Control over the senses

[Guest guest]

[This appeared in May 1977 issue of the monthly

journal ˜Vicharasetu " The Path of Introspection]

 

 

Question: We read in the Upanishads and other scriptures than man

should have Control over the senses. Please explain to me in detail

as to what the word control means. In the ordinary life of the

spiritual seeker how far this ˜control " can be made practicable?

Please give illustrations of each sense and it's work in controlling

system.

 

Answer: I am happy you have raised this question. Control is not the

correct word to be used. ˜Moderation " is the right word. You cannot

but be using your senses, because they are meant to be used. The

moment you employ them, outer perception will also result. For

example, eyes only know to see outside things. Ear, the outside

sounds. For them not to be doing so would be dying. While they go on

gaining the perceptions of their objects they should not be dragging

you along with them, bidding you to win the objects for their

indulgence and happiness.

 

When Sita saw a ˜golden deer " , her eyes delighted in the sight. Not

only that, the sight made her mind pick up a desire, which grew into

a kind of a strong urge or greed, to posses it. And this in turn

worked havoc to her and to her Lord, Rama.

 

There is always a clear gap between the eye seeing anything

beautiful or pleasant, and then the process tickling the mind in a

bid to possess it. So let the senses see, at most, but let not their

seeing involve the mind in undue proportions. Suppose you see a

beautiful flower, see the sight, enjoy it if it pleases you. But

whether you instantly develop in your mind a greed to pluck the

flower, or possess the very plant in your house, will have to depend

upon other factors. Many sights are only to be seen and delighted in

for the time being. They should not establish such a strength in the

mind by which the mind begins to get obsessed by the memory, and

haunted dangerously in the process.

 

A boy seeing a girl, liking the sight, then turning to love her, the

love growing into turbulent passion with or without the reciprocal

response from the other party, then swell up to reach the climax of

a disharmony in himself, and in his family, perhaps in the family of

the girl as well; thus driving one and all to a spell of tension,

conflict, fight, displeasure, and show of a variety of harmful

tempers and consequences. All this is a development that follows the

sensed sight. If the seeing process is treated properly just as a

seeing, the rest to be taken up distinctly on the basis of its

merits and advantages, the whole development would not have taken

place.

 

Do not leave the decision of the mind and intelligence solely to the

objects perceived by senses. The mind should be governed by the

mind's own thoughts and standards. Thoughts and emotions should

follow the ripeness of understanding. If not, at least they should

be subject to the understanding and its message. The gap between

the ˜sensing " and ˜deciding " should be preserved clearly in all

cases.

 

In the case of a food item, or a sound or voice, like that in the

other sensory objects too, this should be the norm. We have on the

body, the senses. Within the body the mind, upon which alone the

sensory impressions fall. Deeper to the mind is the intelligence,

which has the role of analyzing the mind and its associations. The

close link between the vagrant senses, the emotionally strong mind

and then the discriminating intelligence " the harmony in their

operations " should be maintained. Once you understand the point,

the entire life is an endless opportunity to work for, gain in

greater and greater degrees and then delight in this ˜harmony " . What more do you

want than the constant presence of this opportunity, and

the equally strong chance of being enriched by it until the

termination of your life in the world?

 

In truth, the two are like darkness to which is brought light; the

presence of pitch darkness to adorn the thin column of light; the

dark night being illumined by the moon and stars; the extensive pond

being brightened by the scattered thick growth of lotus plants and

flowers; the most loving children being graced by the devoted

mother; a promising good-looking girl being placed in the hands of a

loving and considerate boy in a life-long wedded relationship.

 

As a youngster, the insight should strike you properly to look at

life in its own golden perspective. The process and pursuit is one

of sublimity and expansion, growth and ripeness of understanding;

far different from one of denial or negation, it is the graceful

path of right acceptance of right things in the right manner so that

your life will be rightly enriched, leading rightly to the royal

road of progress and evolution, to be crowned with sweetness, grace

and sublimity in the end as well as at every stage.

 

Truly, every moment of a noble individual is a process of

unfoldment, leading to his own marked fulfillment.