keep up the friendship with
others for a long time. Aspirants do not make progress in the path,
because they too have these defects to a great degree. They should
eradicate them completely by developing tolerance, pure love and
other Sattvic qualities.
If there are hindrances or obstacles in the path of Yoga, it is
difficult, it is a little unpleasant, to carry on the practice of
concentration and meditation. It is easy in some aspirants as there
are no such oppositions. Obstacles can be removed by sincere prayer,
Japa of `Om' or any other Mantra, divine grace or the grace of Guru.
Patanjali Maharshi prescribes Japa of `Om' with Bhava and meaning,
Tajjapas Tadarthabhavanam, for the removal of obstacles. Sri Krishna
prescribes the remedy "macchitah sarvadurgaani matprasaadaat
tarishyasi. Fixing thy thought on Me, thou shalt surmount every
difficulty by My grace" (Gita, Ch. XVIII-58).
If an aspirant in Kashmir meditates upon his Guru or spiritual guide
at Uttarkashi in the Himalayas, a definite connection is established
between him and the teacher. The Guru radiates power, peace, joy and
bliss to the student in response to his thoughts. He is bathed in the
powerful current of magnetism. The stream of spiritual electricity
flows steadily from the preceptor to his disciple, just as oil flows
from one vessel to another. The student can imbibe or draw from his
teacher in proportion to his degree of faith in his master. The more
the faith, the greater is the imbibing or drawing. Whenever the
student sincerely meditates upon his teacher, the teacher also
actually feels that a current of prayer (sublime thoughts) proceeds
from his student and touches his heart. He who has the inner astral
sight can clearly visualise a thin line of bright light between the
disciple and the teacher, which is caused by the movement of the
vibration of Sattvic thoughts in the ocean of Chitta (mental
substance).
If you look upon the world from the higher spiritual plane, you will
have a clear vision of the world. In that supreme cosmic
consciousness, you will have a knowledge of the whole universe.
Arjuna describes this:
"Into Thy gaping mouths they hurrying rush,
Tremendous-toothed and terrible to see;
Some caught within the gaps of Thy teeth
Are seen, their heads to powder crushed and ground.
On every side, all-swallowing, fiery-tongued,
Thou lickest up mankind, devouring all;
Thy glory filleth space: the universe
Is burning, Vishnu, with Thy blazing rays."
Just as small insects or fish move about here and there in a small
lake, just as ants crawl about in the wall of a house, so also, all
these little human beings move about hither and thither within the
body of the Lord. This vision is thrilling and awe-inspiring. You
will see millions of the undeveloped souls who run about with
countless selfish desires, just as the Leucocytes and red corpuscles
move about in a drop of fresh blood when seen under the microscope.
Amidst this multitude of ignorant, undeveloped human beings, you will
find a few fully-developed Jivanmuktas or Yogis, scattered in
different parts of the world, who stand out as big divine flames or
beacon-lights or torch-bearers to guide the ignorant baby-souls and
aspirants, just as the light-house stands amidst the darkness of the
night to guide the captain of a steamer. You will also find some
sincere, growing, and half-developed aspirants who emanate a small
divine flame, who glitter like the stars on a new-moon night.
Wonderful is this vision! Magnanimous is this inner Yogic sight-
seeing with the new eye of intuition!
manah krishna pramathi balavad dridham tasyaham
BY SRI SWAMI SIVANANDA
(Message 9)
------------
CHAPTER II (concluded)
PRACTICE OF MEDITATION
Concentration is fixing the mind on one point. It is called Dharana
in Yoga philosophy. Concentration is collectiveness of thought. It is
said to be the placing, settling of mind and mental properties,
fittingly and well on a single object. That state, by the strength of
which mind and mental properties are placed in one object fittingly
and well, without wavering, without scattering, should be known as
concentration. Meditation follows concentration. There is a
continuous flow of one idea only.
The characteristic of concentration is non-wandering. Its essence is
to destroy wavering. Its manifestation is non-shaking. The mind of
the happy man is concentrated. Happiness or ease is its proximate
cause. Concentration is accompanied by ease, even-mindedness and
raptures.
You must be regular in your practice of meditation. You must sit
daily both morning and night, and at the same hour. The meditative
mood or Sattvic Bhava will manifest by itself without any exertion.
You must sit in the same place, in the same room. Regularity in
meditation is a great desideratum and sine qua non. Rapid progress
and great success can be attained if regularity is maintained by the
practitioner. Even if you do not realise any tangible result in the
practice, you must plod on in the practice with sincerity,
earnestness, patience and perseverance. You will be crowned with
sanguine success after some time. There is no doubt of this. Do not
stop the practice even for a day, under any circumstances, even if
you are ailing. Meditation is a first-class tonic. The wave of
meditation will remove all sorts of diseases. It will infuse
spiritual strength, new vigour and vitality. It will renovate and
completely overhaul the different systems and constitutions.
Meditation will give real rest to the body. Be on the alert to catch
the Sattvic wave or the meditative mood. If the meditative mood
manifests, stop at once work of any kind, reading, etc. Sit for
meditation in right earnest.
Pride, self-sufficiency, arrogance, self-assertive Rajasic nature,
irritability, curiosity about the affairs of other people, and
hypocrisy are all obstacles in meditation. Subtle forms of these
Vrittis lurk in the mind. They operate as oceanic undercurrents.
Under pressure of Yoga and meditation, various sorts of dirt in the
mind come out, just as dirt of a room that is shut up for six months
comes out when you carefully sweep. Aspirants should introspect and
watch their minds. They should remove them, one by one, by applying
suitable, effective methods. Pride is inveterate. Its branches ramify
in all directions in the regions of the Rajasic mind. Again and again
it manifests, although the wave subsides temporarily for some time.
It asserts when opportunities crop up.
If the aspirant has the nature of being offended easily for trifling
things, he cannot make any progress in meditation. He should
cultivate amiable loving nature and adaptability. Then this bad habit
will vanish. Some aspirants get easily offended if their bad
qualities and defects are pointed out. They become indignant and
scorn the man who indicates the defects. They think that the man is
concocting them out of jealousy and hatred. This is bad. Other people
can very easily find out our defects. A man who has no life of
introspection, whose mind is of outgoing tendencies (Bahirmukha-
Vritti) cannot recognise his own mistakes. The self-conceit acts as a
veil and blurs the mental vision. If an aspirant wants to grow, he
must admit his defects when pointed out by others. He must try his
level best to eradicate them, and must thank the man who points out
his defects. Then only he can grow in spirituality and meditation.
It becomes a difficult task to eradicate the self-assertive nature.
Every man has built his personality from beginningless time. He has
given a long rope to the Rajasic mind to have its own ways. This
personality has grown very strong. It becomes very difficult to bend
this personality and make it pliable and elastic. The man of self-
assertive nature wants to dominate over others. He does not want to
hear the opinions and the reasons advanced by others, even though
they are sound, logical and tenable. He has a pair of jaundiced eyes
with Timira (caract) also. He will say: "Whatever I say is correct;
whatever I do is correct; the actions and views of others are
incorrect." He will never admit his mistakes. He will try his level
best to maintain his own whimsical views by crooked arguments and
reasonings. If arguments fail, he will take to vituperation and hand-
to-hand fight. If people fail to show respect and honour, he is
thrown into a state of fury. He is immensely pleased if anybody
begins to flatter him. He will tell any number of lies to justify
himself. Self-justification goes hand-in-hand with self-assertive
nature. This is a very dangerous habit. He can never grow in
meditation and spirituality so long as he has self-assertive nature
with the habit of self-justification. The self-assertive man should
change his mental attitude. He must develop the habit of looking at
matters from the viewpoint of others. He must have a new vision of
righteousness and truthfulness. An aspirant should treat respect and
honour as offal, and censure and dishonour as ornament.
Man finds it difficult to adjust to the ways and habits of others.
His mind is filled with prejudice of caste, creed and colour. He is
quite intolerant. He thinks that only his views, opinions and ways of
living are right, and the views of others are incorrect. The fault-
finding nature is ingrained in him. He jumps at once to find the
faults of others. He has morbid eyes. He cannot see the good in
others. He cannot appreciate the meritorious actions of others. He
can brag of his own abilities and actions. That is the reason why he
has no peace of mind even for a second. That is the reason why he
disagrees with all people, and cannot keep up the friendship with
others for a long time. Aspirants do not make progress in the path,
because they too have these defects to a great degree. They should
eradicate them completely by developing tolerance, pure love and
other Sattvic qualities.
If there are hindrances or obstacles in the path of Yoga, it is
difficult, it is a little unpleasant, to carry on the practice of
concentration and meditation. It is easy in some aspirants as there
are no such oppositions. Obstacles can be removed by sincere prayer,
Japa of `Om' or any other Mantra, divine grace or the grace of Guru.
Patanjali Maharshi prescribes Japa of `Om' with Bhava and meaning,
Tajjapas Tadarthabhavanam, for the removal of obstacles. Sri Krishna
prescribes the remedy "macchitah sarvadurgaani matprasaadaat
tarishyasi. Fixing thy thought on Me, thou shalt surmount every
difficulty by My grace" (Gita, Ch. XVIII-58).
If an aspirant in Kashmir meditates upon his Guru or spiritual guide
at Uttarkashi in the Himalayas, a definite connection is established
between him and the teacher. The Guru radiates power, peace, joy and
bliss to the student in response to his thoughts. He is bathed in the
powerful current of magnetism. The stream of spiritual electricity
flows steadily from the preceptor to his disciple, just as oil flows
from one vessel to another. The student can imbibe or draw from his
teacher in proportion to his degree of faith in his master. The more
the faith, the greater is the imbibing or drawing. Whenever the
student sincerely meditates upon his teacher, the teacher also
actually feels that a current of prayer (sublime thoughts) proceeds
from his student and touches his heart. He who has the inner astral
sight can clearly visualise a thin line of bright light between the
disciple and the teacher, which is caused by the movement of the
vibration of Sattvic thoughts in the ocean of Chitta (mental
substance).
If you look upon the world from the higher spiritual plane, you will
have a clear vision of the world. In that supreme cosmic
consciousness, you will have a knowledge of the whole universe.
Arjuna describes this:
"Into Thy gaping mouths they hurrying rush,
Tremendous-toothed and terrible to see;
Some caught within the gaps of Thy teeth
Are seen, their heads to powder crushed and ground.
On every side, all-swallowing, fiery-tongued,
Thou lickest up mankind, devouring all;
Thy glory filleth space: the universe
Is burning, Vishnu, with Thy blazing rays."
Just as small insects or fish move about here and there in a small
lake, just as ants crawl about in the wall of a house, so also, all
these little human beings move about hither and thither within the
body of the Lord. This vision is thrilling and awe-inspiring. You
will see millions of the undeveloped souls who run about with
countless selfish desires, just as the Leucocytes and red corpuscles
move about in a drop of fresh blood when seen under the microscope.
Amidst this multitude of ignorant, undeveloped human beings, you will
find a few fully-developed Jivanmuktas or Yogis, scattered in
different parts of the world, who stand out as big divine flames or
beacon-lights or torch-bearers to guide the ignorant baby-souls and
aspirants, just as the light-house stands amidst the darkness of the
night to guide the captain of a steamer. You will also find some
sincere, growing, and half-developed aspirants who emanate a small
divine flame, who glitter like the stars on a new-moon night.
Wonderful is this vision! Magnanimous is this inner Yogic sight-
seeing with the new eye of intuition!
manah krishna pramathi balavad dridham tasyaham
.
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Sivananda Daily Reading for 25 October
SIVANANDA DAILY READING FOR 25 OCTOBER
WORLD IS THE BODY OF GOD
The universe is a mirror in which is reflected the being and beauty
of God. God's universe is ruled by his eternal laws. In the East, the
law of cause and effect is called the law of karma. In the New
Testament it is expressed in the words: "Whatever a man sows, that he
will also reap." What is written is written and no man can change the
eternal plan. That which is decreed by God's will occurs on this
earth. There is system, method, order, regularity everywhere in this
universe because the universe is, ultimately governed by God.
This world is the body of the Lord. This world, though it really is
not, appears to be. Know that it is nothing but a reflection. When
you know the rope, the snake-knowledge disappears. Even so, the world
does not really exist and yet appears to be existing through
ignorance. It disappears with the knowledge of the atman on which the
illusion of the world is superimposed. In Brahman or the absolute,
this world shines falsely, owing to ignorance. It is not true, even
as dreams under the influence of sleep. It is because of illusory
superimposition on the part of the individual that the empirical
names and forms appear to be real. When, by the power of meditation,
the effect (world) is negated as unreal, the cause (Brahman) also
ceases to be a cause. The certitude or conviction that the universe
is not the supreme Brahman is itself avidya (ignorance). Hence the
certitude that, "The universe is Brahman alone", is emancipation.
The world is a spirit manifested in space and time. When you look at
the absolute, through the senses, it appears as the universe. The
puryastaka (body) is composed of the eight - that is mind, egoism,
intellect and the five objects of the senses (sound, sight etc.). All
these, composed of the five elements, are appearances only. So also
is time through right discrimination. In this mortal world,
everything perishes, but the ideas and the ideals do not perish.
Ideas are more enduring than objects, which are perishable, but
atman, the immortal soul endures forever. Just as the universe
appears dark to the blind, and shining to those who have eyes to see,
so it appears blissful to the sages and painful to the ignorant.
WORLD IS THE BODY OF GOD
The universe is a mirror in which is reflected the being and beauty
of God. God's universe is ruled by his eternal laws. In the East, the
law of cause and effect is called the law of karma. In the New
Testament it is expressed in the words: "Whatever a man sows, that he
will also reap." What is written is written and no man can change the
eternal plan. That which is decreed by God's will occurs on this
earth. There is system, method, order, regularity everywhere in this
universe because the universe is, ultimately governed by God.
This world is the body of the Lord. This world, though it really is
not, appears to be. Know that it is nothing but a reflection. When
you know the rope, the snake-knowledge disappears. Even so, the world
does not really exist and yet appears to be existing through
ignorance. It disappears with the knowledge of the atman on which the
illusion of the world is superimposed. In Brahman or the absolute,
this world shines falsely, owing to ignorance. It is not true, even
as dreams under the influence of sleep. It is because of illusory
superimposition on the part of the individual that the empirical
names and forms appear to be real. When, by the power of meditation,
the effect (world) is negated as unreal, the cause (Brahman) also
ceases to be a cause. The certitude or conviction that the universe
is not the supreme Brahman is itself avidya (ignorance). Hence the
certitude that, "The universe is Brahman alone", is emancipation.
The world is a spirit manifested in space and time. When you look at
the absolute, through the senses, it appears as the universe. The
puryastaka (body) is composed of the eight - that is mind, egoism,
intellect and the five objects of the senses (sound, sight etc.). All
these, composed of the five elements, are appearances only. So also
is time through right discrimination. In this mortal world,
everything perishes, but the ideas and the ideals do not perish.
Ideas are more enduring than objects, which are perishable, but
atman, the immortal soul endures forever. Just as the universe
appears dark to the blind, and shining to those who have eyes to see,
so it appears blissful to the sages and painful to the ignorant.
.
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Sivananda Daily Reading for 24 October
SIVANANDA DAILY READING FOR 24 OCTOBER
MAYA
There is no duality in reality. All modification is illusory;
multiplicity is an illusion.
Maya (the illusory power of the Lord) projects multiplicity. Maya
creates division - division between the individual soul and the
supreme soul.
Maya is a tremendous, delusive power of God. Maya is the material
stuff of this world. Maya is the source of the physical universe.
This world of names and forms is a false show kept up by the jugglery
of maya. Just as a stick burning at one end, when waved round
quickly, produces an illusion of a circle of fire, so is it with the
multiplicity of the world. Maya deludes us. Maya creates havoc in the
mind. The things that we perceive all round us are only mind in form
or substance. The world is a product of the mind. The whole world is
an expansion of the mind. The entire universe arises and exists in
the mind. Nothing of the world is outside the mind. Earth, mountains
and rivers - all are fragments of the mind, appearing as it were, to
exist outside. The world does not exist by itself. It is not seen
without the aid of the mind. It disappears when the mind ceases to
function, as in deep sleep.
It is imagination alone that assumes the forms of time, space and
motion. Space and time have no independent status apart from Brahman
or the self, which is pure awareness. There is no space without time,
and there is no time without space. Space and time go together. Space
and time are interdependent. They are both unreal. Time and space are
mental projections, as unreal as dreams. However real they may seem
to be, they are not ultimately real. Timeless, spaceless Brahman is
the only reality.
Brahman alone is. It is Brahman alone that shines as the world of
variegated objects, like water differentiated by the waves into many
kinds of foam, bubbles, etc. Brahman appears as the world when
cognised through the mind and the senses.
Maya conceals the truth and presents an error - it veils the reality
and shows the world. Mistaking the body for atman or the self is
called maya. Maya screens the knowledge of atman and therefore man
mistakes one for the other. This is the cause of bondage - we have
the erroneous consciousness that we are objective beings, that our
actions are objective expressions projected in time and space.
MAYA
There is no duality in reality. All modification is illusory;
multiplicity is an illusion.
Maya (the illusory power of the Lord) projects multiplicity. Maya
creates division - division between the individual soul and the
supreme soul.
Maya is a tremendous, delusive power of God. Maya is the material
stuff of this world. Maya is the source of the physical universe.
This world of names and forms is a false show kept up by the jugglery
of maya. Just as a stick burning at one end, when waved round
quickly, produces an illusion of a circle of fire, so is it with the
multiplicity of the world. Maya deludes us. Maya creates havoc in the
mind. The things that we perceive all round us are only mind in form
or substance. The world is a product of the mind. The whole world is
an expansion of the mind. The entire universe arises and exists in
the mind. Nothing of the world is outside the mind. Earth, mountains
and rivers - all are fragments of the mind, appearing as it were, to
exist outside. The world does not exist by itself. It is not seen
without the aid of the mind. It disappears when the mind ceases to
function, as in deep sleep.
It is imagination alone that assumes the forms of time, space and
motion. Space and time have no independent status apart from Brahman
or the self, which is pure awareness. There is no space without time,
and there is no time without space. Space and time go together. Space
and time are interdependent. They are both unreal. Time and space are
mental projections, as unreal as dreams. However real they may seem
to be, they are not ultimately real. Timeless, spaceless Brahman is
the only reality.
Brahman alone is. It is Brahman alone that shines as the world of
variegated objects, like water differentiated by the waves into many
kinds of foam, bubbles, etc. Brahman appears as the world when
cognised through the mind and the senses.
Maya conceals the truth and presents an error - it veils the reality
and shows the world. Mistaking the body for atman or the self is
called maya. Maya screens the knowledge of atman and therefore man
mistakes one for the other. This is the cause of bondage - we have
the erroneous consciousness that we are objective beings, that our
actions are objective expressions projected in time and space.
.
__,_._,___
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Sivananda Daily Reading for 23 October
SIVANANDA DAILY READING FOR 23 OCTOBER
WORDS OF WISDOM
One's individual ego, preconceived notions, pet ideas, prejudices and
selfish interests should be given up. All these stand in the way of
spiritual progress. Lord's grace begins to work only when you learn
to discipline yourself, subordinate your selfishness and surrender
fully to him.
Why dost thou try to find thy God in deities and temples when thou
has kept thy visible gods standing outside, hungry and naked?
Regarding Him as manifest everywhere thou shouldst serve all
creatures with intense bhava if thou wishest to attain the highest
perfection. Indeed, thy love towards the Lord should engender love
for the whole universe - for thou must see Him in all.
Kindle the light of love in thy heart for love is the immediate way
to the kingdom of God, the vast domain of perennial peace and joy.
Where there is love there is peace. Where there is peace there is
love. Life and death are the two scenes in the drama of life. All is
passing; all is sorrow; all is pain; all is unreal.
This world is merely a play of colours and sounds. Hence, O man, seek
the permanent, the allblissful, the real, which is evershining in the
chambers of thy heart, which is selfluminous, infinite, unchanging
and eternal. Moksa (liberation) means nothing but the destruction of
the impurities of the mind. The mind becomes pure when all desires
and fears are annihilated. Lead the divine life. Light the lamp of
divine life everywhere.
Thy aim should be to maintain an unshakable sweetness of disposition,
to be pure and gentle and to be happy in all circumstances. To be
always conscious of the divine, always to feel the divine presence,
to live always in the awareness of the supreme being in the chambers
of your heart and everywhere around you is verily to live a life of
fullness and divine perfection, even whilst on earth.
This body is a lamp. The heart is the wick. The oil is your love for
the Lord. You can build a temple in your heart by the absence of
anger, by the practice of humility, compassion, forgiveness, faith,
devotion, meditation, prayer and recitation of the Lord's name.
One's individual ego, preconceived notions, pet ideas, prejudices and
selfish interests should be given up. All these stand in the way of
spiritual progress. Lord's grace begins to work only when you learn
to discipline yourself, subordinate your selfishness and surrender
fully to him.
Why dost thou try to find thy God in deities and temples when thou
has kept thy visible gods standing outside, hungry and naked?
Regarding Him as manifest everywhere thou shouldst serve all
creatures with intense bhava if thou wishest to attain the highest
perfection. Indeed, thy love towards the Lord should engender love
for the whole universe - for thou must see Him in all.
Kindle the light of love in thy heart for love is the immediate way
to the kingdom of God, the vast domain of perennial peace and joy.
Where there is love there is peace. Where there is peace there is
love. Life and death are the two scenes in the drama of life. All is
passing; all is sorrow; all is pain; all is unreal.
This world is merely a play of colours and sounds. Hence, O man, seek
the permanent, the allblissful, the real, which is evershining in the
chambers of thy heart, which is selfluminous, infinite, unchanging
and eternal. Moksa (liberation) means nothing but the destruction of
the impurities of the mind. The mind becomes pure when all desires
and fears are annihilated. Lead the divine life. Light the lamp of
divine life everywhere.
Thy aim should be to maintain an unshakable sweetness of disposition,
to be pure and gentle and to be happy in all circumstances. To be
always conscious of the divine, always to feel the divine presence,
to live always in the awareness of the supreme being in the chambers
of your heart and everywhere around you is verily to live a life of
fullness and divine perfection, even whilst on earth.
This body is a lamp. The heart is the wick. The oil is your love for
the Lord. You can build a temple in your heart by the absence of
anger, by the practice of humility, compassion, forgiveness, faith,
devotion, meditation, prayer and recitation of the Lord's name.
.
__,_._,___
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Sivananda Daily Reading for 22 October
__._,_.___
SIVANANDA DAILY READING FOR 22 OCTOBER
THE SADHANA THAT HARDENS
(A letter was on Siva's table: a great European yogi had written to
Siva requesting him to invite him to India. This was needed to obtain
a passport.)
What a big show of themselves do these so-called saints make. Flying
from this country to that country: everywhere they go, parties,
receptions and farewell parties, again. It is not?
Some of them should be received with a unique honour. Instead of
flags and festoons adorning the reception entrance, people should
hang old shoes and broomsticks.
We should not wait for the thing to happen actually. We should train
ourselves. I have done so. I have beaten myself with shoes severely.
This I used to do especially on birthdays - just after returning to
my kutir after the meetings where people will praise me, glorify me,
deify me, I will go into my kutir and beat myself nicely with a pair
of shoes: "What are you? You wretched flesh-blood-excreta made body?
Do you want garlands? Can you not wear torn clothes? Do you think
that you are great? Do you want to be prostrated to? Now, take these
garlands."
Suka Deva was tested by Janaka like this. He was a great jnani. When
he went to Janaka for instruction, he was made to wait outside the
palace uncared for, without food, without shelter and without any
honour. Then he was attended upon by the ladies of the court and the
Maharanis. In these ways Janaka tested Suka Deva's tranquility of
mind. Suka was above all these things. He had preserved his
equanimity all through. Such should be a sadhaka.
I have heard this said of St. Francis of Assisi also. He used to call
his body `Mr. Ass'. What a tremendous vairagya they all had.
Even this occasional shoe-beating is not enough for me. I should give
this body a dose of this hardening-medicine at least once a week.
THE SADHANA THAT HARDENS
(A letter was on Siva's table: a great European yogi had written to
Siva requesting him to invite him to India. This was needed to obtain
a passport.)
What a big show of themselves do these so-called saints make. Flying
from this country to that country: everywhere they go, parties,
receptions and farewell parties, again. It is not?
Some of them should be received with a unique honour. Instead of
flags and festoons adorning the reception entrance, people should
hang old shoes and broomsticks.
We should not wait for the thing to happen actually. We should train
ourselves. I have done so. I have beaten myself with shoes severely.
This I used to do especially on birthdays - just after returning to
my kutir after the meetings where people will praise me, glorify me,
deify me, I will go into my kutir and beat myself nicely with a pair
of shoes: "What are you? You wretched flesh-blood-
Do you want garlands? Can you not wear torn clothes? Do you think
that you are great? Do you want to be prostrated to? Now, take these
garlands."
Suka Deva was tested by Janaka like this. He was a great jnani. When
he went to Janaka for instruction, he was made to wait outside the
palace uncared for, without food, without shelter and without any
honour. Then he was attended upon by the ladies of the court and the
Maharanis. In these ways Janaka tested Suka Deva's tranquility of
mind. Suka was above all these things. He had preserved his
equanimity all through. Such should be a sadhaka.
I have heard this said of St. Francis of Assisi also. He used to call
his body `Mr. Ass'. What a tremendous vairagya they all had.
Even this occasional shoe-beating is not enough for me. I should give
this body a dose of this hardening-medicine at least once a week.
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Sivananda Daily Reading for 21 October
SIVANANDA DAILY READING FOR 21 OCTOBER
PERFECTION
The essential qualification for a sadhu (man of renunciation) is that
he should adapt himself to all conditions and circumstances, causing
no inconvenience to others. His is the duty to serve - not to worry
others. Very few sadhus know what they are and what they should be.
This morning an old sadhu from Swarg Ashram came here. He was there
when I was there, too. He is aged 80 now. Today they did not prepare
roti here. There was only rice and curry. But, the sadhu would not
take. He wanted only roti (bread). It seems rice will produce wind.
If you allow him, he will lecture to you for half an hour on the evil
effects of rice-eating. But he will refuse to be reminded that a very
large population in India and the world lives on rice alone.
This is all that he has understood of sadhana (spiritual practice)
during all these thirty years of sadhu life: "Rice should not be
taken; roti alone is good for health and meditation." All their life
these people will waste on this one thought of the right food and the
wrong food. What is there if one day you do not get your food to your
own liking. Even your own wife will not tolerate you for a day if you
are so particular about what food you should have.
It is the special duty of a sadhu not to cause any inconvenience to
householders. We are not to be a burden on householders, but to be of
some service to them. When will the sadhu understand this. Some
sadhakas (seekers) here also have that impression that they are
living in an asrama and that one consideration ought to be sufficient
to open out the gates of Kaivalya (liberation) to them. I assure you:
even if they live many hundreds of their lives near the greatest
saint in the world, they will not improve even a bit. They must
themselves exert. Each one must think for himself, act for himself.
There have been some sadhakas here whom I myself trust and put in
charge of the affairs of the asrama - then I myself used to dread to
approach them. If, for instance, I go to them and ask them to prepare
a little more of what they give me for my food in order that I may
give the extra quantity to someone else, I would be refused. What I
do on those occasions is to reduce my own consumption and distribute
this to the others.
If a sadhaka gets real samadhi (superconsciousness) in a hundred
births, that is a very great achievement. God is perfect; and unless
and until all the evil qualities are eradicated and divine qualities
acquired to the degree of perfection, there will be no samadhi.
PERFECTION
The essential qualification for a sadhu (man of renunciation) is that
he should adapt himself to all conditions and circumstances, causing
no inconvenience to others. His is the duty to serve - not to worry
others. Very few sadhus know what they are and what they should be.
This morning an old sadhu from Swarg Ashram came here. He was there
when I was there, too. He is aged 80 now. Today they did not prepare
roti here. There was only rice and curry. But, the sadhu would not
take. He wanted only roti (bread). It seems rice will produce wind.
If you allow him, he will lecture to you for half an hour on the evil
effects of rice-eating. But he will refuse to be reminded that a very
large population in India and the world lives on rice alone.
This is all that he has understood of sadhana (spiritual practice)
during all these thirty years of sadhu life: "Rice should not be
taken; roti alone is good for health and meditation." All their life
these people will waste on this one thought of the right food and the
wrong food. What is there if one day you do not get your food to your
own liking. Even your own wife will not tolerate you for a day if you
are so particular about what food you should have.
It is the special duty of a sadhu not to cause any inconvenience to
householders. We are not to be a burden on householders, but to be of
some service to them. When will the sadhu understand this. Some
sadhakas (seekers) here also have that impression that they are
living in an asrama and that one consideration ought to be sufficient
to open out the gates of Kaivalya (liberation) to them. I assure you:
even if they live many hundreds of their lives near the greatest
saint in the world, they will not improve even a bit. They must
themselves exert. Each one must think for himself, act for himself.
There have been some sadhakas here whom I myself trust and put in
charge of the affairs of the asrama - then I myself used to dread to
approach them. If, for instance, I go to them and ask them to prepare
a little more of what they give me for my food in order that I may
give the extra quantity to someone else, I would be refused. What I
do on those occasions is to reduce my own consumption and distribute
this to the others.
If a sadhaka gets real samadhi (superconsciousness
births, that is a very great achievement. God is perfect; and unless
and until all the evil qualities are eradicated and divine qualities
acquired to the degree of perfection, there will be no samadhi.
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Tuesday, October 28, 2008
Monday, October 20, 2008
Sivananda Daily Reading for 20 October
SIVANANDA DAILY READING FOR 20 OCTOBER
__._,_._
__,_._,___
ONE-POINTED MIND
(Siva was very busy attending to the dispatch of free books. He
suddenly stopped and looked up.)
From the time I got out of the morning class I have been going on
thinking of writing a few poems, but I do not find time. I am doing
this work, but my mind is still working on the poems. Even when I was
taking my milk, I was busy within sifting the points for the poems.
Only when I finish the poems will my mind know rest.
Are you all keeping a note-book to record your thoughts? First of all
you should note down in this book all the new points that you learn
in the class. Then there are parallel ideas that might strike you; or
ideas arising out of those expressed by others in the class. These
may be new, novel and unknown to others. These should at once be
noted down. Are you keeping such note-books?
Evil should not have time to dwell in your mind. What if someone
refuses to give you milk, to give you food? What if some one scolds
you? Always repeat: "I am not this body; I am not this mind; I am the
eternal immortal satchidananda atman".
Bear insult and injury. If some one slaps you on your cheeks, you
should not even mind it; you should not even be aware of it, so to
say. This is very difficult. But this is most important. When the
other man is scolding you, your mind should be engaged in vicara.
After a while this man will realise: "What is this? I have been
scolding him several times; he does not get irritated, he does not
retort. There must be something in him, which I should learn." Then
he will fall at your feet and apologise. You have conquered.
That which draws out this hidden consciousness of atman, is the
highest knowledge. The teachings that break your bondage and bestow
on you freedom, are the teachings of the ancient rsis (sages) which
lay bare the mysteries of the universe. On the dawn of true
knowledge, the veil of ignorance is lifted and, with it, all illusory
appearance of phenomena is sublated. What is left is only the
perceiving self, the negator of all negations - which is no other
than Brahman, existence, knowledge, bliss absolute.
(Siva was very busy attending to the dispatch of free books. He
suddenly stopped and looked up.)
From the time I got out of the morning class I have been going on
thinking of writing a few poems, but I do not find time. I am doing
this work, but my mind is still working on the poems. Even when I was
taking my milk, I was busy within sifting the points for the poems.
Only when I finish the poems will my mind know rest.
Are you all keeping a note-book to record your thoughts? First of all
you should note down in this book all the new points that you learn
in the class. Then there are parallel ideas that might strike you; or
ideas arising out of those expressed by others in the class. These
may be new, novel and unknown to others. These should at once be
noted down. Are you keeping such note-books?
Evil should not have time to dwell in your mind. What if someone
refuses to give you milk, to give you food? What if some one scolds
you? Always repeat: "I am not this body; I am not this mind; I am the
eternal immortal satchidananda atman".
Bear insult and injury. If some one slaps you on your cheeks, you
should not even mind it; you should not even be aware of it, so to
say. This is very difficult. But this is most important. When the
other man is scolding you, your mind should be engaged in vicara.
After a while this man will realise: "What is this? I have been
scolding him several times; he does not get irritated, he does not
retort. There must be something in him, which I should learn." Then
he will fall at your feet and apologise. You have conquered.
That which draws out this hidden consciousness of atman, is the
highest knowledge. The teachings that break your bondage and bestow
on you freedom, are the teachings of the ancient rsis (sages) which
lay bare the mysteries of the universe. On the dawn of true
knowledge, the veil of ignorance is lifted and, with it, all illusory
appearance of phenomena is sublated. What is left is only the
perceiving self, the negator of all negations - which is no other
than Brahman, existence, knowledge, bliss absolute.
=2 0
.
__,_._,___
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Sivananda Daily Reading for 19 October
SIVANANDA DAILY READING FOR 19 OCTOBER
THE ONENESS OF ALL EXISTENCE
Realise the totality and allinclusiveness of your life. Your being is
cosmic. You inhabit all the worlds - all the worlds are your
spontaneous expression. One's love for friends, sons, etc. is not for
the sake of others, but for one's own self. Therefore love for self
is the highest and hence full of supreme happiness. The more you give
up your hankerings for objects and try to realise your identity with
the true self or Atman, the more you will realise your true happiness.
The path of evolution is from unconsciousness to life; from life to
consciousness; from consciousness to selfconsciousness; and from self
consciousness to superconsciousness. Mysticism is the art of union
with the reality. A mystic is a person who has attained that union
with the reality, or who is aiming for that attainment.
What is this ego; what is this little `I'? Is it your foot or flesh
or hand or blood - or any part of your body? Reflect well. You will
know that there is no such thing as `I'. The `I' will vanish into
nothingness. What is left is the pure, infinite atman. When the ego
perishes, the supreme soul reveals itself in all its pristine glory
and splendour.
Do not seek to satisfy the ego - offer all your life and actions as
sacred sacrifice to the supreme divine. You yourself are passing a
death sentence on yourself - you are creating a hell by your own evil
thoughts. It is useless to look up to the skies to find the divine.
Turn inwards. In your own heart dwells the eternal.
COSMIC POWER HOUSE
Individual souls are like electric light bulbs. The bulbs get their
light from the power house. The jivas (souls) get their power from
Brahman, the infinite cosmic power house. The bulb imagines that it
is independent and boasts of its effulgence and power. It has no idea
of its source. When the current fails it hangs its head in shame and
weeps. Even so, the jiva drags out his egoism. O fool, O dunce, know
the source through purity, devotion, tapas, meditation and enjoy
supreme peace and eternal bliss.
THE ONENESS OF ALL EXISTENCE
Realise the totality and allinclusiveness of your life. Your being is
cosmic. You inhabit all the worlds - all the worlds are your
spontaneous expression. One's love for friends, sons, etc. is not for
the sake of others, but for one's own self. Therefore love for self
is the highest and hence full of supreme happiness. The more you give
up your hankerings for objects and try to realise your identity with
the true self or Atman, the more you will realise your true happiness.
The path of evolution is from unconsciousness to life; from life to
consciousness; from consciousness to selfconsciousness; and from self
consciousness to superconsciousness. Mysticism is the art of union
with the reality. A mystic is a person who has attained that union
with the reality, or who is aiming for that attainment.
What is this ego; what is this little `I'? Is it your foot or flesh
or hand or blood - or any part of your body? Reflect well. You will
know that there is no such thing as `I'. The `I' will vanish into
nothingness. What is left is the pure, infinite atman. When the ego
perishes, the supreme soul reveals itself in all its pristine glory
and splendour.
Do not seek to satisfy the ego - offer all your life and actions as
sacred sacrifice to the supreme divine. You yourself are passing a
death sentence on yourself - you are creating a hell by your own evil
thoughts. It is useless to look up to the skies to find the divine.
Turn inwards. In your own heart dwells the eternal.
COSMIC POWER HOUSE
Individual souls are like electric light bulbs. The bulbs get their
light from the power house. The jivas (souls) get their power from
Brahman, the infinite cosmic power house. The bulb imagines that it
is independent and boasts of its effulgence and power. It has no idea
of its source. When the current fails it hangs its head in shame and
weeps. Even so, the jiva drags out his egoism. O fool, O dunce, know
the source through purity, devotion, tapas, meditation and enjoy
supreme peace and eternal bliss.
.
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