AvadhootaDatta Peetham

Discourse on Yoga Vasishtha

Day 149, June 14

Sri Sadgurubhyo namaha
Om Santissantissantihi

How can Yoga Vasishtha deny the efficacy of Yoga as a means to Liberation? Yoga is of many types. Controlling thoughts is yoga. But from Samadhi, when one awakens, the mind once again recreates the whole world for the individual.

In Jnana, as a means, there is ease and effortlessness. Therefore, everyone should follow the path of Jnana.

Yesterday, we spoke about Yoga Nirasa, where yoga is denounced. Why? The reason is that yoga has many meanings. Yoga is Jnana. Yoga identifies the individual with God. But when the term yoga is used to describe yoga asanas, and sitting in Samadhi, they are not equated to Jnana. Whatever is done, if it is with Jnana, it yields great benefit. But done without Jnana, the efforts yield no reward.

A hundred people were pouring sand into a river to build a bund. It was not staying, but getting constantly washed away with the flow of the river. A wise man gave the advice. Fill the sand in sacks and pile the sacks here. It will hold the water. The plan succeeded.

Jnana is the ultimate in the world. Why should one follow the path of Jnana, when one can follow the path of Yoga? The Science of Yoga claims that Yoga will lead to liberation. Is that statement false? No. As an instrument that leads to liberation, yoga is useful. But forced control of the senses and the mind is not liberation.

It is harmful if one gets addicted to harmful substances. He requires counseling. He then gains useful knowledge and understands that his addictions will cause him ill health, and thereby he will give up his bad habits. The addictions will not leave a person if he is forced to stay away from them, without the knowledge being given as to why his addictions are bad for him. Simply allowing his mind to be exposed to the temptations, and forcibly keeping him away from them, will not serve any purpose. Once an opportunity opens us, the person will revert to being an addict. This is what yoga, where force is applied, does.

The importance of Jnana and the path of Jnana, are established here. Ekamevaadviteeyoham - I am none other than the one and only one in existence, is the knowledge and experience that Jnana gives. That is essential. Atma Darshana, enlightenment or Self-realization occurs only with Jnana.

We have already been informed about penance, japa, and pilgrimages. We still need clarification about Samadhi, which is another important concept and practice. We keep hearing this word. If Samadhi occurs as a result of Jnana, it is great, as happened to Suka Yogi. He did not engage in any other pursuit. He never announced to others that he is going into Samadhi. He forever remained in the state of realization.

If one announces beforehand that he is going to enter into Samadhi for half an hour and should not be disturbed, and waits thereafter for the half hour to end, can it be called Samadhi? Or, after getting into Samadhi, he wishes to remain in that state a bit longer, but his disciples get him out of it based on his previous instruction, and he gets angry at them as a result, is that useful?

Yesterday we learned the stories of Kapila Avadhoota and Muchukunda. Samadhi is of two types. Yoga says Savikalpa and Nirvikalpa Samadhis are the ultimate. Yoga Vasishshta explains the disadvantages faced in those. This section is called Yoga Nirasa. Yoga Vasishtha explains why Jnana is more important than being immersed in deep sleep or in the Samadhi state when it is devoid of Jnana. The difficulties faced by those who ignore the necessity of Jnana are spelled out.

In deep sleep one experiences bliss. Sleep is caused by Tamo Guna. Tamo Guna gives us the knowledge that there is bliss in sleep because you forget everything in that state and you experience bliss. You realize that giving up bondages gives bliss. When you forget yourself, it is bliss. This knowledge is given by Tamo Guna, through the experience of sleep. With Yoga, people try to experience such bliss, akshaya sushupti - unending sleep. Kapila tried this through remaining in Yoga Samadhi. Muchukunda attempted this by sleeping, as a result of a boon.
Tureeya stage also is not permanent. You try to control the mind. You entertain the feelings: I, my mind, I control my mind and sense organs. While these ideas linger in the mind, how can you experience oneness? Once Samadhi state ends, the world reappears with birth, death, sorrows and so on.
Jnana should be attained.

praaptam ..

Rama, as I mentioned, once Samadhi state ended, sorrow returned to him. Troubles were recurring. So, what is the use of that Samadhi state, which is transient? What then is the difference between sleep and Samadhi? Why put in so much effort for going into Samadhi, to sit inside your heart's cave? What does one gain by attaining Samadhi? No doubt, Samadhi state is great, but only if you attain it with Jnana.

Swamiji's Upadeshas given while living in Kesare, will make sense now. Sri Jayalakshmi Mata's teachings will also make sense now. The Life History is not recorded in a chronological order. It goes back and forth in time. It is a bit confusing. Venkamma also gave instruction to Satyanarayana, in the path of Jnana.

If Samadhi, when it ends, is going to put you back into troubles, what is the use of such a Samadhi state? One entire lifetime is not sufficient to attain that state for many people. Samadhi is not sleep. Divine beings are born with the capacity to go into Samadhi at will.

With Jnana, you can live as a Jeevanmukta. The remembrance of Truth will ever remain with you while you are active in the world.

verse

Without Jnana, liberation is not possible.

Nirvikalpa state, the long duration of sitting still without any thoughts, will eventually end. What if one remains lifelong in Samadhi? Is that liberation? Vasishtha recognized this question in Rama's mind. Sadguru knows what goes on in the minds of his disciples, no matter where they may be, and whatever they may be doing. You should listen to Sadguru's words and ponder over them, for questions to arise. When questions arise, answers will come.

It is not possible to remain lifelong in Samadhi. Rama, I will explain something to you. Without Mind, there is no world. Blind people also have a perception of the world. They have a powerful memory. They know the value of time. Sight and vision are not responsible for the existence of the world. Mind itself is the world. Mind has created the world. Until the mind is got rid of, the world will remain.

We do not see anyone remaining in Samadhi forever, says Vasishtha says. He had never come across such a person who spent an entire lifetime in Samadhi.

verse

Rama asked: What if one sits like a rock?
Vasishtha replied: If one feels or thinks, "I am sitting like a rock", it means that he still has ego, the sense of I. It means duality.

Near Kolar, there is a river. There is a big rock in it. People believe that the rock is Bhrigu Maharshi. Once, the rishi had decided to sit in Meditation there in the form of a rock. Does the rock get liberation? No. To think: I am denying the existence of the world. I am sitting like a rock, is useless.

Nirvikalpa Samadhi, where one sits like a rock, is not equivalent to liberation. Vasishtha says he had never seen one remaining in that state forever.

Does not a rock have troubles? Suppose a rock has life? It will fear being broken or rolled away.

Mind must get transformed into nectar. It must melt. Vasishtha also wept when he lost his son. Jnana does not make one hardhearted. Gautama Buddha is always depicted as sitting in Samadhi. Other portrayals may be there also. After 30 years of Dhyana, he claimed that he attained Jnana. During the time he sat pondering, as we sit now, listening to Yoga Vasishtha, he listened to himself. Svadhyaya is self-teaching. Contemplation. After 30 years, after he attained Jnana, Buddha roamed the entire land, India, Tibet, Nepal, and so on. How the disciples interpreted his teachings later on, is a different matter. Every single day he went into Samadhi. It is not that he did not get up in between, to eat and attend to *** needs. It is not possible.

Remain natural. Always keep the awareness of Paramatma within you.

verse

Nirvikalpa Samadhi, which is like remaining like a rock, even supposing such a state exists, is not liberation, unless there is Jnana.

I am sitting in Samadhi. I am doing this work. I am doing service. All these feelings indicate the presence of ego.
Remember that you are a mere tool. That is the first step in Karma Yoga.
If you think that you are voluntarily, deliberately going into the Samadhi, by your own will and effort, it is not Jnana

verse.

Therefore, forcibly running away from the world, or confining oneself inside a room, are all useless. Once you experience Jnana, you can remain untouched by the world, wherever you may be. You are born in this body made up of the five elements. Remain in it. Understand that your own mind has created this world due to ignorance. How to know this? Keep thinking about it all the time. While at play, while eating, while doing whatever else, keep remembering this truth. That is very important.

If this visible world will never leave, if this exists forever and is permanet, then Paramatma must be false. Only one Truth can exist. You cannot have two truths. If this world is truth, then that is untruth. But we see and experience that this world comes and goes. Therefore, this world is certainly untruth. We cannot accept that this grief and misery is unending.

Even if one is told that the disease is incurable, we still take some medicines. We will not accept that our sorrow is going to last forever. Our natural tendency is to try to dispel grief. No one wishes to remain in sadness lifelong.

If this world is Truth, this world must never disappear. In that case, God, Paramatma, all these concepts then would have to be discarded. How can that be? Even the road that we see daily, changes its shape. How can this world be permanent? Pure Consciousness never changes. It never goes through any imperfections or modifications. That alone is Truth. It cannot even be defined.

Would we describe God as imperfect? He has no imperfections. He is always pure and clean. He is the only Truth. Your ignorance makes the world appear as true.

shaame ..

To think that this world will subside and go away with penance, is ignorance. Only with Jnana, this world will subside. If there is a fire raging, pour water over it, not petrol. Water is Jnana. The fire of sorrow will then subside and will be put out.
Jnana itself is liberation.

aaleena vallaree ..

The feeling of I, when it is retained, that seed is there within you, much alive, and will sprout again into a mighty tree called the world of innumerable joys and sorrows. You must remove the seed. A lotus has a seed. once the seed falls into the lake, it will make another stalk and another lotus. You come back to square one. You have to destroy the seed and its very essence and trace from your heart.

Sage Vasishtha's method of teaching is the way one teaches a child, giving many examples. Another example is given. This is a difficult lesson to learn, and so, several examples are required. A balloon grows big when you blow air into it. When you stop filling it with air, the balloon will become small. Perhaps, eventually, the balloon itself will vanish. That is the nature of the mind.

yathaa ...

The way there is oil hidden inside seeds like peanuts and sesame seeds, sorrows will remain in the mind until Jnana is attained. Removal of ignorance is liberation. Just as fragrance remains in flowers, the world will remain within you. The body of the person goes away to the Himalayas, or into a cave. But the mind still travels everywhere, desiring many things. It is better to see what is in front of you. It is better to receive what is before you. But to desire what is imagined, is worse. You gain nothing by running away elsewhere. It will merely sap the mental strength.

The entire world is recorded in the mind, the way a Sim card or chip holds all the data from the computer. You may change the computer or laptop, but you store the files and keep them with you inside the chip.
You ran away but you carried with you the chip with all the information. Do not do those things without Jnana. You gain nothing by running away.

yatra tatra

Regardless of where you hide the camphor, the smell will still pervade the surroundings. As long as mind is there, the world will remain with your, with all its joys and sorrows. Everything will re-emerge. Once the odor of a substance remains, the game will recommence, and the sorrows will surface again.

verse

Even if you sit in the *** of Paramanu, in Samadhi, once you open the eyes, again the battles, kings, family, children, all the affairs of the world re-emerge.

One sits in a hermitage. Yet, his troubles do not leave him. Viswamitra is sitting right there in the assembly, while his example is also cited.

verse

Dream and intention create the kingdom inside your mind. Your mind has created your dream. All your experiences are created and experienced in your own heart. Sadguru never forces you to believe. He tells you. He urges you to accept with conviction the words of Sadguru. Sadguru is one's true friend and well wisher. If you trust His word and follow His instruction, you will experience the truth of the words of Sadguru.

verse

Another question has come up now. If the mind created this make-believe world, how can something unreal torment us? We accept that dreams are unreal. In the dream an ant might have bitten you and you might have felt the pain. But physically, has the ant bitten your body? The dream itself appears real. But when you wake up, do you see that you have bled from the insect bite? If there is evidence of a bite, it is an insect in the outside world, not the insect from the dream that has inflicted the bite.

How can what is illusory, cause us pain?

Children imagine the presence of ghosts and weaken their minds to such an extent that they become immobile. There are children who are so frightened that the evil spirits will catch them and kill them, that they will not come out of their room. In the wakeful state, an imaginary world still will torment you. Our mind has created the ghosts and ghowls that have no real existence. They exist only in the mind. You yourself became the ghost.

Sometimes, the mind becomes so distorted that you will be afraid to even look in the mirror.

This world, like a ghost, will torment us. Sadguru will release us from the clutch of such ghosts. You read about such instances in the Life History. If you really believe in God, will you believe in ghosts? Ravana was the lord of evil spirits. Rama was able to kill such a great Ravana. If you believe in Rama, why would you be afraid anymore?

verse

You are the creator of your creation. What a strange statement! If in the beginning stage, if you wish, okay, think that a higher power has created the world.

If mind is one, why are there so many different worlds for each individual? Because of our karma, we get the different worlds. Desa, Kala, and Karma are responsible for the differences - the differences in location, time, and past deeds. You have registered within yourself, your past karmas. The path of devotion says that God has granted you this birth. But the memory of your past is the reason you experience your specific troubles. You might have forgotten your past actions. But they are stored in the subconscious mind. The mighty tree is contained within the seed.

That is why Swami Vivekananda said: You are the creator of your creation.
This entire world is inside your own mind. Realize this truth.

You may hold on to it at one time, and let it go at another time. But, everything is hidden within you, inside your mind, when you are in the form of an individual. Your nature is reflected in the world around you. It is all hidden inside your own ***, mind, or your heart.

This concludes this sarga. It is a very important sarga. For a whole fortnight this sarga was discussed. Unless we understand this perfectly, we cannot go further.

Akasaja .. What is liberation?

We will be told through a story. The next three days you are granted leave. You have heard a lot. Your brain is all heated up or it has calmed down, depending on how you received the instruction. After Amavasya is over, we will recommence.

Now the Sri Chakra Puja will take place. All of you please chant the Hanuman Chaleesa with devotion.

Jaya Guru Datta
Sri Guru Datta

Om Santissantissantihi