All
manifestation is One - thing. Philosophically speaking, it has emanated
from One Divine Principle and is always an inseparable part of 'That'.
Humanity is a stream of Life-force and, as everything else in
manifestation, has embodied in itself various states or stages of
awareness. It is necessarily a collective, expressive and forward-moving
force and is in the course of understanding the events, situations,
sequences and workings of that One Divine Principle upon the Nature.
An Individual
Soul or a Human-Being is a unit of that stream of Life-force, which we
call Humanity, perpetually linked with it and expresses its qualities,
acquires, modifies and transforms itself, ultimately surrendering its
'sense of separation' becomes one like the Total or the whole.
The
relationship of a Human-Being with the stream of humanity, and its
ultimate Totality with the One Divine Principle, is well sustained by an
immanent power of abidance. It is because of this power of relationship
that a human-being, some time or other, in the course of the worldly
journey, turns attention to matters of psychological and spiritual
import to enlarge his or her knowledge to grow in awareness.
Though we say and consider
human-being as a unit that is again composed of several principles and
vehicles at the twin levels of (1) existence and (2) functional
operation. There is an ever transforming part of being and a permanent
element that ever exists needing no change whatsoever. The play and
activity of the ever-transforming part is the 'world-transaction' (Samsara).
A total
human-being is invariably a compilation of these two seemingly opposite
poles. The functional operation brings in many other focal points into
the being that are transitory, educative and elucidative of the
structure of its very being. The working together of these two parts,
one trying to take over and submerge the other, and the ultimate triumph
of the permanent element in the end result is popularly termed as
'Spiritual Awakening or Enlightenment.' The two seemingly opposites are
termed, so far as the human-being is concerned, The Lower Personality
and The Real Man, Mind being the mid-point because of its dual nature.
Mind is the
jewel in the human structure with its capacity to get attracted and
submerged by lower passions, pure-worldliness; and to keep itself open
to higher noble thoughts and the Superior Wisdom. Intellect and
Intuition are the two faculties indicated in this context, they being
the two wings of the mind, very necessary for the fuller development of
a human-being. Intellect is great by itself in comparison with the
attributes, qualities of lower nature, but by itself it is not capable
of leading one to the yet higher regions of being. It is a determined
point of focus that Intuition should illumine the Intellect. The
meeting point of the two is commonly suggested as Spiritual Awakening;
which is again a result of two distinct characteristics known as
External stimulation and Inner urge. Many times it is the former that
brings up the latter. But the latter coming into operation is the
result of cumulative effect of the inner impulses, shutting out of the
external pulls and pushes.
It is in the
process of clubbing or combining the two viz. External stimulation and
Inner urge that a human-being who by now is nominated an Aspirant - a
student for higher learning - that the scope and need for a Spiritual
Teacher or a Master arises. The Spiritual teacher or the Master can be
both an external entity and an inner force (Antaryami). Is the
Spiritual teacher again a human-being or an unseen force in the higher
regions of existence --- is a matter highly debated upon; but we can
safely assume here that it could be both, considering the very nature of
Teaching and Learning. A Teacher need not be an external factor; it
could be one's own Higher Self. For that matter a Teacher need not be a
person at all but could be an event or circumstance of life which would
assume that role very comfortably. It is only the attentive mind of the
aspirant that can spot that. Externalization of everything and erecting
embodiments in support, sustenance and protection of the interests of an
aspirant has been considered a safer position but this has diminished
the role of an aspirant to that of a dependent-all-time and degenerated
his or her capacity to inquire, interpret, interrogate and find for
oneself the Truth. Providing a sense of direction, explaining the
meanings of a higher life, deeply inspiring the aspirant are some of the
functions a teacher would assume or take upon himself; and unless the
aspirant had internally created the needed field of activity, there is
less that the relationship with a Teacher could bring into usefulness.
A sustained
and purposeful relationship between a Spiritual Teacher and an Aspirant
is a must for the proper growth of the latter. This statement has to be
understood in its true sense and a right perspective. Spiritual teacher,
however great and noble, cannot do the ' work' for the aspirant. The
actual transactions for the drop-down of the personality and the
unfolding of the Totality or Divinity has to be punctually performed by
the aspirant. One cannot transfer the responsibility of 'proper
preparedness' to the Teacher. It is at this realm, the relationship
between a Teacher and an aspirant got sullied in its application,
however noble, inevitable, irrevocable it is. The pseudo-teachers and
avaricious aspirants have brought in wrong meanings into the sacred
relationship that should exist between a Master and a disciple. It is
extremely necessary to understand the situation as-it-is and view that
from an extremely non-personal point of view.
Tradition
says the One Divine Principle is the Real spiritual Teacher. All
teachers are only representatives in character to this. The aspirant as
a human-being, in inseparable relationship with the same principle has
inherently within, the Teacher; Antaryamin; the Inner Ruler
Immortal. Externalization of this relationship is valid only to that
extent the Teacher very timely embodies in him the Divine qualities.
'Personalization' of the Teacher is helpful to the aspirant only when
one looks towards that person for the true Divine qualities and not the
lower reflections of material comfort, solace in living/leading the
worldly life.
A term Master
or Mahatma has been introduced by Madame HP Blavatsky in her teaching on
Occult Philosophy. She described this term to mean "a personage, by
special training and education, has evolved those higher qualities and
has attained that spiritual knowledge, which ordinary humanity will
acquire after passing through numberless series of re-incarnations
during the process of cosmic evolution, provided of course, that they do
not go, in the meanwhile, against the purposes of nature and thus bring
on their own annihilation."
The workings
of human being will bring him to this stature of a Master or Mahatma,
and all these workings are part of the process of self-evolution which
is again within the ambit of cosmic evolution, as laid down in the
dictions of occult philosophy.
One is
fortunate to obtain such a true spiritual Teacher for providing the
needed instruction. But the point for consideration is that an aspirant
without merely looking and searching for such a one should exert
incessantly in preparing oneself on the right lines. When the aspirant
prepares well, the guru or the Teacher appears on the scene, this aspect
is inherently a part of the total human-being.
It is now
necessary to consider the various principles that constitute a
human-being, because without having a clear idea of this composition we
can not attempt to understand, not to speak of solving, the human
issues.
The seven
principles that constitute a human-being are termed as below:
-
Rupa or stula sarira , the physical body.
-
Prana, Life or vital principle.
-
Linga sarira, the astral body.
-
Kama rupa, the seat of animal
passions.
-
Manas, the Mind - the dual.
-
Buddhi, the Spiritual soul.
-
Atma, the Spirit.
Here the
first four are the lower quaternary and they die with each incarnation
of the human-being.
The Manas,
fifth principle, is dual in its nature. While the lower nature is the
upper most of the lower quaternary, the upper nature of the same is the
basic ground for the Real Man. It is the Higher Manas, the pure man, in
association with the sixth and seventh principles that enjoys the
effects of its own good deeds (karmas), later to reincarnate as a
higher individuality.
It is by the
proper preparedness, in the course of Occult training in its successive
births, a human-being gradually gets rid of the lower nature to become
one with the higher nature. This point in life is the total spiritual
awakening.
The pure
Manas, spiritual soul or Buddhi (the 6th principle) and Atma (7th
principle) are the upper Triad that constitute the Real Man. This in its
turn is the Teacher.
The aspirant
should arrive at this point, to begin with, of constant contact with
this Teacher
Any external
teacher has the role only to help the aspirant to come to this
perception. Until this perception is clear and lucid, the benefit of a
Teacher cannot be said to have arrived. Once this contact is established
on a firm footing, the spiritual life of the aspirant begins and that
paves way for climbing up the later steps leading him to divinity.
The guru-sishya
Sambandham (The Master and Disciple relationship) starts here, in the
true sense of the term. Guru now is the Divine-Incarnate to the
disciple; speaks to the spirit of the disciple, his voice will help the
rise to divinity.
The teaching
afforded by the guru is always secret, because it is very sacred and is
given to those who are worthy of receiving it. Guru does select his
students, disciplines, looking piercingly into the contents and
constituents of the person in total. Any impure, selfish, personal
desires, passions and thoughts lurking in the disciple will decidedly
postpone, deter the appearance of Guru. That is where and why the proper
preparedness of the disciple is of perennial importance in coming to
this relationship.
The disciple
becoming one with the Teacher in all respects of his conduct, behavior,
attitude and perception is the sole condition to begin with. When this
is obtained higher opportunities open before the disciple, who will
carefully be guided and protected through the journey for acquiring
spiritual knowledge, brought to the door of divinity.
Divinity and
Humanity are intrinsically related as:
Father and Son
Protector
and Protected
Disposer
and Disposable
Bridegroom
and Bride
Knower
and Known
Proprietor
and Property
Supporter
and Supported
Soul and Body and
Enjoyer and Enjoyed
The Guru-Sishya
Sambandham though not expressly stated in this nine-fold relationship,
is inherent in the Jnatr-Jneya (knower-known) relationship. This is
explained by Sri Pillai Lokacharya, a Sri Vaishnava exponent as having
three aspects in it, viz.
Ma-Kara-drsya
Ukara-artha-anusandhana-apekshita
Acid-vyavriti-vesha
'Ma' (meaning
the Individual Soul) is derived from the verbal root 'mana' (=to know).
The word 'Ma" means 'one who knows', the knowership thus implies
Divinity and has the essential nature of Divinity, its forms and
attributes. The knowership of the Individual soul, the aspirant, becomes
significant and meaningful only when it is directed towards its proper
object.
The very
purpose of 'knowership' belonging to the individual soul is to remember
the relationship with Divinity. The knowable has the appearance of being
a distinct form as insentient entity. The individual soul distinguishes
itself from the inert matter by virtue of 'the presence of
consciousness' or 'knowledge', which is one of the principles. It is
because of this 'knowership' that an individual soul can be
distinguished from matter, which does not have any 'knowership'. It is
only the Individual soul that is capable of realizing the various
relationships that subsist between Humanity and Divinity.
It is thus
clear that the aspirant comes to know consciously the relationship with
Divinity, only after realizing his own constitution. From sva-svarupa
Jnana he moves to para-svarupa jnana and Prakrti svarupa
Jnana; and completes all that one could know, of the
manifestation and the cause.
Moving up the
successive ladders of knowledge depends basically and primarily on one's
establishment in the higher principles available in one's constitution.
The guru-sishya sambandham thus acquires great importance in
one's spiritual journey.
This
relationship is suggested sufficiently in the Transpersonal
psychological studies too by naming the tree major constituents of a
Human-being as Parent-Adult and Child. These three interact and allow
the person to become integrated in the whole of Cosmos.
A firm,
unwavering knowledge and attitudinal approach are to be acquired by an
aspirant, the sishya to strengthen his bond with the Teacher, the
guru. It is this bond that will ensure him continued progress
guarding against falling back to materiality (samsara).
2.
Qualifications of a Student
It is in the
nature of things that human-beings are very anxious to know the Laws of
Nature, the miraculous workings of certain individuals in phenomenon and
relate them to Divinity. The way the Cosmos, World and Man are
organized in their interrelationship, it is advantageous to know, so far
as human knowledge and perceptions lead to, that the Powers are distinct
and distinguishable as below:
Physical laws
Psychic Laws
Spiritual
Laws
Divine Laws
In the
process of learning the higher laws of nature, a student can move from
the first to the last, as there are definite correspondences in between
the four sets of Laws, but it needs a colossus of proper preparedness to
receive such information. One and all do not know certain Laws, physical
laws not excepting, readily but they are invariably knowable.
It is because
the desire to know is just superficial and not deep enough to delve
intensively, a larger portion of humanity has failed to reach the summit
of knowledge. There were, are and will be, certain individuals who
earnestly attempt 'to know.' Lot of Courage and Will is needed to make a
beginning and to pursue the path of knowledge. Once known, the Laws
suggest 'silence', as otherwise it will result in indiscreet revealing
of the secrets to those who cannot deal with them properly. There is
always a way to knock at the door of knowledge, both lower and higher,
and one who knocks in the appointed way will receive what is sought
after. Knowing this appointed way and pursuing that further is the
spiritual endeavor so far as a human-being is concerned. Proper
preparedness always includes certain rules, conditions, precautions,
precludes and prescriptions. A student has all this material in the
traditional books and he is free to go through them for his own benefit.
But some incidents and incidental teaching from contemporary history
might add luster to the subject. Hence it is proposed to examine the
matter in the particular context of Swami T Subba Row's views.
When the
Theosophical society was formed at New Yark in 1875 and it moved to
India in 1879, the movement did attract the attention of many Indians
and Anglo-Indians. The phenomena and philosophy supplied by Madame
Blavatsky aroused interest of many thinking men and women. A.P.Sinnett
and A.O.Hume were such Englishmen living in India then
- Allahabad
and Simla to be specific - and their good fortune allowed them the
privilege to correspond with the Masters of the Wisdom through Madame
Blavatsky. They were eager to know what all is available under the
caption 'esotericism' and the secret laws concerning Occult life and
Occultism. They wanted to be 'practically instructed' on the subject. As
'the Mahatmas can hardly be expected to undertake the work of
personal instruction and supervision in the case of beginners ---
however sincere and earnest you may be in your belief in their existence
and the reality of their science and in your endeavors to investigate
the mysteries of that science,' T Subba Row was commissioned with the
task of 'giving such practical instruction in our occult sciences as I
may be permitted to give to one in your position.'
T Subba Row
offered to render this instruction provided AP Sinnett was prepared to
give the following promises:
1. Never to
reveal to anybody the secrets communicated.
2. To lead
such a life as is quite consistent with the spirit of rules.
3. To
promote, as far as it lies in power, the objects of the Theosophical
Association.
4. To
strictly act up to the directions that will be given.
Besides, T
Subba Row made it abundantly clear that 'anything like a wavering state
of mind as to the reality of Occult Science and the efficacy of the
prescribed process is likely to prevent the production of the desired
result. A.P.Sinnett had given only a qualified assent to the above
conditions and in view of that he was informed that 'anything like
practical instruction on the ritual of occult science is impossible.' He
was also categorically informed that 'no student of Occult Philosophy
has ever succeeded in developing his psychic powers without leading the
life prescribed for such students,' and 'it is not within the powers of
the teacher to make an exception in the case of any student.'
'Mere
acquisition of psychic powers is not the highest and the only
desirable result of Occult training. This can never secure immortality
for the student of Occult science unless he has learnt the means of
shifting gradually his sense of individuality from his corruptible
material body to the incorruptible and eternal Non-being represented by
his seventh principle.'
A P Sinnett
and A O Hume were assured of theoretical instruction in the Philosophy
of Ancient Brahmanical Religion and Esoteric Buddhism. Later events
have sufficiently proved well that because the students were not mindful
of adhering to the directions given, they had lost the opportunity of
deriving the advantages of studentship.
A Student or
Disciple (Sishya) is one who is keenly interested in taking hold
of one's own life, orienting and remolding his or her character by
self-effort and one who is capable of increasing personal sensitivity to
allow Divinity descend upon him or her through the grace of the
Teacher. The Disciple should necessarily have certain basic characters,
fundamental knowledge as to Divinity, its nature and modes of approach
that would be conducive to the free flow of that Grace. Some of canons
of this pre-knowledge can be enumerated as below:
1. The whole
of manifestation is emanating from the One Divine Principle and is
regularly directed and controlled by that. The Power/Energy of the
Principle is Sarva-Vyapaka (Omnipresent).
2. The
Disciple (Student) is also made up of similar features as those of
Divinity, of course in miniature, and there is possibility for
strengthening them ultimately to expand to that fuller stature of
filling all the manifested universe.
3. There
has to be on the part of the student a constant, vigilant effort -
willingly undertaken - to acquire those Divine qualities, as also to
cast away the undesirable passive qualities. It is this 'willingness'
that advances a student and not the mere expression of 'desire' and
'ambition to grow.'
Each
human-being has certain qualities or attributes that are natural and
congenital (Sahaja-Guna-s). These were acquired either in the
last lives or the past days of this life. The acquisition of the active
qualities and the deprivation of the passive ones has to go on a
consistent scale. This is again a matter of constant practice. The flow
of Divine Grace is the result of one's own efforts and this happens
through the form of higher self or the Teacher.
A realization
that as a human-being he or she is already an instrument, of course with
lot of free will and choice, for the superior force or Energy to pass
through, will decidedly help the student to move forward quickly, as
this very realization shall erase all the extraneous tendencies.
We must at
this point remember that the aspirant is the human-being who had
temporarily forgotten his or her own 'pristine purity' (Suddha-satwa)
and who having voluntarily indulged hitherto in worldly activities and
in association of the passive nature in play, is now a determined Being
that Divine energy should pass through him or her for the benefit of the
whole of humanity. All the practices and efforts of the student are
aimed at leading one back consciously to that nature which is the soul's
birth right. Involved in frequent births and deaths, the soul got
temporarily clouded of the right vision and forgot its own true nature.
Having gained a sort of Certain Knowledge (Nischita Jnana)
through innumerable experiences and the assimilation of all such, will
move beyond the wheel of births and deaths (Samsara-chakra) and
this state of movement is popularly termed as 'liberation' or Mukti.
Control as to
the Mind and body (Sama and Dama) and acquisition of virtues are
very commonly spoken of in the texts on spiritual knowledge as the
necessary ingredients. These indicate the preliminary steps to gain
sensitivity into the region of spirituality. It is the Teacher, be an
external embodiment or an Inner Ruler, who educates the student from the
preliminaries to the ultimate in acquiring Knowledge, adopting oneself
to that Knowledge and in assisting that to a transmutation to the finer
apex of Spiritual Wisdom. One who puts his or her heart and soul into
this effort shall draw the attention of the Master of the Wisdom at the
Superior level. This becomes a bond of affinity between the Teacher and
the Disciple (Acharya-abhimana). This by itself is a Blessing to
the student on the Path of Spirituality.
3. Descent
of Divine Grace
To consider
the 'human situation' and find out the higher correspondences for each
of its segments in the Divine scheme of things is always a matter of
abiding and absorbing interest.
The World and
its numerous and countless manifestation is because of the descent of
Divine energy into the lower regions of nature. The descent is gradual
and step after step. Texts of cosmology speak about this in greater
detail and there is obviously no need for the repetition of all that
here. Suffice it to say that the descent of Divine energy percolates
into the Human Family system, which we normally term as 'the stream of
humanity' and brings to the forefront the concern of relationships.
Theosophy speaks of three outpourings of energy and the life-forces
coming down in currents. Many forms of manifestation appear. Creation
gets completed though it appears to be ever continuing. The group soul
getting into a form and going out 'individualized' is one of the primary
mysteries of the evolving process through which Consciousness unfolds.
It is the appearance and the significance of the Divine Grace that
causes the Human-being 'individualize', drive the next sequence into a
scheme of 'aspiration' to know everything around, and ultimately attain
the 'association' of the Great Ones for being further educated on the
process of 'Being.'
Human-being
is the solidified form of consciousness and is an entity of special
recognition for the simple reason that this being is 'self-conscious'
and is permitted to proceed further in the designed ways. There is also
freedom to search and find out. Nature provides for the human many
opportunities and here is again the choice to accept or reject any or
all of them. The primary point for consideration is that before
accepting or rejecting one must know the pros and cons of the situation.
Lot of experience is gained in the way. Once the Laws of Nature are
keenly observed, the human finds a rhyme, rhythm; method and model in
that very arrangement. A follow-up of the arrangement lures the human
and one is inclined to go through that onto a natural and logical end.
As the Laws are studied and understood to some extent, the zeal to
co-work with them sprouts. Mind and its processes of thought, however
great and marvelous in the initial stages, get dumbly and mumbly and
there is nothing else to the human-being to ponder over other than the
awe and adventure of the Nature. "We live, move and have our Being" in
the field of a Supreme Power, the great Intelligence, the ever revealing
Wonder - must be the admiration and adoration of the Human-being.
Everything that is part of Imagination appears to be the true and the
only True factor. All limitations of the mind die down and the vast
areas of Space get spread first before the mental arena and later upon
the ever-expanding consciousness of the finite being. Human who is
material expands his area of operation to that of the psychic nature,
then on to spiritual nature and ultimately the Divine nature. All these
are, unfortunately, the names for the same opening, which is
multi-facetted and phased.
We see the
vast Space. Then notice the Motion. Duration and Time lag. What is
moving and whereto? All is Absolute and Abstract. The great speed,
velocity and movement bring out many surfaces.
Systems of
philosophy were and are built around this imagination. Imagination is
real because it has for it a root 'Image'. Images develop and improve
themselves endlessly. All Images merge into ONENESS. Again this is given
very many names and forms. All names and forms belong to that. Some
personify this and adore. Some say there are not even virtues/attributes
to that at one state.
The mystic's
joy is that the Divine Grace flows unasked for and unanticipated for. It
is there for our getting soaked in that. Every particle on this earth,
each segment of this Cosmos, is well furnished with that Grace. It is
only this Grace that makes everything exist on its ground and standing.
Descent of
Divine Grace is a natural phenomenon. It works unnoticed. Human-being is
the result of this Grace. Yet he or she will have to work out the
details to grow in its sensitivity, realize it totally and know the
splendor of its wholeness.
Grace,
Compassion of the Divinity is the attribute for which one has to
necessarily work, though it is abundantly available for the mere asking
of that. The 'asking' has to be in the approved, acceptable, natural and
nice way. No need for aggrandizement, violence.
This is
something that has to be earned in a natural way, not by way of
bartering, bargaining and the like. The Law of the Nature is that The
Divine Grace flows all the time, for the benefit of All, not a segment
or a fraction of the community. The material form of Divine Grace, say
the Ray of the Sun, does not know to distinguish the poor man's hut and
a huge Royal mansion. The only pre-requisite is that the doors and
windows of the dwelling must be kept open. One should not voluntarily
shut away from the rays of Sun, the Grace of Divinity, if it is desired
to stay in the Light. Openness is the quality that has the criterion
here. This has both 'physical and beyond' relevances.
Human-being
always thinks in terms of what is convenient for oneself, what is
beneficial for oneself, what gives satisfaction at the moment. Divine
Grace is that which is to be convenient to all, beneficial to everybody
and that which provides satisfaction all time. This basic distinction
must be noticed. To get convinced of this 'truism', a person needs lot
of experience and deeper thinking thereupon. Unfortunately, the human
vision is very narrow, shallow and short; and till this is sufficiently
widened, enlarged and made ever lasting the region of Divine Grace
cannot be touched or contacted.
Human-being
is too localized, and unless the capacity to think in terms of All is
well developed, the Divine Grace shall not give out its fragrance,
shower its splendor.
Herein comes
the role of coming face to face with the concepts like Karma, Destiny
and Predetermination. When the human-being works in the natural way,
these do not have an overruling impact. Working in the unnatural ways,
human-being brings trouble to oneself and strife to others alike.
Opposite and cross currents must not be drawn. To work for the
Religious/spiritual good of humanity is the only talisman suggested to
the human-being, by T Subba Row. Considering the whole of Cosmos as a
Unitary body, the good of all alone is to be kept in view all the time.
Freedom for action must also bring to the mind the result of such
action, its impact and incidence. One must be capable of thinking for
oneself on behalf of everybody and everything around. In other words,
each must accept responsibility for everything that is happening in the
world, at all its planes of Nature. This would appear to be a 'tall
ambition' but the reason behind the statement must be pondered over.
Grace is
something like a condition that stretches all through the surface of the
earth/cosmos. As the earth/cosmos has its levels, the outflow of Grace
too has levels of its touch. At the physical, psychical and intellectual
level one works in sympathy, cooperation, mutual help, understanding,
tolerance and the like characteristics. These bring up the needed
nourishment for descent of Divine Grace. What Compassion is at the
spiritual level takes the form of beneficence at lower regions. To be
able to touch the Divine Grace at its appropriate level one has to work
for it and grow rich in physical, psychic levels and correspondences and
work through the Spiritual region too. 'Not being able to see the
suffering of others' is one of the prerequisites of an aspirant. Giving
away the morsel of food one has on hand to the other needy person
available before -- is what is wanted of a person in quest of Divine
Grace. One should not know envy and jealousy. Being and becoming happy
at the very sight of a co-disciple is what is expected of an aspirant.
Voluntarily helping out the down trodden and under privileged persons,
searching for opportunities to help others on purely altruistic terms,
and similar approaches and attitudes invoke the presence of Divine
entities who would help human progression. Helping others is of course a
common trait with everybody these days, but the most important part of
that is to make this help not appear as anything mysterious or
magnanimous. To be recognized for all the virtues one has is rather
having no virtue at all. Enduring personal injustice and valiant defense
of those who are unjustly attacked were made part of the steps leading
one to the temple of Divine Wisdom according to Madame Blavatsky. When
one has faith in Divine justice, one would not imagine any situation of
'personal injustice' at all. Momentarily it might appear that way but
the Nature and Life know how to regulate in the right direction
everything around them. All said and done, it is only the 'personal
conduct' that makes the Grace descend and work in its entirety. Moral
and ethical qualities, Social virtues and spiritual values are to be
examined well and carefully, n the context of one's
being and the result of this examination should pave way for one's
Behavioral pattern. When we say 'pattern' we do not mean that to be
a rigid frame; it is also subject to constant review and revision in a
normal and natural way.
What
primarily needs to engage the attention of one and all is 'avoidance of
cross-currents and allowance of free flow of Life and Grace throughout.'
Breaking away all barriers is the keynote for practice. That Grace is
available in abundance all the Way of Life and a constant appeal to its
play in one's life is by itself a noticeable factor in the matter of
Spiritual progress.
4.
Awakening to the Ultimate
"Arise,
Awake, Seek out the Great Ones and Obtain the Right Understanding," is
one of the precepts available to us. Evidently, this has some and
certain steps in going about in the matters of Spiritual understanding.
One has to
look at the objects and subjects around first. Then an active 'notice'
of what is happening around creeps in. This is 'observation' per se.
This does not stop there. To draw some logical conclusions from what
was observed happens. To connect that what one has noticed to a way of
possible spiritual connotation and implication --- is perhaps the
culmination of this looking around. To draw an illustration, let us
look at how Pythagoras made a division of the Study of Numbers. He
divided them into 4 classes: Arithmetic, the number itself; Geometry,
the number in Space; Music, the number in Time and Astronomy, the number
in Space and Time. A close look will also help us to see that this
division has resemblance with the States of Consciousness, which the
human-being is supposed to get into. These 4 states are: Awakening (Jagrat),
Dream (Swapna), Deep Sleep (Sushupti) and the
Transcendental (Turiya). Human-being has also suitable vehicles
that help move on freely in these states of consciousness. Though
Awakening or the 'awakened' state is mentioned as the first, it is
equally the last step in the endeavor. Awakening has no limits or
end-points of stoppage.
One will
first awaken oneself to the physical reality and gradually move this
state of awakening to other higher, occult and mystic regions which we
said earlier are products of our imagination and yet a replica of the
Real. The five senses we have with us are the tools of this awakening or
looking at, the perception. The sensory perception will not be adequate
as we progress and this travels unequivocally to the psychic, spiritual
and divine levels of perception. Science helps to pierce through the
Occult to an extent inasmuch as the scientific perception is decidedly a
portion of the Occult perception. Religion plays a great role in
achieving the other ends. Here what we mean by Religion is the true
perception, experience and assimilation and not the ritualistic and
ceremonial parts of that however important they might be for some.
Sensory
perception could be extended and expanded and we will also be able to
re-visualize the experience of the Senses. Eye is the sense-organ
playing a role here. Suppose we could extend the capacity of the other
sense-organs, the Ear, Nose, Tongue and Skin too and allow them function
in an expanded way, the whole of physical experience could be relived.
As we rise above and live in the other extremes too, what would the
present appear like? Will it not die down as a matter of no consequence.
The division of Time as the present, past and future is of phenomenal
value but has no significance of its own, in the Eternal and the
Ultimate.
The exercise
indicated here is:
1. Looking by
the use of Sense-organs
2. Looking by
employing the Inner-organs of the senses
3. Looking
with the joint operation of all the senses
4. Looking
with the Mind as a Total or Whole
5. Looking
with the Beyond-Mind
Once the
Intellect is transcended, the region of stay will be Intuition and at
that state there will be no need for any further instrument for
enjoyment. The instrument hitherto employed becomes viable for
transformation to a state that is relevant there.
The point for
consideration is : Is there a line dividing us from the Ultimate? If
there be a line, who drew that and how do we cause that to be erased.
When we
consider the whole of Manifestation as One-thing there cannot be a
dividing line as we envisage. The line is akin to the Longitudes and
Latitudes (Rekhamsas and Akshamsas) which are of pure
imagination and their need for purposes of study is insurmountable. With
the human-being we have seen that the line is drawn by the mind and once
we learn to transcend the mind and look beyond, without the instrument
of the mind, then there would be no lines of demarcation and
delimitation. If the human mind had drawn these lines, it is again the
same mind that could erase them. Going beyond the mind is by the mind,
in a way. This becomes possible when the mind dissolves itself and
allows a superior faculty/function in its instrumentality. This is
indicated as Amanaska-yoga (A Union through the dissolution of
the mind).
Madame
Blavatsky in her great book The Secret Doctrine indicates a
position how the manifestation proceeded. This is a graphic presentation
of the steps of creation. First we have a blank page, then a picture of
empty Circle on the page, a central point within the circle, then the
radii etc. What is a straight line, if not an extension of the point in
its endless journey? A straight line is also the shortest distance
between two points. This necessarily means that the dividing line is
also the line connecting and reconnecting the two objects or points.
We have also
the triangles in a circle, one with its peak up and the other down -
both the triangles interlaced - meeting in a circle. The David's seal,
King Soloman's seal or the Vishnu Chakra and ultimately the
Sri-Chakra with its many triangles is indicative of the
relationship the human-being maintains with the manifestation in its
totality.
Awakening to the ultimate though it appears to be a time consuming
program is not necessarily time bound. The earnest human-being should
not 'try' to become that but 'become that instantly'. Here and Now -- is
the Law. When we want to become something, we need not have to waste our
time speculating over the matter of becoming, but become that instantly
and instantaneously. Become at once that. The exercise would be to shed
out the non-essentials, cut out the extraneous matter and be the pure
'object.' One must be the Dove in the Stone, full of all Life and
Vigor. Stone is the representative of a seemingly lifeless form and over
and beyond that we have the life-full (lively) picture of the Dove ever
ready to take the flight and the same time bringing up a grandeur and
liveliness to the Stone. Life is implanted in the Dove and the Stone,
the same time -- because of the alertness in looking at the "object" in
all its fullness. The Life is consecrated here, and this life has
acquired the quality of transmitting its vapors till the ultimate
purpose of manifestation is accomplished.
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