Meditation Times May 2008 Taoshobuddha

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Meditation Times – Enlightenment Issue – May 2008
A Downloadable EMagazine
VOL: 1 ISSUE: III
MAY 2008
Lotus Baha'i Temple
New Delhi, India
ENLIGHTENMENT SPECIAL
MEDITATION IS THE WAY TO DISCOVER THIS INTRINSIC NATURE!!!
http//www.taoshobuddhameditations.com
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ENLIGHTENMENT!!!
A flower that never knew about the sun and a flower
That has experienced the sun are not the same.
Indeed they cannot be. Because a flower that has never
witnessed the rising sun
can never feel the rising sun within!
Such a flower is dead. It has the potentiality
But the potentiality has not attained fruition.
It has never known its own spirit.
However, a flower that
Has witnessed the sunrise has also seen
Something arise within itself.
It has discovered its own soul.
Now this flower is no more a flower.
The flower has known a deep happening within.
KNOW THIS EXPERIENCE AS

ENLIGHTENMENT!!!
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CONTENTS
EDITORIAL 4
BODY – A DOOR TO ENLIGHTENMENT 5
ATMA DEEPO BHAVA 6
BUDDHA THE ENLIGHTENED ONE 11
ENLIGHTENMENT A FLOWERING 13
EK OMKAR SATNAM SONGS OF NANAK – JAPUJI 17
CHOOSING THE PLACE FOR MEDITATION 22
MEDITATION THE WAY TO SELF REALIZATION 23
MEDITATION A RELEASE AND THE CURE 30
SPIRITUAL COMMANDMENTS 37
TECHNIQUES OF MEDITATION 42
VIPASHYANA MEDITATION 46
HANUMAN CHALISA A MYSTICAL DIMENSION 47
A TAOIST PARABLE 51
UPCOMIG EVENTS 52
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EDITORIAL TEAM:
SWAMI DHARAM BODH; SUFI LAKSHMI SAHAI; PT. MAHENDRA NATH MAHARAJ;
PT. GAJENDRA KUMAR; SWAMI SUDHAMA
CHIEF EDITOR: SWAMI ANAND NEELAMBAR

from a Sufi Heart” an upcoming publication
by TaoshoBuddha.
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friends about our website and encourage
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engaged in some special project and
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This site is like a mystical Sarovar (lake)

Swami Anand Neelambar where seekers of various paths can come
and take a rejuvenating dip and go back to
Welcome to another issue of Meditation their respective paths refreshed, revitalized,
Times. In this May issue we present a recharged. We are creating a synergistic
special edition on Enlightenment dedicated harmony and drawing from the best in all
to Buddha. Buddha was born on the full disciplines. All the paths lead to Ultimate
moon night in the month of May. He Fulfilment. Each seeker has a different
attained Enlightenment on the same day temperament and we offer many moods of
forty years later and entered Mahasamadhi reaching the goal. We hope you can find
– final dissolution into the cosmos – in the something that would be useful in your
same night when he was eighty years. spiritual sojourn.
We also continue with our regular features, From the team of Meditation Times we
series and articles. There are excerpts from wish you all joy on Buddha’s Jayanti,
MEDITATION – The Way to Self Realization. Samadhi and Mahasamadhi.
Also included are excerpts from “Leaves
Buddham sharanam gachchami

Dhammam sharanam gachchami
Sangham sharanam gachchami
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BODY – A DOOR TO ENLIGHTENMENT

Sage Dattatreya calls the human body as according to the language of the heart, it is
the twenty-fifth Guru. Intellect, dispassion, a matter of protecting itself by contracting
and wisdom come through the human body muscles and withdrawing into its own
alone. It is the human body that gives you world. Then it covers itself with iron bands
the experience of eternity and Nirvana or so that it does not get broken. Thus the
Enlightenment. Your body is the temple. It
is the mystery of the unknown. It creates
harmony. And this becomes the door to the
beyond. If your body is the temple, then
breathing is chanting that goes on within
the body. Respect it. Cherish it. Be with it. It
will lead you to the ‘beyond’ one day.
Human body is the most accessible part of
your existence. It is a vehicle to journey
through lives at every level of
manifestation. When your body reveals and
uncovers the accumulated karmas, we also
find mind operating and moving around the
area in question. Certain parts of the body Lord Dattatreya
speak certain languages. The mind of the heart becomes painful. Also, its longings
stomach says something and the mind of and needs are blocked, which cannot be
the heart says something else, while the satisfied.
mind of the head remains preoccupied with
its own conditioning and affairs. In Buddhist By nature the heart is a loving organ and it
terminology, the mind is equivalent to wants to love and be loved. It wants to
body-consciousness. And it is one of the expand, and thus reach out to others.
sixth form of consciousness that functions Because the inner world is too constricted
within our human system. Remember, each and frozen – This results in aches, pains,
area of the body differs in feelings and tightness, and sorrow in the heart. Thus, it
conditioning. This creates a diversified cries out for help. This brings the need for
language of the parts of the body. This is cleansing out all blocked energies. The
where and how conflicts arise in life and feeling tells us all that is happening. But it
also misunderstandings and lack of can be responded with only care and love.
communication become inevitable. For Feeling therefore is the language of the
example, when the head dominates the body of the mind. If you want to understand
genitals with its greed and excessive desire, all that the body or the mind wants to
the heart condemns this behaviour and convey, you need to feel at the point of
then everything gets frozen and contact. Then you will know what it wants
communication breaks. Because of this, to communicate. Words come from the
portion around the chest gets constricted mind so all words and thoughts that
with negative energy locked within. Thus, emanate from the mind are always
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misleading. Quite often these distort reality. movement of life. Buddha never
But the feelings can never be wrong or tell a encouraged his monks to jump into
lie about the psychological facts in the body thinking, reasoning and intellectualization.
or mind. We can really respond when there This will always lead to the accumulation of
is clear understanding. karmas. Such reactions produce words.
Words are not the language of the body.
Buddha emphasized the feeling, which all These are simply the ideas and symbols
traditionalists tend to ignore. Buddha said created by the mind through culture,
to his monks, “Stop yourself at feeling!” tradition, education, training, and
Quite clearly he instructed his monks about conditioning. Feeling is the language of life.
this. Pay attention to feeling at the point “if You come to understand what life is.
contact through the senses and with every
‘BUDDHAM SHARANAM GACHCHAMI’
ATMA DEEPO BHAVA!

Discipline is the first requirement necessary These become goal-oriented and keep
for meditation. It is because of the presence themselves away from any process of
of ego that discipline is needed. Ego is the transformation. When they are disciplined,
false centre in you and beclouds the tension and distraction is caused within.
manifestation of Truth. By its very nature, Because of them you cannot relax. And
ego does not like discipline. there is no clear insight into the nature of
things and all that is happening. Then you
For meditation it is essential that the ego watch the reaction of ego with all its
cease to function. Discipline is therefore compulsions and impulses as the process of
necessary to challenge this false centre – reaction.
Ego. Ego is negation of Truth. It does not
like any sort of disciplining. Sometimes the What is discipline? Man constantly lives
ego pretends to have discipline. This is to under the influence of sense objects and
avoid discipline and be more comfortable. functioning. In that case energy constantly
And then create a small world to live in, to moves to sense objects. Discrimination
avoid any possibility of interaction with disappears. It is like when a goat sees grass
other egos. Negative feelings like anger, or when the dog sees food. Then it does not
fear, and repression are variations of the matter if the animal is full; it cannot resist.
ego. They give you the feeling of reality and Then these faculties, through which energy
constitute your behaviour pattern. These moves outwards, need to be disciplined.
remain hidden, within. Furthermore, these This reminds me of an anecdote about the
form rigid and inflexible ways of living and Indian king, Akbar and his wise minister,
interaction, even without paying any Birbal. The emperor had nine men of rare
attention to actual situation of life within wisdom as the jewels in his court. Birbal
and without. was very intelligent, wise, and witty. One
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day the emperor told Birbal, that he had said, could not be revealed but whatever
had been given was enough for sustenance.
This is discipline. Discipline is the stick that
controls the sense objects and functioning.
Ego cannot react unless certain conditions

come to the surface from behind. How can
you be free of such reactions if the
conditions exist within? Is it really possible
that there is just response? A spontaneous
action, with total perception, simplicity, and
clarity! Certainly when things spring forth
from within, simply and spontaneously,
action is then performed full of insight and
deep understanding of the moment! This
means that, it is the immediate perception
of the things and happenings that brings
about an action. Such perception is not a
condition for the action. In reality, when
there is immediate and total perception
then the action is not a reaction, instead it
is a creative one. Then all actions are a
two goats, which were always hungry. “It is continuation of such perception. This
almost like greed. They never seem to be perception continues and actualizes all that
fulfilled, so I want you to train these goats,” is perceived. In that case there is no one to
said the king. Consequently, the minister tell us what to do and what not to do. As
took the goats for training. He held a bundle long as we are bound by conditions, we
of green grass in one hand and a stick in the have someone directing our course of
other hand. Each time he showed them the action.
grass, the goats would move forward
towards it. As they came closer, the When we engage in conversation, we
minister gave them sticks instead. This continue to live in the graveyards of the
continued, until they never came forward past. The present moment – the now and
seeing the grass. The minister brought the here is overlooked. Tremendous energy is
goats to the emperor and said, “Now they used in such nonessential things. Not much
are trained.” The emperor found them to be energy is left for meditation then. To
weak but Birbal assured the emperor that it conserve energy for meditation, we need to
was not so. They were really full; he could observe silence, creatively and sincerely.
check. When the emperor showed the goats When there is such a silence, many things
the grass the animals turned away. The manifest. These maybe projections into
emperor tried several times but each time people’s reactions, anxieties about making
the goats turned away from the grass. So noises, a feeling of self-consciousness,
the emperor asked the minister, what had patterns of escaping oneself from people,
he given the goats to eat. This, the minister or depending on others for your own
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pleasure and security. This is the negative with awareness and insight while we
side of silence. However, there is a positive engage in other activities. When we allow
side as well. Then silence renews our this creative energy to work with
consciousness, deepens our intuitive awareness, we can maintain silence, remain
wisdom, and sinks down deeper into peace without any physical company, and also
and tranquillity. Ego enjoys random remain in touch with all that is happening
conversation as it is a sort of sleep. It is both within and without at every moment.
good particularly for the ego, as it always Thus, all inner barriers, blockages, and dust
wants to engage in conversation. arrive from our psychophysical systems.
Remember, ego cannot survive without This energy is generated when we are in the
engaging in talks. It cannot keep its mouth sitting, walking, silence, or working posture.
shut. Ego feeds on such conversations. When we attain inward silence and there is
When you cling to psychological sleep it will no noise within, tremendous energy and
deepen your ignorance and will also vitality flows within our being.
obstruct all natural flow towards
awakening. When such energy comes to manifest, all
the negative, destructive, and unhealthy
Psychological sleep is self-induced. Your states of the mind, including repressed
own ego patterns cause this. Psychological emotions are stirred up. In this process
sleep comes in without our knowledge. We these are re-lived. And then the process of
sleep with many things. We sleep with purification can take place.
knowledge. We sleep with methods and
techniques. We sleep with traditions and Then this creative energy and the
culture. We sleep with dreams and constructive state of awareness flow
fantasies. We sleep with ideals and together and continue to grow with beauty,
ideologies. We sleep with our conversations luminosity, and love. Thus, we can know
and inner dialogue too. This is psychological realities and facts spontaneously. We need
sleep which will deepen our ignorance and to allow the explosions and explorations to
also obstruct all natural flow towards do their work. Also, we need to go into total
awakening. silence both, outwardly and inwardly. Quite
often it happens that we stop outward talks
We sleep with conversations and continue but the dialogue inside continues. We are
with our inner talk. We do not look, listen, afraid that if we do not talk, we will not be
or see clearly what is happening. What is able to identify ourselves and also not exist.
there that we do not sleep with! We almost Talking either inner or outer gives you a
sleep with everything. This blurs our senses. feeling of somebody. You are aware of your
They remain unclear, non-radiant, and non- identity. We do not understand the nature
receptive. That is why we need awareness of silence, its depth and beauty. When you
to cleanse all those impurities and remain silent consciously you come close to
conditioned states. These are also called yourself. The ego begins to lose its identity.
accumulated karmas; they block the natural You get scared. You feel something
flow of intelligence, wisdom, as well as the powerful is marching towards you. There is
flow of life. We have to be courteous to a strong feeling that you are going to lose
creative energies, so that these can work your mind. You cling to the mind. Because
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this is the only reality which you know! You moves out with the outgoing breath and
believe that you cannot exist without it. So spontaneous expressions.
you do not let it go. Certainly mind will fight
to the last for its survival. Those who negate But things are different. When your
the actual experience and stick meditation deepens, inward silence
compulsively to all that the mind creates, happens. Then you need less air for
may make you crazy. It doesn’t matter breathing because any unnecessary air will
what others say as long as you know what is cause distress in the meditative state.
happening. You need not be concerned Naturally a meditator requires less and less
about the ideas, attitudes, and the way air. And yet he still breathes evenly and
others react. silently during deep meditation. For this,
there is no personal reason. In fact, it is the
You go on drowning into your inner silence planning of the organism through its own
and feel its depth. Quite often, you feel that wisdom. When you continue to breathe
the inner dialogue continues without a evenly and your awareness is clear, you can
break and it seems it will go on. Other feel the energy surging within through
comes, it stops briefly. When you strive, breathing. Then you experience that
inner noise will stop. But then you create an something is flowing outwards which is
overweening opinion and that becomes a being released. At times you will feel some
bondage to your greed and attachment. If minor irritation in certain parts of the body.
you allow it to drop by just being aware and Or even, that pain is being released through
flow with your breath, there will be no breathing. However, larger karmic
excitement. Also, you will be able to accumulations release in a specific manner.
maintain equilibrium and inner equipoise It is through breathing that we remain in
and there will be a natural flow of energy touch with things within us. Then,
from your inner depth. tremendous energy is generated and gets
involved with work.
How does this natural energy flow in us?
Breathing is the way. When you breathe, When you are aware and watchful of all
not only does air go in but the subtle energy that is happening, your insight and
of the existence as well flows in. Air is the understanding develops. All that is
container that brings in energy particles. necessary is within. You need not consult
Wilhelm Reich calls these particles as books or scriptures to know what to do or
Orgone. Energy comes in with each breath. where to start from. Books are no more
So, for the flow of energy it is significant to alive and therefore quite incapable of
stay around trees, hills, lakes, and even dealing with reality, although they may
fresh air. When we breathe in, along with appear promising. Also, you could be
clean air, existential energy particles also go deceived by the way people write. So you
in. This helps to get in touch with our inner try to fit your actual situation in those as
resources. It penetrates the blockages and described by the so-called experts. Your
obstacles both in the body and the mind. own being is the real source of knowledge,
With this begins the process of purifying as also your relationship with others and
and when the creative energy operates yourself and the environment. So
within, all that is negative and destructive Vipashyana is the way. It goes with you
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wherever you go and whatever you do. breath comes in. As you breathe in, feel
However, you will lose the practice when the air filling the body and then expanding.
you are not aware and attentive. You can When you breathe out and as air goes out,
observe, look, or even see. There may be feel the contraction of the body. Simply
any object or not. Sit and watch the watch these phenomena.
raindrops falling, listen to the downpour,
feel the raindrops on your face, or feel the Be more and more in touch with the energy
breeze blowing against you. Everything within. Also, be open to all that arises
enters this open field of desire less within or without. Thus, you will not remain
awareness. You are not blocking or making in a fixed or concentrated place. Instead
yourself dead, numb, or devoid of you move freely and attentively. A firm yet
emotions. Just allow everything to happen. flexible movement and clarity of vision
Be open and vulnerable to all that is become your way of operation. When you
happening but flow with your awareness operate from or sit at this centre, you can
constantly. When awareness flows like an watch each and everything around you
undercurrent, there can be no distraction. without actually facing them. Allow yourself
All distractions are the outcome of to be, to feel, perceive, and experience all
concentration. Also, these come along with that is available in the moment, be it pain,
desire. Desire to be with someone or fear, anger, frustration, sadness, joy, bliss,
something or, at the same time, desire to happiness, ecstasy, or peace. Life will unfold
avoid something or desire to get something a new meaning, a new rhythm.
which is not present there! To allow all that is happening and accept it
When you are engaged in Vipashyana, the in its totality is very essential. But we do not
objects are not fixed. Instead, these are allow ourselves to look. As a result we
allowed to move freely and naturally in the cannot see all that is happening and we
inner sky. You do not hold on to the objects. tend to suppress or control automatically.
Instead allow awareness to be there. It is For instance, when you are frightened, you
like a movie on the screen. So when you tend to escape or attempt to control
flow with awareness, the object appears on yourself. Then you try to be strong. This
the screen like a transient phenomenon. creates contractions in your muscles and a
Then you enjoy all that is happening, every rigid inflexibility in your mind. This is the
moment. Observe there is a continuous rise pattern to avoid, resist, and obstruct
and fall and an endless process of appearing natural flow of real experiences. This makes
and disappearing. Everything is seen in its you inwardly frozen because of fear.
true nature, as it is. No judgment, no Experience these tensions completely and
criticism, no comments, no more see how your body actualizes its intelligence
philosophizing! Just awareness! A simple to deal with such situations when they
awareness! arise. You are already curious about
everything. Just allow total awareness
Vipashyana is breath-oriented meditation. within. This awareness is the beacon light
So while breathing, keep your attention on within. Or what Buddha told his monks,
the movement of breath in the abdomen. Atma Deepo Bhava! BE A LIGHT ONTO
Feel the expansion and contraction as the YOURSELF!
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It is quite significant to see how we hold our paying attention to the specific area, it is
bodies, how we block ourselves, and also equally helpful to breathe into it and then
how we go on misusing our bodies. The way experience whatever feeling is there at that
your body is held, determines where the moment. This is not a technique; instead it
blocks are: jaw, neck, head, shoulders, is a way of helping yourself to get in touch
stomach, knees, ankles, etc. And when you with all that lies under such feelings.
feel pain, cold, shivery, dead, or lifeless, all Awareness and breathing become most
these indicate the holding points in that effective tools because it brings the internal
particular area. To remove it, along with and external energies together.
BUDDHA
THE ENLIGHTENED ONE!
Enlightenment. Enlightenment is the
On full moon in the month of May ultimate flowering of your being. Let me
Buddha was enlightened more than twenty take you down the ages to the point when
five centuries ago. The fragrance of this Buddha was born. When Buddha was born,
happening still wafts the atmosphere with his father was of a well-advanced age.
its fragrance. And also the echoes linger in Astrologers were called in. One of the
our hearts like the dissolving notes of younger astrologers said that Buddha would
solemn melody. Flowing with this energy leave the kingly splendour in search of
field creates ripples within you. And this can Truth. While the other astrologers
create an insatiable quest in you as well for suggested ways to change the destiny, it
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was suggested that he be married. Also it fasting or lying on a bed of nails. Buddha
was made sure that nothing unusual be went through all these techniques. For six
allowed to happen around him as years he wandered. His last master was
metaphysical questions would arise in him Alarkalam. For six months Buddha lived on
seeing the leaves turning yellow and then one grain of rice. He practiced the fasting
falling etc. So he was married to Yashodhara intensely. Nothing happened!
and around the palace where he was living,
all dried leaves were picked up before After a long period of fasting he became
sunrise. All arrangements were made so very frail and weak. He had no energy to
that no unusual questions would arise in his live. He was lying half unconscious under a
mind. However, Buddha had not come to banyan tree when he was discovered by a
rule any kingdom. One night he first saw an cowherd boy. The young boy realized that
old man, then a sick person, and finally a the recluse must have been fasting for a
dead body. That was the destined night. It is long time and that had weakened his body.
said that these three men were the But Buddha did not see the boy. The boy
enlightened masters of the past, who came was wise enough to give milk to Buddha but
to guide and pave the path for Buddha. He Buddha was so weak that he could not open
questioned his charioteer about these his mouth. The boy hesitated to touch
events. He was told that such is the destiny Buddha as he belonged to a lower caste but
of each human being. Buddha did not realizing the situation he decided that even
return to the palace that night. He decided though it was a sin to touch Buddha, it was
to seek the answer to these questions. So more important to save him. He could ask
he embraced the life of a wandering ascetic. for forgiveness afterwards.
Then it was believed that there were two Buddha felt better after drinking the milk
major techniques of meditation. First of and was finally able to move. He saw the
these techniques was of concentration. This boy sitting next to him respectfully, so
involved experiencing various stages of Buddha enquired who he was. The boy said
meditative absorption. that he was a cowherd and asked for
This is called jhana or dhyana. Buddha went forgiveness. Buddha consoled the boy; he
to two masters of the time to learn this. In told him that he had done the right thing
the process he attained the highest state of and there was no need to ask for
jhana. Yet still he was far from the Truth or forgiveness. Further Buddha said, “We are
Dhamma, so he asked his teachers if they not good or bad simply because we are
had anything more to offer. But they were born in a low or high family. Our goodness
honest enough to say no. Buddha did all depends on our actions.”
that was needed to attain the highest So Buddha stayed under the tree. In the
spiritual state and then left. Then he came evening he heard a song coming from the
across the other form of meditative practice nearby forest. The song was being sung by a
which was also used. This was the practice group of girls who were collecting firewood
of self-mortification or self-torture. It was in the forest. The song meant that if the
believed then, that by tormenting the body strings of the musical instrument were too
the self or ego would vanish. This could be tight they would break on being used. Also
accomplished in several ways, including if the strings were too loose the instrument
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would not make the right sound. The strings who was tranquil. This made Mara angry, so
would have to be neither too tight nor too he sent his armies by land and air to
loose. Thus, Buddha saw the futility of the frighten Buddha. He became afraid; he
extreme paths and also the dangers of opened his eyes and raised his hand to ward
attachment to them. So he decided to off the attack. But then he realized there
pursue the middle path himself. He realized was no one. They were, in fact, his
the significance of the middle path. He then hallucinations.
went to Niranjana River and sat on the bank
to meditate and discover the middle path. Buddha continued his meditation. He was
tranquil and restful. He meditated watching
It is said that Buddha wanted to cross the his mind until dawn when each star in the
river Niranjana but he was so weak that he sky had disappeared. With this, something
fell into it; it was a shallow stony river. He dawned on him. Buddha got a clear insight
held on to the branch of a tree leaning from and inner understanding of all the
the other shore. He thought about the phenomena, both within and without.
futility of his actions of the past few days. Enlightenment happened at that very
He thought, “now that I am so weak, what moment! The thing which Buddha was
would I be able to do even if Enlightenment waiting for years happened that precise
happened?” He could not sleep. He moment. It was during meditation Buddha
remained awake the whole night watching discovered the technique of Vipashyana or
the stars disappear in the sky. Somehow he Insight Meditation.
came out of the river! He made a seat of
grass under a Bodhi tree and sat for The meditation is such that it not only
meditation. creates an inner awareness, but
simultaneously allows the awareness to
Then a woman came by to offer him some penetrate to the very cells of the body, to
food as offering of her good fortune. She the whole of one’s being. It is also called
thought that God had come to her in this Anapana Sati Yoga. It is a meditation.
human form of a holy man sitting under the
Bodhi Tree. She offered Buddha excellent That brings awareness of incoming and
food in forty-nine pieces on a beautiful outgoing breath. It is based on constant or
platter. Buddha ate all that was offered and attentive awareness. We attach various
then again began to meditate without any meanings to awareness. We have to be
further need for nourishment. It was now clear about its meaning.
sunset. He decided not to move again until When Buddha spoke of breath awareness,
Enlightenment happened. he meant to look attentively without
That night, at near about midnight, Buddha applying any knowledge or information. It
was strongly tempted by Mara or Maya or means that we simply look with a quiet
illusion. It is the symbol of all obstructing mind, without making any comment or
forces. The three daughters of Mara – applying knowledge, interpretation, or
Desire, Lust, and Aversion came to explanation! The art of neutral observation
persuade him to leave the path of is not so easy. By doing so, we can see that
meditation and return to the palace and the mind can be emptied of its contents.
become the king. This did not affect Buddha Then we can understand the way the mind
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works and also examine the contents of the more dissipation of energy. And it can be
mind. This is the way to meet everything – directed for looking at what is going on. This
fully with the whole being and with all the is looking beyond appearance. KNOW THIS
energy that you have. Then there is no AS ENLIGHTENMENT!

ENLIGHTENMENT A FLOWERING
There is nothing like ordinary
consciousness and extra ordinary
consciousness. All that is ordinary is
unconsciousness. There is only one
consciousness and that is enlightened
consciousness. But to say 'enlightened
consciousness' is repetitive, because
both words mean the same.
ENLIGHTENED or CONSCIOUSNESS refer
to the same state. So there is no need to
use two words, simply 'consciousness' is
enough. And certainly it is multi-
dimensional. Unconsciousness is one-
dimensional. Unconsciousness is very
narrow. Consciousness is openness.
Consciousness is wide. Consciousness is awareness. Once you know who you are,
like the open sky. It knows no you have all that you can dream, that you
boundaries. Only a Buddha enjoys the have ever dreamed. And more! To
world. Not you, you only dream about infinite quantum!
your enjoyment. Your enjoyment at the
most is a kind of entertainment. You try Only those who have become awakened
to forget your miseries in your know the green of the trees and the red
entertainments. And you call it and the gold. And only those who have
enjoyment. Only Buddha knows what become awakened, they know the
enjoyment is. It is not entertainment. beauty of the oceans and the sand and
Once you are aware, you see that you are the sun. Only those who have become
blissful. Bliss comes as a shadow to awakened they know the immense joy of
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love, of being related, of communication, your churches have become graveyards.
of sharing. Only those who have become You can never find the joy of life there.
awakened know the benediction that And because of this all your scriptures
existence is. They know. Others only have become like things that you find in
search, seek, and thus grope in the museums - a snake in alcohol. It will live
darkness of their being. long. But a snake on the grass is alive.
Under the sun, on the rock, resting in the
Since the dawn of human civilization afternoon, taking a nap, moving up on a
many religions have existed on the earth. tree or swinging with the branches of a
All of these were invented by man in his tree, is indeed a living snake. Contrary to
unconsciousness. These were invented this a snake in the museum, in the
out of his misery, and sadness. And they hospital, in the science lab, in alcohol is
have been trying to depict the ultimate in harmless and dead. The alcohol snake, or
consciousness as if it is dull, and dead. the alcoholic snake, will certainly live
Christians say that Jesus never laughed. long, because it is dead. The real snake,
This is just ridiculous. If Jesus cannot the living one, will not live long, because
laugh then who else? Do you think you it is alive. Death will be coming any
can laugh? Yes, sometimes you laugh, moment. But for the alcoholic snake
but your laughter is shallow. It is at the there is no death.
most on the lips. Or if it goes very deep it
goes to the throat. It does not come from Jesus died. He was a flower that
the heart. It never comes from your core. blossomed in the morning, and by the
It is just there. It is shallow. evening gone. But the Christ invented by
the Christians, lives. It is an alcoholic
Only Jesus or A Hotey or a Zarathustra snake, bottled, as a museum show-piece.
really can laugh. And when Jesus laughs It can live forever till eternity. Your
he is laughter. Not that he laughs. When scriptures are dead. They are like
you laugh YOU laugh. When Jesus laughs butterflies pinned. You can collect
he is LAUGHTER. When you dance YOU butterflies and go on pinning them. They
dance. When Jesus dances he is DANCE. look beautiful like butterflies. They are
When you love YOU love. When a not. Because a butterfly is no more if it
MASTER loves he is simply LOVE. An cannot have freedom. If it is not alive,
enlightened one never exists apart from and roaming from one flower to another
it; otherwise there will be a division, split. on the wings it is nothing. It is a corpse.
When you laugh you are standing aloof
and laughing. For you laughter is an act. So are your Bibles, Vedas and Koran.
And your total being is not involved in it. They are invented things. Jesus, the real
Jesus, is just an excuse. And you have
And Christians say a very foolish thing imposed upon the real Jesus your own
that Jesus never laughed. Why do they Jesus who never laughs. Jesus was a
say such things? Probably out of their totally different kind of man. He was
miseries, anguish, and meaninglessness, moving with beautiful people. He was
they have depicted Jesus sad, gloomy, not moving with saints, remember,
serious, and grave. And because of this instead he was moving with beautiful
16
people. He was moving with real people. fool around. The real wisdom has
He was moving with sinners. something of foolishness in it always.
And so has the real fool something of
Real saints will not be recognized as wisdom in him. Because the real man is
saints. No church will sanctify them as always a meeting of the opposites! The
saints. And the saints that are sanctified meeting of the earth and the sky, the
by the church are really bogus, false, meeting of summer and winter, the
artificial, synthetic ones. Yes, they do not meeting of day and night, the meeting of
laugh, that is true. But Jesus is not that wisdom and foolishness! Foolishness is
kind of saint. He laughs, he drinks, he also not all wrong. It has something
eats well, and he loves. He was a true beautiful in it -- it has playfulness in it, it
man of the earth, very earthly, rooted in has non seriousness in it. It is non-
the earth. ambitious, it is innocent. So the real wise
man has something of foolishness in him
And the earth is not against the sky. The – it is always there, it makes his life spicy.
tree can go higher in the sky only if it The really silent man has a song to sing.
goes deeper in the earth. And so is the Hence this Hakuin's Song of Meditation!
rule, so is the law. A man who is deeply
rooted in the earth can go deeply in God, You do not join meditation and song
not otherwise. A man, who can laugh and together in your mind. SONG of
enjoy and be merry, can pray. His roots in meditation! Song of love is okay, but
the earth will give him enough song of meditation? Solomon's song is
nourishment to pray. He will be grateful, okay, but song of meditation? Meditation
only then he can pray. seems to be non-singing, meditation
seems to be serious, and meditation
God is significant only when it comes out seems to be silent. And song! Song is not
of your gratefulness. But how can you be silent; song is expressive, jubilant,
grateful if you cannot even laugh? dancing. But the real meditation always
Churches have become graveyards. So has a song to sing, a dance to dance. It is
your question is relevant. You may be spicy.
afraid if you become enlightened your
life will not be so spicy. I promise you, it That's why so many people are puzzled
will be spicier. Right now you are only here. Particularly religious people,
dreaming about joys. They are not really because they are the least religious - they
there, not really. Just in your fantasy they are very much puzzled when they are
exist. around a master. Meditation and dance,
renunciation and love, all go together. I
I promise you real joys, real love, and am trying to create a meeting of the
authenticity. And whenever a man is opposites. This is the way of a Nanak, an
authentic he is not just wise. The just Osho, and Sufis. Existence is a harmony
wise are not wise enough. The really wise between opposites. And whenever two
man – I call him the 'other-wise' – the opposites meet, there is great bliss.
really wise man has always enough When two opposites meet, only then
courage to be fool around a little bit, to there is bliss. A man meets a woman and
17
there is orgasm and there is joy. And life Silence alone is death. When silence and
meets death and there is great ecstasy, sound meet, there is music. Music is the
only if you know how to allow it. The meeting of silence and sound. There is a
moment of death is the greatest ecstatic rhythm between sound and silence,
moment - if you know how to allow it, if hence the music. The great music always
you know how to relax into it, how to contains both silence and sound in its
surrender to it. Here, love will meet with womb. And the great meditation also
renunciation. Here, meditation will meet contains both sound and silence
with prayer. Here, silence and sound will together. Do not be afraid. I am not
be together. A merger! A harmony! A teaching you a religion which is life-
benediction! An explosion of ecstasy! negative. I am teaching a religion which is
life-affirmative. This is the religion of
Silence alone is poor and nagging. So is Ultimate Flowering. This is the RELIGION
sound alone. Sound alone is noise. of ENLIGHTENMENT!

EK OMKAR SATNAM
SONGS OF NANAK – JAPUJI
(THIS IS A CONTINUATION FROM APRIL 2008 ISSUE)
Ek omkār sat nām kartā purakh nirbhao nirvair akāl
mūrat ajūnī saibhaŉ* guru parsād.
* pronounced saibhang in Punjabi
There is only one God! His name is Truth! He is the creator! Sans fear! Sans enmity!
Eternal! Unborn! Self effulgent! Realized by His divine grace alone!
18
Birth of Japuji
When I said Nanak disappeared in the river forests. None of these really matter. What
for three days he appeared in front of his really matters is that you disappear. Where
beloved. Found the beloved in front of his
eyes! One for whom he sang! One for
whom he spent sleepless nights! One that
existed within him like a deep thirst! Now
found him in front of his eyes! Eyes are
overflowing with joy. Insatiable quest is
fulfilled now! His beloved asked him now
to return and share all that I have filled
you with.
JAPUJI is the first offering of Nanak to

humanity. After this communion with his
beloved JAPUJI IS THE FIRST WORDS THAT
EVOLVED OUT OF NANAK!
JAPUJI IS THE ECSTACY OF NANAK!

NOTHING IS MORE SUBLIME IN THE
MESSAGE OF NANAK THAN JAPUJI! JAPUJI
Guru Nanak
IS THE BEING OF NANAK! HIS FRAGRANCE! and how you disappear matters not. Your
very presence is the obstruction. You are
This is a story. And I say this is a story. Try to the china wall. This is the reason that story
understand its symbols. Until you disappear says Nanak disappeared in the river.
there can be no communion. What is this
paradox! Until you disappear! And if I So too you have to disappear. Your ego has
disappear then who will meet! Who will be to vanish. This takes minimum three days.
in front of God! This you need to This is the reason when someone dies we
understand. You are not what you ought to celebrate Teesara or the third day
be. You are not one. You are divided. There ceremony. For the process of death to
is utter confusion and conflict within. You complete minimum it takes three days. That
cannot see that a seed is a flower. All this much time is needed. So too ego never dies
happens because of the false centre-Ego. So instantaneously. Slowly and slowly it
when I say until you disappear it refers to dissolves. And it takes three days. This is the
the disappearance of ego. Ego has to reason there is gap of three days. Nanak
dissolve. Only then your real face will disappeared in the river for three days.
appear. And remember this is the first Nanak remained in the river for three days.
criterion. How does this ego disappears it Ego dissolved completely. Man exists as ego
matters not. It is insignificant whether you alone. Ego feels happy, sad, etc. All that you
disappear in the river, or mountains or do is the outcome of ego. This happens until
19
ego dissolves completely. Thereafter a new its limitations. All that he wants to
journey begins. Family, friends, and communicate is magnanimous. And cannot
relatives can only see ego. If you are not be put into words! Words are incapable to
operating as ego you do not have any manifest its magnanimity. So this remains
existence. Sometimes you would have the barrier. When ego vanishes the entire
observed this happening to you as well. We creation becomes godly. In that inner
do not have the eyes to see the soul. So it harmony and oneness everything and
was considered that Nanak drowned or everyone dances in that glory. Remember
died. God is not a person sitting somewhere and
you have to be in front of him. God is an
Whenever one begins the inward journey invisible energy field. Such an
he becomes futile for the outer world. Now understanding comes out of maturity.
he is no more. He does not behave as you
are. There is a discontinuity. Past is no How can you appear in front of that
more. New is now born. This is the reason invisible energy field? When this happens
that the story has the gap of three days. The you see that invisible energy at work all
symbol of three days! Three days after around. It is that energy that surrounds you.
Nanak returned. To say then that the creator is separate
from the creation is wrong and ignorance.
On the inward path whoever begins the The creator is hidden in the creation. The
journey certainly returns. But returns as creation is the manifestation of the creator.
refurbished, as new, as reborn! Certainly And creator is the unmanifest creation. And
whoever moves on this path ultimately creator is the process of creativity. God is an
returns to the world of beings. He returns unmanifest power hidden within you. It is
to share all that he has experienced through this power or energy field that knows
this commune. On his way he was thirsty. beyond our finite understanding. And we
His quench is satiated now. He was a beggar are bound to each other by a causeless
while he was going. But he returns as an force. We are not aliens nor as strangers
emperor. Emperor not of the outer but of meet. Instead we are bound to each other
the inner! He is now connected to an by an invisible causeless force. Such an
unfathomable ocean of bliss. understanding is the beginning of the
JAPUJI is such an offering of NANAK. inward journey. An ecstatic Kabir says:
Never consider this story of Nanak JAB MAIN THA TAB HARI NAHI,
disappearing in the river or drowning and
then appearing in front of God literally. If JAB HARI TAB MAIN NAHI!
you still think so then you are still an infant -
juvenile. You have only grown physically. As long as I was, Ego continued to function.
Consciousness or wisdom is not yet born in No union with God was possible!
you. What to do? Something sublime has to
be communicated language is the only And now that when God is I have
medium. This is the problem with the disappeared!!
masters. They have to choose the words
from the language. Words and language has
20
PREM GALI ATI SSANKRI of ego in your eye. The moment this speck
is removed the unknown and the
TAAMAI DUI NA SAMAI unknowable becomes visible to you. God is
RAJA PRAJA JEHI RUCHE always. There was never a time when he
was not and also there will never be a time
SHEESH DAI LAI JAI!!! when he will not be. This is true of you as
well. Only you were not available. Nanak
disappeared. God appeared. And
The lanes of love are very narrow! manifested through his very being, and his
presence! Remember there is nothing
Two can never dwell simultaneously! except God. But God only appears through
his creation and godliness. This is more
The rich or poor; king or the subject
sublime that God himself.
Whoever this appeals can get it!!
Nanak returned as God. The man in him
Certainly not as he is; died. And now God is born in Nanak. After
this happening whatever Nanak said is
Certainly a price is for this: precious. Every syllable is precious than the
costliest gem. For each word or syllable
And what is the price?
even the entire wealth is meaningless. Each
Your mind, your thoughts, your syllable then is Scripture. Each syllable is
conditionings, VED.
Your traditions and your dogmas too; Now try to understand JAPUJI:
Is the price for this invaluable inner Ek omkār sat nām kartā purakh
treasure of love!!!
nirbhao nirvair akāl mūrat
With ego and vanity how can you be in ajūnī saibhaŉ* guru parsād
front of him? Also how can you be in such a
presence that is not an ordinary presence? He is one! His very form is Omkar!
You cannot look towards the sun
attentively. The glare blinds you. Then how
The existential! He is Satnam!
can you be in front of that which is Embodiment of truth!
thousand times more glowing than the sun.
The day your inner vision opens, you will Truth incarnate! The cosmic doer!
realize only that energy field surrounds you. Beyond fear!
Only you disappear. That is all.
This cannot happen as long as you have

Beyond prejudice! Beyond time and
ego. Ego is like a speck of dust in your eye. space is his sublime existence!
With that speck you cannot open your eye.
And with closed eyes you cannot envision.
Born out of his own free will he ever
Do not consider me literally. By opening the remains unborn!
eye I mean the disappearance of the speck
21
Yet still he is the cause of his own waves. Instead Nanak is deep within the
existence! river. Mystically river symbolizes the being
of an aspirant. And from the surface
Such are his attributes Sacred and whatever you will say will be false. How can
Sublime! you say that you have been to the ocean? A
wave is not ocean. And neither the sum
How can one attain to this total of waves is ocean. There is a
presence!! fundamental difference between the ocean
and a wave.
Certainly not by your own efforts
Wave is short-lived. One moment before it
alone! was not! Next moment it appears. And then
the following moment it no more again!
Be assured! By the grace of the
This is transitory. Such cannot be the taste
Master! of God. Can it be? Certainly not!
Let this be your trust and certitude Once there was a mystic, a Sufi master! His
as well!!! name was JUNNAID. He loved his son
dearly. Suddenly, one day the son died in an
All that we see around is many. Wherever accident. Junnaid cremated the son. This
you see division is. All around only duality baffled his wife. Wife always thought that
and multiplicity is. You go to the sea shore. Junnaid could never bear the agony of
Only waves are visible. Ocean alone is. And separation with his son. It appeared as if
waves are on the surface. Yet still you do nothing has happened to Junnaid. It
not see the ocean. appeared son has not yet died. Junnaid
remained unaffected. By evening everyone
You can see all that is on the surface. This is
left expressing their condolences. An
the only vision that you have. To do not see
amazed wife enquired if he did not feel the
beyond the duality! To see beyond the
agony. You loved your son so dearly that I
outer you need a different eye. As is your
thought you may break apart with this.
vision so will be the scene. Whatever shade
you have on your eyes will certainly give Junnaid’s response is significant. It reflects
you the hue. Your awareness can never be the understanding of a master, one who has
deeper than your understanding. This is the known how to be. For a moment I was
reason there are altered states of taken aback by the sudden demise. The
awareness. And Sufis call these as various same time I remembered something. There
states of Nafs. And when you have the was a time when the son was not and I was
outer eye, then you can only see the waves. happy. And then the son came, happiness
And then you will claim that you have seen remained. Now that the son is no more
the ocean. Use your intelligence to find the then why lament. Happiness is still.
answer yourself. This is not the way to go to Happiness is an inner functioning. It has
the ocean. From the shore only waves are nothing to do with the outer. I am blissful
visible. To know the ocean you have to be in because of a different reason. When the
the ocean. This is the reason that Nanak son was not I was not unhappy. Then how
drowned in the river. He is not lost in the can I be unhappy when the son is no more.
22
Between these two happenings was a dream. Waves are dream like. Waves are
dream. Children are born through you. Not numerous. Ocean is one. We can only see
from you. You are the door. You are the many. As long as we will not see oneness
mechanism that a child is conceived. A child wandering will continue. Misery and
is the gift from the unknown. Give them despondency too will continue.
your love. Mind they will have of their own.
And once you have given them your love TRUTH IS SOLITARY. Nanak sings:
certainly something will evolve from within.
Ek omkār sat nām kartā purakh
That which comes and disappears is dream. nirbhao nirvair akāl mūrat ajūnī
That which attains form and dissolves is saibhaŉ* guru parsād.
Only this much for now! …Cont’d next issue

EE
CHOOSING THE PLACE FOR MEDITATION

It is very important to have a place of special place for yourself. If you can create a
meditation. You can get such places created special place –a small temple or room or a
especially for creating a milieu for corner at home where you can meditate
meditation. However at home it becomes every day; it will certainly help you. Once
difficult. In such case you have to create a you have chosen this place for meditation,
place for meditation at home separately. do not use this space for anything else.
There are certain criterions for this. Because every purpose has its own
Meditation creates an energy field. Also vibration! Use that corner only for
each work creates its own energy field. meditation. Then the corner will be charged
Quite often people create a place of and will wait for you everyday. This corner
worship unaware of this. In such places the will be helpful to you during meditation.
sound of television and other noises keep The place will create a particular vibration, a
disturbing at least in the beginning. In particular milieu, and a particular
choosing such place these things have to be atmosphere. This will help you to go deeper
taken into account. When such a place is and deeper within very easily. This is the
not available, then you have to create a reason why temples, churches, mosques
23
and communes were created; to allow for a suddenly you will feel hunger within. This is
place meant only for prayer and meditation. the body-mind mechanism working.
Once you have chosen your place for Meditate everyday at the same place and at
meditation, then comes the hour of the same time. An insatiable quest will be
meditation. Just as the place is important, created in you for meditation within your
so too is the hour of meditation – the body-mind mechanism. Everyday at that
specific hour of meditation, at least in the particular time your body and mind will ask
beginning! So when you choose a specific you to go in for meditation. It will certainly
hour for meditation it is definitely helpful be helpful. A space is created within you
because your body and mind are a which will eventually become a quest, a
mechanism. If you take lunch at a particular thirst. In the beginning it will be very
hour everyday, your body starts asking for helpful. Unless you come to the point
food at that hour. Sometimes you can even where meditation becomes spontaneous
try to trick it. So when you take your lunch and natural, then you can meditate at
at one pm in the afternoon, then as soon as anytime and anywhere. Meditation then
the clock strikes one, you will be hungry. becomes your breath. However, up to that
Even if the clock is showing the wrong time moment, use these devices or mechanical
your body-mind mechanism cannot be resources of the body and the mind as a
wrong or misleading. As soon as it is one, help.
‘SANGHAM SHARANAM GACHCHAMI’
MEDITATION
THE WAY TO SELF REALIZATION
By TAOSHOBUDDHA
Edited and Compiled by Swami Anand Neelambar
STERLING PAPERBACKS
An imprint of Sterling Publishers (P) Ltd. A-59, Okhla Industrial Area, Phase-II,
New Delhi -110020. INDIA Tel: 26387070, 26386209; Fax: 91-11-26383788
E-mail: sterlingpublishers@airtelmail.in
ghai@nde.vsnl.net.in
Website: www.sterlingpublishers.com
24
Meditation: The way to self- realization ISBN 978-81-207-3889-8
(REPRODUCTION OF PREFACE)
Before I begin to say anything, let me clarify certain things from the very beginning. I am not
interested in any metaphysical questions. It does not matter who created this world or if God is
or is not? You are! This is most important to me. You can be transformed. This is meaningful. It
matters not what was the relationship between Jesus and Mary Madeline nor why did Rama
put Sita to the fire test nor why did Rama
abandon Sita? Answers to these questions
cannot transform you or give you the taste of
Enlightenment. A Buddha is never concerned
with such questions. He works with you and on
you alone.
These methods do not belong to any

religion. Just as the Theory of Relativity is
not Jewish because Albert Einstein
conceived it, so radio and television are not
Christian because a Christian mind
conceived this. And no one asks, why are
you using electricity because it is Christian?
A Christian mind conceived it. Science does
not belong to any religion, race, caste, or
creed! Just because these techniques were near such flowering, begin to experience
developed by a Hindu mind, does this mean their own inner flowering. This is the Secret
these techniques are Hindu? But you cannot of the Golden Flower of a Zen master, Lu
change the ‘wisdom’ of human stupidity. So Tzu. Such is the milieu. Out of this
think through it. Many years ago in deep flowering, a commune is born. A
silence, a flowering happened. The beauty Buddhafield! Commune refers to a deep
and the fragrance of this flower were not union between Meditation and Love. An
going to last forever. Whatever happens to oasis in the desert of the world! In such an
the flower is momentary; bees gather environment of deep lovingness, one grows
around the flower and begin to experience in awareness, understanding, and
its beauty, fragrance, aliveness, presence, meditation. This is the trinity of the Hindu
and its fragility. This is the experience in the mystical existential sound, AUM. The word
end, of all those who are thirsty of Commune was first coined by Buddha. He
something emanating from deep within the referred to commune as Sangha. It implies a
flowering of the Being; and the flower place where initiates have dropped their
continues to share its presence, its being, its individual egos and are no more functioning
silence, and its wholeness. Those who are as individual islands or personalities.
25
Communication between heads was necessary to bring all these talks in the form
replaced by the communion of hearts! of a concise publication; hence, this book.
Whenever so many hearts open, many The need for meditation was felt
flowers blossom! Fragrance is released. This worldwide. Thus, the Buddhafield is now
fragrance that surrounds a Buddha is the being extended to the entire world. Just as,
fragrance or the energy of the Being. We for the body to survive breathing is
may call this as Buddhafield. If someone has essential, so too for the soul to evolve,
attained this flowering, a commune is meditation is essential! Meditation is the
bound to happen. No one can prevent this. breathing of the soul. Then what is the
All those who are thirsty, will start moving difference between breathing and
towards the flowering of this Buddha. Just meditation? Do the two differ from one
like, when a flower blossoms, the magnetic another? There is a subtle relationship
pull of the fragrance attracts many bees – between the two. Naturally, as an individual
only bees! No dog will ever be attracted to you breathe unconsciously. When you learn
this magnetic pull of a flower. A Buddha and to breathe consciously, it becomes
a commune exist only for those who have meditation. Buddha introduced Anapana
the sensitivity, the perception, the Sati Yoga Meditation. It is also called
availability, the search, and the openness. Vipashyana Meditation. This was
Many will pass but will go on missing the introduced to create an inner sun of
Buddha and the commune. When many awareness. In this meditation, one needs to
individuals with openness and a deep become aware of breathing and by doing so
search within, are completely dissolved and the unconsciousness begins to vanish.
merged into one another, what is created
By doing this, one develops witnessing.
there is a Buddhafield, a Sangha. Individuals
Therefore, breathing is used as a tool to
with complex diverse potentials gather
create witnessing. With witnessing, one
around the Buddha. Everyone works
comes to know that the body and the being
wholeheartedly in his or her own way
are separate. Vigyan Bhairav Tantra, which
without any dictatorship or leadership.
is almost 5000 years old, is a treatise on
Through the Buddha or the Enlightened
Meditation. It is Shiva who narrates these
one, Godliness starts overflowing and
techniques of Meditation to His Consort,
consciousness creates a commune or
Devi. There is a specific approach in Tantra.
Buddhafield.
Shiva uses this to narrate one hundred and
The present book is the outcome of such a twelve techniques of meditation. In fact, no
happening. Many years ago, the work technique of meditation lies outside these
started as talks aired on radio, here in one hundred and twelve techniques. Most
Trinidad and within the commune. In fact, of these techniques use breathing as an
the entire country became the Buddhafield. essential technique to attain consciousness
Many listened to these talks. Now it was felt of meditative state.
26
The entire overflow is spontaneous. It is the posture? This posture is a meditative
poetry of the being that has sprung from posture. This posture helps us to boost
the inner depths of a Buddha! It is a spoken energy, healing, and thus rejuvenation.
message; no way a written one. Blended
Every word, every sentence is impregnated
with compassion, it flows like a river that is
with energy. When you maintain this
taking you on a voyage to merge with the
posture, your cells will be in a state of inner
Infinite. This will bring the ultimate
peace, full of awareness and relaxation.
transformation of the consciousness in you!
Whatever part of the book you may be
A delight within! Each word and each
reading, your cells will be open to receive
sentence is a musical composition. Also it
both healing and rejuvenation
has its own soul, mind, and body. This
simultaneously. Read slowly. Comprehend,
trinity together creates an energy field. This
digest, and absorb the message. As you do
is the energy field of a Buddha.
so, your soul will get connected to the very
Once you consider each word and each soul of each word. Remember, the soul
sentence as a living organism and the very carries within it the energy of love, light,
being of Buddhahood and feel life pulsating healing, blessing, and service. Therefore,
through these, you are in tune with the reading in this meditative way, will not only
energy field o a Buddha. unfold the inner secrets of this message but
will also transform every aspect of your life.
How can one read and absorb the message
and energy contained in these overflows? Meditation brings the Conservation of
Every gem of wisdom and knowledge, each Energy. Thus, conservation of energy is an
practice and each sentence contained in important aspect of Meditation. This is the
this book is an energy field. This acts as a law of Physics. It explains that energy can
message. Such messages have tremendous neither be destroyed nor lost. Definitely it
healing and energy of blissfulness. This can can be transformed. Just as baser metals
balance the matter inside the cells and the are transformed into precious gems, so too
energy that surrounds the cells. So you have meditation transforms the baser nature into
to maintain a particular posture while the sublime one. From the quagmire of
decoding the message contained herein. senses, meditation takes you to a different
realm of being.
When you want to decode the message, sit
down with your back straight, bring your Look at the clouds. Clouds carry within their
tongue close to your palate but not womb the water of the oceans. As the
touching it, contract your anus a little, and waters from the oceans transform into
lastly bring your lower abdomen in; water vapor, these vapors represent one
maintain this posture while reading the form of energy. When these vapors rise,
book. Why am I emphasizing a specific clouds are formed. This is followed by the
27
energy from the heavens that descend in cosmos radiates chi or energy. That is why I
the form of rain. This is another form of call various forms of chi or energy as Cosmic
energy. When clouds are full of water or Existential energy. Then there are
vapor, rain pours. These are all different countless universes. And there are
forms of energy. Thus, energy is conserved. countless energies or chi of these countless
universes. These universes can thus be
Because of rain and wind a stone is eroded.
divided as yang universes. These constitute
The stone gets smaller and smaller in size.
the physical worlds. Then there are yin
When a stone is struck at the same point for
universes. These constitute the spiritual
hundreds of years by dripping water, a hole
worlds. The unknown and the unknowable
will form in the stone and eventually, go
creates both yang and yin universes.
through the stone. And then the part of the
Together, the two radiate Divine Energy or
stone that got eroded away will form a
Chi. Divine is one. Universe is one. There is
hole. This is the part which has transformed
only one chi or energy – the Cosmic Energy!
into another form of cosmic energy. So too
when a person dies and is cremated, the When the strategy of this text was planned,
energy is absorbed by Mother Earth and there was a format to follow. However, as
thus transforms into another form of time flowed on, many new dimensions and
energy. Meditation brings a form of energy talks were included. I did not want to
that transforms the soul, mind, and body. I include any talks on the healing aspects. But
was intending for the book on Meditation: then I realized, meditation is in itself a
The Way to Self-realization. But what can I healing process. Healing of the soul! But the
do. There is a direct connection between soul is not separate from the mind and the
meditation and healing. In fact, meditation body. Healing at three different planes!
is inner healing. Meditation creates Because of this, I had to include a section on
harmony within, through healing your healing as well as vital energy, or life force,
emotions and all which creates disturbance or élan vita, or Orgone, or Prana as in tai chi
within. Meditation takes you to the realm of and chi gong. Traditional Chinese medicine
bliss beyond reason and all that is mental. mentions at least fifty different forms of
Therefore it can be said, it is in reality a energy, for example, heart chi, liver chi,
journey from medication to meditation. kidney chi, yin chi, Wei chi, etc. Usually we
are unaware of these forms of chi. It is said
What is the necessity of meditation? Five
that it takes five years of hard work to
thousand years ago, The Yellow Emperor’s
understand this. However, for the purpose
Canon, the ancient authoritative text on
of this text, I will speak of only one form of
traditional Chinese medicine, stated, “If Chi
chi or energy and that is the Cosmic Energy
flows, one is healthy; if not, one is sick”. Chi
or Prana or the existential cosmic sound
refers to vital energy. All these are part of
vibration, Aum.
the cosmos. Everyone and everything in the
28
When this energy radiates through the meditate on the story! Then parallel to the
heart, it is heart chi, and the energy story, something else will start revealing
radiating through the immune system itself in your being.
represents the chi of the immune system.
The story is on one plane, but the revelation
When the energy radiates through the cells,
happens on another plane. The two planes
it is cell energy. The energy radiating
are parallel to one another. Unless you start
through the body and the blood vessels is
tasting that parallel revelation, remember
wei chi. You can call the energy radiating
you have missed the essence. It is easy to
through the tree as tree chi. So too, there
miss the essence. You do not need any
are ocean chi, star chi, etc. In this book, I
intelligence to miss the essence. However,
have attempted to speak all that could be
to feel the essence and then flow with it,
spoken at this level. Yet still, there are many
will certainly require even greater
dimensions, which are not only beyond
intelligence. And, in fact, something beyond
human comprehension but they cannot be
intelligence! So pull yourself together and
revealed. These are more intricate
become integrated in the moment.
techniques that are given by a master to his
disciple. These cannot be put in any book Do not read. Instead, listen as totally as
form. possible; just become your ears. Be there.
Something of immense value is being
However, I have attempted to speak of the
imparted in this overflow. In the beginning,
Sufi path in relation to meditation. Sufism is
trust is a feeling; in its final flowering, it is
the path of love, as it developed in the
being.
deserts of the Middle East. And Zen is the
path of Meditation that developed in Japan. I cannot say anymore. Still much is left to
Buddha’s technique of Jati Smaran – the say. This is my essence, my being, my
path of going into past lives, has presence; feel it and then allow it within
intentionally been omitted because of the you. Let it work at your inner centre. Trust
possible dangers it presents if practiced is the essence along the path that leads to
without an Enlightened Master. inner flowering. And you can trust only if
you are ready to go into insecurity. And
It is very easy to be entertained, but that is
ready to sail your boat without any map
not the purpose of the Sufis. Then you will
into the unknown! Trust means immense
miss the essence. These stories are
courage. And only a courageous person can
reflections of the beyond. They try to state,
be religious, because only a courageous
that which cannot be said; and they try to
person can say yes.
express, that which is inexpressible. They
are not about ordinary life. These belong to So when you trust, your unconsciousness
the centre of your being. They are beautiful starts revealing many things to you. It
devices. If you simply pay attention, if you reveals itself only to the trusting mind,
29
trusting being, and trusting consciousness. Enlightenment. Enlightenment is your very
Religion is the fragrance of this trust, nature. It is like the flowers and the buds.
impeccable and absolute. When the Each bud has the potentiality to blossom
planning for this book began, a certain into a flower. Until this happens, the bud
format was chosen. As time flowed on, considers itself separate from the flower.
many new dimensions were added and This is an existential game. The moment a
edited. Now that the work is ready for final disciple attains this flowering, he is aware of
consummation, I felt the need for certain the game. Thus, dissolves the master-
chapters to be elaborated. All this lies disciple relationship. What remains then is a
outside the present format. Chapters like silent communion between the two. The
Meditation Techniques, Vigyan Bhairav two are at the same plane performing the
Tantra, Sufi Path and Parables, Healing and role in the evolution of human
Meditation require a separate overflow consciousness. Their techniques and
each. This will be undertaken next, after I methods may differ but the ultimate
finish some other works like Sufi Path and outcome is the same. There remains
Parables. Each of these topics will be friendliness between the two.
elaborated in times to come and will
All the masters of the past and those who
therefore, appear as separate works. Quite
are waiting as yet to manifest, are my
often people ask me, “Who is your master?”
friends. The entire existence is my friend –
I have always answered this question in
the masters of the yesteryears and those
silence. Now the time has come to reveal,
who are to come later, the plants, the
for the benefit of the listeners. Master and
rivers, the planets, the stars, the moon, and
disciple is an existential game. From the
the sun have all helped in one way or the
side of a master it is a game. He knows the
other in the process of evolution. I bow
entire existence is Enlightened. In fact, we
down to these.
are all floating in an existential placenta, the
AUM…
I bow down to those who have no enemies.

I bow down to those who have explored inner space.
I bow down to all those who have explored inner world –
And are capable of transferring this to others!
I bow down to all mystics of this universe.
This five-fold salutation and its remembrance destroys all negativities
And it is most auspicious of all that is auspicious.
LOVE TAOSHOBUDDHA
www.taoshobuddhameditations.com
For queries you can contact me at: taoshobuddha@gmail.com
‘DHAMAM SHARANAM GACHCHAMI’
30
MEDITATION
A RELEASE AND THE CURE
MOST OF OUR EVERYDAY DISEASES, DISCOMFORTS, AND TENSIONS
ARISE FROM THE FACT THAT WE ARE ALIENATED FROM OUR BEINGS!
Human conditions reveal to us that we must creates diseases of many dimensions. There
deal with emotional and psychological are people who are susceptible to such
strain, stress, and tensions as well as energy patterns. Medically this situation
physical pain, suffering, and illness. relates to the immune system. A weak
Naturally, we seek a remedy or method that immune system is easily susceptible to such
can help us solve such problems and contacts. Energy always flows from the
difficulties. As individuals we want to free higher levels to the lower ones. Also, the
ourselves of such conditions. difference in the levels of energy causes
sickness. First it comes to manifest at the
This has become essential now. There is an subtle plane and then it trickles down to the
increasing demand for such cure and physical plane. Only then it becomes visible.
release. Because of this, many therapeutic Thus it can be said that, each disease has its
techniques and other forms of treatments own energy pattern.
have evolved. Traditionally, the society
provides medical doctors, psychiatrists, Most of our everyday diseases, discomforts,
psychologists, psychotherapists, and priests. and tensions arise from the fact that we are
Also, there are individuals who offer their alienated from our beings. The being is
services as teachers, healers, clairvoyants, composed of many layers. The most
astrologers, etc. apparent of these layers are the mind and
the body. The body and the mind are one
All those who need help can easily find mechanism. It can be said we are
methods of treatment. It is significant to see psychosomatic. We are body and mind
how we come to respond to our personal together. Whatever, happens to the mind
situations, difficulties, and challenges. And affects the body, and whatever happens to
also that of the others! Sickness follows a the body eventually affects the mind.
pattern of manifestation. Suppose you are emotionally disturbed,
First it appears at the subtle plane. This then your body will be affected. When you
includes the magnetic and etheric planes. take a few pegs of drink, your mind is
Constantly explosions are taking place at naturally affected. All illnesses, conflicts,
the surface of the sun. As a result, and pain require total human growth and
tremendous energy is released. When this development as a cure. Also, they require
energy reaches the earth’s environment, it an awakening from our psychological sleep
and ignorance. Those who are involved in
31
this search are now discovering that dilemma that we encounter as a challenge
without these disturbing factors, either at to bring out and make use of inner
the personal or interpersonal level such as resources. In other words, we can allow the
marriage or general human relationship, we seeds of consciousness to grow through our
can never grow into total humanness and experience of wholeness. Also, not only
thus, reach the beyond. reveal it but to merge with all
circumstances that relate to our existence
Any effort to find the solution needs to in this ever-changing world. Thus, we can
establish the inner connection between learn to deal with ourselves and also reduce
different layers of your being. More so, our difficulties creatively. This way we can
between the body and the mind! When let go of all that hinders our growth,
such a connection is established, we come maturity, and natural flow of life, so that
to know how our body works and supports our Being can manifest. Instead of being
us. This way we can find new ways and victimized because of negativities, negative
means to establish the harmony between effects, or unexpected and unavoidable
the body and the mind. This is a process. illness, we come to accept facts and reality
The doctors and scientists have now with deep understanding and patience. This
recognized what common sense has been is how we can clear all the barriers that
telling us for so long. There exists a deep prevent the experience of well-being.
connection between your body and the Thus we can, not only clean out or release
mind. It affects our overall level of physical all that is unhealthy and impure but also
health and well-being. Nearly one-half of release the locked-in energies within our
our ailments are stress related. Quite often bodies and the mind. Then, natural flow of
it is said, it is all in your head. health is possible.
For that reason, a mere intellectual In the final analysis, we ourselves are the
understanding of the cause will not help. vehicles through which liberation can
Human mind is a very thin layer of happen. All you need to do is to create
consciousness. This consciousness is only witnessing and also create situations for the
one-tenth. Therefore, whatever the mind or release and the cure. They act as a guiding
the intellect understands is only one tenth. light within and help us move forward
The unconscious layer is much larger. It is towards the Being, until it comes to
nine-tenth of the total consciousness. So manifest fully and takes charge of our life.
when we are not in touch with this larger Thus, ends the pain. This is Nirvana; the
part it proves to be stronger. It is therefore, total extinction of fire and smoke.
this set of relationship between the When we look at various situations in life,
conscious and the unconscious layer that we realize that there are many types of fires
creates harmony between the body and the burning within the psychosomatic
mind. With this harmony comes the sense structures known as the body and mind.
of well-being. This cannot come without Our desires, hatred, delusions, jealousy,
meditation. For this we need to maintain a envy, pride, ambition, uncertainty, fears,
realistic view of life and all situations it etc., keep us ablaze. All day long we burn,
presents. We can take the drama and and in the night we send out the smoke.
32
This is common to all humans. This creates recognizing all facts and realities, can we
and accumulates all sorts of activities, such not only reduce our resistances but also
as habits, fixed modes of recreation, open the doors for honest communication
rigidity, conflicts, constrictions, and and sympathetic understanding. This does
contraction and expansion through our not create any distortion with reality. Thus,
reactive behaviour. And we continue to act begins the process of release and also the
consciously and unconsciously for our own surge of creative energy.
benefit or for the destruction of others.
In the past several decades, while working
Whatever we do, to ourselves or others, through the aspirants, I came to know of
becomes our conditioning. This gets the physical and psychic energies in
deepened and strengthened through games different forms. This happens only in sitting
that we play with ourselves in relation to meditation. And thus, it moves to other
others. We do not know why we feel states as walking, standing and other
disturbed, uncomfortable, nervous, and meditations until the release completes.
uneasy and what is actually going on. We Such expressions include shaking, twitching,
tend to cover up the real issue by turning stretching in various positions, sometimes
away from the actual situations. Then, to entering into difficult yoga postures, and
avoid this, we get involved in activities rolling on the ground etc. Quite often,
other than the real issues. This is how sounds arise such as heavy breathing,
human neurosis expands. We go on crying, laughing, sudden screams, and angry
avoiding pain. This results in our being words.
numb and sleepy, insensitive and deaf in
our existence. Also, body expressions as hand movements
that can hit the knees, or anything in front
When we turn within and strive to be in the of the meditators! And sometimes the
present moment, we can do anything and hands can massage the belly or pelvic
yet still remain in contact with our being. region, the legs, knees, solar plexus and
Thus, we come to know all our inner and chest. Such expression is also and rotate, so
outer situations. Thus, we can clearly see do the eyes, while the jaws and mouth
our actions, reactions, and responses suddenly open with sound. All this happens
without imposing anything on them. The during sitting meditation.
flame of watching takes full charge of
burning and eliminating all that is Whenever, there are such expressions,
undesirable, destructive, and unhealthy. there is always a release of negative states
This happens naturally and spontaneously. of emotions and psychological conditionings
hidden in any particular part of the body as
You may wonder, what is needed for this is, well as the psyche. This means that the
in fact, a trusting willingness to throw individual meditators re-live all past
ourselves into the flame of awareness. This experiences and the accumulated karmas of
entails to attending all that arises in any the early unconscious life movements. This
moment. For this do not do anything in can happen through the parents and all
particular or become someone special! those close to them. Along with this, the
Then you can see what happens. It is only meditators also re-live the negative feelings
by accepting ourselves as we are and such as anger, hatred, resentment, hostility,
33
shame, hurt, frustration, and fear stored up perception that we come in contact with
through the relationship with a lover or the the outer world.
beloved, partner, or the boss.
Each time we interact in the outer world of
It has also been observed that certain duality, a sensation or feeling arises as
meditators got in touch with their birth impulse. This can create inward or outward
experience. They re-lived and also released reaction. Each reaction in the body or the
the trauma of birth, fear, anger, frustration, mind causes muscular contraction. Thus,
and confusion at the time of actual birth. negative energy is stored. When it remains
Buddha says it is painful to be born again unexpressed, such feelings supported by
and again. The pain and suffering that fear, form the patterns of reaction and such
comes through birth into our lives is quite behaviour. This becomes automatic,
unbearable for many of us. Also, this leads habitual, unconscious, and uncontrollable at
to psychological and emotional the time of expression. You do not act or
disturbances, which are not easy to resolve. react. But you have no control over it. Each
For this, certain specific techniques of Jati time you react, the pattern deepens and
Smaran are used by the master. But these thus, gets stronger. Then it takes control
cannot be mentioned in this overflow. Only over you. Thus, you are no longer yourself.
a master can work with his disciples using Because of these layers of karmas, these
such techniques. layers continue to accumulate until you are
totally aware. Then your actions do not bind
Very often, the meditators complain about you.
the process of release. The cure and then
the clearing of karmas never seem to end. It Of these layers, certain contain more
goes on and sometimes more intensely as tension, more pain, and also more suffering
time moves on! This requires patience, than others, particularly those on the
understanding, and being aware. Everyone surface. The deeper you move, the more
suffers. Some accept it quietly, while others painful it becomes. This continues, until the
make noises! Suffering is just a life final release happens.
experience through which we come to
know the reality of our lives, both Thus, you cannot expect a quick release.
individually and collectively. Let me Your impatience and expectation will react
continue the process of release and negatively to this entire process and also
expression in meditation. There are many accumulate more karma to the already
layers of tensions, pain, and suffering in the existing ones. And thus continues the cycle,
human body. The human body provides the through actions, passion, and reactions.
storehouse for negative energies and Sometimes, the process of release gets
repressed feelings. When left unseen, these more complicated. This happens due to the
acquire explosive power. This happens interference of ego and a weaker
through the contraction of muscles, awareness.
whenever the reactive feelings arise out of When ego – the false center comes to
habit or automatic response to the sense realize, that the body has more power and
experiences. This also includes those of the that the body can express itself easily, it can
mind as well. It is through the organs of remove all blockages, and allow the energy
34
to flow freely, it gets afraid of losing control momentum it can lead to violence, because
over the body. This means the end of ego, there is no channel to direct this energy.
its functioning, and the energy field. Ego Then let this energy get exhausted through
needs them for its survival. So what it does the body and the mind. This will take care
is that it steps up its control over all of everything. Be aware of everything, but
expressions! Also it uses the body as a tool do not interfere in the process. Then you
for deceiving the meditators. This way the will not miss any opportunity to see clearly
meditators undergo the process and what is happening, and also all that lies
become performers. beyond your present experience. Thus, you
will remain alert and fully awake and move
Generally, the meditators are not aware of on freely. There are still some, who get
this. Because, their mind concentrates on attached to the negative.
cleaning up all that is negative and thus free
the body of all blockages. There is a motive They cannot appreciate the positive feeling.
behind such a performance. But it still This negation deepens the identification
remains the ego game. This weakness of with the negative. Then all that is negative
awareness stems from the fact that the appears real and vice-versa. This is how
meditators are unaware of the actual reality gets distorted.
events. And the excitement and the
anticipation of the goal have become much But when your attitude is open, you can
more attractive than penetrating the allow both sides to exist without favouring
process itself. When awareness is keen, the anyone. You need to regard all experiences,
meditator gets blinded, deaf, and good or bad, as equal. Then move towards
insensitive to the situation around him. equanimity. Harmonize the opposites. Then,
Without looking you cannot see, and you can rise beyond all conflicts and
without this there can be no liberation. paradoxes. This way you do not get tied to
Unless liberation happens, cure cannot take the lower states. And thus, get lifted up to
place. Then, instead of release, there the state of higher reality.
happens the leakage which gives temporary Yet you still remain aware of unpleasant
relief. Frustration breeds in, and the sensations remaining from the experience
meditator begins to react against the of the lower. All expressions in meditation
process. This brings more pain and suffering are natural. And these help in the process of
into life. cleansing the accumulated karmas,
The meditator needs to be neutral and particularly at the psychological and
attain inward silence in relation to all that is emotional levels. Yet still, we need to
happening. Furthermore, he has to remain examine the nature of expressions
still in all movements or postures; then let thoroughly and not take these for granted.
go of everything. Allow things to happen on It is through expressions at various levels in
their own accord. Be aware of breathing meditation that we come to reveal our true
and live through all that is happening to his nature and thus the self. Such expressions
intelligence. And whenever you try to release our inhibitions! This is individual
obstruct or oppose, it will cause pain. And psychological revolution. Because, this way
when the energy of release gathers we try to be authentic! And then act from
35
our centre and from the cultural, parental, to sanctify our emotions and remove all
religious and social authority. This helps us blockages from the mind and the body.
(Reference: How do such expressions work through meditation? Section Three – Meditation
Techniques of MEDITATION THE WAY TO SELF REALIZATION. You can contact me at
taoshobuddha@gmail.com or visit my website http//www.taoshobuddhameditations.com.
There is also a downloadable monthly e-magazine, Meditation Times.)
As an individual meditator you have to be time and energy. Thus, you avoid all
clear that all expressions differ from complications.
reactions. Reactions have the element of
hurt, upset, or desire to crush and destroy Secondly, when you use motivation and
the other, verbally or physically. While self-programming for such expressions, or
expression focuses attention on the state of for clearing your psycho-physical system, it
emotion or feeling alone, this is simply to is not expression in reality. It will not allow
dissolve such expression. You are not giving the awareness to grow. Instead, it is an ego
it to anyone else. You can do this with or trip. Always remember, when expressions
without a witness. take place without any awareness, you may
get some relief but it does not lead to cure.
Yet, there is still another form of expression It is because these are mere performances
which is called explosion. When the to please one or others. When such
expression is real, it helps to exhaust the expressions are mere performances, much
existing karmas. But when there is reaction, energy is released and then not much is left
more and more karmas are accumulated. for transformation. Therefore, no growth
And when it is said that karmas never seem can take place when the creation of the
to end, it is because of your reactions. We energy is not in the right proportion to the
live our lives as reactions. Also this deepens energy released. Also, when there is no
the reactive patterns of our behavior. So clear awareness, the excessive release of
you have to be careful of such expressions energy can create mental instability. This is
and make sure that these expressions are why the masters have warned the aspirants,
not reactions. When such expressions are not to go to those who know nothing of the
allowed within the energy field of a master, process of meditation and its dangers and
then these do not become reactions. There gains, when it happens. I have come across
are certain observations. First, whenever many who have become mentally instable.
these expressions are repetitions,
irrespective of being gentle or violent, these Always remember that awareness and
indicate the interference of ego. Then these insight play a significant role in the process
are mere excitements of the body, in the of release and cure. Awareness safeguards
absence of sensitive awareness. If this you and in its absence, you are in danger.
happens, be aware and look into such Once it happened, Ram Chandra, a Sufi had
expressions deeply. Do not allow these to to go with his master to a person who
continue. When you continue to be aware, became so mentally instable that he had to
you gain clear insight of the entire situation be chained. He had lost all sense of
and continue the process without wasting awareness. The master used his energy field
to correct the situation, and later the
36
person became normal. All this had multidimensionality of the Being. Whatever
happened because he went to a novice who happens then cannot be put in word. Much
knew nothing of meditation. So while using more than you can ever imagine happens.
any technique to eliminate the unhealthy Someone begins to sing beautifully.
energies, makes sure there is awareness. Someone else grows mystically and many
And let it flow in and out of every more dimensions! Each evolves in a unique
movement and sound. If you do this, then way.
cure will certainly happen. This will cure all
wounds and illnesses. Then compassion The unconscious layer is much larger. It is
springs forth. And you experience a surge of nine-tenth of the total consciousness. So
spiritual energy. This deep cure can happen when we are not in touch with this larger
only when you are enlightened. When part, this proves to be stronger. It is
Enlightenment happens, all distortions of therefore, this set of relationship between
perceptions, thoughts, opinions, and all the conscious and the unconscious layer
compulsive and obsessive character that creates harmony between the body
structures vanish. and the mind. With this harmony comes the
sense of well-being. This cannot come
Lastly, let me clarify the relation that exists without meditation.
between the release and cure. Whenever
there is release, we apply remedies and Thus, we can learn to deal with ourselves
then take treatments. The experience is and also reduce our difficulties creatively.
both pleasant and unpleasant. You do get This way we can let go of all that hinders
flashes of insight as lightening into your our growth, maturity, and natural flow of
personal histories and also the fundamental life, so that our Being can manifest. Instead
issues that affect your life. When the cure of being victimized because of negativities,
takes place, release has already completed negative effects, or unexpected and
the process. Wisdom gets fully actualized. unavoidable illnesses, we come to accept
Release has completed the process. Also facts and reality with deep understanding
springs forth wisdom in its full glory. Many and patience. This is how we can clear all
dimensions of your being, that you have the barriers that prevent the experience of
never known before, open. You enter the well-being.
It is through expressions at various levels in meditation we
Come to reveal our true nature and thus the self. Such expressions
Release our inhibitions! This is individual psychological revolution.
Because, this way we try to be authentic! And then act from our
Centre and from the cultural, parental, religious, and social
Authority. This helps us to sanctify our emotions and remove
All blockages from the mind and the body!
SHARANAM GACHCHAMI’
‘BUDDHAM SHARA
37
Spiritual Commandments:
(A continuation from April issue)
It was Naqshbandi master Ibd Khaliq Gijadwani who coined the

following phrases which are now considered the principles of the
Naqshbandi Sufi Order as spiritual commandments. Over the
period of time certain principles are added to it. Bahauddin
Naqshband added three. One ‘Always Choose to be Happy’ was
introduced in this category as the works of another Naqshbandi
master Shakuntala Devi.
1. CONSCIOUS BREATHING (Hosh dar dam)
2. ALWAYS CHOOSE TO BE HAPPY: Shakuntala Devi
(These have been explained in the April 2008 Issue of Meditation Times)
3. YOUR STEP (Nazar bar qadam):
It means that as a seeker while walking you mind. These images are like veils on the
must keep your eyes on your feet. heart. They block the Light of the Divine
Wherever you are about to place your feet, Presence. This is why Sufi Masters don't
Make sure your eyes be there. This implies allow their followers, who have purified
always BE AWARE of your each movement. their hearts through constant Jikr
With this your glance will not be able to (Remembrance), to look at other than their
waver here or there, to look right or left or feet.
in front of you.
Their hearts are like mirrors, reflecting and
Remember such unnecessary sights will veil receiving every image easily. This might
the heart. Most veils on the heart are distract them and bring impurities to their
created by the pictures and impressions hearts. So the seeker is ordered to lower his
which are transmitted from your eyes to gaze in order not to be assailed by the
your mind during your daily living and arrows of negativities. Lowering the gaze is
interaction in the world of duality. These also a sign of humility. Remember a proud
definitely disturb your heart with and arrogant one can never look at his feet.
turbulence because of the different kinds of It is also an indication that one is following
desire which have been imprinted on your the footsteps of the Enlightened One.
38
Remember who, when walks, never looks reaches the level of the Ascension of the
right or left, instead always keeps his gaze Gaze, then the Gaze will be lifted up to
only at his feet, moving steadfastly towards another state, to which the Step follows in
his destination is ever meditative. It is also its turn. Then the Gaze will be lifted even
the sign of a high state when the seeker higher and the Step will follow in its turn.
looks nowhere except towards his Lord. Like And so on until the Gaze reaches a state of
one who intends to reach a destination Perfection to which it will pull the Step. We
quickly! So too a real seeker never looks to say, ‘When the Step follows the Gaze, the
his right or his left, and thus never allows murid (disciple) has reached the state of
the desires of this world to filter in He is Readiness in approaching the Footsteps of
always aware of the Divine Presence in and the Prophet, peace be upon him. So the
around. Footsteps of the Prophet are considered the
Origin of all steps.’”
One Sufi master said:
Shah Naqshband said, “If we look at the
“The gaze precedes the step and the step
mistakes of our friends, we will be left
follows the gaze. The Ascension to the high
friendless, because no one is perfect.” It
state is first by the Vision followed by the
also implies one never judges the actions of
Step When the Step The gaze precedes the
the others. In the mirror of relationship he
step and the step follows the gaze. The
looks at his own faults and shortcomings
Ascension to the high state is first by the
and thus goes on improving upon himself
Vision, followed by the Step. When the Step
meditatively.
4. JOURNEY HOMEWARD (Safar dar watan)
It means to travel to one’s homeland. What The world of objects and beings to the
is meant by homeland? Is it your home, or world of the Creator or your inner world. It
the country? No! It isn't. Yes indeed! It is the world of bliss! It is the world of
refers to the homeland. But the home land serenity! It is the realm of meditation. Sufis
is not what you understand. This is the say that the Holy Prophet said, “I am going
problem with the masters. They have to use to my Lord from one state to a better state
your language. And what they, in fact, want and from one station to a higher station.” It
to communicate cannot be put into words. is said that the seeker must travel from the
By homeland the masters mean your inner Desire for the forbidden to the Desire for
space; a space that is your being, and the Divine Presence. You operate in the
represents the existence within you. So this world of duality or the world of objects and
is inward journey. It means that the seeker being. Numerous stimuli reach your mind. It
travels from the world of creation! The is like a child walking through a toy store.
traveller moves from the world of duality! – Any toy he sees he wants that. And then
39
when he moves to another store, born in you master appears. This enables
immediately he forgets about the toy. He you to move to the second category, the
wants something else. This is how we internal journey. Seekers, once they have
continue to move in the world of objects found a perfect guide, are forbidden to go
and beings. The inward journey implies the on another external journey. In the external
attention has to move from outer to the journey there are many difficulties which
inner world of serenity, bliss and harmony. beginners cannot endure without falling
into forbidden actions, because they are
The Naqshbandi Sufi Masters divide this
weak in their worship and understanding.
travel or inward journey into two
categories. The first is external journeying Now begins the second stage. This second
and the second is internal journeying. stage or category is internal journeying.
External travel is to movements from one Internal journeying requires the seeker to
land to another seeking for a perfect guide leave his low manners and move to high
along this path to take and direct you to manners, to throw out of his heart all
your destination. worldly desires. He will be lifted from a
state of uncleanness to a state of purity.
This cannot happen on your own. As such as
Journey from duality towards unity or
you are you cannot seek a perfect master.
oneness begins. At that time he will no
And even if you succeed in seeking a perfect
longer be in need of more internal
master, will he not seek a perfect disciple as
journeying. He will have a sanctified and
well. Is it right for you to seek a perfect
enchanting heart that is pure and flowing
master, but not for the master seeking a
like water, transparent like crystal, precious
perfect disciple? When you say you are
like a gem. And polished like a mirror too,
seeking a perfect master, this is the function
reflecting the inner realities in the outer
of ego. Ego always seeks perfection. What
world of interaction. He will then be in the
is, in fact, needed is your inner preparation.
world but the world will not be within him.
It is your disciple hood that will bring a
No more his actions will be anymore
master to you.
bondage on him. In his heart will appear
Sufis say Master appears the moment everything that is needed for his life and for
disciple is ready. The moment disciple is the life of those around him.
5. SOLITUDE IN THE CROWD (khalwat dar anjuman)
“Khalwat” means seclusion. And anjuman Sufis say there are two types of seclusion.
means crowd. Together these imply to be These are: external seclusion and the
outwardly with people while remaining internal seclusion.
meditative, serene, tranquil, unwavering in
External seclusion requires the seeker to
all circumstances that life presents.
seclude him in a solitary place that is empty
40
of people. Staying there by himself, he It is said, “The seeker will be so deeply
introspects and thus meditates on involved in the silent Jikr in his heart that,
Dhikrullah, the remembrance of God, in even if he enters a crowd of people, he will
order to reach a state in which the Heavenly not hear their voices.” The state of Jikr
Realm becomes manifest as Sufis say. Or overcomes him. The manifestation of the
what as Hindus say Eternity manifests. Divine Presence is pulling him and making
When you chain the external senses, your him unaware of all that is around. This is the
internal senses will be free to reach the highest state of seclusion, and is considered
Heavenly Realm. This will bring you to the the true seclusion, as mentioned in the Holy
second category: the internal seclusion. This Qur'an: “Men whom neither business nor
is what Hindus call as moving to a profit, distract from the recollection of God”
mountain, or an ashram, or to a monastery [24:37]. This is the way of the Naqshbandi
to be among the likeminded. This can never Order.
bring you to a state of no mind. Or to a
The primary seclusion of the sheikhs
state when the mind is totally empty. The
(masters) according to the Naqshbandi
mind without thoughts or contents!
Order is the internal seclusion. They are
Remember all your thoughts are borrowed.
with their Lord and simultaneously they are
Inward journey cannot begin until you
with the people. He may do anything but
attain to this inner state of emptiness.
not a single breath will ever be free from
The Internal seclusion means seclusion the remembrance of the divine. Each
among people. Therein the heart of the moment he remains a witness. But your
seeker must be present with his Lord and outward eye cannot envision this inner
absent from the Creations while remaining happening.
physically present among them. That is to
As the Holy Prophet rightly said, “I have two
say a state when you are in the world but
sides: one faces my Creator and one faces
the world in not within you. Let me explain
creation.”
this with an example.
Sufi Master Shah Naqshband Bahauddin
Your beloved has gone away. Every moment
emphasized the goodness of gatherings
she reminds you of this separation. Her
when he said: Tariq tuna as-suhbat wa-l-
presence surrounds you each moment. The
khairu fil-jamc iyyat (“Our Way is
separation is unbearable. You have to wait
Companionship, and Goodness is in the
until she returns. Her thoughts always
Gathering”).
remain with you. And everything around
reminds you of her presence. You can be It is said that the believer who can mingle
amidst the crowd but deep within you are with people and carry their difficulties is
with her. This is what is meant by Jikr better than the believer who keeps away
(Remembrance). from people.
41
“It must be known that the seeker at the moment.'" You are then in the world but
beginning might use the external seclusion the world is not in you. Nanak says, it is not
to isolate himself from people, worshipping, important what you do, what is more
introspecting the words of the master, or important is how you do. With awareness
meditating until he reaches a higher state. even an insignificant act will become
Or awakening comes in. Of this he will be worship or a prayer. Nanak never separated
advised by his Master. Sufi masters say, ' the inner and the outer world. Kabir and
Totality or oneness is not in exhibitions of Nanak continued to engage in the world of
miraculous powers, instead to be among duality but everything reminded them of
people, doing all that is necessary, sell and their beloved. Such is the way of Sufi
buy, marry and have children; and yet never masters.
leave the presence of Allah even for one
6. ESSENTIAL REMEMBRANCE (yad kard):
The meaning of ‘Yad’ is Jhikr This daily Jikr will bring the seeker into the
(remembrance). The meaning of ‘kard’ is perfect presence of the One Who is
the essence of Jikr. The seeker must make glorified. The Jikr by negation and
Jikr by negation and affirmation on his affirmation, in the manner of the
tongue until he reaches the state of the Naqshbandi Sufi Masters, demands that the
contemplation of his heart muraqaba seeker close his eyes, close his mouth,
(Meditation). That state will be achieved by clench his teeth, glue his tongue to the roof
reciting every day the scriptural negation of his mouth, and hold his breath. He must
(LA ILAHA) and affirmation (ILLALLAH) on recite the Jikr through the heart, by
the tongue, between 5,000 and 10,000 negation and affirmation, beginning with
times, removing from his heart the the word LA (“No”). He lifts this “No” from
elements that tarnish and rust it. This Jikr under his navel up to his brain. Upon
polishes the heart and takes the seeker into reaching his brain the word "No" brings out
the state of Manifestation. He must keep the word ILAHA (“god”), moves from the
that daily Jikr, either by heart or by tongue, brain to the left shoulder, and hits the heart
repeating ALLAH, the name of God's with ILLALLAH (“except The God”). When
Essence which encompasses all other that word hits the heart its energy and heat
names and Attributes, or by negation and spreads to all the parts of the body. The
affirmation through the saying of LA ILAHA seeker who has denied all that exists in this
ILLALLAH. This is the illuminative harmony world with the words LA ILAHA, affirms with
of the negative and positive energies. And the words ILLALLAH that all that exists has
when two opposing forces merge been annihilated in the Divine Presence.
illumination is a reality.
42
The seeker repeats this with every breath, number of times in every breath. The
inhaling and exhaling, always making it meaning of this practice is that the only goal
come to the heart, according to the number is ALLAH and that there is no other goal for
of times prescribed to him by his master. us. To look at the Divine Presence as the
The seeker will eventually reach the state Only Existence after all this throws back into
where in one breath he can repeat LA ILAHA the heart of the murid ( disciple) the love of
ILLALLAH twenty-three times. A perfect the Prophet and at that time he says,
master can repeat LA ILAHA ILLALLAH an MUHAMMADUN RASULULLAH
infinite number of times in every breath. ("Muhammad is the Prophet of God") which
The meaning of this practice is that the only is the heart of the Divine Presence. Thus
goal is ALLAH and that there is no other goal completes the whole sutra or mantra or
for us to look at the Divine Presence as the Jikr.
repeat LA ILAHA ILLALLAH an infinite
….CONTINUED IN THE NEXT ISSUE.
SHARANAM GACHCHAMI’
‘SANGHAM SHARA
TECHNIQUES OF MEDITATION
AN EXPERIMENT IN SILENCE AND SECLUSION
ALL READING! ALL THINKING! ALL DOING BELONGS TO THE MENTAL BODY.
AND MEDITATION BELONGS TO THE ETHERIC BODY.
Experiment with silence and seclusion for a Dynamic meditation every day. Then the
period of twenty-one days. This will bring whole day carry out breath observation for
about a transformation in your attitude, twenty-four hours. Do not read. Do not
both inner and outer. When you are write.
experimenting do not expect anything. A lot
will happen. But if you are anxious of results Do not think. All these belong to the mental
then nothing will happen. This is an body. And meditation belongs to the etheric
experiment in breath awareness. During body. You can go for a walk. Walking
this period you must observe total silence belongs to your etheric body. But when you
and seclusion. are walking do not think or talk. These
belong to your mental body. And
This was invented by the Buddha of the meditation happens when you are beyond
twentieth century – Osho. During this mind in the etheric body. All manual actions
period of twenty-one days, practice belong to your Prana Sharira or etheric
43
body. In fact, your physical body does absence of sleep will not harm you
everything but it is for the etheric body. So anymore.
all that is concerned with the Etheric body
should be done! And anything which is You may wonder why this breath awareness
concerned with other bodies must be creates more energy. As you begin to be
avoided. Bathing belongs to the etheric aware of breathing it becomes rhythmic.
body, so you can take a bath twice a day. Breathing will follow its own pattern. It will
However, while taking a bath let there be create harmony and make your whole being
no doing of any kind. musical. When your breathing is rhythmic, it
will create more energy. As you are, your
Follow what Buddha said. When you walk, breathing is haphazard. Such breathing
just walk! Do not do anything else. Be leads to the leakage of energy, while
concerned with walking alone. While rhythm and harmony not only generate
walking keep your eyes half open and half energy they conserve as well! And with
closed. This way you cannot fall asleep. And breath awareness only minimal energy is
also you will not be worried about the outer needed. This is the state of non doing.
world. Then you can only see your path.
The moment doing comes in, energy is
And the path is so monotonous that it will wasted. Even in moving the body or your
not give you anything new to think about. hands energy is needed. So when you are
aware twenty-four hours, wastage is
Maintain a monotonous world. Just stay in minimal and energy is conserved. You then
one room, seeing the same setting. It needs become a reservoir of energy. This energy
to be so monotonous that you cannot think will be used in Kundalini. Generally, too
about it. Thinking cannot happen without much energy is wasted during the day when
new stimuli and sensations. When your you are operating in the world of objects
sensory system is constantly bored, then and beings. Then nothing is left for
there will be nothing outside of you to think Kundalini. Energy moves downwards
about. You can decide to eat only one type naturally, as this is the only path known to
of meal. This will create boredom. you.
And when there is boredom the mind Downward movement is easy. But when
cannot operate. The mind always wants this energy has to move upwards a reservoir
change. So if you move to the new, then of energy is needed. Only then the gates
you are moving to the dimension of the will open. Those who have less energy can
mind. During the first week there will be only think of sex as the outlet. Those who
less need for sleep. are very sexual are considered as full of
There is nothing to worry about. Because vitality, but this is not the case. This is a
you are not thinking and also not doing misconception. A person who is full of
anything, naturally sleep will be less. And if vitality cannot be sexual. His energy has
you are constantly aware of breathing, started moving upwards. It is only when the
tremendous energy will generate within energy is minimal and cannot move
you. This will not let you sleep much. So if upwards, it moves downwards through the
sleep comes or not, both are good! The sex outlet.
44
Energy cannot remain stationary. It needs breathing and go on watching everything
to move continually. Energy has only two else that appears on the periphery or in the
passages, upwards and downwards. So background. Just be indifferent to these
when it is moving upwards it cannot move things. You just go on witnessing breathing.
downwards. Automatically that passage You will be witnessing breathing and on the
stops. It is not that you have to make any surface things will happen. Thoughts will be
effort to stop the downward flow, instead it there, vibrations will be there. However, all
stops by itself. When you are aware of these things will be on the surface alone,
breathing, all doing will stop and the energy not at the centre. Just like an ocean, all the
will be conserved. With awareness and waves are on the surface and deep down
alertness, life force becomes more vital there is utter silence.
within you. It is like someone watching you.
And when someone watches you, laziness Many absurd, illogical, unimaginable,
vanishes; you are full of vitality. Such is the inconceivable, fanatic, and nightmarish
case with leaders and sportsmen and things will happen. But you go on watching
women. The more people watch you the your breath. Such things will come and go.
fuller of vitality you will be. And the Be indifferent to these. It is like you are
moment the crowd forgets, you are no travelling in a train and things pass on the
more alive. This is the happiness of a leader way. When you remain indifferent, such
being a public man. This feeling of vitality images and fantasies will be released. And
comes through people watching you. In by and by at the end of the first week
fact, vitality does not come through unconsciousness is unburdened. No more
observation; instead it comes through noise! A deep inner silence will descend.
alertness when the crowd is watching you. You may experience moments of
Thus, this alertness becomes vitality. When depression. When a deep-rooted feeling of
you are aware of your breathing, you begin depression surfaces from the unconscious,
to watch yourself; your innermost source of it will overwhelm you. Instead of a thought
vitality is touched. So if there is loss of it will be a mood. So moods will also be
sleep, it is natural. You need not worry surfacing. Sometimes there will be the
about it. feeling of exhilaration and at other times
During this period, you will observe an the feeling of depression. Be indifferent to
upheaval in your mind. Also, if certain these moods, just as thoughts. Let them
images and stories that you have never come and disappear. In the process of
known before come to your mind, just operation in the dualistic world you have
watch them without worrying. All that was not only suppressed thoughts but moods as
a part of your unconscious and is now being well. During this twenty-one day sojourn
released! This is natural; before it is thrown many thoughts and moods will surface
out, all that is hidden in the unconscious before something new surfaces.
has to become conscious. Do not suppress. Each individual will experience differently.
Any effort to suppress will push it back to There will be many possibilities. Do not be
the unconscious once again. Also, when you afraid. Just allow them to happen. You may
are too much concerned then too much also get the feeling that you are dying.
energy is wasted. Just be aware of Accept this, no matter how sure you are of
45
it. Thoughts, feelings, and moods will come; Sometimes there is no feeling of breathing.
welcome these. But you go on watching the It is not that the breathing has stopped;
breath. It is quite difficult to remain instead your breathing has become so
indifferent to feelings. But this will happen subtle that you cannot feel it. And when
if you are indifferent to thoughts, moods you observe this subtle breathing, even
etc. You may even feel that death is coming your awareness will become more subtle.
and that at any moment you may die. There And when there is no breathness, you will
is no other possibility or escape. There is be aware of no breath. This is harmony. And
nothing that you can do. Accept this. And when you become aware of this, then this
the moment you do so, you are indifferent awareness will penetrate even more. The
to it. If you fight, everything will get more subtle is the breath, the more aware
distorted. You may feel that death is you have to be, to be aware of this. Be
approaching or you may get the feeling that more and more aware. And if you feel there
you are sick. But you are not ill. There is is no breath, then be aware of no
only the feeling of death or illness. This is breathness. This is a blissful moment!
the release from the unconscious.
The more the awareness is subtle, the more
Many illnesses will be felt that are never it goes in the etheric body. As you go on
heard of. Be indifferent to these. You go on watching the breath, first you will become
doing all that you have to. Despite the aware of the breath in the physical body. As
thinking, feeling, or happening go on the breath becomes harmonized and subtle,
watching the breath! you are aware of the etheric body. Then
you will feel as if there is no breath but the
In the second week you will have some breathing is still there.
psychic experiences. You may feel your
body becomes big or small and sometimes You would have observed, when you are in
even disappearing and that you are left anger you need more oxygen. So too, when
bodiless. Do not be afraid. It may also there is sexual passion, your breathing gets
happen that you will observe your body shallow. So the breathing keeps on
lying or sitting at a distance. Be changing. When you are silent, then only a
unconcerned. small quantity of air is needed. Just enough
to be alive!
You may even feel electrical shocks. This
happens each time when a particular chakra Be aware of this situation. Earlier you were
is penetrated. This results in shocks and aware of breathing. Now be aware of the
trembling. The whole body will be in situation when there is no breath.
turmoil. Without any resistance, cooperate Whatever be the situation, be aware.
with such reactions. When you resist you Awareness flows like an undercurrent.
are in fact, fighting against yourself. Do not Whatever be the situation, be simply aware.
resist anything that is happening at the If nothing is felt, be aware of this ‘no
chakra. Any resistance will create conflict in feeling’. Do not fall asleep.
your energy. These are psychic experiences.
Instead of getting afraid, cooperate with This is the moment you have been waiting
them. In doing so these will disappear! for. So if you go to sleep you will waste the
time spent to reach this state. In a state of
46
total stillness, breath becomes almost Your mind will say all this is nonsense,
nonexistent. If you go on watching the forget it! Take the resolution that you are
breath and remain indifferent to the rest not going to stop for three weeks. And after
that is happening, then the third week will three weeks, you will not want to leave this.
be the week of total nothingness. It will be
as if everything has vanished or gone into Your mind will be so blissful that you will
nonexistence. Then only nothingness not want to disturb it. If only nothingness or
remains. blissfulness is there, then you can continue
the experiment for a few days longer. But
Continue the experiment for three weeks. never stop before twenty-one days. Start
After the first week you may want to stop. this experiment as soon as possible.
‘BUDDHAM SHARANAM GACHCHAMI’
VIPASHYANA MEDITATION
A flower that never knew about the sun and inner sun of awareness, but at the same
a flower that has experienced the sun are time it also allows the awareness to
not the same. Indeed they cannot be. penetrate into every cell of the body and
Because a flower that has never witnessed then to the entire being. The technique that
the rising sun can never feel the rising sun Buddha invented is known as Anapana Sati
within! Such a flower is dead. It has the Yoga. This is the yoga of incoming and
potentiality but the potentiality has not outgoing breath awareness. It is also known
attained fruition. It has never known its as Vipashyana meditation. The word
own spirit. However, a flower that has Vipashyana has two words put together – Vi
witnessed the sunrise has also seen and Pashyana. Vi means neutral and
something arise within itself. It has Pashyana means to see. Thus, Vipashyana
discovered its own soul. Now this flower is means to look at everything with a neutral
no more a flower. The flower has known a attitude.
deep happening within.
Vipashyana is also known as Insight
To create this inner sun of awareness Meditation. It was discovered by Buddha to
within, Buddha invented a technique of unravel the questions arising in his mind to
meditation almost twenty-five centuries know the truth.
ago. This technique not only creates the
On full moon in the month of May Buddha was enlightened

more than twenty five centuries ago. The fragrance of this
happening still wafts the atmosphere with its fragrance. And
47
also its echoes linger in our hearts like the dissolving notes
of solemn melody. Flowing with this energy field creates
ripples within you. And this can create an insatiable quest in
you as well for Enlightenment!

HANUMAN
CHALISA
A MYSTICAL DIMENSION
By Swami Anand Neelambar
I am presenting two more verses from my upcoming

publication on Hanuman Chalisa A Mystical Dimension.
Verse three (3) and verse thirty four (34).
(3)
Maha beera vikrama bajarangee

kumati nivaara sumati ke sangee
You are the greatest warrior, possessed of valour,

with a body that is as strong as thunderbolt.
You destroy all the negative tendencies of the mind
and You are the companion of those
48
who are discriminating and wise.
Maha means great, the highest pinnacle, the magnum opus, the
summon bonum, the ultimate achievement – which is not really an
achievement because there is nothing to achieve.
beera is hero. In the language of Pythagoras it is one who has

crossed this realm and entered the realm of gods. It means one who
is enlightened, one who has attained to self realization.
vikrama indicates courage or bravery, usually descriptive of a hero.

Since our hero is the one seeking enlightenment. Then Vikrama is
the courage to lead a spiritual life against the societal norms and
decadent traditions. Vikrama is the quality that will guide one
through the ‘dark night of the soul’. Vikrama is fortitude to resist
temptations and overcome hindrances in the spiritual sojourn.
bajarangee is a truly heroic achievement against the negative

tendencies that sway one from the path. It is a purity and strength
that rises far above the influences of the lower attributes and
remains unaffected by the titanic traits.
kumati is a life lived in cowardice and ignorance of the higher

ideals. A life wasted in pursuit of material acquisition and scholarly
rhetoric with no inkling to spirituality. What Adi Shankara calls
dukrinyakarane – useless indulgence in the semantics and rules of
grammar without understanding the essence of the message. Or
what Shakespeare refers to as ‘a tale told by an idiot full of sound
and fury but signifying nothing.’ Kumati is an application of
intelligence in trivia and pettiness.
nivaara is to purify; to remove impediments that block the spiritual

sojourn. By impediments is meant the physical hindrances, the inner
distractions, the social obstacles, and the blockages to the free flow
49
of energy in the psycho-spiritual centres. Impediments can also

mean sickness and disease.
sumati refers to the proper use of intelligence for self-realization

and the welfare of humanity. Sumati means an inward turning of
the intelligence for a spiritual sojourn.
ke sangee is a friend of the aspirants on the path. Sangee is one

who shares his presence and insights. The mere company of a friend
who has attained to enlightenment is a reassuring impetus in the
sojourn. Sangee is a companion who offers solace and guidance.
The mystical interpretation:
Enlightened hero, brave, valiant and resolute who removes all

hindrances and inspires the intellect, you serve as a guide and
impetus for the aspirants on the inner mystical quest.
(34)
Anta kaala Raghubara pura jaaee

Jahaan janma Hari bhakta kahaaee
At death, one goes to Ram’s own city;

wherever (he) takes birth (he) is known as an enlightened being.
Anta kaala means the end of one’s time. It refers to termination of

one’s role in this particular cosmic drama. When one attains to
enlightenment one’s role in the cosmic scheme ceases and one begins a
new chapter in existence.
Raghubara pura means the abode of Sri Ram. It refers to the realm
beyond enlightenment.
50
jaaee means to go.
Jahaan means wherever, whenever.
janma means birth, to assume a terrestrial form.
Hari bhakta means a devotee of Hari. It refers to being enlightened.
kahaaee means called, known as.

A similar sloka is expressed in Bhagavd Gita, Chapter 8 verse 5:
Antakaale cha maam eva

smaran muktwa kalevaram
Yah prayaati sa madbhaavam
yaati naa’sty atra samshaya
At the time of death also, whoever quits the body remembering Me

alone, he attains My being, there is no doubt this.
The mystical interpretation:
At the termination of one’s role in this cosmic drama (during to

being enlightened) one attains the realm beyond enlightenment.
Wherever and whenever one chooses to enter the cosmic scheme,
he is born as an enlightened being.

51
A TAOIST PARABLE
Duke Huan, seated above in his hall was But I cannot tell how to do this by word of
once reading a book, and the wheelwright mouth.”
P’ien was making a wheel below it. Laying
Neither too violent, nor too gentle – just
aside his hammer and wheel, P’ien went
in the middle, balanced….
up the steps and said, “I venture to ask
your Grace what words you are reading?” And the wheelwright said, “But I cannot
tell you how to do this by word of mouth,
The Duke said, “The words of the sages.”
how to attain this absolute midpoint
“Are those sages alive?” P’ien continued. between effort and effortlessness,
between doing and non-doing. I cannot
‘‘They are dead”, was the reply.
say how to do this by word of mouth;
“Then”, said P’ien, “What you, my ruler, there is a knack to it, but still I cannot say
are reading are only the dregs and it. I know it, still I cannot say it. I cannot
sediments of those old men.” teach the knack to my son – even my son
– nor can my son learn it from me. There
The Duke said, “How should you, a is no way to learn it. Learning and
wheelwright, have anything to say about a teaching, teaching and learning, can be
book I am reading? If you can explain only of the outer things – it is an inner
yourself, very well; if you cannot, you will feel. Thus it is I am in my seventieth tear,
have to die. I will kill you.” He was very and am still making wheels in my old age.
angry. Thus was too much! A wheelwright But there ancients, and what was not
coming to a prince and saying, possible for them to convey, are dead and
“Whatsoever you are reading is nothing gone. So then what you, my, ruler, are
but the dregs and sediments of those old reading is but their dregs and sediments!”
men!”
He is saying, “I am alive, I know the knack
The wheelwright said, “Your servant will of it, still I cannot convey it, I cannot
look at the thing from the point of view of transfer my knowledge. And I am alive
his own art. In making a wheel, if I and I know, and I love my son and I would
proceed gently, that is pleasant enough like…. And I am old, in my seventieth year,
but the workmanship is not strong; if I and still I have to work. If I could teach my
proceed violently, that is toilsome and the son I would retire. But if while alive I
joining do not fit. If the movements of my cannot convey it, how can these old sages
hands are neither too gentle nor too who are dead convey something that can
violent, the idea in my mind is realized. only be experienced? It cannot be
52
conveyed when the sage is alive, so how wasting your time, sir”, he said. “This is all
can it be conveyed when the sage has rubbish.”
been gone for centuries? You are just

UPCOMING EVENTS
Divine Life Society Temple Carlsen Field,
Chase Village,
Chaguanas,
Trinidad, West Indies
Weekly Meditation every Wednesday 7th, 14th, 21st, 28th
Buddha’s Jayanti, Samadhi and Mahasamadhi on 21st May 2008
Sikh Gurudwara Eastern Main Road,

El Dorado,
Tunapuna,
Trinidad, West Indies
Talks on Japuji of Guru Nanak 4th & 18th May 2008.

Meditation Times May 2008 Taoshobuddha

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Meditation Times May 2008 Taoshobuddha

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1

Meditation Times – Enlightenment Issue – May 2008

Lotus Baha'i Temple

New Delhi, India

MEDITATION IS THE WAY TO DISCOVER THIS INTRINSIC NATURE!!!

KNOW THIS EXPERIENCE AS

BODY – A DOOR TO ENLIGHTENMENT 5

ATMA DEEPO BHAVA 6

BUDDHA THE ENLIGHTENED ONE 11

EK OMKAR SATNAM SONGS OF NANAK – JAPUJI 17

CHOOSING THE PLACE FOR MEDITATION 22

MEDITATION THE WAY TO SELF REALIZATION 23

MEDITATION A RELEASE AND THE CURE 30

HANUMAN CHALISA A MYSTICAL DIMENSION 47

CHIEF EDITOR: SWAMI ANAND NEELAMBAR

Our responses have been very encouraging.

Each member of the editorial team is

This site is like a mystical Sarovar (lake)

Buddham sharanam gachchami

BODY – A DOOR TO ENLIGHTENMENT

‘BUDDHAM SHARANAM GACHCHAMI’

ATMA DEEPO BHAVA!

Ego cannot react unless certain conditions

Buddham sharanam gachchami

Buddham sharanam gachchami

Ek omkār sat nām kartā purakh nirbhao nirvair akāl

mūrat ajūnī saibhaŉ* guru parsād.

* pronounced saibhang in Punjabi

JAPUJI is the first offering of Nanak to

JAPUJI IS THE ECSTACY OF NANAK!

This cannot happen as long as you have

Only this much for now! …Cont’d next issue

Buddham sharanam gachchami

CHOOSING THE PLACE FOR MEDITATION

Edited and Compiled by Swami Anand Neelambar

New Delhi -110020. INDIA Tel: 26387070, 26386209; Fax: 91-11-26383788

These methods do not belong to any

I bow down to those who have no enemies.

Release our inhibitions! This is individual psychological revolution.

Centre and from the cultural, parental, religious, and social

Authority. This helps us to sanctify our emotions and remove

All blockages from the mind and the body!

It was Naqshbandi master Ibd Khaliq Gijadwani who coined the

1. CONSCIOUS BREATHING (Hosh dar dam)

2. ALWAYS CHOOSE TO BE HAPPY: Shakuntala Devi

3. YOUR STEP (Nazar bar qadam):

5. SOLITUDE IN THE CROWD (khalwat dar anjuman)

6. ESSENTIAL REMEMBRANCE (yad kard):

AND MEDITATION BELONGS TO THE ETHERIC BODY.

‘BUDDHAM SHARANAM GACHCHAMI’

On full moon in the month of May Buddha was enlightened

Buddham sharanam gachchami

I am presenting two more verses from my upcoming

Maha beera vikrama bajarangee

You are the greatest warrior, possessed of valour,

who are discriminating and wise.

beera is hero. In the language of Pythagoras it is one who has

vikrama indicates courage or bravery, usually descriptive of a hero.

bajarangee is a truly heroic achievement against the negative

kumati is a life lived in cowardice and ignorance of the higher

nivaara is to purify; to remove impediments that block the spiritual

of energy in the psycho-spiritual centres. Impediments can also

sumati refers to the proper use of intelligence for self-realization

ke sangee is a friend of the aspirants on the path. Sangee is one