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Soul (Jiva), its Composition & Attributes

12/24/2021

Soul (Jiva), its Composition & Attributes

God, the universal consciousness along with Souls, the individual consciousness and Matter form an organic whole of the Universe. According to the karma, Jivas get material embodiments as per divine will.

Every thought (मनसा, Mansa), every word (वचना,vachna) and every action (कर्मणा, Karmna), good or bad, just goes down and becomes fine, and is there stored up as Samskaras, the impressions and create Karmic account. These impressions of past Karmas cause tendencies and desires. The fulfilment of desires leads to enjoyment and lack of fulfilment leads to sufferings. The cycle of pleasures & pains goes on and Jiva is caught in cycle of birth and death, to reap the fruits his own actions through enjoyments and sufferings. Hence, we become slave of situations. In case, we take decisions based on qualities of soul viz. Love, peace, Happiness, Knowledge, Power, Purity and Bliss and believe the situations are creation of past karma, negative decision and behaviour shall be avoided as a result karmic account or samskara will not be formed.

Composition of Jiva:
Jiva in bondage is composed of three bodies’ viz. Causal Body (Karan sarira, innermost), Subtle Body (Sukshma sarira or Linga-sarira, middle) and Gross Body (Sthula sarira, outermost). The details are as under:

Causal Body - Blissful sheath is called as causal body (Karana sarrira). The causal body is merely cause or seed of subtle body and is characterized by ignorance. It contains the impressions (Samskaras) of experiences of past lives and current life.
Subtle Body – Physiological, emotional and intellectual sheaths form the subtle body (suksma sarrira). The subtle body is composed of five subtle elements viz. subtle elements of five organs of perception, five organs of action, five-fold vital forces (Prana), Intellect (Buddhi) and Mind (manas, thoughts). The subtle body grows and develops through egoism, attachment, love, hatred etc.
Gross Body – The physical mortal body (the skeletal sheath) is the gross body (karya sarrira).

Attributes of Jiva:

Jiva is “Svayamprakasa” which means that it shows others and knows itself.
Jiva have attributes of Dharmi-Jnana, Chetanatva (sentiency, perception or feeling), Atmatva (soul nature) and Kartrtva (agency). These attributes are similar to Isvara. Jiva differs from Isvara and matter in the attributes viz. Anutva (atomic nature), Sesatva (being an accessory), Adheyatva (supported-ness), Vidheyatva (dependence), Paradhinatva (subordinate status). Anutva does not mean atomic size but atomic nature. Atomic nature indicates only indestructible individuality and restriction of size which is applicable only to material substances.
Jivas are countless quantitatively.
Qualitative difference - According to Ramanuja and Nibarka, Jivas are qualitatively same. But according to Madhva, Jivas are intrinsically different in spiritual essence as these generate dissimilar and even opposite kinds of results and character patterns. It is this difference that accounts for the performance of actions leading to the accumulation of different types of karma patterns by each Jiva, leading to variations in enjoyments and sufferings and character traits in his life in Samsara. That basic or innate nature will persist in the state of liberation also. In Advaita, Jivahood itself disappears in release when the Jiva realizes his identity with Brahman.
Gradation in capacity - Ramanujacharya, Nimbaracharya and Madhvacharya maintain the doctrine of Taratamya or gradation in capacity of Jivas. The doctrine of Taratamaya easily leads to what is known as Traividhyam or distinction of Jivas in Samsara. Jivas are of three grades viz. Nityasurs, Muktas & Baddhas as per classification done by Ramanuja and as per
Nibarkacharya, four grades viz. Nityamuktas, Muktas, Mumuksus or seekers & Baddhas as under:

Nityasuris or Nityamuktas – Jivas which are eternally free ones such as Adi-sesha (serpent bed), Garuda (mount of Sri Vishnu), Visvaksena (chief office of Sri Vishnu), Sudarshana (principal weapon of Sri Vishnu) etc. These jivas have never been in the bondage of karma and samsara, and always been in attendance of God.
Muktas – Jivas which are liberated ones. These Jivas are evolved through all forms of bodies, at last come to the stage of human birth, and eventually attain salvation through concentrated spiritual disciplines, surrender to the divine and divine grace.
Mumuksus or Seekers after liberation – those who are striving for it.
Baddhas or Nitya Baddhas– Jivas who are oblivious to spiritual values and are wallowing in worldliness, are in bondage. They are open to three gateways of Naraka – sexuality, anger and greed. The conceit of ‘I’ and ‘mine’ indulgence in activities arising from fraudulence, cruelty, greed, pride etc. resorting evil company. Having missed the opportunity for higher evolution in human birth, they come back to this world, and get embodiments in animal bodies or among the most undeveloped species of mankind. But those, who gradually evolve, experience births and deaths, according to karma, until they eventually gain salvation at the maturity of evolution.

According to Madhva, gradation and the classification each Jiva results from the uniqueness of each Jiva. As a reflection of Brahman every Jiva has in him a modicum of Brahman’s essential features – Sat-Chit-Ananda. But due to their own intrinsic capacities, they share these characteristics in varying degrees only. They all alike have a dependent existence, but their capacity to know vastly varies and their joy much more so. In the state of bondage, the differences in nature of Karma clouding them can easily account for this variation in their intelligence, joy and misery. Madhva classified Jivas in three types viz.

Mukti-Yogyas – Jivas who are receptive to spiritual values, and through repeated embodiments they evolve into better and better person, and finally through concentrated spiritual disciplines and God’s grace gain salvation. They gradually regain their full share of consciousness and bliss when by purifications and the grace of God they become eligible for liberation.
Nitya-Samsarins – Jivas who delight only in worldly values and feel no need for ethical and spiritual life. Reaping the fruits of their own actions they pass through births and deaths eternally.
Tamo-yogyas – Jivas who are positively evil in nature, go on degenerating more and more by their indulgence in evil actions, until the accumulated load of sins finally leads to eternal perdition (punishment). Their capacity of consciousness and bliss is completely effaced and reduced to inertness characteristic of material substances.

According to Vallabhacharya system, the classification of the Jivas is according to their varying capacities. The main classes are: Maryada, Pusti and Pravahini, and these have distinct goals to attain at the end of their evolution.

Maryada (living within prescribed discipline) and Pusti (highest type in spirituality who receives grace of God) Jivas are of divine nature, and their evolution is towards the Supreme Purusottama whom they are bound to attain in course of time. These Jivas stick to the Vedic disciplines or the path of Yoga or Jnana. Maryada Jivas are at best motivated by the desire for moksha or release from samsara and mergence in the Impersonal Aksara, and they depend on the effort they put in. for them; devotion is only means for this.
Pusti Jivas, devotion is both the means and the end. He practice devotional disciplines but it is more as an expression of his innate inclinations and not as a condition for securing His grace. The purpose of Jivas is the service of God and the Pusti Jiva fulfils this by shunning even Moksha or freedom from transmigration and preferring the service of the God. He becomes eligible for infinitely superior form of Ananda, namely Brahmananda.
Pravahimi Jiva whose inherent nature makes them love the life of Samsara, and they eternally go round and round in cycles of birth and death. Some of these may be only Ajnas (ignorant) Jivas who are tied down to the life of Samsara by bad association, and these may turn to the life of righteousness and piety when they happen to have the association of the good. But the others among them are Durjanas Jivas who are positively evil and wicked and are doomed to eternal darkness.

According to the Advaita system of Shankaracharya, Jivas are all similar in their nature and realize their identity with non-dual Brahman ultimately. Ignorance is the cause of bondage, and liberation is attained when ignorance is removed irrespective of whether the body is alive or not. There is no necessity of physical body for attainment of liberation. The body will fall only when the prarabdha karma of the current body is exhausted. But Ramanujacharya does not accept that an embodied person can be liberated. For, according to him, the cause of embodiment is Karma.

When jiva is suppressed by ignorance, its Dharmabhuta-jnana is contracted. When Jiva is liberated, he continues to maintain his individuality, his Dharmabhuta-Jnana expands and becomes merged in that of God.

Reference: Bhakti Schools of Vedanta – by Swami Tapasyananda, Sri Ramakrishna Math, Chennai.

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Mind that Matters

12/17/2021

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Mind that Matters
As per modern science, brain is the most important part of the human body and functioning of its various parts have been identified. But science of Hinduism has also deeply probed into the mind. Mind is invisible to both the eye and the modern instruments of observations. It is not even made of the brain substances. Though it is an invisible substance, its activities can well be perceived. It is according to Hindu philosophy, a subtle and rarefied material.

Mind is a bundle of thought and Man is the product of the sum total of his thoughts. There is a world as long as there is mind. The world ceases to exist as a separate entity when the mind is annihilated. Thoughts are live vibrations. Each thought is a magnet and pulls in its like. Mind is full of energy. It is the author of all actions. The body is only the instrument. Lack of understanding of the inner structure of human is the cause of woes and suffering in domestic, social and political spheres.

Mind takes the form of the thing thought of. The whole universe has its existence due to the presence of the thought behind it. So, we say that in the mind both the external and the internal worlds are held and conditioned. The mind acts as a medium of communication between soul and matter. Man, who has the right mastery of the mind will have a mind full of peace. The mind has to be calmed and for that all sadhanas have to be performed systematically in the kriya manner and method.

The realization of the spiritual unity everywhere is affected by the cessation of all thoughts, or in other words, the utter annihilation of mind. The human in every one is to die, so that divine shall be revealed. This can be done through meditation, which neither means holding the mind in a negative dreamy state, nor on vague abstractions, but necessitates a continuous flow of thought towards the ideal, without any break and with a harmony between reason and emotion.

Genesis of Thoughts:
The mind constitutes the subtle body in every creature and does not die with the death of the body, but goes on along with the soul into another physical body & take re-birth to work and gather further experience through the medium of a subsequent body more suited to its purpose.

In subsequent birth, every child brings with it impressions from past lives in the form of tendencies, which can be classified partly as moral and good ones and others as evil or immoral. The latter are the kleshas (afflictions, poisons) which ought to be modified and sublimated. The problem that one has to face is how to change an undesirable trait of character or how to cultivate a good habit in place of a bad one.

These tendencies create constant impulses in mind to trigger thoughts and in turn actions which may be negative or positive. The negative thoughts cause Kama (lust), krodha (anger), lobha (greed), moha (attachment), mada (over pride), matsara (jealousy), swartha (selfishness), adamber (hypocrisy), anyaaya (injustice), ahankara (false ego) etc. The positive thoughts cause truthfulness, self-control, purity, dominance over the senses, simplicity, devotion, service, generosity, equality, tranquility etc.

Impulses repeated from an idea. Ideas repeated become an act. Actions repeated become character and character repeated molds the very creator of habit. A word is a vehicle for the thought to express itself. A noble and God like character is not of accident or a chance, but is the natural results of continued effort in right thinking.

These negative thoughts and feelings close up the channels of the body and mar the life forces in their flow. If the mind is not properly trained, the gross body will suffer from innumerable diseases. These are devils which crush the mind and injure the body. Poison and secreting cells are developed by them. The free circulation of blood is disturbed.

World of Mind:
Though the mind seems to exist in the body or the world, in the real sense, the body and world exist in the mind. The real universe is the occasion of the reaction of the mind and the mind is a mixture of actions and reactions. We generally note that it breaks into two and one half of it stands alongside as the witness, while the ‘other half’ goes on functioning. We have to master the lower mind with the higher mind. To conquer the mind is to conquer the world, since the mind and world are but the observe and reverse of the one and the same thing.

Attributes of Mind:
Mind is like sea which is sometimes turbulent, sometimes calm and sometimes silent. Sometimes, it experiences tsunami. Ripples in the sea are like thoughts in mind. When no ripple, no thought.
The mind is collective essence of the five elements (prathivi, jal, vayu, akasha and agni – solid, liquid, gas, space and energy) and compound of three attributes - tamasic (lethargy, dullness), rajasic (activity) and sattvic (rhythm). Mind is the receptacle of senses & factory of thoughts. The three states, instinct, reason and superconscious, (i.e., the unconscious, conscious and superconscious states), belong to one and the same mind. A man works the predominance of one guna alone at a time. When one guna is in play, the other two are at rest. It is thus a man is sometimes found to be dull, sometimes active and sometimes well-balanced. The tamasic nature in man is to be combated and conquered by a rajasic nature and this, in turn by a sattvic nature. And this sattvic guna also is to be dissolved and transcended by us to be ever in perfect unity with the universal consciousness. It is of the highest importance to make the mind lose itself in the infinite.

Functions of Mind:
Mind has four functions – thinking or knowing (Manas), likes or dislikes based on past memories (Chitta), discrimination & decision-making (buddhi, intellect) and I-ness to control other functions (Ahamkara). A man’s will-power is his power to deliberately wish and decide how to act. Passion are strong feelings of likes and dislikes, which rush like an unexpected flood and excite men and women to certain actions, making them to lose control of mind and body. Passions arise from lust, desire, hope and delight in things out of hatred, disgust, fear and anger. Passions are blind. Through will force, the mind and senses can be curbed.

Heaven & Hell in Mind:
The strength of the body depends on that of the mind, whose strength, in turn, depends on that of the spirit (Atman). Happiness proceeds from neither woman nor wealth, but from mind. Later the soul is the enjoyer.

Anger, envy, jealousy, malice, worry etc., should not find lodgment in the mind. These are devils which crush the mind and injure the body. Poison and secreting cells are developed by them. The free circulation of blood of the body and mar the life forces in their flow. On the contrary, love, the divine treasure in one and all of us, finds no obstructing reactions anywhere and it expands our little life by remolding the human in each and fashioning every one of us into a child of light (the light of sacchidananda).

We make our heaven or hell on earth by our petty desires and demands and what we do here makes or mars our hereafter. The mind that pursues the steps of its own whims, fancies and caprices is caught in its own cocoon of desires.

Vacuum cleaning of Mind:

Mind is a garden which may be intelligently cultivated or may be allowed to wander aimlessly. If no useful seed is put into it, useless weeds fall therein. Don’t imagine that any of the thought can be kept ineffectual. Thoughts crystalize into habits and solidify into circumstances. Good thoughts bear good fruits and bad thoughts bear bad fruits. Circumstances do not make you but they reveal you. Don’t be bundle of wavering thoughts and fluctuating sensations. Exclude doubts and fears that distract the straight line of effort. Whatever comes only test you, to measure your strength, to try your mettle. It comes only to lift you up and discipline your soul to be tranquil. Quicken your energy for the realization of self. Make your heart ever bolder and yet kindlier and gentler.
Extirpate every sickly, bitter and impure thought from your mind and wash away every sinful stain from your soul. Live as finely and beautifully in private as in open glare of the world’s noon. Shake off and unload the useless baggage of cumbersome thoughts. Censor every thought of faulty nature and avoid its reactions. Constantly practice right thinking and prove to be a mirror reflecting the illumination of soul sunshine.
Control of mind means really abandoning desires. The monkey-like mind will always be restless, desiring something or other. By killing all desires, ruthlessly, one controls the mind, freeing it from the surging emotions and bubbling thoughts and can attain one-pointedness of mind.
Keep the sharp eyes of viveka and vichara (thoughts) wide open. At times, the man becomes poisoned in the course of his vyavahara. We can prevent the rise of evil, negative thoughts and further strengthen the good ones. The result will be that the negative thoughts will sink deeply into our subconscious mind and from this plane of consciousness still exert a strong influence on our endurance. If by discrimination we learn the basic truth that the atma (Self) and thoughts and feelings (chitta vrittis) are quite different from each other, indeed we have made a great step towards inner freedom and self-mastery and control over thoughts. In moments of surging temptation, the right thing to do is not to reason it out and struggle with it, but rather to be indifferent.
The preliminary wisdom lies in selection of the best environments (Satsanga), company and associations of thoughts and emotions. One must retire periodically from the worldly atmosphere and recourse to satsanga, sadhana, reclusion and meditation. This is the spiritual sanjiva for you to revive yourself and enter the daily spiritual life again without fear. Desire is a great barrier in the path of Self-realization.
The repetition of the mantra removes the dirt of the mind, such as lust, anger, greed, etc. the mantra is a spiritual soap cleansing the mind.
When a balanced mind and equal vision meet all differences, kill the idea of separateness and mix with all, embrace all, love all, serve all, serve the God in them. Be self-disciplined, be simple and harmonious in thought, feelings, diet and dress. Fear none, shake off lethargy, laziness and fear.

Mastering the mind:

In the Mahabharata, Arjuna finds himself in a very critical situation and informs Sri Krishna that the mind is verily restless and turbulent. It is very hard to curb, like the passing wind. The reply was that constant practice united with renunciation, can bring the mind under control. We should not allow the mind to back into vritti or modifications, nor should we identify ourselves with the thoughts that are like ripples or waves in the mind. There should come a period of calmness and tranquillity.
Shree Krishna explained Arjuna in chapter 3 of Shrimad Bhagavad Gita that the senses are said to be superior to the body; but superior to the senses is the mind. Superior than the mind is the intellect; and what is superior than the intellect is He, the Self (42). Thus, by knowing Him (Brahman/Shree Krishna) who is superior to the intellect and the mind by reason, one can conquer the desires. It is difficult to conquer desire because it is of a highly complex and incomprehensible nature. But a man of discrimination and dispassion, who does constant and intense Sadhana, can conquer it quite easily (43). (इन्द्रियाणि पराण्याहुरिन्द्रियेभ्यः परं मनः । मनसस्तु परा बुद्धिर्यो बुद्धेः परतस्तु सः ॥ ३-४२॥ एवं बुद्धेः परं बुद्ध्वा संस्तभ्यात्मानमात्मना । जहि शत्रुं महाबाहो कामरूपं दुरासदम् ॥ ३-४३॥)
The four paths of liberation (Nishkama Karma yoga, Bhakti yoga, Raja yoga and Jnana yoga) eliminate the negative thoughts and channelize the thoughts towards pure self (Satchitanada).
The repetition of mantra removes the dirt of the mind such as lust, anger, greed etc. The mantra is the spiritual soap cleansing the mind.
“Pratpaksha Bhavana” or thinking of opposite qualities, transfers the battle from conscious plane into subconscious, making the fight less strenuous and less painful so that the struggle is easily gone through and one scathes through the ordeal with no stain in his character.
Upanishad teaches “yad coati tad gati”, i.e., what man thinks that he becomes.

The person who has the right mastery of the mind, will have a mind full of peace.

Reference: Voice of Babaji – by V T Neelakantan, S A A Ramaiah, Babaji Nagaraj

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Love, the mother of universe

12/3/2021

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Love is a feeling of strong and positive emotional and mental states. Love is commonly contrasted with hate (or neutral, apathy). Love-hate is for creation, maintenance and destruction of this world. Love also has a profound effect on our mental and physical state. A ‘broken heart' or a failed relationship can have disastrous effects; bereavement disrupts human physiology and might even precipitate death. Love can be impersonal (for object, principle, goal etc.) and interpersonal (between human beings).

Among living organisms, the natural love and attraction is the root of reproduction, growth and multiplication. In unicellular organisms, reproduction is asexual wherein the two strands of DNA repel and duplicates; wherein Hate-Love relationship is involved. In multicellular organisms, mostly sexual reproduction takes place due strong attraction between male and female. So, love creates and is responsible for organic growth and multiplications. Dopamine, oxytocin and Serotonin are neurochemicals which help in making love.

Love-Hate also exists in non-living and inorganic matter. The matter is made of minute particles – molecules, atoms, electron, proton, neutron and so on at micro level and Galaxies, stars, planets, moon etc. at macro level. Scientifically, the very basis of their existence and continuously held together are electro-magnetic attraction among these microscopic particles and gravitational force or attraction among galaxies and planetary systems.

Learn to love. Love one. Love all. Love your enemy as much as you could love your friend. Love the mute animals as if they are human. No barriers of family tie, no caste or communal considerations, no territorial boundary should obstruct the even flow of your universal love. No despising of the sinner, no consciousness of superiority towards those who are less advanced, no hatred of the vicious. Love all and lovingly lead them on.

Forms of Love:
Love has different forms, gradations of intensity and facets. Love may be for food, for relationships, for wealth, for particular profession, for wine & narcotics, for opposite sex, for plants & animals, for humanity, for almighty and so on. Magnetic attraction or love may manifest mildly to very intensely. Sometimes, one becomes very possessive for a particular person or thing. Love may germinate due selfish motive or selflessness, though very-very rarely. When selfish love turns into universal love then one sees divinity in all.

In Greek language, nine forms of love have classified - Eros (passionate love), Pragma (enduring love), Ludus (playful love), Agape (universal love), Philia (deep friendship), Philautia (self-love), Storge (familial love) and Mania (obsessive love).

In Hinduism, divine love or Bhakti is deeply probed and is one of the four means of salvation or liberation from the cycle of re-births. Various forms of love are explained based on selfish motives and selfless pure love.

1.    Sattvika Love - It is done to attain the almighty. It originates from intellect or Buddhi. When the person doing sattvika love desires Moksha, it is Sagun bhakti. When he loses all the desires of fruit, it becomes Nirgun or Nishkam love. It is pure love for the almighty.
2.    Rajasika Love – It is done to attain worldly comforts.
3.    Tamsika Love – It is done for attaining special powers (siddhis).
4.    Sakamya Love or Gauna Love – It is devotion with desire for material gains.

Ragatmika or Mukhya or primary love or Nishkamya love or Avyabhicharini love or Ananya love – It is devotion without desire for material gains, will purify heart and divine grace will descend on bhakta.

Gradations of Love:
Sri Vallabhacharya has explained the different stages of love. Love has ten evolutionary stages of growth –

Shraddha;
Ardour - from Shraddha, ardour (dedication & eagerness) is born;
Prema - when ardour deepens, it is called Prema (love without desire of material gains, without sensual attraction);
Sneha - As Prema grows it is called Sneha (when heart melts in love);
Mana (sensitiveness due to excessive love);
Pranaya;
Raga (eager longing for the object of love);
Anuraga (experience of unceasing novelty in the object of love);
Bhava (ecstatic expression of love) and
Mahabhava (Divine madness). These are stages in the development of love.

Love in Hinduism:

As per Narada Sutras, Divine love or Bhakti is the nectar, on attaining which, a person become immortal, perfect and satisfied forever. Bhakti is offering all acts to Him (God). It is self-surrender. There is feeling of highest pain on separation from Him. (Sutra-19). Bhakti should be like Gopikas of Braj with Shree Krishna. (Sutra-21). Complete effacement of the self and at one-ment with the god is crucial test of genuine bhakti. A bhakta is never prompted to love God by any profit-motive.
In Ram Charitra Manas, Sri Rama has explained to Laxman ji near Godavari River in Parnkuti about Maya, Gyan, Vairagia, difference between God & Soul. Sri Rama has described nine forms of divine love (Navdha Bhakti).
Shree Krishna explained in Shrimad Bhagavad Gita that the forms of divine love (Bhakti) are three – Ekatva (based on unity, soul’s oneness with Brahman), Prthaktva (separateness, Brahman is master of all, adoring him as father or husband) and Bahudha (multiplicity, immanent of all being, and service to all beings). Worship of shiva, Vishnu, Devi, incarnations etc. is done with understanding that it the one supreme being who has manifested as all these deities that it is He who is worshipped through them all.

Sri Ramakrishna, the realised saint asked to repeat God’s name and sing His glories, keep holy company; and visit God’s devotees and holy men for God-realization. The grace of God is required. Mere personal effort is futile.

In the Chaitanya school, about twenty characteristics are enumerated as expressions of the unique Divine sentiment of Maha-Bhava in both its phases as love in union and love in separation such as intense longing, inability to bear separation, readiness to bear even intense pain in the interest of the beloved, loss of the sense of time, power to influence one’s environment with the intensity of one’s feeling, loss of sense of self even in normal consciousness, loss of all fear of death and welcoming it as the means for elemental union with Sri Krishna, supra-normal behaviour that looks like ‘Divine Madness’ and so on. The Maha-Bhava is said to have manifested only in Gopikaa and in some divine incarnations like Sri Chaitanya and Sri Ramakrishna.

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Soul (Jiva), its Composition & Attributes

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Love, the mother of universe

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