Bhuta Shuddhi + Manasa Shuddhi

[Guest guest]

Dear sreenivas tanikella

 

Meditating upon the body as an "empty-bag" or as I prefer - a "glass bottle" is

simply a visualisation technique, it is not a philosophical proposition. On the

philosophical side - the source of our suffering in Samsara is a mistaken

identification with the mind-body complex. The body is in fact nothing but a bag

of toxic chemicals an our minds are nothing but bundles of samskaras and

vasanas. All of this needs to be purified through visualisation in the case of

the body and ridding ourselves of the samskaras of self-referent desire, anger

and greed in the case of the mind. Then only can we consider ourselves truly fit

to worship the Lord.

 

Adiyen

Sri Ram

Sydney, Australia

[Guest guest]

Dear Sri Ram,

Please don't take it personally, but take it as positive criticism. thank you.

 

> Meditating upon the body as

> an "empty-bag" or as I prefer - a "glass

> bottle" is simply a visualisation technique,

 

Is this technique mentioned anywhere in our sastras , or is it your own opinion?

Because, in our vedic sastras our body is compared to a ratha (chariot).

 

> it is not a philosophical proposition.

> On the philosophical side - the source of

> our suffering in Samsara is a mistaken

> identification with the mind-body complex.

> The body is in fact nothing but a bag of

> toxic chemicals an our minds are nothing

> but bundles of samskaras and vasanas.

 

I agree with your above comment only to have vairagyam towards the body, but

beyond that we should realize the nature of chit(jeeva), achit(prakruti/body),

and paratatvam (sriman narayana). I find the following slokas from bhagavat

gita(chapter6-41,42) , praising the human birth (of those who have devotion and

trying to realize sriman narayana ). (another famous quote (prhalada?)"

durlabho manusho janma: ...) Also, our poorvacharyas have done upadesam to take

care of this body as a sacred temple (not a trash bag)as sriman narayana is

there as antaryami.

 

> All of this needs to be purified through

> visualisation in the case of the body

> and ridding ourselves of the samskaras

> of self-referent desire, anger and

> greed in the case of the mind. Then only

> can we consider ourselves truly fit to worship

> the Lord.

 

so, when does this moment comes to us , so that we may consider ourselves that

we are truly fit to do worship?

So long as we are in this trigunatmaka prakruti , we are bound by these forces,

only after we take a dip in viraja nadi and gain a suddhasatva sariram, we can

be free from this prakruti. upto that point as per sastra we may perform bhuta

suddhi and perform aradhana. Also engage in srivaishnava satsangams, and take

the sri pada teertham

("etat samasta papaanam prayaschittam manishibhi, nirneetam bhagavat bhaktaa

padodaka nishevanam").

 

Here is another view, if it is truly a "bag of toxic chemical...", then it may

not even be worth our precious human life meditating on that bag. Instead, we

should try to follow bhagavat gita (ch6-47), and meditate on SRI KRISHNA (to be

considered a real yogi by the supreme sri krishna himself!).

 

sri krishnarpanam astu.

adiyen,

sreenivasa ramanuja dasa

[Guest guest]

Regarding Bhuta Shuddhi - this is a meditative practice which is done prior to

aradhana according to Pancharatra Agama.

 

There are two aspects of an individual - an objective material aspect and a

subjective spiritual aspect. From the objective point of view the body is indeed

"potentially " shall we say toxic. Have you kept a dead body in your house for

24 hours? It remains non-toxic only as long as the Atman is present, but

requires constant bathing to maintain it's purity. The natural tendency of the

body is towards filth not towards purity.

 

>From a subjective spiritual pint of view the body is indeed sacred and beloved

of Narayana because it is in this body itself we have surrendered to Him. It

should be nurtured as the vehicle of our service, it should not be disparaged or

neglected. It should be respected in every way. Not only our own bodies but also

those of all other beings.

 

The Bhuta Shuddhi process is a spiritual technique for clearing our minds of

association with gross matter and refining it into a subtle form. It is a means

for realising the presence of Sriman Narayana in our regenerated being.

 

There is abstract philosophy and there is practical spiritual practice. The two

should not be confused.

 

Adiyen Dsanudasan

Sri Ram