Freedom from thoughts
The Background of Sattvic Thought
The vast majority of people will always want something concrete to hold
on, something around which, as it were, to place their ideas, sometimes which
will be the centre of all thought-forms in their minds. That is mind’s very
nature. A background of thought is needed for fixing the mind.
Have a Sattvic background of thought of mental image. The mind assumes
the shape of any object it intensely thinks upon. If it thinks of an orange, it
assumes the shape of an orange. If it thinks of Lord Krishna with flute in
hand, it assumes the shape of Lord Krishna. You must train the mind properly
and give it proper Sattvic food for assimilation.
You must have Sattvic background of thought to take you to the goal
(salvation). If you are a devotee of Lord Krishna, have a background of thought
of His picture and the repetition of His famous Mantra ‘Om Namo Bhagavate
Vaasudevaya’ and His qualities (Form-formless-qualities). A Nirguna Upasaka
(Vedanti) should have a background of thought of ‘OM’ and its meaning (Infinite
Ocean of Light, Satchidananda, Vyapaka, Paripurna-Atman). Work in the world and,
the moment the mind is free, begin to think of the background of thought—either
Saguna or Nirguna background according to taste, temperament and capacity for
Sadhana. By constant thinking, a habit in the mind will be formed and, without
effort, the mind will run towards the background of thought.
It is a pity that the vast majority of persons have no ideal, no
programme of life at all and no Sattvic background of thought. They are doomed
to failure. The background of thought of a young married lady is usually
lustful. The background of thought of an old mother is the affection towards
her sons and grandsons. The background of thought of the vast majority of
persons is hatred and jealousy. Even the so-called educated persons with many
university qualifications and academic knowledge which is only husk when
compared with spiritual knowledge, have no ideal, no programme of life and no
background of thought. A deputy collector, after getting pension, marries a
third wife and goes on as a Dewan of a State.
A worldly minded person is a prey to sexual thoughts and thoughts of
hatred, anger and revenge. These two types of thoughts actually take possession
of his mind. He is a slave to these two sets of thoughts. He does not know how
to divert his mind and fix it on some other good, noble thought. He does not
know the laws of thought. He is quite unaware of the nature and suitable
workings of the mind. His position is extremely deplorable despite his earthly
possessions and bookish knowledge obtained in universities. Viveka has not
awakened in him. He has no Sraddha in saints, Sastras and God. He is unable to
resist an evil desire, craving or temptation on account of his weak will. The
only potent remedy to remove his world-intoxication, world-charm, world-delusion
is constant Satsanga or association with Sadhus, Sannyasins and Mahatmas.
After retirement, everybody should have a background of thought and
should spend his time in philosophical studies and divine contemplation. Old
habits of loose thinking must be replaced by cultivating fresh habits of good
thoughts. At first, a tendency to think of good thoughts will be formed. By
continued practice, a positive, definite habit of thinking of virtuous, helping
thoughts will be developed. You will have to struggle very hard.
The old habits will try to recur again and again. Till you are firmly
established in the habit of thinking of good thoughts only, you will have to
fill the mind again and again with Sattvic thoughts, divine thoughts, thoughts
of the Gita, Lord Krishna, Lord Rama, Upanishads, etc. New grooves and avenues
will be formed now. Just as a gramophone-needle cuts a small groove in the
plate, Sattvic thinking will cut new healthy grooves in the mind and brain. New
Samskaras will be formed.
You will have concentration without much effort. He who has subdued his
mind beholds in his own Self by the help of his own pure intellect the
Immortal, Eternal Brahman which is subtler than the subtlest, which is an
embodiment of bliss, peace and wisdom. It is the contact of the sense with the
sense-object that gives rise to a mental perception. But if the senses are
withdrawn and the mind is stilled there comes a stage where there is no touch
with any sense-object.
It is the state of bliss and pure consciousness or Nirvikalpa Samadhi
which burns all Samskaras that give rise to birth and death. Attachment is
death. You are attached to body, action, wife, children, property, house, place
and articles that give you pleasure. Wherever there is attachment there are
anger, fear and Vasanas. Attachment leads to bondage. If you want to attain
God-realization you must get rid of all sorts of attachment.
The first step in detachment is to be detached from the body with which
you feel so much identified. The Sanskrit word for the Self is Atman. Atman is
derived from the root ‘At’ which means to go always. Atman thus means
that which evolves itself always into names and forms of the universe in order
to realize His real, essential nature which is Existence-Consciousness-Bliss
Absolute.
The Pure Consciousness and Freedom of Thoughts
Through constant and intense practice of Yoga and Jnana Sadhana, you can
become waveless, thought-free. The waveless Yogi helps the world more than the
man on the platform. Ordinary people can hardly grasp this point. When you are
waveless you actually permeate and pervade every atom of the universe, purify
and elevate the whole world.
The names of waveless Jnanis such as Jada Bharata and Vamadeva are even
now remembered. They never published books. They never made disciples. Yet,
what a tremendous influence these waveless Jnanis had produced on the minds of
the people!
You can attain Jnana only if you are free from sensuous desires and
immoral mental states. Aloofness of body from sensuous objects and aloofness of
mind from immoral states of mind are needed for the attainment of Jnana. Then
only will Divine Light descend. Just as a bungalow is cleaned of cobwebs and
the garden, of all its weeds for the reception of the viceroy, the mental
palace should be cleansed of all vices, desires and immoral states for the
reception of the Holy Brahman, the Viceroy of viceroys.
When a desire arises in the mind, a worldling welcomes it and tries to
fulfil it; but an aspirant renounces it immediately through Viveka. Wise people
consider even spark of desire as a very great evil. Therefore they will not
entertain any kind of desire. They will be ever delightful in Atman only.
Thinking starts the process of creation. Thinking means externalization
or objectification. Thinking means differentiation, quality and multiplicity.
Thinking is Samsara. Thinking causes identification with the body. Thinking
causes ‘I-ness’ and ‘mine-ness’.
Thinking causes time, space, etc. Stop this thinking through Vairagya
and Abhyasa, and merge yourself in the Pure Consciousness. Where there is no
thinking or Sankalpa, there is Absolution or Jivanmukti.
Vedantic Technique for Thought-transcendence
When all kinds of useless thoughts and emotions trouble you much, be
indifferent (Udasina). Say to yourself: “Who am I?” Feel: “I am not the mind. I
am the Atman, the all-pervading Spirit, Suddha Satchidananda. How can emotions
affect me? I am Nirlipta, unattached; I am Sakshi, witness of these emotions.
Nothing can disturb me.” When you repeat these suggestions of Vichara or
Vedantic reflection, the thoughts and emotions will die by themselves.
This is the Jnana-method of driving out thoughts and emotions and the
struggling with the mind.
When any thought arises in the mind, enquire: Why has this Vritti
(modification) arisen? Whom it concerns? Who am I? All the thoughts will die
eventually. All mental activities will cease. The mind will turn inward. It
will rest in Atman. This is Vedantic Sadhana. You will have to persist
constantly in the Sadhana.
Whatever stray thoughts arise, the one thought ‘Who am I’ will destroy
all other thoughts of worldly nature. That thought will die by itself. Ego will
vanish. Balance left is Kevala Asti; Chinmatra; Kevala Suddha Chaitanya;
Chidakasamatra which is Nama-rupa-rahita (free from all names and forms),
Vyavahara-rahita, Malavasana-rahita, Nishkriya, Niravayava, which is
Santa-Siva-Advaita of the Mandukya Upanishad. That
is Atman. That is to be known.
