ATMA BODHA 22

ATMA BODHA 22

“AGYANAT-MANASO-UPADHEH KARTRITVADEENI CHATMANI

KALPYANTE-AMBUGATE-CHANDRE CHALANADI YATHA AMBHASAH”

The waves that belong to the waters are attributed through ignorance to the reflected moon dancing in it. Similarly, agency of action, of enjoyment and other limitations 9which belong to the mind) are delusively understood as the nature of the SELF.(Atman)

It is the intellect that is responsible for ideas like “I am the enjoyer, “ I am the doer.” These ideas arise in the mind when we are involved and immersed in the activities of the work a day world and the dream world. But on the other hand we do not get such ideas when we are in deep sleep. Why is it so?  It is only when the mind is available for perception and cognition that we come to know of the things cognized. As long as we identify ourselves with the mind we can claim to have the dual experiences in these planes of existence. But when we withdraw ourselves from the mental plane and remain in a state of Pure Consciousness ( Samadhi) we realize that all the thoughts and activities of the intellect, mind and the body are not in the Self, nor are they of the Self. The delusory reflection of the Consciousness in the mental plane which agitates with the panting egoistic ideas of “ I am the doer,” I am the enjoyer” cease as there are no thought eruptions there in.

Sankara  gives a beautiful simile to illustrate the point. This is a very common example which everyone knows.. The image of the moon is reflected in a bucket of water. The image is not steady. It shivers when the water surface is disturbed. At the same time when the water in the bucket calms down and becomes steady we do not see the shattered moon reassembling to form one whole. In the same manner, when one has purified one’s mind and has consolidated its strength and has reconstructed it to be firm and steady by narrowing down its many unholy, unhelpful and selfish thoughts, the glory of the Self gets automatically reflected in all its beauty within oneself!! It is now unshaken by the dualities around and the consequent agitations!!

An optical illusion is created and it appears that the moon is shivering and unsteady in water in the bucket. It is only the reflection of the moon disturbed by the movement of the water in the bucket. When the mind and intellect are disturbed by the happenings in the material world it is mistaken as that which affects the SELF!  But the Self is totally unaffected by the happenings that disturb the mind and intellect!