Ignorance and illusions - Atman NItyananda

Atman Nityananda at Babaji's Ashram
Hairakhan Vishva Mahadam

Ignorance and illusions

 Ignorance and illusions go together and assume diverse forms of expression. Living in ignorance (not being conscious of our true Self)  keeps us in a dreamlike state, the main characteristics of which are living in identification (primarily with body and mind, not be conscious forgetfulness (of our true Self), attachment, fear, separation, having false beliefs and illusions about ourselves, life and God and developing a wide variety of defects such as pride, lust, arrogance, greed, anger, jealousy, guilt, envy, hatred and pairs of opposites such as like-dislike, attraction-repulsion or aversion, sympathy-antipathy, love-hatred. All of these ultimately cause us misery and suffering.

 Some important illusions when living in ignorance:

 Perceiving and believing that the body is ourselves, instead of Consciousness, that is, identifying what we Are (Consciousness) with what we are not (Body-mind-ego).Seeing the temporal as eternal and not seeing the eternal reality (Consciousness).

Seeing ourselves and the world as what it is not.

Seeing the changeable as immutable and not seeing (realizing) the ever-present immutable truth (Consciousness).

Seeing the world outside of us and separate from us (Consciousness), when it is within us (Consciousness) and one with us (Consciousness).

Living as if we will never die when the only certainty is that death will happen soon (even 100 years later is too soon).

Believing that happiness can be found in objects, pleasures, relationships, fame, recognition, acquisitions and success, and ignoring that it resides in the heart, in our divine essence.

Believing that the obstacles to our happiness are outside of us and not within us, in reality, it is us, that is, the ego that we mistakenly take as ourselves with all its tendencies and programming.

Believing that others are responsible for what we experience within, (worries, anxiety, annoyance, fear, hurt, anger, discomfort, etc.) when in fact, the cause is within us (our programming, ignorance, emotional, energetic and mental patterns and tendencies and our beliefs).

Believing that we need to be loved to experience love when in reality, we are love and can experience love despite the attitude and behaviour of others towards us.

Seeking stability and security outside ourselves, in the outer world, where everything is unstable and changing.

Believing that we do not live in ignorance or delusion while we live, that we know while we do not know.

Believing that the affairs of the outer life are more important than those of the Soul.

Believing that the conditions for practice will be better tomorrow than today. However, we can only practice today (or better now), and tomorrow will be a new tomorrow, which in reality will never come as the only thing that exists is now.

OM! The Cause Of Bondage is Raga-Dvesha. ~ Swami Sivananda

The Cause Of Bondage is Raga-Dvesha!

Raga-Dvesha is translated as like-dislike or attraction-repulsion or love-hatred.   

Raga (attraction), Dvesha (repulsion) and Tatastha Vritti (indifference) are the three important modifications of the mind (Vrittis).

Raga and Dvesha (like and dislike or love and hatred or attraction and repulsion) are the two currents in the mind which bind a man to the Samsaric wheel of birth and death. 

Raga and Dvesha are the two Doshas or faults in the mind that have brought you to this world. Bondage. (Svarupa of Bandha) is Raga and Dvesha. The Svarupa of Ajnana is Raga and Dvesha. All the emotions come under the category of Raga-Dvesha. These two currents are the Dharma (characteristics) of the mind and not of the spirit. 

Pleasure and pain, exhilaration and depression (Harsha and Soka), are due to Raga-Dvesha.

 If Raga and Dvesha vanish from the mind, Harsha-Soka also will disappear.

 It is desire that sets the mind in motion. When there is a desire, Raga and Dvesha  (like and dislike or love and hatred or attraction and repulsion) exist side by side in the mind. Desire is a motive force. Emotions and impulses co-exist with desire.

Whenever there is pleasure and Raga, there exist side by side fear and anger. Anger is only a modification of desire. Fear and anger are two old associates of pleasure and Raga.Fear and anger are hidden in Raga. They constantly torment the mind.

Fear is hidden in Raga. When you have got Raga for body, fear of death comes in. When you have Raga for money, there is fear of losing money, as money is the means of getting objects of enjoyment. When you have Raga for a woman, you always take care in protecting her. Fear is a very old, intimate friend of Raga.

From ignorance (Avidya) emanates  non-discrimination (Aviveka). 

From non-discrimination (Aviveka) originates Ego (Ahankara) and clinging or identification with the body.(Abhimana). F

rom Abhimana emanates Attraction-Repulsion (Raga-Dvesha).

 From Raga-Dvesha comes action ( Karma).

 From Karma comes the body. From body comes misery. 

This is the chain of bondage and misery with seven links.

If you do not want misery, do not take up the body. 

If you do not want body, do not do (actions) Karma.

If you do not want to do Karma, give up attraction-repulsion (Raga-Dvesha).

If you want to give up Raga-Dvesha, give up attachment to the body (Abhimana).

 If you want to give up Abhimana, give up non-discrimination ( Aviveka). If you want to give up Aviveka, give up ignorance (Avidya). If you do not want ignorance, get Brahma-Jnana.

This Samsara or world process is kept up by the six-spoked wheel, viz., Attraction ( Raga), Repulsion (Dvesha), merit, demerit, pleasure and pain. 

If the root cause, the original Avidya, is destroyed byattainment of knowledge of Brahman (Brahma-Jnana), the whole chain of Abhimana, Raga, Dvesha, Karma, body, merit and demerit, pleasure and pain will vanish. 

One link hangs upon another. All the linkswill be broken totally on the advent of Jnana. Sruti says: "Liberation comes from knowledge of Brahman (Rite Jnananna muktih)"

The tendencies in human nature, which stand as bar to illumination ~ Swami Chidananda

What are these tendencies in human nature, which stand as bar to illumination?  

One is spiritual ignorance,
second is egoism,
third and forth, attachment and aversion,
and fifth, clinging to life.

What is ignorance?

Ignorance is characterized by non-discrimination, failing to discriminate between the Eternal and the non-eternal, between the Real and the unreal, between appearances and Reality, between the passing, the perishable and the Permanent, the Imperishable.

It is the failure to distinguish between the two and taking the unreal for the Real. Taking the non-eternal for the Eternal—this is ignorance. And regarding the non-self to be the Self, failing to distinguish between the Atman and Anatman, (Self and non-self), failing to distinguish between your Self and the body you dwell in and thinking I am this body—this is ignorance, this is spiritual ignorance.

THE IDENTIFICATION AS A HABIT ~ Atman Nityananda

THE IDENTIFICATION AS A HABIT

The central purpose of spiritual practice is to stop our identification with the body, the mind, (thoughts, feelings, impulses, desires, imaginations etc.) the external objects, and the ego itself and identify with our true Self (Consciousness).. As long as we continue to live identified with the egoic self it is impossible to avoid the pain and suffering. The identification strengthens the mechanical reactions (emotional, mental, desires) and the programming of the ego and obscures us to experience our true nature which is free from all suffering and limitations, and is the source of infinite peace and bliss.

The mechanism of identification is the same for both, the pleasure and the psychological pain (suffering). Both require identification to occur. Without identification there can be neither pleasure nor suffering. When we are focused deeply enough in our Self (Self-awareness) we don’t give space to our ego to react mechanically, but if we are not deeply focused within, then, although we remain alert and self-aware, our ego can react mechanically; however, since we are vigilant and self-aware we do not identify completely with the mental or emotional reaction and thus the egoic reaction cannot become a ‘huge wave’ and get lost in it.

If we want to develop the ability of non-identification with the lower or egoic self we must practice non identification in all cases; i.e. we must avoid or stop identification with the mental and emotional reactions related to pleasure, to those (mental and emotional reactions) that are related to suffering as well as not to identify with all little things, objects and situations of the everyday life. If we permit ourselves to identify with the pleasurable experiences (because we like to experience pleasure) or the little things of the daily life (because we consider it as no so important) then we cannot avoid identification with reactions of suffering due to habit.

The mind (and especially the manas or external mind) works by habit, and habit (exis) becomes our second nature; so, if we do not try to avoid identification in the pleasures as well as to everyday trifles, then the habit to identify it is strengthened at the level of the mind, prana and brain. Then, when manifests a feeling that hurts it is very difficult if not impossible to avoid identification with it, since all time we feed the habit of identification.

So it is a matter of choice. Do you want to continue identifying with the passionate desirous ego, in order to enjoy pleasure through the sensory experiences (accepting the pain and suffering that this entails), or you want to live free from fear, anger, attachment and desires, and enjoy the plenitude, peace, freedom and bliss of your true nature?

If you honestly want to be free from the illusion of I’ and ‘mine and the identification with the body which is the source of all identifications, pleasures and miseries then you should renounce and stop any kind of identification; you must do your best to control your mind and senses and live in Self-awareness, dispassion and detachment from the contents of the mind and senses.

The Ego and its destruction ~ Swami Sivananda

The Medusa personifies the multiple ego

The Ego and its destruction

Now we go to the very root of the spiritual knowledge of the scriptures. What is Jnana Yoga? What is Bhakti Yoga? What is Karma Yoga? What is Raja Yoga?

The ignorance

The very root of the whole question of spiritual realisation and emancipation lies in the theory of ignorance. They say, ignorance is the root. How does ignorance manifest in the individual soul? As Ahankara (Egoism). The root of the whole problem is the ego in the individual soul, and the moment the ego is removed, whatever is shines forth in all its splendour. That is your essential nature. That is Satchidananda (Existence-Consciousness-Bliss). To remove the ego is the prime purpose of all Yoga.

Liberation (Kaivalya Moksha)

“When shall I be free? When ‘I’ ceases to be.” When the ego-sense ceases to be, there is complete annihilation of I-ness and mine-ness and the Jiva attains salvation. He enjoys Atmic consciousness. Kaivalya Moksha (Final emancipation) is then and there for the being in whom the sense of ‘I’ gets completely annihilated. It is not necessary for him to go into a higher realm. Then and there salvation is attained by him.

Jnana Yoga , Vedanta

The bar to Knowledge of Atman, (Atma-jnana), is the ego-sense, and ego-sense manifests variously. It manifests as ignorance, clinging to the body, ‘I am this body,’ ‘I am the mind,’ ‘I am the senses.’ Adhyasa is the mistaken identification of the all-perfect Self with the body, mind, Pranas and senses. So, remove Adhyasa by identifying yourself with the supreme all-pervading Truth. Again and again hammer into the mind the idea, “I am the Atman.” That is the process of Vedanta. Therefore, break this aspect of ego which is there as Adhyasa, false identification.

Prema Marga (Path of love - Bhakti Yoga). 

The ego itself manifests as emotion, as attachment 'this is mine', (Mamata vritti). In order to remove this manifestation of the ego as attachment, they said, “Attach yourself to the Lord.” This is Prema Marga (Path of love - Bhakti). 

Tvameva Mata Cha Pita Tvameva, 

Tvameva Bandhuscha Sakha Tvameva; 

Tvameva Vidya, Dravinam Tvameva, 

Tvameva Sarvam, Mama Deva-deva.

You are my mother, my father, 

You are my brother, and my friend.
You are my knowledge and my only wealth.
You are everything to me and the God of all Gods.

 

There is no attachment for anything on this earth. All my mind is completely tied to that which is my own, my nearest, my dearest. That is the sublimation of the ego in its expression as attachment, as love, as affection.

Karma Yoga

And then, this ego is also found in another aspect of personality, as superimposition, super-arrogation, pride, taking credit for everything, Abhimana (egoistic feeling)—“I have done that, I am a master of the Vedas, I have attained proficiency in that science.” In everything man begins to take Abhimana, and entertain the feeling, “I am the doer, I am the possessor of everything.” Crush this Abhimana. “I am nothing, I do nothing. Everything is being done by the Lord. Hari is the Kartha (Doer). Everything is being done by the power of the Lord. I am only an instrument.” Nimittamatram Bhava Savyasachin, says the great scripture, Gita, which shows man how to act without doership and attachment. Therefore, completely dedicating yourself to the Lord, saying, ‘I am not the doer, I am only an instrument, everything is being done by Him,’ you should work in the world. This is Karma Yoga. 

Thus, Jnana Yoga removes the manifestation of the ego as Adhyasa (false identification, superimpotision), Bhakti Yoga sublimates the ego as emotion and attachment, and Karma Yoga destroys the ego as Abhimana (egoistic feeling). 

Raja Yoga 

What does Raja Yoga do? For all these manifestations of the ego, mind is the root cause. Therefore, destroy that mind. What is the first manifestation of the mind on the surface? The subconscious mind is full of latent Samskaras (impressions). There you cannot go. What is the prime aspect of the mind which manifests itself on the surface? The conscious mind, the Vritti ( mental modification), ideation, mentation. The subtle Vasana  (tendency or subtle desire )which is latent inside as impression becomes manifest as idea. As soon as the idea comes, chop it off. Immediately smash it and put it down.Yogaschitta-vrittinirodhah. Yoga is the destruction of the modifications of the mind. Completely annihilate all the ideas that arise in the mind, and that is done by deep meditation, complete concentration. Many ideas go on cropping up in the mind. Make them lesser, make the field of the Vasanas lesser, and then make them into one idea, and ultimately that idea also should go. Raja Yoga is the technique of completely rooting out the mind, which is the field for the manifestation of the ego in all its various aspects as Adhyasa, Mamata, attachment, Abhimana, etc., and when the mind is destroyed, the ego will go away. That is Raja Yoga. Asana, Pranayama, etc., are only preparations for concentration and meditation.

So, what important truth all these things reveal? The great enemy of man is the ego. The great enemy of man is the sense of ‘I,’ with all its countless ramifications. Everything that holds him down to ignorance and Samsara is nothing but the various Vikaras (modifications of the mind) of the root cause, Ahankara, and all branches of Yoga ultimately aim only at the removal of Ahankara, and Ahankara is removed if Satsanga is carried out. Satsanga is a wonderful technique where this root process is automatically worked out by the influence of a higher personality, provided you have fully understood the importance of it.  

Yoga means the complete pulverization and eradication of the ego in all its aspects. Provided an aspirant approaches a sage with this knowledge, what will he do? He will always be on the guard to see that his ego does not assert itself. He will never do the blunder of going to the Guru with his ego intact and clinging to it.

SEXUALITY AND SPIRITUALITY / Part I ~ Atman NItyananda

SEXUALITY AND SPIRITUALITY / Part I 

Ignorance, blindness, dullness and fanaticism are the worst enemies of human beings. They keep humanity in a state a little above of the animal kingdom and in many cases humans behave worse than animals. One of the most important aspects of human life is sexuality. Unfortunately because of the above mentioned reasons humans misuse the sexual energy by various ways and means and thus cause numerous of physical and psychological disorders.

The sexual behavior affects tremendously all other aspects of our life in many ways. Great spiritual teachers since thousands of years spoke about the importance of chastity and the necessity of a pious sexual life. Unfortunately the ignorant and undeveloped minds see their advices and suggestions as moral dogmas or canons which limit their freedom to live as they like and enjoy the life fully, while in reality the wrong use of sexual energy is a fundamental factor of a limited, problematic, unhappy life.

Humans nowadays have developed so many sexual perversions which due to their ignorance and dullness consider as a natural way of living. They cannot understand that a ´free´ sexual behavior is the basis of an unhappy, limited, miserable life. Nowadays thanks to the media and fast communication we have the opportunity to see that the media stars which live a ´free´ sexual life are of the most miserable humans on earth.

Since the human mind is undeveloped and clouded by low energies we see on the other hand some to adopt an antisexual fanatic behavior, a superficial morality based on fear and guilty. They may condemn sexual energy and consider it as something negative or even demonic which of course is a superstitious belief.

Neither a ´free´ uncontrolled sexual behavior nor a rigid pseudo-moral, antisexual behavior can bring health, balance and harmony in our life and in our society. Both are causing unbalances and disequilibrium.

Certainly the majority of humanity is not prepared enough to change radically the sexual behavior and adopt a higher way to express it. Yet it seems that nowadays there is an increasing number of humans that seek something superior than the animalist or hedonistic satisfaction of their sexuality.

In reality the only way for a normal sexual life is the tantric way which doesn’t seek the gradual increasing of pleasure and the peak experience of the orgasmic pleasure in the genitals or in the whole body but through love and intimacy of the partners an expansion of the sexual energy in the whole system (nadis, chakras, brain, heart and mind) which has as a result the transformation of sexual energy in love, light, and wisdom and the ecstatic experience of the union with God consciousness.

Only a good knowledge and a clear understanding of the sexual energy, its role in our physical and psychological functions and its role in our social life as well as of the powers and energies that are related with it can really be of a great help to use it properly and for our own benefit and advance.

The sexual energy and fluids are related to the three subtle energies (Ojas/tejas/prana) which play a fundamental and great importance role to our physical, emotional, mental health, a balanced and harmonious living and even more important to our spiritual transformation and development.

The conservation and transformation of sexual energy for spiritual development and enlightenment it is not a matter of morality or of a rigid religious dogma but is a necessity based on the physiology and psychology of human existence. In the sexual energy are stored these most precious energies which maintain our physical and psychological health and activate the higher capacities of the mind and enable us access the higher states of consciousness.

By studying these three subtle forces of nature we can understand why the conservation (not wasting it through orgasm) of sexual fluids and the transformation of them through spiritual practices are necessary for spiritual development and enlightenment.

Of course the knowledge and the understanding must be applied in our daily life otherwise we cannot experience any real change in us.

Read more about Ojas, Tejas and Prana here:

PRANA,TEJAS AND OJAS by David Frawley 

Read more essays about sexuality:
Love and sexuality Omraam Mikhael Aivanhov
Espanol
AMOR Y SEXUALIDAD - II por Omraam Aivanhov
AMOR Y SEXUALIDAD - PARTE I por Omraam Aivanhov

The Story of Avidya (ignorance) / Swami Sivananda

The Story of Avidya (ignorance)
by Swami Sivananda  

Avidya has 4 daughters, Ahamkara (Egoism), Raga (like, attraction), Dvesha (dislike, aversion) and Abhinivesa (clinging to earthly life). The root cause of human suffering is Avidya. Avidya means ignorance. On account of Avidya you identify yourself with the body, wife, children, house, property, etc. From Avidya came Ahamkara (Egoism), the self-asserting principle.

In Patanjali Yoga Darsana, Ahamkara is called Asmita. On account of Avidya and Ahamkara you have forgotten your essential nature, your original Sat-Chit-Ananda Brahmic nature. This Avidya is beginningless, superimposition. It is beginningless but has an end as soon as Brahmajnana (Direct knowledge or realization of Brahman) dawns. Brahman, the source (Yoni) for this world, Vedas and everything is Anadi, Anantam (beginningless and unlimted). This Avidya is a mere superimposition on Brahman. It has no independent existence. It depends upon Brahman for its phenomenal existence. The world is an effect of Avidya.

Modifications of Avidya

Ahamkara, Raga-Dvesha, Abhinivesa (clinging to life), attachment, desire, Kamana (longing), hope, anticipation, Trishna (craving), Vasana (subtle desire), Chapalata, Vanchana, body, mind, Buddhi, Chitta, Indriyas, are all modifications of Avidya.

Ahamkara manifests, Raga, Dvesha 

As soon as Ahamkara manifests, Raga, Dvesha (like and dislike, love and hatred, attraction and repulsion) immediately come in. Wherever there is Ahamkara, there are Raga, Dvesha, side by side.

The function of Ahamkara is identification (Abhimana). Dehadhyasa (identification with body), Shastrabhimana (identification with scriptures), Desabhimana  (identification with country) are all varieties of Abhimana.

When you identify yourself with the body, Dehadhyasa comes in. Dehadhyasa is mistaking the body for the Self or pure Atman. It is attachment to the body. This is removed by starting the anti-current Aham-Brahma-Asmi-"I am Brahman" Bhavana, constantly.

Ahamkara also is of two kinds, viz., Suddha (pure) Ahamkara and Asuddha (impure) Ahamkara.

Suddha Ahamkara is pure egoism which identifies itself with Brahman (pure Sat-Chit-Ananda)

existence. This will not bind a man. This will lead to Moksha. This is termed Moksha-ahamkara.

Asuddha (impure) Ahamkara identifies itself with physical body. Wherever there is Ahamkara, there are Vasanas also side by side. Vasanas are subtle desires, that are hidden inside the mind and causal body. Vasanas are Sukshma (subtle). Desires are gross (Sthula). That is the difference between a Vasana and a desire.

EGO or EGOISM - The illusory identity

Vasana strengthens the egoism. Vasana is the enemy of peace. Vasana is the seed for birth and death. Vasana lies at the bottom of all miseries, tribulations and sufferings. Even if you are the Emperor of a vast dominion you cannot have peace of mind (Shanti). Peace of mind comes from eradication of Vasanas (Vasanatyaga). 

Freedom from Samskaras and vasanas leads to liberation ...

Mind is a bundle of Vasanas ...

 Eradication of desires is the proper ...

Tyaga (renunciation) does not consist in the abandoning of physical objects. It consists in the renunciation of Vasanas inside the mind. Then comes peace (Santi, Sama).

Worldlings search outside in illusory objects for their peace like the deers, which search for water in the mirage. Eradication of Vasanas brings about annihilation of the mind (Manonasa). Then dawns Tattva Jnana (Self-knowledge, realization of Atman).

Degrees of desire

Trishna is intense intense craving. Suppose you have 10 thousand dollars in hand, you want to increase it to 20 thousand dollars. This is Trishna.

Kashaya and Vasana are synonymous terms. Iccha is desire. Kamana also means the same. Suppose you have no sweater in winter. Then an Iccha arises to get a sweater. You cannot call this Trishna.

Chapalata is a variety of Iccha. The most common Chapalatas are Jihva Chapalata (Chapalata of the tongue) and  Upastha Chapalata (Chapalata of the reproductive organ). In some persons the tongue wants every now and then to eat some thing or other. This is Jihva Chapalata. In Upastha Chapalata, the reproductive organ wants to repeat again and again coition for Sparsa enjoyment.

The philosophy of desire 

FREEDOM from DESIRE 

Raga-Dvesha

When attachment (Aasakti) for orange goes away, longing (Kamana) dies by itself. But Raga or preference will remain. Whenever somebody offers various kinds of fruits you will show preference for orange. You must remove preference also. It takes a long time.

Raga comes because you like the object, the object is favourable to you. Dvesha comes because you dislike the object, the object is unfavourable. You want to possess and enjoy those objects which are favourable and to throw away those things which are unfavourable.

Iccha, longing, attachment, Chapalata, Vancha are all hidden in Raga. These are all attendants of Raga. They are all expansions of Raga. They are all modifications of Raga. The cause of Raga (or its root) is Vasana. 

 The pairs of opposites 

 

In Yoga Vasishtha it is described that fear is an old-standing associate of Raga and that it is hidden in Raga. Some say that it is an associate of hatred. If Ahamkara goes away, Raga-Dvesha will disappear.

In a Jnani  (Liberarated, Enlightened) all Vasanas are fried up. So he has no Raga for any object.

Liberation and Jivanmukta

The nature of a Jivanmukta 

 The Mind In A Jivanmukta