Abhyasa
of Vairagya
Radiant
immortal Atman! You are mumukshus and jignAsus. A mumukshu is
one who aspires after Moksha. A jignAsu is one who is in search of
jnana. What is it that has to be known? You have to know about your
body, mind, intellect, ethical principles, moral rectitude, behaviour,
spirituality, about Atman and Anatman, about Brahman and Maya,
about the permanent and impermanent, about the universe and man.
Body: The spiritual life is
lived by the seeker in a body. Therefore, laws governing welfare of the
physical body – suitable food, healthy habits, right posture, the correct
amount of sleep, the tendency of the body to develop good and bad habits – have
to be known.
Mind: Everything one does,
one does through thoughts of mind. You think, you plan, and then you put it
into action. Therefore, knowledge of mind is also essential. Mind is wayward.
Sometimes it goes the wrong way. So, how to keep the mind in the right
direction? What governs, chastens and checks the mind?
Buddhi: It is discriminating
faculty, the intellect. Know what is sattvic, what is rajasic and
what is tamasic. Initiate right enquiry. Discriminating between the
positive and the negative, between that which elevates and that which takes you
down.
Ethical Values: If you do not
have a high sense of moral rectitude and ethical correctness, then, in spite of
your brilliant intellect knowledge, you will be a slave, you will be in
darkness. Sri Ramakrishna used to say “Such a person is a leaky pot. No matter
how much you try to keep it filled, it will be empty.”
Thus
integrated knowledge is necessary, if you are to move towards the Goal
sufficiently equipped. Then alone spiritual progress becomes progressive,
positive and creative. The constant positive application of the body, mind,
intellect and ethical consciousness is termed as abhyasa (practice); and
the protection of these instruments and preventing them from taking the wrong
direction and ceasing the move constantly upwards is called vairagya.
These two keynotes of sadhana – abhayasa and vairagya –
have been placed before us in the Gita by Lord Krishna. These twin factors can
work miracles for you; they can achieve for you what is seemingly impossible.
That is what you should strive after. Therein lies your guarantee of supreme
blessedness. God bless you in this sincere and earnest endeavour in your abhyasa,
vairagya and sadhana, and in your striving for Knowledge and
Liberation.
Control of
the Mind By Swami Sivananda
Abhyasa & Vairagya – Practice and Dispassion By Swami Krishnananda
Peace of Mind & Self Control By Swami Krishnananda
Life as a Yajna
or Sacrifice By Swami Krishnananda
The Dual
Process of Withdrawal and Contemplation By Swami
Krishnananda
The Process
of Sadhana By Swami Krishnananda
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