[Advaita-l] States of the Mind

[kuntimaddi sadananda]

Karthik - PraNAms

The question you posed is very fundamental. Yes, mind still perceives - but the attention of the mind is not - I am a perceiver and this is perceived – it’s attention is at the oneness that is substantive of both perceiver and perceived. In the wonder, your attention is not at the analytical level (that divides) but at synthetic level (that integrates).

Even the self-realization is also called as 'akhandaakaara vRitti' - where vRitti is related to the mind only. Without mind there is no realization - who has to realize what? aatma does not need realization and ego cannot realize. Realization is the recognition that I am not the ego but I am the consciousness that ever exists. It is shifting attention of the mind from anaatma to aatma. That constant awareness  in the mind that I am that constant awareness is the akhandaakaara vRitti – where subject-objects are recognized are only superficial (mithyaa) and I am the substantive of both.

It is the same way - in the duality of perceiver- perceived, the mind's attention is shifted not to duality that separates but to the substantive that pervades both the perceiver and the perceived. In fact the same thing happens in the moments of happiness - where desirer and desired become one and the mind is free from both - meaning it is at the substantive level is nothing but limitless and therefore pure happiness - Hence Vidyaaranya says - viShayaanande brahmaanandaH.  

You are one with the universe - until of course another desire comes. If you have no desire you are all the time at the substantive level -atmanyeva aatmanaa tushTaH - and Krishna says for that 'prajahaati sarvaan kaamaan' - here kaamaan means one's notion of dependence on the things other than himself.

I am taking the liberty to post to the list, since your question is of general interest. 

Hari Om!
Sadananda





--- On Sun, 11/9/08, Karthik Subramanian <karthikvathula at yahoo.com> wrote:

> From: Karthik Subramanian <karthikvathula at yahoo.com>
> Subject: Re: [Advaita-l] States of the Mind
> To: kuntimaddisada at yahoo.com
> Date: Sunday, November 9, 2008, 11:05 PM
> Dear Sadananda-ji,
>  
> Thanks for the explanation. But isn't it the mind that
> still perceives the sight? Does the cessation happen
> immediately after the initial perception? 
> 
> Regards,
> Karthik
> 
> --- On Fri, 7/11/08, kuntimaddi sadananda
> <kuntimaddisada at yahoo.com> wrote:
> 
> From: kuntimaddi sadananda <kuntimaddisada at yahoo.com>
> Subject: Re: [Advaita-l] States of the Mind
> To: advaita-l at lists.advaita-vedanta.org
> Date: Friday, 7 November, 2008, 3:57 PM
> 
> Karthik - PraNams
> 
> This is what I think happens:
> 
> Wonder is that which is beyond the intellectual
> cause-effect hunting. Mind in
> those moments ceases to function as separate from the
> universe of
> observed-observer-observation. It becomes one with it.
> There is no 'I and I
> want' in those moments which are forms of
> crystallization of ego. No
> analysis - just BE- one that pervades the seen and the seer
> - Just the silence
> without any rattling noise of the mind until a thought
> arises - 'Let me take
> a picture of this' or 'I wish my spouse is also
> here to enjoy', when
> the duality sets in.
> 
> Hari Om!
> Sadananda
> 
> 
> 
> 
> --- On Fri, 11/7/08, Karthik Subramanian
> <karthikvathula at yahoo.com>
> wrote:
> 
> > From: Karthik Subramanian
> <karthikvathula at yahoo.com>
> > Subject: [Advaita-l] States of the Mind
> > To: advaita-l at lists.advaita-vedanta.org
> > Date: Friday, November 7, 2008, 3:28 AM
> > Namaste,
> >  
> > Why does the mind experience a sense of awe,
> tranquility,
> > happiness (don't know if it could be bliss,
> too) when
> > it sees scenes of nature like rivers and mountains,
> > primarily the snow-capped Himalayas? Does these cast
> any
> > effect on the mind? Or are these expressions arising
> the
> > Atman?
> >  
> > Request clarification.
> > 
> > Regards,
> > Karthik
> > 
> > 
> >       Add more friends to your messenger and enjoy! Go
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