Meditation and Action Part II by Swami Sivananda

Meditation and Action Part II 

by Swami Sivananda

A microscopic minority only are fit for full and deep meditation. The vast majority should combine meditation with action in the beginning. When they really advance in meditation, they can slowly give up action.

~~~

Man consists of Atman, mind and body. The Atman has two aspects, changeless and changing. The latter is called the world and the former God. World also is nothing but God in manifestation. God in movement is the world. Not that the world does not exist, it has a relative existence.

Atman is all-pervading, all-blissful, all-powerful, all-knowing, eternally perfect and pure. It assumes these names and forms called the world (Nama Rupa Jagat) of its own free will. There is no desire, because there is no outside object. This will is called Shakti. It is Atman in action. In Nirguna Atman, the Shakti is static. In Saguna, it is dynamic. Atman has no desire, because it is perfect, and because there is nothing which is objective to the Atman. Desire implies attraction, which presupposes imperfection. It is the very negation of will which is decision for action from within. The Atman wills and the universe comes into being. The will of the Atman upholds and governs the universe. Human beings are driven hither and thither by egoism, desires and fears due to identification with the limiting adjunct of mind and body. This idea of limitation is called egoism.

The realisation of oneness in all existences, manifested and unmanifested, is the goal of human life. This unity already exists. We have forgotten it through ignorance. The removal of this veil of ignorance, the idea that we are confined within the mind and the body, is our chief effort in Sadhana. It logically follows that to realise unity, we must give up diversity. We must constantly keep up the idea that we are all-pervading, all-powerful, etc. There is no room here for desire because in unity there is no emotional attraction, but steady, persistent, calm, eternal bliss. Desire for liberation is terminological inexactitude. Liberation means attainment of the state of infinity. It already exists. It is our real nature. There can be no desire for a thing which is your very nature. All desires for progeny, wealth, happiness in this world or in the next and lastly even the desire for liberation should be completely annihilated and all actions guided by pure and disinterested will towards the goal.

This Sadhana-the constant attempt to feel that you are the all-can be practised or rather ought to be practised in the midst of intense activity. That is the central teaching of the Gita. It stands to reason also. Because God is both Saguna and Nirguna, with form and without form. Let the mind and the body work. Feel that you are above them, their controlling witness. Do not identify yourself with the Adhara (support for mind and body), even when it is employed in activity. Of course meditation in the beginning has to be resorted to. Only an exceptionally strong-willed man can dispense with it. For ordinary human beings, it is an indispensable necessity. In meditation, the Adhara is steady. So the Sadhana, the effort to feel Unity is comparatively easy. In the midst of activities, this effort is difficult. Karma Yoga is more difficult than pure Jnana Yoga. We must, however, keep up the practice at all times. That is absolutely essential, otherwise the progress is slow; because, a few hours' meditation on the idea that you are the all and identification with mind and body for a greater portion of the day, do not bring about rapid or substantial advance.

It is much better to associate the word-symbol, OM, with the idea. From time immemorial, this symbol has been used for expressing the idea of unity. So the best method is to repeat this word OM and meditate on its meaning at all times. But we must set apart some hours for meditation, pure and simple, in the morning and in the evening.

Om! The purpose of life - Awakening of Consciousness - Atman Nityananda

The purpose of life - Awakening of Consciousness

To have a heart as pure as crystal, 
a mind as luminous as the sun, 
a soul as vast as the universe,  
a spirit as powerful as God  
and one with God              
       ~Omraam Aivanhov

What is the purpose of life?

It is to find out who we really are; the realization of our True Self or Atman.

That is the main purpose of every human being. All other purposes have a secondary place in our life. Self-realization, self-knowledge, God-realization, liberation, enlightenment, are synonymous terms. They point to the same goal. The realization of our real Self whose nature is pure awareness.

'The highest goal of man is to enquire, "Who am I?" and realize the Self. If a human being does not try to realize this, he lives in vain.'

~ Ramana Maharshi

What is illusion?

Illusion is the imagination that you are a body-mind entity, an illusory image, separate from God and the universe. Because of ignorance (maya), and the impurities of mind (the qualities of rajas  and tamas), you cannot discriminate the eternal Self or awareness that you really are from the impermanent vehicles (body-mind) that are objects in awareness.

‘Ignorance supervenes and draws a veil over the pure bliss. This ignorance consists in wrong knowledge. The wrong knowledge consists in the false identification of the Self with the body, the mind, etc. This false identity must go and there remains the Self.’ 
~ Ramana Maharshi

Nobody can really explain when this illusion started or why. This is the game of life. This illusion can be destroyed, if you are sincere and do rigorous sadhana (spiritual disciplne or practices). In the course of time, it will flash through you that you are awareness itself and not the body-mind entity.

‘There must be untiring effort to go inward all the time until the Self is realized.’ 

~ Ramana Maharshi

What is the Self?

The Self or consciousness is the eternal, timeless, formless, causeless, essence of life. It is the one without a second (nondual) reality beyond this perceptual universe. It is a homogenous mass of consciousness, without parts, without attributes, without birth and death.

It is the substratum of all gross and subtle experiences. It is the centerless center in every creature. It is within and without, above and below, it permeates and fulfils everything.

The Self in you is the Self of all. Bodies are many, minds are many but the Self is only One. The One Self appears as many owing to the illusory appearance of bodies and minds. As the one sun in the sky appears as many owing to its reflection in the water of many different vessels, the one without a second (nondual) Self appears as many owing to its reflection in different minds.

This immortal Self shines in the chambers of your heart as your own Self. It is your real identity, your origin and your final destination.

How can the desire to find my true nature arise within me?

Consciousness (the Soul from within) impels you to find out the truth because awareness itself wants to be awakened in you. But you, the person, have to do the sadhana. We are all instruments of the divine will but we become conscious of it only after awakening.

How is possible to get liberation or enlightenment?

Even to win a lottery you have to do something, at least to buy the ticket! Similarly, Self-realization is not going to happen accidentally, except in some very rare cases in which it seems to happen so.

The scriptures and the sages declare that instant realization and liberation can only happen to those who did intense sadhana  in their previous births. This is the case of Sri Ramana Maharshi, but this is unknown to the majority. So you have to do sadhana or spiritual practices to prepare yourself for the dawn of jnana (knowledge).

'Without spiritual practice (upasana), there cannot be attainment. This is certain.‘ 
~ Ramana Maharshi

How will I know who is the appropriate spiritual teacher or which is the right teaching? 

You will feel it; there will be a certainty like ‘I am at home’. You will feel attraction to the teacher or the teaching and you will be elevated. If there is any doubt in your mind, you can pray and the answer will be given to you.

What is the right spiritual practice or the right way for me?

Any practice given from the scriptures and great spiritual masters are appropriate for sadhana.  

For you, good is the practice that is suited more to your temperament, maturity and the present conditions of your life. There is no such thing as good or bad practice. What suits you is a good practice for you. That does not mean it is good for all. Furthermore, what is appropriate for you this time maybe is not so at a more advanced stage.

‘To each person that way is the best which appears easiest or appeals most. All the ways are equally good, as they lead to the same goal, which is merging of the ego in the Self.’  
~ Ramana Maharshi

Man is a composition of body, mind and spirit. Therefore, it is necessary to include in your sadhana practices for all these aspects of existence. You need a healthy body, abundant energy, mental and emotional balance and harmony. The spirit can be revealed where there is predominance of sattva quality, which brings harmony at all levels of human existence.

It is absolutely necessary to increase the sattva quality, through spiritual practices and a sattvic lifestyle. Sattva is the foundation of physical and mental well-being and Self-realization.

‘If the aspirants have not one-pointed mind - which is possible for him who has pure mind full of sattva - dispassion, discrimination etc., Self-inquiry is impossible.’ 
~ Ramana Maharshi

What is the aim of sadhana or spiritual practices?

Sadhana has two aims.

First: The purification of mind from rajas  and tamas qualities and the increase of sattva. The destruction of the lower or impure mind (desires, lust, greed, anger, fear, jealousy, attachments, etc.) and the ego itself (the sense ‘I am the body’ and its consequences: ‘I-ness’, ‘mineness’, I am the doer, and I am the enjoyer).

‘Since purity of mind is indispensable for any kind of spiritual practice, it possesses an eminence of the highest order.’  
‘The greatness of chitta shuddhi (purity of mind) is that it is the mother of all virtuous conduct. Realizing this, examine your mind every day.’  
~ Ramana Maharshi

Second: The inquiry into the nature of your real Self (awareness) and the permanent abidance as ‘That’ after the realization.

‘Letting go of the external objects, turn your back on them, and realize through keen inquiry the effulgent truth that shines in the heart.’ 
~ Ramana Maharshi

These two aspects of sadhana go together but the first one has precedence, because it makes the mind pure, one-pointed, steady, introverted, discriminative, a capable instrument to do Self-inquiry and meditation effectively. Then through meditation or Self-inquiry the mind becomes finer and finer and finally dissolves in the Self.

‘Only to such a mind which has gained the inner strength of one-pointedness, Self-inquiry will be successful.’ 
~ Ramana Maharshi

Two important notes:

1. Realization is not something you can attain by effort. This does not mean that sadhana is not necessary. You have to prepare yourself for realization. You must eliminate all those things that prevent realization. Realization will happen by itself when the right time will come. Purification, intense longing to find the truth, sincerity, faith, steady determination, vigilance are very important to succeed in this endeavour.

‘You are the Self. You are already That. The fact is that you are ignorant of your blissful state. Ignorance supervenes and draws a veil over pure bliss. Attempts are directed only to remove this ignorance.’  
~ Ramana Maharshi

2. Be careful because spirituality also can be a nice field for the egoic mind to play its roles. Beware always! Be alert, because ego always tries its best to delude you. But if you are sincere and unceasingly vigilant, you will find out the fancies of ego and you will dissolve them.

‘The spiritual practice adopted by the jiva becomes complete upon the destruction of the ego at its source.’ 
 ~ Ramana Maharshi

Satsang

Satsang (meetings with realized souls) is one of the most potent means to dispel ignorance. The magnetic aura of a realized sage can elevate you and give you a great help in your way to Self-realization. That does not mean that sadhana is not necessary. Sadhana becomes very effective when is practiced at the feet of a great master.

‘Sankara has said that in all the three worlds there is no boat likesatsang to carry one safely across the ocean of births and deaths.’  
~ Ramana Maharshi

It is very important also to do sadhana at sacred places where the energies are very pure and powerful. Reading also books of realized sages or sacred scriptures, like the Upanishads and the Bhagavad Gita, can give you light, strength and inspiration.

Who is going to get liberation or Self-realization?

Liberation is not an achievement of the ego, but the dissolution of the ego. Self-knowledge is the realization that you are pure consciousness and not the mind-made entity or ego.

That means that consciousness itself will realize in you, (through the medium of pure crystal like buddhi) its own nature, as the eternal, immutable, blissful essence of life.

The very death of the ego in all its aspects (I-ness, mineness, doership, enjoyership, desires, lust, greed, guilt, anger, etc.) will result in liberation. This is the very death of your egoic self, but your birth to the eternal life.

‘The glory of self-realization is not experienced except in the hearts of those who are very zealous about sinking into the Self.’ 
~ Ramana Maharshi

What is the difference between awakening and liberation?

Awakening is the realization that we are not the body-mind complex or the ego but the witnessing consciousness behind them. When awakening happens there is a spontaneous disidentification from the mind and body and the realization that we are the space-consciousness in which the body and mind appear.

However, awakening is not necessarily accompanied by the total destruction of the egoic mind. In some cases, awakening can destroy all the egoic mind structures. In other cases, after awakening a great amount of latent impressions (samskaras andvasanas) continue to exist in the subconscious mind, interrupting the experience of the Self. Sadhana must be continued until all vasanas are totally fried and the abidance in the Self will be permanent and effortless.

‘…intense effort is necessary until the I-thought will disappear completely in the heart (Self) and all the vasanas and samskaras will be fried and do not revive again.’ 
‘Knowledge (jnana) can only remain unshaken after all vasanas are rooted out.’  
~ Ramana Maharshi

People who have some kind of awakening may confuse it with liberation or the final state of realization. Keep in mind that there is no liberation if identification with ‘ego’, body, emotions, thoughts and sense objects continues after awakening. There is no liberation if the vasanas and samskaras drive out the mind to entertain sense objects.

‘All the age-long vasanas carry the mind outward and turn it to external objects. All such thoughts have to be given up and the mind turned inward. For that, effort is necessary for most people.’ 
~ Ramana Maharshi

The Self shines in the heart, so effort is necessary to keep the mind inward. Until all vasanas, samskaras, desires and the ‘I’ thought are destroyed, effort is necessary to keep the mind still in the heart.

‘If the six illusory enemies (desire, anger, greed, delusion, intoxication and envy), beginning with desire, that mingle in your heart are totally destroyed, the extremely clear light of  jnana will shine.’  
‘An unruffled mind established in the heart is the fence that protects the field of liberation.’  
~ Ramana Maharshi

But do we really want to abandon sense pleasures? Do we really want to lose our egoic identity? The enjoyment of sense pleasures and the abidance in the Self are opposites. We cannot serve two masters; we have to make a choice.

‘Why give up the marvelous experience of peace by desiring imaginary and degraded sense enjoyments?’ 
‘Do not allow yourself to be buffeted by the sense perceptions in this world, but become firmly established in the discipline of spiritual practice (tapas), and be totally free of misery.’
 ~ Ramana Maharshi

‘No servant can serve two masters, for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to one, and despise the other. You aren’t able to serve God and mammon.’
~ Jesus Christ

What is the main prerequisite for Self-realization?

If you really want the truth heartfully; if you have zeal, earnestness, sincerity, intense longing and if you give all your energy, mind, body, everything you have, the truth will be revealed to you when the time is right. There is no doubt about this. Nothing can stop you reaching your destination; the abode of eternal Peace and happiness.

‘One must be ready to sacrifice everything for the truth.’  
'Firm resolve to discover the truth for oneself is important.' 
~ Ramana Maharshi

At every time on your journey towards Self-realization, you will find everything you need, the right book, the right spiritual teacher, the right teaching for you. Do not worry. Be flexible, be open, be patient, do your best every moment and the next step will come by itself.

'There is a steady determination that gets you on your feet again after a fail or break.' 
~ Ramana Maharshi

O man! What do you really want? To be a small egocentric entity full of miseries and sufferings, a slave of illusory sense pleasures or to realize that you are the formless, timeless and ever free consciousness, always content, happy and peaceful?

Self-realization is your birthright
You can realize it in this very birth
Time is flitting
Death can come at any time
Don't waste your time in trifling things
Roam like a lion, fear nothing
Do rigorous sadhana
Be alert, be vigilant
You are bound to succeed
Realize the Self here and now
And be an embodiment of peace and harmony.

Om Tat Sat

~Nityananda Atman

References:   

Padamalia: Teachings of Sri Ramana Maharshi, recorded by Muruganar, edited by David Godman;

Daily Quotes from Talks With Sri Ramana Maharshi, compiled by Sanjay Lohia;

Jnana Magra In Bhagavan’s Own Words, compiled by Sanjay Lohia;

Ramana Maharshi Answers 100 Questions, edited and compiled by A.R. Natarajan;

Quotable Quotes from Day to Day, compiled by Sanjay Lohia;

Day by Day with Bhagavan, from the diary of A. Devaraja Mudaliar;

Maharshi's Gospel Books I & II;

Gems from Bhagavan, strung together by A. Devaraja Mudaliar;

The New Testament from the World English Bible.

Peace  love  harmony

OM! Annihilation of egoism, mind and vasanas ¬ Swami Sivananda

Annihilation of egoism, mind and vasanas

Extract form Chapter 6  book Moksha Gita by Swami Sivananda 

commetary of Swami Krishananda

7. Ahamkara (egoism) which is the source of all troubles has its seat in the mind. Annihilation of egoism will bring about destruction of the mind and annihilation of the mind will cause destruction of egoism.
Ahamkara or egoism is the main sense of the Jiva. It is the master-manipulator of diverse life. The ego is the hardening or the concretising of the universal consciousness at a point in space. It is formed of the stuff of arrogating itself and excluding all else from being. Ahamkara need not necessarily be taken to mean pride merely, but it is essentially the feeling of "I am" or self-awareness. This self-consciousness is the pivot of the rotation of the incessant revelation and the withdrawal of self-asserting forces thrown out by the ego by its powerful spells of thought. The whole universe is in fact this magical incantation of the sense of the ego which has at its background the ocean of the mind.

The ego is a monad in absolute consciousness. It strongly desires to express itself and this power of expression creates the appearance of space, time, sound, touch, colour, taste and smell in limitless being. The origin of the world is the desire to egotise in opposition to the Self. The grosser the ego-manifestation, the more real appears the world and the farther is the Jiva from the reality.

The ego or the individuality does not consist in being a simple spiritual entity or a soul but in being a mind which is a peculiar mode of the Supreme Brahman determined by a special movement or will. This self-same ego is called by various names when it performs different functions. Buddhi, Ahamkara, Chitta, Manas, Karma, Vasana. Sankalpa, Kalpana, Bhavana, Prakriti, Shakti, are all the appearances of the different forces which manifest themselves from the root of individuality in order to fulfil certain particularised conditions of self-existence.

The ego and the mind are related to one another as the source and the root. They are in a sense the same power viewed from different points of view. This power is like a wave in the Ocean of the Absolute. It is the impulse to create that causes the appearance of the ego and this will to manifest forms is cast all over in all egos each of which in its own way takes part in the scheme of creation. This creative impulse should be checked and turned inward to effect Self-Illumination or Realization of Brahman.

8. The ideas of 'mine' and 'thine' are only the creation of the mind. If the mind is destroyed through Vichara, these ideas will vanish. Destruction of the mind alone is Moksha (libearation).
"I", "Mine", "Thine", and such other ideas are based on the belief in a multiple universe. The intensity of these ideas differs in the various degrees of ignorance and knowledge that characterise the individuals. There are seven grades of ignorance and seven grades of knowledge. These fourteen stages of evolution are dominated by fourteen degrees of nescience which hide the Reality little by little increasing as the darkness becomes thicker and the intelligence more obscured. The Sadhana that is practised to remove this ignorance should consist in a gradual unveiling of the Self through systematic self-restraint and abstraction. The ideas which reign over the mind are its own offshoots which later on gain independence over its natural quiescent state, and act like irremovable obstructions on the path.

The destruction of the ego is the destruction of the mind, and it is done through the practice of Yoga. 

Yoga is a process running along two lines, namely, the denial of individuality and the affirmation of the Self. The ego or the individuality does not consist only of intellect but also of feeling and activity. The practice of Yoga, therefore, is done through three aspects: Intellectual assertion and conviction of one's not being an ego but the Absolute Brahman, negation of desire, infatuation and attachment, etc., and practice in stopping the ceaseless functioning of the vital current or Prana which does the activity of life by its rising and setting. These methods bring moments of rest to the psychic activity which corresponds to the moment of rest in consciousness, however little it may be. This long practice brings permanent rest of mental activity and opens the door of intuition.

When Sadhana is practised – be it of any particular aspect of self-transformation – the one important point to be borne in mind is the negation of the ego. It is not formal practice of routines and traditional rules that can liberate the individual but methods to pacify the egoism through common-sense and understanding. Yoga is completely an inward process, for it is not the body that is the hindrance to Absolute Independence but the mind. Any physical practice done to achieve Spiritual Perfection should be coupled with inward detachment and love for the Eternal. The yearning to catch the Infinite Being directs all the emotions to the Fullness of Existence and thus undermines the flinty egoism.

9. Destruction of Sankalpas is really destruction of the mind. It is only Sankalpas destroyed beyond resurrection that constitute the ineffable, imperishable and effulgent Brahmic seat.

The Sankalpas should be destroyed beyond resurrection. The resuscitation of Vasanas allows the tree of Samsara to grow once again and therefore, the purpose of all methods of Yoga is the utter removal of all the possibilities of further appearance of the mind. 

Calm, sure and steady should be the way of approach to Self-realization. There is no other way to attain Liberation than the Knowledge of what really exists, for the bondage consists in the forgetfulness of the Absolute which is here and now. Liberation cannot be attained by mere living in a forest and practising self-mortification. It is not even the renunciation of Karma that is required for the purpose of Self-realization. It is Knowledge that is wanted and nothing short of it. Knowledge consists in the conviction that Brahman is the only reality, that everything is Brahman, that nothing other than Brahman can exist, that Brahman is the very Self of all.

Jnana is a means for Self-realization and not merely an intellectual conviction. Scriptural study may help further Knowledge but by itself it is only in the realm of Maya. Jnana is not a philosophical creed but an intuitional comprehension of the entire being. The individual should expand into the Absolute and should live as the Absolute. Actual living in the Experience of Brahman, the Divine Being, is what is indicated by true Jnana.

The eradication of the mental function is not done in a moment like a magical trick. The attachment of the Jiva to its finitude has come since aeons. A mere intellectual grasping may make one believe in the illusory nature of the world, yet, the illusion does not thereby stop tormenting the individual. The cessation of Samsara takes place only through the actualisation of the undying Knowledge and practice of Yoga. Yoga should be a discipline neglecting no aspect of life. The physical, mental and spiritual aspects must be touched by every true method of Yoga for Self- realization. A one-sided development leaves the other sides as they were and Truth-experience becomes impossible.

10. Just as gold is purified by heating it on the fire, so also mind is purified by the fire of meditation.

Yoga is in its strictest sense Meditation on the Absolute Reality. The way to such a meditation lies through suffering and pain. The road to bliss always passes through self-sacrifice and self-purification. Gold becomes lustrous when it is purged of all dross and the self shines in its own Nature when it is disciplined through meditation. Spiritual meditation is practised through constant affirmation of one's being identical with Brahman. Thereby the mind returns to Peace. When the Self is asserted to be in tune with the Great Expanse of the Reality the mind which is a shadow of the Self turns back to its substance, the Self. The mind being annihilated, the vital currents or the Pranas stop their activity, because the Prana is only an appearance of the power of the mind. The practice of deep affirmation of the Supreme Tattva subordinates all other spiritual endeavours to reach Brahman.

One must continuously meditate on the truth that he is non-different from Brahman and thus direct all his activities, thoughts and emotions towards this end, affirming without break that he is the One Brahman himself. This method is the most difficult one, because one has to feel here the whole universe as the one essence of Akhanda-Satchidananda. By constantly brooding over the absolute existence of Brahman, one becomes Brahman only due to the power of meditation. That person who affirms Brahman in this manner acquires all power and all knowledge, for, he affirms that which is everything. His Self becomes the Infinite Whole, Satyam, Jnanam and Anantam. The mind vanishes for want of objects of perception. When the One Brahman alone is seen everywhere, where is the occasion for the appearance of objects? The breath also stops thereby and the Absolute Experience shines alone.
The affirmation of Absoluteness is suited only for the highest class of aspirants whose minds are ready to receive the higher spiritual Light. When the Sadhaka practises such severe assertions the physical consciousness will try to revolt against all measures taken against its well-being. The general result of such affirmations by weak-minded aspirants is great fear and shock. The Divine Consciousness tries to manifest itself in the individual and shatters the ego like a mad elephant that has entered a small hut. This supreme meditation is called Brahmabhavana or Brahmabhyasa. The force of intense meditation lights up the entire materialised nature and at once liberates the soul like a sudden flash of lightning. At one stroke the universe dwindles into nothingness and the Majesty of Brahman is revealed. This is the Goal.