Grace and Self Effort

[Guest guest]

Here is the ancient one explaining self effort.

From Yoga Vashishta

 

Rama: Holy sir, you said that Prahlada attained enlightenment by the grace of lord Vishnu. If everything is achieved by self-effort, why was he not able to attain enlightenment without Vishnu's grace? Vasishta: Surely, whatever Prahlada attained was through self-effort, O Rama, not otherwise. Vishnu is the self and the self is Vishnu: the distinction is verbal. It was the self of Prahlada that generated in itself devotion to Vishnu. Prahlada obtained from Vishnu, who was his own self, the boon of self-enquiry; and through such enquiry attained self-knowledge. At times one attains self-knowledge through self-enquiry undertaken through self-effort; at times this self-effort manifests as devotion to Vishnu who is also the self, and thus one attains enlightenment. (p. 256)

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Patanjali - Yoga Sutras

In the preliminary stages of meditation, the effort seems to come entirely from yourself; you keep forcing your mind to remain pointed at its object. But now you become aware of an outside force, a magnetic power of attraction which draws your mind in the desired direction, so that effort is no longer your own. This is what is known as grace. (p. 60)

 

[Guest guest]

Wonderful! Simply wonderful. Thanks Sunil. Yes, after the initial effort one finds oneself drawn towards the subject of adoration as if some external force is working. I am sure many have experienced the phenomenon where japa continues in the mind even after the japa session is over and one leaves one seat. Swami Brahmanandaji as well as Swami Sivanandaji stressed on this and asked spiritual aspirants to allow this state to linger and not to indulge in material activities for at least half an hour after japa and meditation in order to bask in this holy atmosphere.

 

Regards and love,

Jagannath.

Sunil <sudhakar_sunil wrote:

 

 

 

Here is the ancient one explaining self effort.

From Yoga Vashishta

 

Rama: Holy sir, you said that Prahlada attained enlightenment by the grace of lord Vishnu. If everything is achieved by self-effort, why was he not able to attain enlightenment without Vishnu's grace? Vasishta: Surely, whatever Prahlada attained was through self-effort, O Rama, not otherwise. Vishnu is the self and the self is Vishnu: the distinction is verbal. It was the self of Prahlada that generated in itself devotion to Vishnu. Prahlada obtained from Vishnu, who was his own self, the boon of self-enquiry; and through such enquiry attained self-knowledge. At times one attains self-knowledge through self-enquiry undertaken through self-effort; at times this self-effort manifests as devotion to Vishnu who is also the self, and thus one attains enlightenment. (p. 256)

-

 

Patanjali - Yoga Sutras

In the preliminary stages of meditation, the effort seems to come entirely from yourself; you keep forcing your mind to remain pointed at its object. But now you become aware of an outside force, a magnetic power of attraction which draws your mind in the desired direction, so that effort is no longer your own. This is what is known as grace. (p. 60)

 

Sri Ramakrishnaye NamahVivekananda Centre Londonhttp://www.vivekananda.co.uk