Niyama Sadhana

BA’HYIKA MA’NASIKA (EXTERNAL PSYCHIC):

Man has Samskaras of which imposed Sam’ska’ras form one category. The environment, in which man is born and brought up has its impact on human mind. When the impact on one’s mind lasts long, it becomes imposed Samskara.

For example, if a child is born in a village, where most of the people are bad and quarrelsome, then the same child also, at the age of 10 or 12, will grow up to be a quarrelsome boy. As the external environment exerts its unhealthy influence on one’s mind and creates imposed Sam’ska’ras, so it is called External Psychic.

When one sees some obscene pictures outside, sympathetic vibrations will be created in the optical nerves and from there the vibration will reach the actual site of the eye‑organ in the brain.

At that time one feels that one is seeing something. If one continuously sees obscene pictures, then that will form a habit ‑ the same type of vibration will be permanently occurring.

A cursory glance at things may not affect mind so much but continuously looking at obscene pictures creates lasting and strong waves of vibrations. That is why one should turn away his eyes from those harmful pictures. Once the habit of looking at obscene pictures is formed, the eyes will turn towards that direction neglecting the mind’s dictation.

On the contrary, if one does not look to that direction, then the sympathetic vibrations from optical nerves and optical fluids will stop coming in. The nerve‑cells will neither be affected nor be habituated to adopt the vibrative forms. If all of a sudden, the nerves become vehemently vibrated, that will affect the will‑force, which in its turn, will direct the conscious mind. If eyes are opened, he will again want to see the same picture.

That is, the unhealthy desire to see obscene pictures is very strong in man. Because in that case the nerve‑cells become strongly vibrated. When you know that the moment you shall look towards a particular direction, you will see some obscene picture, you must not look in that direction. Your nerve‑cells will not be vibrated, consequently your will‑force will not be affected.

Even though there is a desire to see, your eyes will not look to that side. Even if you look for a short while, there may be a little vibration in the nerve‑cells and the least glance may at once affect the will‑power. Mind will want more and more to see that picture. This is why human sight is drawn to the criminal acts.

Cittanadii ubhayatah prava’hinii ‑ It flows from hilltop to sea and from sea to hilltop, whereas the actual river flows downwards only. This is the specific propensity of Citta‑Nadii.

When the nerve‑cells are vibrated, the entire nerve‑fibres are ready to carry out its dictates. That is why, mind being excited, all the sense‑organs and the body become excited. Nerve‑cells have will‑force which affects the conscious mind.

The conscious mind utilizes, as its agents, the nerve‑fibres which are scattered all over the body. Very rapidly, it will affect the limbs of the body. The mental tendency is either psycho‑physical, that is, towards the crude, or it is psycho‑spiritual. For psycho‑spiritual sphere, the nerve‑cells do not come to one’s help, the nerve‑cells connect the body with the mind.

If there is a strong idea in the nerve‑ cells, then the will‑force affects the conscious mind and the conscious mind influences the nerve‑fibres. Mind being excited, the body also becomes excited at once. If one becomes angry, the face becomes red; in fear, one becomes pale. The nerves become affected from all sides. All kinds of thoughts ‑ good, bad, worse, worst affect the mind. Nerve‑cells being affected, affect the will‑force then and there; the will‑force, again, affects the conscious mind forthwith and the conscious mind starts pressurizing the nerves immediately.

For instance, when a cultured man becomes very angry, he at once starts abusing others like a fool.

His anger was already stored in his mind. The moment it got scope of expression, there occurred commotion in the nerves. This happens for every person. The effect of external environment is always Tanma’trika. The external impact is always carried to the brain by the Jina’nendriyas through the media of sound, touch, form, taste and smell Tanma’tras. And from there, they are carried to the mind through efferent nerves.

The moment the mind (Citta) adopts the vibrative forms, a corresponding vibration takes place in the nerve‑cells through Sam’jina’ Na’d’iis (afferent nerves). Everyone must have experienced this sometime or other.

The very sight of a person you do not like makes one irritated. Here the nerve‑cells become affected by the vibrations from the optical nerves. The very sight of obscene pictures creates mental degeneration.

Listening to bad songs, smelling bad odors, etc. inevitably create mental degradation.A habitual tea‑taker becomes easily attracted to tea by its very flavour, emanated from inside the teapot.

A sympathetic vibration is created, similar to the one in one’s nerves, at the time of taking tea; subsequently, the will‑force becomes affected in no time. The desire that “I shall take tea” being much stronger than the desire that “I shall not take tea”, then and there the conscious mind becomes affected.

As the inevitable result thereof, the vocal cord becomes clearly affected and the person mechanically orders a cup of tea. The same psychology prevails with a drunkard. The moment he comes near a wine‑shop, the very smell from the wine‑house attracts him very much.

All the 5 Tanma’tras have their respective holds on human mind. Therefore one must withdraw one’s Jina’nendriyas from the unwholesome influence of the harmful Tanma’tras.

This relative world of Tanma’tras is telepathized in the senses; that is, this world exists because the Indriyas exist. The existence of the world would have lost its meaning in the absence of your senses.

Does the world exist to one who has lost his vision?

No, because his blind eyes cannot receive the incoming Tanma’tras and as such to a blind person, the world ceases to exist. There remains only a dark void. The existence of the world for you is relative ‑ it is conditional. Whatever there is in this universe ‑ sound, colour, touch, smell depends solely on the existence of Indriyas.

All the Tanma’trika expressions in this universe are constantly reflected in your Indriyas. That is why the Indriyas are Prati Sam’vedii (telepathic) to the external world. Indriyas discharge their functions because there is Citta, there is mind.

Through Indriyas alone, without the assistance of Citta, one can neither perceive the incoming Tanma’tra nor transmit one’s reactions externally. A dead body, in spite of having the eyes, can not see anything because mind has stopped functioning. That is why, the mind is Pratisam’vedii (telepathic) to the Indriyas. And the A’tma’, or soul, is Pratisam’vedii to the mind.

In the absence of the A’tma’, there would be no feeling even inspite of the existence of mind. And the Atma’ is telepathized on Parama’tma'.

In the absence of Paramatma, there would be no pure ‘I’ feeling, no ‘Knower‑I’ even though there would be Atma telepathized on Parama’tma’. In the absence of ‘Knower‑I’, the ‘Known‑I’ can not exist and without ‘Known‑I’, Indriyas can not exist. In absence of Indriyas, the relative world has no meaning.

In this way, one is telepathic to another and there is inter‑dependence on one another. Only the Parama’tma’ or Parama Purus’a is omni‑telepathic. In absence of Parama Purus’a, the existence of any other entity would remain unsubstantiated.

That is why, Parama Purus’a has another name, Krs’n’a. Krs’ means to be. He exists, that is why you exist; the verb ’to be’ is applied in His case; therefore it is used in your case also, “Sah tis’t’hati, anena ka’ran’ena aham’ tis’t’ha’mi”.

Mind gains experience through the Jinanendriyas.

One experiences a feeling when the nerve‑cells are vibrated. The ectoplasmic stuff of the mind adopts the vibration of a particular wavelength corresponding to the vibration of the same wavelength in the nerve‑cells.

For instance, you are seeing an elephant outside. The Tanma’trika vibrations of the elephant reach the nerve‑cells through the optical nerves. The light‑waves radiated from the outside elephant must be exactly identical to the figure of the elephant.

It works like a camera. The ectoplasmic stuff of your mind takes the exact form of the elephant. The ectoplasmic stuff adopts the vibrative form of the same wave‑length as those of the actual elephant.

In Sanskrit, the root verb ‘bhu’ means ’to be’.

By adding the suffix ‘ktin’, the verbal noun, thus created, is always in feminine gender.

“Bhu’+ktin=Bhu’ti"which means being'. Mind receives the vibrational forms of objects through A'jina' Na'd'ii (motor nerves) and Prajina' Na'd'ii (sensory nerves). In Sanskrit, the prefix Anu’ means Pashca’ta (following).

First, the concept of an elephant reaches the gate of eye‑organ. The external elephant. This is an Anubhu’ti (reappearing) of an elephant. The vibrational force of the Anubhu’ta Vis’aya (experienced object) being more powerful than your will‑force will influence the latter and order the conscious mind. Then your limbs will start functioning according to your internal reaction (Anubhu’ti).

If there are previous Sam’ska’ras the expression will be quick. Those who had bad company will be easily influenced at the first sight of an obscene picture. This is the reason why the bad people (who are trying to be good), or the new Sa’dhakas, are to be kept isolated or well‑guarded just as the land is fenced around to keep the tender plants well‑protected from the animals; later on, the domestic animals can be tied to these plants when they grow into big trees.

All the motor organs start working according to the idea received by the Prajina’ Na’dii. The sensory organs work as follows: The eyes see, the ears hear, the acoustic waves reach the brain whereby mind will judge whether it is Dhrupada or A’varii, Kawa’li or T’humrii.

Owing to the variation in vibrations, one becomes different from the other; the nose smells, (A tiger is called “Vya’ghra” because it has a special capacity of smell), the tongue tastes and discriminates a thing whether sweet or sour. The skin touches and gets tactual experience. All external Tanma’tras are being internal.

When the nerves are already vibrated and the will‑force is strong enough, the nerve‑vibrations will influence the will‑force and the person will be drifted towards degradation, he will be ruined.

Mind can easily run after Jad’a (crude objects) because the entire nervous‑structure is always ready to assist him. But in the path of God‑realization, it can not help in any way. Only by one’s own efforts through the practices of Iishvara‑Pran’idha’na and Dhya’na, one will have to rise to a higher level, without any assistance of the nerves. If somebody mentally thinks of assaulting a person, at once he will lift his hands to beat him. The nerves control the hands and feet. But if someone wishes to offer “Varn’a’rghya”, it will not be so easy. If someone wishes to communicate his mental feelings, he will not be able to contact Him forthwith because the nervous system does not come to his aid. This is the physico‑psychic reason why the human mind goes downwards easily. The conscious mind being influenced by the nerve‑vibrations, the Karmendriyas start functioning accordingly. Take for instance the Va’k Indriya. Here Va’k means the vocal cord. In that case, the vocal cord starts using abusive language. When you are excited or provoked, you lose control over the vocal organ, your will‑force has drifted away. Though you know very well that it does not befit you at all to behave that way, still you mechanically commit that. When that vibration of excitement has subsided, and will‑force regains normalcy, you judge and feel that you should not have behaved that way. This state of mental re‑thinking over past incidents is `repentance’. If one thinks rationally before doing any action, one need not repent later on, for his irrational behaviour.

The normal functions of Karmendriyas are 1. Va’k ‑ Kathana (speaking), 2. Pa’n’i ‑ Shilpana. Whatever our hands do is Shilpana. If it is under control, very excellent services may be available. On the contrary, if it is influenced and channelized in a wrong way, Shilpana will be destructive. A singer is wrongly called a Shilpii because to be a shilpii, one must utilize one’s hands. 3. Pa’da (leg) ‑ Its function is Calana. If these organs are misguided, they can be misused for kicking others. Otherwise they render useful service. 4. Pa’yu ‑ Its function is excretion. and 5. Upastha (Genital organ) ‑ its function is both excretion and procreation.

When one’s will‑ force will exercise its positive control, it can nicely get any work done through their media, according to its liking. But if you work under excitement or provocation, then these Indriyas will not remain under your control. You will degrade yourself if you work indiscriminately under any external stimulus. So it is desirable that you must not see pictures that will influence your will‑force. So that your sense organs might not be attached to physical objects, you must withdraw them well in advance. When the tendency is towards cruder objects, it is called Pravrtti, and when the tendency is towards its Prati‑Sam’vedii (Telepathic Entity) it is called Nivrtti.

The extrovertive momentum takes your Indriyas towards the external world and their introvertive momentum takes the Indriyas towards the Citta. For Citta, the extrovertive momentum means to proceed towards Indriyas and the introvertive momentum means to proceed towards A’tma’. Similarly, for A’tma’, the extrovertive momentum is to associate with the mind; and introvertive momentum means to merge in Parama’tma’. In this connection Buddha’s advice to the spiritual aspirants is:

Cakkhuna’ sam’varo sa’dhu, Sa’dhu shotena sam’varo Gha’nena sam’varo sa’dhu, Sa’dhu jihvaya’ sam’varo Ka’yena sam’varo sa’dhu, Sa’dhu va’ca’ya sam’varo Manasa’ sam’varo sa’dhu, Sa’dhu sabbattha sam’varo

1. O Sa’dhaka, you must not look at those things that will cause your degradation;
2. You must not hear those words which will bring about your mental degradation;
3. You must withdraw your nose from those things the very smell of which may send you to the depth of degradation;
4. You must not taste those things that can lead your mind towards degradation.
5. You must withdraw yourself from that work, the very performance of which brings about your inevitable downfall.
6. You must not employ your vocal cord for uttering any word that may cause your degeneration;
7. You must not cherish any idea or thought in your mind that might degrade you;
8. You must withdraw yourself from all unwholesome effects, you must regulate yourself, you must keep yourself under perfect control.

ANTARIKA MANASIKA SHAOCA (INTERNAL PSYCHIC CLEANLINESS):

The Tanma’tras of sound, touch, form, taste, and smell from the external world entered into your being in the past and left impressions in your mind. If owing to congenial environments or circumstantial impact, or owing to the upward motion of the wind in your body, those vibrations reoccur, then those impressions are revived again in the mind. It is just possible that you might have seen something in the past that aroused powerful thoughts in mind and they might harm you in their effect in the present also. If owing to environmental conditions, or upward motion of the wind, or generation of extreme heat in the body, those thoughts reappear, they also will be similarly harmful. That is why, it is best not to see or hear or take any Indriya to anything degrading.

But in case the eyes or other sense‑organs come across anything undesirable, what will you do? You may have withdrawn your mind from the object; but its impression is already there in the mind. Supposing, you once saw an evil picture; suddenly the same evil picture may flash in your mind. What is the way out then? In case of external psychic Shaoca, the gateways of Indriyas must be closed; its extrovertive momentum should be introverted. When the persons perform some actions, according to their Sam’ska’ras, their reactions remain in potential form.

When those reactive momenta are revived, there occurs a vibration in the nerve‑cells. That commotion may influence the will‑force, the conscious mind and the nervous system. It may goad you on to evil actions.

There are, for example, some boys who are eager to lead a good life. But suddenly some past Sam’ska’ra arises in their minds. In the path of spiritual Sa’dhana’, one must take an idea which is just opposite in character to the one already in the mind. In that case, the internal vibration will be neutralized. One should remember the following instructions: ‑

Maetrii karun’a’muditopeks’an’am Sukhaduhkha pun’ya’pun’ya vis’aya’n’a’m Bhavana’tashcitta prasa’danam.

What will you do with Maetrii, Karun’a’, Mudita and Upeks’a? With them you will neutralize the Sukha, Duhkha, Pun’ya and Pa’pa. You should take that idea which runs counter to the existing idea in your mind. Suppose, somebody is very happy. At the sight of his happiness, you feel jealous, so much so that you cannot sleep soundly at night. The only way to get rid of this disturbing situation is to superimpose the idea of Maetrii (friendliness). So one must convince oneself saying that “He is my friend, he is my fast friend,” etc. At that time, the mind will lose its sense of enmity. The will‑force will be affected thereby. You have already taken a thought in your mind opposite to the former one that was likely to affect the will‑force.

Suppose, somebody is in trouble. What should be your attitude towards him at that time? Should you be happy with the thought that as he gave you trouble, created a lot of difficulties for you, God justly punished him? No, rather you should be compassionate to him. You must have a sympathetic attitude towards him. Through this Vrtti of Karun’a’ (compassion), you should neutralize the previous vibration. Your will‑force will be unaffected. The next is Mudita’. Suppose, somebody is progressing, prospering in life. Others become envious of it. They become jealous by thinking that Mr. so and so is prospering. They try to create difficulties for him. They spare no means to pull him down so that it becomes difficult for him to advance a step forward. What should you do then? You should encourage them. This opposite thought will neutralize the mental condition, the will‑force will remain unaffected. Again, suppose, somebody is committing a sin, you neglect it. This is Upeks’a’.

Akkodhena jine kodham, Asa’dhum sa’dhuna’ jine Jine kadariiyam da’nena, Saccena aliika va’dinam.

You must win over a miser by making more liberal charities. The public will be in your favour. If he gives you something to eat, you give him plenty. You must conquer an angry man by your controlled temper, a dishonest man by your exemplary honesty, a liar by your unparalleled truthfulness.