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We can only know the unknown when we
become unknown ourselves
Sri. K.C.Srihari
Dear Brothers and Sisters
The above seminar topic is taken from
the message “Easiest way” delivered by the Master at
Madurai on the eve of his 78th Birthday
celebrations. I share a few of my thoughts on the
topic.
From the time of birth, as we grow,
we are exposed to various inputs from family,
society and acquaintances. These inputs become our
main repository that helps us react to situations.
The process of how these inputs are
stored is described in detail in the appendix I of
the book Path of Grace as follows
‘Manas is the mental screen where all
information is witnessed. Information from the
senses, the memory bank, and inner guidance are all
experienced on this screen of perception. Manas is
also the recording instrument for the mind.
Everything received is recorded as prints and stored
in the memory bank. These prints will continue to
appear based on the need and attachment to them.’
‘Chitta serves in the mind as the
memory bank. Chitta is both passive and active. As
the passive side, it receives and stores all
impressions. The active aspect of chitta offers
information to the mental screen of manas. When
manas is not receiving input or it is reduced, the
screen is available to receive additional
information from chitta, such as past experiences,
images, and imagination. The subconscious projects
these memories onto the mental screen.’
‘Buddhi is the discriminating
faculty, the intellect, comprised of three stages.
The highest stage is pure intuitive discrimination.
Right knowledge spontaneously appears. It is the
inner voice that cuts through all maya or ignorance.
The second stage of buddhi discerns
the course of action. Through reasoning and
reviewing the issues involved, an answer is
presented.
The third and lowest level of buddhi
simply responds to the impressions on the screen of
manas. It is a basic type of unconscious or
instinctual action or reaction, such as when one
touches a hot object and immediately retracts the
hand. The functions of the mind work together so
quickly that they appear as one. Manas receives the
information, chitta supplies memories, and buddhi
discriminates. For example, an object is perceived
by the senses and projected onto the screen of manas.
Buddhi determines the object. The ahankar identifies
with the object. Different memories or impressions
from chitta come to surface that relate to this
present experience. The information is looked upon
by buddhi to determine the best course of action.’
When we meditate, this
Manas-chitta-buddhi function is in effect and tries
to fit the object of meditation into its known
information bank.
Now, the process of meditation given
by Pujya SriRamchandraji Maharaj to meditate on
divine light without luminosity is one of the most
significant aspects of the system. Describing God,
Master says ‘He is what He is. What should then be
done to solve this mystery? The only possible
solution can be to fix our eyes on the Absolute, be
it saguna, nirguna or neither, and develop
love for it.’ (SDG Page 78).
The method of meditation given by the
Master is one that comes closest to this concept.
We are asked to meditate on the light without
luminosity ignoring any prints in our mind that
might come up. When this is done, they eventually
dissolve and a state of absorbency is achieved.
As one proceeds in the Natural Path,
one tries to fit the concept of meditating on Divine
light into the ‘known’ repository related to God.
These differ based on the background of different
people. Relating to this Master says ‘Now there
remains only the problem of Realisation. Generally
people take it to mean a mental vision of the
physical form of Vishnu with four hands holding a
conch, a discus, a mace and a lotus respectively.
But in my opinion such a type of darshana is
only the result of the grosser mentality of the
worshipper, for the reason that his own subtler self
appears to him in that form, because he had taken up
that very form for meditation.’ (SDG Page78)
Under the influence of Pranahuti,
these kinds of blocks are removed and we understand
our limitations of mind. We cross the chromatic
regions and reach achromatic regions where only a
faint awareness of self is felt. As the meditation
on the Divine light becomes more natural to us, one
experiences moments of silence combined with
unawareness. If one tries to ‘know’ what is
happening at that time, we become away from that
silence. We are supposed to contemplate on our
condition after meditation rather than try to figure
out what is going on during meditation.
To know something means becoming one
with it or having union with it. That is yoga. The
feeling that there is a seperation makes us
understand that the unknown cannot be known by
preserving the awareness of self separate from it.
We realise that all knowledge which
we think as such really does not serve much in this
quest and surrender ourselves to the Master. Before
this happens, a great deal of humility is developed
and the ego that was carefully nurtured is reduced
to its true state. In the words of the Master ‘When
knowledge revealed itself, it was only
knowledgelessness'. (Jaanaa tho ye jaanaa kee na
jaana kuch bhi).’
We come to understand then the last
statement of the prayer ‘Thou art the only God and
Power to bring me upto that stage’. The stage can
be only imperienced when all experience by way of
knowledge is discarded and one surrenders to the
Master in the true sense. As Master says ‘The
easiest and surest means to achieve this end is to
surrender yourself to the Great Master in true sense
and become a ‘Living Dead' yourself. This feeling
of surrender if cultivated by forced and mechanical
means seldom proves to be genuine. It must develop
automatically within you without the least strain or
pressure upon the mind. Even if the knowledge of the
fact is retained then it is not the true form of
surrender. What remains to be done, when you have
surrendered yourself in true sense, is, I believe,
nothing. In this state you will be in close touch
with Reality all the time and the current of Divine
Effulgence will continue its flow to you without a
break.’ (SDG Page 140)
It is not possible to know (imperience)
the unknown without the grace of the unknown. All
our sadhana is only to make ourselves deserving for
that.
Pranams |
