Another way of
saying this is why does God create the worlds?
This question
cannot be answered by man made philosophy, for the human intellect is in itself
made of fine energy or matter.
Only a great seer
while being in a state of perfect yoga may have the answer.
However, he would
not be able to communicate his answer in terms of logic and language, because,
there are no words to describe the experience. From an absolute standpoint, the
world of matter does not even exist
The manifest
world is not Reality and yet for most, it is nothing other than Reality. The
seers tell us, that only that is real, which permanently exists, which is
changeless but for most people lacking super conscious experience, these
statements can be baffling and mysterious.
What then is the
creative process that brings all things into manifestation?
According to
Vedanta from time to time the universe dissolves, or apparently dissolves. It
is said, to go back into undifferentiated Prakriti or Energy and remain there
in potential or seed state for a certain period until it is moved to express
again.
Prakriti or this
Energy is said to be composed of three forces. Sattwa, rajas and tamas, which
are know as the three gunas or attributes of nature. When the gunas are in
equilibrium, no creation occurs and Prakriti remains in potential form. When in
imbalance, creation happens. The gunas enter into a variety of combinations,
all of them irregular, with one or the other guna predominating over the rest.
Thus, we have a variety of physical and psychic phenomena which make up the
apparent universe.
The sound current
created by the gunas is perceived as Om.
When we describe
the gunas individually, we can say that sattwa represents all that is pure,
rajas expresses as action, motion and violence and tamas is solid, immobile,
resistance and inertia. It should be understood, that all gunas are present in
everything and exist on all levels, but that one guna always predominates.
The spiritual
aspirant is advised to transcend the gunas by the discipline of discrimination.
He is said to have transcended them when he does not hate the light of sattwa,
or the creativity of rajas, or even the delusion of tamas, nor does he long for
them after they have ceased. He is like one who sits undisturbed, and is fully
detached.
He knows that
they are the Doer of all action, and never loses this power of discrimination.
He rests in the inner calm of the Self regarding happiness and suffering as
one.
In summary,
creation can be said to be an outward evolution from the undifferentiated into
the differentiated consciousness, from mind into matter. Pure consciousness is
gradually covered by successive layer of ignorance and differentiation, each
layer being grosser and thicker than the one blow it, until the process ends
with the outer physical surface of the visible and tangible world.
Through
meditation we reverse the process. Meditation is evolution in reverse.
Beginning at the surface of life, the meditative mind goes inward, seeking
always the cause behind the appearance and then the cause behind the cause
until the innermost reality is reached.
The goal is to be
one with the One. This is moksha, Liberation.
Concentration is
primary.
When we have
achieved the highest degree of concentration upon a single object, we are ready
to attempt the highest concentration upon consciousness itself. Accomplishing this
is the perfect yoga, in which we pass from prakrity (energy), beyond all
objective knowledge, into union with the Self-the undifferentiated universal
consciousness.
This state of
yoga can only be entered, when the thought waves are stilled and the mind has
been cleared from its samskaras, both, the pure and impure.
This occurs when
we see ourselves non other than the Self.
Yoga teaches us,
that it is the samskaras (mental impressions) that drive us from birth to
birth.
We may say that
we are weary of the world with its interrelated pleasures and pains, but in
fact, we are not as long as these subconscious tendencies remain. Our desire
for sense experience is far greater than we realize.
It follows, that
the samskaras need to be rooted out before perfect yoga is achieved.
Karma
In Sanskrit, a
mental or physical act is called karma. Karma is also the word used to describe
the consequences of an act. We call this fate. Fate is nothing else but the sum
of consequences of our action in this or previous lives. After we have achieved
liberation in yoga, our acts will cease to produce karma.
Of one who has
achieved liberation, Shankara tells us:” Such actions are performed, as it
were, from memory. They are like the remembered action of a dream.”
Attachment
Concentration
without non attachment cannot bring liberation. Concentration on the mind or
the ego is said to make us one with the forces of nature
Concentration on
the Self and surrender of ego will make us to become one with the Self.
Heaven and Hell
Yoga does not
speak of heaven and hell. For the yogi heaven and hell are all within prakriti,
nature. He believes in many planes of existence other than this earthly one. To
these planes he goes for a while after death according to his karma. However,
he shall not remain there forever.
For the yogi the
desire for heaven is infinitely lower than desire for liberation.
How is true
concentration attained?
True Faith
according to Patanjali, is flexible, un-dogmatic, open to doubt and reason.
Faith is organic, like a plant throwing forth shoots and is growing. All we
require at the beginning is a seed. A seed can be in someone who is tranquil
through the practice of high thinking, meditation and spiritual discipline.
Through energy
Energy is like a
muscle. It grows stronger through being used. We need to put energy into our
worthwhile endeavors to gain momentum to fulfill our purpose.
Faith
Momentum
increases experience and results. As we obtain the results through the energy
we expend, we acquire faith in our applied method. We become more focused, more
goal oriented. As we do this, we become increasingly absorbed in our endeavor.
This leads into insights and illumination, oneness with the object or subject contemplated.
This is perfect concentration.
When
contemplation, concentration and meditation flow into one, we obtain the state
of samyama, Oneness.
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