2.1 YOGIC ACHIEVEMENTS IN REGARD TO MAJOR ATTITUDES.
Here I would like to discuss what are the ultimate yogic achievements of a self-realised, enlightened or liberated being in regard to major attitudes as the state of self-realisation is the ultimate destination of the whole yogic path and shows the direction in which main efforts must be done in changing our habitual patterns of major attitudes which causes pain and suffering.
First it is necessary to point out that all five kleshas are completely rooted out in a liberated being and thus there is no substratum for development of all the distorted major attitudes which were discussed in the previous chapter.
As far as the major attitude towards oneself is concerned, the liberated being has achived a permanent unbroken identification with Brahman, the Supreme Reality. Actually everyone is already the Supreme Absolute, but we do not realize this; the liberated being has discovered and fully unfolded this true nature in himself. So he does not identify himself any more with his body, mind, actions, emotions and other material manifestations. He becomes pure consciousness in which "the quality of object and perceiving subject disappears so that the object and subject become one… the object of perception, the person perceiving and the perception that takes place all become one entity."1 He is not a small separate insignificant particle of the universe any more. He is everything and everywhere. He is total, blissful unity with the unmanifested as well as the manifested reality. He has entered everlasting unbroken state of ananda, eternal divine happiness, which is one of the attributes of Brahman. Swami Satyananda writes: "Everything unites to become one… Objects show their deeper and essential characteristic. Everything assumes an attitude of friendliness and the universe assumes a state of helpfulness; opposition to one's nature no longer exists… infinity and eternity become almost tangible…. One realizes that one's being is intimately bound up with everything that is. As such, the ego no longer seems important or even a reality… There are no longer separate entities. You are That."2 If we are fortunate enough to see a jivan-mukta, i.e. a liberated enlightened being in a living human body, we can perceive clearly that he constantly radiates full bliss, happiness, ananda from inside irrespective of outer circumstances and relationships. The bright sun of the Supreme shines through the physical body and this state cannot be disturbed by anything. It is natural that he has no self-images, there are no achievements and failures any more. Everything is already full and achieved in every moment. And in every moment he is manifesting his true nature.
Major attitude towards the process and values of life is also transformed radically. Through total loss of raga and dwesha the perfect state of equanimity and balance is achieved, attachment is dissolved, past and future do not make any difference, only present moment gains its totality and fullness, death of a physical body does not seem to be an important event any more." Life no longer seems fragmented by opposing ideas and opinions. Everything merges into one composite whole. External events enter the mind, are absorbed, yet without causing the usual disturbances or reverberations. All things take their normal course of action, without any unnecessary hustle or bustle. Fear… no longer exists. Even fear of death disappears, and the idea of death seems almost superficial, non-existant and unimportant. The usual ups and downs of life are replaced by a continual elevating feeling of the joyfulness of life… The past and future seem to be unimportant. They lack meaning. What is important is the eternal now. Living and experiencing the totality of the present seems the only important thing to do. The present is so absorbing that the mind automatically fixes itself on the work or action being done. Efficiency and perfection become the natural course of life's events. The normal impediments to efficiency, such as worry or anger, no longer block the total absorption of the mind. Under these conditions work becomes play and play becomes work. There is no differentiation. Life becomes so joyful so that it needs no ambition, no justification, no reason, it is sufficient just to be….. now the individual can do anything: exciting activities, be angry, be happy ,all the multivarious actions in life. These actions no longer adversely affect his inner being. He goes through life as a witness. Sense enjoyments are not diminished; in fact they are heightened."3
As a result the understanding of the goal of this particular life in this particular body in this particular manifested world is also transformed completely. Of course, first it takes not a single life of hard sadhana to achieve the state of enlightment and this goal must be pursued with full determination and one-pointedness. First comes the understanding that "human birth is not an accidental phenomenon, it has a purpose. A human being is born to accomplish a goal. The goal is to meet God face to face, and then live in the world and yet remain above, unaffected."4 The aspirant must "maintain a constant and continuous awareness of the spiritual goal… The urge has to be felt."5 The entire being of the aspirant must the devoted to this goal. In Sadhana Chatushtaya this urge, intense desire for liberation is called mumukshutva and regarded as an essential requirement for a prospective disciple. Without complete awareness and firm determination the goal of enlightment and liberation cannot be achieved.
However once achieved the goal a liberated person has no necessity to be incarnated again. The only reason for the next incarnation is compassion for bound souls. He takes birth to lead them out of suffering in sansara to the light of the Supreme Reality. He does not care about his body and he has no needs. His only aim is to help others.
He has already achieved true expansion of his ego in identification with Brahman and then totally dissolved his ego in the Supreme Self. He is constant bliss, unbroken ananda. No need to return back to the prison of manifested world. However unlimited compassion for those suffering in avidya whom he percives as a part of himself makes him put on subtle and gross limitations of manifested world again.
1. Swami Satyananda Saraswati, " Meditations from Tantras," p. 82.
2. Swami Satyananda Saraswati, "Meditations from Tantras", p.59-60.
3. Swami Satyananda Saraswati, " Meditations from Tantras", p.58-59.
4. Swami Rama, " Sadhana. The Essence of Spiritual Life," p.9.
5. Swami Niranjananda Saraswati, "Awareness of Goal," Yoga Magazine, July 2001, p.23.
First it is necessary to point out that all five kleshas are completely rooted out in a liberated being and thus there is no substratum for development of all the distorted major attitudes which were discussed in the previous chapter.
As far as the major attitude towards oneself is concerned, the liberated being has achived a permanent unbroken identification with Brahman, the Supreme Reality. Actually everyone is already the Supreme Absolute, but we do not realize this; the liberated being has discovered and fully unfolded this true nature in himself. So he does not identify himself any more with his body, mind, actions, emotions and other material manifestations. He becomes pure consciousness in which "the quality of object and perceiving subject disappears so that the object and subject become one… the object of perception, the person perceiving and the perception that takes place all become one entity."1 He is not a small separate insignificant particle of the universe any more. He is everything and everywhere. He is total, blissful unity with the unmanifested as well as the manifested reality. He has entered everlasting unbroken state of ananda, eternal divine happiness, which is one of the attributes of Brahman. Swami Satyananda writes: "Everything unites to become one… Objects show their deeper and essential characteristic. Everything assumes an attitude of friendliness and the universe assumes a state of helpfulness; opposition to one's nature no longer exists… infinity and eternity become almost tangible…. One realizes that one's being is intimately bound up with everything that is. As such, the ego no longer seems important or even a reality… There are no longer separate entities. You are That."2 If we are fortunate enough to see a jivan-mukta, i.e. a liberated enlightened being in a living human body, we can perceive clearly that he constantly radiates full bliss, happiness, ananda from inside irrespective of outer circumstances and relationships. The bright sun of the Supreme shines through the physical body and this state cannot be disturbed by anything. It is natural that he has no self-images, there are no achievements and failures any more. Everything is already full and achieved in every moment. And in every moment he is manifesting his true nature.
Major attitude towards the process and values of life is also transformed radically. Through total loss of raga and dwesha the perfect state of equanimity and balance is achieved, attachment is dissolved, past and future do not make any difference, only present moment gains its totality and fullness, death of a physical body does not seem to be an important event any more." Life no longer seems fragmented by opposing ideas and opinions. Everything merges into one composite whole. External events enter the mind, are absorbed, yet without causing the usual disturbances or reverberations. All things take their normal course of action, without any unnecessary hustle or bustle. Fear… no longer exists. Even fear of death disappears, and the idea of death seems almost superficial, non-existant and unimportant. The usual ups and downs of life are replaced by a continual elevating feeling of the joyfulness of life… The past and future seem to be unimportant. They lack meaning. What is important is the eternal now. Living and experiencing the totality of the present seems the only important thing to do. The present is so absorbing that the mind automatically fixes itself on the work or action being done. Efficiency and perfection become the natural course of life's events. The normal impediments to efficiency, such as worry or anger, no longer block the total absorption of the mind. Under these conditions work becomes play and play becomes work. There is no differentiation. Life becomes so joyful so that it needs no ambition, no justification, no reason, it is sufficient just to be….. now the individual can do anything: exciting activities, be angry, be happy ,all the multivarious actions in life. These actions no longer adversely affect his inner being. He goes through life as a witness. Sense enjoyments are not diminished; in fact they are heightened."3
As a result the understanding of the goal of this particular life in this particular body in this particular manifested world is also transformed completely. Of course, first it takes not a single life of hard sadhana to achieve the state of enlightment and this goal must be pursued with full determination and one-pointedness. First comes the understanding that "human birth is not an accidental phenomenon, it has a purpose. A human being is born to accomplish a goal. The goal is to meet God face to face, and then live in the world and yet remain above, unaffected."4 The aspirant must "maintain a constant and continuous awareness of the spiritual goal… The urge has to be felt."5 The entire being of the aspirant must the devoted to this goal. In Sadhana Chatushtaya this urge, intense desire for liberation is called mumukshutva and regarded as an essential requirement for a prospective disciple. Without complete awareness and firm determination the goal of enlightment and liberation cannot be achieved.
However once achieved the goal a liberated person has no necessity to be incarnated again. The only reason for the next incarnation is compassion for bound souls. He takes birth to lead them out of suffering in sansara to the light of the Supreme Reality. He does not care about his body and he has no needs. His only aim is to help others.
He has already achieved true expansion of his ego in identification with Brahman and then totally dissolved his ego in the Supreme Self. He is constant bliss, unbroken ananda. No need to return back to the prison of manifested world. However unlimited compassion for those suffering in avidya whom he percives as a part of himself makes him put on subtle and gross limitations of manifested world again.
1. Swami Satyananda Saraswati, " Meditations from Tantras," p. 82.
2. Swami Satyananda Saraswati, "Meditations from Tantras", p.59-60.
3. Swami Satyananda Saraswati, " Meditations from Tantras", p.58-59.
4. Swami Rama, " Sadhana. The Essence of Spiritual Life," p.9.
5. Swami Niranjananda Saraswati, "Awareness of Goal," Yoga Magazine, July 2001, p.23.
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