Advaita Bhoda Deepika #29-concluding post

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End of post #28

 

18. D.: How can mere thought of anything be its

apprehension also? Things are apprehended directly by the senses

or by recall of past experiences to the mind. On the other hand,

things unheard of or unseen cannot be apprehended by simple

thinking of them. Therefore the logical conclusion that mere

thought of anything is its apprehension, does not hold.

M.: You are not right. How can you say that things not

directly cognised by the senses are not apprehended? The

pleasures of heaven though not already enjoyed, are vividly

pictured in our minds. This is owing to our knowledge of the

shastras which depict them. Though not experienced they appear

to us as delights not experienced.

 

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19-21. D.: Things experienced can be thought of and

cognised. But things unexperienced cannot be cognised even if

thought of.

 

M.: Now listen. Experienced or unexperienced things can

be cognised. As things already experienced at a distant place are

thought of and cognised, so also things unexperienced can be

thought of and cognised, on hearing from others, such as the

Mount Meru of bright gold.

 

Though eyes and ears are closed, yet visions and sounds can

be thought of and cognised. Though in dark, one can still think

of an object and cognise it. Even without eyes and ears the blind

and the deaf cognise forms and sounds on thinking of them.

Therefore, already known or unknown, all that is thought of can

be apprehended. This is the affirmative proposition.

 

22. D.: What is negation?

M.: In the absence of mind, in swoons, deep sleep or

trance there is no thinking and consequently nothing is seen.

Not only in these states but also in waking, if one does not

think, there is no phenomenon.

 

23-25. D.: Even in waking it cannot be so. Objects of

direct cognition even if not thought of, are apprehended.

M.: No. What you say is not true. Everyday experience

teaches us otherwise.

D.: How?

M.: When a man is keenly attentive to something, he does

not answer when someone calls. Later he says 'I was intent on

something else; I could not hear; I could not see; I was not

aware' etc. It is therefore clear that without attention objects of

direct cognition cannot be apprehended.

 

26-28. D.: Cannot the objects of direct cognition be

apprehended, without attention?

M.: Though in direct contact with the senses, objects

cannot be cognised without attention to them. Though the

necklace is in contact with the body, because the wearer is

not attentive, its presence is not known; being unaware of

it, she even misses the ornament and searches for it. Though

in touch with the body of the wearer the necklace is missed

for want of attention.

 

Again a patient writhing with pain can be made to forget

it by drawing his attention to something else; similarly the grief

of bereavement is forgotten by attention being directed to other

matters of interest.

 

It is obvious that without attention, even the objects of

direct cognition cannot be recognised.

 

29-31. From this it follows that the cognition of anything

experienced or not, however it may be, can only be of the form

of thought. Therefore the perception of things has been signified

by various terms in Vedanta, such as cognition as this and that,

will, thought, mode of mind, intellect, latency, reflected

consciousness, the heart-knot, the seen, illusion, the individual,

the world, the all, God etc.

 

D.: Where has it been said that this knowledge is the all?

On the other hand it is said that maya became the all.

M.: Yes. Maya is the knowledge which is spoken of. Only

this objective knowledge goes under the different names, maya,

avidya, bondage, impurity, darkness, ignorance, the mind, the

cycles of repeated births and deaths etc.

D.: Be it so, what has this got to do with the extinction of

the mind?

M.: Listen. You must understand that the knowledge

signified by all these terms is only the mind.

 

32-33. D.: Who else says so?

M.: Vasishta has said to Rama: 'Whatever objective

knowledge manifests as this and that, or not this and not that,

or in any other manner, it is only the mind. The mind is nothing

but this manifest knowledge'.

 

34. D.: Let it be so. How can the mind be extinguished?

M.: To forget everything is the ultimate means. But for

thought, the world does not arise. Do not think and it will not

arise. When nothing arises in the mind, the mind itself is lost.

Therefore do not think of anything, forget all. This is the best

way to kill the mind.

 

35-37.D.: Has anyone else said so before?

M.: Vasishta said so to Rama thus: 'Efface thoughts of all

kinds, of things enjoyed, not enjoyed, or otherwise. Like wood

or stone, remain free from thoughts.

Rama: Should I altogether forget everything?

Vasishta: Exactly; altogether forget everything and remain

like wood or stone.

Rama: The result will be dullness like that of stones or

wood.

Vasishta: Not so. All this is only illusion. Forgetting the

illusion, you are freed from it. Though seeming dull, you

will be the Bliss Itself. Your intellect will be altogether clear

and sharp. Without getting entangled in worldly life, but

appearing active to others remain as the very Bliss of Brahman

and be happy. Unlike the blue colour of the sky, let not the

illusion of the world revive in the pure Ether of Consciousness-

Self. To forget this illusion is the sole means to

kill the mind and remain as Bliss. Though Shiva, Vishnu, or

Brahman Himself should instruct you, realisation is not

possible without this one means. Without forgetting

everything, fixity as the Self is impossible. Therefore

altogether forget everything.'

 

38-39. D.: Is it not very difficult to do so?

M.: Though for the ignorant it is difficult, for the

discerning few it is very easy. Never think of anything but the

unbroken unique Brahman. By a long practice of this, you will

easily forget the non-self. It cannot be difficult to remain still

without thinking anything. Let not thoughts arise in the mind;

always think of Brahman. In this way all worldly thoughts will

vanish and thought of Brahman alone will remain. When this

becomes steady, forget even this, and without thinking 'I am

Brahman', be the very Brahman. This cannot be difficult to

practise.

 

40. Now my wise son, follow this advice; cease thinking

of anything but Brahman. By this practice your mind will be

extinct; you will forget all and remain as pure Brahman.

 

41. He who studies this chapter and follows the instructions

contained therein, will soon be Brahman Itself!

 

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Taken from Advaita Bhoda Deepika

as published by Sri Ramanasramam

Tiruvannamalai 2002.

 

This concludes the posting.

 

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http://www.ramana-maharshi.org/downloads/downloads.htm

 

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