Monday, September 19, 2016

Vasanas and Nirvikalpa samadhi

Q: It is clear that vasanas are not destroyed during sleep. Are they destroyed by nirvikalpa samadhi, or does this state have no effect on them?

Bhagavan taught that we should aim for sahaja samadhi, not nirvikalpa samadhi. He said that it was not necessary to experience nirvikalpa samadhi prior to enjoying sahaja samadhi.

One form of nirvikalpa samadhi is like laya, like deep sleep. There is peace while the samadhi persists, but when the experience is over the mind rises and the vasanas become just as active as before.

Laya [temporary suspension of all mental faculties in a trance like state] is virtually the same as sleep. Experiencing this state is not helpful to your sadhana. Laya is not meditation, it is un consciousness; it is tamoguna in a very strong form. Meditation needs an awake mind, not an unconscious one. Sleep and laya increase the identification with the mind. You may feel a little peace during laya, but when you wake up from this state the  mind becomes very active again and the peace is all lost.

In the peace of the Self there are no vasanas. If you can establish yourself in the Self, all vasanas will be destroyed. Witness the vasanas as they arise but don't identify with them or act on them. If you want to get rid of your vasanas you must learn to practise non-involvement.

If you feel yourself identifying with a vasana when it starts to rise, remind yourself, 'This vasana is not me' and withdraw into the Self. If you learn to ignore your vasanas in this way they will eventually stop rising. 

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