Devotee: If the entire universe is of the form of mind, then does it not follow that the universe is an illusion? If that be the case, why is the creation of the universe is mentioned in the Vedas? Maharshi: There is no doubt whatsoever that the universe is the merest illusion. The principal purport of the Vedas is to make known that the true Brahman, after showing the apparent universe to be false. It is for this purpose, that the Vedas admit the creation of the world and not for any other reason. Moreover, for the less qualified persons, creation is taught, that is the phased evolution of prakriti (primal nature), mahat-tattva (the great intellect), tanmatas (the subtle essences, bhutas (the gross elements), the world, the body, etc., from Brahman. While for the more qualified, simultaneous creation is taught, that is, that this world arose like a dream on account of ones own thoughts induced by the defect of not knowing oneself as the Self. Thus, from the fact that the creation of he world has been described in different ways it is clear that the purport of the Vedas rests only in teaching the true nature of Brahman after showing somehow or other, the illusory nature of the universe. That the world is illusory, everyone can directly know in the state of realization which is in the form of experience of ones bliss-nature. Devotee: Is Self experience possible for the mind, whose nature is constant change? Maharshi: Since sattva guna (the constituent of prakriti which makes for purity, intelligence, etc.,) is the nature of mind,and since the mind is pure and undefiled like ether, what is called mind is, in truth, of the nature of Knowledge. When it stays in that natural (i.e. pure) state, it has not even the name mind. It is only the erroneous knowledge which mistakes one for another that is called mind. What was (originally) the pure sattva mind, of the nature of pure knowledge, forgets its knowledge-nature on account of nescience, gets transformed into the world under the influence of tamo guna (i.e the constituent of prakriti which makes dullness, inertness, etc.,) being under the influence of rajo guna (i.e. constituent part of prakriti which makes for activity, passions etc., ) imagines I am the body etc., the world is real, it acquires the consequent merit and demerit through attachment, aversion, etc., and, through the residual impressions (vasanas) thereof, attains birth and death. But the mind, which has got rid of its defilement (sin) through action without attachment performed in many past lives, listens to the teachings of scripture from a true guru, reflects on its meaning, and meditates, in order to gain the natural state of the mental mode of the form of the Self, i.e. of the form of I am Brahman which is the result of the continued contemplation of Brahman. Thus will be removed the minds transformation into the world in the aspect of tamo guna, and its roving therein in the aspect of rajo guna. When this removal takes place, the mind becomes subtle and unmoving. It is only by the mind that it is impure and is under the influence of rajas and tamas that Reality (i,e. the Self) which is very subtle and unchanging cannot be experienced; just as a piece of fine cloth cannot be stitched with a heavy crowbar, or as the details of subtle objects cannot be distinguished by the light of a lamp that flickers in the wind. But in the pure mind that has been rendered subtle and unmoving by the meditation that is described above, the Self-Bliss (i.e. Brahman) will become manifest. As without mind there cannot be experience, it is possible for the purified mind that is endowed with the extremely subtle mode (vritti) to experience Self Bliss, by remaining in that form (i.e. in the form of Brahman). Then, that ones self is of the nature of Brahman will be clearly experienced. (Sri Bhagavan to Gambhiram Seshayyar - Tr. T.M.P. Mahadevan.)Vichara Sangraham
Posted on: Sat, 15 Nov 2014 00:28:56 +0000
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