LAMP OF NON-DUAL KNOWLEDGE-10

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ADVAITA BODHA DEEPIKA

[LAMP OF NON-DUAL KNOWLEDGE]

 

92. D.: The Self must be realised only by a critical study of the

shastras. Otherwise what can be the enquiry into the Self but a

critical and analytical study of the shastras?

 

93. M.: In the body, senses etc., the concept " I " persists. With a

one pointed mind turned inwards to look out for this " I " or the

Self, which is the inmost Being within the five sheaths, is the

enquiry into the Self. To seek elsewhere outside the body by an oral

recital of Vedanta Shastra or a critical study of its words, cannot

be called enquiry into the Self which can only be a thorough

investigation into the true nature of the Self by a keen mind.

 

94-96. D.: Can the Self not be known by reading and understanding

the shastras?

 

M.: No. For the Self is Being-Knowledge-Bliss, different from the

gross, subtle and causal bodies, witnessing the three states of

waking, dream and deep sleep. Always to exercise the vocal organs in

reading the shastras, or with a thorough knowledge of grammar, logic

and diction to critically examine the scripture and make out its

meaning, cannot reveal the Self which is within.

D.: How can it be realised?

M.: By the mind to examine the nature of the five sheaths, by

experience to determine them, then to discard each of them step by

step " this is not the Self — this is not the Self " , and by mind thus

grown subtle to look for the Self and realise It as the witnessing

Consciousness lying beyond the five sheaths — forms the whole

process. The Self cannot be seen without. It is overspread by and

lies hidden in the five sheaths. In order to find It, the intellect

must be made to turn inwards and search within, not to look for It

in the shastras. Will any man in his senses search in a forest for a

thing lost in his home? The search must be in the place where the

thing lies hidden. In the same way the Self covered over by the five

sheaths must be looked for within them and not among the shastras.

The shastras are not the place for It.

97. D.: True, the Self cannot be found in the shastras. From them a

scholar can learn the nature of the five sheaths, intellectually

examine, experience and discard them, in order to find and realise

the Self. How can the other man ignorant of the nature of the Self

or of the five sheaths pursue the enquiry?

M.: Just as the scholar learns from books, so the other learns from

the master. Later, enquiry remains the same for both.

98-99. D.: Does it follow that a master is necessary for an

illiterate man and not for a scholar?

M.: Scholar or illiterate, no one can succeed without a master. From

the beginning of time, unable to realise the Self without a master,

the seekers even learned in all the shastras always sought a master

to enlighten them. Narada went to Sanatkumara; Indra to Brahma; Suka

to king Janaka. Unless the master is gracious to him, no man can

ever be liberated.

 

100-101. D.: Has any one illiterate been liberated by Guru's Grace

only?

 

M.: Yes. Yagnavalkya helped his wife Maitreyi to be liberated. Many

other women ignorant of the shastras e.g., Leela and Chudala were

also liberated while alive. Therefore even those ignorant of the

shastras are qualified for enquiry into the Self.

102-108. It must now be obvious that the make up of the best

qualified seeker consists in dispassion, resulting from discernment

of the real from the unreal, so that he discards all enjoyments here

and hereafter as if they were poison or vomit or blazing fire,

retires from all activities to remain quiet like a man in deep

sleep, but finding himself unable to remain so owing to unbearable

pains, physical and mental, as if the hair of his head had caught

fire and was burning, he cannot feel happy nor bear the agony even a

minute longer and burns in anguish feeling " When shall I be free?

How and by what means can I be liberated? "

For the best seeker all the qualifications must be full up to the

above said category " limit " (avadhi). For the next in scale, the

good seeker, the qualifications are developed only to the " effect "

stage; for the middling, only to the " nature " stage; and for the

lowest, only to their " cause " stage. These stages determine the

success of the seeker's efforts.

109. Immediate success attends the efforts of the best qualified;

some time elapses before the next in grade succeeds; a longer time

is required for the middling; and only a prolonged and steady

practice can enable the low-grade seeker to succeed.

110-112. Their perplexity of minds does not allow the last two

grades of seekers to take to enquiry. Their minds are more readily

composed by yoga, which is more suited to them than enquiry. The

first two grades of seekers readily profit by enquiry which is more

suited to them than yoga.

113-114. In Dhyana Deepika, Sri Vidyaranyaswami has said: " The path

of enquiry cannot lead to success to the seekers whose minds are

confused. To bring down the false notion of their minds, yoga is

necessary. The minds of those who are fully qualified, are not

confused but remain one pointed; only the veiling power of Ignorance

still hides the Self from them; they await only awakening. Enquiry

is the process of awakening; therefore it best suits them. "

115-118. Yoga can be successful only after a long, steady, earnest,

diligent and cautious practice without needless strain.

D.: Why should one be so heedful about it?

M.: When the attempt is made to fix the mind in the Self, it gets

restive and drags the man through the senses to the objects.

However resolute and learned the man may be, his mind remains

wayward, strong, mulish, and hard to restrain. Wanton by nature, it

cannot remain steady for a moment; it must run here, there and

everywhere; now it dwells in the nether regions and in a trice it

flies up in the sky; it moves in all the directions of the compass;

and it is capricious like a monkey. It is hard to fix it. To do so,

one must be heedful.

119-121. In the Srimad Bhagavad Gita, Arjuna asked Sri Bhagavan: `O

Krishna! Is not the mind always capricious, disturbing to the man

and too strong to be checked? It is easier to hold the air in the

fist than to control the mind'. In the Yoga Vasishta, Sri Rama

asked Vasishta: `O master! Is it not impossible to control the mind?

One may sooner drink up the oceans or lift up Mt. Meru or swallow

flaming fire than control the mind.' From the words of Rama and

Arjuna, and our own experience, there can be no doubt that it is

exceedingly difficult to control the mind however able and heroic

one may be.

122-124. D.: Control of mind being so difficult, how can yoga be

practised at all?

M.: By dint of practice and dispassion, the mind can be brought

under control. The same has been said by Sri Bhagavan to Arjuna and

by Vasishta to Sri Rama. Sri Krishna said : " O Son of Kunti! There

is no doubt that the mind is wayward and difficult to control.

Nevertheless by dint of practice and dispassion it can be

controlled. " Vasishta said: " O Rama, though the mind is hard to

control yet it must be subdued by dispassion and effort even at the

cost of wringing your hands, clenching your teeth and holding down

the senses and limbs; it must be accomplished by will power. "

Therefore intense effort is necessary for the purpose.

125-127. The honey bee of the mind ever living in the lotus of the

heart turns away from the sweet honey of unequalled Bliss of the

Heart lotus, and desirous of honey bitter with misery, collected

outside as sound, touch, form, taste and smell, always flies out

through the senses. Though by dispassion the senses are forcibly

closed and the mind shut in, yet remaining within, it will be

thinking of the present or recollecting the past or building castles

in the air.

D.: How can even its subtle activities be checked and itself

completely subdued?

M.: Checking its external activities and confining it within, this

bee of the mind must be made to be drunk with the honey of the Heart

lotus, i.e., the Bliss of the Self.

128. D.: Please explain this yoga.

M.: With an intense desire for Liberation, reaching a Guru, hearing

from him the non-dual Brahman shining forth as Being-Knowledge-Bliss

of the Self, understanding It though indirectly yet as clearly as

one understands Vishnu etc., turning the mind one pointedly to this

Brahman, without taking to enquiry by reflection (manana) always

meditating on the non-dual Self of Being-Knowledge-Bliss,

attributeless and undifferentiated, is called yoga. By its practice

the mind becomes tranquil and can gradually go to samadhi. In

samadhi it will experience the Supreme Bliss.

129-130. D.: Has any other said so before?

M.: Yes. Sri Bhagavan has said: The yogi who, controlling the mind,

always turns it upon the Self, becomes perfectly calm, and

ultimately gains Me i.e., the Bliss of Liberation. The mind of the

yogi who always practises yoga, will be steady like a flame

protected from the breeze and without movement will pass into

samadhi.

131-133. Similarly by enquiry, the mind readily gains peace and

samadhi.

D.: What is this enquiry?

M.: After hearing from the Guru about the nature of the Self which

in the shastras is spoken of as Brahman or Being-

Knowledge-Bliss, to gain a clear indirect knowledge, then according

to upadesa and by intelligent reasoning to enquire

and find out the Self which is Pure Knowledge, and the nonself which

is objective and insentient like the ego, to discern and sift them,

then directly to experience them as different from each other, later

on by meditation to extinguish all that is objective, and to absorb

into the Self the residual mind left over as non-dual, ends in the

direct experience of Supreme Bliss. Here it has been described in

brief, but the shastras deal with it elaborately.

 

134. This chapter on Sadhana has dealt with these two means, Enquiry

and Yoga, for making the mind still. According to his merits an

intelligent seeker should practise either of them.

 

135. This Chapter is meant for the earnest student in order that he

may study carefully and analyse his qualifications to ascertain what

he already has and what more are wanted. After properly equipping

himself he can find out which of these two methods suits him and

then practise it till success.