Meditation in Life Chapter 10
Class Notes | March 5, 2019
Notes by Primary Writer, Sunita Menon
A being like Sri Ramana has no thought for their body. There is no being inside or outside the body. Turiya is the 4thstate (waking, dreaming, sleeping, awareness state) and Turiya Ateeta is beyond the 4th state. Enlightened person is transcendental in every way. They transcend transcendence. They only have thoughts of God. No other thoughts other than thoughts of Bhagavan.
Our course is hope for enlightenment.. for us to move from creator to creation to consciousness.
From last week’s session -
Three eshanas — desires — that form our thoughts, action, reactions are lokeshana, vitteshana, putreshana
1. Base eshana is putreshana — desire to have a son — desire for a child — desire for pleasure
2. Vitteshana — desire for wealth in form of materials, possessions
3. Lokeshana — subtlest — desire to be known in all lokas — positioning
Deeper than 3 eshanas are 3 vasanas — blueprint for desires
1. Deha — vasanas that I am this body
2. Loka — notion that I am separate than you
3. Shastra — when I philosophize more than I practice.. disproportionate between my study and what I enact.Chapter 9 this is highlighted..We know our nature ii joy.. if I am not speaking, thinking, acting then I have shastra vasana
Ways to practice more than we philosophize -
1. One way to philosophize is to live by ‘go-vritti’ i.e., cow-thoughts — A cow is described as animal that is ever content.. eats and brings back to chew.. reactions come from actions, actions come from thoughts, thoughts come from desires, desires comes from our blueprint (vasanas).. so how do I change the desire and blueprint.. when I react with contentment.. when I treat all as prasada..
2. Rishi Vyaasa documented Ramayana — he says ‘I was a dry leaf tossed around the wind’.. for all those like that, Ramayana is for them. If you feel like this as a leaf blown, what are you doing about it? They longed for contentment. The words of those who are independently joyous. Words are scriptures..
3. Another way to find meaning and get deeper is Satsang. When one is exposed to those who are Independently Joyous, we bring an ideal into our life.. we feel the possibility that we can be like that. There will be a shift in the power of our equipment.. When there is discontent, power is directed to the mind. When there is content, power is directed to the intellect (like AWD vehicle). Mind is Samshaya — well shaded — unclear. Intellect is Nishchaya — no shade i.e., there is clarity. Intellect is to direct our mind. When this is done there is an ideal. Inspiration has to come before ideal to be clear. Body has to be in critical shape before we can be happy. Inspiration comes from self-respect. Think long and hard about this.
4. Sanatana Dharma’s message is follow your responsibility.. Dos and Don’ts is context based.. time changes everything. When message is dharma, it becomes your idea and not the speaker’s idea (like Dos and Don’ts is).
5. Finest Shreya strategy is to know your potential.. when you know your nature, and the power of your intellect, visualize and imagine — that itself will allow you to have more self-respect.
6. Gurudev talks about the ‘mysterious touch of scriptural knowledge’ — scriptural knowledge is how I can change my character.. It reveal to me my nature, my potential, my habits.. nothing else does. No one else will.The fact that ‘You are happiness’ — who has shared this with you? Other than scriptures.
7. We need to grow in our reverence for religion. Reverence is respect and love. Respect is intellectual. Pooja is based on Bhava — where there is love, mistakes do not matter. Reverence feels like vulnerability. Being available. God is not looking at your ability and your availability. Someone who is invoking an ideal is vulnerable. Is Vigilant. When Arjun is available and then Krishna teaches.
8. Guru Shushya parampara –actions made faith in Guru’s words, trust in the end. Reverence for religion. Shiva manasapooja. Sashtanga pranatihi — as you often as you can mentally prostrate with respect, love and reverence to Guru Shishya Parampara and to Bhagavan. Then our philosophy and practice will be matched.. then we will practice more than we philosophize.. what more is there to study then?
With this Chap 9 is completed.
Chap 1 and 2 — ends , means (meditation)
3–6 — what is happening now (tvam portion — arjuna)
7–9 — thinking (that this happening is not ok, it has to change), inquiry, introspection
10–11 — as I am thinking is analyzed.. what is the body, mind
12 — contemplation, completed first part of text
Second part is process of contemplation
Notes by Vignes Sadras
Enlightened beings, like Sri Ramana Maharishi, only have thoughts of God; they have no thoughts of the body. On the other hand, we have thoughts of pleasure, possession, and position (3 eshanas), which are driven by our 3 core vasanas:
- Deha vasana: our deep-seated belief that we are the body
- Loka vasana: our deep-seated belief that we are separate from others
- Shastra vasana: our deep-seated tendency to philosophize rather than practice
We have learned that these vasanas are rooted in ignorance (avidya) of our true nature, and that all our suffering and discontentedness follow from these vasanas. Knowing this, how can we change our vasanas? We recall:
Avidya → Vasana → Eshana → Vritti → Karma → Phala
The only step in this pathway that we have conscious control over is karma. When vrittis (thoughts) arise, we can choose which vrittis to translate into action. By choosing our actions wisely (acting in the spirit of Prasada Buddhi, i.e. responding to all of life’s challenges with contentment) we can change our vasanas.
This all sounds good, but it is easier said than done. To change our actions, we must be acutely aware of the current problem (our actions are rooted in ignorance) and be crystal clear about the solution (acting in alignment with the Truth). Satsanga alone can bring about this awareness and clarity. When we are in the presence of holy people, the Ideals of Vedanta become real to us and we become clear about how to live by those Ideals. Simply put, we become inspired when we experience Satsanga. When the intellect is inspired by an Ideal, it is able to direct the unclear mind to act in alignment with the Ideal.
Pujya Gurudev shares that inspiration comes from self-respect. Without self-respect, we cannot be inspired by others. Self-consciousness (here, self=ego) is a symptom of having low self-respect. If we have faith that we have infinite potential, we will have no insecurity about ourselves. Acharya Vivekji shares that it is the mysterious touch of Scripture that reveals to us our infinite potential. In order to feel this mysterious touch, we must cultivate reverence (mental love and intellectual respect) for the Scripture. We can do this by mentally prostrating to the Scripture, to the Guru, and to God as often as possible. When we become Reverent, we become vulnerable and available for the Scripture to take root in our heart and mind.
Question from the students: How does contentment differ from complacency?
Answer: Contentment is dynamic — it is an acceptance of the current situation AND a conviction that we can move forward towards manifesting our Divine nature more and more. Complacency is static — it is a belief that the current situation cannot be changed.
Acharya Vivekji’s reflection from last week’s RAW: When we black out our unnecessary dependencies in life, the white light of Shiva becomes apparent within us.
Notes by Lalitagauri Deshpande
This weeks’s Mediation in Life class was based on the latter half of Chapter 9 Character in Man. Vivekji exponded on the various ways we can become a person of character (our journey from animal to man and man to God)
Turiyateet Upanisad: Turiya is the fourth state of consciousness and is considered to be a state of bliss. However, as Vivekji pointed out this is also only a state of consciousness and the goal is to go beyond by only entertaining the thoughts of Bhagvan.
Following get in our way to this goal:
Three Eshanas (desires) that form our thoughts:
1. Putra eshana: Desire for pleasure (Could this be Eshana for continuity of life/ fulfillment of desires through children?)
2. Vitta eshana: Desire for possessions
3. Lok eshana: Desire for position
Deeper than these desires lie vasanas in our personality:
1. Deha vasana: Notion that I am this body (Body is my real Self)
2. Loka vasana: Notion that I am separate from you (world)
3. Shastra vasana: I philosophize more than I practice. I read and know a lot, but the knowledge is not mine yet. I don’t behave what I speak/ profess.
We can overcome this by contentment and living the values we study- explained by the example of cow that eats whatever comes her way (contentment), ruminates (reflection) the food (knowledge) she eats and ultimately produces milk (sattvic knowledge) that can be easily digested (and nourishes) young and old.
Vyasa and Valmiki, although very learned in the shastras lacked contentment. They both wrote Bhagavan’s katha with love to fill this void.
Inspiration leads to Self-enquiry which leads to Self-realization. This can be achieved by
1. Studying the philosophy well
2. Practice what you learn (live Sanatan Dharma)
3. Know your potential (for Self-respect)
Mysterious touch of scriptures makes man a character. To attain this, one has to have reverence for religion. Reverence is a sum of respect and love. Respect comes from studying the scriptures. Love develops when we surrender, become vulnerable, become available for Bhagavan’s Kripa.
Happiness comes from calmness of body, quietude of mind and stillness of intellect. This is achieved by step by step contemplation.
Beautiful definition of contentment: I have all I need. All I don’t have is not needed. Bhagavan knows this and provides what I need, when I need it.
Notes by Uma Gorti
Class Notes for 3/5/19
During the freedom struggle, some leaders went to Sri Ramana Maharshi and asked him what He was doing for freedom. Sri Ramana asked them what freedom are they talking about and from whom.
Sri Ramana was a ‘Brahma Koti Purusha’ — one who is identified with Infinity, who was free and did not see the separation.
In the ‘Turiyateeta Avadoota Upanishad’ which is beyond the fourth state (Turiya) (3 states of Waking, Dreaming and Deep sleep) there are no other thoughts other than God.
The goal of our course ‘Meditation and Life’, is to get to that state of Sri Ramana of Infinity.
3 Eshanas : Putreshna ( Desire for a child) Pleasure , Vitteshna ( Desire for possessions) , Lokeshana(Position)
3 Vasanas : Deha( body) -> Loka ( vasana) — I’am separate from you ,
Shastra Vasana — When I philosophize more than I practice
One way to get over Shastra vasana — is become like a Govu( cow), which is a symbol of contentment.
Treat all that happens to me as prasasada.
What is the one word for Rishi Valmiki and Rishi Vyasa — is being inquisitive.
Ramayana is to learn for those who feel they are being pushed around by the circumstances, articles and beings. The way out would be to listen to the words of those who are independently joyous. Actions of those who are independently joyous have a greater impact on us. One way is Satsanga. When we are around those who follow what they say, it will have a greater influence on us.
Samshaya — unsure, Shaya — shade, Samshaya — no shade or clarity.
Before we drive, we need to warm up or before we do something we need to prepare.
Gurudev says, before Inspiration we need Self Respect.
Viddhi and Dharma — do’s and don’t s, Sanatana Dharma is to follow your responsibility.
Why is it we are Self Conscious, we have no self respect.
How do you get more self respect? — Know your potential — the mysterious touch of scriptural knowledge. Grow in our reverence for religion, respect and love for the religion. We all have respect for religion, love we are not sure. Are we growing from loving the creation to loving the Creator.
Reverence feels like vulnerability. God is not looking at ability, he is looking at availability.
Siva Manasa Pooja — Sashtangam to the Guru Sishya Parampara to Bhagwan.
Chapters 1 and 2 of Meditation and Life are like Chapters 1 and 2 of Bhagavatam
Dharma is the means to Brahman
Ch 3, 4, 5 and 6 — like Bhagavad Gita — Tvam portion
Ch 7, 8 and 9 — Thinking(enquiry), Introspection
What is the body, what is the mind.
Ch 12 — Remembering
Truth defined is the truth defiled.
I : Existence Am — Awareness
Questions:
1) What is happiness?
It is when there is Calmness in the body, Quietness in the mind, Stillness in the Intellect.
Staying balanced is the way through all circumstances.
2) What is contentment in practical sense — if we are contented we won’t work harder.
If Rishi Vyasa was discontented with his life then none of us would be. Yoga is a sliding scale.
We should be accepting. I should accept who I am and know what I am not. All that I have in
life is what I need and what I don’t have I don’t need.
At no point become unbalanced. Nothing should disturb us.
At one point someone asked Guruji (Swami Chinmayananda) — how he would feel if Chinmaya Mission does not continue, to that Guruji answered that it would not matter to him if Chinmaya Mission does not continue while he is here or when he is gone.
Maha Sivaratri is not a day, but a lifestyle which should continue always. Black out everything that is not light.
RAW: Create a map for: Journey from someone who lacks character to someone with reverence for religion.
