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by
Sri Bimal Mohanty
VOL
No. 105
November : 2009
SOME MORE READERS’ QUESTIONS
Answers based on lectures by Sri Bimal Mohanty
While we were discussing some intricate issues like liberation etc. a number of questions received have got accumulated. Since the purpose of our spiritual approach is to share each others’ doubts and thereby benefit together, this month it will be appropriate to deal with such questions before we take up a new topic. Here are some of these questions which are relevant and thought provoking. I am sure you will benefit as much as I have done from them.
QUESTIONS FROM READERS
QUESTION 1 FROM PROF HRIDAY BHATIA
Astral body.
Pundits talk of an astral body or ‘Sukhsma sarira’. You also talked about a psychic dimension of all. I do not feel any such awareness within me. Are these merely imaginations or have any plausible explanation?
ANSWER: Astral body, psychic state are all accentuated mental and supramental conditions of a sadhaka in his journey towards absolute truth consciousness. They are as real as the mind is real. The concepts are synonymous with the degree of intensity of mind and its nearness to Brahman consciousness or truth awareness.
We are all aware of our physical existence. We are also aware that we have a mind that thinks. When we were babies we were predominantly aware of our physical. Our world was confined to what our body felt – hunger, thirst, heat, cold comfort, discomfort etc. But as we started acquiring knowledge of things around, we discovered that we have thoughts – a mind that thinks. So in addition to our physical dimension we became aware of our mental dimension.
With that logic it is not difficult to understand that as man gathers more knowledge he develops a discerning power – what we call viveka. He discovers that he also has a supramental or beyond-mind condition. His zone of cognizance increases. He weighs things with his discerning power which then provides him the foundation for a still higher dimension to be aware of.
He starts looking deeper and deeper for the true meaning or tattva of things.
Mind has this amazing power. When used in intensity, it grows in strength, gets refined, discards irrelevance and searches for the ultimate.
That indeed is yoga. Every body’s mind is capable of surpassing itself, to move to a higher mind, super mind and supramental ‘beyond mind’. Yoga is the process.
In that stage, the sadhaka thinks beyond the obvious and the mundane, realizes more, knows more and is more conscious of what he knows and lives in a state of bliss of knowledge. The proximity to truth, Brahman, satchidananda are all logical and plausible.
That state is the state of austral existence, psychic existence. He becomes aware of it. The awareness varies with the intensity of one’s yogasadhana. But it is real enough for him.
Be a yogi and see for yourself how the path of enlightenment opens up.
QUESTION 2 FROM SRI VIDUR JYOTI
Infinite within finite
Can a limited physical entity house a fragment house a fragment of the unlimited thereby negating its infinitude?
The question relates to a number of issues in Sanatan philosophy of great importance. Let us break it up to understand them.
What is the true meaning of ‘housing’?
What is ‘fragment’ of the infinite?
Are we negating the infinitude?
Sanatan philosophy says that Brahman resides (or is housed) within every body. This statement is misinterpreted by many. It is not that a portion or fragment of the infinite Brahman is detached from Brahman and is implanted within any physical entity. When Brahman extends itself and enters within the body there is no cleavage. The soul is not, and can not be separated from the supreme soul. (acchedyoyam). What is outside me is also inside me. Everything – inside as well as outside- is pervaded. In the Upanishadic statement isavasyam sarvam idam, vasa relates to both housing as well as covering. In our ignorance we attribute to atma and paramatma separate identities. In essence atma never looses any of its omnibus identities- there is no question of losing its infinitude. Purnasya purna madaya purnameva abasisyate.
Why then the soul as we perceive it, does not exhibit its full potential as we understand the supreme soul (Brahman) possesses? It is because the purpose of the presence of Brahman within a body is need based and well defined. It is not to make an exhibition of the powers of Brahman, but to fulfill the needs of the soul to shed its bonds of ignorance and assist it in its way to the final destination. The soul exists in the creation for a definite and ordained purpose. The divine arrangement is precisely to allow what is needed.
Non- exhibition does not conclude its incapability or diminution of its omnipotence. Even an incarnation (purna avatar like Lord Krishna for instance) although possessing omnipotence and omniscience plays out its role as is only needed and leaving no doubt about what he is capable of.
QUESTION 3 FROM MS YAMINI RAO
Degeneration of our nature
Every child born into this world is so pure and innocently good. How and why does he become such a devious crook in later years?
ANSWER: Although we always carry our past baggage of karma all the time, every new life is like a new promise. All lives are opportunities provided by the benevolent Brahman to one and all like a new lease to atone our past mistakes and evolve to a better being. It is a fresh opportunity. We all come with tremendous divine grace to help us to our advantage. As parents send their children to a remote boarding school or work place with many goodies, money and other useful things packed into the baggage, so does the Lord. This divine grace we carry is our greatest wherewithal.
Now, how we carry on in our new environment is our own doing. Somewhat away from the parents, the child exercises his own will in all situations in accordance with his ego-driven judgement.
The first thing that we all succumb to is greed. Dazzled by the superficial attractions we go on to possess all that we fancy. Life becomes a continuous affair to acquire and own the material world.
Nothing what so ever comes free. What ever we go on to acquire, we start paying for it by what God had sent us with – the divine grace.
Soon we possess many worldly things, but we have paid for it by that innocence and purity – the grace of Brahman. What we think we have gained is at the loss of some thing more valuable.
But in time we realize the worthlessness of our greed as our possessions lose their usefulness. But by that time we have frittered away a good portion of that divine grace and lost our goodness. We come to grief. Our greed (lobha) and our desire to possess at all costs (kAma and resulting krodha) are causes of our undoing.
Some of us fall victim quickly enough and some resist it for a longer period and recover. The remedy is discipline (yama) and self restraint (dama), the first two elements of the eightfold (astanga) yoga. They give the true protection.
We are initiated to yama and dama in the developing years in life primarily by our parents and our teachers. It is them who are indeed greatly responsible. Alas! In present times neither the parents nor the teachers understand their true roles. At least most of them do not. They have the major responsibility towards the degeneration of mankind.
If one can not take responsibility of a parent better not produce a child. If one can not teach a child, one should not become a teacher.
QUESTION 4 MS MARGARET
Less gifted children
I am a teacher in a preparatory school. I have intelligent pupils but some are very dull. Why has God been so unfair? It saddens me. How can they best be helped?
ANSWER: Your concern as a teacher is so refreshing. One wishes we have more and more teachers like you. Coming together of those dull children and a sensitive teacher like you, is in itself a divine scheme for the good of both.
Yes, all being manifestations of Brahman the God, it is Brahman’s intelligence that flows from Him to all of us. Hence no one is really superior or inferior to the other to begin with.
But as each soul goes through the lives one after the other, it acquires sanskAras or influencing factors that get deposited in our minds. Untill cleaned they inhibit and cover up certain potentials of each individual. Under certain specific conditions one appears intelligent and another dull. But the apparently intelligent one may have deficiencies in other areas and the apparently dull one may be hiding developed mental strength in some other area. Since we live in different life conditions life after life, we do not develop identically in all areas.
Unfortunately the world conditions that we have created mostly produces round holes for square pegs.
But in the scheme of things of Brahman, going through life after life, every one gets the opportunity to develop into total perfection.
Admittedly, man made circumstances do not offer acceptable solutions against this anomaly. But if the teacher (and most importantly the parents) is sensitive enough, the problem can be tackled to a great extent. Careful analysis of all shortcomings in a child will invariably reveal areas where every child shows promise. If that is taken care of, other interlinked behavioural patterns automatically get refined and overall normalcy or acceptable normalcy will result.
Although most modern specialists do not agree or do not see the link, yet it is certain that the divine hand or a spiritual approach greatly enhances this development. If from the initial stages a sense of divine consciousness is inculcated, amazing results will result. We may not have enough research data to prove yet but a person exposed to spiritualism from very early ages invariably develops a better character and higher wisdom.
In extreme cases where the burden of past sanskAras is heavy logically it should take a longer time, even more than one birth. The truth is, in every birth a jiva takes it has an opportunity to improve itself.
QUESTION 5 FROM SRI MULAVANA BHATTATHIRY
Life’s problems
We are so suppressed by the routine of this …life that most of us seem helpless. However, if we look closely to ancient techniques we shall discover the magnificent way to understand …. If only we could stop for a moment and allow this to happen.
ANSWER:
What you say is absolutely right. Our failure to benefit from the collective wisdom of our ancient seers appears to be such pathetic foolishness.
Having said that, one must also recognize the example of many (though small in number but growing steadily) of persons who know the worth of this wisdom, in their own way apply it to solve their problems, lead a reasonably peaceful life and thereby inspire others to do so.
That is the beauty of Lord’s creation. The wisdom and ignorance - the jnanis and ajnanis - always co-existed even in the best of ages. It is all about one’s personal perspective.
Both ignorance and wisdom in their own way work for our spiritual development. Yah pasyati sah pasyati. Those who can see that way, verily see it for their good.
QUESTION 6 FROM MS MAGGIEMAYA
Anger
What to do about anger. I feel such anger at times. I know it is my ego but I am still feeling such intense emotion even if I do not express it.
ANSWER:
If you have been a regular reader of AHWAN, you would have noticed that we have discussed this subject on number of occasions. I quote below from an answer given to one of the readers earlier. A little understanding may help.
We often misinterpret the idea of ‘overcoming’ one’s emotional feelings. Generally we talk of suppressing or eliminating the feelings. That is meaningless. As long as our mind is alive, the sense organs (indriyas) are functional, and we continue living in this world, emotions will always be there. That is the character of our mental faculty. You can not wish it away. Let that be first understood.
What the yogis are called upon to practice and recommend to all is to understand the existence of sense organs and sense objects, their nature, origin of emotions and channeling them from a destructive course unto a constructive course. Not succumbing to emotions in getting dragged into preyas (temporarily satisfying but detrimental in the long run) and diverting them towards shreyas ( not immediately satisfying but beneficial in the long run) is desirable and our dharma. Dharmasadhana does not eliminate the emotions but makes us masters of our emotions.
Emotions being part of the jiva’s nature can never be wished away. Even great sages are swayed by emotions. All that we can do is to control our emotions so that we do not succumb to them and by that, get our reasoning clouded. To expect anyone to be emotionless is a fruitless exercise.
Emotions per se are not bad. But getting emotionally attached and getting trapped in our emotions forgetting our ultimate purpose of life is disastrous. On the other hand if your ultimate spiritual goal is clear, getting emotionally motivated to pursue that goal is a great assisting force in sadhana.
Being emotionally attached to dharma, righteous conducts and thereby Brahman, are desirable emotions which greatly assist our spiritual development at the initial stages of our sadhana. Only when knowledge is gained, all emotions loose their control over us.
The simplest method to cultivate control over emotions, is dama and yama (internal and external control). The first thing to do is to eschew all impulsive action. This is not easy but can be practiced. Whenever you feel any kind of emotion –good or bad – rising strong within you, simply take a pause. Just that little pause is a great antidote. The practice of ‘pause’ is a great spiritual exercise. Withdraw either physically or mentally as quickly as you can.
They say Dama pranjna parichayaka- Dama and Yama are direct outcome of a wisened mind. When exercised, they immediately introduce an attitude of positiveness in the mind.
Immediately thereafter, contemplate. Search out the root source of the emotion. Invariably it will be found that at the root lies a certain desire on your part and your adamant ego seeking fulfillment of that desire. It may be good or it may be bad. But the presence of a desire is always there, even if apparently it seems in some occasions, that you have been wronged by some one else. See if you can raise yourself to forgive him.
But if you did act impulsively without exercising dama, be quick to apologise to the other party as well as to yourself. The power of forgiveness and apology (even to yourself) are great soothing balms.
The next step is to ask yourself: ‘can I do without this desire?’ If it is a good one, then your viveka (intellect) will ask you to go after it. But in all other cases you will arrive at the conclusion that either it can be dropped or postponed. The initial agitation slowly dies down and peace returns.
Such an attitude comes after great practice. But do not worry. Even if you can do this in one out of hundred cases, it will soon snowball to give you greater control over you emotions. You are on your way.
( For clearer understanding about anger please read the following:
Answer to a question from Sri Paresh Rasnia in in AHWAN May 2002 issue.
Answer to a question from Ms Asha Manohar in AHWAN May 2008 issue.
if you are a regular reader of AHWAN, please go through especially articles on ‘Meditation’ (July 2001 to November 2001 issues), Preparations for Sadhana (June 2002 to October 2002 issues etc.)
QUESTION 7 FROM SRI RAGHU (Also similar question from Ms Jannie)
Paganism.
Worshipping so many Gods, animals, a stone, a tree- how does an enlightened religion rationalize such paganism?
ANSWER:
If you please refer to the articles “One God, many gods” Parts 1 & 2 in May and June 2006 issues of AHWAN, the concept behind seeing divinity in so many forms as mind can hold, can be understood.
All living beings have myriad problems to cope with. But there is only one mitigator of all problems. But when the mind is overwhelmed with problems, in its limited perception it can not think beyond a single problem and a single solution. Man visualizes Brahman the God in that capacity alone which will save him from his immediate predicament. What he visualizes, he assigns a form to draw immediate comfort from. That form becomes his ishta – the desired benefactor. He brings Brahman into that form and is happy and grateful in that presence. We have discussed this in detail in the above mentioned article.
But man’s problems are not confined to his immediate vicinity and conditions. He is part and parcel of the entire creation. Whether a tree or an animal, insect, stone or a river, there is nothing existing in the creation that does not support man in one way or the other. Something appeases his hunger, thirst, and something heals him, teaches him, protects him and supplements his actions.
Knowing that there is one and only Brahman who is sustainer of all, protector of all, he can not separate Brahman from anything around him. He reveres them all. That reverence is expressed in his worship.
From a practical view point, this gratitude and reverence is at the root of spiritual approach to life, to all existence, to harmony, peace, development et-all. Seeing divinity in all, the hand of Brahman in all activities conducted everywhere is the enlightened way of looking at the creation. If that is trivialized as paganism be that so.
QUESTION 8 FROM SRI HANSRAJ
Good and Evil.
If Brahman is all good, where from all these evils come?
ANSWER:
We ask this question even in jest sometimes. We concede that Brahman the God possesses all that is good and noble. But as he is the source of everything he must also be full with so much evil.
When we imply that, we indeed fail to understand two profoudly important aspects of the very concept of Brahman.
Firstly, what is good and what is evil? Anything that obstructs or delays the individual soul’s (jiva’s) spiritual progress towards perfection and knowledge and bliss (satchidananda) is evil and everything that assists our progress and development is good. Good and evil are the projections of the jiva’ mental condition. Brahman does not have a set of bad things or good things to dole out to us. He has, for our own understanding and conduct, set out His divine principles of Maya and it is our own actions interacting with these principles produce good or evil. Brahman is neither affected by the good nor the bad perpetrated by the jiva.
He is the controller –niyanta – of the principles of maya. That is how in our ignorance we link Him, and not our own actions, with good and evil.
Secondly, why even this remote linkage of evil with Brahman? Why can not there be only good things and Brahman in life? This is again for our own education. How shall we appreciate the goodness of good unless we are exposed to the evil? How else we shall move towards good unless we know what evil does to us?
The way we look at misery and misfortune in life indicates our maturity of understanding. The most common attitude is ofcourse to assume that all this is unfair and we do not deserve this. We shall not go into more details of this fallacy as we have already explained that in our earlier discussions. Misfortunes do not come on their own. We invite them into our lives by our own omissions and commissions.
Some others look at them as punishments which one must meekly endure passively. This also a wrong perception.
Truly wise ones look at the life’s trials and tribulations as lessons to learn from and act. They are the ones who overcome all odds, rise above their failures, and recognize the divine intervention in their success.
They are the true shresthAs – the better nobles – who set out standards for others to follow.
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Sri Bimal Mohanty 2000
