Hari OM
Application - that is what
'Workings-days' are about!
For as long as it takes to complete
it, we are going to be using today as well as Text-days to fulfil study of the
SadaachaaraH. If you have not been following that text, then use the relevant
label to go back to the beginning. It is, as might be surmised from its title,
about how to go about saadhana, but also explores more of the Sanskrit
philosophy; it is therefore both a 'working' as well as a 'thinking' text.
In the further dissection of what constitutes the mental nature of Man
the next question - and one frequently asked by those in saadhana - will be,
"do the thoughts of the mind ever cease?" When we go into deep sleep,
we experience a 'no mind' state which in our waking state we can look back on
and describe as bliss. In waking and also in the dream state, however, thoughts
are like a torrent, relentless and at times drowning.
AwaRdwaRNtre
b&iÄgRNtu< clit caNtre,
inraxara
inivRkara ya dza saeNmanI Sm&ta.35.
Arthaad-arthaantare vRttir-gantum chalati chaantare,
niraadhaaraa nirvikaaraa yaa dashaa sonmanii smRtaa ||35||
Thoughts move from one object to
another. In between that state of mind which exists without any support and
without any modifications is known as unmani.
Again we are reminded that the thing we call 'mind' is a continuous
flow of vRttis - thoughts and their modifications. The mind is not one large
homogenous lump, but a mass of individual thought-packets. Each thought is
around for a fraction of a second upon the 'screen' provided by the hardwiring
of our brains. No sooner has a thought entered than it moves along for the next
thought. Each thought may be directly inherited from the previous one and thus
give consistency of concepts and ideas or discussions. How we think is
dependent on many factors of geography, circumstance, whether we are mainly
sattvic, rajasic or tamasic in personality and so forth.
However, due to each thought being a self-contained unit, it means
there are spaces between our thoughts. It is one of the key tactics of
meditation to work our way into those gaps, lengthening them and shortening
thought and working to a state of 'no mind'. This is the state referred to here
as unmani.
This is the most challenging state of Knowledge to attain for most of we
ordinary saadhakas! Indeed, many would claim this is a fiction because they are not prepared to put effort into achieving it for
themselves. It is put down to madness or trance state. However, the one who is
able to attain this state cares not what others may think. They have achieved
sahaja samaadhi - a natural completion.
This differs a little from bhaava samaadhi (love completion) in that
bhaava is closer to what we refer to as trance state. Many great saints, not
just in Sanatana Dharma, have displayed this level of complete immersion in
love and worship of the Higher that they are transported and disconnected with
the world around. It is incomprehensible to the ordinary person, where the
normal state is one of agitation and distraction. It can be tough to
accept the possibility of pure bliss which is lasting and not dependent on
sleep. Yet we are envious of it. Many will try to attain a stilling of the mind
through artificial means. Drugs, alcohol, changing environments. Yet the age-old practice of meditation, devotion and seeking of Knowledge are considered
'unscientific' and therefore worthless. Despite aeons of having proved worthy to
those prepared to travel these routes.
Ultimately, only one who is able to attain the unmani can truly
experience Realisation and we can only guess at the bliss by comparison to that
we find in a deep sleep.
