Reading From the Yoga Vasistha, Bhagavad Gita and 'I Am That' - 15th May 2018

It is the power of this intimation, the power that called it feeds in the grief-stricken, the power that causes a nation in the joints in the volume. It is we love and in the power that to the creation, and the same power brings about the dissolution of the Union. The Jiva is at the junction of consciousness and matter, and because it is a reflection of the absolute Brahman, it is said to be implement. See the entire universe and also the 'I' as the absolute Brahman, for the sense which is Brahman is only present. When that self dreams, it is known as light. It is nothing but the power of the absolute Brahman which is not different from Brahman. It is all this arbitrary position that 'I' and 'this' are apparent reflections. The very reality of the mind is Brahman.

Lay your endure now and then this power of Brahman slices one or the other of its power. All this manifestation is but the apparent reflection of the power of Brahman. Not just your creation, does creation transfer me in destruction? All brought about by Brahman in Brahman. It is nothing but Brahman. The instruments of action, action, and the doer, both birth and earth and existence, all this implement, nothing else is. Even an imagination, delusion, clearly attachment and non-existence, how can they exist? There is no duality. When bondage is non-existence, surely liberation is words to you.

Rama asked: Vasistha, you said that when the mind thinks of something, it materializes. Now you say that bondage does not exist. How can we be reconciled?

Vasistha replied: Oh Rama, the mind in a state of ignorance imagines bondage. The bondage exists only in that state of ignorance, just as the dream object vanishes when the dreamer awakes. All these hallucinations known as bondage and liberation do not exist in the eyes of the enlightened. The story of the three non-existent princes, Vasistha continued, doing this illustrate this. There is an interesting legend, kindly listen to it. A young boy asked his nanny to tell him a story and the nanny told him the following story which the boy listened to with a little tension.

Once upon a time in a city which did not exist, there were three princes who were brave and happy. Once upon a time in a city which did not exist, there were three princes who were very brave and happy. Of them, two were unborn and the third was not conceived. Unfortunately, all their relatives died. The princes left the native city to go answer it. Very soon they fell into a swoon, unable to bear the heat of the Sun. Their feet were burned by a hot side, the tips of grass fearsome. They reached the shade of three trees, of which two did not exist and the third was not even planted. After resting for some time and eating the fruits of those trees, they proceeded further.

They reached the banks of three rivers; of them, two were dry and the third there was no water. The princes had a flashing bath and quenched their thirst, and then they then reached the huge city which was about to be built. Entering it, they found three palaces of exceeding beauty. Of them, two had not been built at all and the third had no walls. He entered the palaces and found three golden plates. Two of them had been broken into and the third had been pulverized. We took hold of the man which had been pulverized. They then took 99 minus 100 grams, 99 minus 100 grams of rice and cooked it. They then invited three holy men to be their guests, of which of them two had no body and the third no mouth. After these holy men had eaten the food, the three princes partook of the rest of the food and cooked. Sorry, the three princes partook of the rest of the food cooked. They were greatly pleased. They still lived in the city for a long time in peace and joy.

My child, this is an extremely beautiful legend. Please remember this always and you will grow up into a learned man. Oh Rama, when the little boy heard this, he was killed. What is known as the creation of the world is no more real than the story of the young boy. This world is nothing but pure hallucination. It is nothing more than an idea in the infinite consciousness. That idea of creation, and that is what is, Oh Rama. This is nothing more than an idea. All objects of consciousness in the world are just an idea. To check the error, the dirt of ideation, and be free of ideas and remain rooted in truth, attend fees.

Vasistha continued: Only a fool, not a wise man, is deluded by his own ideas. It is a fool who thinks that the imperishable is variable and gets deluded. Egotism is but an idea based on false association of the self with a physical element. When one alone exists in all this at the infinite consciousness, how has what is called egotism arisen? In fact, this egotism does not exist anymore than the mirage exists in the desert. Therefore, Oh Rama, abandon your imperfect vision which is not based on fact. Just in the perfect vision which is of the nature of bliss and which is based on truth, inquire into the nature of truth. Abandon falsehood. You are ever free. Why do you call yourself bound and then agree?

The self is infinite. By how and by whom is it bound? There is no division in the self, for the absolute Brahman is all this. What then is called bondage and what is liberation? It is only in the state of ignorance that you think you experience me, though you are untouched by there. These do not exist in the sense. Let the body follow, rise, or let it go on to another universe. I am not confined to the body, then how am I affected by all this? The relation between the body and the self is like the relation between cloud and wind, like the relation between lotus and bee. When the cloud disappears, the wind becomes one with escape. When the lotus withers, the bee flies away into the sky.

The self is not destroyed when the body falls. Even the mind does not cease to be until it is burnt in the fire of self-knowledge, not to mention the Sun. Death is but the veiling by time and space of the ever-present self. Only foolish people fear that. Abandon your latent tendencies even as a bird wishing to fly into the sky breaks out of his shell. Born of ignorance, these tendencies are hard to destroy and they give birth to endless sorrow. It is this ignorant self-limiting tendency of the mind that use the infinite as finite. However, even as sun dispels mist, inquiry into the nature of self dispels the ignorant self-limiting methods. In fact, the very desire to undertake this inquiry is able to bring about the change. Austerities and such other practices have no use in this.

When the mind is purified of its past by the arising of wisdom, it abandons its previous tendencies. The mind seeks the self only in order to dissolve itself in the self. This indeed is the very nature of the mind. This is the supreme goal. Rama, strive for this. At this stage another day to him who was with pity overcome. Okay, this is the selection from the Bhagavad Gita made by Sri Ramana Maharshi. Sanjaya said: To him who was with pity overcome, with smarting brimming eyes, respondent thus Madhusudana spake to him with these words. Bhagavan said: This body that he see the few discord and that which knoweth it, the same is called the knower of the field. Oh twenty son, knower are filled in all the fields. Knowing knowledge of field and knower of it to true knowledge, that in my opinion is his eye.

Oh Gudakesha, and the self seated within the hearts of everyone of all, I am beginning, middle, end. But that is searching for all creatures born and birth, that is certain for all those who died. Therefore thou should not grieve or what must be. He is not born nor dies, nor having been Caesar he had more to be. Unborn, abiding, everlasting, ancient, he is not slain, the body being killed. Uncleavable and incombustible and needed to be wetted, nor to be tried. Perpetual, all-pervasive, stable, a moveable from everlasting he. But know that that is indestructible who or this dog debate. There is no one who can destroy the imperishable one. The unreal have.

Birth is certain for all those who die; therefore, thou should not grieve for what must be. He is not born, nor dies. Know, having been, he hath no more to be. Unborn, abiding, everlasting, ancient—he is not slain, the body being killed. Uncleavable and incombustible, and neither to be wetted nor to be dried; perpetual, all-pervasive, stable, immovable, from everlasting he. But know that that is indestructible by which all this is pervaded. There is no one who can destroy the imperishable one. The unreal hath no being, and the real doth never cease to be. The truth of both by seers of reality has been seen. As omnipresent ether is not touched by reason of its subtlety, so the Self is not touched, either, as the dweller within the body seated everywhere. There the sun shines not, nor moon, nor fire. Having gone thither, they return no more. This is of Me, this one supreme abode.

And this unmanifested one is called the indestructible, the highest state. Those reaching it will never, never more return. This is of Me, this is of Me, the one supreme abode. Without pride or delusion, victory over attachments, dwelling ever in the Self, with pacified desires, free from the pairs of pain and pleasure, from delusion free, they to the place immutable go. He who the scripture's ordinance forsakes and follows the promptings of desire attains not perfection, happiness, nor doth he gain unto the highest goal. He sees, who sees within all beings equally the Supreme Lord, unperishing within the perishing. He who sees Him, he sees. But by devotion unto Me alone, following this way, in essence I may be seen, known, and entered. O Arjuna, the faith of each to his own nature's shaped; man is instinct with faith, O Bharata. Wherein his faith is, so verily is he.

The man intent on faith, knowledge gains; also that one with senses withheld in check. Knowledge obtained, the peace doth swiftly gain. To these ever tranquil, worshipping in love, the yoga of enquiry by which they come to Me, O Bharata. From pure compassion, dwelling in their Self, by shining lamp of knowledge, I destroyed their darkness which from ignorance is born. Truly, in whom is ignorance destroyed by knowledge of their Self, knowledge in them discloses the Supreme, shining like the sun. The senses are great, greater than the senses the mind, greater than mind the understanding is. That understanding greater for is He. Knowing Him higher than understanding far, and purifying ego by the Self, slay thou the enemy that is desire, so hard to overcome and mighty-armed. As burning fire a few ashes make, so doth the fire of knowledge, Arjuna, reduce all actions until ashes. He whose works are free from molding of desire, whose acts are burned up by the fire of knowledge, that person, learned one, is designated.

The bliss of the Eternal invokes those who know themselves, weaned from desire and wrath, subdued in nature and subdued in mind. Let him peace obtain by understanding steadiness attained. Having made mind within the Self abide, let him not think of anything at all. Wherever the unsteady, wavering mind outward projects, withdraw it from that place and lead it on this way of Self alone. With senses, mind, and reason controlled, a sage of liberation solely bent, having forever cast away desire with fear and wrath, in truth has freedom won. The one by yoga harmonized sees the Self dwelling in all, and all in the Self, and looks on everything impartially. To those people who worship Me alone, thinking of no one else, harmonious ever, for them I undertake to gain and guard. Of these, the wise one, ever harmonized and worshipping the One, is best of all. I am supremely dear to the wise one, and the wise one supremely dear to Me. At the end of many births, he who is full of knowledge worships Me, thinking the while 'Vasudeva is all.' Such a Mahatma is indeed most difficult to find.

When one gets rid of all the mind's desires and is contented in the Self by the Self, then he is called one of stable mind. Whoso forsakes all desires and goes upon his way, from every yearning free, devoid of 'I' and 'mine,' he peace achieves. That man by whom the world is not perturbed, nor by the world is perturbed, free from the cares of anger, joy, and fear, is dear to Me. The same in honor and ignominy, the same to friend and foe, abandoning all undertakings, he is said to have gone quite beyond all the three qualities. But that man who rejoices in the Self, with Self satisfied, with Self content, for him in truth there is nothing more to do. He gains or loses nothing by his acts or by inaction, and he has no need from any being to ask. Content with all he without effort gets, free from the pairs, from envy also free, balanced in failure and in success, though acting, he by action is not bound.

The Lord dwells in the hearts of everyone, causing by His elusive power their motors to spin like marionettes upon wheels. To Him, O Arjuna, flee with all thy heart. By His grace, peace supreme thou shalt obtain, which is the everlasting dwelling place. Obsession with the body, the very thing 'I am,' that from dream is that. I don't know what question. Maharaj, you are sitting in front of me and I am here at your feet. What is the basic difference between us? Maharaj: There is no basic difference. Questioner: Still, there must be some real difference. I come to you, you do not come to me. Maharaj: Because you imagine differences, you go here and there in search of superior people. Questioner: You too are a superior person. You claim to know the real while I do not. Maharaj: Did I ever tell you that you do not know and therefore you are inferior? Let those who invented such distinctions prove them. I do not claim to know what you do not. In fact, I know much less than you.

Questioner: Your words are wise, your behavior noble, your grace all-powerful. Maharaj: I know nothing about it at all and see no difference between you and me. My life is a succession of events just like yours, only I am detached and see the passing show as a passing show, while you stick to things and move along with them. Questioner: What made you so dispassionate? Maharaj: Nothing in particular. It so happened that I trusted my Guru. He told me I am nothing but my Self, and I believed him. Trusting him, I behaved accordingly and ceased caring for what was not me nor mine. Questioner: Why were you lucky to trust your teacher fully, while our trust is nominal and verbal? Maharaj: Who can say? It happened so. Things happen without cause and reason. And after all, what does it matter who is who? Your high opinion of me is your opinion only. Any moment you may change it. Why attach importance to opinions, even your own?

Questioner: Still, you are different. Your mind seems to be always quiet and happy, and miracles happen around you. Maharaj: I know nothing about miracles, and I wonder whether nature admits exceptions to her laws, unless we agree that everything is a miracle. As to my mind, there is no such thing. There is consciousness in which everything happens. It is quite obvious and within the experience of everybody. You just do not look carefully enough. Look well and see what I see. Questioner: What do you see? Maharaj: I see what you too could see here and now, but for the wrong focus of your attention. You give no attention to yourself. Your mind is all with things, people, and ideas. Bring yourself into focus, watch the results of your actions. By inadvertence, by knowing what you are not, you come to know yourself. The way back to yourself is through refusal and rejection.

One thing is certain: the real is not imaginary. It is not a product of the mind. Even the sense 'I am' is not continuous, though it is a useful pointer. It shows where to seek, but not what to seek. Just have a good look at it. Once you are convinced that you cannot say truthfully about yourself anything except 'I am,' and that nothing that can be pointed at can be yourself, the need for the 'I am' is over. You are no longer intent on verbalizing what you are. All you need is to get rid of the tendency to define yourself. All definitions apply to your body only and to its expressions. Once this obsession with the body goes, you will revert to your natural state continuously and effortlessly. The only difference between us is that I am aware of my natural state, but you are not. You see, just as gold made into ornaments has no advantage over gold dust except when the mind makes it so, so are we one being. We differ only in appearance. We discover it by being earnest, by searching, inquiring, questioning daily and hourly, by giving one's life to this discovery.

Questioner: As I can see, there is nothing wrong with my body nor with my real being. Both are not of my making; they need not be improved upon. What has gone wrong is the inner body, call it mind, consciousness, whatever. Maharaj: What do you consider to be wrong with your mind? Questioner: It is restless, seeking the pleasant and afraid of the unpleasant. Maharaj: What is wrong with its seeking the pleasant and shirking the unpleasant? Between the banks of pain and pleasure, the river of life flows. It is only when the mind refuses to flow with life and gets stuck at the banks that it becomes a problem. By flowing with life, I mean acceptance—let come what comes and go what goes. Desire not, fear not. Observe the actual as and when it happens, for you are not what happens; you are he to whom it happens. Ultimately, even the observer you are not. You are the ultimate potentiality of which the all-embracing consciousness is the manifestation and expression.

Questioner: Yet between the body and the Self, there lies a cloud of thoughts and feelings which neither serve the body nor the Self. These thoughts and feelings are flimsy, transient, and meaningless, mere mental dust that blinds and chokes, yet they are there, obscuring and destroying. Maharaj: Surely the memory of an event cannot pass for the event itself, nor can the anticipation. There is something exceptional, unique about the present event which the previous or the coming do not have. There is a livingness, an actuality. It stands out as if illuminated. There is the stamp of reality on the actual which the past and future do not have. Questioner: What gives the present that stamp of reality? Maharaj: There is nothing particular in the present event to make it different from the past and future. For a moment the past was actual, and the future will become so. What makes the present so different? Obviously, my presence. I am real, for I am always now, in the present, and what is with me now shares my reality. The past is in memory, the future in imagination.

There is nothing in the present event itself that makes it stand out as real. It may be some simple periodical occurrence like the striking of a clock. In spite of our knowing that successive strokes are identical, the present stroke is quite different from the previous one and the next, as remembered or expected. A thing focused in the now is with me, for I am ever present. It is my own reality that I impart to the present event. Questioner: But we deal with things remembered as if they were real. Maharaj: We consider memories only when they come into the present. The forgotten is not counted until one is reminded, which implies bringing it into the now. Questioner: Yes, I can see there is in the now some unknown factor that gives momentary reality to the transient actuality. Maharaj: You need not say it is unknown, for you see it in constant operation. Since you were born, has it ever changed? Things and thoughts have been changing all the time, but the feeling that what is now is real has never changed, even in dreams.

Questioner: In deep sleep, there is no experience of the present reality. Maharaj: The blankness of deep sleep is due entirely to the lack of specific memory. But a general memory of well-being is there. There is a difference in feeling when we say 'I was deeply asleep' from 'I was absent.' Questioner: We shall repeat the question we began with. Between life's source and life's expression, which is the body, there is the mind and its ever-changing states. The stream of mental states is endless, meaningless, and painful. Pain is the constant factor; what we call pleasure is but a gap.

The blankness of deep sleep is due entirely to the lack of specific memory, but a general memory of well-being instead. There is a difference in feeling when we say 'I was deeply asleep' from 'I was absent'.

We shall repeat the question we began. Between life's source and life's expression, which is the body, there is the mind and its ever-changing states. The stream of mental states is endless, meaningless, and painful. Pain is the constant factor. What we call pleasure is but a gap, an interval between two painful states. Desire and fear are the weft and warp; both are made of pain. Our question is: can there be a happy mind?

Desire is the memory of pleasure and fear is the memory of pain. Both make the mind restless. Moments of pleasure are merely gaps in a stream of pain. How can the mind be happy?

That is true when we desire a pleasure or expect pain, but there are moments of unexpected, unanticipated joy—pure joy, uncontaminated by desire, unsought, undeserved, god-given.

Still, joy is joy only against the background of pain.

Is pain a cosmic fact or purely mental?

The universe is complete, and when there is completeness where nothing lacks, what can give pain?

The universe may be complete as a whole, but incomplete in details.

A part of the whole seen in relation to the whole is also complete. Only when seen in isolation it becomes deficient and thus the seat of pain. What makes for isolation?

Limitations of the mind, of course. The mind cannot see the whole or the part.

Good enough. The mind by its very nature divides and opposes. Can there be some other mind which unites and harmonizes, which sees the whole in the part and the part as totally related to the whole?

The other mind—where to look for it?

In going beyond the limiting, dividing, and opposing mind; in ending the mental process as we know it. When this comes to an end, that mind is born.

In that mind, the problem of joy and sorrow exists no longer?

Not as we know it, as desirable or repugnant. It becomes rather a question of love seeking expression and meeting with obstacles. The inclusive mind is love in action, battling against circumstances, initially frustrated, ultimately victorious.

Between the spirit and the body, is it love that provides the bridge?

What else? Mind creates the abyss, the heart crosses it.