DISCRIMINATION (Viveka)
AND DISPASSION (Vairagya)
The two wings of
liberation
There are several virtues
and capabilities that are important for spiritual practice and the achievement
of liberation (enlightenment, self-realization). Among the virtues, courage,
sincerity, truthfulness and faith are most important, and among the mental capacities, excel discernment and dispassion (indifference
to sensory experiences and pleasures).
From these two,
discernment is superior, because thanks to the discernment we can develop
dispassion to the maximum degree as well as to discern between the false and the true one, to discern our true
nature (Consciousness) from the false self (the ego). Discernment helps us to realize the futility of
the sensory pleasures, the pain that carry with them, and ultimately make the
mind abandon the seeking for sensory experiences pleasures. Moreover it is discernment that
helps us to understand the games of the selfish mind, to discover the selfish
tendencies and dissolve them.
Finally, the discernment is the capacity by which we can discern between the false and the true, and more than anything discern between our true nature (Consciousness) and the false self (or ego). Thanks to discernment we clearly perceive that consciousness (the silent and immobile inner space) is something beyond the body, the mind and the ego, and at the same time it is the background that all these appear and the light that illuminates all the experiences.
Finally, the discernment is the capacity by which we can discern between the false and the true, and more than anything discern between our true nature (Consciousness) and the false self (or ego). Thanks to discernment we clearly perceive that consciousness (the silent and immobile inner space) is something beyond the body, the mind and the ego, and at the same time it is the background that all these appear and the light that illuminates all the experiences.
The sincere and fiery
seeker of truth, must develop these two capabilities to the highest degree.
Then and only then he can march quite easily towards freedom and bliss. Only by
a high capacity of discernment and dispassion he can free his mind from all
selfish tendencies and steadily keep his mind away from the senses and focus it
firmly within his heart, where God's peace, love and bliss dwell.
As long as the mind is
extroverted and seeks pleasure, satisfaction, and happiness in the sensory
objects, it will be anxious, gross, unstable, distracted, restless, blurred,
and because of it, it will be very difficult for us to pacify it, and keep it
firmly concentrated into the center of our being where the pure light of
consciousness shines. And without firm concentration of the mind into the
center of our being, it is impossible neither to overcome the mind nor to achieve
deep meditation and the highest samadhi, where our divine nature is fully and
purely realized, and the ego dissolves completely in all its aspects.
In addition, due to
extroversion of mind and the desire element, develop in our psych various
attachments, addictions and defects (egoistic tendencies, - greed, vanity,
arrogance, pride, lasciviousness, jealousy, anger, fear, etc.) that lead us to
erroneous actions, erroneous psychological states and behaviors that ultimately
result in illness, misery and suffering.
In short, without
dispassion, there is no serenity, clarity and stability in the mind, without
calmness, clarity and stability there is no concentration and meditation, and
without deep meditation there is no samadhi, and without samadhi there is no
liberation. Because only in the highest samadhi (Nirvikalpa samadhi) there is a
steady and clear (without any admixture) awareness of our divine Self (Atman,
Consciousness) as well as, the ego dissolves completely and forever.
The total dissolution of
the ego and our establishment in our true nature (constant, effortless,
uninterrupted awareness of our true nature) that involves egolessness,
desirelessness, no identification, no attachment with anything within and
without us, it is the state of liberation.
Follow excerpts about the
liberated one,
from the book
"The Jewel of discernment" -
(Vivekachudamani) by AdiSankaracharya
442.
For one who has realised the Truth of Brahman, there is no more attachment to
the sense-objects as before: If there is, that man has not realised his
identity with Brahman, but is one whose senses are outgoing in their tendency.
300. Freed from the clutches of egoism, as the moon from those of Rahu, man attains to his real nature, and becomes pure, infinite, ever blissful and self-luminous.
301. That which has been created by the Buddhi extremely deluded by Nescience, and which is perceived in this body as "I am such and such" – when that egoism is totally destroyed, one attains an unobstructed identity with Brahman.
303. As long as there is a trace of poisoning left in the body, how can one hope for recovery? Similar is the effect of egoism on the Yogi’s Liberation."
317... the destruction of desires is Liberation, and this is considered as Liberation-in-life.
424. When the sense-objects excite no more desire, then is the culmination of dispassion. The extreme perfection of knowledge is the absence of any impulsion of the egoistic idea. And the limit of self-withdrawal is reached when the mind-functions that have been merged, appear no more.
429. He who, even having his mind merged in Brahman, is nevertheless quite alert, but free at the same time from the characteristics of the waking state, and whose realisation is free from desires, is accepted as a man liberated-in-life.
430. He whose cares about the phenomenal state have been appeased, who, though possessed of a body consisting of parts, is yet devoid of parts, and whose mind is free from anxiety, is accepted as a man liberated-in-life.
431. The absence of the ideas of "I" and "mine" even in this existing body which follows as a shadow, is a characteristic of one liberated-in-life.
432. Not dwelling on enjoyments of the past, taking no thought for the future and looking with indifference upon the present, are characteristics of one liberated-in-life.
300. Freed from the clutches of egoism, as the moon from those of Rahu, man attains to his real nature, and becomes pure, infinite, ever blissful and self-luminous.
301. That which has been created by the Buddhi extremely deluded by Nescience, and which is perceived in this body as "I am such and such" – when that egoism is totally destroyed, one attains an unobstructed identity with Brahman.
303. As long as there is a trace of poisoning left in the body, how can one hope for recovery? Similar is the effect of egoism on the Yogi’s Liberation."
317... the destruction of desires is Liberation, and this is considered as Liberation-in-life.
424. When the sense-objects excite no more desire, then is the culmination of dispassion. The extreme perfection of knowledge is the absence of any impulsion of the egoistic idea. And the limit of self-withdrawal is reached when the mind-functions that have been merged, appear no more.
429. He who, even having his mind merged in Brahman, is nevertheless quite alert, but free at the same time from the characteristics of the waking state, and whose realisation is free from desires, is accepted as a man liberated-in-life.
430. He whose cares about the phenomenal state have been appeased, who, though possessed of a body consisting of parts, is yet devoid of parts, and whose mind is free from anxiety, is accepted as a man liberated-in-life.
431. The absence of the ideas of "I" and "mine" even in this existing body which follows as a shadow, is a characteristic of one liberated-in-life.
432. Not dwelling on enjoyments of the past, taking no thought for the future and looking with indifference upon the present, are characteristics of one liberated-in-life.