AvadhootaDatta Peetham

Discourse on Yoga Vasishtha
Day 190, November 20 2015

Sri Sadgurubhyo namaha
Om Santissantissantissantihi

Vasishtha said, we mistakenly assume that Paramatma is the cause for the emergence of this world. But He is not. Because we see in the world that every effect has a cause, we wonder how this world came into being, and what its source might be. So it has been said that Paramatma is the reason. But, if that is true, then the world must be real. If the world is real, then it cannot be said that Brahma alone is Truth. It will lead to confusion. That is why it is denied that Paramatma is the cause for this Universe. If He were to be the cause, then do not think that it is a transformation that took place, as in the case of milk turning into curds. That would be very wrong. Once milk turns into yogurt, the process cannot be reversed. The two are two totally different substances. If the curds is mixed with milk, the milk will not remain as milk. It is not a matter of pure and impure. Curds has the property of changing the texture of milk.

It is more like the rope turning into a snake. Does it ever happen? No. We know it. But a rope can appear like a snake. Why does it happen? We don’t know. It is just the individual’s ignorance that makes him mistake a rope for a snake. But a rope is not a snake. It can never be. You ought to be seeing the rope. But instead, you are seeing a snake in its place, unfortunately. Whose fault is it? Is it the mistake of the person who is seeing it wrongly or is it the mistake of the rope? Did the rope tell the person to perceive it as a snake? No. Even if it were to speak, why would any object wish for others to see it as something other than what it is? Generally, it does not happen. Some people out of ignorance may wear a different make up and try to appear as what they are not. That is a different matter.

The rope never turned into a snake. The snake just does not exist there. Where is the snake? It only exists in the mind of the viewer. The moment there was bright light, the snake simply disappeared. It just vanished. It did not come from anywhere and it did not go anywhere. It existed only in the mind of the person who feared it.

A person who has a tiger as a pet, plays with it. He is not afraid of it. But we fear the animal. That person did whatever it takes to get rid of the fear of the animal. If you also do it, you will also be free from fear of the tiger.

Why should one get rid of fear? Absence of fear is happiness. It is only fear that is preventing us from being happy. Therefore, to remove fear, this Sastra/Science has come into being. Why should we study this science? Only to be free from fear. Just imagine life without any fear. How happy and easy it would be. One would feel very light at heart. Suppose there is an ant on the tallest limb of a tree, at its very edge. The ant is blown away by the breeze. It gently lands on the ground. It is not afraid. It has the ability to survive the fall. Its head will not break from the impact. It knows it. That knowledge is wisdom. If it lacked that wisdom, even before hitting the ground, it would die out of the fear of the fall. In various circumstances, you see many creatures living without any fear. Being fearless means being wise. To gain such wisdom, this science/Sastra has to be studied. How to learn this subject?

You have to realize that Paramatma is not the cause. If you think that He is the cause, then you should be only perceiving the cause (and not the world).

Here, in the above example, if you are wise, you will only see the rope. If you know that it is only a rope that is appearing like a snake, then you feel no fear. But you do not see the rope. You see the non-existent snake. That is why you are afraid.

The reason that the snake is not seen by the wise is that only the rope is there. Likewise, only Paramatma is there. There is no reason for you to see the world which is non-existent.

Once you reach that stage, the idea of a snake does not even exist. That is the difference between the one who knows, and the one who does not know. That is why the enlightened are always happy. We seek their guidance so that we may also share that kind of permanent bliss. Sadguru has nothing to give us. He merely removes our fear. He gives us courage. If fear is absent, only happiness is left. You feel no reason to feel tense about anything. The courage to face any challenge will fill the heart. It may come in the form of dispassion, or in the form of devotion. It may even come as a reckless boldness that says come what may, I can face it. The end result is Jnana or enlightenment. That is what Sadguru gives.

Someone asked some disciples what they had gained after following their Sadguru. One smart disciple said, while the others were still deliberating in their minds how to answer the question, that what they should be asked is, not what they have gained, but what they have lost. They have lost fear, ego, likes and dislikes, envy, jealousy, and ignorance. The loss of all these is their true gain. This is spirituality. No matter how much you spend in the market, you cannot get a cure for these ills. This effective treatment, this gain is only available with Sadguru.
Now, the sequence of Creation is explained. Paramatma has no birth. He has no death. He is eternal. There is no cause for His existence. He is the ultimate cause for everything. He is the only Truth. Based on our mental background, our middle level of knowing, we still speak of cause and effect and that is why these answers are given; and birth and death are mentioned.

Why is creation mentioned here? It is because of the prayerful question raised by Sri Rama. When a question is asked, and it is being answered by Guru, the disciple has to listen attentively and digest the answer. He should not dismiss the answer, or ignore it in impatience, or go away. Only when you are genuinely seeking an answer, you should pose a question. Do not ask on behalf of someone else, or ask very casually, without really being interested in the answer.

Sri Rama asked reverentially and prayerfully. He expressed his sincere doubt.
What was Sri Rama’s question?

He said: You have said that this world was never born. If that is so, then why is it appearing as if it exists?
Vasishtha gave the dream world as an example.

Generally, when someone is in trouble, they are offered comfort with the advise to treat the whole thing as just a bad dream. While in happiness, no one wishes to think of it as a dream.

At least if that flicker of light is there in our minds to suggest that life should be treated as a dream, that knowledge is sufficient. It has the potential of a spark that can grow into a huge flame if properly fueled and fanned.

This world is like a dream. Whose dream is it? It is the dream of Parabrahma at the time of Creation. During Pralaya, it is as if He is in deep sleep. At that time there is nothing. When from sleep, he slips into the dream state and begins to dream, we get separated from Him, and we begin to dream as well. That creates for us our lives with our families, properties, assets, relationships, experiences, and so on.

Sri Rama says: This is nice to listen to, but a dream is not our experience of reality, whereas the world in the wakeful state is.
Can we actually hold on to something firmly, that we see in a dream? We see some people making movements while they dream. Some people will speak in their dreams. They are under the illusion that the dream is real. Some laugh and some even wake up with tears in their eyes. Some probably get tickled in the dream and they laugh.

The world is an actual experience for us. All the organs of action and perception have real experiences of this world. The mind stimulates all these sensations.

Sri Rama expresses more questions and doubts.

What is Liberation? Is it going to a different world? Then it is also like another birth. Those who do good deeds go up to a higher world, and those who commit sins go to a lower world where they suffer. It is just a different birth. Once we go there, we will not remember where we were before that birth. This is a repetitive cycle. This is a journey of the soul. The body does not have an awareness of these different births. The body cannot understand this.

Creation is not about how the planets and other spheres in space have come into existence. What is important for you to know is how you have come into existence. That is the spiritual journey. In spiritual learning, one has to be extremely selfish. This is unselfish selfishness. It is because it does not concern the body. Selfishness that concerns the body involves pleasures, possessions, and the ego. But in the soul’s journey,, these issues are all absent. Attaining spiritual knowledge, while it is selfish, is actually totally unselfish.

That is why we are told that poor students should be given the gift of education. Even if that charity is done out of a selfish desire for merit, it is still considered an unselfish act. Annadanam also is like that. Even if you desire merit for your action, this act is supporting a life. A person who lives and learns will progress towards spirituality eventually. Next comes the gift of health through the offer of medical treatment.

What is Liberation? Liberation is sweeping away the picture of the world from your mind and seeing only Parabrahma. It is not a visual perception. If it were something that is seen with the physical eyes, then the blind would have no chance for Liberation. That is not true. Blind people have extraordinary skills and capabilities sometimes. One blind Sadhu from North India had memorized the entire texts of the Ramayana and the Bhagavatam. He had no eyes to see.
Atma Darsana or Self-realization does not involve the sense organs. It is an inner vision. This is an experience only. It is not something to be seen with the eyes.

The blind feel the different parts of an animal with their hands and conclude that it is an elephant.

Experience is personal. One cannot share another’s personal experience. This experience of Liberation occurs only when there is complete faith in the Sadguru. Sadguru guides us totally out of a wish for our spiritual growth and wellbeing. He never deceives or cheats us. He does not dupe us. He is our well-wisher. We listen to his words when he shares his experience with us verbally. We have to then experience it personally. The verbal sharing of such an experience is not just for time pass.

Sage Vasishtha says to Rama, I am appearing before you in person. I have swept away the world from my perception. I see only the pure and pristine Paramatma. You do the same. You will reach that stage. You will earn the eligibility to do so.

I am very happy that many youngsters are following this Yoga Vasishtha, watching the discourses on Livestream or viewing the recorded videos of the lectures. Elders are also following. It is very scientific. We must explore and discover the Truth for ourselves. It is very encouraging that many are following these discourses with interest.
After all, Sri Rama is a sixteen year old youth, who will soon be made the Crown Prince of Ayodhya. It is at this juncture in his life that he is listening to this explanation from Sage Vasishtha. After receiving this instruction, he still ruled the kingdom for a very long time. He did not relinquish the world and become an ascetic. Not everyone who listens to this does that. This knowledge removes fear from the heart. You will no longer be afraid of your boss. You will happily render your duty, considering this life as a drama.

Vasishtha urged Rama, that the perception of this world as something real must first be removed from his mind.
If you refrain from this attempt, or keep postponing it, you will be simply wasting your life and will end up being reborn and going through misery. Instead, spend about ten minutes each day pondering over what you have learned here. Dhyanam is that. It is not closing the eyes and doing regulated breathing only. That is only the first step. Dhyana is Chintana, deep contemplation about what is the reason for all this? With contemplation, the mind will become steady and calm. It is useless to keep reading books and listening to various other lectures. You now have enough material gathered within you. The sugarcane is already there. Now extract the juice from it. Daily spend some time thinking about these things. Pranayama will assist you in maintaining your focus.

If you use a flow meter that regulates the air flow that is directed towards a tender leaf to maintain its movement at a very minute vibratory level, it will remain like that, without fluttering. Similarly, a flag that flutters in the breeze remains still when you apply a steady regulated flow of air towards it. This is what Pranayama does to the mind. It keeps the mind steady so that it remains undisturbed and free from distractions. Pranayama alone has the power to steady the mind. To facilitate doing the Pranayama, a Mantra is clubbed with it. Later, once the mind is in complete focus, engage it in this single line of thought. Then the mind gets absorbed in the subject and feels totally at peace. This is what happens during deep sleep also. There is no greater bliss than that in this world. Everybody knows that.

Sri Rama said:

Sati

The visible world is there. The one who sees it is there. Therefore, the perception will continue. The two are interdependent. Even if one is gone, it is Liberation. When both are there, it is inevitable bondage. The two are inseparable.

Here we are not talking about seeing with the physical eyes. We are speaking about experiencing the world.

Vasishtha answered: Unless one understands from deep within, through knowing, that it is impossible for the world to have an existence, this experience of the world will not go away. Liberation will not be attained. But do we have the knowledge that this world never came into existence in the first place? No. If we had it, there would be no question of experiencing any misery whatsoever.

Atyantaa

Until you realize that this world was never born, its appearance will not vanish from your mind. Only Paramatma exists.

Like seeing pictures on a cinema screen, we are seeing this world. Only the screen is true. The pictures are illusion. We have heard all that.

But, O Sage, you yourself have mentioned before, that once you perceive something, it makes an impression on the mind. That impression remains and is recollected.

As a child you saw a tree. Hence forth, every time you see a tree, the remembrance and recognition comes back that it is a tree. It has a trunk that rises from the ground. It has branches and leaves. It gives shade. All the details at once return to the mind. This happens with all things. This is called Samskara or trait. This is enough to suggest the presence and existence of divinity. Swamiji meets innumerable persons and yet, he remembers them all, and also all the details about each of them. That is his Samskara. The levels of Samskara vary with each individual. When the intellect is sharp the Samskara remains strong. These are all scientifically proven. This is common experience.

Drisyam

Sri Rama said: You have said that all this gets merged in Paramatma. If it never existed in the first place, how can it get merged and dissolved? Why did you mention that it gets dissolved in Paramatma? If it existed, then it will create a Samskara. Once a Samskara is created, it will remain in the mind forever. That situation precludes the very possibility of Liberation.

This is Sri Rama’s argument, prayer, and doubt.

Tadrisya

Once the world is perceived, the misfortune called Samskara at once inevitably occurs.

That is why we are told not to see anything bad, think anything bad, or hear anything bad. One may say, I just saw it, that is all. But once is enough. Just seeing is enough. The impression sticks in the mind forever and will surface suddenly. If a bad thought comes, do not worry too much about it. Do not dwell on it. Immediately replace it with a good thought.

Satsanga is required, although Sastra says do not entertain any attachments. What is meant by that injunction is, do not associate with anything bad, because it creates a Samskara and fixes you in the repetitive cycle of birth and death.

Yasya

Samskara itself is mind. If a mirror exists, reflection of objects in it is unavoidable.

It is impossible to prevent it, unless of course you cover the mirror with a cloth, in which case it does not function as a mirror any more.

Such a reflection in the mind will eventually lead to disturbance in the mind.

Adaa

If this world never had an existence to begin with, then how is it coming into our experience?

This is an excellent question. This question should arise in our minds. If all that exists is Paramatma, how is the world being experienced by us? What is not existent, cannot be experienced.

It may imagined, however. But what only lies in one’s imagination, has no real existence.

In this Sastra, that concept is very important, that in imagination things can exist. In a pillar, even prior to its being sculpted, an image can exist. It exists in the imagination of the sculptor. Once he sculpts it, it becomes visible to us. This is exactly what we all need to understand and grasp. All this exists in Paramatma, but only as fantasy. This is the right step to take to make this assumption.

If it never existed, why is it being experienced? Unless one knows it as an established fact that the world has absolutely no existence, Liberation cannot occur. But our experience is contrary to that. Therefore, Liberation is not a possibility. This is Sri Rama’s stand. Birth and death are inevitable. Supreme Peace is an impossibility. Liberation is impossible. How do you answer this?

Even those who are free from all physical troubles and turmoil and are leading comfortable lives, will not agree that the world does not exist, leave alone those who are in deep troubles and are suffering from tragedies in their lives. No sane person will accept this. Everyone knows that this body will perish. Even after this life ends, they wish to remain happy. Even atheists will have the same wish. If they do not entertain such a wish, only *** can help them, or perhaps even He cannot. There would be no worse idiots than they who do not wish for happiness. It is a universal wish. Even a Sanyasi wants to be happy. Not only here but even in the hereafter. No sane person would wish to degrade himself in his next life. Every individual wishes to rise higher in happiness. That is the purpose of this exploration. No matter how many words are spoken, all this digging up and churning is only to search for permanent happiness. That is our search.

We are being told that we should first understand what that happiness is. Once we know what it is, our search ends right there. You become identified with bliss itself. Once that Supreme Bliss is experienced, whether physically you are happy or unhappy, you will remain in a perfectly blissful state inside. Is this not what we all seek? Looked at from any angle, this appears to be the truth.

But, Sri Rama says, such Liberation does not seem to be a possibility.

Tasmaad

I feel that Liberation is a non-existent state of being.

It is very wrong to think that way. Liberation means Supreme Bliss. Would anyone ever accept that happiness does not exist? It is in each one’s experience that happiness is there. Comfort is there. Joy is there.

But, I have thought about what you have said long and deeply. Please use your best ability to convince me of your belief and experience, Sri Rama is pleading with Sage Vasishtha. He is not arguing or quarreling.

Atyantaa

There is no one other than you, who is more knowledgeable about Paramatma, who has any higher enlightenment. Please enlighten me. The feeling that Liberation is impossible should be dispelled from my mind. While I am living I must experience that state of Liberation. Please give me Upadesa.

Sage Vasishtha said:

Asadeva

What is unreal is appearing as if it is reality. Or, Truth itself has transformed itself into untruth. I will explain how this has happened, by way of a very long story. Once you hear this story (of 46 sargas) of Leelopakhyana or Mandapokhyana, you will understand.

This is the most wonderful section in this Yoga Vasishtha. It may be affirmed that in no other work will you ever find an episode as superb as this. A story like this has never been told before, nor will it be told in the future. For some things, we may not be able to say with certainty that it will not happen in the future. But in this instance, we may definitely say that such a story will not ever be told in the future also. No one else can ever tell a story such as this. Beautifully narrated. Excellent poetry. A deep subject explained with great facility and ease.

It is the story of a dream within a dream. I will tell you that story. You will then see the resemblance between the world and a dream. Please listen.

Vyavasaya

Our elders, forefathers, Sadgurus, Jeevanmuktas, how they had experienced this must be learned. Only then we will fully understand. Even our ancestors used to narrate a story.

Sage Vasishtha says he had heard this story earlier and he is conveying it now to Sri Rama.
Sage Valmiki is giving it to us through his writing.

I will give you the story in exactly the same words as I had heard it. With this you will get the deepest relaxation.

Everyone seeks rest and relaxation. That is why they apply for leave and take vacations. It gives physical and mental rest.

Through this story, all the mud will settle from the waters of the mind and pristine clarity will be restored. You will find absolute peace and solace. I will convey that to you through this story.

Sage Vasishtha said so. But he did not immediately get into that story. After four more Sargas, the story begins. In the meantime the sequence of Creation will be described, and the reason for doing so will also be explained by Vasishtha. We will discuss further tomorrow.

Jaya Guru Datta
Sri Guru Datta

Om Santissantissantihi