Saturday, June 8, 2013
Friday, June 7, 2013
Saturday, June 1, 2013
What is Sandhyavandanam (संध्या वन्दनं)?
Q) What is Sandhyavandanam (संध्या वन्दनं)?
A)
Sandhya (संध्या) = the junction point or the junction time.
vandanam (वन्दनं) = expressing gratitude by being in that awareness
so sandhyavandanam = being in that awareness of that junction or time.
now what is this junction point or junction time is nothing but Stillness. the junction point or the junction time is nothing but the empty space that is created between each inhalation & exhalation or exhalation & inhalation; the empty space that is created as the morning changes to mid-day; as the mid-day changes to evening; as the evening changes to night; as the night changes to mid-night and as the mid-night changes to morning or day.
Sandhyavandanam is a kind of spiritual ritual which informs us to get back to that awareness of Stillness that is ever existing and ever present and which is the substratum of the whole existence of the Cosmos. It is acknowledging the Truth and being present in that awareness of Stillness every time.
A)
Sandhya (संध्या) = the junction point or the junction time.
vandanam (वन्दनं) = expressing gratitude by being in that awareness
so sandhyavandanam = being in that awareness of that junction or time.
now what is this junction point or junction time is nothing but Stillness. the junction point or the junction time is nothing but the empty space that is created between each inhalation & exhalation or exhalation & inhalation; the empty space that is created as the morning changes to mid-day; as the mid-day changes to evening; as the evening changes to night; as the night changes to mid-night and as the mid-night changes to morning or day.
Sandhyavandanam is a kind of spiritual ritual which informs us to get back to that awareness of Stillness that is ever existing and ever present and which is the substratum of the whole existence of the Cosmos. It is acknowledging the Truth and being present in that awareness of Stillness every time.
Sunday, May 19, 2013
Spiritual Questions - Part 19 (What is meditation and Samadhi?)
Q. What is Meditation?
A) Acknowledging that I am the part of Truth itself.
Q. What is Samadhi?
A) Only Truth exists (and being always in that Truth).
A) Acknowledging that I am the part of Truth itself.
Q. What is Samadhi?
A) Only Truth exists (and being always in that Truth).
Monday, May 13, 2013
shuklambaradharam slokam meaning in Telugu
శ్లోకం
శుక్లాంబరధరం విష్ణుం శశివర్ణం చతుర్భుజం|
ప్రసన్నవదనం ధ్యాయేత్ సర్వ విఘ్నోపశాంతయే ||
ప్రసన్నవదనం ధ్యాయేత్ సర్వ విఘ్నోపశాంతయే ||
పరమార్థం / నిగూడార్థం
ఓ అనంతుడా!
భూత, భవిష్యత్, వర్తమాన కాలాలతో; లేనిది ఉన్నట్టుగా ఉన్నది లేనట్టుగా భ్రమింపజేసే ఈ విఘ్నము నుంచి స్వచ్ఛతతో, పరిపూర్ణమైనటువంటి ప్రేమతో సర్వత్ర వ్యాపించి ఉన్న, ఈ వ్యక్తావ్యక్త సృష్టిని ధరిస్తున్నటువంటి అనంతమైనటువంటి ఆ నిశ్చల ప్రశాంతత సమీపమునకు మళ్ళించు / ఎరుక కలిగించు.
Thursday, April 11, 2013
What is Spirituality?
Q. What is Spirituality?
A. The ability of accepting the inevitability without questioning is Spirituality.
A. The ability of accepting the inevitability without questioning is Spirituality.
Saturday, February 2, 2013
Spiritual Questions - Part 17 (What does the characters l, 0 mean?)
Q) What does the characters l, 0 mean?
A) There is only One and that One is Nothingness. And, that Nothingness is everything. Anything that we see, hear, perceive, feel or experience is from that and in that Nothingness. That Nothingness is the substratum of everything.
A) There is only One and that One is Nothingness. And, that Nothingness is everything. Anything that we see, hear, perceive, feel or experience is from that and in that Nothingness. That Nothingness is the substratum of everything.
Wednesday, January 23, 2013
Spiritual Questions - Part 16 (What is the concept Adam and Eve?)
Q) What is the concept Adam and Eve? How to understand these two characters?
Eve = Prakriti = Vyakta = Manifested Cosmos
It is erroneous to depict Adam and Eve as Man and Woman.
The thought is the fruit. Thinking process is the sin. When one is in the thinking process, then the creation goes on and that one is bound to the wheel of samsara undergoing the cycle of birth and death. When one comes out of the thinking process there is no creation. Then one enters into the Avyakta or the Unmanifested Cosmos. Then one is out of the wheel of samsara. That individual dies before his/her physical death and there is no more and nothing to be born again.
In Mundaka Upanishad third chapter, first khanda there are two verses which tell us a story of two birds on a tree.
Mundaka Upanishad - Chapter III, Khanda 1, Verse/Mantra 1:
A) It is very simple.
Adam = Purusha = Avyakta = Unmanifested Cosmos
Eve = Prakriti = Vyakta = Manifested Cosmos
It is erroneous to depict Adam and Eve as Man and Woman.
The thought is the fruit. Thinking process is the sin. When one is in the thinking process, then the creation goes on and that one is bound to the wheel of samsara undergoing the cycle of birth and death. When one comes out of the thinking process there is no creation. Then one enters into the Avyakta or the Unmanifested Cosmos. Then one is out of the wheel of samsara. That individual dies before his/her physical death and there is no more and nothing to be born again.
In Mundaka Upanishad third chapter, first khanda there are two verses which tell us a story of two birds on a tree.
Mundaka Upanishad - Chapter III, Khanda 1, Verse/Mantra 1:
द्वा सुपर्णा सयुजा सखाया समानं वृक्षं परिषस्वजाते |
tayor anyaḥ pippalaṁ svādv attyanaśnann anyo’bhicākaśīti.
Two birds living together (living in the same Universal Consciousness), united always, never separated, each the friend of the other, known by the same name, closely perch upon the same tree. One of them eats the sweet fruit of the tree (delving into delusion), while the other simply looks on without eating (remains in the Universal Consciousness) remains not deluded.
Mundaka Upanishad - Chapter III, Khanda 1, Verse/Mantra 2:
तयोरन्यः पिप्पलं स्वाद्वात्य नश्नन्नन्यो अभिचाकशीति ||
dvā suparṇā sayujā sakhāyā samānaṁ vṛkṣam pariṣasvajātetayor anyaḥ pippalaṁ svādv attyanaśnann anyo’bhicākaśīti.
Two birds living together (living in the same Universal Consciousness), united always, never separated, each the friend of the other, known by the same name, closely perch upon the same tree. One of them eats the sweet fruit of the tree (delving into delusion), while the other simply looks on without eating (remains in the Universal Consciousness) remains not deluded.
Mundaka Upanishad - Chapter III, Khanda 1, Verse/Mantra 2:
समाने वृक्षे पुरुषो निमग्नोऽनीशया शोचति मुह्यमानः |
juṣṭam yadā paśyaty anyam īśam asya mahimānam iti, vīta-śokah.
Seated on the same tree the individual bird or jiva (identifying with the thought process or the mind) is drowned in grief as it got deluded and identified itself with the ego/mind moving away from the Universal consciousness. This when it beholds the other (bird which is always in the Universal Consciousness) ponders within and becomes aware of its ever present Universal consciousness realizes its own glory and gets freed from grief.
Q) What is sin?
A) Identifying our Self with the thought process is sin. Forgetting our true nature of avyakta, infinite Nothingness is sin.
जुष्टं यदा पश्यत्यन्यमीशमस्य महिमानमिति वीतशोकः ||
samāne vṛkṣe puruṣo nimagno’nīśayā śocati muhyamānaḥ,juṣṭam yadā paśyaty anyam īśam asya mahimānam iti, vīta-śokah.
Seated on the same tree the individual bird or jiva (identifying with the thought process or the mind) is drowned in grief as it got deluded and identified itself with the ego/mind moving away from the Universal consciousness. This when it beholds the other (bird which is always in the Universal Consciousness) ponders within and becomes aware of its ever present Universal consciousness realizes its own glory and gets freed from grief.
Q) What is sin?
A) Identifying our Self with the thought process is sin. Forgetting our true nature of avyakta, infinite Nothingness is sin.
Spiritual Questions - Part 15 ( What do the words "I, me and mine" mean?)
I, me and mine.
The only way that we can find answers is to shed all the extra baggage and come out of the thinking process.
In trying to seek for Self-realization we are trying to add more things (we may call them as spiritual things). But in reality we are supposed to subtract and withdraw everything instead of adding. This realization of removal of all the additional things one has to get as early as possible or else the seeker in us is bound to go round and round the wheel of samsara.
There is a scene in the movie “Matrix – Revolutions (3rd part of the Trilogy)” where the hero Keanu Reeves will be in an underground metro railway station and wants to see where the track goes. So he walks in between the rails and ends up coming onto the same platform where he started.
This whole world of samsara exists as such in triviality. We can never come out of it as long as we are in the thinking process and bound by the mind. To come out of the wheel of Samsara we have to just get out of the wheel. By standing on the wheel it is never possible. So by thinking and being in the mind it is never possible. The moment we give up the thought process then lo we are already out of the wheel.
There is a simile given in Vedanta teachings. Let us say a sculptor has to sculpt a statue from a rock. What he has to do is only remove the unwanted rock pieces from the big rock. The sculptor always sees the statue lying always within the rock. What he does is only remove those extra pieces that are blocking the view of the already inherent statue.
Another simile is “the clouds obstructing the sun’s view or light”. The sun is always ever present. It is only that the clouds have to be moved to have clear view.
So, we all are already that. We have to simply remove our conditional thinking, our pre-conceived notions about us and the world around including everyone and everything that is present in it whether animate or inanimate.
- Who am I?
- What is this me?
- What is mine?
The only way that we can find answers is to shed all the extra baggage and come out of the thinking process.
In trying to seek for Self-realization we are trying to add more things (we may call them as spiritual things). But in reality we are supposed to subtract and withdraw everything instead of adding. This realization of removal of all the additional things one has to get as early as possible or else the seeker in us is bound to go round and round the wheel of samsara.
There is a scene in the movie “Matrix – Revolutions (3rd part of the Trilogy)” where the hero Keanu Reeves will be in an underground metro railway station and wants to see where the track goes. So he walks in between the rails and ends up coming onto the same platform where he started.
This whole world of samsara exists as such in triviality. We can never come out of it as long as we are in the thinking process and bound by the mind. To come out of the wheel of Samsara we have to just get out of the wheel. By standing on the wheel it is never possible. So by thinking and being in the mind it is never possible. The moment we give up the thought process then lo we are already out of the wheel.
There is a simile given in Vedanta teachings. Let us say a sculptor has to sculpt a statue from a rock. What he has to do is only remove the unwanted rock pieces from the big rock. The sculptor always sees the statue lying always within the rock. What he does is only remove those extra pieces that are blocking the view of the already inherent statue.
Another simile is “the clouds obstructing the sun’s view or light”. The sun is always ever present. It is only that the clouds have to be moved to have clear view.
So, we all are already that. We have to simply remove our conditional thinking, our pre-conceived notions about us and the world around including everyone and everything that is present in it whether animate or inanimate.
Spiritual Questions - Part 14 (What is awakening?)
Q. What is awakening?
A. A natural noumenon which happens in the phenomenal world and we say it as awakening.
Q. What does the word noumenon means?
A. The dictionary mentions it as "The intellectual conception of a thing as it is in itself, not as it is known through perception."
Q. What happens when a person gets awakened?
A. No-thing happens.
Q. What do you mean No-thing happens.
A. No-thing means the happening of Nothing-ness happens. If there is something related to the mind or the ego - the "I", then we can say something happens. When it is not related to the mind or the I, then what do we say. Because in the awakening there is only No-thing which happens. And, even saying the word "happens" is also in a way wrong. Because it does not happen. It is is always there. Only thing is we get aware of that It is.
Q. What happens after awakening?
A. There will be a huge paradigm shift in perception of every thing.
A. A natural noumenon which happens in the phenomenal world and we say it as awakening.
Q. What does the word noumenon means?
A. The dictionary mentions it as "The intellectual conception of a thing as it is in itself, not as it is known through perception."
Q. What happens when a person gets awakened?
A. No-thing happens.
Q. What do you mean No-thing happens.
A. No-thing means the happening of Nothing-ness happens. If there is something related to the mind or the ego - the "I", then we can say something happens. When it is not related to the mind or the I, then what do we say. Because in the awakening there is only No-thing which happens. And, even saying the word "happens" is also in a way wrong. Because it does not happen. It is is always there. Only thing is we get aware of that It is.
Q. What happens after awakening?
A. There will be a huge paradigm shift in perception of every thing.
Saturday, January 5, 2013
Spiritual Questions - Part 13A (What is self-inquiry?)
Q) What is self-inquiry?
A) Inquiring about Silence through silence (no-thought or no-mind state).
Q) Can you explain further?
A) No, it is not possible, but will try to make a futile attempt.
Let us say you are looking for an answer to a question. What will you do? (I will ask someone.) Let us say in this case, you ask someone and that person does not know, or even if that person knows the answer he/she will not be able to express it as it would be inexpressible, then what will you do? (No idea.) Under such circumstances where there is no external source available for finding the answer then we try to look within for an answer. This does not mean that you are looking with your eyes into your physical body. Looking within means you are introspecting and interacting with your mind and questioning its existence. As you keep doing this, there will be a stage beyond which mind cannot give you an answer. Then you automatically enter into silence. Through this silence (the no-thought state) you enter into the Silence/ Stillness. In this Stillness you will see the Truth and understand that what you see as reality is only an illusion which the so called mind has created it.
Q) I understand it a bit, but how to reach that state?
A) Generally there are various kinds of techniques that are prescribed. Most of these techniques are based upon some or the other breathing patterns.
Q) Do you mean to say....if I follow these techniques can I get to self-realization?
A) No.
Q) Then why should I follow these techniques?
A) These techniques allow us to quieten our minds, our thought processes.
The path in which such techniques are involved is called as progressive path. And in all progressive paths there is a seeker and something to be sought which the seeker is seeking for. Over a period of time the seeker gets into a state where he/she will start questioning the existence of a path. Then the seeker reaches a void and changes from the progressive path to direct path. In the direct path the seeker can quieten the mind faster and straight tries to reach to the source. This source is Nothingness or Emptiness.
Q) So do you mean to say that progressive path is not to be taken?
A) No. The progressive path is very important and it is the one path (among many) that one follows so that one can quieten the mind and take it away from its natural wandering. But once the natural wandering of the mind is stopped then mind can be taken inside and starts questioning about its existence. Since the mind has no real existence it cannot answer and gets disappeared. Then the natural substratum of Silence which was ever present appears clearly as if we are able to see the sun after the clouds have vanished.
Q) What are the main differences between these two paths?
A) Actually there are no paths in spirituality. It is only our illusion and the state in which our minds are. In the progressive path there is a seeker and there is something to be sought by the seeker. In direct path, the seeker questions - "what is being sought?"; "who the seeker is?"; and "where is this seeker existing?" There are no answers for these questions. But, when these questions are framed, then the seeker, the thing being sought and the questions all become one by dissolving their existence in the Stillness and by dissolving into Stillness they lose their existence. This is where the state of noumenon happens and it is a Natural state. The seeker comes to a realization that he/she is already that which is being sought.
Q) What are the main differences between these two paths?
A) Actually there are no paths in spirituality. It is only our illusion and the state in which our minds are. In the progressive path there is a seeker and there is something to be sought by the seeker. In direct path, the seeker questions - "what is being sought?"; "who the seeker is?"; and "where is this seeker existing?" There are no answers for these questions. But, when these questions are framed, then the seeker, the thing being sought and the questions all become one by dissolving their existence in the Stillness and by dissolving into Stillness they lose their existence. This is where the state of noumenon happens and it is a Natural state. The seeker comes to a realization that he/she is already that which is being sought.
Q) So you mean to say that Self-inquiry means I am inquiring about my self?
A) No. You are inquiring about your Self (the True Self) with your self (an illusory existence). As the True Self surfaces out (in reality we get more aware of it) then the little self slowly (sometimes all of a sudden) disappears. This surfacing of True Self or getting aware of the True Self they call it as awakening.
Sunday, December 16, 2012
Spiritual Questions - Part 12 (What does the phrase mean "don't die with your music still in you"?)
Q. What does the phrase mean "don't die with your music still in you"?
A. It is very simple but most difficult. The word music here is related to thoughts, those unfulfilled desires, wants, needs etc. Whenever a person has the music still in the mind while the person dies, that person has to take birth again to fulfill those unfulfilled thoughts which are in the form of unfulfilled desires, wants or needs. So the best way is to dissolve all desires by entering into Silence and Stillness. When the person enters Stillness and be in that Silence, then all thoughts are dissolved and there is no more music in the mind. That person is free from all entanglements, attachments and detachments also. A free person need not take birth again.
A. It is very simple but most difficult. The word music here is related to thoughts, those unfulfilled desires, wants, needs etc. Whenever a person has the music still in the mind while the person dies, that person has to take birth again to fulfill those unfulfilled thoughts which are in the form of unfulfilled desires, wants or needs. So the best way is to dissolve all desires by entering into Silence and Stillness. When the person enters Stillness and be in that Silence, then all thoughts are dissolved and there is no more music in the mind. That person is free from all entanglements, attachments and detachments also. A free person need not take birth again.
Saturday, December 15, 2012
Spiritual Questions - Part 11 (What is Love?)
Q. What is Love?
A. The free tendency to expand and become One with everything.
Q. This definition is strange! Why do you say "free tendency to expand"?
A. When you have a tendency to expand with your will, there is ego in it; then it does not expand freely to everything around the whole cosmos. May be it expands to your nearest family members, may be pets, may be to some extent to friends - but not beyond that. Where as when it happens freely without any will, then it expands to the whole cosmos. Then, that is called as Love.
Q. When you mean to the whole cosmos, what do your really mean in that?
A. It means everything. It includes trees, shrubs, all types of animals, flowers, mountains, rocks, planets, galaxies, everything animate and inanimate; seen and unseen; perceived and unperceived, felt and unfelt.
Q. How to sense and experience such kind of love?
A. It is very simple. Just let go everything, even the I also. Just go beyond the mind also. Then it just flows. Flows like a perennial river, expands and engulfs like an ocean.
Q. What happens when such a thing happens, I mean when that Love is experienced?
A. May be in slang, I would call it as you are on the 9th Cloud always (not the general excited state) where others does not even know and they sense only a smile on your face or may be not that also. It is soft like a cotton cushion and as hard as a coir mattress. It is very peaceful, calm, serene, still and silent.
Q. I heard that sometimes it is very difficult to stay with an awakened person. Why is it so?
A. Actually it is not difficult. If there is no ego, then it is the most easiest way to stay with such a person. If ego enters, then there will not be any recognition or entertainment for that ego, that is when it becomes difficult to stay. It is as simple as that. With an awakened person you will be able to see your true nature very clearly. And, there will be no ego boosters from that person. So, either you (actually your ego) are crushed literally (because it is completely ignored without the knowledge of that awakened person) or you are loved (your True nature as Spirit) infinitely. For any normal person these ups and downs are too traumatic, that is when it becomes difficult to stay with an awakened person.
A. The free tendency to expand and become One with everything.
Q. This definition is strange! Why do you say "free tendency to expand"?
A. When you have a tendency to expand with your will, there is ego in it; then it does not expand freely to everything around the whole cosmos. May be it expands to your nearest family members, may be pets, may be to some extent to friends - but not beyond that. Where as when it happens freely without any will, then it expands to the whole cosmos. Then, that is called as Love.
Q. When you mean to the whole cosmos, what do your really mean in that?
A. It means everything. It includes trees, shrubs, all types of animals, flowers, mountains, rocks, planets, galaxies, everything animate and inanimate; seen and unseen; perceived and unperceived, felt and unfelt.
Q. How to sense and experience such kind of love?
A. It is very simple. Just let go everything, even the I also. Just go beyond the mind also. Then it just flows. Flows like a perennial river, expands and engulfs like an ocean.
Q. What happens when such a thing happens, I mean when that Love is experienced?
A. May be in slang, I would call it as you are on the 9th Cloud always (not the general excited state) where others does not even know and they sense only a smile on your face or may be not that also. It is soft like a cotton cushion and as hard as a coir mattress. It is very peaceful, calm, serene, still and silent.
Q. I heard that sometimes it is very difficult to stay with an awakened person. Why is it so?
A. Actually it is not difficult. If there is no ego, then it is the most easiest way to stay with such a person. If ego enters, then there will not be any recognition or entertainment for that ego, that is when it becomes difficult to stay. It is as simple as that. With an awakened person you will be able to see your true nature very clearly. And, there will be no ego boosters from that person. So, either you (actually your ego) are crushed literally (because it is completely ignored without the knowledge of that awakened person) or you are loved (your True nature as Spirit) infinitely. For any normal person these ups and downs are too traumatic, that is when it becomes difficult to stay with an awakened person.
Monday, November 12, 2012
Spiritual questions - Part 10 (What is mumukshatva?)
Q. What is mumukshatva (ममुक्षत्व)?
A. Mumukshatva (मुमुक्षत्व) means yearning desire for liberation. It is the one desire beyond all desires.
Q. Why is it desire beyond all desires?
A. First and foremost it is not a desire. It is a zeal for liberation. The individual who wants to get liberated or attain absolute freedom will work in a complete different way. In the beginning that individual starts to have a desire for liberation and tries to forego every other desire trying to be with the bare necessities of the body and if so with the bare necessities of the society. As the individual progresses, he/she will try to analyze every situation and reacts accordingly. Then over a period of time, that individual will stop analyzing and just acts in the situation instead of reacting to the situation. Later when the individual is all by himself/herself, he/she will question "why this situation has come?", "what made me to attract such a situation?" He/she will understand that whatever is happening is preordained and since everything is preordained he/she surrenders to the situation and just only acts according to the situation. In fact his/her body will act, being he/she as only an observer of the whole situation. Later the individual will get to a state where, a realization comes that "my mind is my karma", "my thought is my karma." Once this state comes, the individual will not have any attachment towards his/her thoughts and will completely stop trying to control the mind. That individual will only observe the thoughts if they rise and over a period of time does even bother about them. That individual will act as the situation demands and will not have any reaction towards any situation.
When there is no reaction to any thought, there is no desire for anything. Hence that individual will not have any attachment towards thoughts. That individual will become effortless and choiceless. When there is no choice, there is only surrender. When there is no effort, Silence prevails all the time, Stillness is ever present. So mumukshatva (मुमुक्षत्व) makes one effortless and choiceless. Because any choice and effort is attachment towards thought, and any attachment towards thought is bondage and it will bind the individual making that individual to go through the wheel of samsara (संसार) again and again.
Q. Why is that we get attached to our thoughts, and how we create bondage out of them?
A. Let us take an example. Let us say an individual works very hard probably 14 hours a day to make a living and helps in rearing the kids, brings up the family and ensures that everyone is happy. Now that individual will expect that his/her family members should have some gratitude towards him and he/she should be rewarded with some kind of goodness (punyam - पुण्यं) for all the hardwork that he/she has put forth for so many years. This kind of expectancy in us creates a bondage towards our work and forces us to enter into the wheel of samsara again and again to reap those benefits. Remember, good or bad, both are thoughts and both will create bondage. So every thought that we desire for, will eventually happen based upon the strength of attachment that we have towards that thought. More the attachment towards the thought more the bondage, more the identity and more the suffering. In fact we get so much attached to our thoughts, that we start identifying with them and call ourselves with various names based upon the continuation of that thought process. Some call themselves as psychologists, while some call themselves as psychiatrists, doctors, chemists, pharmacists, technicians, engineers, drillers, singers, musicians, composers, programmers, spiritual persons ..... so on and so forth, what not with so many names. Every name is an identification and every identity will become a bondage the moment we get attached to it and every bondage will bind us to the wheel of samsara and will make us to enter into the birth-and-death cycle. So a jnani (झानि) will let go every thought by surrendering to the moment and jumps out of the wheel of samsara. A jnani (झानि) will realize that any expectancy is going to create bondage and he/she will become choiceless. Because expecting anything is also a choice.
Q. So, do you mean to say we all should become choiceless and effortless?
A. In a way yes. But even if we do not become choiceless and effortless, we will be forced by cosmos to become so. It is better if we accept it out of our free will what the fact is. Because, the sooner we accept it, the lesser the suffering. And, the fact is that we have created this body and we only have created the situations. That is why it is all preordained. So, if have to not to create any more situations like this, we have to become choiceless and effortless. Then what ever has to happen in this life with the present body, it will surely happen and since there are no more choices and efforts we are out of the wheel of samsara.
Q. So, do you mean to say we should avoid all sorts of feelings?
A. Most of our feelings are worldly like love (the worldly or conjugal love), hatred, resentment, resilience, etc. Let go all these feelings. Once we enter into Stillness then the true feeling that comes out of that Stillness is pure Love. With that pure Love we can love everything in the cosmos. We will have the same feeling towards our children, our spouse, our friends, animals (a caterpillar, a snake or a scorpion), mountains, rivers, lakes, etc. it does not matter; we will have the same feeling and that feeling is born out of pure Love. so mumukshatva leads us to that pure Love.
Wednesday, October 24, 2012
Spiritual Questions - Part 9 (What is devotion?)
Q. What is devotion?
A. The non-emotional form of Emotion of True Love is Devotion.
Q. Can you cultivate devotion?
A. No
Q. Why?
A. Because, anything that you try to create or cultivate will be with the I and that will be ego driven. So, in reality it cannot happen. Because, anything that is created based on ego will be emotional in nature and it will bind you to that concept. Devotion is not like that. Devotion has to happen all by itself. Then, how can anything happens all by itself? It is not possible. That means it has to be present already. So, Devotion is the same-thing as Silence which is ever present. Only thing is we should make ourselves aware of that. That is why it is called as non-emotional Emotion of True Love. Because, in Devotion you will love everything unconditionally. Actually you will love your True Self in it. Since your True Self is the One which is present everywhere, you will love everything. Because everything is a projection of that True Self. Anything that is projected is projected as a thought only. That means in reality it does not exist. It is a dream only. When any-thing does not exist, what will exist? Only Nothing-ness exists. So Devotion is that kind of non-emotional Emotion of True Love that reveals that Nothingness. All this happens only in surrender. In fact, in Devotion lies surrender. In Devotion there is a complete surrender in it. Surrender means nothing. There is no I in it. When there is no I, is there a You? No. Surrender is a state where there is neither I nor You. Just it is. Surrender is the state where everything is happening all by itself. There is not even a process of thinking that whatever is happening is done by Him. It is a state where you may want to say to explain someone "it is happening all by itself", but underneath at the substratum you know that even that is not happening; it is only a projection of mind and it is an illusion. In fact nothing is ever happening. You are in that Nothing-ness state.
So Devotion or surrender is a state of neither I nor You. It is a state of Emptiness. Just it is!
Sunday, October 21, 2012
Spiritual Questions - Part 8 (What is ego, etc?)
Q) What is ego?
A) It is the identification with a self created identity.
Q) How is identity created?
A) Identity is created because of attachment towards a thought process.
Q) How to forego the identity?
A) By foregoing the attachment to thought process.
Q) How to forego the attachment to thought process.
A) By entering into Silence.
Q) How to enter into Silence?
A) By letting go the attachment towards all thoughts.
Q) How to let go the attachment towards all thoughts?
A) By becoming effortless and choiceless.
Q) How to become effortless and choiceless.
A) By surrendering.
Q) To whom we have to surrender?
A) We have to surrender to our own Self.
Q) What happens when we surrender to our Self?
A) We become choiceless and effortless.
Q) What happens when we become choiceless and effortless?
A) We will be always peaceful and be in the awareness of Self.
Actually the Awareness Itself will be aware of Awareness.
A) It is the identification with a self created identity.
Q) How is identity created?
A) Identity is created because of attachment towards a thought process.
Q) How to forego the identity?
A) By foregoing the attachment to thought process.
Q) How to forego the attachment to thought process.
A) By entering into Silence.
Q) How to enter into Silence?
A) By letting go the attachment towards all thoughts.
Q) How to let go the attachment towards all thoughts?
A) By becoming effortless and choiceless.
Q) How to become effortless and choiceless.
A) By surrendering.
Q) To whom we have to surrender?
A) We have to surrender to our own Self.
Q) What happens when we surrender to our Self?
A) We become choiceless and effortless.
Q) What happens when we become choiceless and effortless?
A) We will be always peaceful and be in the awareness of Self.
Actually the Awareness Itself will be aware of Awareness.
Monday, October 15, 2012
Annamacharya Kirtana - vADala vADala venTa vADevO vADevO
This kirtana completely explains Sankhya Yoga
| Song in Telugu lipi | Transliteration | Spiritual Interpretation |
| వాడల వాడల వెంట వాడెవో వాడెవో నీడనుండి చీరలమ్మే నేత బేహారీ | vADala vADala venTa vADevO vADevO neeDa nunDi cheeralammE nEta bEhAree | The One which is unmanifested has manifested into many and is Omnipresent. [Avyakta (Purusha) to Vyakta (Prakruti)] |
| పంచభూతములనెడి పలువన్నెల నూలు చంచలపు గంజి తోడ చరిసేసి కొంచెపు కండెల నూలి గుణముల నేసి మంచి మంచి చీరలమ్మే మారు బేహారి | pancha bhutamulaneDi paluvanne noolu chanchalapu ganji tODa charisEsi konchepu kanDela nooli guNamula nEsi manchi manchi cheeralammE mAru bEhAri | The unmanifested has manifested by dividing itself into 5 elements of various natures. Pancha Gnanedriyas, Pancha Karmendriyas, Pancha Mahabhutas and Pancha Tanmatras with the help of Trigunas and the ego. |
| మటు మాయముల దన మగువ పసిడి నీరు చిటిపొటి యలుకలజిలికించగ కుటిలపు జేతలు కుచ్చులుగ గట్టి పటవాళి చీరలమ్మే బలు బేహారి | maTu mAyamula dana maguva pasiDi neeru chiTi poTi yalukalajilikinchaga kuTilapu jEtalu kuchchuluga gaTTi paTavALi cheeralammE balu bEhAri | The mind considers everything as reality because of illusion and makes so many dreams and aspirations in this Dream (which is nothing but a thought projection of the Purusha). The dream is nothing but Prakruti. |
| మచ్చిక జీవుల పెద్ద మైల సంతలలోన వెచ్చపు కర్మ ధనము విలువ చేసి పచ్చడాలుగా గుట్టి బలు వేంకటపతి ఇచ్చకొలదులనమ్మే ఇంటి బేహారి | machchika jeevula pedda maila santala lOna vechchapu karma dhanamu viluva chEsi pachchDAluga guTTi balu vEnkaTapati ichchakoladula nammE inTi bEhAri | By creating more and more dreams man enters into the cycle of karma and accumulates karma. Finally he surrenders to the Lord Venkatapati [(vem = illusion of desire / sin / paapam); kata = to cut; pati = husband / the One who has created this = Purusha] and after overcoming the karma he enters back into the house of Purusha or enters the state of Avyakta. |
Thursday, September 27, 2012
Spiritual Questions - Part 7 (Why one gets bored on Spiritual path after some time?)
Q. Why one gets bored on Spiritual path after some time?
A. Because there is nothing encouraging for the mind. There will be no entertainment for the mind. Since mind does not find anything exciting, it gets bored. It will give the feeling of boredom so that the individual will try to search or look for something that is more exciting and entertaining. The height of boredom will be the death of the mind. The death of the mind will be the death of the ego. This is what it means, what the saints say it as - die before you really die. The death of the ego is the real death. The physical death is not death at all. It is only a transformation from one form to another. The ego continues to live even after the physical death or transformation of the body. It is the ego which gives rise to re-birth. There is a small catch here. The mind can play many tricks. One of the trick that mind plays while in meditation is sleep. The aspirant can feel sleepy after some time, when mind does get some rest or when it gets bored. Sri Ramana Maharshi used to say, "observe even while you are sleeping or just before going to sleep. Who is that actually going to sleep?" In short it's a mind game, so just ignore it. Ignore the mind which says that and ignore the boredom also. Just keep practicing whatever you are practicing without anticipating any thing.
Q. Why should I opt for spiritual path?
A. Hmmm....... pretty difficult question to answer.
Q. Why is it difficult to answer?
A. Because, there is nothing you can gain on spiritual path. You will lose everything, including your identity. This loss is not at all physical or materialistic. The loss is only related to the causal. All the causes are lost. When there is no cause, then there is no effect. So, if someone has to show you that spiritual path is very exciting, then they will tell you only the part of the journey and not the end of the journey. Because, at the end of the journey there is nothing you gain. Of course the journey could be exciting, and it will be exciting as long as the mind exists. Once the mind is gone or the attachment towards the thoughts is gone, then there is nothing. In fact what remains is nothingness. The nothingness cannot be expressed. Since it cannot be expressed, others who are attached to thoughts will get bored. And, how can you ask an individual to opt for spiritual path? When you tell the Truth that there is nothing what will you say? You have to tell the individual to opt for nothingness on the spiritual path. And, how will you say that to an individual who is so much attached to his/her thoughts?
Q.People say that one get powers on the spiritual path, how far it is true?
A. Anything which is manifested is impermanent, temporary and will perish in time. So, all the powers that one get or obtain on the spiritual path are impermanent, temporary and they will perish in time. In fact an aspirant should not show even an iota of interest on to such things.
Q. What about service to others? Don't you think it is necessary?
A. There are two ways of looking at this point.
1. When you say I do service to people - then you feel that you are different from that individual and hence get into an egoistic state - saying that "I have done this and that." Such things will not do any good. Instead they will spoil you further.
2. When you feel that you are not different from others, in fact you are the same spirit as the others, then there is no service. By talking to other person, you are talking to your own self in others. By giving food to others, you are giving food to your own self present in others.
This you will say as - "I am existing here in this body in the same way as in that body also."
Q. What is advaita vedanta (अद्वैत वेदान्त)
A. Both the words have same meaning and both mean One.
Q. Can you elaborate?
A. Advaita means non-duality. It means there is no two. So, when there is no two, there is no three also. Hence there is only one.
Vedaanta (वेद + अन्त) means - the end of knowledge. Now, where knowledge ends, there the mind stops. Where the mind stop its existence, there - there is nothingness. Where there is nothingness, there is no duality. Where there is no duality, there it is only One that is present.
Q. Is it good to follow, and is it the right path for everyone?
A. It all depends upon the conditional thinking of the individual. Initially it may be pretty difficult for anyone to come on to this path, but eventually one has to come to this path of advaita or non-duality, for it is not a path, it is the Truth.
A. Because there is nothing encouraging for the mind. There will be no entertainment for the mind. Since mind does not find anything exciting, it gets bored. It will give the feeling of boredom so that the individual will try to search or look for something that is more exciting and entertaining. The height of boredom will be the death of the mind. The death of the mind will be the death of the ego. This is what it means, what the saints say it as - die before you really die. The death of the ego is the real death. The physical death is not death at all. It is only a transformation from one form to another. The ego continues to live even after the physical death or transformation of the body. It is the ego which gives rise to re-birth. There is a small catch here. The mind can play many tricks. One of the trick that mind plays while in meditation is sleep. The aspirant can feel sleepy after some time, when mind does get some rest or when it gets bored. Sri Ramana Maharshi used to say, "observe even while you are sleeping or just before going to sleep. Who is that actually going to sleep?" In short it's a mind game, so just ignore it. Ignore the mind which says that and ignore the boredom also. Just keep practicing whatever you are practicing without anticipating any thing.
Q. Why should I opt for spiritual path?
A. Hmmm....... pretty difficult question to answer.
Q. Why is it difficult to answer?
A. Because, there is nothing you can gain on spiritual path. You will lose everything, including your identity. This loss is not at all physical or materialistic. The loss is only related to the causal. All the causes are lost. When there is no cause, then there is no effect. So, if someone has to show you that spiritual path is very exciting, then they will tell you only the part of the journey and not the end of the journey. Because, at the end of the journey there is nothing you gain. Of course the journey could be exciting, and it will be exciting as long as the mind exists. Once the mind is gone or the attachment towards the thoughts is gone, then there is nothing. In fact what remains is nothingness. The nothingness cannot be expressed. Since it cannot be expressed, others who are attached to thoughts will get bored. And, how can you ask an individual to opt for spiritual path? When you tell the Truth that there is nothing what will you say? You have to tell the individual to opt for nothingness on the spiritual path. And, how will you say that to an individual who is so much attached to his/her thoughts?
Q.People say that one get powers on the spiritual path, how far it is true?
A. Anything which is manifested is impermanent, temporary and will perish in time. So, all the powers that one get or obtain on the spiritual path are impermanent, temporary and they will perish in time. In fact an aspirant should not show even an iota of interest on to such things.
Q. What about service to others? Don't you think it is necessary?
A. There are two ways of looking at this point.
1. When you say I do service to people - then you feel that you are different from that individual and hence get into an egoistic state - saying that "I have done this and that." Such things will not do any good. Instead they will spoil you further.
2. When you feel that you are not different from others, in fact you are the same spirit as the others, then there is no service. By talking to other person, you are talking to your own self in others. By giving food to others, you are giving food to your own self present in others.
This you will say as - "I am existing here in this body in the same way as in that body also."
Q. What is advaita vedanta (अद्वैत वेदान्त)
A. Both the words have same meaning and both mean One.
Q. Can you elaborate?
A. Advaita means non-duality. It means there is no two. So, when there is no two, there is no three also. Hence there is only one.
Vedaanta (वेद + अन्त) means - the end of knowledge. Now, where knowledge ends, there the mind stops. Where the mind stop its existence, there - there is nothingness. Where there is nothingness, there is no duality. Where there is no duality, there it is only One that is present.
Q. Is it good to follow, and is it the right path for everyone?
A. It all depends upon the conditional thinking of the individual. Initially it may be pretty difficult for anyone to come on to this path, but eventually one has to come to this path of advaita or non-duality, for it is not a path, it is the Truth.
Saturday, September 22, 2012
Sāṅkhya yoga (साङ्ख़्य योग)
Sāṅkhya yoga (साङ्ख़्य योग)
Given below the flow chart of sāṅkhya yoga for easy understanding.
For pdf file of the above flowchart please click here
Explanation:
The ONE which is ever present is called as Purusha which is Universal Awareness and Universal Consciousness. This is the unmanifested form of the Universe. This when gets expressed into manifested form is called as Prakruti which will have limited consciousness and hence called as unconscious. (The word consciousness here should not be considered as the word that we use in general forms that of related to mind.)
The Prakruti gets expressed into the Cosmos that we perceive and see. For this Prakruti to get expressed in various forms, it splits into three characteristics called as Triguna - Sattwa, Rajas and Tamas. While the Rajas characteristic takes care of activity, the Tamas characteristic takes care of the inertia. The Sattwa characteristic takes care of the equilibrium of activity and inertia. What ever we see, perceive and experience in this cosmos is a combination or recombination of these three characteristics.
While the three characteristics makes the framework for the manifestation of the cosmos, it is further manifested into 23 elements. The first is the Mahat tattwa which forms the basis for the Buddhi or Cosmic Intelligence. The Buddhi gives rise to Ahankara. Ahankara with the help of Sattwa characteristic expresses into the subtle substance of thoughts called as Mind, 5 organs of perception called Jnanendriyas, 5 organs of action called Karmendriyas. The same Ahankara with the help of Tamas characteristic expresses into the 5 gross elements called Pancha Bhutas and 5 subtle elements called Pancha Tanmatras. The Rajas characteristic provides energy for the evolution and existence of these 21 elements.
Since the most subtle part of these 21 elements is mind, the Saints advice to quieten the mind and prescribe various methods of practices. While the Yama, Niyama, Asana methods of practice reduce the effect of Rajas characteristic; the Pranayama, Pratyahara reduces the effect of Tamas Characteristc and makes the aspirant to look into its mind through Dharana. During the Dhyana the mind is perceived as something else. And, during Samadhi the mind is treated as nothing but a bundle of thoughts and is just a wave which is part of the ocean, hence is completely ignored. This rises to Atma Jnana where the aspirant (henceforth called as Spirit) clearly realizes that It (He/She) is not only different from Prakruti and also a part of it which was its temporary existence and is beyond the three characteristics or Triguna and goes beyond duality. Then Once the Spirit completely realizes the transitoriness and the impermanence of the manifested cosmos as only an expression of the Purusha or Unmanifested, It merges into That - rather is constantly in that Universal Awareness.
Friday, September 21, 2012
Spiritual Questions - Part 6 (Birth of Vinaayaka)
Q. In the Vinaayakotpatti - Birth of Vinaayaka: I feel that there is completely an esoteric meaning and it goes like this. If we consider Parvati as Prakruti and Shiva as Purusha, then Vinayaka who is made by Parvati/Prakruti will not recognize Shiva/Purusha which could be the ego and Shiva removes that head - ego of Vinayaka and gives him the head of Elephant. What do you say?
A. Your thought process is on the right track. Let us slightly go into it in a more detailed way.
The story goes as follows:
Parvati makes an idol with flour/mud (actually from the dirt of her own body) and puts life into it. After placing life into it, She keeps the idol on guard and tells him to not let any one in and She goes to have a bath to get ready to greet Shiva.
When Shiva comes and tries to enter Kailasa (His abode), He is not allowed inside by Vinaayaka and out of anger He slews the head of Vinaayaka and after persuasion of Parvati, He bestows the head of an Elephant (which is the head of Gajaasura).
Now let us look into the meanings of these names.
vinAyaka (विनायक) = one of the meanings is remover
but when we look at the same word as an adjective the various meanings are = removing, impediment, obstacle
Parvati (पार्वती) = of Parvata or of mountain
Shiva (शिवा) = Final emancipation
kailaasa (कैलास) = particular form of temple
Now let us look into the esoteric meaning behind this story.
Consider Paarvati as prakruti or nature as you said. So the nature creates an image Vinaayaka (by the help of Trigunas) and tells it to guard so that unwanted elements are prevented to enter its abode. Considering Vinaayaka as ego, ego does not realize that Shiva is not an unwanted element but is the Master of Prakruti (husband of Paarvati) and He (Bliss) is the One which Paarvati/Prakruti (in this case the aspiratnt) is always waiting for so that She gets emancipated.
So, when a human being is born - it is the ego that rules the human being and thinking that he is the one who can stop everyone entering into its mind, he stops the thought of emancipation also because of the ignorance and gives high importance to the external nature there by he makes merry only with the nature. To get emancipated the ego has to be removed and by getting the elephant face one's perception of the nature completely changes. Let us look into this incident also. The elephant face is not the real face of Vinaayaka. When we reverse the word gaja (गज), we get jaga (जग) which means world. So, the elephant face tells us about the temporariness of this world.
So, in the vinaaykotpatti (विनायकोत्पत्ति) we have to understand that the world is temporary and should not listen to the external nature completely. We have to overcome all kinds of external nature's influence on our mind which have become as impediments from attaining liberation and let in the zeal for emancipation or mumukshtvam (मुमुक्षत्वं)- the yearning zeal for liberation so that we attain final emancipation.
An aspirant understands the transitoriness of the external world goes within and after performing intense saadhana awakens Kundalini in a highly regulated manner and goes beyond the avasthatraya (the trifold nature of the world) and finally gets emancipated. This is the esoteric meaning of birth of Vinaayaka.
After getting the elephant face Vinaayaka He is called as Gajaanana (गजानन) and after obtaining ganaadhipatyam (गणाधिपत्यं) He becomes Ganapati (गणपति). We can learn more about Ganapati in Ganapati Upanishat which clearly says, Ganapati is the one who abodes the coccygeal center or the moolaadhaara chakra and when an aspirant follows the yogic method how Ganapati becomes everything, in turn how a human being can attain liberation.
Some day we will look into Ganapati Upanishat also.
A. Your thought process is on the right track. Let us slightly go into it in a more detailed way.
The story goes as follows:
Parvati makes an idol with flour/mud (actually from the dirt of her own body) and puts life into it. After placing life into it, She keeps the idol on guard and tells him to not let any one in and She goes to have a bath to get ready to greet Shiva.
When Shiva comes and tries to enter Kailasa (His abode), He is not allowed inside by Vinaayaka and out of anger He slews the head of Vinaayaka and after persuasion of Parvati, He bestows the head of an Elephant (which is the head of Gajaasura).
Now let us look into the meanings of these names.
vinAyaka (विनायक) = one of the meanings is remover
but when we look at the same word as an adjective the various meanings are = removing, impediment, obstacle
Parvati (पार्वती) = of Parvata or of mountain
Shiva (शिवा) = Final emancipation
kailaasa (कैलास) = particular form of temple
Now let us look into the esoteric meaning behind this story.
Consider Paarvati as prakruti or nature as you said. So the nature creates an image Vinaayaka (by the help of Trigunas) and tells it to guard so that unwanted elements are prevented to enter its abode. Considering Vinaayaka as ego, ego does not realize that Shiva is not an unwanted element but is the Master of Prakruti (husband of Paarvati) and He (Bliss) is the One which Paarvati/Prakruti (in this case the aspiratnt) is always waiting for so that She gets emancipated.
So, when a human being is born - it is the ego that rules the human being and thinking that he is the one who can stop everyone entering into its mind, he stops the thought of emancipation also because of the ignorance and gives high importance to the external nature there by he makes merry only with the nature. To get emancipated the ego has to be removed and by getting the elephant face one's perception of the nature completely changes. Let us look into this incident also. The elephant face is not the real face of Vinaayaka. When we reverse the word gaja (गज), we get jaga (जग) which means world. So, the elephant face tells us about the temporariness of this world.
So, in the vinaaykotpatti (विनायकोत्पत्ति) we have to understand that the world is temporary and should not listen to the external nature completely. We have to overcome all kinds of external nature's influence on our mind which have become as impediments from attaining liberation and let in the zeal for emancipation or mumukshtvam (मुमुक्षत्वं)- the yearning zeal for liberation so that we attain final emancipation.
An aspirant understands the transitoriness of the external world goes within and after performing intense saadhana awakens Kundalini in a highly regulated manner and goes beyond the avasthatraya (the trifold nature of the world) and finally gets emancipated. This is the esoteric meaning of birth of Vinaayaka.
After getting the elephant face Vinaayaka He is called as Gajaanana (गजानन) and after obtaining ganaadhipatyam (गणाधिपत्यं) He becomes Ganapati (गणपति). We can learn more about Ganapati in Ganapati Upanishat which clearly says, Ganapati is the one who abodes the coccygeal center or the moolaadhaara chakra and when an aspirant follows the yogic method how Ganapati becomes everything, in turn how a human being can attain liberation.
Some day we will look into Ganapati Upanishat also.
Ganapati Upanishat - गणपति उपनिषत
गणपति उपनिषत (गणपत्युपनिषत)
यं नत्वा मुनयः सर्वे निर्विघ्नं यान्ति तत्पदं ।
गनेशोपनिषद्वेद्यं तद्ब्रह्मैवास्मि सर्वगं ।।
ॐ भद्रं कर्णेभिः श्रुणुयाम देवाः । भद्रं पश्येमाक्षभिर्यजत्रा: ।
स्थिरैरन्गैस्तुष्टुवा सस्तानूभिरव्यशेम देवहितं यदायु: ।।
ॐ शान्तिः शान्तिः शान्तिः ।।
यं नत्वा मुनयः सर्वे निर्विघ्नं यान्ति तत्पदं ।
गनेशोपनिषद्वेद्यं तद्ब्रह्मैवास्मि सर्वगं ।।
ॐ भद्रं कर्णेभिः श्रुणुयाम देवाः । भद्रं पश्येमाक्षभिर्यजत्रा: ।
स्थिरैरन्गैस्तुष्टुवा सस्तानूभिरव्यशेम देवहितं यदायु: ।।
ॐ शान्तिः शान्तिः शान्तिः ।।
Tuesday, September 18, 2012
Spiritual Questions - Part 5 (What is stillness and doing nothing mean?)
Q. When I went to a certain temple, it draws me irresistibly...like a magnet. What does it mean or what does it tell me?
A. The one that stays only for a brief time because of some external object is not Truth. The one that stays permanently is only the Truth.
Q. How to overcome the veil to go into stillness?
A. Just do nothing.
Q. What do you mean, by doing nothing?
A. Just do no-thing. No thoughts, no emotions, no vibrations, just observe. Then automatically you will be in stillness.
Q. Is God satchidananda or stillness?
A. It is both and not also.
Q. How come so?
A. When you say God as stillness, yes He is that. When you say God as satchidaananda, He is that too.
Q. Then why do you say, He is not also?
A. Because the Truth is beyond the stillness and satchidaananda. One of the expressions of God is stillness and one of the expressions is satchidaananda also. Now when you are in satchidaananda or in stillness, how are you able to sense that you are in that state?
Q. I don't know.
A. You will not know when you are in that state. You will be able to know only when you come out of that state. In reality the Truth is that awareness that by which you are able to undergo through the experience of stillness or satchidaananda. And, that awareness is telling you that you are undergoing such and such experience. Hence, it is only the awareness that exists, nothing else. There is no experience, experiencer and the object that is being experienced.
A. The one that stays only for a brief time because of some external object is not Truth. The one that stays permanently is only the Truth.
Q. How to overcome the veil to go into stillness?
A. Just do nothing.
Q. What do you mean, by doing nothing?
A. Just do no-thing. No thoughts, no emotions, no vibrations, just observe. Then automatically you will be in stillness.
Q. Is God satchidananda or stillness?
A. It is both and not also.
Q. How come so?
A. When you say God as stillness, yes He is that. When you say God as satchidaananda, He is that too.
Q. Then why do you say, He is not also?
A. Because the Truth is beyond the stillness and satchidaananda. One of the expressions of God is stillness and one of the expressions is satchidaananda also. Now when you are in satchidaananda or in stillness, how are you able to sense that you are in that state?
Q. I don't know.
A. You will not know when you are in that state. You will be able to know only when you come out of that state. In reality the Truth is that awareness that by which you are able to undergo through the experience of stillness or satchidaananda. And, that awareness is telling you that you are undergoing such and such experience. Hence, it is only the awareness that exists, nothing else. There is no experience, experiencer and the object that is being experienced.
Monday, September 17, 2012
Spiritual Questions - Part 4 (Difference between Purusha and Prakriti)
Q. Three doesn't have mrityu (मृत्यु) or damage - naasha (नाश); 1. Purusha (पुरुष), 2. Prakruti (प्रकृति), 3. Gnana (ज्ञान); and when the Purusha and Prakruti combines, it forms Gnana. Is it correct?
A. No
Q. Why?
A. You have to understand what Purusha means. Can you say what Purusha means?
Q. Not exactly.
A. Well, if you look into Purusha Suktam, it clearly explains what Purusha means. ....purusha evedagam sarvam, yat bhootam yaccha bhavyam... Purusha is the One which is everything. It is the one which is present in everything (this is only the implied meaning, not the exact meaning).
Q. So, do you mean to say Purusha is also present in the Prakruti?
A. Yes, there is no presence of Prakruti without Purusha. Purusha and Prakruti are different sides of the same coin. Prakruti cannot exists without Purusha. While Purusha is avyakta swarupa (अव्यक्त स्वरूप); Prakruti is vyakta swarupa (व्यक्त स्वरूप). As long as one sees them as different, then it is dvaita and that is duality, then one is said to be in maya (माया). The moment one does not see any difference between them then it is advaita (non-duality), then one is said to have gnana. So your 2nd part of the question of Purusha combining with Prakruti and that being called as Gnana needs to be slightly modified. Because there are no two, so you cannot combine. Only Purusha is present, there is no Prakruti. Prakruti is only an expression of thought of Purusha.
Now coming to the first part of the question. When there are no two, three does not exist. When there is no more than one, there is no mrityu or damage. There is only change that exists or transformation from one thought process to another thought process which is expressed in the form of Prakruti.
The moment one enters into the state of non-duality or advaita, that state is called as gnana. So gnana is only a state. We cannot consider it as a proper noun and say that it doesn't have mrityu or damage. It is only a state of awareness of non-duality. So if only the first part of the question is considered, then it is right. Since three does not exist (because two itself does not exist, so there is no question of three). The one which does not exist cannot have mrityu or damage.
Q. Then what is that which exists?
A. It is that Universal Consciousness that exists. And, because of the veil of maaya we perceive it as Purusha and Prakriti. In reality neither the Purusha nor the Prakruti exists. Both are there only as a thought. When that Universal Consciousness gets projected then we are calling a part of the Universal Consciousness which is yet not expressed as Purusha and a part of that Universal Consciousness which is expressed as Prakruti.
So ignore the vyakta swarupa (manifested form) and go beyond it and when you go beyond the vyakta and enter the avyakta (unmanifested form), then you become that itself. Because you are already that.
Q. How can I become that, when I am already that?
A. You don't become that. You get into that awareness, that you are already that. Tat-tvam-asi (तत्वमसि).
Saturday, September 15, 2012
Spiritual Questions - Part 3 (What is nothing-ness?)
Q. What is it like, when there is nothing to do, nothing to seek, no desires, no wants, etc?
A. Then it is being in that Nothing-ness.
Q. When there is no experience of being also?
A. Then it is only existence in that Nothing-ness.
Q. Who exists in Nothing-ness?
A. The One which is ever existent.
Q. The One which is ever existent, can we call that it is existing?
A.
(Silence. Metaphorically no, Silence is the answer)
Q. How do you feel that the One which is ever existent is existing?
A.
(Silence)
It is not felt. It is only awareness.
Q. Are we truly independent?
A. No we all are completely dependent upon the cosmos.
Q. Are we dependent on the Cosmos?
A. Yes. As far as this five elemental substance is concerned. When one goes beyond that, then that one is not dependent on the Cosmos.
Q. How come so?
A. The whole Cosmos exists only as a expression of thought. Hence, in reality it is only a thought. Thought exists as long as the mind exists. The moment one is beyond mind, then it does not exist.
Wednesday, September 12, 2012
Metaphysical Interpretation of the Rāmāyaņa
The Rāmāyaņa (श्री रामायण)
Rāmāyaņa = Rāmā + āyaņa = it is the journey that has been walked by Rāmā. The word Rāmā means: ramayate iti rāmaH (रमयते इति रामः) which means the one who is always ever effulgent in Bliss. The word āyaņa means path. It is a path on which one can travel. There is one more meaning of āyaņa and it means advancing. If we look into the characters in the Rāmāyaņa as only persons, then we cannot learn anything from that except that certain incidents happened in history and we can use it only to tell bed time stories to our children.
The Rāmāyaņa and Mahābhārata are called as itihāsa's (इतिहास) which mean in simple terms as history. If they are just epics of history then what is the use?
If we look at the word itihāsa (इतिहास) the amarakosha (अमरकोश) says itihAsaH purAvR^ittam (इतिहासः पुरावृत्तम्) that means it is related to the events of the past. Now, when we mean past - is it the past which is some years earlier, or some centuries earlier, when is it? To what extent we have to look into the past? Are the Rishis indicating only at the past as a historical events that happened in one's life, or are they indicating somewhere else?
When we go deeper into this, it ends at the origin of the cosmos, i.e., it is very clear that the past in this sense is nothing but age old or sanātana dharma (सनातन धर्म). So, it is nothing but the age old dharma or duty of a soul or consciousness. Here I am forced to use the word soul just because if I don't use the word soul and use only the word consciousness, then readers may not understand it clearly. Hence, request the readers not to misinterpret the soul as some kind of object. Coming to the point, itihāsa means - the one which tells about the manifestation (vyakta व्यक्त ) of the consciousness (chaitanayam चैतन्यम्) from the unmanifested One (avyakta अव्यक्त). So Rāmāyaņa is the journey or the path that is taken by the individual consciousness to merge into the Universal consciousness. Rāmāyaņa depicts that the consciousness can dwell and be in the Bliss and none else and shows us the way that we all can travel so to effuse ourselves with that eternal Bliss and merge into Universal consciousness.
Rāmāyaņa tells us about how the individual consciousness manifests into many forms and how each part of the consciousness that is present in every manifested form is making an attempt to go back and merge into the unmanifested. This is the path of the every drop of ocean that has evaporated from its surface and the path it travels to merge into the ocean.
Rāmāyaņa tells us about how the individual consciousness manifests into many forms and how each part of the consciousness that is present in every manifested form is making an attempt to go back and merge into the unmanifested. This is the path of the every drop of ocean that has evaporated from its surface and the path it travels to merge into the ocean.
The three main characters in Rāmāyaņa and their meanings:
- Rāmā (रामः) = ramayate iti rāmaH (रमयते इति रामः) which means the one who is always ever effulgent in Bliss
- Sitā (सीता) = spirituous liquor (it is that drink of Nothingness in which Rāmā always dwells in)
- Hanumān (हनुमान): Life force that connects the Individual Soul with the Universal Soul.
When the aspirant (saadhak साधक) learns Pranayama (प्राणायाम) and understands the control of life-force, then by proper methodology (pranayama technique that allows to still the mind and takes beyond mind) unites Sitā (सीता) with Rāmā (रामः). The whole of Rāmāyaņa tell us about how an individual by learning life force control can return the consciousness from the manifested world (vyakta व्यक्त) to the unmanifest (avyakta अव्यक्त) or that eternal Nothingness (shunya शून्य).
Wednesday, September 5, 2012
Spiritual Questions - Part 2 (What is sadhana / practice ?)
Q. What is sadhana / practice?
A. Sadhana / practice is part of the maya (माया = illusion) by / through which one wants to overcome maya.
Q. Can we overcome maya through practice?
A. No it is not possible. Because as long as you are in maya, the thought of overcoming it will be there and it cannot happen. It is something like you are in quicksand and the thought of coming out of quicksand is there, through which you can never come out of it. Once you are out of the quicksand then there is no thought or purpose of coming out of it.
Q. Do you mean to say that, no practice is required?
A. The thought of practicing some spiritual practices occurs as long as you are in maya. The moment you are out of it, it does not exist. Once you are out of illusion, the thought of practicing does not exist.
Q. I could not understand.
A. In reality maya does not exist. It is only an illusion. It is present in you as only a thought. So how can you overcome the one which does not exist at all. You have to simply overcome the thought - that's all.
Q. How to overcome thought?
A. To overcome thought, you just go beyond thought. To go beyond thought, you ignore every thought and do not give any importance to any of the thoughts. Like a non-entertained guest leaves faster, the unrecognized thought does not stay and does not bother you at all. When there is no thought, there is nothing to overcome and the One which is ever present automatically reveals itself.
Q. Can I call "ignoring thoughts" as a practice?
A. It is up to you.
Q. What happens when thoughts are not there?
A. When ripples are not there in the pond, then one can see one's image very clearly. When thoughts are not there one can see one's True Self.
Q. What happens when one sees one's True Self?
A. Everything dissolves in It. Beyond this there is no explanation. Then only the Silence and Stillness prevails.
A. Sadhana / practice is part of the maya (माया = illusion) by / through which one wants to overcome maya.
Q. Can we overcome maya through practice?
A. No it is not possible. Because as long as you are in maya, the thought of overcoming it will be there and it cannot happen. It is something like you are in quicksand and the thought of coming out of quicksand is there, through which you can never come out of it. Once you are out of the quicksand then there is no thought or purpose of coming out of it.
Q. Do you mean to say that, no practice is required?
A. The thought of practicing some spiritual practices occurs as long as you are in maya. The moment you are out of it, it does not exist. Once you are out of illusion, the thought of practicing does not exist.
Q. I could not understand.
A. In reality maya does not exist. It is only an illusion. It is present in you as only a thought. So how can you overcome the one which does not exist at all. You have to simply overcome the thought - that's all.
Q. How to overcome thought?
A. To overcome thought, you just go beyond thought. To go beyond thought, you ignore every thought and do not give any importance to any of the thoughts. Like a non-entertained guest leaves faster, the unrecognized thought does not stay and does not bother you at all. When there is no thought, there is nothing to overcome and the One which is ever present automatically reveals itself.
Q. Can I call "ignoring thoughts" as a practice?
A. It is up to you.
Q. What happens when thoughts are not there?
A. When ripples are not there in the pond, then one can see one's image very clearly. When thoughts are not there one can see one's True Self.
Q. What happens when one sees one's True Self?
A. Everything dissolves in It. Beyond this there is no explanation. Then only the Silence and Stillness prevails.
Wednesday, August 29, 2012
Love is a river
Love is a river. Flow with it. Jump into it. Don't take a sip by sitting at the shore, merge into it. Be One with it. Become Love itself. - Ravi
(Inspired by Rumi)
Friday, July 27, 2012
Spiritual Questions - Part1 (What is enlightenment, karma, etc.)
Q. What is enlightenment?
A. Being in the constant awareness of the Truth.
Q. What is awareness?
A. Being in nothing-ness and in the constant of being with the One.
Q. What is being with One mean?
A. It means there is only One and no-thing else.
Q. How to perceive the One?
A. No one can perceive the One. Because perception is still with the mind. When the mind stops, then the awareness of One happens spontaneously.
Q. What is the Truth?
A. The Truth is that there is only One and the rest is all illusion and even the illusion also lies in the Truth.
Q. What happens when any one knows the Truth?
A. No one can know the Truth by mind. It is not a happening. When the mind stops, the awareness of the Truth is revealed like the sun glows once the clouds disappear. The sun is always there. It is only the clouds which make the sun to not to appear. Just because of the clouds we cannot say that the sun is not present.
Q. So how to clear the clouds (thoughts)?
A. Remove the mind that creates the clouds (thoughts).
Q. How to remove the mind?
A. Just ignore every vibration (thought) that gets generated in it. Do not pay any attention towards them. When you ignore the guest, he will go. No guest would like to stay where he is not entertained. So, don't entertain your thoughts. Don't feed them. If you keep feeding them, they will become stronger and stronger and finally make you to think and act as they please.
Q. Now, during the nights I don't see the sun (laughs)?
A. Yeah, it doesn't mean still that sun is not there. It is very much there. The night is ignorance. You are unable to see the sun because your attention is always outside. So instead of always seeing outside, take a 180 degree turn and look within you will able to see the sun.
Q. What is karma?
A. Karma is nothing but conditional thinking.
Q. How to overcome karma?
A. Just by overcoming one's conditional thinking.
Q. Yeah, but how to overcome one's conditional thinking?
A. Stop the thought process.
Q. How to stop the thought process?
A. By ignoring the thought process.
Q. But, ignoring is also a thought process?
A. Ignore the one which is asking you to ignore the whole process.
Q. Ummm.... I am unable to understand.
A. Who is unable to understand?
Q. I can't say. It's like there is no one which ignores the process.
A. Good. Since there is no one which ignores, the one which is present is only the awareness that there is no one to ignore and there is nothing to ignore. Since, there is nothing to ignore there is nothing to recognize. Since, there is nothing to recognize there is nothing to seek. Since, there is nothing to seek there is no-thing and only nothingness is present and is ever existing. So, your seeking of nothingness does not really need to have an agenda (laughs).
Q. It is so still and silent here (gentle smile).
A. Yeah, I know. Enjoy it (blissful smile).
A. Being in the constant awareness of the Truth.
Q. What is awareness?
A. Being in nothing-ness and in the constant of being with the One.
Q. What is being with One mean?
A. It means there is only One and no-thing else.
Q. How to perceive the One?
A. No one can perceive the One. Because perception is still with the mind. When the mind stops, then the awareness of One happens spontaneously.
Q. What is the Truth?
A. The Truth is that there is only One and the rest is all illusion and even the illusion also lies in the Truth.
Q. What happens when any one knows the Truth?
A. No one can know the Truth by mind. It is not a happening. When the mind stops, the awareness of the Truth is revealed like the sun glows once the clouds disappear. The sun is always there. It is only the clouds which make the sun to not to appear. Just because of the clouds we cannot say that the sun is not present.
Q. So how to clear the clouds (thoughts)?
A. Remove the mind that creates the clouds (thoughts).
Q. How to remove the mind?
A. Just ignore every vibration (thought) that gets generated in it. Do not pay any attention towards them. When you ignore the guest, he will go. No guest would like to stay where he is not entertained. So, don't entertain your thoughts. Don't feed them. If you keep feeding them, they will become stronger and stronger and finally make you to think and act as they please.
Q. Now, during the nights I don't see the sun (laughs)?
A. Yeah, it doesn't mean still that sun is not there. It is very much there. The night is ignorance. You are unable to see the sun because your attention is always outside. So instead of always seeing outside, take a 180 degree turn and look within you will able to see the sun.
Q. What is karma?
A. Karma is nothing but conditional thinking.
Q. How to overcome karma?
A. Just by overcoming one's conditional thinking.
Q. Yeah, but how to overcome one's conditional thinking?
A. Stop the thought process.
Q. How to stop the thought process?
A. By ignoring the thought process.
Q. But, ignoring is also a thought process?
A. Ignore the one which is asking you to ignore the whole process.
Q. Ummm.... I am unable to understand.
A. Who is unable to understand?
Q. I can't say. It's like there is no one which ignores the process.
A. Good. Since there is no one which ignores, the one which is present is only the awareness that there is no one to ignore and there is nothing to ignore. Since, there is nothing to ignore there is nothing to recognize. Since, there is nothing to recognize there is nothing to seek. Since, there is nothing to seek there is no-thing and only nothingness is present and is ever existing. So, your seeking of nothingness does not really need to have an agenda (laughs).
Q. It is so still and silent here (gentle smile).
A. Yeah, I know. Enjoy it (blissful smile).
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