[Advaita-l] Realization through Mind

[Sujal Upadhyay]

Namaste,

What experience you have is because of mind only. But to experience there
has to be object of 'observation' that you can observe, see or be a
witness. Sri Ramana Maharshi has explained that like like a fire after
burning the corpse does not continue but extinguishes, similarly, with the
help of mind and chanting mantra OM or by neti-neti, one can rise above
mind.

When the object of observation vanishes, only the observer remains. But the
term 'observer' is relative and indicates that there must be something to
be 'observed' i.e. 'object of observation'. Hence only 'I' remains. Always
remember that existence of 'I' is Self evident. Without the first person
'I', there cannot be 'you', the second person and 'he' the third' person.

After all thoughts, desires, objects floating in mind are uprooted, only
'I' remains which is Brahman. Brahman can stay without mind, but not vice
versa. Brahman is pure consciousness.

Another example is of Pole Volt, in which an athlete runs with the long
bamboo (mind). There is a horizontal cross bar that one is supposed to jump
over it without touching it. After raising at a certain height and
position, athlete drops this pole and jumps on the 'other side', into the
infinite GYAnAkASa.

Mind is nothing but continuous flow of thoughts. When there is no thought,
no desire, then there is no mind too. Without mind, samsAra cannot be
experienced, what remains is pure consciousness. AtmA lightens (empowers)
mind and itself stay in mind and lightens giving an illusion that mind upon
itself is chaitanya (subtle and Self Effulgent). But mind is like a moon.

OM or any Self Enquiry, Neti-Neti does not remain after silencing the mind.

Another example is of camphor. It is used to clean water. After cleaning
dirt / impurities from water, it does not keep floating, but sinks to the
bottom.

Only that which is beyond mind can take you beyond mind. Hence Brahman is
always to be contemplated. No matter who many thoughts some and go, like a
chatak bird, never be satisfied with Non-Self, until you are permanently
established in your true Self. Just like a Dog never forgets smell of his
master (though he may catch other smells) and keeps tracing master by his
smell, by never loosing the smell, so we should mediate on Brahman.

Just like one can reach ocean by walking in the direction of sound of waves
and just just like the invisible / cognizable ocean becomes visible upon
reaching sea-shore, so shall this Brahman be clearly known.

Just like when seeing shadow, Sun cannot be seen, but when we turn towards
Sun, shadow cannot be been, so when in brAhmi sthiti, Brahman is clearly
experienced (not separately), but not the samsAra. When one clearly
experiences samsAra and duality, Brahman cannot be experienced.

It is all or none theory.

So rise above mind with the help of mind. Meditation is not to control
thoughts, or keep focusing on thoughts or a mantra. But to be aware of the
origin of a mantra which is silence, which is Brahman, which is 'I',
'Atman'. Mind calms down when one, by the grace of God and Guru, is able to
be aware of the source of mantra.

OM

Sujal Upadhyay

"To disconnect from the self and to become Aware of anything else is
nothing but unhappiness" - Bhagawan Ramana Maharshi

He who has faith has all
He who lacks faith, lacks all
It is the faith int he name of lord that works wonders
FAITH IS LIFE, DOUBT IS DEATH - Sri Ramakrishna

On Sun, Nov 9, 2014 at 11:54 AM, Ravi Kiran via Advaita-l <
advaita-l at lists.advaita-vedanta.org> wrote:

> Namaste
>
> The mind is used to negate all the wrong notions about oneself (
> tattwa vichaara) with the help of Sruti and Guru upadesha.
>
> Regards
>
> On 11/9/14, umesh ramaswamy via Advaita-l
> <advaita-l at lists.advaita-vedanta.org> wrote:
> > Respected Members,
> >
> > Vedas proclaim "Yato Vacho Nivartante Aprapya Manasasaha"....But looks
> like
> > one cannot go beyond mind because everything has to be cognized via mind
> > only. Even during meditation if the mind is not centered it will wander
> all
> > over the places and realization cannot be had without the help of the
> mind.
> > I remember having read somewhere U.G.Krishnamurthy as saying, one cannot
> go
> > beyond mind, and since everything has to be cognized through mind,
> > realization of Brahman (which is beyond mind) is a myth.
> > Can someone elaborate how Advaitic Realization is possible going beyond
> > Mind? Is Nidhidhyasana is also through mind?
> >
> >
> > Regards,
> > Umesh
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