Another video in our ‘Exploring False Teachings’ Series. See the playlist on my YouTube channel for more in this series of videos
Note that even ‘false teachings’ may be useful to us at times, and are often part of our (apparent) journey. ‘False teaching’ here just means teachings that do not directly point to liberation.
Note that False teachings may also be useful to us at times, and are often part of our (apparent) journey. ‘False’ here just means teachings that do not directly point to liberation.
Immediately below you will find a playlist of videos on YouTube all of which explore false or non-liberating teachings, starting with a video on savikalpa vs nirvikalpa teachings – this may sound quite obscure but many have found this video to be one of the most helpful videos they have listened to:
Here are some videos from the above playlist:
Many say that (1) the mind (ie. thoughts) cannot be controlled and (2) the mind need not be controlled for liberation to result. Here is what is written in the Bhagavad Gita, chapter 6, verses 35 and 36:
Arjuna: The mind is very restless, turbulent, strong and obstinate, O Krishna. It appears to me that it is more difficult to control than the wind.
Lord Krishna said: O mighty-armed son of Kunti, what you say is correct; the mind is indeed very difficult to restrain. But by practice and detachment, it can be controlled.
Note the teaching here is clear – the mind can be controlled. Just practice is required. To find out more, please read Chapter 6 of the Bhagavad Gita which explains the meaning of ‘controlling the mind’, the method of doing so, and the result (Moksha)
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Tom: If you read JK carefully you will realise that he just means that what you take to be you, the observer, is actually something that is observed. ie. the observer is actually the ego-mind or thinking-mind, and whilst you may take this to be the subject-observer, it is actually an object, ie. something that is observed.
Put differently, the thinking mind or thought often makes comments and commentary about the world, and so appears to be the observer-subject. However, if investigated, we can see that these comentarial thoughts are actually appearences or objects – ie. they are observed.
Best wishes
Tom
‘It is mainly through enquiry (vichara) that he who is competent achieves knowledge of the Self; circumstance, time, and the grace of the Lord are but aids to the quest.’
~ Shankara (Vivekachudamani)
Tom: Some say that grace of god is required for liberation and so slacken and shy away from their sadhana. Grace of God is certainly needed, but Grace of God is always here. Shankara reminds us that it is Sadhana ie. Self-enquiry, that is the foremost factor that leads directly to liberation
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Some say that all is One already, All is Divine, so no need to give anything up, no need to do anything. Whilst there is a truth in this, and whilst this type of teaching can provide us some limited time-bound relief (which is good as a start), it is almost always an ego-preservation strategy: the thinking mischief-causing mind is allowed to continue with its ideas and concepts and beliefs about ‘this’, and the genuine thought-free Blissful Realisation of That Which Always Is, is postponed yet again. Suffering and duality continue, apparently, and we remain stuck in illusion, apparently.
Why ‘apparently’? Because in Reality there was never any ignorance, any delusion, any duality or any suffering. Only Blissful Being ever really is.
‘This’ never was (referring to objective phenomena/maya).
There is only That (Divine Formless Spirit)…
…and That Thou Art.
To realise this is very simple: (1) Surrender all to the Him (or Her or It), (2) allow the mind to become first happy, then very calm and still, and then (3) enquire into yourself as per instructions of Bhagavan Guru Sri Ramana Maharshi
Bhagavan Ramana summarises the teachings using the Biblical phrase ‘Be Still and Know I Am God’
Om Tat Sat
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Tom Das 