Renunciation is not difficult. It is quite possible to stay away from sense pursuits. But, its just another form of indulgence. We indulge in things which makes us stay away from the sense objects. A man of renunciation is a man yet to find the tranquility of the mind. The silence of the graveyard is not to be confused with the equipoise and stillness of the mid-ocean. So, any conscious effort just binds us to some thing else. The Gita says, "Only when the mind gets rid of all its affiliations, the vision of the Supreme dawns on human consciousness". How do we reconcile between these two thoughts ? How do we untie the knot in the mind which fixes on something even with the slightest conscious effort ? Buddha questions this to his disciple. When the disciple is not able to find answers, Buddha says "Simple, you can untie the knot when you know how the knot is made on the first place." To observe how the mind operates is by itself the beginning of the mind's de-conditioning. To me, distractions are as important as concentration during meditation attempts. When we know how distractions are caused, we know how to get rid of them as well. That's when we come in face to face with the stark naked Reality.
11 comments:
Beautiful one Kasthuri - I guess the best way to meditate is to observe the mind - from where the thoughts arise - then gradually - there would be a decline in thoughts - and only pure Consciousness remains! beautiful :)
Kasthuri, of all that you have written so far, this is the most truest one (Bad grammar there, excuse please!!). I'm thinking of glowing compliments to give to this post, but they would only appear vulgar in view of what you have presented. Can't say anything more.
kasthuri: A brilliant post! One of your best, I must say. So very true, so clear in thought ... was only nodding in agreement :)
"A man of renunciation is a man yet to find the tranquility of the mind."
true indeed.
Dear Kasthuri,
nice post.. renunciation is always found only in action... silence is within and not without,
the prerequisites for perfection are :
1. Devotion to SRIKRISHNA
2. discriminative insight
3. steadfastness
4. calm observation
renunciation cannot come about from repression or external abandonment - it is a state of mind and has nothing to do with external factors-
SRIKRISHNA SPORTED WITH THE GOPIS OF VRAJ AND IS STIL KNOWN AS THE ETERNAL BRAHMACHAARIN.
THE NARAYANA SOOKTHAM ENDS WITH THE PHRASE - OORDHVARETHAM VIROOPAAKSHAM- before the VISHNU gayathri is recited
yet we find that THE SAME NARAYANA as Rama was a man who cried and lamented and did all kinds of human things including experience the pangs of spearation from his beloved Sita ....
for Narayana's sake let all people understand the RAMA AVATAR as one intended to show us how to live despite all the things in life.
despite this if crises arise then listen to the call of the Gita.
this is what is meant by the dictum laid down by Vaishnava elders when they say -
RAAMANAI MAADHIRI IRU
KANNAN SOLVADHAI KAEL!
hope this makes sense- otherwise the fault rests with yours truly
SARVAM SRIKRISHNAARPANAMASTHU!
@ Rajesh, Parvati :
Good healthy discussion there. Thanks.
@ Parvati : Although math seems to be a mental game, the development of mathematical ideas without paper and pencil seems questionable. So I am wondering how one can confine mathematics just to the mind and not to the senses at all. I think any external work (unlike meditation) needs the help of the senses to grow.
@ Rajesh : Thanks for sharing your thoughts. No problem, one can discuss things in this space as long as they are not offensive and rude. Now coming to the issue:
What do you mean by action ? Does it include deep sleep or susupti? If you don't include deep sleep as action, then the statement "only knowledge we can obtain about ourselves is when we are in action or thought or both" is refuted because we have the knowledge that we had a good sleep when we sleep deep. So, deep sleep should be a part of action. However, if you consider deep sleep as an action which results in such knowledge, then what Thomas Aquinas said seems not right as that knowledge is in the mind and seep sleep doesn't involve any senses. How do you reconcile between these two things ?
Wow Kasthuri,
Simply a beautiful wording of the Karma Marga...
Meditation literally means thought and ideally should include distractions of thought as well...
You explain intricate concepts beautifully..
Ram
@ arjuna : Thanks Arjuna. I believe that decline in thoughts is natural when meditation intensifies.
@ sriram : Thank you so much for the compliments. All praises go to the Almighty.
@ parvati : One more agreement. Cool. What you say is absolutely true. Once we lay our heads on his feet. Evrything is taken care of. No more worries.
@ ranj : Hope you are having a wonderful time in Bangalore. Stay dry. Thanks.
@ ganesh : Danke.
@ ram : Okay if it means something...Tanks.
Hiranyakashan and Hiranyakashipu were place above Narada, because they were thinking about Narayanan more than narada himself.
When a conscious effort is made to ignore, it is indirect acknowledgement and association with the same thing!
In the same tone, if distractions are equated to desires, then indulgence is NOT the way to win over. Renunciation and self control is necessary!
@ tj : Indulgence is NOT the way to win over, neither renunciation and self control necessary if we have enough Bakthi as Parvati pointed out, such is my HO.
Dear Kasthuri
I guess Nivritthi is jnana maarga , which i think is sort of like a rocket science to an average human. Thinking and trying to make sense about how the mind thinks is not an easy task.
Blessed are those whose intellect is conducive jnana maarga but even such a gifted person should realize that it was granted to him by god himself. Hence, he should also be a bhaktha.
I guess all our philosophers of the elder years were like this..
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