Transcending the Mind to Realise God

Only the one who is aware that the cosmic Self is Shiva and that Shiva is also the jeeva (individual self), is a perfect jnani (knower of absolute truth). The reason is that the cosmos is the vibhuti (grandest manifestation of the absolute truth). To understand this monistic principle (non-dualism) is the supreme wisdom.

However, the Divine principle is associated with the qualities of the individual self through the mind. The characteristic of the mind is to entertain thoughts and counter-thoughts endlessly. Sometimes man is unable to keep pace with the speed of the thoughts and is swept off his feet. Man sometimes gets intoxicated by his thoughts, which are influenced by the aberrations of the Kali Age.

The mind, the gati (goal), the sthiti (status), and the sampatti (prosperity) are interrelated. The one who misuses these four turns into a demon.

Today, there are many incurable diseases, but these relate not to the body, but to the mind. In a sense, all diseases get into the body through the mind. Even ordinary ailments like a headache or a stomach ache have their origin in the mind.

Whatever influences the mind affects the body also. But, unaware of this profound truth, man attributes all ills to the body and not the mind. Most ailments are really mental and not physical. Because of this, we witness a wide prevalence of psychic disorders. We find that mental illnesses are on the increase all over the world. The reason is that there is too much of mental tension and worry.

Attachment And Aversion Are The Diseases Of The Mind

The mind is subject to varying moods - sorrow or joy, anger or fear, love or hate. For all the diseases arising from the mind, the basic causes are two: raga and dwesha (attachment and aversion). The mind is filled with these two-fold feelings. Consequently, it tends to forget its basic human nature. The mind in this state considers the six basic enemies of man - lust, hatred, delusion, greed, envy, and pride - as virtues. These six vices can poison a person’s entire being. He then forgets his inherent Divinity and ceases to be human. He turns a victim of infamy. But, a person filled with good feelings enjoys peace and happiness.

The ancient Indian sages practiced self-control, entertained good thoughts, and led a blissful life. When a man’s inner self is filled with love, his life becomes full of bliss and he is always hale and hearty. Today, man suffers from numerous ailments, the root cause of which is a diseased mind. There is no death for the mind, though when the body is facing death the mind thinks it is dying. The mind, it has been said, is the cause of one’s bondage or liberation. Bad thoughts beget bondage. Good thoughts lead to liberation. Hence, everyone should develop good thoughts and perform good deeds. Such good feelings can arise only out of love.

Today, man’s actions are all governed by mundane desires. To achieve liberation, man has to go beyond the vagaries of the mind. He should follow the antahkarana (inner voice).

Buddha’s Teaching On Self-Realisation

Buddha, before he attained nirvana (self-realisation), summoned his step-brother Ananda to his side to impart his last message. Ananda was in tears. Buddha told him: “Ananda! It was for realising this blissful state that I had striven all these years. Why do you shed tears at this moment? How many are able to secure such bliss? Few at all. You are looking only at my earthly body. You cannot know the internal bliss I am experiencing at this moment. I suffered a great deal over the past thirty years because of the aberrations of my mind. It was the mind that stood between me and self-realisation. Today, I am free from the hold of my mind. That is the cause of my bliss. When the mind is absent there is bliss.” This was the lesson Buddha taught to Ananda. Ananda prayed to Buddha to confer on him a similar mindless state.

Any happiness experienced through the mind is not spiritual bliss. It is transient physical pleasure. Not recognizing this truth, many pursue so-called spiritual exercises with the mind. The mind should be ignored. It is concerned only with thoughts of one kind or another. The Atmic principle can’t be understood by such thought processes. Divert your attention towards the Atma and dismiss all thoughts. If you cannot get rid of thoughts, then cultivate good thoughts. Turn your thoughts towards the Supreme Lord. I have often compared the heart to a lock. If you turn the key leftward, it gets closed. Turn the key to the right and the lock opens. Turn your heart Godward.

The Spiritual Disciplines Of The Ancients

To control the mind, the ancients resorted to various disciplines including food control. They fasted on full moon day and gradually increased their intake up to new moon day. From the next day they gradually reduced their intake till full moon day. Students need not resort to this discipline now, but they should avoid eating excessive food.

By their spiritual discipline and regulated eating and other habits, the ancients led long and healthy lives. Bhishma, who was Commander-in-Chief of the Kaurava forces in the Mahabharata war, was 126 years old at the time. He lived a pure celibate life, making a great sacrifice for the sake of his father.

Bhishma took a vow of lifelong celibacy to enable his father to marry the woman whom he desired, whose father had insisted that the son born to her should be the heir to the throne. Bhishma not only renounced his title to the throne but also took the vow of celibacy to ensure that he would leave no progeny to claim the right. After he fell in the battle, he lay on a bed of arrows for 56 days for the auspicious moment of the northward motion of the sun to give up his life. He had such willpower that he could bear any amount of personal suffering. He spent his last days imparting the highest wisdom to the Pandavas.

The history of Bharat is full of stories of such heroic and noble souls. Unfortunately, young people today, ignoring the examples of such great figures, lead purposeless lives. They get prematurely old because of their ways of living. Students must lead righteous lives, acquire courage and manliness and realize the Divine. They have to recognize the supreme importance of keeping the mind under control. To get close to God, you have to go beyond the mind. To have control over the mind is the mark of jnana (wisdom). To achieve proximity to God, you have to develop devotion. Millions of people all over the world are seeking God-Realisation. But all their efforts are at the mental level. They have to go beyond the mind to realise the Divine, who is the embodiment of Truth-Wisdom-Omnipotence.

Discourse in Sai Kulwant Mandap, on 07-10-97.