GREAT QUOTES - of SWAMI SUKHABODHANANDA - (POST DT 24 SEP 2012)

GREAT Quotes

of

Swami Sukhabodhananda

Swami Sukhabodhananda  is one of the Great Indian Spiritual Masters of our times. His LIFE PROGRAM is Unique in its spiritual experience and its lessons for worldly success both. His other programs are also marvelously structured and are suitable for both spiritually oriented Individuals and also for those aspiring for worldly success.

His Books are a real pleasure to read and highly illuminating. They are  a MUST READ for learning LIFE’S LESSONS in the most effective way.

Here are some of his Beautiful quotes. As You can see – these quotes are as much intended for daily life, as they are – for spiritual path.

You will enjoy each quote. But please read, and re-read  till the intent gets into your mind and heart.

1.    When God gives us problems, it is to humble us and not to tumble us.

2.    Pain is a gift from the divine to look into what is happening more deeply.

3.    You should be the master of the mind rather than mind being your master. You should use the mind rather than let the mind use you.

4.    Mind creates misery by its desires, expectations, anger and jealousy stimulated by unnecessary comparisons.

5.    When one is alert, one can transform poison into medicine.

6.    A noisy and pushy mind leads one to a state of unhappiness.

7.    In a seed, there is an infinite capacity to grow. Infinity exists in a finite seed. A seed planted becomes a tree. From a tree again there is a fruit, from a fruit there is a seed, from a seed a tree, so in a finite seed there is the infinite capacity to grow.

8.    Worry is a form of identification. It is useless. Unfortunately many of us think it is right to worry about someone we love. This is madness in motion. Give up this voluntary form of suffering.

9.    Learn to be a witness to your thoughts and feelings. In the witnessing consciousness, there is no identification with anything. Identification leads to misery.

10. Can you dwell a little more on the inner world, the mind? Generally, we are present physically in a place while being psychologically elsewhere. Outer seeing makes you see physically where you are. Inner seeing makes you see psychologically where you are.

11. There is no greater force than awareness. When one increases awareness, even a poison can turn into a medicine and with no awareness a medicine can become a poison.

12. There are differences in a relationship. Do not give too much of importance to them. Give importance to your love and commitment, to your commonality, like you enjoy the joy rides in an amusement park, even though it appears scary. It gives you jitters but still you enjoy. Enjoy your relationship.

13. Negative emotions poison life. Like avoiding poisonous food, avoid negative emotions. Like how you are very alert when you see a poisonous snake, be very aware and alert of negative emotions. Let them come, don’t identify with them. Don’t participate in them.

14. If you go on comparing, life becomes miserable. If somebody is better than you, learn from them; enjoy others’ success. No one can have all the good qualities. Someone will always be better than you at some level. Do not whip yourself with this comparison.

15. The Gita encourages us to be calm and serene irrespective of the situations that we face in life. Only such an individual is closer to enlightenment who remains calm. The greatest discipline is in keeping our minds calm in spite of external turbulent situations. This is the core teaching of the Gita.

16. A Zen Master was asked about the secret of his being always happy. The Zen Master replied, ‘When I wake up in the morning, I ask myself whether I want to be in - heaven or hell? Then I decide to be in heaven. The moment I decide to be in heaven, I create heaven in every moment of my life.’

17. The choice in our life is either we come from commitment or complaint. We have to decide that. Invariably we find people who are powerful are those who operate from commitment. And those who are powerless, always operate from complaint. One’s state of being will be powerful if one operates from commitment.

18. Another dimension one needs to add is to operate from selflessness. When we do something that is selfless, we find unknown forces mysteriously strengthen our hands. Pathanjali, a great Yogi says, ‘Do something good … be in the path of goodness, and… you will find forces that mysteriously help you.’

19. Understand that you are the creator of your suffering. This understanding will help you dissolve suffering. An unhappy person in heaven will convert even heaven into hell; a happy person can convert hell into heaven.” So, change is not required anywhere except within oneself.

20. There are two types of sufferings :- • Legitimate; • Illegitimate;  Legitimate suffering is sorrow that is proportionate to the situation. For example your son dies in an accident. This sorrow is valid. But if you continue worrying for more than one or two years, then there is a psychological aspect to it.  To handle legitimate sufferings, one should understand that such suffering is the result of your past deeds…Illegitimate suffering is suffering that is not proportionate to the situation. For example, somebody calls you a fool. You brood over it for days on end. It is this suffering that one can end through right thinking.

21. When your suffering is due to Karma, your past deeds, you have to understand that you are only repaying your debt.

22. Surrender is a leap from the ordinary to the sacred; from the logical to the cosmic. Surrender is like opening the third eye….

23. Surrender is in the realization that God gives me what I need more than what I want. Surrender is trust. Surrender is being open to life.

24. Mostly, tensions emerge from the way your mind languages your experience. For example, a student runs several miles and enjoys running but when it is made a punishment, running creates tension. Where does the tension come from? It is through the interpretations in one’s mind.

25. Observe a surfer…. the stronger the waves, the more does he enjoy it. He decides that he is going to enjoy the waves while surfing. When waves are strong, he is totally present in the moment. There are no interfering thoughts in him. In such space something in him makes him very alive to the life around him.

26. Learn to be in the present. Be aware of the present in total. There is joy being in the present. Do not get lost either in the past or future.

27. Learn to live from the ‘higher self’ and not from the ‘lower self.’ The ‘higher self’ encourages you, as it is filled with positiveness. The ‘lower self’ is an interfering self. It discourages you. It acts more like an obstacle.

28. Can my house be like that of a rich man? Or can my house be better than that of my neighbour? You are always lost in comparison. But life is simple. Ambitions make it complex. Only if you stop the greedy game of going ahead of others, can you be happy.

29. A meditative attitude is very different. Meditation awakens your awareness. Once your awareness is of high order, you realise the foolishness of comparison. You would not allow others’ success to define your failure. You would see the beauty of ‘what is’ and not get lost in ‘what should be.’

30. You would see the uniqueness of yourself. Everyone is unique. Everyone is incomparable. You would learn the art of seeing beauty even in imperfection. You would participate in the miracle of life than being busy in judging life. You would listen to the music of life. You would listen to the mantra of life or the song of life. Your listening would be with your heart. Without this inner and outer, music will not be heard. With this, your perception awakens to newer heights.

31. Commitment is the language of the wise; complaint is the language of the fools. Commitment is a responsibility and also includes accountability. In life, one should be responsible as well as accountable. Generally one takes responsibility without accountability; this weakens one’s being.

32. We have both - an actor and a thinker in us. Every time we lie, the thinker warns us that we are lying and the actor asks us to shut up and continue telling lies. In such a state, there is a split in our being — between the actor and the thinker. It is like riding a chariot with two horses, with the horses going in two different directions. Commitment creates integrity. In this state, it is easier to bring forth the excellence in our lives.

33. Excellence happens when there is love to grow and contribute.

34. Creativity occurs primarily through the power of intention. Intention is like sowing a seed in existence. Allow it to germinate. Allow the forces of nature to nurture life.

35. Commitment also involves dropping illusions. We do not see the world as it is. We see the world projected through our verbose minds.

36. When you are unhappy, there is a pay-off, People give you sympathy. When you are happy, you have to pay a price…. people feel jealous of you.

37. Since childhood you play this racket of getting attention. As you grow up this game continues. Have you seen beautiful girls? They tempt men and when a man falls for them, they push him aside and thus feel strong. This is called the ‘kiss me off racket.’ Men also use anger as a racket to protect their inner wound. Anger in such a case becomes a defence mechanism.

38. Rackets are manipulative games to seek attention. They are types of mental sickness. One’s psychological immune system becomes weak. Hence, one is prone to the path of wrong, like when one’s body’s immune system is weak; one is prone to an infection.

39. Become aware. Each time you are miserable, it is your choice. This is your game. You have some hidden agenda. If you see the foolishness of the hidden agenda, then you will drop it. It is like being tempted to eat excess sweets, but the moment you know it is harmful; you will not be tempted to eat them.

40. Buddha, Krishna and Jesus can still be communicated to, if only you are more meditative. Their ‘presence’ is never destroyed. Lord Krishna in the Gita says, ‘They are fools who consider me to be only the body.’ All great masters can be connected to, if you are more meditative. You need not be frustrated if you can’t meet your master. Be in silence. Ask your question in that space of silence and you get an answer not from the mind but from the beyond. You have to experience this. This is not a matter of logic; it is a matter of experience

41. Do we have likes and dislikes or do likes and dislikes have us? As unconscious beings, likes and dislikes control our lives. Conscious beings are masters of likes and dislikes. When likes and dislikes are under your control, they will serve you and in such a state, you are not messed up. Likes and dislikes are not the problem. However, do they control your life, or are you controlling them, is the real question.

With Hearty Greetings to

All readers &

Especially the followers & Disciples of the Swamiji

Sd/-

(v.vijayamohan)

 *  *  *  Will Continue…  *  *  *

LIVING AS A LONE FUNDAMENTALIST - If Christ comes as Krishna or vice verse - what do I do?

LIVING As A Lone

FUNDAMENTALIST

I am a Fundamentalist – of a different kind.

I am born a Hindu. But I love Christ too – for many reasons. If Christ were to come to me today and say – come with me; I am almost certain that, I will follow him gladly and instantly.

But, I strongly suspect, he will come with a flute in hand and a peacock feather in his head, when he comes to me – just in case, I fail to recognize him as the same Lord Krishna in his previous birth, whom I can easily recognize.

I am not as innocent as his original followers in west Asia. Lot of logical stuff has gone into my mind. So Christ may very well teach me the Yoga Sastra this time. Krishna calls Yoga Sastra by the name Gita.

I don’t mind what he teaches me or what he calls it – as long as no Acharyas, Popes and Bishops seek to interpret his teachings for me. I don’t want any intermediaries between me and my Lord.

As simple as that.

I think, CHRIST or Krishna (this time, his name may spell CHRISTNA, to make things simpler) might tell me – See me in every suffering and smiling face. Then, do what I from your conscience tell you to do.

That is and shall be my religion. I shall be the lone FUNDAMENTALIST in my religion – if I have to be so.

By the way – I can recognize him if he comes as Buddha or Mahavira too. Or as Guru Nanak.

=yours

(V.VIJAYAMOHAN)

PATANJALI YOGASUTRAS - CH.3.- VIBHUTI PAADHA - Vs.3.31,32,33,34,35 - SAMYAMA - FOCUS ON ANY OBJECT - ITS HUGE BENEFITS

 PATANJALI

YOGASUTRAS

CHAPTER.3.

VIBHUTI PAADHA

Dt.10.09.2012 

There has been a big time Gap in continuing the Patanjali Yoga Sutra Series. The last post covering up to Ch.3. Sutra 3.30 was posted on April 3,2012 at : 

http://wisespiritualideas.blogspot.in/2012/04/patanjali-yogasutras-ch3vs27282930.html

We will continue with Samyama further from now on. 

Samyama is the process of seeing your multi faceted self, from different angles – and ultimately realizing all of them. In Samyama, we start with Dharana on a particular Goal – and therefore, all wisdom pertaining to that Goal and it extensions -  comes to the Sadhaka in Samyama. We have seen that in earlier sutras – and we are continuing with the same further now.

We have so far covered up to sutra .3.30 in the third chapter of Patanjali Yoga sutras.

Vs.31

Kantha Koope Kshut  Pipaasaa  Nivrittih

Ø  kantha koope = in the well of the throat

Ø  kshut = hunger

Ø  pipaasaa = thirst

Ø  nivrittih = will cease

By performing Samyama on the well of the throat, hunger and thirst cease in the Sadhaka.  Yoga is a perfect science, which is capable of repeatable experiences for any of us, subject to our adherence to the same, prescribed pre-conditions.

Sadhaka must perform Dharana on  Kantha koopa or the pit of the throat pipe.

This Dharana will turn into Dhyan and Dhyan gradually becomes Samadhi. The whole process is gone through, by the Sadhaka, in a few moments, or, depending on his level of attainment, in more time. But, Sadhaka can definitely achieve this Siddhi – of relief from hunger and thirst.

In recent times also, we find yoga practitioners claiming to have not eaten or drunk anything for years. Their attainments were tested in scientific laboratories and corroborated. Their experiences indicate different Yogic methods to conquer hunger, thirst, urination and defecation needs easily – by any devoted Sadhaka.

Sadhakas travel long distances  - to meet some great Gurus, or to perform  Dhyan in special, sacred locations. Food and water are enablers for life – but are not always available at all places. The sadhaka  is able to transcend such obstacles through these Yoga practices.

This is the beauty of Ashtanga Yoga. Once Sadhaka crosses a certain level of practice – there is no looking back for him. The whole Universe goads him into further and further attainments – until he achieves Kaivalya. There are rewards all the way.

This siddhi is also one such. But, that apart, it has no special significance for the Sadhaka.

Adjoining the pit of the throat, is the vusuddhi Chakra, whose ruling Mantra is hum. While the Pit of the throat is a physical organ, Visuddhi Chakra is invisible.

Patanjali has not asked Sadhaka to meditate specifically on visuddhi chakra here– but only on throat pipe.

Performing meditation starting with Dharana on visuddhi chakra and it’s mula mantra of “HUM”  is highly beneficial in its own way– and in fact, any Samyama on any object is beneficial in some way.

Vs.32

Koorma Naadyaam Sthairyam

Ø  koorma = tortoise

Ø  naadyaam = channel (In, because of)

Ø  sthairyam = steadiness

By samyama on Koorma Naadi or the tortoise Nerve channel, Great Steadiness of mind-body is attained. Now, we need to locate koorma naadi and start Dharana on it. It is said, koorma naadi is the one nerve channel regulating our breath.

So, Samyama on  koorma naadi  can start with relaxing the breathing to such a level that – even as the Sadhaka is performing samyama- the breathing becomes so slow that it almost results in body-mind stillness. Sadhaka becomes aware of the controlling naadi and his dharana remains on it automatically.

It is everybody’s personal experience that – when we relax our breathing, body and mind also relax – and vice versa too.  Breath – and body-mind complex – are inter- linked by Koorma Naadi. When these are taken up for Samyama, steadiness of Body-mind is automatically attained.

These Sutras are all indicators – and presume a huge prior knowledge of the terms used in it. The sutras do not give complete details, which we need to search out in other earlier Yoga expositions by Great Masters or learn (preferably) from accomplished Gurus.

Vs.33

Moordha Jyotisi Siddha Darsanam

Ø  moordha = crown (top) of the head (inside the skull)

Ø  jyotisi = bright inner luminosity

Ø  siddha = Great masters of Yoga (Siddha = achiever)

Ø  darsanam = being in their presence

By Samyama on the bright inner luminosity in the crown of the head – the sadhaka is able to experience the presence of the Great Siddhas.

Here again – the sutra does not tell us how to perform samyama on the inner luminosity in the crown of the head. This again calls for knowledge and experience of the chakras.

In previous sutra, we introduced visuddhi chakra. Above this, in between the eye brows, there is Ajna chakra.

Most of the worldly needs stop with this Ajna chakra. Man is a man and woman is a woman – so long as they are tied to Muladhara, Swadishtana, Manipura, Anahata, Visuddhi or Ajna Chakra. These 6 chakras – when accessed – give the human being huge control over the self – physical body and the mind. But, the Yogi’s physical identities remain.

Once the Sadhaka accesses the ultimate chakra called sahasrara – his human identification as man , woman (and all other identification labels)  dissolve. There is no more need for Sadhaka for such labels. The surya and Chandra nadis converge at Ajna Chakra. There ends man-woman separate identities, in fact, all identities.

Sahasrar Chakra is a bright, thousand petaled Lotus, ready to receive the Sadhaka’s consciousness, after it crosses the Ajna Chakra and ascends upwards.

Once, Sadhaka ascends Sahasrar chakra, now, he has access to all  great Masters, all Yogis, all Siddhas in the world, who are otherwise invisible to naked eye. It is said that in Himalayas and other high mountain ranges and deep woods, many Siddhas exist for countless time periods – even now. But, their Darsan, or experiencing their presence, is possible only for eligible and accomplished Sadhakas.

A doubt may arise, how we can experience them, if they are at such huge distances and are invisible. For  Sadhaka who has ascended to Sahasrar, these distances and other obstacles do not exist at all.

Vs.34

Pratibhaath Vaa Sarvam

Ø  pratibhaath = the attainment of pratibha or higher knowledge or illumination

Ø  vaa = or (by that also)

Ø  sarvam = all

The Siddhas can pass on their knowledge to the sadhaka – as was indicated in the previous sutra.

But, all such knowledge can also - automatically come to the sadhaka – due to the Pratibha he has now attained. Ascending to sahasrar extends the reach of the Sadhaka in many ways. Terms like Pratibha are difficult to translate. In common parlance, Pratibha may mean Great Skill or attainment.

In Yogic parlance, it is much more than that. Pratibha does not come by doing a certain act. In fact, in the whole Yoga, it is only upto Dharana, that Yogi continues to be a DOER. Beyond Dharana, Dhyan and Samadhi happen to him – when he continues the Dharana. They are natural extensions or results of his Dharana.

Vs.35

Hirdaye Chitta Samvit

Ø  Hirdaye = In the heart

Ø  chitta = of the consciousness; of the chittha (actually, refers to a sum of all activities of the Chiita, which are mentioned in Ch.1 itself)

Ø  samvit = knowledge of

This sutra says – Samyama into or inside the heart –gives Sadhaka, the knowledge of the Chittha and all its activities.

One has to go back to Chapter.1 for definition of Chittha. Chittha is a bundle of all mind-field activities, not just mind’s physical location.

Sadhaka has to perform Samyama on Chitthato attain wisdom on its working. Chittha has two  aspects. One is – thoughts. The other is - feelings. The part which harbours feelings is usually referred to as Hridaya. Hridaya is not to be confused with Physical Heart. It is the emotional heart, which is a distinct part of Chittha.

Sadhaka needs to start performing Samyama on Hridaya, the centre of FEELINGS – and this gives him complete knowledge and control over these feelings and their underlying thoughts – which together form the Chittha.

 *  *  *  Continues  *  *  *

QUOTES - From OSHO - ALPHA TO OMEGA (VO.8.CH.4) - Dt 04.09.2012

QUOTES

FROM OSHO

ALPHA TO OMEGA (VO.8.CH.4)

(Dt: 04.09.2012)

We are continuing the wonderful Quotes of OSHO from his talks on –ALPHA TO PMEGA .

Here are twenty (20) Quotes from  VO.8.CH.4 of the Book. The ideal way to read these quotes is – read each a few times – dwell on it mentally – and, You will find deep wisdom emanating from many of the quotes – and some good humour and common sense from others.

1)   And that is the meaning of enlightenment: the shift from the ego to the self, the shift from the unreal to the real, the shift from the mind to no mind, the shift from the body to the embodied.

2)   An enlightened person cannot be egoistic. Whatsoever he says.... Their assertions may look very egoistic to you. Krishna says in the Geeta to Arjuna, to his disciple, ”Leave everything and come to my feet. I am the very God who has created this world.” Very egoistic. Can you find a more egoistic person? Listen to what Jesus says: ”My father in heaven and I both are one.” He is saying, ”I am God.” Very egoistic. Mansoor declared, ”I am truth, the very truth, the ultimate truth” – ”ANA’L HAQ.” Mohammedans were very much annoyed; they killed him. Jews killed Jesus. Very egoistic assertions? The Upanishads say, ”Aham brahmasmi” – ”I am the whole, the total.”

3)   When the eyes are cured, the stick is dropped…….The stick and the groping are a substitute – a very poor substitute at that – but it is needed when one is blind.

4)   Enlightenment is consciousness. Again you use your language. I can understand it, but it is wrong. You cannot be conscious of consciousness; otherwise you will become a victim of infinite regression.

5)   When one is enlightened one is conscious, but one is not conscious of consciousness. One is perfectly conscious, but there is no object in it.

6)   When you love, if you have ever loved, you are not a lover: you become love. Not that you do something. You are not a doer, so how can you call yourself a lover? The right expression will he that ”you are love.”

7)   Whenever you are in love, you will not feel that you are a lover. You will feel you are love. That’s why Jesus says, ”God is love.”

8)   The mind creates opposites. The mind says, ”I like you; I don’t like you. I love you; I hate you.” The mind says, ”This is beautiful; that is ugly.” The mind says, ”This has to be done; that has to be dropped.” The mind is choice. Hence, Krishnamurti’s insistence that if you become choiceless you will become no-mind. To become choiceless means to drop dividing the World.

9)   Just think. If man disappears from the earth, will there be anything beautiful? Will there be anything ugly? Will there be anything good, anything bad? All divisions will simply evaporate with humanity. The world will remain the same. The flowers will flower, the stars will move, the sun will rise – everything will continue the same. But division will disappear with man; man brings division into the world. ”Man” means ”mind.”

10)The difference between a woman and man is a difference of emphasis; it is not a difference of quality. The woman is consciously woman, unconsciously man; the man is consciously man, unconsciously woman. That’s all the difference is.

11)If you have a mind, you cannot be holy. Howsoever virtuous, the mind remains unholy because the mind cannot be whole.

12)Break the window, break the frame – bum it! Your Hinduism, your Christianity, your Jainism – burn them! and come out of them. If you can come out of all your ideologies, attitudes, prejudices, you will become whole.

13)It is very easy to laugh about others; difficult to laugh at oneself. But the day you become capable of laughing at yourself, you be. come egoless. Because the ego enjoys to laugh at others’ cost. When you start laughing at yourself, the ego cannot exist.

14)You can become the whole contained, but not self-contained. You can contain the whole and you can be contained by the whole, but you cannot become self contained. How can you divide yourself from the universe, separate? You cannot exist even for a single moment.

15)If you don’t breathe, you will not be able to ke alive. And you cannot hold your breath in; it has to go out. It has to come in again. It is a constant movement between you and the whole. Those who know, they say it is not that you breathe; on the contrary, the whole breathes you.

16)When you watch your breath, you think you are breathing. By and by you will see, you will have to see because that’s truth: you are not breathing. You are not needed to breathe; that’s why even in sleep you go on breathing. Even if you become unconscious, even if you are in a coma, you go on breathing. You are not breathing; otherwise sometimes you will forget and you will drop dead.

17)Your exhalation is God’s inhalation, your inhalation is God’s exhalation. The whole exhales: that is the moment when you feel you are in. haling. The whole inhales: that is the moment when you feel you are exhaling.

18)Only a person who has come to realize, ”I am not, the whole is,” can live moment to moment – because then there is no other way to live. The future is not yet there, and if this moment the whole has been protecting me, mothering me, helping me, then the whole will take care tomorrow also, as it has taken care up to now. It will take care. And if the whole decides that I am not needed, and I dissolve, perfectly okay – because who am I to object?

19)All habits are unconscious, and religion is becoming conscious.

20)Drop memory and imagination. Be here now.

 * * * E  N  D * * *