Mechanics of the Mind

[Guest guest]

Hare Krishna

 

In man's search for happiness,he invariably turns to external objects and events for satisfaction.He thinks "if I can just hv that car". or if I were able to get that job" etc then I would be happy.The mind may be stilled and at peace for a short time on attaining the desired objects,but eventually it tires of its new joy and seeks pleasure elsewhere.However,each time the external objects fail to bring happiness.One may acquire new materials possessions, a position with more responsibility,and a new home, but there always remains the mind.Contentment is derived from the approach and attitude towards the external world,not from the objects themselves.Every person passes thru easier and more difficult times in his life.When the obstacles in life are confronted with a serene mind,then one lives more happily.

 

The challenge,then is to gain control of the inner world.The mind is constantly conversing with itself-replaying past events,rearranging them into a better drama,planning for the future,discussing the pros and cons of this and that.By methodically slowing down its continuous ramblings,the internal dialogue,and focussing on positive and uplifting objects,it is possible to begin to understand the mechanics of the psyche and bring about a more effective life.

 

But the mind is an elusive animal to tame.So many theories exist as to how it works,yet the human mental process seems to remain intangible.Why does one so often find himself caught in the same frustrations,the same problems?Free will does exist but only when it is used to break out the habits that hv been developed in life.It is said that this is a free society,but in truth,it is each person's own desires and emotions that bind him.Consider the friend who smokes cigarettes,daily disclaiming them,determined to stop"tomorrow".How many years has he been caught in this charade?He truly wants to be free from the habit,but lacks the necessary control of his own mind.

 

In a sense,the mind is like a record.It contains grooves or impressions,called samskaras.These are formed when certain waves, or vrittis ,become habitual.For example a man passes a bakery and sees a chocolate eclair in the window.The vritti arises in his mind."How delicious,I will buy that eclair'.If he ignores that vritti and turns the mind to something else,then no pattern is formed.But if he identifies wit the thought,he gives life to it.He buys the eclair,looking forward to enjoying as dessert that evening.Now suppose he finds he must pass that same bakery every tuesday and thursday.Each time he goes by,he recalls that wonderful eclair,and purchases another.Now what was originally a flash in the mind has become a force in his life, and a samskara has been formed.

 

Samskaras are not necessarily negative.There can be grooves in the mind which are uplifting and those which bring one down.It is the express purpose of meditation to create new,positive channels in the mind and to eradicate those which are destructive.It is an absolutely scientific process,but at the same time,the goal is spiritual.It is not sufficient to eliminate the negative.There must be a striving to develop love,compassion,a sense of service,cheerfulness,kindness, and many other qualities which not only make ones' own life happy,but which radiate to others.

 

Every one wants to be his best.Each person would like to think that he is perfect.Yet despite repeated resolutions,every person finds himself so many times being less than what he would like to be.The cause for the same is the ego.Sri Sankara stated in the Vivekachudamani,"Calamity is due to being subject to ego,bad agonies are due to ego,desire is due to subjection to ego,there is no greater enemy than ego".This ego is the cause of all bondage and is the chief barrier to the experience of inner Reality.

Ego is the self-arrogating aspect of the mind.It is the ego which separates the individual from unity with others and within himself,for the ego asserts I-ness.Ego is the greatest obstacle to tranquility,for it is that which occupies the mind with whether we are better or worse,possess more or less,and hv greater or lesser power than others.It is attended by desire,pride,anger,delusion,greed,jealousy,lust and hatred.The ego is the most difficult aspect of the mind to control,for its nature is such that it eludes even while one is striving to overcome it.It is that part of the being that would not be controlled.When the ego is subdued thru meditation,energies can then be utilised constructively for personal growth and the service of others.

 

Good and evil,friend and enemy are in the mind only.Every man creates a world of virtues and vices,pleasures and pains out of his own imagination.These qualities do not proceed from the objects themselves,they belong to the attitude of the mind.One man's joy is another man's burden.Thoughts control one's life,mould one's character,shape one's destiny, and affect all other people.When the potential contained in the power of thought is realised,it is the beginning of great spititual growth in the individual and all of humanity.

It is worthwhile to remember what Patanjali Maharishi says:

Drastr-drsyayoh samyogo heya-hetuh

(The cause of future Karma is the identification of the experiencer with the object that is being experienced)

When a person is identifying with this illusory world,the ego predominates,and he acts without wisdom,incurring new Karma for himself.Through constant purification and balancing of the mind all the three gunas are brought into equilibrium,and man returns to the Source that is beyond the manifest world.

 

Hare Krishna.

agraman

 

India Matrimony: Find your life partner

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[Guest guest]

Dear Sri Raman:

 

Sarvatra Govinda Naama Sankeertanam, Govinda Govinda!

 

Your piece of the " mechanics of mind " was very nicely worded and I am

sure it struck a cord in each of our minds. This topic can easily

follow through into the ongoing discussion of Gita. However, I am not

sure if this will amount to getting ahead of myself since I am not

sure if the discussion(s) on the Gita Mahatmyam and Krishna as a

Jagadguru are being considered as complete for the present.

 

I would like to mention that the following slokas in the Gita aptly

summarize the aspects of the " practice of mind control " succintly

described by you in the email below.

 

Adhyaya II-Slokas 60-63 and 67

Adhyaya III-Slokas 36-41

Adhyaya XVI-Slokas 21,22

Adhyaya XVIII-Sokas 36,37

 

Reference: Bhagavad Gita by C. RajaGopalachari, Bhavan's Book

University, pages 58-63.

 

I shall begin by reciting the first four (slokas 60-63 and 67,

Adhyaya II).

 

II-60

 

Yatato Hrdyaapi Kounteyam Purushasya Vipashchitaha

Indriyani Pramaatheeni Haranti Prasabham Manaha

 

The rebellious nature of the senses is such that even in a man who

knows and who is sincerely striving, they are apt violently to carry

away his mind.

 

II-61

 

Taani Sarvaani Samyasya Yukta Aaaseeta Matparaha

Vashe hi yasyendriyani Tasya Pragya Pratishtatha

 

Restraining them all, he should sit with his mind composed and bent

on Me. He whose senses are mastered has his understanding firmly

fixed.

 

II-62

 

Dhyaayato Vishayaanpunsaha Sangasteshoopajaayate

Sangaatsanjaayate kaamaha kaamatkrodhobhijaayate

 

When a man allows his mind to muse on the objects of sense-

enjoyments, an attraction for them is created. Attraction develops

into craving and from craving follow causes for anger.

 

II-63

 

Krodhaadbhavati Sammohaha Sammohatsmritivibhramaha

Smrtibrhamshaad Buddhinaasho Buddhinaashat Pranashyati

 

Anger produces delusion. Delusion confuses memory and understanding

of things; from this confusion of understanding follows the

disintegration of the power of discrimination; with discrimination

gone, the man perishes.

 

I pray that this initiates another interesting dialogue amongst our

family members.

 

Guruvayoorappa Sharanam!

 

Narasimhan

 

 

 

guruvayur , GANAPATHY RAMAN <agraman62>

wrote:

> Hare Krishna

>

> In man's search for happiness,he invariably turns to external

objects and events for satisfaction.He thinks " if I can just hv that

car " . or if I were able to get that job " etc then I would be

happy.The mind may be stilled and at peace for a short time on

attaining the desired objects,but eventually it tires of its new joy

and seeks pleasure elsewhere.However,each time the external objects

fail to bring happiness.One may acquire new materials possessions, a

position with more responsibility,and a new home, but there always

remains the mind.Contentment is derived from the approach and

attitude towards the external world,not from the objects

themselves.Every person passes thru easier and more difficult times

in his life.When the obstacles in life are confronted with a serene

mind,then one lives more happily.

>

> The challenge,then is to gain control of the inner world.The mind

is constantly conversing with itself-replaying past

events,rearranging them into a better drama,planning for the

future,discussing the pros and cons of this and that.By methodically

slowing down its continuous ramblings,the internal dialogue,and

focussing on positive and uplifting objects,it is possible to begin

to understand the mechanics of the psyche and bring about a more

effective life.

>

> But the mind is an elusive animal to tame.So many theories exist as

to how it works,yet the human mental process seems to remain

intangible.Why does one so often find himself caught in the same

frustrations,the same problems?Free will does exist but only when it

is used to break out the habits that hv been developed in life.It is

said that this is a free society,but in truth,it is each person's own

desires and emotions that bind him.Consider the friend who smokes

cigarettes,daily disclaiming them,determined to stop " tomorrow " .How

many years has he been caught in this charade?He truly wants to be

free from the habit,but lacks the necessary control of his own mind.

>

> In a sense,the mind is like a record.It contains grooves or

impressions,called samskaras.These are formed when certain waves, or

vrittis ,become habitual.For example a man passes a bakery and sees a

chocolate eclair in the window.The vritti arises in his mind. " How

delicious,I will buy that eclair'.If he ignores that vritti and turns

the mind to something else,then no pattern is formed.But if he

identifies wit the thought,he gives life to it.He buys the

eclair,looking forward to enjoying as dessert that evening.Now

suppose he finds he must pass that same bakery every tuesday and

thursday.Each time he goes by,he recalls that wonderful eclair,and

purchases another.Now what was originally a flash in the mind has

become a force in his life, and a samskara has been formed.

>

> Samskaras are not necessarily negative.There can be grooves in the

mind which are uplifting and those which bring one down.It is the

express purpose of meditation to create new,positive channels in the

mind and to eradicate those which are destructive.It is an absolutely

scientific process,but at the same time,the goal is spiritual.It is

not sufficient to eliminate the negative.There must be a striving to

develop love,compassion,a sense of service,cheerfulness,kindness, and

many other qualities which not only make ones' own life happy,but

which radiate to others.

>

> Every one wants to be his best.Each person would like to think that

he is perfect.Yet despite repeated resolutions,every person finds

himself so many times being less than what he would like to be.The

cause for the same is the ego.Sri Sankara stated in the

Vivekachudamani, " Calamity is due to being subject to ego,bad agonies

are due to ego,desire is due to subjection to ego,there is no greater

enemy than ego " .This ego is the cause of all bondage and is the chief

barrier to the experience of inner Reality.

> Ego is the self-arrogating aspect of the mind.It is the ego which

separates the individual from unity with others and within

himself,for the ego asserts I-ness.Ego is the greatest obstacle to

tranquility,for it is that which occupies the mind with whether we

are better or worse,possess more or less,and hv greater or lesser

power than others.It is attended by

desire,pride,anger,delusion,greed,jealousy,lust and hatred.The ego is

the most difficult aspect of the mind to control,for its nature is

such that it eludes even while one is striving to overcome it.It is

that part of the being that would not be controlled.When the ego is

subdued thru meditation,energies can then be utilised constructively

for personal growth and the service of others.

>

> Good and evil,friend and enemy are in the mind only.Every man

creates a world of virtues and vices,pleasures and pains out of his

own imagination.These qualities do not proceed from the objects

themselves,they belong to the attitude of the mind.One man's joy is

another man's burden.Thoughts control one's life,mould one's

character,shape one's destiny, and affect all other people.When the

potential contained in the power of thought is realised,it is the

beginning of great spititual growth in the individual and all of

humanity.

> It is worthwhile to remember what Patanjali Maharishi says:

> Drastr-drsyayoh samyogo heya-hetuh

> (The cause of future Karma is the identification of the experiencer

with the object that is being experienced)

> When a person is identifying with this illusory world,the ego

predominates,and he acts without wisdom,incurring new Karma for

himself.Through constant purification and balancing of the mind all

the three gunas are brought into equilibrium,and man returns to the

Source that is beyond the manifest world.

>

> Hare Krishna.

> agraman

>

> India Matrimony: Find your life partneronline.