Sthiti Prakarana
Excerpts from Book 4 On Existence
This section discusses the place of the individual being (jiva) in the scheme of creation.
Vasishta points out that the individual is none other than the ego sense or I known as ahamkara. This ego sense is the chief impediment to living with the knowledge of ones true self (atman sthiti). It is because of the ego sense that human beings fail to recognize themselves as they really are and suffer misery. It is only when the identification with the ego sense is extinguished that a seeker attains realization of the atman, the Supreme Soul.
The body and the senses are inert. It is the chidabhasa, the reflected light of the atman, that gives life to the body and makes the senses perform their functions. The objects perceived by the senses are not different from the atman. The perceiver and the objects perceived both originate from the atman and therefore are identical. When a person gains firm comprehension of this truth, it is realized that nothing exists apart from ones own atman or Self.
This atman is then realized as both the origin of this universe and its enjoyer as well. When this knowledge becomes firm a person is freed from the duality of happiness and sorrow.
Chastity (bramacharya), constant practice (abhyas), and detachment (vairagya) are the means for attaining this knowledge, which in turn leads to a firm abidance in the Self (atman stithi). /"conduct consistent with Brahman" or "on the path of Brahman.completely controls body and mind through ascetic means. /to stay true to one's Self or one own Atma"
Know that all living beings have two bodies here, of which one is known as the intellectual or spiritual body or mind.
The other is the inert or corporeal frame that is fragile and perishable. The minute thing of the mind which lasts until its liberation, is what leads all to their good or evil desires.
As a skillful charioteer guides his chariot with care, so is this body conducted by the intelligent mind, with equal attention and fondness. But an ignorant mind that is prone to evil, destroys the good body; just like little children break their dolls of clay in sport.
The mind is hence called the purusa or ruler of the body, and the working of the mind is taken for the act of the man. It is bound to the earth by its desires, and freed by its freedom from earthly attractions and expectations.
Chapter 11
Of the two bodies of men, the mind alone is omnipresent. The mind therefore is the true body that reflects and makes us conscious of the existence of ourselves, as also of the exterior world. It is the mind that molds the body according to its will. The mind's power creates apparent realities out of absolute unreality, in dream and delirium, in misconceptions and fallacies and all kinds of error.
The mind gradually molds itself into the form which it constantly thinks upon in itself. The mind derives from within itself the power to be what it wishes to become. The unsteady mind has wrapped the steady soul under the sheath of error, just like the silkworm's cocoon covers the dormant worm.
All bondages that bind the embodied soul to earth are the works of the mind, which is the root of all worldly ties and affections.
The consciousness of gods, demigods and men as distinct beings is quite wrong because they are in no way distinct from the infinite ocean of Divine Spirit of which they are all like undulations.
It is owing to our erroneous conceptions that we make these distinctions in ourselves and the Supreme Soul. The thought of being separate and apart from the Supreme Spirit is the cause of our degradation from our pristine holiness and the image of God, in which man was made at first and was infused with his holy spirit.
Remaining within the depth of the Divine Spirit, yet thinking ourselves to live without it, is the cause of keeping us in darkness on the surface of the earth. Our consciousness of ourselves as Brahma, being spoiled by the various thoughts in our minds, becomes the root of our activities; while the pure consciousness of "I am" is free from all actions and energies.
Chapter 12
As long as there is the body, there is the feeling of pleasure in pleasure and pain in pain. But the mind that is unattached to and unaffected by them, feigns to itself the show of wisdom.
He is free who has the freedom of his mind, although his body is held in bondage. But he labors in bondage whose mind is enslaved by error, though he is free in his body.
Feelings of the mind cause happiness, misery, liberty and bondage, just like the flames of fire cause light.
Therefore conform yourself with the custom of the society in your outward conduct, but remain indifferent to all worldly concerns in your inner mind. Remain true to yourself by giving up your concerns in the world, but continue to discharge all your duties in this world by the acts of your body. Take care of the inner sorrows, bodily diseases, and the dangerous whirlpools and pitfalls in the course of your life. Do not fall into the black hole of selfishness, which gives the soul its greatest anguish.
Chapter 18
The mind is the germ of the forest of acts and this germ being nipped in the beginning prevents the growth of the tree and frustrates the doing of acts which are its fruits.
The minds of men are always troubled with thoughts of the world and bodily actions. But these being deadened and defunct, we see neither the body nor the outer world.
The negation of the outer world and the suppression of the inner thoughts, by practice of self-denial for a long period of time, serve to curb the demon of the mind.
It is because of its thoughts that the mind is subject to the errors of its birth and death, and being bound to or liberated from the body and this world.
Chapter 15
The purity of mind which follows upon subsidence of desires, is known as the unsullied state of the soul (nirmalatma).
The mind is purified by its habit of fixed attention to one particular object; and it is the mind undisturbed by desires that receives the true light and reflection of things. It is impossible for the vitiated mind to apply itself intensely to any one particular object. The soiled mind cannot easily unite with the object of its thought, just as a dirty and cold piece of iron cannot join with a pure red-hot one, unless it is heated and purified from its impurity.
The pure mind and its pure thoughts are readily united with one another. Lack of desire constitutes the purity of the mind, which is readily united with immaterial things of the same nature like itself. The purity of the mind leads to its enlightenment, and these being united in one leads it to the Supreme.
The subtle elements (tanmatra) of the living soul and its inclinations, run in one channel to the reservoir of life, and are thickened into one living being by their mutual coalition. Some are situated apart from one another, and dissolve separately. Some are joined together, and are born like two gunja fruit growing together.
The different states of the mind, ensuing upon the absence of its present objects under its province, brings on a change in its constitution, which is called its regeneration (in a new life). Thus every regeneration of the mind in a new life, is accompanied by its concomitant desires and their results. The new life is attended with its proper body unless the mind has been cleared of those thoughts.
As pure Spirit in the form of vital breath (prana) performs the functions of the body, so the mind being reborn in a new body is employed in all the functions of that body.
Chapter 4
The souls of all living beings are subject to the three states of waking, dreaming and sound sleep. These states are caused by the mind and not by the body.
The living soul that has attained its intellectual state, and the rest of the conditions of sound sleep (susupti), is awakened to the knowledge of itself and is released from its rebirth; while the ignorant soul is subject to be born again.
Though knowing and unknowing souls attain the state of susupti (deep sleep) and resemble each other in kind; yet the unknowing susupta soul, which is not awakened to the knowledge of its spirituality is doomed to be reborn in the mortal world.
Omnipresent consciousness makes it pass into the mind of its next birth and exhibit itself in different forms in all its succeeding and subordinate regenerations (stages of life).
These repeated births and regenerations are as endless as the many layers in the trunk of a plantain tree.
Chapter 18
He who does not inquire into the questions "Who am I?" and "What is the world?" beside himself; is not liberated in his inner soul and suffers under the continuous fever of an errorenous life.
He is successful in his inquiry, who by his good understanding, comes to know how to curb his worldly avarice day by day.
As proper routine is the best medicine to secure the body's health, so is the habit of keeping the organs of sense under control, the only way to improve understanding.
Wisdom serves at first to weaken our passions and enmity, and then uproot them at once, and at last it lessens our desires and endeavors, and gives the appearance of holiness to its possessor.
However living beings strive for their progress, so they prosper in their lives according to the different scopes of their thoughts
and actions.
The worshippers of gods, get to the region of gods, and those of yaksas (semi-divine beings, spirits) meet in the world of yaksas, and the adorers of Brahma ascend to the world of Brahma,
Brahmaloka. Therefore resort to what is the best and greatest refuge.
Chapter 19
The subtle elements (tanmatra) of the living soul and its inclinations, run in one channel to the reservoir of life, and are thickened into one living being by their mutual coalition.
Some are situated apart from one another, and dissolve separately. Some are joined together, and are born like two gunja fruit growing together.
The different states of the mind, ensuing upon the absence of its present objects under its province, brings on a change in its constitution, which is called its regeneration (in a new life).
Thus every regeneration of the mind in a new life, is accompanied by its concomitant desires and their results. The new life is attended with its proper body unless the mind has been cleared of those thoughts.
As pure Spirit in the form of vital breath (prana) performs the functions of the body, so the mind being reborn in a new body is employed in all the functions of that body.
Chapter 18
Whatever the mind often thinks upon with a strong conviction of its reality, it immediately assumes that form.
The mind is the cause of error, and it is the mind which is the framer of the world.
The mind also stretches itself in the form of the universe (visvarupa) in its gross state.
The mind (citta) is called purusa or ruler of the body, which is rendered conscious (cetya) by it. Whatever form the mind
assumes to itself, it undoubtedly becomes the same.
So inquire into what is great, devoid of attributes and error, and which is easily attainable by everybody. Be diligent in your inquiry and you will surely succeed to obtain it.
Whatever is seated in the mind, the same comes to pass on the body; but what is done by the body never affects the mind. Therefore, apply your mind to truth, and shun whatever is untrue.
Chapter 20
The wise describe our consciousness of the world as a magic scene (maya), an appearance of ignorance (avidya), a mere thought (bhavana), and the cause and effect of our acts. It is the contemplation of objects (sankalpa), that presents the phenomena to our view; and it is their incogitancy (asankalpana), which effaces their images from inner and outer sights. It is the abstract meditation of the thoughtful yogi, that weakens the outward impressions, and by dissociating the soul from all external things, keeps it steady and sedate in itself.
The mind being inclined to the right view of things by its abstraction from unreal sights, produces the clearness of the understanding, and an insouciant tranquility of the soul.
Application of the mind to unworthy thoughts, and to the internal or external sights of things blocks the soul from tasting the sweets of its unity.
The mind that is subject to endless desires is like the clear sky hidden by clouds.
