What comes in the way of concentration during Dhyanam (meditation)?. It is because this mind is always in a state of agitation. All problems arise because of the mind. The desire that crops up in the mind is the cause for all the problem. It is not possible to tell the mind, ‘do not desire’ and keep it still.
If we tell the mind ‘think of this one thing’ for a little while it appears to think about that thing and then takes a flight to somewhere. When I tell you during discourse about Dhyana, Shanti etc., it will appear as if your mind is under control. It will be happy. But the next moment it flies away somewhere and peace is destroyed. If it is commanded ‘do not talk’ and the mouth is closed, to some extent it obeys the command. If the eye is commanded ‘do not see’ and is closed, it does not see for some time at least. But however much you struggle with this mind telling ‘do not think’ it does not listen. When we say think, the mind must think; when we say do not think, it should not think. Only then it would mean that the mind is under our control.
We call some people mad and say that they do not have their mind under control.
The fact is that all of us do not have control over the mind. If the mad person goes on blabbering without shutting his mouth, we too have allowed the mind to go its way blabbering instead of controlling it. Do you know how it will be if we attain control over the mind? However much it may pain if the mind is told ‘do not think it to be pain’, the mind will remain ignoring the pain. Even if a tiger were to appear in front and roar, if the mind is told ‘do not be afraid’, it will not be afraid. Now we keep crying for no reason. If the mind comes under control, it will keep laughing whatever sorrow may be there to cause weeping. Irrespective of any provocation, it will remain quiet.
To start with, one should make the mind think of good things instead of wandering here and there. The mind should concentrate on good thoughts in an uninterrupted manner just as oil which flows in one uninterrupted stream. The mind should be trained to think constantly of the good thing, the Lord. Later, the state ‘we are thinking’ will vanish and we will dissolve in the Lord and become the Lord ourselves. Controlling the mind this way is called ‘Yoga’. A way has to found to control the mind before death. Otherwise there will be rebirth and there will be restless agitation of the mind. In this birth itself when there are several causes which led to desire and anger, we have to make whole-hearted effort to control the mind right in the midst of these things. One who tries in this way and become successful is ‘Yuktha’, otherwise known as ‘Yogi’. Lord Krishna says that he is the real happy soul ‘suki’.
We should not give up thinking ‘Yoga and such other things are for the rishis and can we practice it successfully?”. Who is in need of medicine? The sick person, is it not? We are having manovyadhi (mental disease). Therefore only we have to take the medicine which can control it.
There are two means for controlling the mind. One is open and other is a secret one. What is practiced externally is open. What is practiced internally is secret. Both are required. The cart man and the cook in this mutt are external. The person who makes the wicks for the lamps or one who gives flowers – these people remain close to pooja. The mutt can function only if both these groups are there. In the same way by the open and secret means, one should concentrate the mind on good things and then reach the state of zero thought.
Doing charity, sandhya vandana, yagnas, poojas, helping others etc., are the open means to divert the mind on good things. Meditation is the most superior internal state. There are five other means which are conducive to meditation. They are ‘Ahimsa’ (non violence), ‘Sathyam’ (speaking the truth), ‘Astheyam’ (non stealing), ‘Shaucham’ (cleanliness, purity) and ‘Indriya Nigraham’ (subjugating the senses).
Ahimsa is not to have bad thoughts about anybody or anything and make the mind full of love. Sathyam is to be true by thought, word and deed. Astheya is non stealing, to be firm in mind not to give rise to desire for other people’s things. Shaucham means purifying like bathing, wearning clean clothes, taking clean food etc. Indriyanigraham is not allowing the senses to have their own way and limit the food given to each sense organ i.e. ‘the eye should not see this, the ear should not hear this, the mouth should not eat this’, the body should not indulge in this sin, thus putting a check is ‘Indriya Nigraham’. Body is required for ‘sadhana’ (spiritual practices). The senses should be fed with just minimum that is necessary to keep the body alive. These five are ‘Samanya Dharma’. That means people of all divisions in our religion should follow these which are part of the Manu Dharma.
If we tell the mind ‘think of this one thing’ for a little while it appears to think about that thing and then takes a flight to somewhere. When I tell you during discourse about Dhyana, Shanti etc., it will appear as if your mind is under control. It will be happy. But the next moment it flies away somewhere and peace is destroyed. If it is commanded ‘do not talk’ and the mouth is closed, to some extent it obeys the command. If the eye is commanded ‘do not see’ and is closed, it does not see for some time at least. But however much you struggle with this mind telling ‘do not think’ it does not listen. When we say think, the mind must think; when we say do not think, it should not think. Only then it would mean that the mind is under our control.
We call some people mad and say that they do not have their mind under control.
The fact is that all of us do not have control over the mind. If the mad person goes on blabbering without shutting his mouth, we too have allowed the mind to go its way blabbering instead of controlling it. Do you know how it will be if we attain control over the mind? However much it may pain if the mind is told ‘do not think it to be pain’, the mind will remain ignoring the pain. Even if a tiger were to appear in front and roar, if the mind is told ‘do not be afraid’, it will not be afraid. Now we keep crying for no reason. If the mind comes under control, it will keep laughing whatever sorrow may be there to cause weeping. Irrespective of any provocation, it will remain quiet.
To start with, one should make the mind think of good things instead of wandering here and there. The mind should concentrate on good thoughts in an uninterrupted manner just as oil which flows in one uninterrupted stream. The mind should be trained to think constantly of the good thing, the Lord. Later, the state ‘we are thinking’ will vanish and we will dissolve in the Lord and become the Lord ourselves. Controlling the mind this way is called ‘Yoga’. A way has to found to control the mind before death. Otherwise there will be rebirth and there will be restless agitation of the mind. In this birth itself when there are several causes which led to desire and anger, we have to make whole-hearted effort to control the mind right in the midst of these things. One who tries in this way and become successful is ‘Yuktha’, otherwise known as ‘Yogi’. Lord Krishna says that he is the real happy soul ‘suki’.
We should not give up thinking ‘Yoga and such other things are for the rishis and can we practice it successfully?”. Who is in need of medicine? The sick person, is it not? We are having manovyadhi (mental disease). Therefore only we have to take the medicine which can control it.
There are two means for controlling the mind. One is open and other is a secret one. What is practiced externally is open. What is practiced internally is secret. Both are required. The cart man and the cook in this mutt are external. The person who makes the wicks for the lamps or one who gives flowers – these people remain close to pooja. The mutt can function only if both these groups are there. In the same way by the open and secret means, one should concentrate the mind on good things and then reach the state of zero thought.
Doing charity, sandhya vandana, yagnas, poojas, helping others etc., are the open means to divert the mind on good things. Meditation is the most superior internal state. There are five other means which are conducive to meditation. They are ‘Ahimsa’ (non violence), ‘Sathyam’ (speaking the truth), ‘Astheyam’ (non stealing), ‘Shaucham’ (cleanliness, purity) and ‘Indriya Nigraham’ (subjugating the senses).
Ahimsa is not to have bad thoughts about anybody or anything and make the mind full of love. Sathyam is to be true by thought, word and deed. Astheya is non stealing, to be firm in mind not to give rise to desire for other people’s things. Shaucham means purifying like bathing, wearning clean clothes, taking clean food etc. Indriyanigraham is not allowing the senses to have their own way and limit the food given to each sense organ i.e. ‘the eye should not see this, the ear should not hear this, the mouth should not eat this’, the body should not indulge in this sin, thus putting a check is ‘Indriya Nigraham’. Body is required for ‘sadhana’ (spiritual practices). The senses should be fed with just minimum that is necessary to keep the body alive. These five are ‘Samanya Dharma’. That means people of all divisions in our religion should follow these which are part of the Manu Dharma.
No comments:
Post a Comment