Student Notebook
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Page 9 of 10
Coalescing the Four Yogas
Coalescence of the Four Yogas -- This is actually a contradiction in terms in that Yoga is perfection, as opposed to Yoga as practice. Therefore, Yoga as a natural unity, rather than a practice, has to be an underlying point.
All five sects of India operate the 4 Yogas: Vaishnavas, Shaktas, Shaivas, Ganapatyas, and Sauryas. These five sects view them via the six Darshanas and in accord with the three Stages of Philosophy, and the proponets of these sects are coursing up and down the two great streams of Vaidya and Tantra -- Tantra being more involved with upasana (worship), and Vaidya with jnana tattvas (wisdom principles). Taken all together, the above teaching forms a great overview of Indian Philosophy. [note: 4 Yogas: selfless action, devotion, wisdom, meditation; darshana means "way of seeing," i.e. philosophical systems; 3 Stages of Philosophy: dualism, qualified nondualism, Nondualism]
[While teaching from the chart, "Golden Rules for Sadhana and Transformation of Mind," Babaji made the following points:]
- Sadhana will not net one Freedom. It is for purification of the mind so that the mind won't throw up veils to the perception of our inherent Freedom. This first idea is to inculcate the idea of unity at all times, despite appearances. There is but one Soul -- call this Advaita Yoga or Advaita Vedanta sadhana. Enlightenment is a matter of grace married to right timing. All effort is to be accomplished as a mental practice first and foremost. Do not engage in goal-oriented sadhana (which wrongly assumes that effort produces Freedom/Enlightenment). Mental sadhana is needed; mere physical effort isn't enough.
What is the difference between peace of mind and quiescence of mind? Peace of mind is general -- "I'm okay, you're okay." One is generally content. But quiescence bespeaks of a meditative state. Here, a man has gone beyond all concerns over whether he is okay or not.
Mother's Sword of Discrimination reveals the edge of the sword, denoting purification of mind. The main point here is non-reaction. Resist reaction to things that are inherently changeful. To react is to accord them a kind of reality. But you have accepted aparinama as truth, ajativada as truth. So do not react to the changeful. They have nothing to do with you. [note: aparinama: reality is changeless; ajativada: there is no birth or creation]
Here and now, in this moment, I am talking of Yoga with you. But what if I walk away and forget Yoga? The same space where my body was before I got up and moved away is still there. Does my awareness move? It remains stable and steady. The Upanisads state that in the heart is the Atman, stable and stationary, but becoming manifest. "It moves; It moves not!"
Sometimes when the ego goes away in meditation you experience a blank. But you could join the ego to the Witness and remain alert.
Regarding the synchronicity of Neti-Neti and Iti-Iti, these two aspects or approaches are a way to coalesce the Yogas -- which are always unified anyway. Vedanta wants us to take neti-neti to the "Nth" degree: i.e., give up our consciousness relegated to the body, senses, prana, and mind. Here, you should affirm that wisdom is compassion. Just like doing japa of your mantra, do neti-neti for the good of others. [note: neti-neti: discrimination between Eternal and noneternal; iti-iti: All this is Brahman]
Sometimes we are detached and sometimes engrossed. We need the facility to attach and detach at will. So the jnani performs action as Witness and the Bhakta as sacrifice to the Lord.
Intense bhakti can destroy karma. Certain kinds of knowledge can destroy karma. But there are subtle karmas that cannot be gotten rid of without samadhi.
A society that doesn't last long has not realized ahimsa (nonviolence).
Concentration means to get the essence of something, be fulfilled by it, and take it into life.
Raja Yoga uses mantra to dissolve everything (mind) into the nondual state. I think it is very telling that those who are incarnations of Ishvara all tell us that all form dissolves into Brahman, and yet their followers will insist on clinging to Form.
Think of yourself as the archer. Appeal to yourself to refrain from taking arrows from your scabbard. Arrows in scabbard represent karmas awaiting possible fructification. Let them lie.
Your body, features, etc., are your prarabdha karma. Make sure that your mantra does not become "why me" or anything to do with "what, why, and when." Ask who, who is that archer? Your present karma, called prarabdha karma, is the karma playing out in this lifetime. That arrow has already been shot. I hope, at least, that your aim was good....
Use your positive karma, your punya, to propel you towards neutralization of karma.
The raja yogi has his sights set on colorless karma; it is nonbinding. The karma yogi wants the good, initially, while in the mode of serving, but later sees the benefit of colorless karma.
If you fall asleep when your mind and intellect go to sleep, you won't witness what the mind is suggesting to you -- the utter quiescence of Brahman. Intelligence stops vibrating in deep sleep.
Where do you go in deep sleep? In the dream state you can be anything and meet anyone. But in deep sleep there is nothing of form. Try to note the backdrop.....