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Upadesa Sara
Sloka 13
Two States of Mind
The restraint of the pranas helps a seeker achieve the absorption of the mind but not its annihilation. The difference between a mind in absorption and a destroyed mind is as follows:
layavinasane ubhaya-rodhane,
laya-gatam punar-bhavati no mrtam.
layavinasane – absorption and destruction of the (mind); ubhaya-rodhane – by the destruction of both pranas and the mind); laya-gatam – (the mind) that has gone to absorption; punar – again; bhavati – comes back (is born); na – never; mrtam – the dead (mind)
The absorption of the mind (manolaya) and the destruction of the mind (manonasa) occur by the restraint of both (the prana and the mind respectively). The absorbed mind comes back but never indeed the dead mind.
There is a lot of difference between a sleeping man and a dead man. The same is the difference between an absorbed mind and a dead mind. The absorbed mind again starts its usual functioning but not the dead mind, just as the sleeping man wakes up each morning to start his usual hectic or lazy day, but not a dead man. By the restraint of the pranas, the mind is absorbed but by the direct restraint of the mind, the mind itself is destroyed. As we read this, a fearful doubt arises in our mind: ‘If the mind is destroyed how will I gain knowledge of the world? How will I remember my experiences? How will I transact and live in the world?’ Who would desire such a state of existence; much less put forth efforts to reach it?
Such a state is indeed undesirable. So let us see what is meant over here by the phrase ‘destruction of the mind’. The mind has two aspects. One is that it recognizes objects as they are. The objects perceived by the senses are experienced, remembered, and understood. By the restraint of the mind, the thinking mind is not destroyed. Hence there is no reason to fear the destruction of the mind. This aspect of the mind continues to function even when the mind is destroyed. It does not cause any problems for us; In fact, it aids our life. The second aspect which broods over the perceived object creates feelings of likes, dislikes, desires, my-ness, and so on – this binds the man and is the cause for his sorrow. For example, a man sees a television in someone else’s house. He thereafter starts thinking – ‘Television is a good thing. It entertains me. I too should purchase one. Without a television, there is no joy in life’ and so on. Once a desire arises, man finds no peace till it is fulfilled. All this is because man feels that he gains happiness from objects. Therefore, the gain and loss of objects become a source of joy and sorrow. By inquiry, we realize that happiness is not the nature of the object but of the subject. Happiness is my own nature. This inquiry is elaborated further in verse 21.
Man due to ignorance of his own nature, searches for joy in objects, thereby creating problems and sorrows for himself. In a state of absorption, the mind does not perceive objects and is therefore quiet. But pranayama cannot remove the ignorance of one’s true nature. So, when the restraint over the prana is removed, the ignorant mind again wanders into the field of objects. But a mind that is destroyed does not do so. The above clearly indicates that destruction of the mind really means the removal of the ignorance of one’s own nature and not the destruction of the perceiving mind by which we transact with the world. Once ignorance·is destroyed, it never makes a comeback. It is gone once and for all. The man whose problematic mind is destroyed never again gets into delusion about the true nature of the world and his own nature of Happiness. He lives in the world amongst objects but does not get attached to anything or any being, as he is full and fulfilled within.
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