YOGA VASISTHA
(Excerpts from Swami Venkatesananda's 'The Supreme Yoga',
A new translation of Yoga Vasistha)
Sage Vasistha to Lord Rama
Vasistha continued:
I shall now describe the tree known as Samadhana (equanimity) that
grows in the forest known as the heart of the wise.
Its seed is a turning away from 'the world', whether this is caused
naturally or otherwise by the experience of sorrow. Mind is a field. It is
ploughed by right action, the right feeling waters it day and night, and the
practice of Pranayama nourishes it. On this field known as the mind, the seed
known as Samadhi (turning away from the world) falls of its own accord when
one is alone in the forest known as wisdom. The wise man should endeavor
constantly to keep this seed of meditation watered and nourished by
intelligent methods.
One should seek the company of the wise who are one's own real
well-wishers and who are pure and friendly. Then one should water the seed of
Samadhi or meditation by means of hearing, reflecting on and contemplating the
scriptures, which bring about total inner emptiness and which are full of
wisdom, pure and cool like nectar. Being aware of the precious seed of
meditation or Samadhi that has fallen in the field of one's mind, the wise man
should carefully cherish and nourish it by means of austerities, charity, etc.
When this seed begins to sprout, it should be further protected by
peace and contentment. At the same time, one should guard it against the birds
of desire, attachment to family, pride, greed, etc., with the help of
contentment. With the broom of right and loving action the dirt of Rajasic
restlessness must be swept away, whereas the darkness of Tamasic ignorance
must be driven away by the light of right understanding.
The lightning known as pride of wealth and the thunderstorm known as
pursuit of pleasure strike the field and devastate it. These should be
prevented with the trident of magnanimity, compassion, Japa, austerity,
self-control and contemplation upon the significance of the Pranava
(OM).
If it is thus protected, this seed grows into wisdom. With it the
entire field of the mind shines beautifully. The sprout grows two leaves. One
is known as study of scriptures and the other is Satsanga (company of the men
of wisdom). Soon it will grow the bark known as contentment with the sap known
as dispassion or non-coloring of mind. Fed by the rain of scriptural wisdom,
it will soon grow into a tree. Then it is not easily swayed even when it is
shaken by the monkeys known as Raga-Dwesha (attraction and aversion). Then
there arise in it the branches known as pure knowledge that reach-out far and
wide. Clarity of vision, truthfulness, courage, unclouded understanding,
equanimity, peace, friendliness, compassion, fame, etc., are its other
branches that arise when one is fully established in Dhyana or meditation.
The tree of meditation casts a cool shade in which all desires and
cravings come to an end and all the burning distress ceases. Meditation
expands the shade of self-control that promotes steadiness of the mind.
A deer known as the mind, which had been wandering in the wilderness
of countless concepts, notions and prejudices and which somehow finds the
right path, takes shelter under this tree. This deer is pursued by its many
enemies who covet its hide or covering. The mind hides itself in thorny bushes
known as the body to save itself. All this effort wears out its energies.
Running hither and thither in the forest of Samsara, harassed by the winds
known as Vasanas or latent tendencies and scorched by the heat of ego-sense,
the deer is afflicted by interminable distress.
This deer is not easily satisfied with what it gets. Its cravings
multiply and it continues to go out far in search of satisfaction of those
cravings. It gets attached to the many pleasure-centers known as wife,
children, etc., and it wears itself out in looking after them. It is caught in
the net of wealth, etc., and it struggles to free itself. In this struggle it
falls down again and again and injures itself. Borne down by the current of
craving, it is carried far away. It is haunted and hunted by innumerable
ailments. It is also trapped by the different sense-experiences. It is
bewildered by its alternate rise to the heavenly regions and its fall into the
hell. It is crushed and wounded by stones and rocks known as mental
modifications and evil qualities. To remedy all these, it conjures up by its
own intellect various codes of conduct, which prove ineffectual. It has no
knowledge of the Self or the Infinite Consciousness.
This deer known as the mind is made insensible by the poisonous
exhalation of the snake known as worldly pleasure and craving for such
pleasure it is burnt by the fire of anger. It is dried up by worries
and anxieties. The tiger known as poverty pursues it. It falls into the pit of
attachment. Its heart is broken by the frustration of its own pride.
At some stage, this deer turns away from all this and seeks the
refuge of some tree already described (the tree of meditation) and there it
shines brightly. Supreme peace or bliss is not attained in any other
condition excepting the unconditioned state of Consciousness, and this is
attained only in the shade of the tree known as Samadhi or meditation.
Thus having obtained rest, the deer (mind) delights itself there and
does not seek to go elsewhere. After some time, the tree known as meditation
or Samadhi begins to yield its fruit, which is the revelation of the Supreme
Self. The mind-deer beholds that fruit above itself on the tree of meditation.
Thereupon it abandons all other pursuits and climbs that tree to taste its
fruits. Having ascended that tree, the mind-deer abandons the worldly thought
patterns and it does not contemplate upon the baser life again. Even as the
snake abandons its slough, this mind-deer abandons its previous habits so that
it might ascend the tree of meditation. Whenever memory of its own past
arises, it laughs aloud, "How was it that I remained such a fool till
now!" Having discarded greed etc., it rests on that tree like an emperor.
HARI OM TAT SAT