Purify The Mind
You must be saved from the malformation and the miscarriage of your mind. Mind is like a playful child. The clamant energies of the mind must be bent to become the passive channels for the transmission of truth. The mind must be filled with Sattva purity . It should be trained to think of Truth or God constantly. The Yoga system requires us to go through a course of mental and spiritual discipline. The Upanishads also emphasise the practice of austere virtues before the goal can be reached....
Perception According To Sankhya Philosophy
According to Sankhya philosophy, the real back-ground of perception is the Purusha of whom the western doctors and psychologists have no idea. Fleshy eyes are only external instruments Karanas for perception. Eye is not an organ of vision. The organ of vision is a centre situated in the brain so is the case with all senses. Mind is connected with the Indriyas, the Indriyas with the corresponding centres in brain and the centres, with the physical organs, to the external object. The mind...
Samyama Over Samskaras
Samskara is known as residual potency also. When all Vrittis or thoughts die away, the frame of the mind remains with the Samskaras. This is termed the Potential Mind. In Vedantic parlance, it is called Antahkarana Matra. All Samskaras co-exist in the mind. The Vrittis slowly subside and leave traces in the mind. These traces are the Samskaras. From these Samskaras springs memory. If you have Yogic vision, you can vividly notice the marvels that take place in the mental factory of an...
How To Practise Introspection
You are the best judge of your mind. Introspect by living alone in solitude or retiring into a calm room for an hour. You must sit quiet in a solitary room alone, with closed eyes and watch the activities of the mind. You will then know your defects and weaknesses very clearly. You should afterwards feel the necessity of removing them. Then your Svabhava should agree to change. You must know the right method to remove the defect. You must apply the method constantly. Then only improvement will...
Bad Thoughts The Primary Cause Of Disease
The primary cause of diseases which afflict the body is bad thoughts. Whatever you hold in your mind will be produced in the physical body. Any ill-feeling or bitterness towards another person will at once affect the body and produce some kind of disease in the body. Intense passion, hatred, longstanding bitter jealousy, corroding anxiety, fits of hot temper actually destroy the cells of the body and induce disease of the heart, liver, kidneys, spleen and stomach. Violent fits of hot temper do...
Chapter 14 SAMSKARAS WHAT IS SAMSKARA
Vritti whirlpool, thought-wave arises in the mind-ocean. It operates for sometime. Then it sinks below the threshold of normal consciousness. From the surface of the conscious mind wherein it was uppermost for some time, it sinks down deep into the region of the subconscious mind Chitta . There, it continues to be a subliminal action and becomes a Samskara impression . A conscious action-whether cognitive, affective or conative assumes a potential and hidden Sukshma and Avyakta form just below...
Chapter 24 Viveka What Is Viveka
When you are fully aware of the magnitude of human sufferings in this miserable, relative world, you will naturally begin to discriminate between what is real and what is unreal. Brahman is real and Jagat is unreal. This is Viveka. Then sincerity or Sraddha will develop. Then aspiration or keen longing to realise God will be felt. Then you will have to remember the Truth constantly. Then you will have to assert constantly Aham Brahmasmi I am Brahman. By incessant practice, Nama, Rupa and...
Evil Samskarasthe Real Enemy
Who is your real enemy It is your own evil Samskaras. Substitute Subha Vasanas in place of Asubha ones. Then you can approach God. The mind will be changed. Old Samskaras will be obliterated. Wrong suggestions of various kinds and crude fantastic superstitions are rooted deeply in your mind. They are harmful. You will have to knock them down by Vichara, sublime suggestions, right thinking. I am body, I am Mr. John, I am a Brahmin, I am rich these are wrong suggestions and wrong Samskaras....
Fourfold Mind Or Antahkarana Chatushtaya
Antahkarana is a term used by the Vedantins to include mind, Buddhi, Chitta and Ahankara. When used in a broad sense, it means the internal instrument. 'Antah' means internal 'Karana' means instrument. It is the inner instrument as distinguished from the term Bahya Karana, outer instrument or the senses or Indriyas through which you sense, perceive, think and reason out. Ahankara is derived from Prithvi-Tanmatra. Tanmatras are Sukshma Bhutas or subtle elements. The five gross elements are...
HOW TO DESTROY VASANAS Sama
Vijnanamaya Kosa serves as a great fortress for the aspirant. From there he can attack the Vasanas when they try to emerge from the seed-body Karana Sarira into the mind. Through the practice of Sama, the aspirant should destroy the Vasanas one by one with the help of Vijnanamaya Kosa Buddhi . He should crush them as soon as they try to raise their heads on the surface of the mind-lake. He must not allow them to sprout forth. This is Vasana-Tyaga. This attack or fight is from inside. When a...
Characteristics Of The Rajasic Mind
A Rajasic mind likes crowded cities, much talking, luxurious life, low thinking, the company of women, study of romantic novels, eating dainty dishes and selfish works. Instinctive mind is the lower, impure Kama Manas with desires, passions and appetities. The vast majority of persons have this instinctive mind only. Even the so-called civilised and educated persons live on the plane of the instinctive mind. Their senses are very sharp and acute and they run after more refined things for their...
Sattvic Mind Needed For Atmavichara
A sharp, subtle, one-pointed, Sattvic pure mind is needed for Atma-Vichara enquiry into Atman or the Supreme Spirit and study of Upanishads. A gross mind or practical Vyavaharic Buddhi with selfishness and lust is absolutely unfit for Vichara and philosophical ratiocination. Selfishness clouds understanding. Selfishness is the bane of life. The mind of a worldling is ever ready to absorb sexual thoughts. It cannot imbibe subtle, philosophical ideas. It is callous and cannot vibrate properly to...
Seat Of Mind
Mind has various faculties and centres and operates through corresponding physical centres in the brain. Mind, Buddhi and understanding are in the Linga Sarira but they operate through corresponding centres in the physical brain. The brain is not mind as the Westerners think. Mind has its seat in the physical brain. It gains experiences ofthis physical universe through the vibrations of the brain. A king, though he has complete sway over his whole territory, though the whole kingdom belongs to...
Kinds Of Vritti
Vrittis have been classified into five kinds 1 Mano-Vritti, 2 Buddhi Vritti, 3 Sakshi Vritti, 4 Akhandakara Vritti and 5 Akhanda Ekarasa Vritti. No. 1 belongs to the instinctive mind. Nos. 2, 3, 4 and 5 belong to the Sattvic mind. Mano-Vritti is the Vishayakara Vritti of worldlings. Buddhi Vritti belongs to Vivekins. When you identify yourself with the Sakshi Vritti, you can witness the modifications of the mind. When you try to feel that you are the Infinite Self, the Akhandakara Vritti is...
Importance Of Sattva Guna
The real peace of mind does not come from outside. It is produced in the same mind when the mind is controlled and its thoughts are checked. You must put forth great efforts to check the passions and desires. Then alone will your aptitude for activity be subdued and you will be at rest and your thoughts will be stilled. Develop, therefore, Sattva Guna by Japa, Vichara, Satsanga, meditation, light Sattvic food, Tapas and Svadhyaya. An ordinary worldly-minded man can hardly hear the inner voice...
Sushupti Avastha Deep Sleep State
When the mind enters the Puritat Nadi, the state of deep sleep sets in. In Dridha Sushupti dreamless sleep , you have a cessation of empirical consciousness. There is no play of the mind in this Avastha state . There is neither Raga nor Dvesha attraction or repulsion, like or dislike . The mind gets Laya into its cause. Manolaya involution of the mind takes place. There is no play of the Indriyas organs, senses too. This state of profound sleep is not a complete non-being or negative, for such...
Mind In Sankhya Philosophy
In Sankhya philosophy, Mahat is the term used to denote cosmic mind or universal mind. It is the first principle that is derived from Avyakta. It is the first principle that is manifested out of the unmanifested Avyakta. The wheel of the bullock-cart rests on the spokes. The spokes rest on the nave. Even so, the mind rests on Prakriti and Prakriti rests on Brahman. From Mahat comes Ahankara. From Sattvic Ahankara comes mind from Rajasic Ahankara comes Prana from Tamasic Ahankara, Tanmatras from...
Chapter 8 THE MENTAL FACULTIES THE POWER OF THE HUMAN MIND
If you closely study the action of mind upon mind, of mind over matter, of mind over the human body, you will find that each man is a power in himself. You will have to develop the potential faculties by self-restraint and mastery over the passions. When mind is so much powerful, what to speak anything of the glory of Atman, who is the storehouse of everything, who is the infinite, inexhaustible central magazine of power, knowledge and bliss from whom the little mind borrows its light and power
The Two Kinds Of Moods And Their Effects
In Vedanta, there are only two kinds of moods, viz., Harsha joy, exultation or exhilaration and Soka grief or depression . In the mind, these two kinds of moods prevail. Now there is joy. Five minutes later, there is depression. These currents alternate. They belong to the Shad-Urmis six waves . They are two waves that affect the mind-ocean. People of gloomy moods attract to them gloomy things and gloomy thoughts from others and from the Akasic records in the physical ether. Persons with hope,...
Prayer
0 Thou Invisible One O Adorable One O Supreme Thou permeatest and penetratest this vast universe from the unlimited space down to the tiny blade of grass at my feet. Thou art the basis for all these names and forms. Thou art the apple of my eye, the Prema of my heart, the very Life of my life, the very Soul of my soul, the illuminator of my intellect and senses, the sweet Anahata music of my heart, and the substance of my physical, mental and causal frames. 1 recognise Thee alone as the mighty...
Suddha Manas And Asuddha Manas
Through the discriminating mind, the lower mind is powerfully mastered by the wise. Uddharet-atmana-atmanam Let him raise the self by the Self. Gita, VI-5 THE TWO KINDS OF MIND Suddha Manas or Sattvic mind pure mind and Asuddha impure Manas or the instinctive mind or desire-mind as it is called are the two kinds of mind according to Upanishadic teaching. There is the lower mind filled with passion. There is the higher mind filled with Sattva purity . There are two minds. You will have to make...
Special Knowledge That Differentiates Man From Animal
An animal is not able to know itself. It has only physical consciousness. It has no self-consciousness. An animal feels the discomfort and pain. It is not able to analyse its own mental states. A man not only knows, but he knows that he knows. This is either mental consciousness or self-consciousness. The man not only feels or senses things, but he has words to express his feelings and sensations. He can vividly describe his feelings. He may think of himself as experiencing them. He can...
Characteristics Of Sattva Guna
Sattva Guna is purity. It is Prakasa illumination, light . Sattva Guna is a force favourable for the attainment of Moksha. Daivi Sampat virtues such as fearlessness, purity of heart, etc., will confer liberation on you. The effect of Sattva Guna is Brahmavichara enquiry or search for Truth differentiation between Sat and Asat, what is real and what is unreal. A Sattvic mind is always steady. It finds delight internally. It may stick to one place indefinitely. It keeps friendship with persons...
Linga Sarira And Antavaha Sarira
Mind is the most important Tattva of Linga Sarira. Linga Sarira is the astral body or Sukshma Sarira that is linked to the physical body through physical Prana. It separates itself at death from the physical body and travels to Svarga or heaven. It is this body that does Avagamana coming and going . This body melts in Videha Mukti disembodied salvation . There is a difference between Linga Sarira and Antarvaha Sarira. Linga Sarira is astral body with seventeen Tattvas, viz., five...
Mind Is Subtle Matter
Mind is not a gross thing, visible and tangible. Its existence is nowhere seen. Its magnitude cannot be measured. It does not require a space in which to exist. Mind and matter are two aspects as subject and object of one and the same all-full Brahman, who is neither and yet includes both. Mind precedes matter. This is Vedantic theory. Matter precedes mind. This is scientific theory. Mind can be said to be immaterial only in the sense that it has not the characteristics of ponderable matter. It...