"The very first step in understanding what this is all about is giving up the concept of an active, volitional 'I' as a separate entity and accepting the passive role of perceiving and functioning as a process." - Sri Nisargadatta Maharaj

Sunday, January 14, 2018

Movement of Prana: World-Appearance

Sage Vasishtha

RAMA asked:

Lord, what is the seed of this fearful tree known as the mind and what is the seed of that seed and so on?

VASISHTHA replied:

Rama, the seed for this world-appearance is the body within, with all its notions and concepts of good and evil. That body has a seed, too, and that is the mind which flows constantly in the direction of hopes and desires, and which is also the repository of notions of being and bob-being and the consequent sorrow. The world-appearance arises only in the mind, and this is illustrated by the dream state. Whatever is seen here as the world is but the expansion of the mind, even as pots are transformations of clay.

There are two seeds for the tree known as the mind which carries within it innumerable notions and ideas: first, movement of prana (life-force) and second, obstinate fancy. When there is movement of prana in the appropriate channels, then there is movement in consciousness and mind arises. Again, it is the movement of prana alone, when it is seen or apprehended by the mind, that is seen as this world-appearance which is as real as the blueness of the sky. The cessation of the movement of prana is the cessation of the world-appearance too. The omnipresent consciousness is awakened, as it were, by the movement of prana. If this does not happen, then there is supreme good.

When consciousnesses is awakened thus, it begins to apprehend objects, ideas arise and thence sorrow. On the other hand, if this consciousness rests in itself, as if fast asleep, then one attains what is most desirable and that is the supreme state. Therefore, you will realize the unborn state of consciousness  if you either restrain the movement of prana in your own psychological ground (of concepts and notions), or refrain from disturbing the homogeneity in consciousness . It is when this homogeneity is disturbed and the consciousness experiences diversity that the mind arises, and the countless psychological conditions spring up into activity.

In order to bring about quiescence of the mind, the yogi practices pranayama (restraint of the movement of the life-force), meditation and such other proper and appropriate methods. Great yogis regard this pranayama itself as the most appropriate method for the achievement of tranquility of the mind, peace etc.

I shall now describe to you the other viewpoint, that of the men of wisdom, born of their direct experience: they declare that the mind is born of one's obstinate clinging to a fancy or deluded imagination.

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सर्वानुग्राहकत्वेन तद्स्म्यहं वासुदेवः॥

That in whom reside all beings and who resides in all beings,
who is the giver of grace to all, the Supreme Soul of the universe, the limitless being:
I AM THAT. -- Amritabindu Upanishad