08-10-2004, 01:31 AM
This thread started with the intent of discussing Vedanta. The premise was Sri Vidyaranya's Panchadasi, which literally means "fifteen" (chapters) of this, I shall take up the aspect of meditation given in chapter IX. ((<b>Light of Meditation</b>.)
Here, the author speaks of two types of Brama (delusion.) The first is called Visamvadhi Brama - which is a misleading assumption, and the other is Samvadhi Brama - which is a "leading assumption". To explain this, Sri Vidyaranya gives the following examples:
<i><b>Visamvadhi Brama (misleading delusion):</b> Assume there is a bulb in a room far away that gleams brightly emitting multiple colors. I, by mistake, assume that it's a diamond and start running to find the diamond. I will never be able to find a diamond. This is Visamvadhi brama.
<b>Samvadhi Brama (leading delusion):</b> Assume there is a bulb in a room far away. The light of this bulb refracts off a diamond and emits multiple colors. I, by mistake, assume the light to be that of a diamond's and start running to find the diamond (a diamond by itself cannot emit light. Thus the delusion in mistaking the light for a diamond.) If I find the diamond, it will be called Samvadhi brama.
Another example is mistaking mist on a hill to be smoke and running up the hill to find fire. If by chance I find fire there, it will be called Samvadhi Brama, as the erroneous assumption leads me to the desired object.</i>
Now, Vidyaranya makes a mind blowing point here. He says, MEDITATION is a Samvadhi Brama. Meditating on the Attributeless Absolute will lead one to the realization of Brahman even though the meditator is indeed Brahman from the beginning. He also goes on to say that FAITH plays a great role in meditation. Because, according to him, while knowledge depends on an object (of knowledge), meditation depends on the intensity of the meditator.
To simplify things, I look at all the statements in Sruthi as laws/theorems/principles etc just as we have Newton's Laws, Heisenberg's Principle, Einstein's theory etc. Inorder to understand a concept, I try to balance it as we do with "equations". Thus, the most enduring and persisting meaning for Brahman/Atman etc is CONSCIOUSNESS - "Pragnanam Brahma".
Now, how does one define meditation? Before we answer the question, we should ask "WHO is the meditator, and what is he/she meditating on?" Then the answer will be, that the consciousness (which has identified itself with inert matter) is trying to be self-aware by removing all distractions. This can only be done by constant COMMITTED practise (Abhyasa & Vairagya.) Initially, the mind will not know what to meditate on. It will just try to escape from this 'inactivity' and distract itself into jumping around. I have heard and observed that there are multiple stages in training the mind.
1) Initially, for a novice, the mind will simply not settle. It will be constantly distracted by external stimulii, like mosquito bites, or someone walking into the room, or the temperature of the room, light etc. It simply WILL NOT sit still.. You have to find yourself a quiet spot where you are left alone, and then with patience and practise, one can overcome this stage.
2) Now you have mastered in sitting quietly, the mind is one step ahead of you. It will now "go to sleep", it will try to shut down and fall asleep. You will not be able to concentrate on or reflect on the Self. This is one of the most critical stages to get past. Winning over Tamasam is to become a Gudakesi. This also can be overcome by being vigilant and by self enquiry.
3) Now, you have mastered sitting still, and you will not fall sleep. So what choice does the mind have ? Unlike the first stage, the mind now will create it's own distractions. It will start thinking about the past, or future, or about the powers one will get out of the meditation. More of a 'self created fantasy world'. The methods prescribed will be to bring the mind back whenever it is distracted. But MY method is to let the mind go where it wants, and remember that YOU are not the mind. Dissociate from it and be aware of your Self. (Remember this story... A man wanted to see a village Mukhiya. He asked for directions and was told, look at the house with horse in front of it, and that's the mukhiya's house. The man thanked the samaritan and walked to the Mukhiya's house, just then the horse started moving. The man ran after the horse, for he thought any house where the horse stopped was the Mukhiya's house.) So also, it is said that when the mind stops chattering you can see yourself. Instead of trying to supress the mind, let it do what it wants, and YOU better concentrate on being your SELF. Slowly, you will get over the distractions.
4) Next stage is 'expectations'. Now the mind will start subsiding and your meditation will progress faster. You will now be EXPECTING to see something. Some kind of a miracle, some different Realm, some being that's wearing kireetam or having gadha, chakra etc. If that's the case, and it happens, you will never know if it's a hallucination or not. Thus do NOT expect anything. Just meditate with the intention of seeking Self Awareness. Absolutely no attributes.. This is hard but not impossible. At this stage, soemtimes patience wears thin, and hopelessness sets in. It's also a stage where one would want to give up. But proceed anyway.
5) This is the stage you have been waiting for. Now you will not worry about the mind, or about matter. YOU realize that YOU exist.
While the above seems to be easy, and not requiring any other factor except one's own willpower, I can assert that this will *not* heppen without the Divine Grace.
I would like to hear counter-points on how someone can realize the Self without even trying (apart from the Grace).
Here, the author speaks of two types of Brama (delusion.) The first is called Visamvadhi Brama - which is a misleading assumption, and the other is Samvadhi Brama - which is a "leading assumption". To explain this, Sri Vidyaranya gives the following examples:
<i><b>Visamvadhi Brama (misleading delusion):</b> Assume there is a bulb in a room far away that gleams brightly emitting multiple colors. I, by mistake, assume that it's a diamond and start running to find the diamond. I will never be able to find a diamond. This is Visamvadhi brama.
<b>Samvadhi Brama (leading delusion):</b> Assume there is a bulb in a room far away. The light of this bulb refracts off a diamond and emits multiple colors. I, by mistake, assume the light to be that of a diamond's and start running to find the diamond (a diamond by itself cannot emit light. Thus the delusion in mistaking the light for a diamond.) If I find the diamond, it will be called Samvadhi brama.
Another example is mistaking mist on a hill to be smoke and running up the hill to find fire. If by chance I find fire there, it will be called Samvadhi Brama, as the erroneous assumption leads me to the desired object.</i>
Now, Vidyaranya makes a mind blowing point here. He says, MEDITATION is a Samvadhi Brama. Meditating on the Attributeless Absolute will lead one to the realization of Brahman even though the meditator is indeed Brahman from the beginning. He also goes on to say that FAITH plays a great role in meditation. Because, according to him, while knowledge depends on an object (of knowledge), meditation depends on the intensity of the meditator.
To simplify things, I look at all the statements in Sruthi as laws/theorems/principles etc just as we have Newton's Laws, Heisenberg's Principle, Einstein's theory etc. Inorder to understand a concept, I try to balance it as we do with "equations". Thus, the most enduring and persisting meaning for Brahman/Atman etc is CONSCIOUSNESS - "Pragnanam Brahma".
Now, how does one define meditation? Before we answer the question, we should ask "WHO is the meditator, and what is he/she meditating on?" Then the answer will be, that the consciousness (which has identified itself with inert matter) is trying to be self-aware by removing all distractions. This can only be done by constant COMMITTED practise (Abhyasa & Vairagya.) Initially, the mind will not know what to meditate on. It will just try to escape from this 'inactivity' and distract itself into jumping around. I have heard and observed that there are multiple stages in training the mind.
1) Initially, for a novice, the mind will simply not settle. It will be constantly distracted by external stimulii, like mosquito bites, or someone walking into the room, or the temperature of the room, light etc. It simply WILL NOT sit still.. You have to find yourself a quiet spot where you are left alone, and then with patience and practise, one can overcome this stage.
2) Now you have mastered in sitting quietly, the mind is one step ahead of you. It will now "go to sleep", it will try to shut down and fall asleep. You will not be able to concentrate on or reflect on the Self. This is one of the most critical stages to get past. Winning over Tamasam is to become a Gudakesi. This also can be overcome by being vigilant and by self enquiry.
3) Now, you have mastered sitting still, and you will not fall sleep. So what choice does the mind have ? Unlike the first stage, the mind now will create it's own distractions. It will start thinking about the past, or future, or about the powers one will get out of the meditation. More of a 'self created fantasy world'. The methods prescribed will be to bring the mind back whenever it is distracted. But MY method is to let the mind go where it wants, and remember that YOU are not the mind. Dissociate from it and be aware of your Self. (Remember this story... A man wanted to see a village Mukhiya. He asked for directions and was told, look at the house with horse in front of it, and that's the mukhiya's house. The man thanked the samaritan and walked to the Mukhiya's house, just then the horse started moving. The man ran after the horse, for he thought any house where the horse stopped was the Mukhiya's house.) So also, it is said that when the mind stops chattering you can see yourself. Instead of trying to supress the mind, let it do what it wants, and YOU better concentrate on being your SELF. Slowly, you will get over the distractions.
4) Next stage is 'expectations'. Now the mind will start subsiding and your meditation will progress faster. You will now be EXPECTING to see something. Some kind of a miracle, some different Realm, some being that's wearing kireetam or having gadha, chakra etc. If that's the case, and it happens, you will never know if it's a hallucination or not. Thus do NOT expect anything. Just meditate with the intention of seeking Self Awareness. Absolutely no attributes.. This is hard but not impossible. At this stage, soemtimes patience wears thin, and hopelessness sets in. It's also a stage where one would want to give up. But proceed anyway.
5) This is the stage you have been waiting for. Now you will not worry about the mind, or about matter. YOU realize that YOU exist.
While the above seems to be easy, and not requiring any other factor except one's own willpower, I can assert that this will *not* heppen without the Divine Grace.
I would like to hear counter-points on how someone can realize the Self without even trying (apart from the Grace).