Reality of the world

[nanda chandran]

>It's a subject I still need to learn more about myself.  By idealism I
>mean the idea that apparently perceived objects are only essentially
>mental constructs.

But is this enquiry so vital for realization? Instead of enquiring about the
truth of the object, would it be more beneficial to probe and analyze
how/why/to what extent - external objects affect you? Or do they affect you
at all? If they don't then who's affected?

I'll give you a practical example : sit in a silent place and take ten deep
breaths slowly. Try to let go of all your concerns and try to absolutely
relax. You need not try controlling the mind or anything - just relax both
the body and mind. When you're well relaxed make a mental note of your
peaceful condition - but within a few minutes, before you know it and
whether you want it or not, you will be caught up with your concerns again
and your mind will be whirling away with its problems.

Enquire how this happened? How did you who were so peaceful one moment, lose
this peace in the next moment? Who is affected, how and why?

The logic behind the relaxation above is only that you are trying to
simulate the state of sushupti/deep sleep, where both the body and mind are
absolutely relaxed and the Self shines in itself. For the normal man without
the body and mind i.e, without their activity, there's no individual
awareness and there's only sleep. So if you try to absolutely relax you'll
naturally feel sleepy as that's the way the human being is designed - but
the trick here is to stay awake. It is ok if you fall asleep initially.
Gradually with steady practice, you'll be able to abide in your true
consciousness. You can actually even practice this when you go to sleep. If
you can absolutely relax you'll fall asleep immediately - thus you can
control when you want to sleep, too. But in those small moments before you
fall asleep you'll be able to intuit your true self.

In the practice you'll realize it is the "I" sense which is the enemy to
your relaxation - it is this "I" sense which keeps propping up, eager to use
the mind and the body. To absolutely relax you've to let go of this "I"
sense too - then consciousness will become asparsha - contactless - as
without the "I" there's no "you" either - and vice versa. (Do not confuse
this with "no soul" etc - what is, is, irrespective of what you think or
do).

Actually to stay absolutely relaxed itself is an experience of its own -
that is the true practice underlying the teaching of silence/maunam -
however much you try to stay relaxed, within seconds even before you realize
it, you'll see your mind getting agitated and your body raging to perform
its actions. Always try to relax and keep a watch on how being becomes
becoming - how peace is lost to samsaara.

In understanding how this happens, itself, lies the path and the goal.

_________________________________________________________________
Get your FREE download of MSN Explorer at http://explorer.msn.com/intl.asp