O’ Lord ! O’ My Lord ! May I never forget You !
॥ Shri Hari ॥
Silence as a Discipline
(Chup Saadhan)
Tvameva Maata Cha Pita Tvameva
Tvameva Bandhusha Sakhaa Tvameva
Tvameva Vidyaa Dravinam Tvameva
Tvameva Sarvam Mama Deva Deva
Swami Ramsukhdas
Silence as a Discipline
(Chup Saadhan)
To become silent from within and without is “Chup Saadhan”. Think within yourself, that I do not have anything to do, nothing whatsoever. Neither anything of self interest, nor for the divine, nor of this world, nor of the world beyond, nothing at all whatsoever do I have to do. Now after thinking so, sit down silently. The best time to sit is immediately on waking up in the morning from sleep. As you are waking up, bow to the Lord, and then sit silently. Just as in deep sleep, there was no resolve or aim of doing anything at all, similarly in waking state too let there remain no resolve to do anything at all. Contemplating on God, repeating the Divine Name, meditating etc., and doing nothing at all. However, “I do not want to contemplate etc. – this resolve is also not to be kept, because, the resolve to not do is also “doing.” In fact “not doing” is self-evident. It is by accepting the mind-intellect that doing takes place.
Now nothing whatsoever is to be done - thinking so, become silent. If the mind does not accept this, then accept that “Supreme Consciousness (Paramatma) is pervading everywhere”, and after accepting this become silent. If you worship God with form and attributes then accept that “I am lying at the Lotus Feet of the Lord” and then become silent. But this is a secondary form of practice of “chup saadhan”. The primary form is that there is nothing to do at all. Becoming silent in this way, if there is any vows or uncertainty, if any point is remembered then simply become indifferent, do not oppose it. Do not become happy, nor become unhappy; neither have likes nor dislike. If good resolves that abide in the scriptures come, then do not become pleased in them, and if those bad resolves that are opposed to scriptures arise, then do not become displeased. Do not let yourself cling to those resolves, in other words, don’t consider them to be your vows and resolutions.
You say that the mind is very bad, but in reality, the mind neither becomes good nor becomes bad at all. Only you (self) becomes good and bad. If the self is good, then the resolves are good, if the self is bad then the vow and resolutions are bad. Good and bad these two are due to relationship with nature. Without relationship with nature, neither good happens, nor bad happens. Just as pleasure and pain are two things, but in bliss there are no two, in bliss there is neither pleasure nor pain. Similarly, in the essence “tattva” that is free of relationship with Nature, there is neither good, nor bad. Therefore by differentiating between good and bad let your self not become happy or unhappy.
If a resolution comes or goes, first and foremost think that really speaking the resolve does not come, rather it goes. On remembering those things that we have done in the past, or holding thoughts of remembering those things that we have to do, such as, we have to go to such and such place, we have to do that work, etc., In this manner, we remember the past and the present which is not there right now. As such, you are not remembering those things, rather these thoughts are naturally leaving you. Those things that are accumulated in your mind, they are coming out. Do not associate with them, remain neutral. By not associating with them, you will not incur the sins of those resolves and those resolutions will on their own come to an end. Because that which is born will surely die – this is a principle. (to be continued)
There are many meritorious deeds (punya karma) in the world, but do we earn holy merit by them? Likewise there are many “sinful” deeds in the world, but are we tarnished by them? No! Not in the least bit. Why? The reason is that we have no relation with either the meritorious or sinful deeds in the world. We have no hand in them. As sins and merits are taking place, so also resolves and their opposites are taking place in the mind. We are not committing them, nor even we want to do them, nor do we have any resolve of doing them. When we get attached or stuck up with them, there after they acquire the epithet of merit and sin, good and evil whereby they produce their corresponding results and we have to bear them. Therefore do not get stuck up with them; neither support them, nor oppose them. If resolves or their contrary resolves arise, let them arise. This has to be done and this has not to be done - give up both these tendencies.
“naiva tasya krtenaartho naarkrteneha kaschana” (Gita 3/18)
i.e. hold fast neither in doing something nor in not doing something. Both these assertions should be given up. For the assertion of doing something is also a resolution and that of not doing is also a resolution. Therefore be unconcerned with both the resolves of doing and not doing and be silent; then the kinship with nature is sundered, and one naturally attains eternal repose, because nature is in the form of activity. This activity whether it is from the body, or of the mind, it in its entirety belongs to nature. Thus if you stay silent both internally and externally, then that what is called the knowledge of the “Real” (tattvajnana), liberation while alive (jivanmukti) or effortless atonement (Sahaja Samadhi) will take place.
Uttam sahajaavasthaa madhyamaa dhyaanandhaaranyaa,
Kanishthaa shaastrcintaa ca tirthayaatraa dharma dhamaa
i.e. pilgrimage is smaller than the smallest spiritual sadhana. Higher than that is contemplation on the meaning of scriptures. Higher than the contemplation on scriptures is Dhyaanadhaaranaa i.e. hold fast to faith in the Almighty and his Omnipresnece and meditation on Him. The highest is effortless atonement with the Supreme, the Almighty and Holy One. You will attain that effortless unison yourself. Its glory is great and beyond words. The glory (maahaatmya) of not-doing can never be equaled by that of doing; it never was, it never shall be. The power which lies in not doing is not at all there in doing. The reason is that any doing has a beginning and an end. That which has a beginning has an end, that is not eternal. But the “not-doing” has neither a beginning nor an end; hence it is eternal.
Dauda sake to dauda le, jaba lagi teri dauda,
Dauda thakyaa dhokhaa mityaa, vastu thauda-ki-thauda.
i.e. “Run if you can run, till you have your run. Tired of running and freed from deception, God is there without the run.
This atonement is neither the waking, nor dreaming, nor even deep sleeping. The distinction between deep sleep and effortless atonement is this; there is unconsciousness in a state of deep-sleep but in “Sahajaavasthaa” there is no consciousness , instead there is awareness, conscious awakenedness, a kindled light of the knowledge supreme –
“aatmasamyamayogaagnaujuvati jnaanadipite” (Gita 4/27).
In reality, one does not become silent, silence is natural to him. They who have schooling in Vedantic values, will know and appreciate that the self is neither the doer, nor the enjoyer. Thus is “Sahajavasthaa” natural. Doing is ephemeral or transitory, but not doing is eternal and absolute.
If you feel sleepy while entering into silence, then begin doing “Japa and Kirtana”, recitation and singing of the Lord’s name and stand up. But till sleep does not come, remain in “not-doing”, and in this remain in silence. If you can be thus silent for a few seconds then too it has great gains. If silence is maintained for half a minute, it generates extra-ordinary energy and power. The energy and power which is generated during silence cannot ever be reproduced in “doing”. In “doing” energy is consumed and exhausted. While doing work you get tired and then feel sleepy. In deep-sleep all the exhaustion is removed and freshness springs up in the mind, body and senses; energy to do work is re-coupled. So also during the time of deluge (pralaya) when silence is established, then the power of creation comes up. In great-deluge (Maharaapralaya) when silence has its sway, then the power of great creation surges up. Thus the entire power as it is, that all-in-all comes from the depths of “not-doing”. Not-doing is the nature of the Lord, from Whom all powers emerge. Without thinking thus for a few days, the technique of being silent is not gained. If you think for a few days, then alone you will grasp it. Presently even if you do not understand it, you may please accept that “such is the state of effortless atonement.” The description of such “sahajavasthaa” is very rarely visible even in the poetry and utterances of the Saints. There has been at the “Sinthala” Sri Hariramadasaji Maharaja,a great saint. In his hymns of the Lord’s praise there comes such a description:
Sahajaam maaraga sahaja kaa,
Sahaja kiyaa vishraama
Hariyaa jeeva ra sivaa kaa
Eka naama mana sahaja pooja
Sahaja saa deva naheem aura doojaa
He has given his autobiographical introduction in this very vein:
Hariyaa jaimaladaasa guru raama niramjana deva,
Kaaya devala deharo, sahaja hamaare seva
i.e. Effortless is the path of unison,
In unison do I rest.
Of self within (Jiva) all self all over (siva)
Oh’ Hariyaa one is the name and residence best.
Effortless is the body and mind,
So is the worship or the prayer.
Other than effortlessness,
No God can ever be there.
Oh. Hariyaa Jaimaladaasa is the Guru,
And Raama Niramjana God,
Temple of God is his body
And “not-doing” worship of God.
In the poetry of saints Kabira, there is a reference – “saadho sahaja samaadhi bhali.” There is a very scanty description of “sahajaavasthaa” in the poetry of other saints; only a glimpse is there. Of the achievement of such a state of unison of spirit, the crowning means is “to be silent” within and without i.e, not doing anything. Everything happens by not doing anything. The ultimate of all the spiritual practices is – “not doing anything”. All practices flock, peep in and fill in “not doing” anything. This is called effortless atonement with Supreme self - “Sahaja Samadhi”. The saints have given it another name also “silent satsanga”.
Listener: Are not we “then” to be an observing witness to our mind and its activities?
Swamiji: No, Not in the least. We will observe our mind only when we regard that we are connected with the mind; the truth is that we have no kinship with the mind. Thus there is no “seeing” towards the mind. Not observing the mind is not at all an ordinary thing, it is a thing of very high value. As a paise (penny) is also a fraction of millions or trillions of rupees ($), so also this “not-doing” of “Jivanmukti” or “God-Realization”.
Listener: Can we practice silence in any of the spiritual Sadhanas?
Swamiji: Yes, it can be done in any of the practices. A Hindu, a Muslim, a Christian, a Jain a Parasi or for that matter a person of any denomination can practice it. I had earlier placed before you two observations. One pertained to the “Path” of Wisdom that God is perfect and fills the universe fully; is ever present in the form of “Is”. Hold fast to this resolve. The second observation pertains to the “path of Devotion”, it demands total surrender or heartily lying down at the feet of the Lord. These are the two main pathways:
Bhagatihi gyaanahai nahim kachu bhedaa,
Ubhaya harahim bhaava sambhaava khedaa (Manasa 7/115/7)
No distinction exists between gnosis and devotion.
Both uproot the pains of birth and death.
We have to do nothing – even earlier nothing was to be done nor is now to be done, nor even hear after. Not even contemplation on the Lord is to be done, we have to fall at the feet of Lord, but have not to meditate on His feet. We have to think neither of the world, nor of God. If meditative thought comes of its own accord, then think that your meditation is vanishing, not coming. This is the ultimate action-less discipline.
From "Saadhan, Sudha, Sindhu" in Hindi by Swami Ramsukhdasji.
नारायण ! नारायण ! नारायण !
www.swamiramsukhdasji.net