On Tue, 6 Aug 1996, M Suresh wrote:
> > I have another related question to the learned members of the
> > Group. What about mentally-challenged humans (for e.g. people
> > with Down's syndrome or other what we call "mental disorders") ?
> > Are they also under the influence of mAya? How difficult is it for
> > them for Self-realization? We do not know about their
> > Self-Realization, but they might not have been deluded or
> > mesmerized by mAya. In that, they may have an advantage. Am I
> > correct in this thinking? Is their mind at peace or is there a
> > conflict
> > going in their minds also?
>
> I am not a learned member of the group, but here is my opinion :-). The
> control
> of senses should be voluntary and not due to something external. Thus
> deep sleep or unconsciousness does not qualify as control of senses.
Deadening
> of one or more local senses by local anesthesia or being born without one of
> the
> senses would also not amount to mind control of which the senses are agents.
>
> Just as the senses are instruments of the mind. The brain is also a sort of
> instrument of the mind. So being born with a defective brain or deadening or
> activating certain regions of the brain by drugs, alcohol, electrical
> simulation
> etc. will not amount to samadhi.
I am not saying they are in samadhi.
May be I am wrong but my feeling is: The average human mind perceives the
world, imagines it to be real and is in the wrong path. Only selected few
who have control of the mind direct it inward for Self-exploration,
realize that the world is a product of maya. Once it is realized, mind
quietens down, does not fluctuate and the person becomes jnani. Removal
of this veil of maya is enlightenment. This enlightenment is only for
people with what we call a "normally functioning mind".
Now let us take the case of a person with what we call a "mental
disorder". We need also to keep in mind that it is we (who have a
"properly functioning mind" which perceives the world as real (!))
that put the tag of "mental disorder". This person has not perceived
the world at all and hence the concept of real or unreal world does
not arise. So, the proper word is not enlightenment for this person.
But I believe this person is closer to God, because maya is ineffective
in deluding this person.
History of Hastamalaka (one of Sri Sankara's disciples and the originator
of Hastamalaka Stotra)is to be kept in mind in this context. There is
no Sankara now to wake this type of person.
>
> regards,
> Suresh.
>
Regards
Gummuluru Murthy
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Adau ante ca yan nAsti vartamAnepi tat tathA !
GaudapAda in Mandukya kArika
What did not exist at the beginning and what is not going to exist at the
end is as good as non-existent even in the present.
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