27. CONTROLLING THE MIND

D: Many people find it difficult to do dhyāna as their mind wanders in many directions. What advice would Acharyal give to enable such people to practise dhyāna well?

A: Actually, dhyāna is a secret. The Guru instructs only after keeping in mind the competence of the disciple. As for mind-control, though it is difficult it is quite possible.

D: Some people say that it is just impossible for them to control the mind. What about them?

A: Give a bundle of hundred rupee notes to the person who says that it is just impossible to control his mind. Ask him to count the notes without making mistakes. After he finishes this task, ask him if his mind wandered while he was counting. You will indeed get the reply, “It did not.” The mind does not wander while a person is counting his salary. What is the reason for this? It is only the feeling that there should not be any error. Why will the mind wander if such a feeling is had while practising dhyāna also?

Arjuna says:

(BG, VI. 34)

(O Kṛṣṇa! The mind is restless, turbulent, strong and obstinate. I think controlling it is more difficult than restraining the wind.)

Lord Kṛṣṇa responds:

(BG, VI. 35)

(O son of Kunti! No doubt it is difficult to control the mind. Yet, by practice and dispassion, it can be controlled.)

D: What is abhyāsa (practice)?

A: Effort to keep the mind focussed is termed practice.

D: In what sense is the word dispassion used here?

A: When one has no attachment to any material or heavenly enjoyments, one is said to be dispassionate. Dispassion is the foundation for spiritual life.

D: How should dispassion be cultivated?

A: Vairāgya can appear in many ways. When one’s close relative dies, one may not want anything in this world. Such dispassion is temporary and is not spiritually significant. Steady dispassion is born of viveka (discrimination). For instance, we discriminate between sat (that which is ever existent, the reality) and what is other than sat. The vairāgya that is produced by such analysis will remain steady. An easier analysis is, “There is no happiness at all for me from any object.” This is a lower grade of viveka. One can develop vairāgya even through this viveka.

D: How can it be said that happiness is not at all derived from objects? When something desired is eaten or when some other enjoyment is had, happiness does arise.

A: No. If carefully analysed, it will be perceived that happiness is not obtained from objects. If a certain thing is to be the cause of another, the rules of anvaya and vyatireka (concordance and discordance) should be satisfied. The existence of the effect when the cause is present is anvaya (concordance). The absence of the effect in the absence of the cause is vyatireka (discordance). Consider an example. Mud is the cause of a pot. Only if mud exists can the pot exist. This is anvaya. When there is no mud, there is no pot. This is vyatireka. For a cause-effect relationship to exist, anvaya and vyatireka should be satisfied. If an object is to be the cause and happiness the effect, the said rule must be satisfied between the two. However, it is not. Hence, objects cannot be the cause of happiness.

D: Will Acharyal kindly explain this with an illustration?

A: Suppose that a boy is eating a sweet. Let us now analyse whether that dish is the cause of happiness. If the boy is given the sweet when he is ill, it does not make him happy. So, no happiness is derived though the eatable is present. Further, even in the absence of the sweet, the boy can be happy, in the company of friends. Therefore, the sweet dish cannot be the cause of happiness.

D: When one object is absent, we get happiness through another object. Hence, even if an isolated object cannot be the cause, why cannot objects collectively become the cause of happiness?

A: Even this assumption does not hold good. Everyone experiences happiness during deep sleep. On waking up we say, “I slept happily. I was aware of nothing.” During deep sleep, no object whatsoever is present. Nevertheless, we do enjoy sleep. So, it cannot also be said that a collection of objects is the cause of happiness. It cannot also be asserted that even if one object is absent, some other object is always present to give happiness.

D: If objects do not cause happiness, how does a man get happiness when a desired object is obtained?

A: It is only because of mental peace. When a person desires an object, his mind is restless because of longing. Hence, during that period, there is no happiness. When the object is secured, the desire for it subsides. Hence, the mind becomes peaceful, and one enjoys happiness. Subsequently, a desire for something else arises and mental peace is lost. So, happiness disappears. When that desire is consummated, there is peace again and, so, happiness. Normally, man does not perceive that there is a gap separating two thoughts and does not realise that the happiness is due to mental peace. Further, one also falls prey to the wrong notion that an object is what is responsible for happiness.

D: If one recognises that mental peace gives happiness and not objects, can one thereby get vairāgya?

A: Yes. If one repeatedly notes that happiness does not stem from objects and that they are worthless, one becomes dispassionate. For example, one wanting to neutralise the desire for wealth could think, “I have to work hard to earn money. Even preserving the earned money is difficult. There is pain when it is lost or becomes spent. Wealth thus causes not happiness but unhappiness.” To tackle desire for women, a person can reflect, “Her body is full of blood and flesh.” By repeatedly thinking in this fashion, desires can be neutralised. Dispassion makes the mind steady and peaceful. Only a dispassionate mind is fit for practising dhyāna. A dispassionate person can attain even the Supreme state.

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❑ Incidents from Acharyal's Life

Acharyal has said that due to the grace of Iswara and owing to the practices done in the past lives, He was endowed with a mind that was never given to wandering. A yogin par excellence, Acharyal kept His mind under complete control.

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Every day Acharyal attended to a huge pile of letters from His various devotees, not only from India but also from abroad. Once when I was reading mails for Acharyal and was noting down His replies, I read a letter from a devotee who had mentioned about his problems with minding his senses and about his mind getting distracted during meditation. Acharyal answered, “As long as an object is thought of to be good, it is natural that a want develops in respect of that object. By discrimination, when one sees the worthlessness inherent in it, the craving, and the resultant distraction cease by themselves. “Doṣa dhṛṣṭyā muhurmuhuḥ” (by repeatedly perceiving faults in sense objects). No matter what the object is, it is sought after only if one sees plus points in it.” So He replied looking at Sri Giridhara Sastry. Turning to me He said, “What else? That is all. An object perceived as faulty does not generate a desire.” He nodded in question at me as if to ensure what He had said had been grasped by me. “Yes”, I said meaning that I had paid attention to what I thought were Acharyal’s instructions to me. It was the last day (16th September, 1989), mails from devotees were taken to Acharyal. [Sri H.N.Shankar]

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❑ Experiences of Devotees

Acharyal has advised many methods to keep one’s mind under control. On an occasion, He advised me one such method. “Steadfastness to the effect, ‘now my mind must remain focussed on Bhagavān’ has to be engendered. Else, the mind will continue to roam hither and thither.” I felt great joy on this spontaneous advice from Acharyal. [Sri K.Srinivasan]

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Acharyal was ever in a state of equipoise and total peace. Once, in Coimbatore, Acharyal visited the Śāradā temple and I went to have His darśana. A function was in progress. All kinds of people were around and the sound level was pretty high. Nadaswaram was being played loudly. Apart from noise there was smoke from the homa-kuṇḍa, and odour from flowers and fruits. I was finding it very difficult to sit amidst the din and bustle, crowd, smoke and sweat. But, Acharyal was sitting on the dais, completely at peace, with a beautiful smile on His face, eyes half closed. I thought that this was the greatest sight I had ever seen because I could not take my eyes off Him.

When I went to see Him some time later in Sringeri, I was thinking that it would be nice if I saw Him again in that state. At that time, He was very busy and was also ill. So I told Him, “Gurunātha, I think You are exerting too much and I think You really should take rest. If You were not Acharyal, I would not have allowed You to take up all these responsibilities.” He said, “What do you want Me to do? I personally would like to sit like this and meditate.” Saying so, He went into a trance! I did not know what to say. Once again, I had the opportunity to behold Him seated on the dais, glowing with tejas. [Dr.G.Lakshmipathy]

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