Guide to Samadhi
Divine Life
Society Publication: Raja Yoga by Swami Sivananda
CHARACTERISTICS OF SAMADHI
When the mind is completely
absorbed in one object of meditation, it is termed Samadhi. The mind identifies
itself with the object of meditation. In Samadhi, there is neither Dhyana nor
Dhyata (neither meditation nor meditator). The meditator and meditated, the
thinker and the thought, the worshipper and the worshipped become one or
identical. The Triputi (triad) vanishes. The mind loses its own consciousness
and becomes identical with the object of meditation. The meditator has
dissolved his personality in the sea of God, drowned and forgotten there till
he becomes simply the instrument of God. When his mouth opens, it speaks God's
words without effort or forethought through direct intuition and, when he
raises his hand, God flows again through that to work a miracle.
In Samadhi, there is neither
seeing nor hearing. There is neither physical nor mental consciousness. There
is only spiritual consciousness. There is only Existence (Sat). That is your
real Svarupa. When the water dries up in a pool, the reflection of the sun in
the water also vanishes. When the mind melts in Brahman, when the mind-lake
dries up, the reflected Chaitanya (Chidabhasa) also vanishes. The Jivatman
(personality) goes away. There remains Existence alone.
Turiya is the spiritual
condition where there is no play of mind, where the mind is dissolved in
Brahman. It is the "fourth dimension," where there is infinite
Brahmic bliss. It is not a condition of inertia, forgetfulness or annihilation.
It is a state of absolute consciousness which baffles all attempts at
description. It is the final goal of all. It is Mukti. It is Moksha.
Generally, when you have what
you call dreamless sleep, it is one of two things; either you do not remember
what you dreamt of or you fell into absolute unconsciousness which is almost
death-a taste of death. But, there is the possibility of a sleep in which you
enter into an absolute silence, immortality and peace in all parts of your
being and your consciousness merges into Satchidananda. You can hardly call it
sleep, for there is perfect "awareness." In that condition, you can
remain for a few minutes or hours or days; but, these few minutes give you more
rest and refreshment than hours of ordinary sleep. You cannot have it by
chance. It requires a long training.
Samadhi is not a stone-like
inert state as many people imagine. A life in the spirit (Atman or Divine) is
not annihilation. When the self is bound down to its empirical accidents, its
activities are not fully exercised and, when the limitations of the empirical
existence are transcended, the universal life is intensified and you have
enrichment of Self. You will have a rich inner life. You will have an expanded
cosmic life and supra-cosmic life, too.
THE DIFFERENT KINDS OF SAMADHI
A Raja Yogi gets
Nirodha-Samadhi through Chitta-Vritti-Nirodha (by restraining the mental
modifications). A Bhakta gets Bhava-Samadhi through Prema of the Lord. A
Vedanti gets Bheda-Samadhi through Mithyatva-Buddhi and concentration on the
idea of the Asti-Bhati-Priya (the Anvaya method).
It is only the Raja Yogi who
attempts the annihilation of the Vrittis, the Nirodha Samadhi
("Yogaschittavrittinirodhah" -Patanjali Yoga Sutras, I-2). A Vedanti
has always Atma-Bhava, Brahma-Bhava whenever he comes across objects. So he
does not try to annihilate the Vrittis. There is no Pratyahara for him. There
is no Bahirmukha Vritti for him. He rejects Nama-Rupa and takes
Asti-Bhati-Priya (Bheda-Samadhi). A Bhakta sees Narayana or Krishna in all
objects. He also does not check the Vrittis. He, like the Vedanti, changes his
mental attitude. It is the mind that creates all the differences and
separateness. The world is all Ananda, only if you change your angle of vision,
your mental attitude. You will find heaven on earth.
YOGIC SAMADHI AND VEDANTIC
SAMADHI
There is a difference between
the Nirvikalpa state of a Yogi and the Nirvikalpa state of a Vedantin. The
former concerns the mind. The latter concerns the pure Atman or Brahman only.
In Yogic Samadhi, Dhyeya remains. Dhyeya means the object of meditation. In
Vedantic Samadhi, Kevala Asti (Existence alone) remains.
SAVIKALPA SAMADHI AND
NIRVIKALPA SAMADHI
The ground floor represents
the life of passion in the sense-universe. The first storey corresponds to
Savikalpa Samadhi. The second storey is tantamount to Nirvikalpa Samadhi. The
third storey represents the Sahajavastha or a Jivanmukta. The moving of a
bullock cart can be compared to Savikalpa Samadhi. It stops. This is Nirvikalpa
Samadhi. The bulls are detached. This is Sahajavastha. When the Yogi has
reached the last perfect stage of meditation and Samadhi, the fire whereof
burns surely all the residue of his actions, he at once gets Liberation
(Jivanmukti) in this very life.
In Savikalpa Samadhi, there is
Triputi or the triad- Dhyata (the meditator), Dhyana (meditation) and Dhyeya
(object of meditation). In Nirvikalpa Samadhi, this Triputi vanishes
(Triputirahita). Nirvikalpa means "free from all sorts of modifications
and imaginations." The mind completely melts in Brahman. The happiness or
bliss that you get in Savikalpa Samadhi is termed Rasasvada. This is also an
obstacle (Pratibandha or Vighna) for further spiritual progress. It makes you
stop here. It cannot liberate you. You must further march onwards to attain the
highest Nirvikalpa state wherein lies your whole freedom.
CONTEMPLATION-FILLING-IDENTIFICATION
Mark the three processes that
take place in the mind during meditation. These are: CONTEMPLATION, FILLING,
IDENTIFICATION. This is another triplet. Remember these three word-images.
Repeat them mentally while doing Sadhana. It will help you a lot really.
Contemplate on Atman. Fill the
mind with Atman. Then the mind becomes identified with Brahman in accordance
with what is known as the Bhramarakitanyaya
(analogy of wasp and caterpillar). As you think, so you become. Think you are
Brahman; Brahman you will become.
When the mind is withdrawn
from the objects and deep reflection sets in, the objective consciousness is
shut up; Savitarka Samadhi commences. Ratiocination, analysis and synthesis (a
priori and a posteriori ways of reasoning), investigation and abstract
reasoning take place. This is Samadhi with reasoning. Evil thoughts cannot enter
now. The mind is Sattvic.
Deep study of philosophical
works with Chitta Suddhi is itself a form of Samadhi. The mind here is free
from worldly thoughts.
When your meditation becomes
deep, you generally operate through the subtle Karana Sarira only. The Karana-Sarira
consciousness becomes your normal consciousness. Yogis have a normal
Karana-Sarira consciousness.
HOW TO ATTAIN SAMADHI THROUGH
VEDANTA
Purify the mind by Japa,
Pranayama, Satsanga, Svadhyaya, Dana, Yajna, Tapas and selfless service. Then fix
it on God. Destroy Sankalpa-Vikalpa of the mind. Unite the currents of the mind
with the spiritual current. Abandon the idea or notion of "I,"
"he," "thou," Ghata (pot), Pata (cloth), i.e., Nana-Bhava,
Dvaita-Bhava. Have Brahma-Bhavana instead. Then Samadhi or superconscious state
will supervene automatically.
There are four ways of
destroying the ego or Ahankara, viz., two Advaitic methods (positive and
negative), one Bhaktas' method of ungrudging, unreserved, absolute
self-surrender (Atmanivedana) and the fourth, complete self-sacrifice of
Nishkama Karma Yogis.
The negative Vedantic method
is denial: "I am not the body, I am not the mind." "Brahma
satyam jaganmithya jivo brahmaiva na-aparah:-Brahman alone is real. The world
is unreal. Jiva is identical with Brahman." World includes the body.
Meditate on this idea. Aham will vanish. The positive method is that everything
is Self only: "Sarvam khalvidam brahma-All is Brahman. There is nothing
but Brahman."
Continue to read:
Raja Yoga- Guide to
Samadhi by Swami Sivananda
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