Saturday, September 12, 2009

Properties of the TRUE SELF


THE SELF IS NOT THE BODY OR MIND BUT PURE CONSCIOUSNESS
AND THERE IS NO DUAL EXISTENCE ABOUT  CONSCIOUSNESS, It is alone hence does not feel the need to compete or excel. It is blissful by itself.


1. The Self is Pure consciousness itself (Chaitanya Swaroopa),
 

2. The Self is independent of all elements (Swatantra)
 

3. The Self is propertyless (Nirguna
 

4. The Self is Ever existing and Timeless - transcends Time (Kala Atita )
 

5. The Self is Spaceless - transcends Space (Sarvagatah

6. The Self manifests in all bodies (Sarvavyaapi)

7. The Self is SINGULAR (Advaitya)

8. The Self is ALL PERVADING and the ONLY TRUTH, the rest is transient and unreal



 

Drg Drishya Viveka - Discriminating between the Seer and the Seen

 The Experiencer is different from the experienced....
1.  I am different from whatever I experience. I “experience my body and mind”
 
2.  I, the experiencer, am free from the attributes of the experienced objects. It
belongs to the experienced objects and not the "experiencer" . 

(From 1 above) 
You are not the mind or the body as you experience them both (the body and the mind)

(From 2 above) 
The Experiencer is attributeless, pure.

The Creation Explained - Unmanifest to the Manifest

The Body analyzed - Three Levels of Abstraction - Shareera/Deha Treyam

Three States of Experiences .. AvasthaTrayam

Understanding the Body... PANCHA KOSHA

FIVE THANK YOUS - Pancha Maha Yagnas to cultivate appreciation for creation and Life

Pancha Mahayajnas

 

1. Thank the Lord: Devayajna- offering prayers to god

2. Thank Your Ancestors: Pitryajna- consists of offering libations to ancestors 

3. Thank the Scriptures that Gave you knowledge: Brahmayajna- consists of reading the scriptures

4. Thank the Creation: Bhutayajna- consists of offering food to animals/Plants

5. Thank Humanity : Manushyayajna - By helping other people


    Experiencing It yourself - Aparoksha Anubhuti


    Experiencing It yourself!

    001: May Lord the greatest Guru of all shower his grace upon us (that the writer and the reader of this are in sync and that no knowledge is lost) !

    002-010: Only the (a) Pure in heart with the (b) FOUR FOLD Qualifications and who are (c) dutiful and (d) vested in GOD can experience super consciousness.

    011-016: Asking the right questions will automatically lead to the answers. Who am I? God? World?

    017-042: Q. Who am I? A. The ever existing consciousness.

    043-048: Q. What is the World? A. Consciousness manifests as the Universe. Without consciousness there is no universe.
      
    049-086: Q. What is super consciousness / God? Consciousness appears to be plural, but in essence is ONE.  

    087-090: Ignorance of the truth disappears when you realize the truth behind the "Self" by constantly meditating upon it.

    091-099: Knowledge will set you free from the karmic cycle.

    100-124: FIFTEEN Steps for meditation as given below:
    01. Yama(Sense Control) ,   
    02. Niyama(Mind control), 
    03. Renunciation of the illusory world, 
    04. Silence of the mind ,
    05. Transcend  Space , 
    06. Transcend Time, 
    07. Posture that reminds  you of the truth, 
    08. Mulabandha (Restraining Root of all existence), 
    09. Equipoise of the limbs (Introvertedness), 
    10. Firmness in vision of knowledge that seen seer and sight are one,  
    11. Pranayama- negation of World in Rechaka (OUT) and identifying with the truth as Puraka (IN), 
    12 Pratyahara (Withdrawal),  
    13. Dhyana (Concentration),  
    14. Dharana (self Contemplation),  
    15. Samadhi (Complete Absorbtion)

    125-144: One should practice this with full conviction and develop the ability to be absorbed in the cosmic consciousness. With God's grace and practice, one shall definitely attain liberation.


    Sadhanan Panchakam (Five Fold Metamorphosis)

    This Preparatory course identifies the qualities that are essential to purify the self. It Identifies 40 characteristic features in 5 areas (metamorphosing  Personal, Social, Mental , Sense-Oriented  and Intellectual orientation):

    A. On Transforming the self (Outward) - I (Personality) : Read the scriptures (A-1) With Full Concentration so as to Apply it in your life (A-2) and focus on god/self (A-3). Perform acts selflessly (A'-4), and stay away from what you believe as sinful activities (A'-5). Stay away from Worldly things knowing it to be transient (A''-6) and focus on the real self (A''-7) by remaining introverted. Don't find solace in the comforts of the world as they are not for long. Only the true knowledge of the self will bring  peace (A'''-8).

    B. On Transforming the Self (Outward) - II (Social behavior): keep good company (B-1) and stay focused on the self (B-2), Develop the 6 fold qualities (B-3) and Focus on Selfless actions (B-4). Find a Spiritual guide (B'-5) and follow "his" teachings (B'-6) and focus on the Upanishadic teachings (B'-7)and The Self  - OM (B'-8)

    C. Develop Inner transformation (Mind) : Reflect on the Scriptural teachings (C-1) and find refuge it for strength (C-2) . Rather than indulging in wasteful talks (C-3),  Focus on the  conclusions of the scriptures (C-4). Focus on "Me and My father are One" on the Self (C-5) , give up pride (C-6) by not focusing on the body (C-7) and do not argue with the wisdom of the scriptures (C-8)as it is the whole truth.

    D. Develop Withdrawal Qualities (Senses): Hunger (Desire)  is a  disease (D-1) and one should see food only as a medicine to cure it (D-2) , not indulge in it (D-3) and be contended with what you have (D-4). Build Endurance (D'-5),  do not complain (D'-6), build indifference (D'-7) find equanimity in all situations (D'-8).

    E. Focus on the Ultimate goal (Intellect): In Solitude (E-1), Find the Joy of the Self by meditation (E-2). Find the difference between the all pervading Real (E-3) and Non-Real world (E-4). Be free from the cycle of birth and death by vanquishing ignorance and hence transcending your deeds [Accumulated (E-5), Future (E-6) and Fructified (E-7)  - Sanchita, Agami and Prarabhdha karma] Stay in Samadhi or in a state where you are above all this - Self in union with the cosmic consciousness.

    Monday, September 7, 2009

    What is Liberation A.K.A. Moksha?

    Moksha is seen as Many things...

    • Moksha is Liberation from the cycle of Life and Death as defined by some.
    • Moksha is Union with the Infinite (Jeevatma paramatma Aikyam)
    • Moksha is the feeling of Oneness with the Universe (and With God)  - Singularity in the Universe 
    • Moksha is giving up on the Ups and Downs of Life
    • Moksha is giving up your Ego
    • Moksha is giving up of Sensory Pleasures (Knowing well that they are bound to get pain)
    • Moksha is the state that we get in Deep Sleep (Blissful) with our full control and will.
    • Moksha is the culmination of the need to know anything
    • Moksha is the Thoughtless State where the Witness Self has given up on the Worldly Experiences of Life.
    • Moksha is the end of All Sorrows and Pleasures only to find oneself still in the ocean of Pure Bliss.
    • Moksha is Identifying Oneself with the True Nature of the Self - The Ever Blissful , The Witness Self.


    How To Learn this Subject (Or Any) [ THREE STEPS OF LEARNING PROCESS]

    To learn any Subject, One Must Learn to Quietly Listen to it before Accepting Or Rejecting the Idea.

    The process recommended for this vedantic teaching (As One may have his/her own philosophies of life)  is as follows:
    • Simply Listening to what is being told by a Competent Person. At this point you should not develop any bias and hence at this stage don't have to ask any questions. (Sravanam) 
    • Reflecting on the thoughts presented to you. At this point, You can make a decision as to whether to accept the ideas or not. (Mananam)
    • Applying this knowledge in your life is the final step, where most of the people falter. "Great Topic of discussion.. I have accepted it. But I don't 'know'/ 'have time' to apply it in my life." This is a very important step and many fail at this step.[The typical "Do as I say , Not what I do" philosophy that parents typically impose on their children.] You have to live in what you truely believe and apply it in your daily life.  (Nidhidhyaasanam)

      Saadhana Chatusthaya [ FOUR FOLD QUALIFICATIONS]

      Cleansing of the Mind is highly recommended. The idea being that God can be seen in the reflection of a CLEAN mind. A mind unclouded by any thoughts, without any impressions of our past habits, will create an atmosphere conducive to feeling god.


      Quest [Sadhana] Begins with 4 Qualifications:
      1. Viveka - Ability to Discriminate the Unreal from the Real. the ultimate truth is that the consciousness that you possess is what is part of the cosmic consciousness. "You are not the body but the consciousness and that is GOD."
      2. Vairaagya - Detachment from worldly things so that we can focus all our efforts on learning and understanding the above .
      3. Shadga Sampatti (Developing SIX Qualities to cleanse the mind):
        1.  Mind Control - Shama
        2. Sense Control - Dama 
        3. Endurance - Titiksha
        4. Withdrawal - Uparati 
        5. Devotion - To Kill Your EGO - Shraddha
        6. One Pointed Concentration - Samaadhan
      4. Longing Desire to experience cosmic consciousness so that your efforts are channeled in every possible action towards it.(Mumuksutvam)

      Atman is Brahman : as the Vedanta philosophy says ...[MAHAVAKYA - Me and My Father Are ONE]

      You are the infinite. That's what Vedanta says .. The question is: what should one do to know and experience that?

      What the Christians believe?

      From My Friend Colin:

      Christians believe that there is only One Life.

      It seems that the they are divided amongst two groups:
      - One that believe that they will be sent to heaven or hell for eternity
      - The other that believe that the good will go to heaven and the Evil will be consumed by Fire into Nothingness.

      Quest For The Infinite

      This Blog is dedicated to my Untiring Efforts in seeking to know the Infinite. As the quest for knowledge progresses, It culminates in God as that is the ultimate reality.

      The creation, the interactions defined between the entities boggles my mind.

      What is it that drives the universe? Who Powers the universe up? What is intellect? What are feelings? How is god related to all this? What is infinity?

      I seek answers to all these questions .. the quest has begun....

      The blogging is a constant reminder to myself about the need to find things out, and to remember my notes in the quest for the ultimate.

       I consider the Universe itself as My Guru , My teacher  - In the form of books, people, incidents, objects and as creation itself...