8. SATSANGAM

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8. SATSANGAM

(Read, Understand, Appreciate, Internalise and Assimilate to reach

the Ultimate)

 

ONE ESSENCE, ONE LAW, ONE AIM - TATHAGAT

 

THE Tathagata addressed the venerable Kassapa, to dispel the

uncertainty and doubt of his mind, and he said: " All things are made

of one essence, yet things are different according to the forms

which they assume under different impressions. As they form

themselves so they act, and as they act so they are. It is, Kassapa,

as if a potter made different vessels out of the same clay. Some of

these pots are to contain sugar, others rice, others curds and milk;

others still are vessels of impurity. There is no diversity in the

clay used; the diversity of the pots is only due to the moulding

hands of the potter who shapes them for the various uses that

circumstances may require.

 

" And as all things originate from one essence, so they are

developing according to one law and they are destined to one aim

which is Nirvana. Nirvana comes to thee, Kassapa, when thou

understandest thoroughly, and when thou livest according to thy

understanding, that all things are of one essence and that there is

but one law. Hence,

there is but one Nirvana as there is but one truth, not two or three.

 

" And the Tathagata is the same unto all beings, differing in his

attitude only in so far as all beings are different. The Tathagata

recreates the whole world like a cloud shedding its waters without

distinction. He has the same sentiments for the high as for the low,

for the wise as for the ignorant, for the noble-minded as for the

immoral.

 

" The great cloud full of rain comes up in this wide universe

covering all countries and oceans to pour down its rain everywhere,

over all grasses, shrubs, herbs, trees of various species, families

of plants of different names growing on the earth, on the hills, on

the mountains, or in the valleys. Then, Kassapa, the grasses,

shrubs, herbs, and wild trees suck the water emitted from that great

cloud which is all of one essence and has been abundantly poured

down; and they will, according to their nature, acquire a

proportionate development, shooting up and producing blossoms and

their fruits in season. Rooted in one and the same soil, all those

families of plants and germs are quickened by water of the same

essence.

 

" The Tathagata, however, O Kassapa, knows the law whose essence is

salvation, and whose end is the peace of Nirvana. He is the same to

all, and yet knowing the requirements of every single being, he does

not reveal himself to all alike. He does not impart to them at once

the fullness of omniscience, but pays attention to the disposition

of various beings. "

 

Where is God?

 

One rationalist, with a strong atheistic bias, to make his point in

no uncertain terms prepared lots of boards with the writing: " God is

nowhere " and hung these boards all round his house.

 

His little son, who was mastering his writing skills decided to make

boards of his own. As he was still learning the skills he made a

mistake in the spacing of the words and produced lots of boards

which instead of reading: " God is nowhere " read " God is now here "

Just one misplaced letter changed the whole emphasis.

 

Minor technicality can make such a difference!

 

Either we see nothing very special around us, let alone perceive a

God. Or else we see 'all this' to be very special, full of meaning

and as nothing but God.

 

Vedanta asks us to make this technical transition.

 

STRUGGLE

 

" The first struggle in meditative life is to break the connection

between memories and impulses. This is what purification of the mind

really means. In a purified mind instinctive impulses do not

operate. Memories in the form of pictures and ideas appear but they

are not tied down to impulses. Like white clouds which do not rain

but disappear in the blue sky, these memories disappear after

remaining in the field of consciousness for a short while.

 

The purification of the mind really means the purification of

samskaras which, as we have seen, means breaking the connection

between impulses and ideas. How can one do this?

 

One method is to weaken the power of the impulses through

abstinence, avoidance, withdrawal and other forms of tapas or

austerity. Another method is to increase the number of good

samskaras through virtuous karma.

 

Patanjali speaks of a third method, which may be practiced along

with the other two. This is to change the connection between

impulses and mental images. Images exert a great influence in the

mind. If bad impulses, when they arise in the mind, are connected to

the image of a holy man or holy woman, they immediately get

controlled. Similarly, bad images cease to appear bad when connected

to good emotions. This process of changing the connections between

mental images and impulses is called pratipaksa-bhavanam

 

A fourth and higher method is to detach the will. The connection

between images and impluses is consciously made by exercising the

will. This connection is supported by the will. If the will is

detached, the samskaras break apart.

 

When bad memories appear, one should not get upset but should calmly

proceed to free them from bad impulses through self-analysis.

Further, one should understand that mental images appear living only

because they are charged with consciousness through association with

the self. When the self is disconnected from the mental images by

detaching the will, they get deflated and disappear. "

 

Sri P Gopi Krishna

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