The mind should be steady on one chosen image of God. When an image is made of silver, the eyes, hair, mouth, skin - are all silver. The mind is poured into the mould of the image so that the mind is the image of God. (CWBSSB, p. 83)
The mind has two bad characteristics: its tendency not to go straight, but to move obliquely; and its tendency to desire and grasp all objects that it sees. It is compared to the snake, who moves by twisting and who bites all it sees. The mind must go straight to God by facing Him directly. (CWBSSB, p. 96)
When Rama enters the mind, Kama has no place therein. Desire ceases, when God seizes the mind. In fact, since desire is the very stuff of which the mind is made, it becomes non-existent and you are free. This stage is called Mano-nigraha, Manolaya or Manonasana, the death of the mind the merging of the mind, the killing of the mind, etc. (SSS Vol.5, p. 42)
Without controlling the mind too rigidly and without allowing it to go too freely, we should encourage it to do good acts and we should control it when there is any tendency to participate in bad acts. Thus by distinguishing between good acts and bad acts, we should be able to guide the mind in a moderate manner between the two extremes. To control the mind and thoughts is something basic to Yoga and this has been said by many people. (SSB I974, p. 14)
Do not condemn the mind as a monkey etc. It is a fine instrument with which you can win either liberation or bondage. It all depends on how you manipulate it. (SSS Vol.2, p. 207)
There are three states relating to the mind: Shunyata (emptiness), anekagrata (simultaneous pulls of multiple thoughts) and ekagrata (one-pointedness). These three states are referable to, and arise from the three gunas in man. While Tamo guna (indolence) brings about a blankness in the mind, Rajo guna (the quality inducing animated action) provokes the mind into wandering hither and thither. Sattva guna (the quality that promotes the sacred aspects of human life) stills the mind into one pointed contemplation. Thus, it is only those who cultivate Sattva guna who can undertake meditation with ease. (SSB 1979, pp. 80-81)
The mind pursues exterior objects only, either because of the pull of the senses or because of the delusion caused by superimposing on the external world the characteristics of permanence etc. So, it has to be again and again brought back to travel to the correct goal. (JV, p. 40)
At first the job is hard; still, by proper training the agitation can be calmed by the Japam of Om. The training consists of Sama, Dama, Uparati, titiksha, Shraddha and samadhana. That is to say, the mind is controlled by good counsel, superior attractions, withdrawal from sensory objects, ability to bear the ups and downs of fortune, steadfastness, and poise. The recalcitrant mind can be slowly turned towards Brahma dhyana, if at first it is shown the sweetness of Bhajan, the efficacy of prayer and the calming effects of meditation. It must also be led on by the cultivation of good habits, good company and good deeds. Dhyanam will, as it proceeds further and further, give rise to greater and greater keenness. Thus the mind has to be caged in the cave of the heart. The final result of this discipline is no less than Nirvikalpa Samadhi, the equanimity that is undisturbed. (JV, pp. 40-41)
The mind is very subtle and expansive. It is very light and pervasive, floating hither and thither, on any gust of desire. It behaves like a ball of cotton, with no weight of seed to hold it down. It is much lighter than fluff; it wanders far and wide. So, if you must control it you must attach something heavy to it. The body which houses the mind is heavy, no doubt, but the mind is fickle and free. It flees afar, as it fancies. (SSS Vol.7, p. 341)
The mind is the source of delusion; it deludes and binds. If the mind is subjected to the intellect, then it disintegrates and disappears, leaving the field clear for the illumination that reveals that ‘we and they are but He or It’. As long as the world is seen as manifold, Sadhana to overcome the faulty vision is essential. (SSS Vol.7, p. 448)
The mind of man alone is responsible both for his bondage and for his liberation. (SSB 1974, p. 12)
You know in the very depths of your being that you are and will be, that is the characteristic of Sat (Existence Being). All beings have it. You are also eager to know , to expand by knowledge, to reach out. All beings have it, this urge for expression. That is the characteristic of Cit (Awareness). You seek joy ; all beings do so. That is the characteristic of Ananda (Divine Bliss). The ananda in you seeks its kin everywhere, in everything. That is why it is said, sat-cit-ananda is the link between Tat and tvam, the particular and the universal. Everything is asti (exists), for, it is sat; it is bhati (expressing itself), because it is cit; it is priya (pleasant), because it is ananda.
If you are able to equip your mind with this consciousness you are a you are a Person of Realisation , a jnani. Else, you are a masquerader. There are three types of minds: (1) minds like ginned cotton, ready to receive the spark of Jnana and to give up, in one instant blaze, the weaknesses and prejudice of ages (2) minds like dry wood, who succeed but only after some little time and (3) green logs, which resist the onslaught of the fire of Jnana with all their might. (SSS Vol. 6, p. 172)
The mind spins a cocoon for the jiva to become imprisoned in: Karma, which is the activity of maya or ignorance, encloses the individual in this grip; it is the husk that makes the paddy seed grow and yield more paddy plants and more grains of paddy. Remove the husk and there is no more sprouting The husk, Karma, makes the jiva sprout and undergo the penance of Vasanas and Samskaras. You reward and punish yourself as the result of your own activities. You make your own future by your thoughts and desires and deeds. (SSS Vol.2, pp. 210-211)
The robber who has robbed us of the precious gem of Atma is no other than the mind, so if the robber is caught and threatened and punished, the gem can be regained. (JV, p. 12)
The mind is in bondage, which craves for objects, for the company of men, and prefers this location or that. Attachment is bondage; non-attachment is Liberation, Moksha, Mukti. To crave is to be imprisoned, to die. To withdraw the mind from all attachment is to be free, to live forever.
mana eva manushyanam
karanam bandha-mokshayoh
bandhaya visayasango
muktyai nirvisayam manah
(Amritabindu Upanishad, 2)
Mana eva manushyanam karanam bandha-mokshayoh, for men, it is the mind that causes bondage and grants liberation. Attachment runs after happiness. Desire leads to hatred of those who thwart it, fondness for those who feed it, and the inevitable wheel of opposites of likes and dislikes; there is no escape from this for the ignorant. (JV, p. 19)
Whatever the crisis, however deep the misery, do not allow your grip over the mind to get loose; tighten it further, fixing your eyes on the higher values. Do not allow the mind to stray away from the holy tabernacle of the heart. Make it bow ‘ before the Atman within. (JV, p. 19)
The snake shoves off its coil and has nothing more to do with it. Develop that attitude of non-attachment. Escape from the body-delusion. (JV, p. 20)
The mind is a bundle of wishes and unless these wishes are removed by their roots, there is no hope of destroying the mind, which is a great obstacle in the path of spiritual progress. (GV, p. 40)
Let the mind run wherever it likes only, be careful you do not follow it, seeking to discover where it is going! It will then wander about for some time as the fancy takes it and soon, getting tired and exhausted, it will come back to you in the end. (DhyV, pp. 40-41)
A mind free from vasanas is transmuted and is no longer mind. (DhyV, p. 55)
The mind has two seeds, Vasana and Prana. The Prana moves because of the Vasanas. The Vasanas operate because of the Prana. Of these, even if a single one is destroyed, the other too is destroyed. (DhyV, p. 54)
Manas Satyena Suddhyate - the mind is cleansed by Truth. Truth is the great purifier. It admits no dirt or sin, no defect or deceit. (SSS Vol.7, p. 132)
The mind of man is like a blank sheet of white paper when he is born. As soon as thinking and acting starts, then the process of tarnishing the mind also starts. (LD, p. 336)
There are three ways of calming the mercurial mind:
- Regulated breathing (Pranayama). Inhale and Exhale in a measured manner, watching its symmetry and balance; that will diminish the eagerness of the inner tongue to wander into conversation. Finally it will give up the tendency for good.
- Engage yourselves in loving service of the diseased and distressed, undertake to teach a few children who have no one to guide them. Let your thoughts and activities be self less and sincere. The itch to communicate to the mind will be healed thereby. You will feel that one’s energies are more fruitfully engaged in serving one’s fellows than in talking and discussing with one’s wavering mind.
- The third method of avoiding this type of conversation is Sadhana, spiritual exercise, some one or more of them; resorted to in earnest and with regularity. It can be repetition of Name, recitation of Mantra, chanting hymns or practice of Yoga. The Gayatri mantra can well be resorted to for this purpose. 1t is certain to yield quick results. (SSS Vol.9, pp. 250-251)
When the mind absorbs the impurities from the sense-organs, it can be described as an impure mind. But when the mind is turned away from the sense-organs and the sense impressions have been removed, it again becomes pure. It is in this context that you understand the meaning of these two words for mind, Citta and Manas. When the mind is free of the dirt and impurities of the sense organs, it is described as Citta. When it is associated with the sense organs, it is Manas, the impure mind. Manas is nothing but a bundle of thoughts; it can be conceived of as the process of thinking itself. In this process of thinking it gets dirty. It absorbs the impure impression of the sense-organs and becomes impure; at this point you would call the mind, Manas. If you turn the mind away from the sense organs and towards God, you will be able to free it from all the troubles and sorrows associated with impure thoughts, which arise from the impressions of the sense organs.
Therefore, you have to make every effort to turn your mind away from the sense organs and towards God. This can be described as meditation or Yoga, union with God. This is the process whereby you cleanse a mind, which has become impure, and again make it pure. The mind needs a certain amount of peace. Just as the body needs rest, the mind needs peace. How can the mind get peace? It is only when you control the thinking process and slow the flow of thoughts that the mind will be able to get some peace. The mind will always try to go out through the sense organs towards various sense-objects; this then gives rise to the thinking process. If you control this tendency of the mind to go outwards and instead tarn it inwards towards God, impure thoughts will diminish. Then you will be using the mind properly, and giving it some rest, as well. This has been described as Abhyasa yoga, the Yoga of constant practice. (DBG, p. 137)
The black-bee can bore a hole in the hardest wood. But, when dusk intervenes while it is sipping the nectar from the lotus flower and, as a result, when the open petals close in on the bee, it finds itself imprisoned, with no hope of escape. It does not know how to deal with softness! So too, the mind can play its tricks and jump wantonly about on any arena; when placed on the lotus feet of the Lord, it becomes inactive and harmless. In order to offer the mind entirely to the Lord, deep detachment from worldly desires is needed. Superficial devotion or shallow steadfastness cannot succeed. To fell the hard sandal tree, a heavy axe is needed. (SSS Vol.11, pp. 66-67)
The mind is like the rein for restraining the horses (senses). Mind is a cauldron of Sankalpas and Vikalpas. It is conglomeration of thoughts of various kinds. Sometimes when the thoughts become exciting, it gets upset and throws itself into grief but in truth, it is just a bundle of imaginings. Just as the many threads woven together make up the cloth so also many thoughts make the mind. No thought, no mind either. A pure mind is the one with good thoughts or God thoughts. We have to eschew all bad ideas and bad thoughts and harbour only good thoughts. You should exercise your intelligence and discriminate which are good and which are bad. The mind is also referred to as self, the pseudo self in truth it is Maya. (SSS Vol.11, p. 101)
Man is essentially mind and mind is a composite of thoughts. These thoughts shape his fortunes. We are experiencing the effects of the actions provoked by such thoughts. (SSS Vol.11, p. 123)
The mind obeys the senses and defiles man. It is well nigh impossible to master the mind and turn it away from the objective world. Arjuna confessed to Lord Krishna that the mind was uncontrollably wayward and could not be stilled. The mind has two phases; the unpolluted and the polluted. The mind affected by desire (Kama) is polluted; when it is unaffected by desire, it is unpolluted. For liberation from bondage to desire, the mind is the only instrument available to man. Turn it towards the objective world, you are bound, turn it towards God, you are on the road to liberation. The mind refuses to be calm even for a fraction of second. When a continuous shower of stones is falling on the waters of a lake, how can the surface be calm and unruffled? So too, man is throwing stone after stone of desire on the Manasa Sarovar, the calm lake of the Manas or Mind. Bhaktas - indeed all Vyaktis (those who seek to manifest their inner Reality) - should therefore prevent the stones (desires) from disturbing the equanimity of the mind. The fly rests one moment on the sacred food - offerings on the altar of God and the next moment on filth. The mind seeks refuge in holy thoughts and things, the next moment it revels in some fearsome foul ideas. The mind is like the elephant. The mahout gives it a nice bath; he scrubs it clean and chains it to a shady free. But, it gathers dust with its trunk and scatters it all over itself Man too, urged by the senses, pours into his own mind dust and dirt. In fact, the function of the mind is to act as a controller of the senses. The role of the senses is to serve the mind, the right relationship is for the servants to obey the master and for the master to rule over the servants. But, when the master falls into the hands of servants, he becomes the victim of all varieties of loss and grief.
We should not allow the senses, who are only servants to lord over us. If we do so we invite the fate of Kaikeyi. Wherever you are, however rich, learned or powerful, when you advice some one to do wrong, you invite on yourselves the fate of Manthara. Since men yield to the banishments of the senses, they are becoming Kaikeyis and losing the Divine Nature, the Quality of the Master.
The waters of the flowing river are stored by us in reservoirs. But, one has to take care to close the sluices before water is let into the reservoir. Or else, the water will flow out through the sluices and cannot be stored for use. Likewise, the Atma Shakti, the inner Soul Force, has to be let through the Buddhi channel into reservoir, Manas or Mind. But, that force can be utilised by us for our benefit and for promoting world prosperity and peace only when the five sluices the outward bound senses, are closed tight. The closing of the sluices is the process, which the Yoga satrap of Patanjali describes as Citta vritti nirodha, preventing agitation in the mind. The mind is designed for a specific purpose, achieving the four goals of human existence, Dharma, Artha, Kama and Moksha, the attainment of a Happy life through righteous means (Artha through Dharma) and the cultivation of Kama (desire) for Moksha (liberation).
It has not been designed to promote greed and hatred, pride and possessiveness. This Truth has to be believed. The wind gathers clouds and equally swiftly, scatters them. The mind can create conditions of bondage or of liberation. So, one must slowly loosen the bonds of attachment to the physical body and its components, the senses. The senses rot us of physical and mental strength. (SSS Vol.11, pp. 265-267)
The mind flits fast from one idea to another; it fondles for a moment and forsakes the next. You may manage to keep your mouths shut, but it is next to impossible to keep the minds shut. Mind is of that nature, it is woven so, out of the yarn of desire. Its characteristic is to flutter and flirt, hither and thither, through the outlets of the senses, into the external world of colour, sound, taste, smell and touch. But, it can be tamed and put to good use, by man. If we keep it engaged in good pursuits and good adventures, particularly in the contemplation of God, then, it will not go astray and land man in ruin; for, God is the source of undying strength, of lasting joy and the deepest wisdom. (SSS Vol.9, p. 30)
Meditation is necessary, since it leads to Dharana (fixing the mind steadily on some desirable objective) and Samadhi (perfect equanimity). Practise Dharana, fixing your gaze at night, when you sleep on the terrace in the open, on a star that shines above your head! The practise of Seva will cleanse the mind and sharpen concentration. (SSS Vol.9, p. 31)
As long as the mind exists, it is not possible to comprehend the mind and its activity clearly. When thoughts cease there will be no mind. Mind is a bundle of thoughts. Do not follow the thought. Then the world will not develop for you. When the mind is destroyed (i.e. when there is direct seeing without an intervening thought process), then the coming into being of the world will be clear to you. There is only God, God only, Hold to Him. Hold closely to Him, and the matter of the mind will be resolved. (MBI, p. 123)
The study of the mind and the science of perfecting consciousness has not developed because man seeks peace and joy in external things and objective pleasures. The attention all along has been on the outer senses and methods by which they can be used to collect information and pleasurable experiences. The vast regions of inner consciousness have been left fallow; the fact that mind is the creator of the multiple world of the senses is ignored. When a thorn enters the sole, it has to be removed by another thorn, and after that is done, both thorns are thrown away. So too, the world of things that the mind has projected has to be negated by clarified and concentrated mind, and then both the universe and the mind disappear. The thorn it is that pricks, the thorn it is that removes the thorn. The mind binds; the mind releases. (S&M, pp. 143-144)
Transform the mind into an instrument of progress for liberation. Clarity of mind can be earned only by withdrawing it from external objects and teaching it through meditation to concentrate on the One behind the many. When you see the One and not the many, you are liberated from the coils of delusion. Egoism is a doctrine that binds, but the ego as the reflection of God, in you liberates. However many trails and tribulations come in the way, look upon them as an unconcerned witness, with detachment, and do not let your mind be affected. Teach it this witness attitude. Man has all the capabilities in him, but he is unaware of his glory; he knows only a fraction of his power, and even that faintly and falteringly. He is degrading himself by yielding to three temptations; physical, worldly and scholastic. The scholastic temptation attracts people who are learned; it prompts them into controversy and competitive exhibitionism and ruins them by bloating their ego. The worldly temptation leads man to seek cheap renown and gain; fame and favour through all means available. The physical temptation insists on beautifying the body and resorts to measures, which will hide the oncoming of age. Foster divine thought; cultivate non-attachment; remember the fleeting nature of things. Then the work of resistance will be easy. Mind grows in strength every time you yield to desire. So in order to subdue it and shape it into a useful tool, reduce desire. (S&M, p. 144)
The mind can be compared to the Peepal tree. The Peepal leaves are always shaking whether there is wind or not. Similarly, the mind is always unsteady and wavering. In addition to its wavering quality, the mind is also strong, and it can be quite cruel, too. However with the help of a goad you can bring it under control. The horse is rarely still; that is the very reason why it has been given the name Ashok, which means waveriness. It is always moving its limbs, its ears, its head, or its tail. Being unsteady it will first go one-way and then another way; but with a bit, it can be controlled and made to go in the direction that the rider wants.
Another example is the monkey, which roams here and there, the very picture of unsteadiness and fickleness; but with training, it too, can be brought under control. Therefore, just as with a goad you can control an elephant which may be very cruel and strong, just as with training, even a monkey can be controlled, in the same way the mind, which is also strong and fickle can be controlled by detachment and constant practice, in other words by Vairagya and Abhyasa. (DBG, p. 67)
The replacement of bad thoughts by good ones, calls for sincere and determined effort, because as Arjuna complained to Krishna the mind is fickle, chanchalam, turbulent (pramathin), strong (balavat) and stubborn (dridham). (ICS , p. 73)
Mind is a priceless possession. It is the God’s greatest gift to man. (ICS , p. 73)
Mind is often compared to a cat. A cat gently catches hold of its young kitten with its mouth and carries them from place to place to ensure their safety and nourishment. In utter contrast, the cat uses the same mouth for fiercely pouncing upon rats and tearing them to pieces. Similar is the case with the mind. It serves as the supreme benefactor of those, who engage themselves in the contemplation of God, in good thoughts, good words and good actions. On the other hand, the same mind brings disaster to those who take to the wrong path of unrighteousness or outright wickedness. The way in which the mind functions may also be likened to mono acting. Because, one and the same mind assumes different forms and plays different roles, depending on the needs of varying situations. (ICS , p. 74)
The mind is like a clean mirror. It has no intrinsic power of its own to directly experience the sense objects except through the concerned sense organs. According to Scriptures, the mind is subject to three kinds of pollution: Mala, Vikshepa and Avarana. (ICS , p. 79)
Krishna said, ‘The mind of the Yoga adept should be like the steady upright unshaken flame of the lamp, kept in a wind-less window-sill. Whenever the slightest sign of unsteadiness occurs, you should endeavour to curb the mind and not allow it to wander. Develop the consciousness that you are in all and the feeling of oneness that all is in you. Then, you can take up and succeed in all Yogas. Then you are free from all distinctions like ‘I’ and ‘others’, or as ‘Atma and Paramatma’. ‘The joy and grief of others will then become equally yours. You can then never harm others; then all can be loved and adored in the awareness that they are Sarveshvara’. Lord Krishna declared that those who have attained this vision are really the Supremest Yogis.
Arjuna said .... ‘Krishna! The Yoga wherein everything has to be realised as equal (Samatvam) is fraught with obstacles even for the fully equipped Sadhaka; what then am I to say of people like me who are common aspirants? Is it ever possible for us? Krishna! Is the mind so easily controllable? Alas! Even an elephant cannot drag as the mind does; it is the nursery of waywardness; its mulishness and obstinacy are also very powerful; it is a terrible shrew. It can never be caught; it will never halt at one place. It is like capturing the wind or bundling up water - the attempt to catch the mind and tame it. How can anyone enter upon Yoga with such a mind? One seems as hard as the other; the twin tasks of controlling the mind and practising the Yoga. Krishna, you are advising an impossible task, beyond the capacity of anyone.’ The Lord broke into a smile on hearing these words. ‘Arjuna! You have described the mind and known its nature very well. But it is not an impossible task; the mind can be mastered, however difficult the task might be. By systematic practice (Abhyasa) and by relentless inquiry (Vichara) and Detachment (Vairagya) - the mind can be mastered. There is no task that cannot be accomplished by steady practice. Place faith in the Lord and practise with the certainty that you have the power and Grace - and all tasks become easy. Therefore, whoever enters upon this Sadhana with determination will attain the supreme Goal, available only for souls transmuted through several births. (GV, pp. 90-91)
The mind of man is not an organ that can be identified physiologically; it cannot be touched or operated on by doctors or surgeons. It is an intangible bundle of resolutions and hesitations, of wishes and wants, of pros and cons. It has, as warp and woof, the wishes that man entertains with reference to outward objects and sensations.
It easily rushes out after external pleasures and assumes the shapes of the things it seeks. It can also be turned back into searching for inner contentment and inner joy. That is why the mind is said to be the instrument for both bondage and liberation. Allow the senses to lead outward; it binds. Allow the intelligence to prevail upon it to look inward for bliss; it liberates. (LDL, p. 70)
In the mind lake of man, there lurks a poisonous serpent; Desire, when that is destroyed the various frailties, triumphs, trials and failures, pain and pleasure the Desire brings in its train, surrender to God. (SBML, pp. 116-117)
The mind jumps from one desire to another and entangles us in its coils. Reduce desire, evict the ego, eject anger, and the mind will be your slave instead of your master. (LIC, p. 6)
The mind functions at four different levels. The first is Super Mind. The second is Higher Mind. The third is Illuminated Mind. The fourth is Over Mind. Man can comprehend his real human nature only when he understands these four states of the mind.
Super-Mind: An internal enquiry has to be made to understand this. This calls for turning the external vision inward. When this is done, it is realised that the physical body is inert. The mind is a reflecting mirror. The Buddhi (Intellect), Citta (Will) and Ahamkara (Ego) are aspects of the mind. All these are subject to change. But they are based on something that is unchanging. The first conclusion to be drawn from the internal enquiry is that there is an unchanging divine entity in man.
From this realisation, one proceeds to the awareness of a Cosmic Divine. This realisation comes out of the recognition that the Divine Consciousness experienced by the individual is also present in all other individuals. This is the Cosmic Power. The all-pervading Divine Power is one and the same. There is no second power.
Bodies may be multifarious like electric bulbs. But the energy that makes them shine is one. When this truth is realised, you have the awareness of the Cosmic Divine.
It is not enough for one to realise his true Self. He cannot seek his individual salvation. He must experience the oneness that underlies the multiplicity in creation. Only when that oneness is realised can the true meaning of humanness be understood. At present, all man’s endeavours and enquiries are limited to exploring the physical, the vital and the mental. The journey ends there. Man has proceeded only up to the mind. But he has to go beyond it to the Over-Mind.
How far can the mind take you? It can take you up to the extent comprehending the Jagat (physical world). The mind is needed for understanding the variety of physical objects and phenomena in the world. But as long as man confines himself to the powers of the mind he remains as a human being. But, to rise to a higher level, he has to become Amanaska - one who transcends the mind. He should progress towards the Super-Mind.
The Super-Mind is related to the Sukshma sarira (subtle body). In the subtle body, the senses, the mind, the intellect, the will, the ego and the physical body are absent and only Chetana-shakti (consciousness) is present. One has to proceed further to the Karana sarira (the causal body). The Causal body contains the power, which can control the body, the senses, the mind, etc. This means that man possesses within himself all potencies. Man’s powers are limitless and astonishing. Nothing in the world is beyond his comprehension. Man today appears as a highly knowledgeable and vastly capable being. But these capacities only proclaim his powers over the physical forces of Nature. There is, however, an unknown, un-manifested infinite power within him. This is the Cosmic Power in man. It is all pervasive. It is in every human being. Only when one goes by the form, there is an apparent distinction between the microcosm and the macrocosm, like the difference between the air in a balloon and the air in the vast atmosphere outside. But when the balloon bursts, the small air inside becomes one with the infinite air outside. (SSS Vol.26, pp. 167-169)
Man is bound by the mind and the senses. In the pursuit of the spiritual path, first of all the mind should be brought under control. When the mind is steady, you reach the state of Super-Mind. In this state there is no room for physical or transient worldly feelings. As long as the mind is pure, no evil can enter the heart. When it is polluted with bad feelings, there is room for evil thoughts to breed.
We have to recognise the fact that human life depends on the functioning of the mind. As long as one is governed by the mind one continues to be human. Once one goes beyond the mind, one can enjoy the vastness of the limitless expanse of Cosmic Consciousness. Here is an example: Suppose you construct a spacious house with a number of small rooms. This is because of the walls put up for partitioning into rooms. If the walls are pulled down, the house will be one vast mansion. Similarly, the body is the Upadhi (wall), which limits one’s perception to the narrow confines of the body. Once you get rid of this body consciousness, you will experience the vast expanse of the Universal Cosmic Consciousness, which is all pervasive. (SSS Vol.26, pp. 175-176)
In human life, what every one should try to understand is the truth relating to the Sthula, Sukshma, Karana and Mahakarana (Gross, the Subtle, the Causal and the Super causal) bodies. Only then can man understand the phenomena in the world. He will then comprehend the nature of man, of the world and the relationship between God and man. The physical body is inert. It is formed by the aggregation of physical constituents. The body is composed of elements like iron, water, phosphorus, calcium, lead, etc. Hence, the gross body is described as inert matter.
The Sukshma sarira (subtle body) is Maya swarupa (illusory form). In the dream state, the mind not only creates itself but also experiences pleasure and pains, worries and fears. In the subtle body, these illusory creations of the mind are experienced. These experiences are felt to be real only at the moment. Maya is that mental state in which what does not exist appears to exist and what exists is not perceived as real. All the experiences in the dream state are seen in the waking state as unreal. The mansions witnessed in dreams vanish when the eyes open.
What is real and true must be that which exists in the waking, the dream and the deep sleep states. Truth is that which is true and unchanging at all times-past, present and the future. Hence the subtle body is associated with Maya.
Then there is the Karana sarira (Causal body). It is only an image or reflection. It is the image of the Mahakarana (Super-Causal body). The Mahakarana represents the Supreme Principle. It is as a reflection of the Supreme - Para tattva – that the causal, subtle and the gross bodies function. It follows from this that all these aspects are contained in the human being. The mind, the Super-Mind, the Higher Mind, and the Illuminated Mind are all present in these bodies.
In the waking state, the mind functions in response to the sensory organs by seeing, listening talking, etc. The mind is bound by the limitation of time and space.
In the dream state the mind creates its own world. It is related to time alone. For example, you get into the train to night, and reach Bombay the day after tomorrow. In this you see the mind at work in respect of four things: the reason for travel, the actual journey, the arrival at the destination and completion, of your duty. How did you go? You went by train. How long did the journey take? Thirty-six hours. What was your destination? Bombay. What was the reason for your journey? Some job to be done in an office. Time, action, and result-all these are involved in the operation of the mind.
At night you had a dream. In the dream, you reached Bombay and saw various things there. You were pleased. But in this dream, none of the four things, experienced in the waking state were present-neither time, nor movement, nor objective, nor any consummation. In the dream, how did you travel, how much time did it take, for what purpose and what was the outcome? None of these things happened. All that took place in the dream was over in five minutes. This is the mystery and the marvel of what happens in the realm of the mind. All that happens in the dream state, the experiences and events, occurs in fleeting moments. What is experienced in a life of forty years is covered in two minutes in the dream state. In those forty years, you have completed your education, got married, had a son, educated him and sent him abroad. The entire panorama of these events appear in your dream in a few minutes. But what you experience in a dream vanishes in a moment in the waking state. What is active in the dream state is the Super-Mind. It is more powerful than the ordinary mind, because it encompasses in a brief moment all that happens in space and time over long distances and periods.
Next, you have the Higher Mind. This functions in the Sushupti (deep sleep state). In this state, there is no thought or worry. The mind is absent. The senses are not functioning. There are no experiences of any kind. But on waking from deep sleep, the individual experiences ananda. He declares that he felt extremely happy in sound sleep. This state confers a sense of bliss without any experience. This bliss is beyond the mind and the senses. In the deep sleep state, there is life, but no mind. Only bliss remains. In deep sleep, there is no pleasure or pain, because there is no consciousness of the phenomenal world. You are conscious of the world and experience pleasure and pain only when the mind is active.
Because in the deep sleep state the ordinary mind is not present, the consciousness in that state is attributed on the Higher Mind. This is associated with the Karana sarira (Causal Body). Here you have the cause. But there is the Doer, there is action and there is a reason for action. The relationship between cause and effect accounts for all happenings in the world. The Divine is the cause and the Cosmos is the effect.
Who is this cause? Is it the Divine, who is Mahakarana (the prime cause)? This Divine Causal Principle underlies all that happens in the universe. This Principle is termed the Illuminated Mind. This is the Power that illumines everything in the world. To experience this cosmic principle, we need a divine form. That is the Super Divine Self. It is called Purushatva. This is a primary attribute of the Divine.
Above the mind, the Super-mind, the Higher Mind and Illuminated Mind is the Over-Mind. Purushatva is the over-Mind. It is Divinity. It is from this Purushatva that the sense of ‘I-ness’ emanates. This ‘I-ness’ is present in all beings, from the highest to the lowest. It is the index of the Purushatva (cosmic consciousness). Why is man called Purusha?
The human body is called Purum (a city), as he dwells in the body he is called Purusha. All bodies are the same, irrespective of differences in sex. The three states of consciousness are common to all. The effects of qualities (Sattva, Rajas, Tamas) are the same for all. In sorrow, one grieves, whether man or woman. Hunger and anger have the same effects on both men and women. The intensity of the experience may vary from person to person. The manner is which it is experienced may also vary. One may grieve in secret, while another may make a show of it. Such differences are relative to the individuals concerned. But the experiencing body is a common factor.
In every body, the Maha Purusha Principle (the Super Divinity) is present. The entire cosmos is a reflection of the gross, subtle and causal bodies. The Karaka (primeal Doer) is the Supreme Lord. The cosmos is the effect (creation).
This relationship can be recognised in the daily life of every individual. There are Pancha bhutas (five basic elements), Pancha Koshas (five sheaths), Panchendriyas (five sense organs), Pancha pranas (five vital airs), the Mind, the Buddhi (intellect), the Citta (will) and the Ahamkara (Ego). All these together make up twenty four principles. The Supreme who pervades all these twenty four entities is the Maha Purusha (the Supreme Person), the twenty fifth principle. Thus, the human body is made up of these twenty-five constituents. Similarly, the entire universe is made up of these twenty-five constituents. (SSS Vol.26, pp. 181-186)
The mind is a wonder; its antics are even more surprising. It has no distinct form or shape. It assumes the shape or form of the thing it is involved in. Wandering from wish to wish, flirting from one desire to another, is its nature. So, it is the cause of loss and grief, of elation and depression. Its effects are both positive and negative.
It is worthwhile for man to know the characteristics of the mind and the ways to master it for one’s ultimate benefit. The mind is prone to gather experiences and store them in the memory. It does not know the art of giving up. Nothing is cast away by the mind. As a consequence, grief, anxiety and misery continue simmering in it. If only the mind can be taught tyaga (sacrifice), one can become a yogi (spiritually serene person).
The clock, to all appearances, keeps on ticking away continuously. But this is really not the case. It is not continuous, for there is, one can notice, a short pause between one tick and the next. That is the interval of rest. But, the mind does not have even this short interval between one thought and the next. And in the continuous succession of thoughts, there is no order or relationship. This adds to the confusion and concern. This is the main source of ill health in man. We are at present planning and preparing for physical rest and recreation and we know that even machines need hours of rest! But, we have neglected the duty of ensuring rest for the mind. Dhyana (meditation) is the name for the period of rest we provide for they busy and wayward mind.
The heart is engaged, like the ticking of the clock, in beats but, a new pulse of energy is generated between one beat and another. It makes for the flow, regardless of the past or the future moments. It is a constant flux towards a goal. (SSS Vol.16, pp. 8-9)
Nature is the vesture of God. It images the Supreme. It shines through the machinations of the mind. (SSS Vol.16, p. 13)
The mind hops from object to object with incredible speed. It rises to the heights and drops to the depths with every wink of the eye. It hides, deludes and distorts. One can subdue it through concentration only. The process can be practised in either of two directions-the A-rupa or the Sa-rupa. A-rupa means ‘unbound by form.’ One feels that he is not the doer or enjoyer; he is only an agent of God, a tool, an instrument. One is not affected, well or ill, when the act results in good or bad. One has no identity with the rupa (form or body). Sa-rupa meditation gets lost in dualities of pleasure and pain, profit and loss, for it considers the name and form, the body and its activities as valid. (SSS Vol.16, p. 66)
Dear students! Time is infinitely precious. You should not waste even one moment of it. In a man’s life, the period as a student is most valuable and sacred. You should make the best use of it. Milk mixed with water cannot get back its original purity, however much you may try to separate it. But once you have converted the milk into butter, it will not be affected by association with water. It will float above the water and maintain its distinctive quality. Likewise, Samsara (worldly attachment) is like water. The mind of man is like milk. When the pure, sacred, uncontaminated mind is mixed with the water of worldly desires, it is difficult to recover the original purity. However, if in this sacred period of study you derive from your unspoilt mind the butter of knowledge, wisdom and right conduct, you will be able to remain unpolluted by the attractions of the world even when you are in it. (SSS Vol.16, p. 70)
Enquiry into the nature of the Mind will reveal that it has no existence apart from the thoughts that arise through the sense organs. That was why the sages declared: ‘Sankalpa Vikalp Atmakam Manaha’ (Thoughts and doubts constitute the essence of the mind). To bring the mind under control we have to free ourselves from the entire process of mental agitation. If we want to take a bath in the sea, which is agitated by waves, we cannot afford to wait till the waves subside and the sea is calm. Like wise, it will be foolish to wait for the agitations in the mind to cease for experiencing ananda (divine bliss).
Agitations are of the very nature of the Mind, Manana sthitihi Manaha (The state of cogitation or remembrance is the Mind.) By constant rumination over one’s sensory experiences the mind acquires a form. By relating the experiences to the ‘I’ as the experiencer, the consciousness of a distinctive individual (the Ego) arises. From that, desires develop and from the desires the mind acquires a form. In a piece of cloth, when the threads are taken out, only the cotton remains and if the cotton is burnt the cloth ceases to exist. Similarly when desires are eliminated, the ‘I’ and the Mind will go.
It has been said that the destruction of the mind is the means to the realization of the Divine. The cessation of the mind can be brought about by the gradual elimination of desires, like the removal of threads from a cloth. Finally the desires have to be consumed in the fire of Vairagya (detachment). (SSS Vol.16, pp. 140-141)
The mind is all-powerful. It can see without eyes, hear without ears, speak without the tongue and move without legs. Man tries to control the mind, but he is subordinate to it. As long as he is subject to the mind, man cannot understand the true nature of the mind. (SS May 96, p. 116)
Mind is the demon. If the mind starts to like something, it will act unmindful of the results. It doesn’t discriminate between what is bad and good. Without discrimination, it goes, as it likes.
(M-P122)
Yatra yatra mana sphurti
Tatra tatra Jagat Trayah
Yatra yatra Mano Nasti
Tatra tatra Nakinchana
Where the mind penetrates the worlds manifest themselves. For the mind nothing exists where it does not enter. Mind is the cause for both man’s suffering and misery. In order to suppress the mind, man has to keep his desires under check. (DD on 25.8.1999, p. 2)
What is the form of the Mind? Where has it originated? What is its nature? What is the mystery behind it? One should make an enquiry on these lines. The Atma has powers associated with it!) The Manas (mind) 2) Buddhi (intellect) and 3) Samskara (culturally inherited mental propensity from past and present lives). The vastness of the mind is indescribable. It can travel any distance in a trice. Its power is beyond description and human comprehension. No task can be accomplished without the power of the mind. The mind has no form. It works only with the help of the Atmic power. Therefore, it is the inner Self that operates through the mind and performs all activities in the world. Even ages of effort are inadequate to understand the mature of the mind.
The second is the power of the intellect. It is full of illumination. It discriminates between good and evil without giving room to selfishness.
The third is the power of Samskara. Its results are experienced not only in this birth but also in future births. Samskara is giving up of evil and cultivating goodness in thought, word and deed. It is not possible for any book to describe in detail the powers of Manas, Buddhi and Samskara. Hence, I have decided to explain to the students about these three. To begin with, try to understand the relationship between the mind and matter. One cannot exist without the other. Here is a rose. This corresponds to matter. Without the mind, you cannot see the rose flower. The mind is based on the principles of reaction, resound and reflection. A true human being is one who understands the nature of the mind and its effect. You think that mind is bundle of thoughts. Then from where do the thoughts arise? The Self is the basis of thoughts. They arise out of Chaitanya (awareness). Everyone is endowed with Vijnana (wisdom). But dome foolish people feel proud of their bookish knowledge. Such people cannot be called truly educated. Without the knowledge of the Self, all other forms of knowledge are useless.
Take for instance a person who is highly educated in the physical sense. Ask him a question, ‘ Who are you’? He will not be able to give correct answer in spite of his high qualification. He might say, ‘ I am Rama Sastri’. This is the name given to his body and it does not correspond to his true Self. If you put the same question again, he will say, ‘ I am a scholar’. Even this is not correct answer, because it corresponds to his worldly education and has nothing to do with his true self. If you ask him the same question again, he will say, ‘ I am an Indian’. He fails to understand that his name nor his profession nor his nationality correspond to his true Self.
The body and mind are only instruments. They are under your control. Do not identify yourself with these instruments. You are the master. Master the mind and be a mastermind. When you explain to him in this manner, he will realise the truth and give the correct answer, ‘ All these days I was deluded with body attachment .Now I realise that I am the Atma which transcends the body; is beyond time and which cannot be accomplished by worldly education.
It is the unseen Atma, which makes the body function. People forget the Master (the Atma) and get deluded by their attachment to the body. All that is related to the body; i.e., name profession and education are temporary. Truth is your name. You are the Self, which is eternal. Hence, give up body attachment and live in Atmic consciousness. So long one is attached to the body, one can never attain the knowledge of the Atma.You may be able to quote from scriptures but that corresponds to only bookish knowledge which cannot lead you to your real Self. You are the Atma, which is the source of all powers. In order to understand the power of the Atma, first of all enquire into the nature of the mind. The effects of the mind cannot be described in words. The mind is responsible for birth, death, action, family, childhood, old age, happiness, sorrow, success and failure. The entire life is based on the mind; you will know the nature of the matter. To understand the nature of the mind you should control over your senses. How can you control others when you cannot control your own senses? You should have sense control in order to become a good leader. (SSS Vol.35)
Will Power motivated by God is the active force available for your uplift. This is called Sankalpa Bala. Develop it by concentration and japa. The mind must be compelled to submit to the dictates of the will. Now, you are easily led astray by the vagaries of the mind. That is why, I say, WATCH! W is for watch your Words; A is for watch your Actions; T is for watch your Thoughts; C is for watch your Character; H is for watch your Heart. If the watch reminds you every second of the need to watch these five, you can be quite happy.
The mind swings like a pendulum between one pleasant object and another. To stop the pendulum, the easiest means is to stop winding. That will put an end to the swing. So too, stop encouraging the mind by following its whims and fancies. When we beat another or cause harm to him, we justify it as only right and proper; when he beats us or harms us, we revolt and call it wrong and punishable.
Everything is judged by us on the touchstone of the ego. The mind is a double-edged sword---it can save, but it can also bind. Yoga is the restraint of the waves natural to the mind. By learning and practising the disciplines of yama, niyama, asana, pranayama, pratyahara dharana, dhyana and samadhi (abstention from evil-doing, various observances, postures, control of breath, restraining the sense organs, concentration, meditation, absorption in the Atma), the seeker can overcome and eliminate the mind. (SSS Vol.7)