Beyond Meditation Bliss & Realization of Non-Duality

JEEVAN MUKTI
(Liberation in Life)
By Baba Faqir Chand Ji Maharaj
Copyright © 2006

The Disciple and The Guru:  Part II
 
There are three stages of anand (bliss):
1.  The physical stage, which is known as gross anand.
2.  The subtle stage, anand that is enjoyed by mind.
3.  The causal stage, anand that is enjoyed by the Self.
 
Worldly people enjoy the first stage. The second stage of subtle anand is the centre of Trikuti, which is enjoyed by the devotee. Man is by nature the lover of pleasure in this world of pleasures. When he feels satisfied from one stage of pleasure he searches for a superior stage. Similarly a true devotee, after enjoying the vision of the Holy form within, yearns helplessly for a higher stage of spiritual enjoyment.
 
The coming of Dayal’s mother from Ghazipur to Hoshiarpur is not under her control. She has fully enjoyed the stage of subtle anand, Trikuti and now she is being forced to follow the path to higher bliss, (the) causal anand.
 
Some aspirants are very keen and zealous about spiritual achievement. After they have attained the meditation of Trikuti they remain attached to its tempting visions forever. They fail to develop a feeling of indifference to the visions or pleasures of this stage due to the lack of a spiritual guide. A devotee who once achieves the final stage of spirituality, that of Infinity of the Unnamed and of the All-pervading need not meditate at the centre of Trikuti for the vision or his Ideal or Guru. Now I rarely meditate on the Holy form of Hazur Data Dayal. I am revealing this Truth for the benefit of old meditators and devotees such as Seth Durga Dass, Lal Singh and Krishak Ji.
 
When your meditation practice of Trikuti, of visualizing (the) Guru is complete, you yourself will feel an urge for the higher stage. You will complain about your inability to form the Guru’s image within. An old man becomes unable to enjoy sex physically but still he remembers his wife and develops a feeling of yearning for physical sex. Similarly, devotees become victims of yearning for spiritual stages.
 
In Sant Mat, it is advised that you fully enjoy the worldly or the lower spiritual stages to your full satisfaction before longing for the next higher stage. Those who have been meditating for the last 30-35 years have completed the lower stage, but still they cling to the anand of that stage, because they are not guided to the next stage by their so called `gurus’.
 
You yourself can analyse your life. If you have attained and enjoyed the first stage you must have an urge for higher anand. However, if you do not get the next centre for the fixation of your attention, you will feel greatly disturbed and probably would give up this path of Sant Mat. I am explaining this point of great significance for the benefit of true aspirants like Madam Bhagyawati. Whatever form manifests within you is your own creation. You yourself decide who is the greater, the creator or the creation?
 
O men of the religious world do not consider me wrong. Based on my own experience I say, “O brother, your Self is Supreme”. You are yourself the creator of Ishwar, Parmeshwar and Guru. In the writings of Swami Shiv Dayal Singh it is written that the devotees and saints are the creators of Ishwar and Parmeshwar. You yourself create your own world with your mind and thought and remain trapped in it.
 

A sant with a compassionate heart diverts the attention of the attentive towards himself and advises them to follow the One within. In due course of time, after spiritual progress, that idea of the One also relegates. Now I will explain to Dayal’s mother about her own Self which Hazur Data Dayal Ji explained to me about my Self:
 
Faqir your face is most lovely,
Symbol of Truth-Consciousness-Bliss (Sat-Chit-Anand)
 

You are different from the three
Your Stage, view, intellect do not perceive
Makes sojourn in mid-way

 The Holy form that manifests within you is not that of your external Guru. It is your own Self, but your intellect cannot understand this truth because you have developed the belief that the manifestation of Data Dayal Ji or of any god or goddess is the Reality. You make this the centre of meditation and remain attached to its joys.
 
The Object that visualises your Guru within is beyond your intellectual understanding. There is Light and Sound within you; the Object that sees the Light and listens to the Sound is your Self. Your Self is the foundation and source of Light and Sound. You fail to realise it because you are guided by your manas (mind). Your intellect cannot help you to realise the Truth because your Self is not born of your intellect, but your intellect originates from you. Your thoughts and intellect keep you attached to the centre of visions i.e. Maya and you remain stranded on the mid-way.    
With deed ascending the mound of Truth
With discriminating thought in consciousness
 Now what is that deed that helps you to ascend the mountain of Truth? The constant flow of thoughts from within to see God, to love (the) Guru and to make his mental image was my deed. The Guru knows best about the worldly as well as the spiritual welfare of the aspirant.
 
I will explain further that what I was to Data Dayal, so was Bhagyawati to him. With great compassion he made us realise the Truth in different ways. He was most affectionate to her and became her son; he had great love for me and became my Master. Her nature was different from mine so he treated us in different ways. 
 
I have realised that stage to which Data Dayal Ji used to refer to me. You too with application can achieve your destination. Your deed is to follow the path of simran, dhyan and to love the visualised Guru within. When your mind feels full with this karma of simran, dhyan and bhajan, you will automatically develop a sense of apathy for this stage and yearn for the higher goal.
 
The individual can develop longing for Eternal Happiness only after enjoying physical and mental pleasures. His dispassion from the physical and mental attachments would help him to follow the path to spiritual bliss. The old man generally complains, “How nice it would have been if I had not married.”  Would any young man listen to such a statement before he realised himself the truth narrated by the old man?!
 
In spiritual pursuits too, it is very essential to enjoy the visions of Sahas-dal-kanwal and Trikuti and develop dispassion for them to achieve a higher stage. Without enjoying the visions or anand of these stages, a theorist may achieve the higher stage with his thought by force, but he will fail to achieve the Ultimate Peace and will fall. If a man, by controlling and subduing his senses by force achieves a higher stage of spirituality, his fall is necessary because his rise is unnatural without the performance of deed (karma).
 
The guidance and blessings of a Guru in this field are essential because the Guru knows better about the beneficial and helpful path for the disciple.
 
With deed, ascending the mount of Truth
With discriminating thought in consciousness
 Truth, consciousness, joy and pleasure
Unbounded happiness all around
 
Dispelling the three to attain (the) Fourth
Which is the Base of all
 
The world is duality, `trinity’ is Trikuti
Renouncing this mortal world
 
What is the Fourth Stage that is to be achieved after dispelling the three stages of body, mind and thought? It is the centre of your Self. It is from this centre that Data Dayal manifests in Bhagyawati and the manifestations of Rama and Krishna appear to their devotees. I have discarded this centre now from where I used to enjoy all mental visions, because I have realised that these manifestations and visions are the creations of my own mind. It is all Maya (illusion). I am now helpless to make the Fourth Stage as my abode.
 
Neither are you two, three nor four
Nor (a) hundred (or a) thousand

 One, one is and only One
Known only by the Knower
At this stage of Oneness there is no question of yours and mine or (any) difference between Guru and disciple. Non-duality prevails there, but as long as you are thinking that your Guru is different from you, you are not free from duality.
 
Let Dayal’s mother and other devotees understand what I say. She has spent years in the company of Data Dayal Ji and now remains attached to his visions. Now it is advisable for her to attain the stage where no vision of Data Dayal Ji appears and no thought of family (the mundane world) occurs. It is time to dispel the mental vision-centre of duality and Trikuti, the centre of three i.e. feelings (of) body, mind and thought.
 

Edited and revised by Sant Harjit Singh
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Spiritual Liberation in Life: The Subtle Bondage of Ego

JEEVAN MUKTI
(Liberation in Life)
By Baba Faqir Chand Ji Maharaj
Copyright © 2006
Chapter 3
The Liberation: Part II
A large number of people from far and near have very high opinions about me. Whenever I go on tour they adore me and praise me saying that I help them repeatedly here or there. These people and the entire world may not believe this but I know that I do not manifest anywhere nor do I do anything for anybody.

I am convinced of what my “Self” is. It is a bubble of consciousness. The bubble of consciousness in the evolutionary process of nature has attained ego. This power of consciousness is the creation of that Supreme Power, Consciousness, Element or God. You may name this Power as God, Paramatama, Ishwar, Allah or Waheguru. He is what He is. Who am I? I am nothing more than a bubble of consciousness. The entire
creation is His Leela. I have not been able to reach His abode so far. He is the Supreme Power and his end is beyond my reach.

It is possible that Swami Ji, Data Dayal Ji and other saints might have reached his Abode or have known him, but I have not. By attaining this knowledge that I am a bubble of consciousness and the entire creation is his will, my egoism has vanished. The feelings of hasti (existence) have ended. In addition, even the thought of liberation
and bondage has disappeared. When my experiences have proved that his will is Supreme and all pervading, then the question of bondage ends.

This bubble of consciousness has assumed the form of Faqir Chand, or the feelings of mother, father and brother from place to place and from time to time. Due to sheer ignorance of the truth you presume to be a separate entity and you remain dominated by your ego. Until these veils of ignorance are removed, the traps of doubts are cut and the Self realized these thoughts of bondage and liberation will exist. To attain liberation you must realize who you are, from where have you come, who created you, why you were created and how you were created. Otherwise, liberation from the whirlpool of bondages is impossible. Kabir says :
Liberated alive is Liberated alone
No Liberation until life exists
Until then pains (and) pleasures felt
A person who considers his Self to be all (in all) enjoys happiness and remains self-centred. He is not Liberated. He is bound by his joy and is confined to the centre of his Self. A person, who has not achieved Liberation in life has not become centre less or free from the bondages of pleasures and pains. How then can he attain Liberation
after death? The existence of egoism is the greatest bondage. This egoism may be physical such as I am a father, mother, son, king, guru and disciple. These are all bondages. This egoism may be subtle as I am Sound, Light and Braham, Truth, unnamed, unseen and profound. These too are bondages even though they are a source of joy.

As the worldly people are not capable of understanding the highest stage of spirituality, the ancient sages propounded different religious philosophies so that humankind might live a life of humanity (hope, peace and happiness). I do not denounce those who say that (the) Satguru will come to accompany the disciple at the time of death. Such a positive thought is a great source of encouragement. “I am Brahman” is also a great source of positive and helpful thought. I am a disciple or devotee is too a great and helpful thought. All these religions and philosophies are not bondage free, but the difference is that their bondage is a source of joy. These religions, sects, and philosophies cannot Liberate you. The roots of the cycle of transmigrations remain alive as long as egoism exists. That is why I proclaim, that I have come down from the Anami Dham. At this Unnamed Stage, egoism vanishes and one attains Jeevan Mukti.

The Inevitability of Karma & Principles Underlying Satsang

Satya Sanatan Dharma
(The True Religion of Humanity)
By Baba Faqir Chand
Copyright © 2006

Chapter 1:
Part 3

Three children of my younger brother Rai Sahib Surinder Nath lived with my family for nine years and I looked after them like my own children. My brother had good income, but he never remitted us any money. My wife remained unhappy because of them (the children) and often quarrelled with me. I was innocent and religious minded. I had no feeling of yours and mine. I knew that my wife should have to suffer for her jealous attitude, ill treatment and quarrelsome nature.

When my house was under construction, my son-in-law came and suggested to me that the building should he constructed in such a way that both sons should get equal share when they divide it (after my death). I told him that he should pray for the life of at least one. Ultimately one of my sons died and my wife suffered for her jealous and quarrelsome nature.

These are the practical experiences of my life, which I speak to you for your benefit. I can claim to be your well-wisher only if I tell you the right way of living a happy life, and if I tell you such things, which can prove helpful to you in your (daily) household
life. That house never flourishes where disputes prevail. These ladies come to the satsang. I am addressing them in particular; they may bow their heads in temples time and again; they may go through all the sacred scriptures; but they will not gain anything if they fail to maintain harmony and happiness in their household life.

I have told you about the end of Arjuna who listened to Gita directly from the mouth of Lord Krishna. I am telling you the root of true Sanatan Dharma. It is not confined to the ringing of the bells in the temples (nor waving of incense in front of deities). It is a practical way of living a happy, healthy and contented life. It is written in the Srîmad Bhâgavatam that Draupadi could not go to heaven and that she went to hell (instead), because she had more affection for Arjuna than her other husbands (she had five husbands according to history). Similarly, about the great warrior Bhima is written that he too went to hell because he was proud of his mace. This shows that the fate of every individual is decided by his inner ego. This world is a field of action and none is free from the fruit of his or her karmas. It is said:

All must reap again and again
The fruits of deeds done

Rama known as the Supreme Lord
Supreme Being and keeper of the law

Drowned at Sarjoo’s unknown bank
So says the Ramayana

This is Sanatan Dharma. How true and great was (the sage) Rishi Ved Vyas. I bow my head at his hallowed feet. He himself wrote the Gita and the Bhâgavatam, and fearlessly wrote the truth. But, who can understand him? You have come for satsang. Try to understand the truth. Do your duty sincerely and abandon selfishness. This life is given to you for a very short period. Do not hanker after name, fame or wealth. Mind your own work and be pure in your intentions. Sant Kabir writes:

Kabir men may beat their drum
But to this town

This house and this lane
They are not to come again

Teachings are only for those who aspire for them. Nowhere is it written (in the Sant Mat traditional books) that you should request or invite people to a satsang. This is purely a matter of necessity, which is felt from within. Once, the Punjab Government invited me to speak at some function. I declined the invitation and wrote, “The thirsty goes to the well, not the well to the thirsty.” I further wrote that those who have a desire to learn, or know something, should come to me. This is what I wrote to the Punjab Government. But the modern mahatmas run after the (ruling) ministers with folded hands. You may consider them as mahatmas, but actually they are worse than the ordinary householders.

Where rang all the seven musical notes
And mansions which echoed songs

Vacant are all those temples
And sit there the crows

This is what Sant Kabir concludes about this earthly life of ours. Actually, this is the end of each individual. Where have the great kings gone along with their mighty forces and vast kingdoms? Where has Pandit Nehru gone?

Where has Data Dayal gone? And where shall you all go? This world is a long dream. So long as you are here, try to be pure in your thoughts, words and deeds. Perform your duties sincerely and develop this conviction that you are not to stay here forever:

You build the lofty palace
And indulge in rivalry

You get a golden bud cast
And abandon it all in a moment

An effigy of five elements (is) given the name `man’
Just for a four-day stay

Reserves establishments time and again
Kabir, a temple worth lakhs studded with rubies and pearls

Is to be seen for only four days
For it will vanish on the morrow

Kabir (says), you shall (all) die
Death is sure
None will utter your name

You shall inhabit the ruins leaving busy habitats
Why have you forgotten death?

O’ you insane one
What a wonder have you done?

Your body shall mingle in dust
As the salt in the flour

Remember the pain of birth and death
(And) stop useless desires

The path that ye are to tread
Beautify that very path

The Unmatched Glory of a Householder’s Life

Sanatan Dharma
(The True Religion of Humanity)
By Baba Faqir Chand
Copyright © 2006

Chapter 3
Dharma

Guru’s bani (word) is Guru
Guru abides in his bani

Guru’s bani is the ever abiding
Essence (of) the amrita

I write, I speak and my discourses are tape recorded for the good of mankind. Here many important persons are sitting. I do not claim that whatever I say is correct. It is foolish to say that my word is final. No one has understood the secret of Nature. Kabir told his experiences. Krishna narrated his experiences. Data Dayal Maharishi Shiv Brat Lal has spoken and written his own experiences. All have had their say. I too speak on the basis of my own realisations and experiences. However, I do not want to make you believe that whatever I have said is final. I have said it on the basis of the experiences of my practical life. I may be forgiven if I am wrong. But, I insist that I am honest. Honest in my approach; honest in my experiments; honest in my observations; honest in my inferences and what is more; honest in my teachings.

Sant Mat and all the present religions and sects are the branches of Sanatan Dharma. Desire is the root of all creation. The Creator created the world with desire and the entire game is of desire, sankalpa shakti. All religions, sects and religious philosophies be it Islam, Sikhism, Arya Samaj, Buddhism, Jainism or any others, have all originated from Sanatan Dharma. All preach the purification of desire. All work for making human life happy in this world and for making it happier in the next birth. However, the most unfortunate thing is that followers of one religion vehemently criticize the others. This is all due to ignorance. The important characteristic of Sanatan Dharma is:

Compassion is the root of dharma
And pride the root of sin

Says Tulsi forsake not compassion
Till your last breath

Now, compassion and Dharma are two different things. Dharma is a particular principle or doctrine that we adopt to make our life happy and smooth. Unless we are compassionate to living beings life cannot be smooth and happy. I am a follower of the philosophy of Radhasoami, Kabir, Dadu and Paltoo Sahib. Among them all, Kabir
occupies the highest position. Today I relate to you a shabad of Kabir in which he writes that a person cannot attain to the True Naam (Satnaam) until he follows the path of Dharma with compassion. He has further explained that even Nirvana (i.e. in Hinduism and Buddhism, the beatitude that transcends the cycle of reincarnation; characterized by the extinction of desire, suffering and individual consciousness) cannot be attained without Dharma and compassion. The shabad is:

O’ brother I’ve remained in the dark so far
Now, my Satguru has revealed to me the way out

I have abandoned all rituals and rites
And also abandoned bathing at the shrines

The entire world is clever
And I alone remained an utter idiot

I do not know service, or worship
Nor do I ring the bell

Neither did I ever enthrone any idol
Nor offered any flowers

Was this idol to speak
If I did bathe it?

I would offer all my five coins (Sense organs) to their Maker
If it could bring me only One – He himself

Hari is neither pleased with penance nor worship
Nor by torturing ones body

Casting off clothes, or abandoning attire neither pleases Hari
Nor by Suppressing the Five Sense organs

One who with compassion maintains Dharma
He alone remains indifferent to the world

Considers all beings like one’s own self
He alone attains to the imperishable

Tolerates abuses avoids disputes
Abandons pride and ego

He alone attains Satnaam
Says Kabir, the Sage who knows

THE MYSTERY ABOUT MIRACLES

THE MYSTERY ABOUT MIRACLES

(H.H. Sri Swami Sivanandaji Maharaj)

Miracles are based on the principle of the concentration of the mind.

The mind has immense powers. It derives its power from the Atman or the Supreme Soul.

The mind is a collection of thoughts. The mind’s energy is dissipated by worry, evil thoughts, cares, anxieties and lack of Brahmacharya.

If you can control the immense amount of power which the mind possesses, through concentration and sublime thoughts, you will acquire Siddhis or the power to do supernatural actions.

The eight major Siddhis are greatest miracles performed by the Raja Yogins. There are various minor Siddhis also.

Siddhis come during the practice of concentration. They are by-products of concentration. You will have to shun them ruthlessly. If you fall a victim to these Siddhis, you cannot reach the goal.

The Siddhis performed by Raja Yogins are true. They cannot change the molecules of an object. They can draw their supply from the cosmic source, ether and create any kind of object through their Yogic power.

A Jnani performs miracles through the power of Satsankalpa (pure willing). A Raja Yogi does miracles through Samyama (Dharana, Dhyana and Samadhi combined).

By doing Samyama on the sun, the Yogi gets the knowledge of the fourteen worlds.

By doing Samyama on the moon, he gets the knowledge of the regions of stars.

By doing Samyama on the Pole Star, comes the knowledge of the movements of the stars.

By doing Samyama on the strength of elephants and others, he gets strength equal to those beings.

By doing Samyama on the form of the body and checking the power of comprehension, he is able to make the body disappear or dematerialise.

By doing Samyama on the appearance, etc., of others, the Yogi gets a knowledge of their mind.

By doing Samyama on the Moment, he gets discrimination.

By doing Samyama on the relation of the ear and ether, the Yogi gets the powers of clairaudience.

By practising Samyama on the relation between ether and the body, the Yogi attains extreme lightness of the body and the ability to travel through space.

By Samyama on the three modifications of the mind, comes the knowledge of the past and future.

Samyama on Samskaras gives him knowledge of births.

Samyama on the senses gives mastery over them.

By practising Samyama on the distinctive relation between Sattva and Purusha, he gets the powers of omnipotence and omniscience.

Samyama on the inner light gives him the knowledge of the subtle, the obscured and the remote. Samyama on one’s own Self gives the Yogi clairaudience, higher touch, clairvoyance, higher taste and higher smell through intuition. By intuition he gets all knowledge.

Real Yogins perform miracles to convince their disciples of the existence of transcendental things and God. They will not perform miracles on the platform.

Queen Chudalai performed miracles to open the eyes of her husband Sikhidhvaja. She stood above the ground. She moved in the sky. Sri Sankara performed many astounding miracles. He drank molten lead and passed into the body of a king (Parakaya Pravesa). Sri Sadasiva Brahman was a great Yogi. He performed many real miracles. He was seen in different places at the same time. He was buried underneath the ground on the bank of Kaveri river for some months. His hands were cut and he brought again the full hands.

Akalkot Swami turned bone into gold. Another Swami passed urine over a stone and it turned into gold. Ramalinga Swami turned water into oil. Jnanadev made a wall move. Changdev rode on a tiger, using a cobra for a whip. Such miracles are performed through the power of the Yogi’s Satsankalpa. He is one with the Cosmic Will which creates, sustains and dissolves this universe, just as the single Sankalpa of the Supreme Being…”I am One, may I become many”…at once materialised into this vast universe.

Some are born Siddhas. Sri Dattatreya was a born Siddha. He created a woman and a bottle of wine by his Yogic power to get away from the disturbing crowd.

Some exhibit small miracles with the help of some disembodied spirit. These are nothing. These have nothing to do with spirituality. Drinking nitric acid, swallowing nails, chewing snakes and glass pieces, walking over fire are not the real Siddhis of spiritual Yogins. They have nothing to do with Yoga. They are performed by charlatans to collect money. Even educated people are deceived by looking at these performances. Beware of cheap miracle-mongers. Do not be duped.

Miracles have been caused by prayer. God has always granted the fervent prayers of faithful devotees. The greatest miracle is faith.

Mantras have great power. Sound can be converted into light and form. Certain mystic formulae have tremendous power. When a man has been stung by a scorpion, the Mantravadi recites a Mantra, and the man is relieved of the pain! Is this not a miracle? This is the power of the Mantra. That power has been further augmented by the spiritual power of the great Yogis who have chanted the Mantra and attained Siddhi in it. The faith of the Sadhaka who takes to that Mantra now acts as a key to release its divine force.

To convert water into wine is not difficult. But it is difficult to transform worldly-minded people into divine beings and put them in the path of Yoga. This is the greatest miracle.

Miracles there have been for ages and will continue to be till the end of the world.

Miracles are astounding only for the layman. For Yogins, these are simple things. They are not extraordinary. For those who know the principles and the laws of Yoga, who have controlled nature, they are common occurrences.