Self-enquiry as taught by Sri Bhagwan is enough

[eranilkumarsinha]

Sri Bahgwan says :
In a sense, speaking of Self-realisation is a delusion. It is only because people have been under the delusion that the non-Self is the Self and the unreal the Real that they have to be weaned out of it by the other delusion called Self-realisation; because actually the Self always is the Self and there is no such thing as realising it. Who is to realise what, and how, when all that exists is the Self and nothing but the self?
                                                Day by Day with Bhagwan, P-269


Why do we speak of the Self-realisation? Because we identify body, world, etc., all non-Self as the Self. This is the primary delusion based on sheer imagination. Therefore, the other delusion called Self-realisation is taught only to wean out of the delusion that we are the limited body-mind individual in an infinite existence. Self is ever the Self, WHOLE, PURNAM. All that is Real,or all that exists is the Self. We, as individual men and women, simply do not exist. This attributed existence appears in the Self, rising and falling, only temporarily. When everything is the Self and nothing but the Self, where is the question of realising It. WHO WANTS TO REALISE THE SELF? ‘I’? WHO AM I? There is no ‘who’ and ‘how’ in the Self.
So, sri Bhagwan teaches, ’Put an end to the endless imagination for once and all and be the Self. You are the Self and nothing but the Self’. Sri Bhagwan says compassionately that false ego is the root of all evils and miseries. When the ego bows its head in shame, Silence of the Self alone Is. Therefore, ending the miseries which are always lurking round the corner in a wretched worldly existence is wisdom. SILENCE IS THE GATEWAY GAINED BY THE ENQUIRY.

Thank you,
   Anil 

[Subramanian.R]

Dear Anil,

The thoughts of bondage and of freedom, last only as long as one
feels "I am bound".  When one inquires of oneself 'Who am I, the
bound one?', the Self, Eternal, ever free, remains.  The thought of
bondage goes, and with it goes the thought of freedom too.

                 - ULLadu Narpadu - verse 39. [Tr. Prof. K. Swaminathan]



Arunachala Siva.

     

[eranilkumarsinha]

Dear Sri Subramanian Sir,

Ji. Yes. For Sri Bhagwan, this world is like a dream and the dreams he mentioned must be dreams within the dream. How revealingly Sri Bhagwan has Himself explained this truth in ‘Day by Day With Bhagwan’ !

Devotee : They say that jivanmuktas are always having brahmakara vritti. Would they be having it during sleep ? If they have it, then who is it that sleeps in their case ?
Sri Bhagwan : Of course, the jivanmuktas are having brhmakara vritti always, even during sleep. The real answer to the last question and the whole set of questions is that the Jnani has neither the waking, dreaming, or sleeping avasthas, but only the turiya state. It is the jnani that sleeps. But he sleeps without sleeping or is awake while sleeping.
                                                                              Day by day With Bhagwan, P-346


So, the real answer to all sets of such questions is this that a Jnani is always in the Turiya State. He has neither the waking, dreaming, or the sleeping states. We very rightly understand, sir, “ Who can fathom a Jnani’s State ? Only a Jnani.”

Thank you so much, sir. 

Regards,
  Anil

               

[Subramanian.R]

Dear Anil,

A Jnani's state is called Pure State - Suddha Nilai in Tamizh. This Pure
State exists and shines as unceasing pure being in the Heart [uLLam] after the other thoughts that rise from oneself [vikshepa] and the Self forgetfulness [avarana] that is the basis for their rising are fully destroyed. This Heart alone is the unsurpassed world of the Supreme Self that possesses such excellence that even gods like Indra, the ruler of heaven where pleasures abound, seek it with intense longing.
[Guru Vachaka Kovai - 265].

Muruganar adds here in prose:

Whether one says 'vikshepa' and 'avarana' or 'sakala' [waking and dream] and 'kevala' [sleep], both are the same. The Pure State is the shining of pure being, the God-consciousness termed as 'waking sleep' [Jagrat Sushupti] that rises on their destruction.

That is why Gita says that when everyone is sleeping, a Jnani
is wide awake.

Saint Poet Tayumanavar also says: Thoongamal thoongi sukam peruvathu ekkaalam?  When shall I get that state of jagrat sushpti and attain bliss?



Arunachala Siva.

[eranilkumarsinha]

Dear Sri Subramanian Sir.

‘Sakala’ ( waking and dream) and ‘kevala’ (sleep) are fleeting states, appearing and disappearing, on the Pure State. Rise of thoughts means swerving away from the Self, from the Swarupa. And that is the rajasic vikshepa. Why do thoughts rise in the first place? Forgetfulness of the Self is the basis of the rise of thoughts from Oneself. And that Self-forgetfulness is the tamas-generated ‘avarana’. Sri Muruganar, in the prose commentary of the Verse no.265, says that both ‘sakala’ and ‘kevala’ are the same. The Pure State shines on the destruction of both ‘sakala’ as well as ‘kevala’. Then the  Swarupa shines as the Self.

‘I’-thought is the first thought. There can be no other thought until there is the ‘I’-thought.
When other thoughts arise, ask ‘To whom? To me? Where does this “I” arise?’
THUS DIVING INWARDS, IF ONE TRACES THE SOURCE OF THE MIND AND REACHES THE HEART, ONE BECOMES THE SOVEREIGN LORD OF THE UNIVERSE.
Sri Bhagwan says in the Verse-7 of the Arunachala Ashtakam that when one reaches the Heart tracing the Source of the mind, one becomes the Sovereign Lord of the Universe, and dreaming, such as in and out, birth and death, pleasures and pains, light and darkness, comes to an end for once and all. Then Swarupa shines by Itself as the Self causing all forms to shine while Itself remaining formless.   
 
Thank you so much, sir.

Regards,
  Anil     

[Subramanian.R]

Dear Anil,

Yes. Sri Arunachala Ashtakam, verses 5,6 and 7 are the most tricky ones. Verse 7 as per Prof. K. Swaminathan's translation [which I consider most appropriate] describes:

Until there is the I thought, there can be no other thought. When other thoughts arise, ask 'To whom?' 'To me?' "Where does this I arise?" Thus diving inwards, if one traces the source of mind and reaches the Heart, one becomes the Sovereign Lord of the Universe. There is no more dreaming of such as in and out, right and wrong, birth and death, pleasure and pain, light and darkness. O boundless Ocean of Grace and Light, Arunachala dancing the dance of stillness in the dancing hall of the Heart.

IN Tamizh original Sri Bhagavan describes that the Supreme Lord of the Universe, is sitting on the throne of ullam under a royal umbrella. This description is of course, not in English rendering.



Arunachala Siva.     

[eranilkumarsinha]

Dear Sri Subramanian Sir,

So long as the ignorance of the form of ‘I am the body, I am the doer, I am not realised’  persists, discussion on the State of the Jnani seems unavoidable among the ignorant ones.

Sri Bhagwan, in Talk-449, says that one should not be deceived by the external appearance of a Jnani. In this context, Sri Bhagwan narrates the meaning of the Verse-181 of the Vedantachudamani thus:

Although a jivanmukta associated with body may, owing to his prarabdha, appear to lapse into ignorance or wisdom, yet he is only pure like the ether (akasa) which is always itself clear, whether covered by by dense clouds or cleared of clouds by currents of air. He always revels in the Self alone, like a loving taking pleasure with her husband alone, though she attends on him with things obtained from others. Though he remains silent like one devoid of learning, yet his supineness is due to the implicit duality of the spoken words of the Vedas; his silence is the highest expression of the realised non-duality which is after all the true content of the Vedas. Though he instructs his disciples, yet he does not pose as a teacher, in the full conviction that the teacher and disciple are mere conventions born of illusion, and so he continues to utter words; if on the other hand he mutters words incoherently like a lunatic, it is because his experience is inexpressible like the words of lovers in embrace. If his words are many and fluent like those of an orator, they represent the recollection of his experience, since he is unmoving non-dual One without any desire awaiting fulfilment. Although he may appear grief-stricken like any other man in bereavement, yet he evinces just the right love of and pity for the senses which he earlier controlled before he realised that they were mere instruments and manifestation of the Supreme Being. When he seems keenly interested in the wonders of the world, he is only ridiculing the ignorance born of superimposition. If he appears indulging in sexual pleasures, he must be taken to enjoy the inherent Bliss of the Self, which, divided Itself into the Individual Self and the Universal Self, delights in their reunion to regain Its Original Nature. If he appears wrathful he means well to the offenders. All his actions should be taken to be only divine manifestations on the plane of humanity. There should not arise even the least doubt as to his being emancipated while yet alive. He lives only for the good of the world.   
                                                                                         Talk—449


Sri Bhagwan has said that a Jnani is God Himself. Who can fathom His State? We, as creatures rising from Him, can never. But are we limited and significant jivas, the creatures ? No. Sri Bhagwan says that when one enquires and reaches the Heart tracing one’s Source, one becomes the sovereign Lord of the Universe.

Thank you so much, sir.

Regards,
  Anil
   

 

[eranilkumarsinha]

Third line in the third paragraph of my last post should be read as "He always revels in the Self alone, like a loving wife taking pleasure with her husband alone,....'.

First Line in the last paragraph should be read as "But are we limited and insignificant jivas, the creatures?"

Thank you,
   Anil

[Subramanian.R]

Dear Anil,

Yes.  A Jnani's characteristics cannot be comprehended.  Scriptures
like Bhagavad Gita describe them; still the only one true characteristic of a Jnani is Silence. Silence only can correctly describe the state of a Jnani, because it transcends the mind.



Arunachala Siva.
 

[eranilkumarsinha]

Dear Sri Subramanian Sir,

Anything said, discussed. described, and written about a Jnani will only be mental. When 'vikshepa' and 'avarana' are eliminated for once and all, only Pure Silence of the Self remains. So, Verse 181 of the Vedantchudamani also reveals that the highest expression of the realised non-duality which is also the content of the Veda is Silence only. It is not ordinary silence of the sppech, eye ,and ear but the silence of the mind. Sri Bhagwan says that Silence of the mind is Pure Silence.

Thank you so much, sir.

Regards,
  Anil

[eranilkumarsinha]

Dear Devotees,

Sri Bhagwan says that we turn our mind outwards on things and objects of the world and are therefore not aware of our real nature being always Japa. Dhyana is always our real nature. Japa helps to fix the mind to a single thought. When the Japa becomes continuous and effortless, all other thoughts cease and we are in our real nature. This is to say that all other thoughts are subordinated until they disappear. So long as the mind is externalised, by conscious efforts, i.e. Japa or Dhyana, mind is prevented from thinking other thoughts. Then what remains is our real nature which is Japa or Dhyana. Because we are with other thoughts, we call the continuity of a single thought with efforts Dhyana. When Dhyana becomes effortless, it will be found to be our real nature. Therefore, what is regarded as the means is found to be the Goal after Realisation.

Sri Bhagwan says that ‘I Am’ is the Goal or Realisation. To pursue the clue till Realisation is Vichara. We have also seen that Sri Bhagwan, Himself the Greatest Jnani, was the Greatest Bhakta as well. So, Bhakti, Japa, Dhyana, Jnana-Vichara  are the means as well as the Goal.

So long as the thoughts are promiscuous, efforts are necessary. The cessation of the thoughts is the Realisation of the Self. Therefore, to bring about cessation of thoughts, Bhakti, japa, Jnana, vichara, yoga, etc., are the means or Paths. Any of these means will naturally lead to the Goal. What is regarded as the practice during sadhana will then found to be the Goal.

Thank you,
   Anil 
   

[Subramanian.R]

Dear Anil,

Yes. Sri Bhagavan says in Upadesa Unidyar, Verse 16:

It is true wisdom
For the mind to turn away
From outer objects and behold
Its own effulgent form.



Arunachala Siva. 

[eranilkumarsinha]

(This post should be read in continuation with my last post)
As you yourself exist in the form of japa, if you firmly realise your real nature as it actually is by the inward enquiry ‘Who am I?’, lo and behold, the japa that you performed with great exertion will go on spontaneously, without that effort and without any forgetfulness.
                                                                          V. 707, GVK, Edited by Sri David Godman

Dear Devotees,

Sri Bhagwan says that if one is not aware of the ‘Ajapa’ (unspoken chant) which is eternally going on, he should take to japa with effort to ward off other thoughts; till he becomes aware of the ‘Eternal Ajapa’.

Sri Muruganar comments just below the Verse cited above that as soon as the State of the Self is reached, sense of doership perishes and all efforts cease. Whatever may be the japa, when it enters into and merges with the Heart, japa continues uninterruptedly and spontaneously as “I-I”, which is the Self, or the Swarupa, or the Real Nature.

Sri Bhagwan revealed that ‘I’ is the first Name of God. Even ‘OM’ is second to It. Sri Muruganar here says that among all the innumerable Divine Names of God, ‘I’ is common to all, and hence, gets the foremost position. Each one of us, naturally answers ‘I’ when asked, “Who you are?” This implies that God abides in each one of us, as the Self, as the ‘I’, and, therefore, all are one. Sri Muruganar says in his prose commentary that ‘all the names coined in the world whatever that may be, arise only after the rise of the ‘I’-consciousness’.

THEREFORE, DEAR DEVOTEES, JAPA WITH EFFORT MERGES WITH THE HEART AND CONTINUES UNUNTERRUPTEDLY AND SPONTANEOUSLY AS “I-I” , AS ETERNAL CHANT, AS AJAPA WHO IS OUR REAL NATURE, JNANA-SWARUPA.

Thank you,
    Anil     

[Subramanian.R]

Dear Anil,

There is an interesting dialogue about mantra japa in Talks No. 336.  It is a long
conversation, between a Vaisya, well read in Upanishads and Bhagavad Gita and
Sri Bhagavan.  I am giving only the relevant portion:

Devotee: How is that 'I-thought' to be checked from rising?

Sri Bhagavan: By Self-quest.

Devotee: I try to understand but without success.  Can I find the Self by means of Japa? If so, please tell me how.

Sri Bhagavan: What is Japa? Why should you make artificial Japa? You can find out the eternal and natural japa always going on within you.

Devotee: Some Upadesa will probably help me.

Sri Bhagavan: If I say "Do - Rama, Rama" to one who has not struggled through books like you, he will do it and stick to it. If I say so to one like you who have
read much and are investigating matters, you will not do it for long, because you
will think, "Why should I do it? Above all, who am I that should be repeating the mantra? Let me find out who I am before proceeding further"; and so you will stop japa and begin investigation.



Arunachala Siva.   

[eranilkumarsinha]

Dear Sri Subramanian Sir,

“’Talks’ Is All Pure Gold”, says Major Sri Alan Chadwick. Talk no. 336 is a pure gold indeed. I have read this ‘Talk’ several times, and in my view, this talk is very important from sadhana point of view. I particularly remember the conversation between Sri Bhagwan and the devotee regarding Lord Sri Krishna and the Bhagavad Gita.

Devotee of the Talk no. 336 wants to see the splendour of million suns as in the Gita and perhaps wants to be bestowed the divine sight like Sri Arjuna to witness it. When Sri Bhagwan asks him to find Sri Krishana for the purpose, the devotee replied that Sri Krishna is not alive and seeks a living Guru quite forgetting that Lord Sri Krishna has Himself declared in the Gita that He is eternal. So, for the devotee, Lord Sri Krishna was the body and now that He has withdrawn His body, the devotee wants now a living Guru who can say the truth first hand.

Dear sir, I remember this’ Talk’ for the following observation by Sri Bhagwan:
“The fate of the Guru will be similar to the fate of Krishna.”


GURU IS NOT THE BODY. HE IS THE ESSENCE OF THE EMPIRICAL EXISTENCE. HE IS EVER HERE AND NOW.


Sri Bahgwan says in the ‘Talk’ under discussion that the physical eye does not see. Can a corpse see? The one who is behind the eye sees through the eye. Sri Bhagwan says that the divine sight means Self-luminosity. Divine sight means the Self.

Thank you so much sir.

Regards,
  Anil