STUDY GROUP on SPIRITUAL INSTRUCTION Ch2V13

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STUDY GROUP on SPIRITUAL INSTRUCTION

 

CHAPTER 2

PRACTICE

Abhyasa

 

V13.

Q. How can there be a connection between the Self which is pure

knowledge and the triple

factors (i.e., knower, known and knowledge), which are relative

knowledge?

 

M. This is, in a way, like the working of a cinema as shown below:-

 

 

CINEMA SHOW SELF

1.The lamp inside (the apparatus) 1.The Self

 

2.The lens in front of the lamp 2.The pure (sattvic) mind close

to the Self.

 

3.The film which is a long series 3.The stream of latent tendencies

of (separate photos). consisting of subtle thoughts.

 

4.The lens, the light passing 4.The mind,the illumination of it

through it and the lamp, which and the Self, which together

together form the focused light. form the seer or the Jiva.

 

5.The light passing through the 5.The light of the Self emerging

lens and falling on the screen. from the mind through the senses,

and falling on the world.

 

6.The various kinds of pictures 6.The various forms and names

appearing in the light of appearing as the objects

 

the screen. perceived in the light of the

world.

 

7.The mechanism which sets the 7.The divine law manifesting the

film in motion. latent tendencies of the mind.

 

 

 

Just as the pictures appear on the screen as long as the film throws

the shadows through the lens, so the phenomenal world will continue to

appear to the individual in the waking and dream states as long as

there are latent mental impressions. Just as the lens magnifies the

tiny specks on the film to a huge size and as a number of pictures are

shown in a second, so the mind enlarges the sprout-like tendencies

into tree-like thoughts and shows in a second innumerable worlds.

Again, just as there is only the light of the lamp visible when there

is no film, so the Self alone shines without the triple factors when

the mental concepts in the form of tendencies are absent in the states

of deep sleep, swoon and samadhi. Just as the lamp remains unaffected

despite illuminating the lens, and so on, the Self remains unaffected

despite illuminating the ego [chidabhasa].

 

 

 

 

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