Living with God

Even when you attain the state of living with God and merger in a divine form (sarupya-mukti), there is still a trace of differential feeling. Just because a devotee has a form like the Lord's, one may not have the powers of creation, preservation, and destruction that the Lord has. Only when all trace of difference disappears and unity is attained, the highest stage is reached. This is real union (Sayujya). This comes of divine grace won by the essence of the spiritual practice of each; it cannot be claimed as the fruit of effort. The devotee wishes to serve the Lord as one pleases and to experience the joy of the form that one has attributed to the Lord. But the Lord, out of His grace, gives the devotee not only existence with the Lord, witnessing always the glory of the Lord, and being suffused with God-consciousness but also Sayujya - union with Him! The path of devotion results also in attainment of ultimate knowledge (Brahma-jnana). Even if the devotee does not crave it, the Lord Himself vouchsafes it to the devotee.

The mind is activity, stop, that is Pantanjali. How do we stop? 

We know it from our meditation. 

We begin to repeat the mantra, it keeps us awake while thoughts are coming and we cannot just stop it as we are constantly somehow involved in activity, even if we stop the activity, the mind is going on, it constantly progresses as we know, it is activity in the mind. By repeating the mantra we forget it that means we transcend the mind, there is no feeling for it, there is no time, no space and when we come back we get back with thoughts, they are part of it and it doesn't matter if we have thoughts, it is easy and effortless until we get aware of it that we have thoughts and that means we are not anymore in a state of meditation, but again in the mind and we take the mantra and begin again. That is an action of will, we want to get out of the mind. 

We repeat the mantra and transcend again and it is usually done twenty minutes morning and evening and regularly. And the end we just take some time to get out of it and we stop, but open not yet the eyes to get our mind the time to turn outward again before we open the eyes. 

1.2 Yoga is the control (nirodhah, regulation, channeling, mastery, integration, coordination, stilling, quieting, setting aside) of the modifications (gross and subtle thought patterns) of the mind field. (yogash chitta vritti nirodhah) (Patanjali yoga sutra)

How do we stilling, quieting the thought process, we repeat the mantra effortlessly and as Swami said, all mantras are okay. 
There will be thoughts coming up but that is part of it and only when we get aware that we are not thinking the mantra, but something else, we begin with the mantra again. What is the reason? The moment when we notice there are thoughts, we get aware of the mind and the thought process and with the mantra we go inside again and transcend the thought process, it has to be easy and effortlessly and we don't need to concentrate, by repetition of the mantra the mind gets transcended and that we do twenty or thirty minutes morning and evening. 
That is Patanjali. The work is in the mind field and in the thought patterns.

 

The question mark stands for 'who am I?' That is the main question Swami always asked to get to the right answer and right knowledge, 'I am that'. 

Even when you attain the state of living with God and merger in a divine form (sarupya-mukti), there is still a trace of differential feeling.

A Method to Clearly Understand Truth as different from Untruth

To attain the knowledge of righteousness (dharma), first, you must receive training under wise people, who are imbued with righteousness (dharma). Next, you must aspire to purify yourself (Atma shuddhi) and practice truth(sathya). Thirdly, you must realize the value of knowledge of the scriptures (Vedas), which is the voice of God. When these three steps are completed, you will clearly understand the truth and discriminate it from untruth. This enquiry into truth must be done in amity and cooperation. Everyone is entitled to attain spiritual wisdom. Everyone must be equally eager to discover the truth and benefit from it. All opinions must be tested on the touchstone of dharma, of universal goodness (sarvaloka-hitha). The principles that pass this test alone must be chosen and practiced, and shared with the world. Then will help humanity to progress. Then, everyone will develop joy and happiness in equal measure. All of you must use this method and perform noble and pure deeds consistently.

To get to correct understanding we need 'direct perception, inference and the spoken or written words of a self-realized authority' and now we have to find that in Swami and his words. We are trained how to live up to truth? If he is telling in such a way, how was that training, where was that training? Have we been aware that it was a training? 

How do we purify ourselves and practice truth? 

We do it with regular mediation, but what means that we should practice truth and not untruth? 

And we have to realize the value of the scriptures, that is clear and the third level, the words of a self-realized authority, it is the easiest to grasp here and understood but that what is the most neglected really and Baba mentions here that it is Veda as the voice of God.  

That is why Sanskrit words, they tell us where the authority is and that is 'Veda', that is the voice of God. Veda is seen, it is cognized wisdom, it is all based on insights and the big seers and therefore, it is the voice of God. 

It is like Swami's words, they are the voice of God.

Next, you must aspire to purify yourself (Atma shuddhi) and practice truth(sathya). Thirdly, you must realize the value of knowledge of the scriptures (Vedas), which is the voice of God.

What is the first step the training, what is direct perception? We had that training during Darshan, it was called the sight of truth and what did we see, truth. 

When we repeat a mantra it goes beyond the mind, we experience what we think it is and what it is not, it is a practiced value, it is purification of the mind. It has to be experienced. It is not what we think it is, it is what we are in the now. 

It is not the image we have of it, it is the feeling of it now in that very moment in the present. 

With the mantra repetition we purified the mind and go beyond the mind and that is about the Atma, but the Atma has to be cognized, it is not just pure consciousness, that is just a state of it, it is unlimited. 

We have to live truth is direct experience of it, being it and not thinking it and it means getting to inference, right conclusion is about truth and we do it by contemplation, practice truth is the contemplation of the voice of God.

 When these three steps are completed, you will clearly understand the truth and discriminate it from untruth.

Tapas and Inner and Outer Self-Control

Many argue about how discipline (as described in the scriptures) can result in the dawn of knowledge. Aren't these mere bodily limitations, they ask. Knowledge can arise only by the realisation of the principle that guarantees self-realisation, they argue. But this line of thought is based on a big mistake. Through these physical regulations, traits (vasanas) are destroyed and concentration is established. One-pointedness is essential to establish spiritual wisdom firmly in the heart, and this one-pointedness can easily be gained by bodily disciplines and austerities (tapas) prescribed in the Upanishads. External control helps internal control in many ways. To succeed in external controls indeed is more difficult than to achieve success in controlling the internal! In a working car, the wheels will always follow the direction of the steering. A turn of the steering wheel in one's hand in any direction makes the wheels of the car, which are not in your hand, move in the same direction of the steering wheel – isn't it?

Talking about the 'I am that' in the study circle was a great experience and an incredible sharing really and it felt totally right. It was the inner feeling of the truth we had experience in his presence and that is how we get aware of it. 

If we want go get to correct understanding, we need three things and a method as he said. Blind believe is not part of the 'tat tvam asi'. Blindness has no room in that. Blindness is not an ideal, but a sickness and poor mind state.

As he spoke of the method it is important to understand the process. 

He said it in three steps really, the three things we have to do and when we get aware of the three things, we also know that it is not finished with the Darshan, but it is just the beginning. 

Truth is always threefold, so we have to be trained by someone who has experience in Dharma or who knows truth. That is what we met in Darshan, the sight of truth by direct perception in his presence, we have the experienced it. It is the experience of divine love and truth, the way of Dharma. 

The experience of truth is seen as training and we have to discriminate and practice truth as we had that training. 

Cultural Values and Listening

Many do not invest time to understand the sacredness and value of their culture. 'Culture' means that which sanctifies the world, which enhances the greatness and glory of a country, and which helps to raise the individual and society to a higher level of existence. The observance of morality in daily life, divinisation of all actions and thoughts related to life, and adherence to ideals - all these together constitute culture. Culture contributes to the refinement of life. The process of refinement or transformation is essential for improving the utility of any object. For instance, paddy has to be milled and the husk has to be removed before the rice is fit for cooking. This is the process known as Samskriti or transformation. This means getting rid of the unwanted elements and securing the desirable elements. With regards to people, Samskriti (culture) means getting rid of bad qualities and cultivating virtues. A cultured person is one who has good thoughts and good conduct. 

There are three aspects of God; Brahma, Vishnu, Shiva. 

We have to see the threefold truth in everything or we don't get to correct understanding. If we don't see the reality of truth as threefold, we are not able to get the correct understanding also not about oneness and if we are not able to understand the Atmic principle, we project divinity at the outside.

Many do not invest time to understand the sacredness and value of their culture.

If we read that we get to the wrong conclusion that it is about our culture and at the beginning Swami talks also just about the expression culture and we all have a feeling developed for it, we think we know exaclty what is meant with culture.

 'Culture' means that which sanctifies the world, which enhances the greatness and glory of a country, and which helps to raise the individual and society to a higher level of existence.

Correct Understanding and 'I am That'

Lord Krishna declared in the Gita, "Among sacrifices (yajnas), I am the repetition of the name (nama-yajna)." For curing grief and earning joy, temples where the name of God can be remembered are very essential. Remembering the name (smarana) grants bliss; there is nothing more fruitful, charming or blissful than this activity! Sage Vyasa wondered, "Having the great yet simple name, on the ever available tongue, and the temple where His enchanting image is installed so that people can sing His glory in an exalted voice... why should people hasten toward the gates of hell?" So too, Saint Tulsidas, who lived constantly in the temple and sang of the joy he tasted, lamented, "Alas! When people give up the name and the temple, and seek peace and joy in other places, I am reminded of the foolishness of those who forsake the rich and tasty fare on their plates and beg with outstretched hands for the remains from other's plates!"

How can we listen to Swami's words and get to the correct understanding and not just stop it in thinking, how do we understand it?

The first thing we need is to know that truth is threefold. 

It is a principle. What is meant with a principle?

It is always the same, no change. We have to see the principle to get to a correct understanding. 

We have Swami's words. We should not only read, but listen. 

It is on three levels, listen, think it over, absorb, as we notice again threefold as it is about truth. It is about knowledge. The truth is threefold; therefore we have three levels of knowledge.

That is the principle, and it we approach his words we will see what happens. We will get to a much better result in correct understanding then when we try to listen with our heart, the heart doesn't know the principle.

Lord Krishna declared in the Gita, "Among sacrifices (yajnas), I am the repetition of the name (nama-yajna)." For curing grief and earning joy, temples where the name of God can be remembered are very essential.

Who Worries about a Wasted Day?

Temples are invitations and signboards directing people to their Divine home. Temples are intended to instruct people in the art of removing the veil of attachment that lies over their heart. That is why Tyagaraja cried in the temple at Tirupathi, "Remove the veil within me, the veil of pride and hate." The fog of illusion (maya) melted away with the touch of the rays of grace. Then he sang out describing the image of divine charm in the song, "Sivudavo Madhavudavo"; he drank deep the sweetness of that form. The churning of his heart by the divine formula produced the spark of wisdom (jnana), and it grew into the flame of realisation. On one occasion, Lord Sri Ramachandra spoke thus: "Dawn breaks and dusk falls. With dawn, greed awakes in people; with dusk, lust gets hold of them. Is this to be your goal and way of life? With every passing day, you are nearing one step closer towards the cave of death, missing precious opportunities. Do you ever worry over a wasted day?"

If we have the basic understanding that truth is not one fold, but threefold and we see the difference of knowledge we experience and the truth, threefold nature of that knowledge, we can see it in his words and it is reflected in every word of his. And it is just based on the fact that truth is threefold and it is always about truth. 

Temples are invitations and signboards directing people to their Divine home. Temples are intended to instruct people in the art of removing the veil of attachment that lies over their heart. That is why Tyagaraja cried in the temple at Tirupathi, "Remove the veil within me, the veil of pride and hate." The fog of illusion (maya) melted away with the touch of the rays of grace.

We have three levels of knowledge, sense-knowledge the society is living in and inference, the level of scientists, artists and decisions making and the third level is the spoken or written words of a self-realized authority, that we find in the words of Patanjali about correct understanding. 

He is the Doer and the Patanjali Sutras

What is important is not the acquisition of argumentativeness but the acquisition of single-mindedness, equanimity, and freedom from likes and dislikes. Why does one undertake these spiritual disciplines, this chanting, meditation, devotional singing, etc.? Isn't it for acquiring single-mindedness and one-pointedness? Once that one-pointedness has been earned, human effort becomes unnecessary; the inner significance of life gets revealed. So those eager to become spiritual aspirants, should not yield to arguments and counterarguments. They should not be enticed by the wiles of bad feeling. They should see their own faults and not repeat them again. They should guard and protect the one-pointedness they have acquired, with their eyes fixed on the goal they are after, dismissing as trash whatever difficulties, defeats, and disturbances they encounter on their path. They must dwell on subjects that would give enthusiasm and joy, and not waste valuable time building up doubts regarding all things, big and small.

How do get to one-pointedness? 

When I began to watch, I was just focused on that and in time there was one-pointedness, only I didn't know what I was really doing and I didn't know what would come out by it, it was all uncertain. After a while I gave it a name, I thought that I had to take it as it comes until it would be there. What? It was about self-experience, the true self is the seer. 

It was during that time in Geneva and I hardly remember the room, there was a bed and a dresser and I didn't do much with it, I was focused on watching and I didn't know how long I would stay there, but what I remember like it would have been yesterday is the watcher and it was in the dream stage. It was a car and in the dream it felt like I was around that car. The car was actually outdoors in the street and there was something happening with that car and it scared me. That was the dream, I was around that car and that car began to honk. It was that loud and in the midst of night it was awaking everybody living in that surrounding. 

That were the type of experiences it was difficult to understand right, what had really happened and why had I seen it in the dream in that way. That was the question. Today we know. We were around the car it means we are in his whereabouts and there was something wrong, it began to sound the horn in the midst of the night, it woke me up at night. 

But the other question was why did I get aware of that car. Today we know it had to do with watching. We watch an object, everything that is outside of us and here we watched something else, the transition is also an object, the car didn't drive, the car began to make noise at a time we didn't expect it. 

What happened on the watcher level from that moment on the attention was on the transition state, we got aware of the situation in the dream, it began to reflect. 

It felt like it didn't make sense that I got aware of it, because I forgot that I was watching. As I got more into it, the watcher shifted to a subtler state. It was actually simple, it means I was around it and near enough to get scared by the loud noise in the mist of the night, but I forgot that I was watching, the answer was on the watcher level and that is why I wondered why. I was watching, I wanted to make the experience of the watcher.  

But on the level of watcher it was a sign that the watcher began to watch the transition level that is also an object. When reading the Patanjali sutras there was the answer.