|
QUESTION
10
Disciple: 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 mentioned in the Veda?
Master:
There is no doubt whatsoever that the universe is the
merest illusion. The principal purport of the Veda is
to make known 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), tanmatras (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 one's own thoughts
induced by the defect of not knowing oneself as the
Self. Thus, from the fact that the creation of the 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, every one can directly know in the state
of realization which is in the form of experience of
one's bliss-nature.
QUESTION
11
Disciple: Is Self-experience possible for the mind,
whose nature is constant change?
Master:
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 for dullness, inertness,
etc.), being under the influence of rajo-guna
(i.e. the constituent 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 teaching 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 'I am Brahman' which is the result of the
continued contemplation of Brahman. Thus will be removed
the mind's 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 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 silk cloth cannot be stitched
with a heavy crowbar, or as the details of subtle objects
cannot be distinguished by the light of a lamp flame
that flickers in the wind. But in the pure mind that
has been rendered subtle and unmoving by the meditation
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 endowed with the
extremely subtle mode (vritti) to experience
the Self-bliss, by remaining in that form (i.e. in the
form of Brahman). Then, that one's self is of the nature
of Brahman will be clearly experienced.
Copyright
Sri Ramanasramam, Tiruvannamalai, India.
|
