Advaita Bodha Deepika -5

Advaita Bodha Deepika 

THE EXTINCTION OF THE MIND

1. In the previous chapter, having taught the realisation of

the non-dual Brahman, the master now treats of the extinction

of the mind as the sole means of realising Brahman.

M.: Wise son, leave off the mind which is the limiting

adjunct giving rise to individuality, thus causing the great malady

of repeated births and deaths, and realise Brahman.

2. D.: Master, how can the mind be extinguished? Is it not

very hard to do so? Is not the mind very powerful, restive and

ever vacillating? How can one relinquish the mind?

3-4. M.: To give up the mind is very easy, as easy as crushing

a delicate flower, or removing a hair from butter or winking

your eyes. Doubt it not. For a self-possessed resolute seeker not

bewitched by the senses, but by strong dispassion grown

indifferent to external objects, there cannot be the least difficulty

in giving up the mind.

D.: How is it so easy?

M.: The question of difficulty arises only if there is a mind

to leave off. Truly speaking, there is no mind. When told ‘There

is a ghost here’ an ignorant child is deluded into believing the

existence of the non-existent ghost, and is subject to fear, misery

and troubles, similarly in the untainted Brahman by fancying

things that are not, as this and that, a false entity known as the

mind arises seemingly real, functioning as this and that, and

proving uncontrollable and mighty to the unwary, whereas to

the self-possessed, discerning seeker who knows its nature, it is

easy to relinquish. Only a fool ignorant of its nature says it is

most difficult.

CHAPTER VIII

MANONASA

5-10. D.: What is the nature of mind?

M.: To think this and that. In the absence of thought, there

can be no mind. On the thoughts being extinguished the mind

will remain only in name like the horn of a hare; it will vanish as

a non-entity like a barren woman’s son, or a hare’s horn, or a

flower in the sky. This is also mentioned in the Yoga Vasishta.

D.: How?

M.: Vasishta says: ‘Listen, O Rama, there is nothing to

speak of as mind. Just as the ether exists without form, so also

the mind exists as the blank insentience. It remains only in

name; it has no form. It is not outside, nor is it in the heart. Yet

like the ether, the mind though formless fills all’.

D.: How can this be?

M.: Wherever thought arises as this and that, there is the

mind.

D.: If there be mind wherever there is thought, are thought

and mind different?

M.: Thought is the index of the mind. When a thought

arises mind is inferred. In the absence of thought, there can be

no mind. Therefore mind is nothing but thought. Thought is

itself mind.

D.: What is ‘thought’?

M.: ‘Thought’ is imagination. The thought-free state is

Bliss Supreme (Sivasvarupa). Thoughts are of two kinds; the

recalling of things experienced and unexperienced.

11. D.: To begin with, please tell me what is ‘thought’.

M.: Sages say that it is nothing but to think of any external

object as this or that, is or is not, this-wise or that-wise, etc.

12-13. D.: How is this to be classified under the heads of

things experienced and unexperienced?

M.: Of objects of senses, such as sound, already experienced

as ‘I saw — I heard — I touched etc.’ to think of them as

having been seen, heard, touched is the recollection of things

already experienced. To call to mind unexperienced objects of

senses is the thought of unexperienced things.

14. D.: That thoughts pertain to things already experienced

is understandable. But how to think of those not so experienced

unless they are reminiscences of things already experienced? One

can never think of things not experienced. How then can we say

— to think of things not already experienced is ‘thought’?

15. M.: Yes, it is quite possible. To think of things not

experienced is also thought. Objects unexperienced appear as

such only after thinking.

D.: How can the things not already experienced come

within the orbit of thought?

M.: By the process of positive and negative induction

(anvaya, vyatireka), all mental imagery must be said to be

thought-forms, whether already experienced or not.

16-17. D.: How do you apply the positive and negative

induction here?

M.: Whether existent or non-existent, already experienced

or not so experienced, whatever and however something is

thought of, it is apprehended. The mere thought of it amounts

to apprehension. This is the positive induction.

Real or unreal, experienced or not, however it may be,

whatever is not thought of, is not apprehended. This is negative

induction. From this process also it follows that thought is

apprehension.

18. D.: How can mere thought of anything be its

apprehension also? Things are apprehended directly by the senses

or by recall of past experiences to the mind. On the other hand,

things unheard of or unseen cannot be apprehended by simple

thinking of them. Therefore the logical conclusion that mere

thought of anything is its apprehension, does not hold.

M.: You are not right. How can you say that things not

directly cognised by the senses are not apprehended? The

pleasures of heaven though not already enjoyed, are vividly

pictured in our minds. This is owing to our knowledge of the

shastras which depict them. Though not experienced they appear

to us as delights not experienced.

19-21. D.: Things experienced can be thought of and

cognised. But things unexperienced cannot be cognised even if

thought of.

M.: Now listen. Experienced or unexperienced things can

be cognised. As things already experienced at a distant place are

thought of and cognised, so also things unexperienced can be

thought of and cognised, on hearing from others, such as the

Mount Meru of bright gold.

Though eyes and ears are closed, yet visions and sounds can

be thought of and cognised. Though in dark, one can still think

of an object and cognise it. Even without eyes and ears the blind

and the deaf cognise forms and sounds on thinking of them.

Therefore, already known or unknown, all that is thought of can

be apprehended. This is the affirmative proposition.

22. D.: What is negation?

M.: In the absence of mind, in swoons, deep sleep or

trance there is no thinking and consequently nothing is seen.

Not only in these states but also in waking, if one does not

think, there is no phenomenon.

23-25. D.: Even in waking it cannot be so. Objects of

direct cognition even if not thought of, are apprehended.

M.: No. What you say is not true. Everyday experience

teaches us otherwise.

D.: How?

M.: When a man is keenly attentive to something, he does

not answer when someone calls. Later he says ‘I was intent on

something else; I could not hear; I could not see; I was not

aware’ etc. It is therefore clear that without attention objects of

direct cognition cannot be apprehended.

26-28. D.: Cannot the objects of direct cognition be

apprehended, without attention?

M.: Though in direct contact with the senses, objects

cannot be cognised without attention to them. Though the

necklace is in contact with the body, because the wearer is

not attentive, its presence is not known; being unaware of

it, she even misses the ornament and searches for it. Though

in touch with the body of the wearer the necklace is missed

for want of attention.

Again a patient writhing with pain can be made to forget

it by drawing his attention to something else; similarly the grief

of bereavement is forgotten by attention being directed to other

matters of interest.

It is obvious that without attention, even the objects of

direct cognition cannot be recognised.

29-31. From this it follows that the cognition of anything

experienced or not, however it may be, can only be of the form

of thought. Therefore the perception of things has been signified

by various terms in Vedanta, such as cognition as this and that,

will, thought, mode of mind, intellect, latency, reflected

consciousness, the heart-knot, the seen, illusion, the individual,

the world, the all, God etc.

D.: Where has it been said that this knowledge is the all?

On the other hand it is said that maya became the all.

M.: Yes. Maya is the knowledge which is spoken of. Only

this objective knowledge goes under the different names, maya,

avidya, bondage, impurity, darkness, ignorance, the mind, the

cycles of repeated births and deaths etc.

D.: Be it so, what has this got to do with the extinction of

the mind?

M.: Listen. You must understand that the knowledge

signified by all these terms is only the mind.

32-33. D.: Who else says so?

M.: Vasishta has said to Rama: ‘Whatever objective

knowledge manifests as this and that, or not this and not that,

or in any other manner, it is only the mind. The mind is nothing

but this manifest knowledge’.

34. D.: Let it be so. How can the mind be extinguished?

M.: To forget everything is the ultimate means. But for

thought, the world does not arise. Do not think and it will not

arise. When nothing arises in the mind, the mind itself is lost.

Therefore do not think of anything, forget all. This is the best

way to kill the mind.

35-37.D.: Has anyone else said so before?

M.: Vasishta said so to Rama thus: ‘Efface thoughts of all

kinds, of things enjoyed, not enjoyed, or otherwise. Like wood

or stone, remain free from thoughts.

Rama: Should I altogether forget everything?

Vasishta: Exactly; altogether forget everything and remain

like wood or stone.

Rama: The result will be dullness like that of stones or

wood.

Vasishta: Not so. All this is only illusion. Forgetting the

illusion, you are freed from it. Though seeming dull, you

will be the Bliss Itself. Your intellect will be altogether clear

and sharp. Without getting entangled in worldly life, but

appearing active to others remain as the very Bliss of Brahman

and be happy. Unlike the blue colour of the sky, let not the

illusion of the world revive in the pure Ether of Consciousness-

Self. To forget this illusion is the sole means to

kill the mind and remain as Bliss. Though Shiva, Vishnu, or

Brahman Himself should instruct you, realisation is not

possible without this one means. Without forgetting

everything, fixity as the Self is impossible. Therefore

altogether forget everything.’

38-39. D.: Is it not very difficult to do so?

M.: Though for the ignorant it is difficult, for the

discerning few it is very easy. Never think of anything but the

unbroken unique Brahman. By a long practice of this, you will

easily forget the non-self. It cannot be difficult to remain still

without thinking anything. Let not thoughts arise in the mind;

always think of Brahman. In this way all worldly thoughts will

vanish and thought of Brahman alone will remain. When this

becomes steady, forget even this, and without thinking ‘I am

Brahman’, be the very Brahman. This cannot be difficult to

practise.

40. Now my wise son, follow this advice; cease thinking

of anything but Brahman. By this practice your mind will be

extinct; you will forget all and remain as pure Brahman.

41. He who studies this chapter and follows the instructions

contained therein, will soon be Brahman Itself!

ADVAITA BODHA DEEPIKA

Stages of

Cause

Nature

Effect

Limit

Fruit

Viveka

Arises only in a purified

mind.

To be convinced that

Brahman alone is real and

all else false.

Always to remember this

truth.

To be settled unswervingly

in the truth

that only Brahman is real.

The unreality of jagat

results in Vairagya.

Vairagya

Arises from Viveka.

Is to renounce the world

and have no desire for

anything in it.

Is to turn away in disgust

from all enjoyments.

Is treating with contempt

all pleasures — earthly or

heavenly.

Peace.

Uparati

Results from Ashtanga

yoga.

Consists in restraining

the mind.

Is to cease from

worldly activities.

Ends in forgetting the

worlds because

activities have ceased.

Mumukshutva

Begins with Sat-sanga,

i.e. association with

realised sages.

Is to yearn for mukti.

Its effect is to remain

with one’s master.

Ends in giving up of all

shastras and performance

of religious

rites.

APPENDIX II

Stages of

Cause

Nature

Effect

Limit

Fruit

Jnana (Supreme Knowledge)

Arises from sravana, manana,

nidhidhyasana Samadhi.

It is the blissful state of Shanti in

which Brahman alone exists and

nothing else.

Non-revival of the ego.

As firmly convinced by realising

Ah&b/ÆaiSm as the present deho§h& idea.

jIvnmuüKt jivanmukti.

Sravana

Results from viveka, vairag ya,

uparati, mumukshutva.

Always to be hearing of the non-dual

Brahman.

Removal of astattavarana.

Non-recurrence of astattavarana.

Paroksha jnana (indirect knowledge)

i.e. capacity for distinguishing the

real from the unreal.

Manana

Arises from viveka, i.e., indirect

knowledge.

Enquiring into the truth of the

advaitatma.

Removal of abhanavarana.

Non-recurrence of abhanavarana.

Aparoksha jnana (direct

knowledge) i.e. clearly to

distinguish the self from the ego.

Om Tat Sat

                                                        

(Continued...) 

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