"The Soul's Journey to its Destiny"- Chapter 6 - Summary

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--- ramvchandran wrote on 4th Dec:

> I strongly recommend that you go ahead and post your

summaries of chapter one per week.

 

This is the sixth posting on Jan 10th 2002.The fifth

posting was on 3rd Jan.

 

The structure of posting "A-B-C-D" is as follows:

Part A: Synopsis So far - for recap

Part B: Chapter 6 Summary (in Q& A format)- NEW

Part C: What comes after this posting - in brief

Part D: My own Queries- if any.

 

Summary of Swami Ashokaananda (RK Mutt Order)Book on

 

"The Soul's Journey to its destiny"

published by Advaita Ashrama, Himalayas

 

OM Namo Narayana!

Intro: Swami Ashokananda was in charge of Vedanta

Society of North California from 1932 till his Samadhi

in 1969. The book is an edited version of his

lectures in 1953 at San Francisco.

 

Part A: Synopsis so far.

Swamiji tells us in the first chapter that what

started (and remains) as "Nirguna Brahman" (the

infinite and absolute consciousness) became "as it

were" (not really) into several layers of degradation

and one of these layers is this human form of you and

me. The second chapter deals with Mind, an instrument

with which we can get back to our divine self. It is

the source of ignorance and also our only means of

clearing the ignorance. The third chapter dealt with

"Why we are what we are" by anlaysis of Karma and

reincarnation, which are self -operating systems which

God in his wisdom has put in place. In the fourth

chapter which is the climax of the book, the 3 states-

instinctive, deliberative and intutive were discussed.

It is shown how man can raise from one level to higher

level and eventually get liberated as that is the

destiny of the soul. Nature helps in this process.

Swamiji explains in beautiful language this

experience. In the fifth posting we find that ther are

two phases of the mind, manas and buddhi, where the

"I"-Ego is associated. "I" never stands alone, being

always accompanied by a predicate, except during deep

sleep. True knowledge or perception does not come all

at once, there is a long process, only little by

little

do we come to the realization of this goal. Actually

your true self was never lost. You feel you have found

what was always there, always yours. This realization

is the death of the Ego.

 

Part B: CHAPTER 6: SUMMARY:

THE UNCONSCIOUS AND SUPER CONSCIOUS

Q1)Why is that when the light of consciousness is

reflected on the mind it chooses to be reflected only

on certain aspects of mind? AND

Q2) Why is that consciousness cannot illuminate the

whole mind but only a part of it?

 

As we saw in previous chapters, the mind has four

aspects- Buddhi, Manas, Ahamkara, and Citta

(Intelligence, Wavering mind, Ego and

storage+Unconscious). In these only 3 are illuminated-

these being: Ego by its very definiton, Buddhi where

anything appears in intelligence it is highlighted by

consciousness and the inderminate part of mind-manas,

which raises questions, otherwise it would not raise

questions. But it seems, citta remains dark and is not

illumined.

 

Q3) What prevents consciousness from illuminating

citta AND

Q4) Why is mind so limited in its perception e.g. why

we can see only that far and no further, physcially or

mentally.

 

The unconscious mind or citta seems to have an

existence of its own , some sort of an autonomy. Not

only scraps of thought and perceptions scattered here

and there, full fledged ideas

 

The simple explanation is there is a prevalence of

Tamas (darkness). It is one of the 3 Gunas that can

coat the soul, the other 2 being rajas and satva.

 

As per Hindu thought, there is nothing as individual

mind, but only one mind- cosmic mind- which is

infinite. We have not investigated the extent of our

mind and therefore we say it is very small. Although

we have an illuminated mind which is cosmic, or

atleast have open access to it, we have for some

reason, put a layer of darkeness over some of it.

 

Another aspect which is a paradox, arises from our

assumption that we do things wrong when in fact

everything happens by divine will. All this is due to

interference of ego , whihc claims for itself all the

credit, it casts as it were, a pall of darkness upon

the mind.

 

We keep one circle of our minds lighted up and within

that circle, we spot light certain specific things in

which we are interested- either like them or dislike

them. Over the rest of the mind , we have as it were,

drawn a blanket of Tamas and therefore it is as good

as

non-existent. This is unconscious where there are not

only impressions of our own past experiences but also

of the whole universe.

 

Q5) What is the interaction between tamas- rajas- and

satva in control of the mind.

 

Rajas is the activity seeking part of mind and thus it

is restless. But if mind were to be occupied 24 hours

with it, it will get burnt. So in a way, God has

designed our sleep, which is in tamas zone, to

give mind a rest. So tamas acts as a brake -without

changing rajas, just stopping it.

 

On the otherhand, Sattva tries to stop rajas by

changing it. Since these 2 are different functions

(Brake Vs Change), it is difficult for sattva and

tamas to exist together. (By implication only 2 states

can exist at any one time out of 3 gunas- my

conclusion)

 

Regarding Rajas, it has to exhaust itself a little

before sattva can work on it. (May be that is why we

let people shout when they are angry or let them cry

when are sad or let them kiss when they are in Love-

my conclusions).

 

The first expression of sattva is feeling for others,

sympathy for others, a desire to serve others etc.

This is one of the reasons why all religions emphasize

charity while pursuing spiritual progress. In being

charitable to others, you become free from limitations

of your own ego. The the higher self begins to express

in yourself. Then the light spreads further and you

become aware of deeper and wider movements of mind.

You feel that the barriers between yourself and others

have broken down. That is the beginning of super

consciousness.

 

Q6) What the happens to unconscious part of mind

covered with tamas when super consciouness arrives?

 

As more sattva leads to more super consciousness, you

begin to see deep down transpearently in your own

mind, you can see the subtle movements, the desires

that have remained stored up. This presuposes that

your mind has become comparitively purified and no

longer running after worldly things. then just as

witha slight pressure of finger, one can kill the

sprout of a big tree, so with a slight inclination of

will, you can kill those subtle desires. Then the

whole

mind begins to work as one. The old impresions have no

longer any hold on you.

 

Q(7) Can we reach eternity?

When we reach unified state, our mind can scarsely be

separated from the divine mind. Hence in Hindu

tradition, we accord men the honor due to God himself.

If you want to realize the eternal being, you have to

be eternal. There is no escaping it.

 

Q8) How Blessings from realized souls works?

 

If you can meet an illumined soul and he/she blesses

you, be rest assured it will be fulfilled because they

are coming out of the mind of God himself- remeber

there is only one cosmic mind and that is HIS.

 

 

Part C: What follows after this - in brief

Why we should focus on conscious mind as first step

towards purification and Finally an empiriacl and

practical "demo" of all these principles, in our own

body via "Kundalini" yoga.

 

Part D; Queries/Opinions: (not from the book)

I have one comment this week:

 

I have presented this time the contents in Q& A

format, instead as a narrative like before. I would

like to know from members whether this is more easy to

read and comprehend, to plan a revision to the notes

(not for posting agin but for my own research)

 

Hari Om and Pranams to all.

P.B.V.Rajan

(Prathivadhi Bayankaram Varadha Rajan)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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