Visions and sadhana

[Guest guest]

Miss Uma Devi, a Polish lady who had become a Hindu, said to Sri

Ramana Maharshi :

 

`Once before I told Sri Bhagavan how I had a vision of Siva at about

the time I became a Hindu. A similar experience occurred to me at

Cortallam. These visions are momentary, but they are blissful. I want

to know how they can be made permanent and continuous. Without Siva

there is no life in what I see around me. I am so happy to think of

Him. Please tell me how I can make the vision of Him continuous.'

 

Sri Ramana Maharshi: You speak of a vision of Siva, but a vision

always presumes an object. That implies the existence of a subject.

The value of the vision is the same as that of the seer. That is to

say, the nature of the vision is on the same plane as that of the

seer. Appearance implies disappearance also. Therefore, a vision can

never be eternal.

 

But Siva is eternal. The vision of Siva implies the existence of the

eyes to see it, of the intellect behind the sight and finally of

Consciousness underlying the seer. This vision is not as real as one

imagines it to be, because it is not intimate and inherent; it is not

first hand. It is the result of several successive phases of

Consciousness. Consciousness alone does not vary. It is eternal. It

is Siva.

 

A vision implies someone to see it, but this someone cannot deny the

existence of the Self. There is no moment when the Self as

Consciousness does not exist nor can the seer remain apart from

Consciousness. This Consciousness is the eternal Being and is only

Being. The seer cannot see himself. Does he deny his existence

because he cannot see himself as he sees a vision? No. So the true

vision does not mean seeing but BE-ing. To Be is to realize- hence `I

am that I am'. I am Siva. Nothing else can be without Him. Everything

has its being in Siva, because of Siva.

 

Therefore enquire: `Who am I?' Sink deep within and abide as the

Self. That is Siva as BE-ing. Do not expect to have visions of Him

repeated. What is the difference between the objects you see and

Siva? He is both subject and object. You cannot be without Siva. Siva

is always realized here and now. If you think you have not realized

Him you are wrong. That is the obstacle to realizing Him. Give up

that thought also and realization is there.

 

Question: Yes, but how shall I effect it as quickly as possible?

 

Sri Ramana Maharshi: That is another obstacle to realization. Can

there be an individual without Siva? Even now He is you. There is no

question of time. If there were a moment of non-realization, the

question of realization could arise. But you cannot be without Him.

He is already realized, ever realized and never non-realized.

Surrender to Him and abide by His will, whether He appears or

vanishes; await His pleasure. If you ask Him to do as you please, it

is not surrender but command. You cannot have Him obey you and yet

think you have surrendered. He knows what is best and when and how.

Leave everything entirely to Him. The burden is His.

 

You have no longer any cares. All your cares are His. That is

surrender. That is Bhakti (devotion).

 

Questioner: A vision of God is something glorious.

 

Sri Ramana Maharshi: A vision of God is only a vision of the Self

objectified as the God of your particular faith. What you have to do

is to know the Self.

 

[Note: Bhagavan was often heard to say: `To know God is to love God,

therefore, the path of Jnana (knowledge) and Bhakti (devotion) come

to the same.]

 

Hari Aum !!!

[Guest guest]

Sat Sri Akaal,

 

What do you mean by this ? Do you wish to say visions etc. are

meaningless and have no impact/indicator in Meditation ?

 

Ajit

[Guest guest]

Ajit,

Visions are not meaningless. The post you are talking about says that

visions are real/permanent achiements but they are stages of the

Ultimate Realisation.So be cautions not to carried over too far led

by visions alone

Satish

[Guest guest]

Namaste Ajit,

 

Visions do have a role in meditation, but was stressed in the

previous post is that, they should not be the goal in itself. Visions

are nothing but indicator to point out that we are in the right path

and incentives so that we feel the need to go higher, and so that we

don't wonder if we are are approaching anywhere at all. However we

shouldn't be satisfied with just that, or long for extended period of

vision , which is alnot only Maya, as in the case of this Polish

lady. What was being elucidated is the reality beyond, and to look

beyond to achieve that which is the source of the vision and not the

vision itself.

 

I remember a story that Uma (Tatwamasi) posted in the club. ( i do'nt

have her exact story, so i'm writing in my own words)

In a forest, there was a big treasure buried. But it was guarded by a

fierce dragon. There was a knight who wanted the treasure, so getting

armed to fight the dragon, he proceeds to the forest. On reaching the

spot, he finds the dragon guarding it vigilantly. A fierce battles

ensues between the knight and the dragon. After a lot of sweat, he

finally kills the dragon. Very happy at the thought of killing the

dragon, after such a long and tough battle, he rejoices, that he

forgets all about the treasure.

 

Similarly, the treasure is Atma Jnana, and the dragon are like

obstacles. When we conquer a battle against these, we rejoice and

must take care not to forget the goal. In the instance of the

previous post, the Polish lady was intersted only in having extended

visions and did not want to move beyond. Hence the elucidation, that

one must move beyond visions and must seek the source of the visions

and not the visions itself, as anything that appears must also

disappear.

 

That does not mean that visions have no impact. They are nothing more

than indicators and incentives. If we need to drive to Birmingham,

and on the highway, we look for signs / boards for the directions. If

the directions indicate that we are on the right route, we must not

stop there and rejoice that we are on the right route, but must

concentrate on our destination, i.e getting to Birmingham.

 

Hari Aum !!!