Guest guest Posted March 31, 2007 Report Share Posted March 31, 2007 Loving SAI RAMs, (continued from posting no. 12) On account of ignorance of the Atma, we attribute the agency of action etc. which belong to our mental equipment, to the Self, just as movement , shaking, agitation etc. of the water is attributed to the moon reflected in it. By agency of action, we mean the sense of doership. It is the attitude of " I am the doer " ( Kartrutva Bhava). It relates to the activities of perception and action. That is to say, it belongs to the realm of the mind. The agency of enjoyment is the sense of enjoyership. The attitude of " I am the enjoyer " ( Bhoktrutva Bhava) belongs to the intellect. The mind receives and responds to the stimuli of the external world. As a result of this transaction, the intellect recognises joy or sorrow. These functions belong to the mind and intellect and not to Atma. On account of ignorance, we presume the Self to be the doer and enjoyer. " Fools whose mind is deluded by egoism think, " I am the doer " --- says the Lord in Chapter 3 of the Bagavad Gita( Ahankra Vimudhatma Kartaham Iti Manyate). We believe the Self to be the doer because of our identification with the mind. Our scriptures declare Atma as non-doer(Akartaram). The moon reflected in a sheet of water acquires the properties of the reflecting medium. When the water is dirty the reflected moon is dirty. When the water is disturbed, the reflected moon is disturbed. When the water is clear the reflection is clear. In either situation the moon above remains ever steady and unaffected by the different qualities of water. Similarly, Atma reflected in the mind is the individual. When the mind is dull we are dull. When the mind is agitated we are agitated. When the mind is pure, we are pure. The dullness(Tamoguna) ,agitations(rajoguna) and purity(Satvaguna) are properties belonging to the mind and not to the Self (Atma). On account of ignorance, we attribute these qualities of the mind to the immaculate Atma. If we quieten the agitations and purify the thoughts in the mind, the reflecting medium is then perfected. In such a perfect medium the Supreme Atma reveals itself to us. The self-realised persons like RamanaMaharishi, Ramakrishna Paramahamsa etc., brought about this transformation in themselves. They unveiled the divinity within them. The secret of spiritual eveolution therefore lies in quietening and purifying our thoughts. (to be continued) With Loving Sai Rams, G.Balasubramanian Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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