Mukti and Jnana: Vichara Sangraham Reference

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Dear Friends,

 

Bhagavan indicated this a number of times in different ways in various

conversations and was careful to distinguish Kevala Nirvikalpa Samadhi

from Sahaj Samadhi. I will pass this on to Advaitin and HS as well due

to the recent discussions there on Samadhi.

 

Here is the great devotee of Bhagavan, Kunju Swami describing his

experience from the May-June 1993 Maharshi Newsletters.

 

"Once I asked Sri Bhagavan why I lost the experience I had gained

earlier in his presence when I went back home. He said that the answer

to the question is given in eleven verses of Kaivalyam. He picked up the

book and read them out and then explained to me at great length the

purport of these verses. They relate to the doubt raised by the disciple

about the need to continue spiritual practices even after one has had

the supreme experience. The disciple wonders whether the spiritual

experience once gained could be lost. The Guru says that it would be

until he took care to practice sravana, manana, and nididhyasana, that

is, 'hearing' from the Guru the Truth, 'reflecting' over it and

'assimilating' it. The experience would occur in the presence of the

Guru, but it would not last. Doubts would arise again and again and in

order to clear them the disciple should continue to study, think and

practice. This should be done until the distinction of knower, the

object of knowledge and the act of knowing no longer arise. I decided to

stay always by Bhagavan's side and to practice sravana, manana and

nididhyasana.

 

I can never forget the wonderful experience of being drawn to

Tiruvannamalai by Sri Bhagavan. "

 

Love to all

Harsha

 

S Jayanarayanan wrote:

>

> I'm looking for a reference in the Vichara Sangraham where Bhagavan

> has distinguished between "firm" Self-realization and someone who has

> only had a glimpse of the Self but still has to extinguish his

> Vasanas. The conversation recorded below in the "Talks" seems to

> indicate such a reference, but I'm unable to locate it. If someone

> knows of which verse in the Vichara Sangraham is being referred to in

> "Talks", I would greatly appreciate it.

>

> Thanks in advance!

>

> ---

> 21st October, 1938

> Talk 562.

> There is a statement in the book Vichara Sangraha that though a

> person realises the Self once, he cannot, for that simple reason

> alone, become a mukta. He continues to remain a victim of vasanas

> (latencies). Sri Bhagavan was asked whether the realisation referred

> to was the same as the jnani's, and if so why there should be a

> difference in their effects.

>

> M.: The experience is the same. Every person experiences the Self

> consciously or unconsciously. The ajnani's experience is clouded by

> his latencies whereas the jnani's is not so. The jnani's experience

> of the Self is therefore distinct and permanent.

> A practiser may by long practice gain a glimpse of the Reality. This

> experience may be vivid for the time being. And yet he will be

> distracted by the old vasanas and so his experience will not avail

> him. Such a man must continue his manana and nididhyasana so that all

> the obstacles may be destroyed. He will then be able to remain

> permanently in the Real State.

>