Summary:

Lesson 48 brings further clarity/detail HOW to meditate to establish oneself permanently in Self. We also remove myth of chasing mystical experiences, and answer what it ACTUALLY means to know oneself as limitless ananda (cheerfulness, fullness, not missing anything).

Source: Bhagavad Gita, Chapter 6, verse 20, 21, 22, 23 and Patañjali Yoga Sūtrās

Revision of Vedantic Meditation:

1. Vedantic Meditation and Ashtanga-Yoga:
   • Vedantic meditation utilizes the eight-step process of Patanjali's Ashtanga-Yoga for meditation techniques, while rejecting the dualistic philosophy of the Yoga Sūtras, which excludes Brahman.
   • The goal of meditation is mental absorption in the object of meditation, specifically the nature of the Self (ātma-svarūpa / relating with Ishvara in your life).
2. Mental Absorption:
   • Defined as the flow of similar thoughts (sajātīya-pratyaya-pravāhaḥ) focused on the nature of ātma (Self).
   • Meditation should focus on ātma / Ishvara features and avoid topics like family, work, money, and desires.
3. Features of Ātma:
   • Examples of ātma features include:
     • asaṅgaḥ: Independent/non-attached
     • sarvagataḥ: Omnipresent
     • nityaḥ: Permanent/eternal
     • satyaḥ: Truth
     • nirvikāraḥ: Unchanging
     • ekaḥ: One
     • akarta: Non-doer
     • abhokta: Non-enjoyer/experiencer
   • These features are discussed in earlier chapters and are known through scriptural study and guidance from a guru.
4. Purpose of Meditation:
   • The purpose is to recollect and reinforce teachings learned earlier, similar to recalling a first kiss after experiencing it.
   • Meditation is not for generating new thoughts but for solidifying learned thoughts into the subconscious, making them a natural part of life.
   • Vedantic students mentally revisit teachings during meditation, affirming thoughts like “I am the witness of thoughts. I am not affected by thoughts.”
5. Process of Absorption:
   • Absorption in meditation progresses through three grades:
     1. Dhāraṇa: The initial attempt to focus. Struggle.
     2. Dhyānam: Success begins to emerge from focused effort during the struggling stage.
     3. Samādhi: Full absorption, which can be:
        • Savikalpa: Deliberate and effortless absorption requiring willpower. Subject (ego) still present. Can think.
        • Nirvikalpa: Spontaneous and effortless absorption without willpower. No subject (ego). Thinking not possible.
6. Culmination of Aṣṭāṅga-Yoga:
   • The eight stages (aṅga) serve as stepping stones to the ninth stage, nirvikalpa-samādhi (aṅgi), which is the culmination (aṣṭāṅga-yoga-phalam).
   • Krishna provides seven definitions of this culmination in verses 20-23.

Bhagavad Gita Chapter 6, Verse 20:

yatra uparamate cittam niruddham yoga sevayā
yatra ca eva ātmanā ātmānam paśyan ātmani tuṣyati

When the mind, mastered by the practice of meditation, abides (in ātman) and when, seeing oneself by oneself alone, one rejoices in oneself…

Mastery of the Mind through Meditation (yoga sevayā)

The verse begins by emphasizing the importance of meditation (yoga) in mastering the mind. Through consistent practice, the mind becomes tranquil (uparamate cittam) and focused. The term “niruddham” means “mastered,” indicating that this state is achieved through deliberate practice and discipline. The tranquil mind naturally abides in the Self (ātmā).

Abidance in the Self (ātman)

When the mind is mastered, it naturally abides in the Self (ātman). This state is not induced or temporary but a natural resting place for the disciplined mind. This abidance is in atma, which can be understood as sat-cit-ānanda-ātmā.

Seeing Oneself by Oneself (ātmanā ātmānam paśyan)

This phrase signifies the realization of the Self by the Self. It's crucial to understand the subtle distinctions in the use of similar words here:

• ātmānam: In the Self
• ātmanī: In the Mind
• ātmanā: With the help of the mind itself

The verse is instructing that with the help of the mind, one should see the Self in the mind itself. The Ātman resides in the mind as the witness of thoughts. However, it's essential to note that Ātman is not individual but universal, pervading the entire universe. There is no distinction between “my” Atma and “your” Atma.

The Nature of Atma

Atma resides in mind as witness of thoughts.  

Atma means: When universal consciousness (Brahman) pervades matter, then Brahman changes name to Atma. So Atma just means: Consciousness (formless) + matter (form). But remember, matter itself is Consciousness also.

Rejoicing in Oneself (ātmani tuṣyati)

Upon realizing the Self, one enjoys unparalleled contentment. This contentment arises from recognizing one's true nature as free from this limited person.

Bhagavad Gita Chapter 6, Verse 21:

sukham ātyantikam yat tat buddhi grāhyam atīndriyam |
vetti yatra na ca eva ayam sthitaḥ calati tattvataḥ ||

…(and when) one recognises this absolute happiness, which is known by the intellect, which is beyond sense perception and when, being rooted (therein) one never moves away from the truth of oneself…

1. Limitless Happiness (Ātyantikam Sukham):
   • This verse speaks of ātyantikam sukham, the highest form of ānanda (bliss), which is limitless and fundamentally different from finite sense pleasures. Sense pleasures are transient and limited by quality, time, and place. For example, the joy experienced on a particular day or the quality of a performance is fleeting. Even the ānanda experienced in samādhi, if it is merely experiential, remains limited. True ānanda is born of knowledge, not experience. This knowledge is the realization that “I am pūrnaḥ” (full, whole, complete) at all times—during meditation, in life, and beyond death. The body-mind complex is incidental and not the true self. Despite the limitations of the body-mind, the truth is that the self (Consciousness) is pūrnaḥ. The jñāni‘s cheerfulness arises from well-assimilated knowledge of pūrnaḥ, independent of external circumstances. 
2. Knowledge as the Source of Ānanda:
   • Ānanda born of knowledge is permanent, as knowledge is not displaced by time or worldly experiences. For instance, the knowledge that 2 + 2 = 4 remains constant regardless of one's emotional state.
   • Krishna emphasizes that one “knows” this ānanda, rather than “experiences” it, indicating that ānanda is a form of knowledge or wisdom. This knowledge reveals what has always been true but was obscured by false ideas, similar to how clouds only appear to dim the sun's brightness.
3. Firm Abidance in Self (Tattva-Niṣṭhā):
   • The verse highlights tattva-niṣṭhā, the firm establishment in one's true nature (ātma), where one does not deviate from this higher nature. Remaining absorbed in ātma means not deviating into anātma (non-self). This steadfastness is akin to learning to ride a bicycle: initially, one learns in a non-distracting environment. Over time, cycling knowledge becomes second nature, allowing one to ride effortlessly even in chaotic conditions. This non-distractible self-knowledge is tattva-niṣṭhā. One who practices ātma-dhyānam (meditation on the self) never forgets their true nature, even during worldly transactions, achieving sahaja-samādhi (natural absorption). Just as a cyclist in sahaja-samādhi rides on autopilot, able to navigate traffic and talk on the phone simultaneously, a person established in self-knowledge remains centered and undisturbed by external circumstances.

Bhagavad Gita Chapter 6, Verse 22:

yaṃ labdhvā cāparaṃ lābhaṃ manyate nādhikaṃ tataḥ ।
yasminsthito na duḥkhena guruṇāpi vicālyate ॥ 6-22॥

…and, having gained which, one does not think there is any other better gain than that, established in which, one is not affected even by a great sorrow (sorrowful event)…

1. Highest Gain (Ādhyāntika-Lābhaḥ):
   • This verse speaks of the highest gain, ādhyāntika-lābhaḥ, which renders all other gains insignificant. When a person realizes the pūrṇatvam (fullness) of the ātma, understanding “I am full, I don't lack or need anything in life to be complete,” they no longer feel the absence of anything in life.
   • Whatever one enjoys in the worldly sense becomes a luxury, not a necessity. Luxury is defined as something one enjoys when available but does not miss when unavailable. In contrast, something that is not appreciated when present but sorely missed when absent is not a luxury. For example, receiving a free lift occasionally is enjoyed, but when it becomes a daily occurrence, one may stop appreciating the driver. For a jñāni, everything in life is a luxury. When things are present, they are thoroughly enjoyed, and when absent, they are not missed.
   • In summary, having realized pūrṇatvam, anything in life is neither a gain nor a loss, only a luxury. Worldly gains become insignificant in the eyes of a jñāni.
2. Freedom from Sorrow (Adhyāntika-Duḥkha-Nivṛttiḥ):
   • The verse also highlights adhyāntika-duḥkha-nivṛttiḥ, total freedom from sorrow. Remaining in ātma-niṣṭhā (self-abidance), one is not shaken even by the worst tragedies in life. The attitude of “What > So What!” prevails, as the jñāni knows that all things are subject to arrival and departure. This understanding provides a stable foundation, allowing one to remain unaffected by sorrowful events, no matter how great.

Revision of Meditation

Meditation is not prescribed for gaining Self-Knowledge but for internalizing and assimilating knowledge that has already been gained. Assimilated knowledge alone nourishes you. The metaphor used is that when you eat food, what nourishes the body is not what you eat, but what the body digests (assimilates/internalizes). For example, some people have problems with absorption, leading to malnutrition. Similarly, if the mind fails to digest knowledge, a person continues to feel spiritually malnourished.

Swami Chinmayananda used to say, “You've gone through 10 Upanishads. How many Upanishads have gone through YOU?” In other words, assimilation is accomplished by dwelling upon received teachings. 

Adi Shankara states: “Reflection (manana) is 100 times superior to listening (śravaṇa). Contemplation (open eyes) and meditation (closed eyes), otherwise called nididhyāsana — is 100 times superior to reflection (manana).”

Bhagavad Gita Chapter 6, Verse 23:

tam vidyāt duḥkha-saṃyoga-viyogam yoga-saṃjñitam ।
saḥ niścayena yoktavyaḥ yogaḥ anirviṇṇa-cetasā ॥ 6-23॥

…may one know that dissociation from (association with sorrow), to be what is called as yoga. That yoga should be pursued with clarity of purpose with a mind that is not discouraged.

Dissociation from Sorrow (Duḥkha Saṃyoga Viyogam):

This verse introduces the concept of duḥkha saṃyoga viyogam, which means dissociation from the association with unnatural sorrow. It emphasizes that true happiness does not come from temporary experiences, as anything born in time will eventually end. Happiness derived from sense pleasures or specific states of mind is transient and will last only as long as those conditions persist.

Vedanta advises against seeking temporary or mystical pleasures, as they are subject to loss. Infinite ānanda, or bliss, is not something that arrives in time, place, or condition; it is ever-present and must be realized here and now. The key to infinite ānanda is not to get it like it's some object away from you, but to remove the superimposed sorrow upon one's true nature (svarūpam). This involves recognizing and eliminating obstacles or false notions about oneself through self-knowledge.

Just as a doctor does not give you health—since the body's nature is inherently healthy—but rather removes obstacles to health. Sorrow or bad-health is acquired through wrong thinking, misconceptions and putting the wrong stuff in your body and mind. Vedanta helps remove these “sorrow-bacteria” or misconceptions through the “antibiotics” of ātma-jñānam (Self-Knowledge).

The Practice of Yoga:

Krishna advises all Vedantic students to practice this yoga with perseverance (saḥ niścayena yoktavyaḥ). Without practice, study becomes mere verbal gymnastics.

Approach with Optimism (Anirviṇṇa-Cetasā):

During meditation, worries may arise from the subconscious, creating frustration. Therefore, Krishna advises to recognize anything new will feel frustrating, unfamiliar and discouraging. Persists by keeping the future benefit in mind.

Keywords: adhyantika, ananda, anirvinna-cetasa, antaranga, asanga, asangah, ashtanga, astanga, atma darshana, atma svarupa, atmana, atmanam, atmani, atyantikam, bahiranga, basya, bhashyam, buddhigrahyam, catcidananda, dharana, dhyanam, duhkha, ekah, jnanam, jnani, labha, labhah, moksha, nididhyasanam, nirvikara, nirvikarah, nishtha, nistha, nitya, nityah, patanjali, pravaha, pravahah, sadhana, sah niscayena, sajatiya, samadhi, samyoga, sarvagata, sastra, satchitananda, satcitananda, satya, satyah, shankara, shastra, shravana, sravana, sthita prajna, sutra, sutras, tushyati, tusyati, upadesa, upadesha, uparamanam, vedanta, vedantic, yogah, yogasevaya, yoktavyah

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• After class questions

Credit for help in Bhagavad Gita teaching is given to Swami Paramarthananda

Recorded 7 May, 2019