Tuesday, April 10, 2012

Yogic thought for today: I am not the mind.. mano buddhi ahamkara cittani na ham

Adi Shankaracharya in his  Atmashtakam  sings so fabulously, "The mind, intellect, ego, consciousness ... I am not that."

Now seeing that all these are so intrinsic to us, closer to us than the skin on our flesh, which to tear off will kill us, so too these things seem inevitable. On the mat, I realise a lot of people climb using either of these things.. but somewhere, like a shy thing which does not want to reveal itself to all and sundry, something luminescent.. That is where yoga is meant to lead u..

Here is what Ramana Says (there is no one else who has the clarity of expression he has, on this subject. Nobody else in the whole world:)

The fact is that the mind is only a bundle of thoughts. How can you extinguish it by the thought of doing so or by a desire? Your thoughts and desires are part and parcel of the mind. The mind is simply fattened by new thoughts rising up. Therefore it is foolish to attempt to kill the mind by means of the mind. The only way of doing it is to find its source and hold on to it. The mind will then fade away of its own accord.

2 comments:

evnathan said...

Yes, Sri Ramana Maharshi is unmatched in his simple, straight teachings. In a way,Sri Nisargadatta Maharaj follows his style. For instance, take this statement "Clarify your mind, purify your heart, sanctify your life-this is the quickest way to change your world."

ceedaar said...

nice blog. when the swami said'
Therefore it is foolish to attempt to kill the mind by means of the mind. The only way of doing it is to find its source and hold on to it. The mind will then fade away of its own accord.'

how does the person find that source to kill it.

regards