LAMP OF NON-DUAL KNOWLEDGE-16-END

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ADVAITA BODHA DEEPIKA

[LAMP OF NON-DUAL KNOWLEDGE]

 

MANONASA CHAPTER VIII: THE EXTINCTION OF THE MIND

 

1. In the previous chapter, having taught the realisation of the non-

dual Brahman, the master now treats of the extinction of the mind as

the sole means of realising Brahman.

 

M.: Wise son, leave off the mind which is the limiting adjunct

giving rise to individuality, thus causing the great malady of

repeated births and deaths, and realise Brahman.

 

2. D.: Master, how can the mind be extinguished? Is it not very hard

to do so? Is not the mind very powerful, restive and ever

vacillating? How can one relinquish the mind?

 

3-4. M.: To give up the mind is very easy, as easy as crushing a

delicate flower, or removing a hair from butter or winking your

eyes. Doubt it not. For a self-possessed resolute seeker not

bewitched by the senses, but by strong dispassion grown indifferent

to external objects, there cannot be the least difficulty in giving

up the mind.

D.: How is it so easy?

M.: The question of difficulty arises only if there is a mind to

leave off. Truly speaking, there is no mind. When told `There is a

ghost here' an ignorant child is deluded into believing the

existence of the non-existent ghost, and is subject to fear, misery

and troubles, similarly in the untainted Brahman by fancying things

that are not, as this and that, a false entity known as the mind

arises seemingly real, functioning as this and that, and proving

uncontrollable and mighty to the unwary, whereas to the self-

possessed, discerning seeker who knows its nature, it is easy to

relinquish. Only a fool ignorant of its nature says it is most

difficult.

5-10. D.: What is the nature of mind?

M.: To think this and that. In the absence of thought, there can be

no mind. On the thoughts being extinguished the mind will remain

only in name like the horn of a hare; it will vanish as a non-entity

like a barren woman's son, or a hare's horn, or a flower in the sky.

This is also mentioned in the Yoga Vasishta.

D.: How?

M.: Vasishta says: `Listen, O Rama, there is nothing to speak of as

mind. Just as the ether exists without form, so also the mind exists

as the blank insentience. It remains only in name; it has no form.

It is not outside, nor is it in the heart. Yet like the ether, the

mind though formless fills all'.

D.: How can this be?

M.: Wherever thought arises as this and that, there is the mind.

D.: If there be mind wherever there is thought, are thought and mind

different?

M.: Thought is the index of the mind. When a thought arises mind is

inferred. In the absence of thought, there can be no mind. Therefore

mind is nothing but thought. Thought is itself mind.

D.: What is `thought'?

M.: `Thought' is imagination. The thought-free state is Bliss

Supreme (Sivasvarupa). Thoughts are of two kinds; the recalling of

things experienced and unexperienced.

11. D.: To begin with, please tell me what is `thought'.

M.: Sages say that it is nothing but to think of any external object

as this or that, is or is not, this-wise or that-wise, etc.

12-13. D.: How is this to be classified under the heads of things

experienced and unexperienced?

M.: Of objects of senses, such as sound, already experienced as `I

saw — I heard — I touched etc.' to think of them as having been

seen, heard, touched is the recollection of things already

experienced. To call to mind unexperienced objects of senses is the

thought of unexperienced things.

14. D.: That thoughts pertain to things already experienced is

understandable. But how to think of those not so experienced unless

they are reminiscences of things already experienced? One can never

think of things not experienced. How then can we say — to think of

things not already experienced is `thought'?

 

15. M.: Yes, it is quite possible. To think of things not

experienced is also thought. Objects unexperienced appear as such

only after thinking.

D.: How can the things not already experienced come within the orbit

of thought?

M.: By the process of positive and negative induction (anvaya,

vyatireka), all mental imagery must be said to be thought-forms,

whether already experienced or not.

16-17. D.: How do you apply the positive and negative induction here?

M.: Whether existent or non-existent, already experienced or not so

experienced, whatever and however something is thought of, it is

apprehended. The mere thought of it amounts to apprehension. This is

the positive induction. Real or unreal, experienced or not, however

it may be, whatever is not thought of, is not apprehended. This is

negative induction. From this process also it follows that thought

is apprehension.

18. D.: How can mere thought of anything be its apprehension also?

Things are apprehended directly by the senses or by recall of past

experiences to the mind. On the other hand, things unheard of or

unseen cannot be apprehended by simple thinking of them. Therefore

the logical conclusion that mere thought of anything is its

apprehension, does not hold.

M.: You are not right. How can you say that things not directly

cognised by the senses are not apprehended? The pleasures of heaven

though not already enjoyed, are vividly pictured in our minds. This

is owing to our knowledge of the shastras which depict them. Though

not experienced they appear to us as delights not experienced.

19-21. D.: Things experienced can be thought of and cognised. But

things unexperienced cannot be cognised even if thought of.

M.: Now listen. Experienced or unexperienced things can be cognised.

As things already experienced at a distant place are thought of and

cognised, so also things unexperienced can be thought of and

cognised, on hearing from others, such as the Mount Meru of bright

gold.

Though eyes and ears are closed, yet visions and sounds can be

thought of and cognised. Though in dark, one can still think of an

object and cognise it. Even without eyes and ears the blind and the

deaf cognise forms and sounds on thinking of them. Therefore,

already known or unknown, all that is thought of can be apprehended.

This is the affirmative proposition.

22. D.: What is negation?

M.: In the absence of mind, in swoons, deep sleep or trance there is

no thinking and consequently nothing is seen. Not only in these

states but also in waking, if one does not think, there is no

phenomenon.

23-25. D.: Even in waking it cannot be so. Objects of direct

cognition even if not thought of, are apprehended. M.: No. What you

say is not true. Everyday experience teaches us otherwise.

D.: How?

M.: When a man is keenly attentive to something, he does not answer

when someone calls. Later he says `I was intent on something else; I

could not hear; I could not see; I was not aware' etc. It is

therefore clear that without attention objects of direct cognition

cannot be apprehended.

26-28. D.: Cannot the objects of direct cognition be apprehended,

without attention?

M.: Though in direct contact with the senses, objects cannot be

cognised without attention to them. Though the necklace is in

contact with the body, because the wearer is not attentive, its

presence is not known; being unaware of it, she even misses the

ornament and searches for it. Though in touch with the body of the

wearer the necklace is missed for want of attention.

Again a patient writhing with pain can be made to forget it by

drawing his attention to something else; similarly the grief of

bereavement is forgotten by attention being directed to other

matters of interest.

It is obvious that without attention, even the objects of direct

cognition cannot be recognised.

29-31. From this it follows that the cognition of anything

experienced or not, however it may be, can only be of the form of

thought. Therefore the perception of things has been signified by

various terms in Vedanta, such as cognition as this and that, will,

thought, mode of mind, intellect, latency, reflected consciousness,

the heart-knot, the seen, illusion, the individual, the world, the

all, God etc.

D.: Where has it been said that this knowledge is the all? On the

other hand it is said that maya became the all.

M.: Yes. Maya is the knowledge which is spoken of. Only this

objective knowledge goes under the different names, maya, avidya,

bondage, impurity, darkness, ignorance, the mind, the cycles of

repeated births and deaths etc. D.: Be it so, what has this got to

do with the extinction of the mind?

M.: Listen. You must understand that the knowledge signified by all

these terms is only the mind.

32-33. D.: Who else says so?

M.: Vasishta has said to Rama: `Whatever objective knowledge

manifests as this and that, or not this and not that, or in any

other manner, it is only the mind. The mind is nothing but this

manifest knowledge'.

34. D.: Let it be so. How can the mind be extinguished?

M.: To forget everything is the ultimate means. But for thought, the

world does not arise. Do not think and it will not arise. When

nothing arises in the mind, the mind itself is lost. Therefore do

not think of anything, forget all. This is the best way to kill the

mind.

35-37.D.: Has anyone else said so before?

M.: Vasishta said so to Rama thus: `Efface thoughts of all kinds, of

things enjoyed, not enjoyed, or otherwise. Like wood or stone,

remain free from thoughts.

Rama: Should I altogether forget everything?

Vasishta: Exactly; altogether forget everything and remain like wood

or stone.

Rama: The result will be dullness like that of stones or wood.

Vasishta: Not so. All this is only illusion. Forgetting the

illusion, you are freed from it. Though seeming dull, you will be

the Bliss Itself. Your intellect will be altogether clear and sharp.

Without getting entangled in worldly life, but appearing active to

others remain as the very Bliss of Brahman and be happy. Unlike the

blue colour of the sky, let not the illusion of the world revive in

the pure Ether of Consciousness-Self. To forget this illusion is the

sole means to kill the mind and remain as Bliss. Though Shiva,

Vishnu, or Brahman Himself should instruct you, realisation is not

possible without this one means. Without forgetting everything,

fixity as the Self is impossible. Therefore altogether forget

everything.'

38-39. D.: Is it not very difficult to do so?

M.: Though for the ignorant it is difficult, for the discerning few

it is very easy. Never think of anything but the unbroken unique

Brahman. By a long practice of this, you will easily forget the non-

self. It cannot be difficult to remain still without thinking

anything. Let not thoughts arise in the mind; always think of

Brahman. In this way all worldly thoughts will vanish and thought of

Brahman alone will remain. When this becomes steady, forget even

this, and without thinking `I am Brahman', be the very Brahman. This

cannot be difficult to practise.

40. Now my wise son, follow this advice; cease thinking of anything

but Brahman. By this practice your mind will be extinct; you will

forget all and remain as pure Brahman.

 

41. He who studies this chapter and follows the instructions

contained therein, will soon be Brahman Itself!