Yoga Vasistha

[Guest guest]

!! Sri Rama Jayam !!

 

The Yoga Vasishta or Yoga Vasishta Maha Ramayana as it is also called, is a work

of about 32,000 Sanskrit couplets, traditionally attributed to Valmiki, the

author of Srimad Ramayana. It is a dialogue between Sage Vasishta and Lord Sri

Rama, during which Advaita (the doctrine of non-duality) in its pure form of

ajatavada (theory of non-origination) is expounded, with illustrative stories in

between. This vast work was abridged some centuries ago by Abhinanda Pandita, a

Kashmiri scholar, into 6,000 couplets, which go by the name of Laghu Yoga

Vasishta.

The summary of Vasishtha - Rama samvadam is the following -

Dispassion

Salutations to that calm effulgence which is endless and unlimited by space,

time etc., the pure consciousness which can be known by experience only.

The great remedy for the long lasting disease of samsara is the enquiry, 'Who am

I?, to whom does this samsara belong?,' which entirely cures it.

Following the customary method of teaching is only for preserving the tradition.

Pure awareness results solely from the clarity of the disciple's understanding.

When pots, etc., are broken the space within them becomes unlimited. So also

when bodies cease to exist the Self remains eternal and unattached.

Nothing whatever is born or dies anywhere at any time. It is Brahman alone

appearing illusorily in the form of the world.

Unreality of the World

The idea of a (live) snake in a picture of a snake ceases to be entertained when

the truth is known. Similarly samsara ceases to exist (when the Truth is

realized), even if it continues to appear.

O Rama, maya is such that it brings delight through its own destruction; its

nature is inscrutable; it ceases to exist even while it is being observed.

Just as a tree consisting of fruits, leaves, creepers, flowers, branches, twigs

and roots, exists in the seed of the tree, even so this manifest world exists in

Brahman.

Just as the dream becomes unreal in the waking state and the waking state in the

dream, so also death becomes unreal in birth and birth in death.

The Marks of a Liberated Person (Jivan Mukta)

Like an empty vessel in space (the knower of Truth) is empty both within and

without, while at the same time he is full within and without like a vessel

immersed in the ocean.

The noble-hearted man whose desires of the heart have come to an end is a

liberated man; it does not matter whether he does or does not practice

meditation or perform action.

The idea of Self in the non-Self is bondage. Abandonment of it is liberation.

There is neither bondage nor liberation for the ever-free Self.

O Rama, there is no intellect, no nescience, no mind and no individual soul

(jiva). They are all imagined in Brahman.

Dissolution of the Mind

Consciousness which is undivided imagines to itself desirable objects and runs

after them. It is then known as the mind.

Does not the fool feel ashamed to move about in the world as he pleases and talk

about meditation when he is not able to conquer even the mind?

Association with the wise, abandonment of latent impressions self-enquiry,

control of breathing - these are the means of conquering the mind.

The mind becomes bound by thinking 'I am not Brahman'; it becomes completely

released by thinking 'I am Brahman'.

The Destruction of Latent Impressions

O Rama, this enquiry into the Self of the nature or 'Who am I?' is the fire

which burns up the seeds of the evil tree which is the mind.

The knowers of truth declare that enquiry into the truth of the Self is

knowledge. What is to be known is contained in it like sweetness in milk.

O pure soul, cherish the association of sages and the true scriptures; you will

attain the state of Supreme Consciousness not in the course of months by days.

Meditation on the Self

I, the pure, stainless and infinite Consciousness beyond maya, look upon this

body in action like the body of another.

I am above everything; I am present everywhere; I am like space; I am that which

(really) exists; I am unable to say anything beyond this.

I prostrate to myself who am within all being, the ever free Self abiding as

inner consciousness.

 

Method of Purification

O mighty-armed, be always free from mental concepts like the heart of a rock

though not in sentient like it.

Do not be that which is understood, nor the one who understands. Abandon all

concepts and remain what you are.

 

Worship of the Self

If you separate yourself from the body and abide at ease in Consciousness you

will become one (the sole Reality), everything else appearing (insignificant)

like grass.

O Raghava, that by which you recognize sound, taste, form and smell, know that

as your Self, the Supreme Brahman, the Lord of lords.

After rejecting, through reasoning, all that can be known as 'non-truth' what

remains as pure Consciousness - regard that as your real Self.

Exposition of the Self

Just as the sky is (i.e. appears to be) stained by dust, smoke and clouds, so

also the pure Self in contact with the qualities of maya is (i.e. appears to be)

soiled by them.

Just as metal in contact with fire acquires the quality of fire (namely heat),

so also the senses, etc. in contact with the Self acquire the quality of the

Self.

The Self, is realised in the body only with effort, like sugar from the

sugarcane, oil from sesame seeds, fire from wood, butter from a cow and iron

from stones (i.e. ore).

Awareness is Brahman; the world is Brahman; the various elements are Brahman; I

am Brahman; my enemy is Brahman; my friends and relatives are Brahman.

There is only consciousness here; this universe is nothing but consciousness;

you are consciousness; I am consciousness; the worlds are consciousness - that

is the conclusion.

Nirvana

If one meditates on that state which comes at the end of the waking state and

the beginning of sleep he will directly experience undecaying bliss.

That consciousness which is the witness of the rise and fall of all beings, know

that to be the immortal state of supreme bliss.

That which is immutable, auspicious and tranquil, that in which this world

exists, that which manifests itself as the mutable and immutable objects - that

is the sole consciousness.

----------------

These are excerpts from a translation published by Sri Ramasramam in Tamil Nadu.

Interested devotees please click <http://www.ramana-maharshi.org/page2.htm> for

ordering information.

--------

Sri Sri Ravishankar ji (Art of Living) in his last discussion (held in

Bangalore) especially stressed upon reading this great scripture.

I dedicate this effort to his great mission.

---------

Hare Krishna

Hare Rama