(August 17,2013) Abhyasa and Vairagya – Practice and Dispassion

Abhyasa and Vairagya – Practice and Dispassion

Divine Life Society Publication: Chapter22- True Spiritual Living by Swami Sivananda

The control of the mind is effected by a spirit of renunciation and tenacity of practice, says Patanjali: abhyasa vairagyabham tannirodhah. The nirodha, or the discipline or inhibition of the modification of the mind, is effected by two consistent efforts – the spirit of dispassion, and persistent practice. The effort of the mind to repeatedly think the same thing, and not allow itself to think anything else other than what it has chosen for its ideal, may be regarded as 'practice' for the purpose of yoga.

A deep, whole-souled concentration or absorption of the mind on a given subject, an object, or a concept, works a wonder. A thing that is far off, is impossible of achievement or acquisition, ordinarily speaking. But the mind which is connected to objects, can overcome the barrier of space and time; and by repeated concentration on what it wishes to achieve, acquire, possess or experience, it can materialize that object at the spot by abolishing the distinction between the subject and the object that is brought about by the factors of space and time.  What makes it difficult for us to achieve anything, possess anything or experience anything directly is the spatial distance between us and the object. We have to abolish this spatial distinction, and this is the purpose of practice.

But, simultaneously, Patanjali says that this kind of effort at abolishing spatial distance between us and the object is impossible unless we have another qualification, called vairagya. Vairagya means a spirit of understanding the true nature of things, on account of which the mind ceases from attaching itself to particular things of the world, knowing very well that every particular object in the world is included in that which it seeks. When this knowledge arises, when there is this discrimination, this ability to understand correctly the relationship of any particular object in the world to that which one is seeking in yoga, there is automatic dispassion. The absence of passion is dispassion; the absence of raga is viraga. The condition of viraga is vairagya. Vairagya and abhyasa should go together.

But vairagya is the most difficult thing to understand. It is one of the things which we very much misinterpret, misconstrue, and mispractice. We may be very seriously attached inwardly, but we may be glorious renunciates outside – again due to the fact that the understanding is not going hand-in-hand with the emotion or the feeling. The reason why we cannot be inwardly detached is because our understanding is not friendly with our feelings. A great man said, "The heart has a reason which reason does not know." If this is the condition, the emotions will refute all the assertions of understanding. Intellectual vairagya is no vairagya, because the feeling of detachment is more an emotional condition which touches the vital being in us rather than merely an outward activity of logical judgment.

'Not to need an object' is generally defined as the condition of vairagya. Not that we cannot get it, or we are exerting not to think about it. But we have no necessity for it, because of various reasons. One reason is that it is an illusion or optical illusion, like the rainbow or the water in a mirage. So, when we realize that the thing is itself not there and we are under a misconception about it, and we are very thoroughly convinced about it, then, of course, we will not get attached to it. For instance, we are not attached to the treasure that is seen on the screen in a cinema, because we know it is not there, that it is only a shadow that is cast on the wall or the canvas. But suppose we are not able to realize that it is an illusion, then the emotion will run towards it.

While the discovery of the illusory character of an object may be a factor in stirring a spirit of detachment within us, the spirit of detachment can also come by knowing, “What I have with me already includes the object towards which the senses are moving.” If I have hundred million dollars, one dollar is already included in it, and I need not run after one dollar, because I have hundred million. That is one way. Or, “It is not a dollar at all, it is only a deceptive picture that is kept before me.” Then also the mind will not go there.

How are we to practice vairagya? There is no vairagya without abhyasa, and no abhyasa without vairagya – practice and dispassion.They go together, like two wings of a bird. This is also emphasised in the sixth chapter of the Bhagavadgita: abhyasena tu kaunteya vairagyena ca grhyate (Gita 6.35), says Bhagavan Sri Krishna. "How this turbulent mind can be controlled?" asks Arjuna, "Is it possible at all?" "Yes, it is possible by abhyasa and vairagya."

Therefore, if we are well-established in this double attitude of the consciousness of abhyasa and vairagya, we are already rooted in yoga.

Excerpts from:

Abhyasa and Vairagya - True Spiritual Living by Swami Krishnananda
 

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