Self-Knowledge and Emotional Problems Swami Paramarthananda
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Self-knowledge and Emotional Problems Swami Paramarthananda The journey of a sadhak or spiritual seeker removed for knowledge to be useful. We consists of three stages : 1. Jnanam–yogyata- can choose one or more methods for prapti 2. Jnanam-prapti and 3. Jnanam- removing doubts including reflection nishtha-prapti. (thinking over teaching or knowledge acquired), persuing texts specifically 1. Jnanam-yogyata-prapti : The first stage in written to clear doubts (known as the spiritual journey in jnana-yogyata- manana-granthas), participating in study prapti or the attainment of the necessary groups, discussing with acharya, etc., By qualification for acquiring spiritual removing doubts, knowledge gets knowledge. What are these qualifications? converted to conviction. The basic requirements are knowing the importance and role of spiritual 3. Jnana-nishtha-prapti : The final lap of the knowledge. spiritual journey is jnana-nishta-prapti or the internalization of the spiritual The scriptures talk of two sadhanas or knowledge acquired. We assimilate the practices for gaining the necessary fitness knowledge to such as extent that there is for acquiring spiritual knowledge : karma no gap between what we know and what yoga meaning leading a religious way of we are. The knowledge is so soaked in us life and following the values prescribed that we need not invoke the knowledge in the scriptures and saguna-ishta-devata- and it is available when we need it. Jnana- upasana wherein we meditate upon the nishtha-prapti brings about a Lord’s from our choice. transformation is our lives from a 2. Jnana-prapti : After equipping ourselves samsaari (one who is governed or greatly with the necessary qualifications. We influenced by his emotions). Again the acquire knowledge (jnana-prapti), scriptures prescribe two practices for specifically jivatma-Paramatma-aikya- jnana-nishta-prapti : nididhyasana and jnanam meaning the knowledge of the anusaranam. oneness between the jivatma and Nididhyasana is keeping the mind on the paramatma. Again the scriptures prescribe shastra or dwelling upon the teaching in a two-fold disciplines for acquiring one way or the other including reading, spiritual knowledge : sravanam and repeated listening, writing what we have mananam. Sravanam is the ‘consistent and learnt, interacting with other sadhaks and systemic study of the scriptures for a even teaching. Following the procedure length of time under the guidance of described in great detail by Krishna in the competent acharya’. Every word in this sixth chapter of the Bhagavad Gita – definition is important. Sravanam is a choosing a calm and quiet place, fixing a very important stage in the spiritual comfortable seat, sitting erect, closing our journey. Mananam is the second eyes, meditating on our nature is also one discipline. Knowledge is meaningful only of the methods of nididhyasana. It is when it is free from the obstacle of doubt. important to note that there is a Doubtful knowledge is as good as widespread misconception that this is the ignorance. Hence doubts should be only method of nididhyasana. We can ArshaArsha VidyaVidya NewsletterNewsletter -- JulyApril 2015 2015 1717 choose any of the above methods to keep ‘Vedanta seems to be working’. But after the mind focused on the scriptures. The a few days we may find ourselves in a essence of nididhyasana is that the mind situation wherein our emotions get the must be in touch with sastra. better of us. We may lose our temper and blow our top at our child or subordinate. The second discipline in anusaranam After sometime we are back to normal but meaning imitation. We imitate a feel a sense of regret. ‘Perhaps I could jeevanmuktha (one who has fully have handled that situation better; there understood and internalized the was no need to get angry’ we feel. In this scriptures). How does a jeevanmuktha situation, there is a two fold reaction. The conduct himself in the world? In the first reaction is the primary reaction Bhagavad Gita, Krishna describes a towards the world and people outside. jeevanmuktha – ‘He hates no being, is The second reaction is the secondary friendly and compassionate to all, is free reaction towards the primary reaction. We from the feeling of ‘I’ and ‘Mine’ (12.13- think this is not how a spiritual person 14). We imitate a jeevan-mukta because will behave and feel dejected that perhaps (initially) we do not have the necessary we are not progressing at all. It is this virtues in full measure. How will such secondary reaction that is unique and imitation help? ‘We fake it and make it’. common to all spiritual aspirants. Imitation will lead to acquisition. Primary reaction is our reaction to the Attainment of jnana-nistha is indicated by world and various situations therein. It is a transformation is our personality. The discussed in sastra. Krishna elaborate on ‘samsaari I’ is converted into asamsaari I’. primary reaction in Bhagavad Gita (2.55- How do we know we have become an 72, 12.13-20, 14.22-25). The lord points out asamsaari? Krishna discusses the behavior that a jnani is free from primary reactions, of a transformed person is the Bhagavad i.e. reactions towards object, people and Gita. The primary definition given is situations. freedom from all emotional disturbances and reactions – ‘free from attachment, fear Secondary reaction is based on the and anger’, ‘free from intolerance, fear judgement of our own mind and its and anxiety’ (2.56, 12.15). understanding progress with regards to primary reaction. this definition is important because we It is based on our expectations from our have to evaluate our spiritual progress on mind. Secondary reaction does not find this basis. much mention in the scriptures. Handling secondary reaction requires another form How do we know we are progressing of nididhyasana. This form of spiritually? And how can we measure our nididhyasana entails looking at our own progress? We can evaluate ourselves by mind in the light of Vedantic teaching. It introspection and analysis. And in so is more of a meditation on the mind and doing we will invariably find that the its nature. spiritual journey is neither smooth nor steady. We go through ups and downs. There are six important aspects of secondary During the day we go through numerous reaction that we must be aware of. A experiences interacting with family knowledge of these aspects will enable us to members, neighbours, colleagues, etc. evaluate our spiritual progress meaningfully. Sometimes we are able to maintain our emotional balance in a very difficult 1. The mind can never be totally free from situation. We feel we are making progress emotional disturbances and reactions. and are very pleased with ourselves. Krishna emphasizes this truth in the fourteenth chapter of the Bhagavat Gita. 18 Arsha Vidya Newsletter - July 2015 All the three gunas – sattva, rajas and does not have a beginning at all. The tamas are present even in the mind of a mind stores experiences of all the past jnani. No doubt sattva dominates but janmas. Further, among the factors that sometimes rajas or tamas can dominate are known, many are uncontrollable and and cause disturbances and reactions and remain uncontrollable even after acquiring not totally eliminate them. Self-knowledge. The cause for anger and provocation is an example. That is why 2. The reaction of emotional disturbances we find that sorrow exists at the same and rection can never be instantaneous: it time as Self-knowledge. is a gradual process. Disturbances and reactions manifest at three levels – mind, 5. The reduction of disturbances, or stated speech and body.mild disturbances positively, the refinement of the mind is express themselves at the mental and only the secondary purpose of Self- verbal level while strong disturbances knowledge. It is a by-product or influence the body – we become violent incidental benefit. and use force. As we progress we will 6. What then is the primary purpose of Self- notice three phenomina : 1. The frequency knowledge? The primary purpose of Self- of disturbances reduces (how often are we knowledge is not refining the mind but disturbed), 2. The intensity of the informing us that we are not the mind. disturbances decreases (from strong to This is the most important lesson that the mild) and 3. The recovery period (getting scriptures teach us. Hence there is no need back to normal) becomes lesser and lesser. to be obsessed with the conditions of the Initially we may get disturbed many times mind. No doubt we should give a day, become very emotional and brood importance to the mind (to progress for days on end. As we progress, we will spiritually) but no more than it deserves. find that we rarely get disturbed and if The conditions of our mind should not so it is only mildly and further we are cause anxiety or tension. We improve our able to recover very quickly, perhaps in mind reach a stage where we enjou our a matter of minutes or at the most an hour mind. or so. The mind becomes resilient and we come back to normal quickly. Thus we require two forms of nididhyasana – the first to minimize the 3. The reduction of the emotional primary reaction of the mind caused by disturbance is not a linear process the world and the second to handle the meaning the reduction does not occur secondary reaction of the mind caused by uniformly, at the same rate over time. If the primary reaction. If we follow these we think we have reduced our two forms of nididhyasana, we will find disturbances by 20 per cent in six months, the spiritual journey to be very enjoyable. it does not mean we will able to reduce And in the process we must not indulge our disturbances by 40 percent in a year’s in Self-judgement.