by Sri Bmal Mohanty
VOL No. 15
Nov. 2001

CHAPTER SIXTEEN- ON MEDITATION - Part 4

Meditation the vital support of life.

Continued from Chapter fourteen which dealt with The Benefits of Meditation- on the mind, knowledge and the bliss sheaths.

"Based on the lectures by Sri Bimal Mohanty"

Then there is the third dimension, which is the time related narrowness. Some people argue strongly that living life means living in the present moment only as if there is no past and there will be no future. This kind of animal existence snuffs out any endevour for self- improvement and bettering the quality of life. Where as looking life beyond the limitations of 'present' opens up the vast vista of our existence beginning from the first spark of life - the first life we lived to the final goal traversing many many lives.

A set back on one occasion in life is so momentary that soon it is replaced by a victory if we work for it. A 'nirashaa' or loss of hope can soon be replaced with hope and achievement in the next moment if we continue with determination. We have all the time as we need. To look at life as a continuous journey towards that ultimate bliss is the greatest comforting factor available to us.
   
Our existence - in whatever forms we exist- spans a vast expanse of time. A moment, a day or a life is insignificant in this larger canvas of time. A restricted and narrow mind dwelling only in the present, sitting over the little pile of material comfort and thinking only of himself is such a short sighted existence.

If we dwell in narrowness, narrow-minded we remain. If we dream of the sky, we rise to reach the sky, that is how the old adage goes.

Even after knowing fully well that narrowness in thinking brings unhappiness and an expansive mind is better equipped to face momentary pin pricks, what really prevents us from growing out of this narrowness?

The reason is our ego.

This ego that we have been nursing all our lives, is like an ignorant child. Unless trained and enlightened with knowledge its behaviour is much like a child. The toys that are in his hands, it will never let go of. Partly because it is ignorant of what may lie outside its immediate vicinity and partly out of fear of losing its control if it ventures into uncertain territory are the main factors which keep it so much clinging to its familiar domain over which it feels it has absolute control. It is not surprising therefore that paradoxically we complain about our miseries yet do not abandon our attachment to the miserable world.

Freedom from this predicament is what the entire Yoga sadhana or spiritual practice is all about. Constant meditation on the final solution, the parama nidaana, the Bramhan, trains our ego making it aware of its false powers and conform to the Divine.

A clear understanding of our essential characteristic in relation to the creation, this grand design of The lord shows us the path of liberation.

This understanding of our position is indeed the key. The wisdom in our scriptures has explained it in hundreds of ways. To put it in nutshell, consider these beautiful words:

      Dehabudhyaa nimittattvam Jivabudhyaa bramhaansakam
      Aatmabudhyaa tat tvam asi, etat hi paramam jnaanam.

This explains beautifully our essential character.

At the level of understanding at the physical body level, consider ourselves only agents of the Lord carrying out our tasks as ordained by him. Nothing more. No false pretentions of being the principal authority.

At the level of understanding of the individual self - jiva budhyaa - we are all part of the Bramhan itself, Bramhaansakam. And at the higher self level consider yourself as verily the Bramhan itself. No different from Him and possessing all the qualities and all the potential hidden within ourselves.

Realising this truth is Satchidanada, the state of mukti or liberation.