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Source: The Hindu

(http://www.hinduonnet.com/2002/03/16/stories/2002031600070800.htm)

Miscellaneous

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Religion

 

 

Distinguishing traits of a man of wisdom

 

 

 

 

CHENNAI

MARCH 16.

 

The root cause of all problems that human beings face is identification with the

body-mind-intellect personality instead of with the Self (Atman). The feeling of

"I" threads all experiences. In the case of a Self-realised person as he is

established in the Self, he does not get affected by worldly experiences. This

can be understood with the analogy of the wave and the ocean. The wave has a

distinct identity from the ocean when it rises from it but when it merges into

it there is no difference between the ocean and the wave as they are one in

essence. Similarly a man of wisdom, though he continues to engage in the world

like others, remains poised in the Self in all states of consciousness.

 

In the Satasloki, Adi Sankara describes the marks of such a man of wisdom in

detail. When engaged in activities in the world he looks upon himself as a wave

in the ocean that is Brahman (the Absolute). When sitting he thinks of himself

as a gem strung on the thread that is Brahman like pearls threaded on a

string. When he experiences sense objects he perceives them all as the Self.

Similarly when he sleeps he considers himself as immersed in the bliss of the

Self.

 

In his discourse, Sri K.Srinivasan said God had devised in such a manner that

human beings were able to get a taste of the peaceful state of the Self in deep

sleep. But there is a difference in this experience between an ignorant and a

realised person. On waking up the ignorant person says that he slept well, while

a man of wisdom who is not bound by time is always in union with the Self and

hence the experience of bliss and peace never deserts him. It is necessary to

understand why the mind is unable to remain peaceful all the time. The human

mind is a composite of the three qualities of Sattva, Rajas and Tamas and like a

seesaw in a state of constant movement, one quality dominates at any given time.

Desire is a manifestation of the quality of Rajas while Sattva gives the feeling

of joy. So when the desire is fulfilled the Rajas quality gets effaced allowing

the Sattva to emerge giving the feeling of joy. It must be noted that the object

which kindled the desire is not the!

source of joy. It is the bliss of the Self which is reflected through the

quality of Sattva in the mind that is the reason for the experience of joy.

Hence it is possible to experience this joy always if one develops detachment

freedom from desires.

 

 

 

 

 

 

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