Essence of All Spiritual Disciplines
The very "Self Identity" (swaroop) of all beings is only "Divinity and Existence." That very Existence is in the form of "Truth" (Sat), Consciousness (Chit) and Bliss (Anand). That very "Divinity and Existence" (Sattaa) ever remains (i.e. eternally-constantly) "AS-IS", without modification and free of all attachments. When a man forgets his very Self, (swaroop), then pride of body-consciousness arises, i.e.
He begins to consider himself to be the body.
This assumed relationship of the body is of three kinds -
1. I am this Body
2. This Body is Mine
3. This Body is for Me.
We perceive only two things -
1. Perishable (inert) and
2. Imperishable (conscious, sentient being)
The very "Self Identity" (swaroop) of all beings is only "Divinity and Existence." That very Existence is in the form of "Truth" (Sat), Consciousness (Chit) and Bliss (Anand). That very "Divinity and Existence" (Sattaa) ever remains (i.e. eternally-constantly) "AS-IS", without modification and free of all attachments. When a man forgets his very Self, (swaroop), then pride of body-consciousness arises, i.e.
He begins to consider himself to be the body.
This assumed relationship of the body is of three kinds -
1. I am this Body
2. This Body is Mine
3. This Body is for Me.
We perceive only two things -
1. Perishable (inert) and
2. Imperishable (conscious, sentient being)
The two are completely different and separate. In the Gita these have been called -
1. Body and Indweller in the body
2. Perishable (Kshar) and Imperishable (Akshar)
3. Field (Kshetra, Body) and the Knower of the Field (Kshetrajna, Soul).
Saints have called these "Not" (Nahin) and "Is" (Hai). The
"Self" i.e. Self Identity (swaroop) is "Indweller of the Body" (shariri). It is "Consciousness" (chetan), Indestructible (avinaashi), Imperishable (akshar), knower of the field (Kshetragya) and "IS" (Exists, Hai). That which is "Not" i.e that which is 'Not Self' i.e. Not our swaroop, is in the form of this body, and it is inert (jad), destructible, perishable, and O' Lord O' My Lord May I never forget You is "Not" (Nahin). That which is in the form of "IS" (Hai roop) is ever attained and that which is in the form of "NOT", is acquired and lost.
There is one vital point that by perceiving "IS", the real and
pure "IS" is not perceived, but by perceiving the "Not" in the form of "Not" , the real "Is" is perceived. The reason is that when we hold that "I am pure, enlightened, liberated soul", we apply our mind intellect, we apply our tendencies and thus along with "IS", the "Not" (mind-intellect, I-ness, tendencies) will also blend in. However, when we hold that "I am not the Body, the Body is Not Mine and this Body is not for Me, in this manner by perceiving "Not" in the form of "Not" then all including the tendencies will go with "not" and the Real and Pure self as "IS" (Divinity) remains.
1. Body and Indweller in the body
2. Perishable (Kshar) and Imperishable (Akshar)
3. Field (Kshetra, Body) and the Knower of the Field (Kshetrajna, Soul).
Saints have called these "Not" (Nahin) and "Is" (Hai). The
"Self" i.e. Self Identity (swaroop) is "Indweller of the Body" (shariri). It is "Consciousness" (chetan), Indestructible (avinaashi), Imperishable (akshar), knower of the field (Kshetragya) and "IS" (Exists, Hai). That which is "Not" i.e that which is 'Not Self' i.e. Not our swaroop, is in the form of this body, and it is inert (jad), destructible, perishable, and O' Lord O' My Lord May I never forget You is "Not" (Nahin). That which is in the form of "IS" (Hai roop) is ever attained and that which is in the form of "NOT", is acquired and lost.
There is one vital point that by perceiving "IS", the real and
pure "IS" is not perceived, but by perceiving the "Not" in the form of "Not" , the real "Is" is perceived. The reason is that when we hold that "I am pure, enlightened, liberated soul", we apply our mind intellect, we apply our tendencies and thus along with "IS", the "Not" (mind-intellect, I-ness, tendencies) will also blend in. However, when we hold that "I am not the Body, the Body is Not Mine and this Body is not for Me, in this manner by perceiving "Not" in the form of "Not" then all including the tendencies will go with "not" and the Real and Pure self as "IS" (Divinity) remains.
Let us take an example - After sweeping the floor with a
broom to remove the dirt, one puts aside (sacrifice) the broom as well, and thereafter what remains is a clean house. It means that when "I am the Soul" is thought by the mind and determined by the intellect, our relationship continues to remain with that disposition "I".
But when we hold that "This body is not me", we sever relationship
with both the body and the disposition "I" and what remains naturally
and on it's own is the pure Self as Divinity. Therefore in Self
Realization the spiritual discipline of negation is most important. For this discipline arising from negation, it is essential for a spiritual aspirant to accept three things - I am not this body, this body is not mine and this body is not for me. As long as the sentiments remains within an aspirant that I am this body, this body is mine and it is for me, till then however much he may study or listen to discourses, or even preach the gospels to others, he will neither attain peace, nor salvation. Therefore at the beginning in the Gita, the Lord has laid special emphasis on this point for a sadhak, on the fact that you are not the body that undergoes changes such as birth and death.
From book "Sab Sadhano ka Saar" in Hindi by Swami Ramsukhdasji
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If in doubt regarding the translation, please read the original Hindi message by Swamiji.
FOR MESSAGE IN HINDI PLEASE VISIT Date : 13th March, 2012 "Sab Sadhano ka Saar"
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