Jnanis And The Path They Teach, Part Three
Author: Satguru Bodhinatha Veylanswami
Description: Description: It is the disciple’s duty to understand the sometimes subtle guidance offered by the guru, to take the suggestions and make the best use of them in fulfilling the sādhanas given. Related Shum series: sida, basida, and as it relates to harmony with the Satguru, mingbasida. What matters is that there be a true and fully realized satguru, that there be a true and fully dedicated disciple. In our tradition the siddhas have always taught of Śiva and only Śiva. They have taught the Śaiva Dharma which seeks to serve and know Śiva in three ways: as Personal Lord and creator of all that exists; as existence, knowledge and bliss—the love that flows through all form—and finally as the timeless, formless, causeless Self of all. When we perform yoga, we are expected to go within, in and in, deep within ourselves, deep within the mind. The practice of yoga well performed produces the jñānī, a rare soul, a highly evolved soul. Through yoga the family person may attain the experiencing of God Śiva as Satchidānanda, as light and love and consciousness. The ultimate goal of the sannyasin, the merger, experiencing God as Parasiva. But all who strive have done powerful preparation for their next life. Never give up bhakti, never give up temple worship. "Guru Chronicles", "Master Course Trilogy", "Merging with Siva" Lessons 319-320.
Transcription:
Good morning everyone. We are continuing "Merging with Siva" Chapter 46 entitled "Janis and the Path they Teach" from 1984.
And we're going to insert a "Guru Chronicles" excerpt:
"The knowledge shared by Gurudeva's band of great devas was limited only by the quality and depth of the questions asked. (That's an interesting way to think about knowledge, right? What's limiting the knowledge? The questions you ask. Not the answers that are different.) It was not unusual, once a strong connection was made, for the devas to linger for an hour or more, and for Gurudeva to ask every now and again, any more questions? The queries focused on current events, issues, people, philosophical queries and problems of the day. Gurudeva received invaluable, practical guidance for every aspect of his mission in these sessions, and the monks with him experienced a rare glimpse into another world, a world so familiar to Gurudeva, just as real as this world more, he might say. He explained the way these beings of the inner worlds work to assist sincere aspirants who are incarcerated in physical bodies."
And our Lesson 319:
"Duties of The Disciple
"It is the disciple’s duty to understand the sometimes subtle guidance offered by the guru, to take the suggestions and make the best use of them in fulfilling the sādhanas given. Being with a satguru is an intensification on the path of enlightenment—always challenging, for growth is a challenge to the instinctive mind. If a guru does not provide this intensification, we could consider him to be more a philosophical teacher. Not all gurus are satgurus. Not all gurus have realized God themselves. The idea is to change the patterns of life, not to perpetuate them. That would be the only reason one would want to find a satguru."
Then we have some Shum that relates to that. The series is: sida, basida, mingbasida. So we start off with:
sida
Flowing water.
basida
Inner flow of energy, such as in a chakravala or between two or more people; any positive energy flow involving people; basida always refers to a positive, uplifting energy or prana.
And then we get to the one that relates to the guru:
mingbasida
Harmony with ones satguru; beautiful inner flow, spine-to-spine, between you and your guru; visualize the energy in your satguru as being the same energy within you; if you can locate and identify with this basic life force between yourself and your guru, automatically and retroactively you will feel one with everyone in the universe, for it is the same energy that permeates all.
And back to the text:
"Some teachers will teach ethics. Others will teach philosophy, language, worship and scriptures. Some will teach by example, by an inner guidance. Others will teach from books. Some will be silent, while others will lecture and have classes. Some will be orthodox, while others may not. The form of the teaching is not the most essential matter. What matters is that there be a true and fully realized satguru, that there be a true and fully dedicated disciple. Under such conditions, spiritual progress will be swift and certain, though not necessarily easy. Of course, in our tradition the siddhas have always taught of Śiva and only Śiva. They have taught the Śaiva Dharma which seeks to serve and know Śiva in three ways: as Personal Lord and creator of all that exists; as existence, knowledge and bliss—the love that flows through all form—and finally as the timeless, formless, causeless Self of all.
"When we go to school, we are expected to learn our lessons and then to graduate. Having graduated, we are expected to enter society, take a position comparable to our level of education. We are expected to know more when we leave than when we entered, and we naturally do. When we perform sādhana, we are expected to mature inwardly, to grow and to discipline ourselves. And, in fact, we do become a better, more productive, more compassionate, more refined person.
"But when we perform yoga, we are expected to go within, in and in, deep within ourselves, deep within the mind. If yoga is truly performed, we graduate with knowledge based on personal experience, not on what someone else has said. We then take our place among the jñānīs—the wise ones who know, and who know what they know—to uplift others with understanding in sādhana and in yoga."
Lesson 320
"Attaining The Ultimate
"In other words, the practice of yoga well performed produces the jñānī. The yogī has the same experiences, if he is successful, and comes out with the same independent knowledge which, when reviewed, corresponds perfectly with what other jñānīs discovered and taught as the outcome of their yogic practices. This kind of knowledge surpasses all other knowing and is the basis of all Hindu scriptures. The jñānī is a rare soul, a highly evolved soul. He speaks of Truth from his experience of it and gives it a personal touch. As Sri Ramakrishna said, you go into yourself a fool, but through the practices of yoga you come out a wise man. That is the jñānī—the knower of the Unknowable.
"The yogī who is in the process of yoga, who has not graduated to God Realization, is not yet a jñānī, though he has all kinds of realizations along the way, some sustained, others yet to be sustained. The yogī is seeking, striving, changing, unfolding, trying with all his heart to become, to know his ultimate goal. When the merger has become complete, when two have become one, he is no longer a yogī, he is a jñānī. When the student graduates from college, he is no longer a student, he is a graduate. The merger of which I speak is Paraśiva, to be experienced by the sannyāsin who has turned from the world and into himself.
"There is yet another realization which can be described as experiencing God Śiva as Satchidānanda, as light and love and consciousness. This also may be achieved through yoga. When one experiences this expanded state of being, this cosmic consciousness, he comes back knowing he has had a fantastic experience, but no jñāna persists, for he has yet to attain the Ultimate. Family people can attain this second state through diligent effort, and even attain to Paraśiva at the point of death, or before if the path of renunciation is entered upon fully after life’s obligations have been fulfilled. But there are few, very few, who have attained the highest of the high, Paraśiva, after having been householders, having fulfilled their family dharma, freed from any and all worldly endeavors, plunged into total, total abandonment of spouse, family, friends, associates of all kind, taking no disciples, shunning devotees and forever living alone on alms, to seek the highest of the high. As said, even following such a strict path, there are few, very few, who attain to Absolute Reality. But all who strive have done powerful preparation for their next life.
"My satguru, Siva Yogaswami, often said, “Lord Śiva is within you. You are within Lord Śiva. Lord Śiva, with all of His powers, cannot separate Himself from you.” Siva Yogaswami told us to go to the temple, to worship at the temple. He also told us to go within ourselves, into Śivajñāna. He did not tell us not to go to the temple. He did not try to break our faith. He tried to build our faith and make us strong. He guided us on the straight path, the path of the Śaivite saints, leading us to the feet of Śiva.
"Siva Yogaswami himself, though completely Self realized, went regularly to the temple, worshiped Śiva there, then plunged within himself in the aftermath of holy pūjā, drawing near to Śiva through meditation. He never advocated, nor has any traditional Śaivite satguru advocated, that advanced devotees give up bhakti, give up the temple. No! Never! They taught that Śiva is within and cannot be separated from you, but they also wisely directed us to seek Him and worship Him in the temple."
Thank you very much. Have a wonderful day.
[End of transcript.]