The Ascent to the Godhead - Part 3

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Dear All,

 

We concluded Part 2 with:

 

(P.180) " We need to notice how this is completely contrary to the Western

tradition which imagines that when one gets to the intellect one has come to the

end. In the Eastern tradition the intellect is really only the beginning, when

one has gone beyond the gross world and is entering into the subtle world and

into the transcendent. The 'buddhi' is the path to that, but the highest state

is beyond both the mind and the intellect; it is the transcendent state. Then

the Katha Upanishad goes on to say, " This firm holding back of the senses is

what is called yoga. " So yoga was first the holding back of the senses. Later,

in the yoga of Patanjali, yoga is defined as 'chitta vritti nirodha', the

cessation of the movements of the mind. When the mind stops moving and centres

in itself, then yoga begins. And yoga means union, uniting. " Yoking " is the same

word in English. It is the integration of the whole person. All the elements in

our nature have to be brought into that unity. At that stage one experiences

oneself, one's 'atman'. So that is the path which is mapped out at this stage in

the Katha Upanishad. "

 

A New Vision of Reality (Western Science, Eastern Mysticism and

Christian Faith), Pg. 180

Bede Griffiths

Templegate Publishers - Springfield, Illinois

ISBN 0-87243-180-0

 

Here now is Part 3.

 

Enjoy!

 

violet

 

 

 

The Ascent to the Godhead - Part 3

 

(P.180) This development may be traced next in the 'Mandukya Upanishad', which

explains this higher state of consciousness in a remarkable way. The text speaks

of four levels of consciousness, the waking state, the dream state, the state of

deep sleep and the fourth is 'turiya', the transcendent state. (P.181) In our

waking state, which we imagine to be real, we are in the world of the senses and

of the mind, and that is the lowest level of consciousness. In the dream state

we go beyond the outer world and begin to experience the inner world. This does

not mean ordinary dreaming but the deeper, inner experience of our inner world,

the subtle elements. Beyond that is 'sushupti', the state of deep sleep, when

one goes beyond one's bodily senses and beyond one's mind, into a deeper centre,

but of course one is not ordinarily conscious of it. The fourth state, 'turiya',

is when one enters into that deep centre in full consciousness. That is the aim

of meditation, to go beyond the waking, the dreaming and the deep sleep state

into this transcendent consciousness.

 

The text then has a remarkable description of the fourth state, which is

considered the most significant in all the 'Upanishads' and in all Hindu

tradition. It says the fourth condition is 'atman', the Self in its own pure

state, the awakened life of supreme consciousness. It is neither outer nor inner

consciousness, or semi-consciousness (that is, not the ordinary outer waking

consciousness nor the inner consciousness nor something in between the two), nor

is it the consciousness of deep sleep. It is neither consciousness nor

unconsciousness, for at this stage one has gone beyond the opposites, the

dualities, altogether. " It is 'atman', the Spirit, that cannot be seen or

touched, that is above all distinction, beyond thought, and is ineffable. " [6] In

other words, one goes beyond one's senses, one's imagination, one's mind, and

beyond word, until one comes to the Absolute beyond. And union with him is the

supreme proof of his reality. This appears totally unreal to the ordinary mind,

but when one experiences it one knows the supreme Reality. One knows it by

itself. One cannot know it by one's reason or by one's intellect, but only when

one enters into it does one know it. The great seers, Ramana Maharshi, for

instance, in modern times, are those who experience the inner reality and know

the self (atmavidya). (P.181) He, this inner reality, is " the goal of

evolution " , the end of the whole evolution of consciousness, and " he is

non-duality, 'advaita' " . Dualities are made by reason, and at this stage one has

gone beyond one's reason so that there are no more dualities. He is peace and

love, 'shanta' and 'shiva'. 'Shanta' is the ordinary word for peace, while

'Shiva' means " the blessed one " , " the kindly one " . 'Shiva', which is here used

as an adjective, means " benign " or " kindly " . It can be translated " love " ,

although that may be a little strong. So that is the Ultimate as described in

the 'Mandukya Upanishad'.

 

In the 'Svetasvatara Upanishad' there is a description of yoga which is one of

the earliest we have. The Svetasvatara Upanishad is one of the later Upanishads,

contemporaneous with the 'Bhagavad Gita', in other words about 300 BC. Here

there is again a description of yoga. The 'Yoga Sutras' of Patanjali were put

together about 400 AD but based on a tradition going back to at least 400 BC. In

the Svetasvatara Upanishad it says, " If a wise man holds his body with its three

parts erect (i.e. the chest, neck and head) and turns his senses with the mind

towards the heart... " [7] This is the art of yoga. One sits if possible in

'padmasana', the lotus posture, with the head, neck and spine erect so that one

forms a column or pillar corresponding to the pillar of the universe, and one

relates oneself to the whole cosmos at that centre. Then one turns the senses,

with the mind, towards the heart. This is bringing the senses and the 'manas'

towards the heart, " the heart " being the term used for this inner centre both

here in the Hindu and in the Hebrew tradition. " He will then in the boat of

Brahman cross all the torrents which cause fear. " [8] One goes beyond all this

world of conflict and violence into the inner peace, the 'shanta atman'.

 

The text goes on to describe how one controls one's breathing and restrains

one's mind, which is like a chariot drawn by vicious horses. (P.183) This is a

common description of the human being; the body is the chariot, the horses are

the senses, and the mind is the reins. One has to control the horses, the

senses, through the mind. " Let the wise man without fail restrain his mind, that

chariot yoked with vicious horses. " [9]

 

The conclusion of this in the Svetasvatara Upanishad is, " When by means of the

real nature of his self he sees as by a lamp the real nature of Brahman, then,

having known the unborn, eternal God who is beyond all natures, he is freed from

all fetters. " [10] Here we have another description of this final state. In that

state first of all one realises oneself, 'atmavidya', one has knowledge of the

self. By means of the real nature of this self one enters into one's true being,

beyond mind, beyond intellect, into the inner self. Then, as by a lamp, one sees

the real nature of 'brahman'. Instead of seeing a mere appearance of sense

objects around one, or of mental objects, one sees the Reality. And the Reality

within and the Reality without are the same. One realises the non-dual Reality.

 

[6]Mandukya Upanishad 7

[7]Svetasvatara Upanishad 2:8

[8]Svetasvatara Upanishad 2:8

[9]Svetasvatara Upanishad 2:9

[10]Svetasvatara Upanishad 2:15

 

A New Vision of Reality (Western Science, Eastern Mysticism and

Christian Faith), Pg. 180-183

Bede Griffiths

Templegate Publishers - Springfield, Illinois

ISBN 0-87243-180-0