Satsang As The Means To Freedom

The question-answer format is a great way to teach and learn. Satsang is a diligent involvement on the part of the students in their quest for knowledge and an equally diligent involvement of the teacher who guides the search. So, we see Nachiketas pressing for answers from Yama in Katha Upanishad. We see the untiring Uddalaka repeating to Svetaketu about the nature of the Self. Uddalaka gives nine illustrations to show the equation between jiva and Brahmn which testifies to the kindness of vedantic teachers towards their students. Briefly then, it is this meaningful involvement on the part of the teacher and the taught that is called satsang.

In the Brihadaranyaka Upanishad, Yagnavalkya expounds to Maitreyi the concept of satsang as the means to freedom. He says listening is the first step which effortlessly leads one to reflection, which, through a purified mind, resolves in the experience of oneself as the reality. Sravanam or listening, is given repeated emphasis for the reason that the mind is completely new to the way of self-contemplation and has no aptitude for such processes. It can be made contemplative through constant exposure to the teaching which involves listening.

Know reality through constant questioning and by service to the teacher who `knows' the Self. Here service implies getting involved in finding answers for all questions pertaining to the Self. It also implies remaining exposed to the teacher's benign teaching. To live the life indicated by the rishis is the greatest seva that an imperfect mortal could offer to the man-of-perfection. The word `perfection' used by Krishna implies repeated inquiry through seeking answers to questions.

By addressing one's doubts to the teacher we are opening the box of `knowledge' locked up in the master's bosom. A perfect guru immediately detects from the questions asked the false line of thinking of the students. While removing doubts the guru imperceptibly orders and reorganises the pattern of thinking of the student. It has thus been an age-old tradition among Hindus to encourage open dialogues between teacher and taught and which is rightly called satsang.

Association with the wise leads to detachment from sense-pleasures. That in turn leads to freedom from the delusion that the world is real. When the false sense of reality goes, the mind abides in the Self. This abiding state with one's Self is freedom. Satsang thus paves the path to freedom.

An Upanishad is even named Prasna Upanishad, meaning questions and answers as a means to freedom. Six great students approach the teacher Pippalada, wanting to get some doubts cleared. The teacher frees them from all inhibitions in asking questions by saying, `Ask questions as you like'. Encouraging questions is the only way to involve the students' thinking. The first question deals with the problem of creation of the pluralistic world, the second and third discuss methods of worship and the initial sadhana necessary for perfect integration of the seeker's mind and intellect before he steps on to the path of meditation in vedanta. The fourth and fifth questions are an exhaustive enquiry undertaken to study dream and sleep. In the sixth question the main problem is taken up: How to indicate by finite words the seat of the Self, in all is infinite glory and eternality?

This unique method adopted in our scriptures makes them non-dogmatic. The freedom to approach the teacher in person and freely ask questions is the right atmosphere in which the human mind grows and rises to heights of freedom.

~ Swami Chinmayananda

(362nd Geeta Gyana Vagna. Courtesy: Chinmaya Mission, Delhi.)

There Is No Need To Believe In God

Interaction: Osho

How can one believe in a God one cannot see?
Who is telling you to believe in God? I am against all belief. Belief is irreligious, as much as disbelief is. Belief means you don't know yet you have accepted something. It is cowardly ­you have not inquired. You are pretending; you are a hypocrite. Believers don't know and yet they pretend as if they know. And the same is true about disbelief.

In the first place there is no need to believe in God. And if you believe you will never be able to know God. Belief is always a barrier. Belief means you are carrying a prejudice, and you will not be able to see that which is. You will project your own idea.

Don't carry any idea of God, for or against. Don't carry any image of God. In fact God is absolutely irrelevant ­ be meditative! And meditation means: drop all thoughts, ideologies; all knowledge. Drop the mind itself. And then when you are in a state of no mind, something unimaginable, unbelievable, unpredictable, inexpressible is experienced. You can call it godliness, truth, nirvana, or whatever you want to call it. You are free because no word describes it; hence any word is as good as any other. God is not a person, hence God cannot be seen in that sense. God is a presence.

There is no God but godliness. It is a quality, a fragrance. You experience it, you don't see it. It is not something out there as an object; it is something in here, in your heart. It is your subjectivity, your consciousness. So there is no question of belief or seeing either.

But people are brought up in all kinds of beliefs and they go on seeing through their prejudices. So anything that fits with their prejudices enters inside; anything that does not fit with their prejudice is prevented from entering.

In fact, God is not a religious but a philosophic subject. It is for those people who go on endlessly into logic-chopping and hair-splitting.

A religious person is more interested in the very source of his being, who he is: "Who am i?" That is the most fundamental religious question ­ not God, not heaven, not hell. And if you can find the truth of your own being you will have found all the truth that is necessary to know and is worth knowing. But don't make a philosophical inquiry; otherwise you will end up with a conclusion. And all conclusions are dangerous because once you conclude you become fanatical about your conclusion, you start clinging to it. You become afraid of truth ­ because who knows? Truth may disturb your conclusion, and your conclusion is so cosy and so convenient, and it has helped to give you a certain feeling of security. Your conclusion cannot be bigger than you. Your conclusion will be as high, as deep, as you are high and deep; it will only reflect you.

God is not a conclusion arrived at by logical processes ­ by believing, by discussing, by analysing, no. When all mind processes have ceased, something suddenly wells up within you. You will feel tremendously ecstatic, blissful, at home, at ease. For the first time existence will be your home. You will not be an outsider. There will be no conflict between you and existence. You will be able to bloom into thousands of flowers. That is God ­ or better, godliness.

From `Ah, This', copyright Osho International Foundation, http:www.osho.com

From Relative To Absolute Consciousness

Consciousness, meaning awareness or knowledge, has two dimensions. The consciousness in normal human beings that `I am So-and-So' is a relative, objective, physical or psychological consciousness rooted in names and forms, cause and effect. Whereas absolute consciousness or pure, objectless, divine consciousness is beyond names and forms, cause and effect and is an essential attribute of the Self, Atman or Brahmn, referred to as `chit', in the phrase sat-chit-ananda.

Self is all-pervading and omnipresent. All that exists is referred to as the `sat' aspect of sat-chit-ananda. All existence can be grouped into two main entities living and non-living, sentient and inert, seer and seen, knower and known, subject and object. The Self in its `chit' aspect is vividly expressed in all living beings, particularly human beings, due to presence of mind and intellect and is dormant in non-living objects. Hence conscious beings perceive, think, analyse, discriminate and evolve whereas inert objects do not perceive and evolve ­ or, they evolve very slowly.

Relative consciousness has its merits and demerits. The obverse side is that we can perceive each and every object and being bearing a name and form and we can relate ourselves with them. It also helps express our apparent identity as body, mind, intellect (BMI) equipment bearing a particular name and identity and lead our earthly life with personal, professional and social objectives and values. The obverse side is that BMI equipment becomes a blockade in manifestation of our essential divine consciousness.

In ordinary human beings, world or physical consciousness covers God or divine consciousness like a moss covering the surface of pond water. When a spiritual aspirant follows the process of removing world consciousness ­ clearing the moss higher consciousness comes to the fore. However, when one stops the effort, world consciousness creeps in like moss on the water's surface. Spiritual process is therefore persistent and tenacious effort to gradually cease world consciousness and transform it into spiritual consciousness. What is the root cause and way out?

Avidya or ignorance of our true Self is the root cause. Avidya sprouts into ahankara, ego, that leads to raga, attachment; dvesha, likes and dislikes and abhinivesh, clinging to worldly objects. As long as these five kleshas or obstacles persist, relative consciousness and pairs of dualities like pain and pleasure persist and our true Self cannot manifest.

The irony is that this very relative consciousness helps us in reaching absolute consciousness that is not known to us as such. When antakaram or the BMI equipment is cleansed of its dirt and dross in the form of subtle impressions and tendencies and rendered still, by spiritual practices such as selfless service, devotion and meditation, the faculty of intuition is awakened, enabling the manifestation of absolute consciousness. Intuition is possible only because of interconnectedness and essential unity of all objects and beings. Intellect leads to psychological consciousness that is indirect, mediate and relative whereas intuition leads to spiritual consciousness that is direct, immediate and absolute.

Purusharthas, the three objects of human aspirations ­ dharma, artha and kama ­ are pursued when one is in a state of relative consciousness. The fourth and final aspiration of moksha, liberation, is attained when one transcends psychological consciousness and abides in spiritual consciousness. Relative consciousness is characterised by exclusivity where one beholds oneself as Dehbuddhi or BMI equipment or residing in it (jivbuddhi). Whereas absolute consciousness is characterised by inclusivity where one beholds all existence as one mass of consciousness and bliss.

By Jayant B Dave - First Published on SpeakingTree.in

Is Consciousness Impersonating Us?


Scientists have for the first time separated a particle from one of its physical properties, thereby creating a `quantum Cheshire Cat'. The phenomenon is named after the curious feline in `Alice in Wonderland', who vanishes, leaving only its grin behind.

Researchers took a beam of neutrons and separated them from their magnetic moment, like passengers and their baggage getting separated at airport security.

The researchers used an experimental set-up known as an interferometer, at the Institute Laue-Langevin (ILL) in Grenoble, France. A neutron beam was passed through a silicon crystal, sending it down two different paths.

By applying filters and a technique known as "post-selection", they were able to detect the physical separation of neutrons from their magnetic moment ­ as measured by the direction of their spin. "The system behaves as if the neutrons go through one beam path, while their magnetic moment travels along the other," researchers reported.

This raises serious issues about the `measurement paradox'. On the one hand we have the Lockean `realist' account, according to which perception involves the creation of an `inner reflection' of an independently existing external reality , and, on the other hand, a Kantean `anti-realist' concept of the `veil of perception'.

Separation of matter and its characteristics, attributes or qualities will be an important landmark in our understanding of the phenomenon of consciousness.

Consciousness is traditionally attributed to an emergent quality of neural networks. It is quite intriguing to note that even a single celled creature like the amoeba is conscious and takes appropriate measures to feed and avoid any hostile milieu.

Does consciousness operate necessarily through mediation by a biological matrix?

Could it be all-pervading like a magnetic field with the organic or biological substrate serving as merely a receiver and or processor?

Could consciousness be merely a form of energy that manifests in different forms by modulating its frequency and amplitude?

Can perception be merely a play of consciousness, a phenomenon that simultaneously projects and comprehends the external world as a holographic reality?

The separation and distinction of the objective world is because of external appearances. If the elementary fundamental constituent is the ubiquitous atom, then the perceived difference of the external form may just be a programme of the subject's perception. Rather than different partition. Rather than different particles carrying the information of matter and its qualities, it could be that different loci in the brain might be activated to perceive matter and its qualities simultaneously.

Monists like Spinoza adhere to the position that there is some neutral substance, of which both matter and mind are properties. The Advaita or non duality school of thought, too, believes in a non-numerical, holistic, all-pervading unity that simultaneously manifests as both the subject and the object.

The object and therefore all its qualities and attributes might just be a projection of a self-referencing subject that generates an apparition of separation as well as perception.

I Am That - Advaita's Pointing Illustrated

The Five Prerequisites

——

The first prerequisite:

Shut up.

Be quiet.

Stop debating.

Stop arguing.

Stop trying to prove a point.

Even if someone knows something that you don’t, whether they share it with you or not, makes no difference, for you have to come up with your own truth.

There’s really no one in this universe that can hand you realization on a silver platter.

—————

The second prerequisite: You have to let go.

You have to let go so completely that it becomes scary.

You have to totally let go mentally.

You have to stop depending on person, place or thing for your self-worth.

You have to start depending on the infinite invisible, on what you cannot see, taste, touch, or smell or feel.

—————

The third prerequisite: You must look at the world but never react to anything.

You must watch your feelings and your emotions, observe them, and as they come into contact with you, you must become the witness, realizing that you are not those emotions.

You are not your bad temper.

You are not the depression.

You are nothing that goes on in this world.

—————

The fourth prerequisite: You must develop a tremendous humility, a stupendous humility.

This is more important than anything else.

If someone tells you something that you don’t like to hear you do not become upset.

You do not hold it in.

You let it go through you and it dissipates, for it has no energy except the energy you give it.

You are responsible to yourself.

If you fool yourself you’re just going to get disgusted in the end and give up all spiritual life, for you’ll say you’ve gotten nowhere, nothing has happened, it doesn’t work.

It doesn’t exist.

I suppose this is the reason I am with you.

To tell you,

“Yes, there is an invisible realm of perfection beyond this world, interpenetrating this world, that makes this world look like kindergarten”.

Yet you must be able to see it yourself.

—————

The fifth prerequisite: You have to want it so much that you don’t want it.

You have to have such a strong desire to be free that all desire stops.

When all desire stops there is a quietness, a stillness, that takes place within you.

It is only when this stillness, this quietness, comes when you’re able to see clearly, not with your physical eyes, but with your spiritual eye, not with your little ‘I’, not with the ‘I-thought’, but with the ‘I-am’.

And you will see in all directions.

You will see up, you will see down, you will see sideways, you will see backwards.

The only thing you will see is total perfection which is another name for pure awareness.

You have to take this thing seriously and you’re not to be serious about this thing at all.

You have to reject everything yet you also have to accept everything.

You have to surrender and you have to realize that you are the Self.

—————

There is something inside of you that knows how to do all this.

You can help by becoming quiet, by becoming still, by not making a lot of noise, not making a big commotion.

Let the world do what it will, yet you become silent and peaceful, compassionate, have humility.

Just watch, look, observe, quiet the mind.

~ Robert Adams

More on Advaita 

- 

http://oaks.nvg.org/sankara.html