ADVICE ON SADHANA-I

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ADVICE ON SADHANA-I

 

The necessity of serious sadhana.

 

(sadhana: spiritual practice / the means by which liberation is

attained).

 

1 In order that your mind should become firm, observe with

full attention your duty, which is practice of sadhana.

2 Instead of practicing sadhana superficially, follow it

intensively in such a way that your mind is totally immersed in it.

3 Only the aspiration towards the fair firmament of supreme

consciousness, which has no final goal other than mauna (silence;

one of Ramana Maharshi's favorite synonyms for the thought-free

experience of the Self), is most worthy endeavour.

4 Grace will not combine with a bat-like mentality. Stick with

intensity to one [path].

 

Bats nibble at one fruit and fly away, looking for another fruit to

nibble at. They never stay long enough in one place to finish a

single fruit.

 

5 All meditation practices are the means that enable the

attainment of the strength of mind that is necessary for Atmanishta

(being fixed in the Self).

 

Question: How is the mind to be eliminated or relative consciousness

transcended?

Bhagavan: The mind is by nature restless. Begin liberating it from

its restlessness; give it peace; make it free from distractions;

train it to look inward; make this a habit. This is done by ignoring

the external world and removing the obstacles to peace of mind.

Question: How is restlessness removed from the mind?

Bhagavan: External contacts - contacts with objects other than

itself – make the mind restless. Loss of interest in non-Self

[vairagya: Dispassion; non-attachment] is the first step. Then the

habits of introspection and concentration follow. They are

characterized by control of external senses, internal faculties,

[sama, dama, etc.] ending in samadhi [undistracted mind].

Question: How are they practiced?

Bhagavan: An examination of the ephemeral nature of external

phenomena leads to vairagya. Hence enquiry [vichara] is the first

and foremost step to be taken. When vichara continues automatically,

it results in a contempt for wealth, fame, ease, pleasure, etc.

The "I" thought becomes clearer for inspection.

 

NOTE: TAKEN FROM "PADAMALAI", EDITED BY DAVID GODMAN, PAGES 230 AND

231.