ON ABSTRACT MEDITATION AND HYPNOTISM.
Argument:—The state of the mind, after its tasting the fruit of
the tree of Meditation; and the nausea produced thereby in all
worldly objects and enjoyments.
Vasishtha continued:—After the Supreme being which is the object and
fruit of meditation, is known as present in the mind, and the bliss of
release from flesh is felt within, all sensations are lost altogether,
and the deerlike mind becomes spiritualized into the Supreme essence.
2. It then loses its deership of browsing the thorns, as the
extinguished lamp loses its flame; it assumes a spiritual form and
shines with exhaustless blaze.
3. The mind in order to attain the fruit of its meditation, assumes a
firmness resembling that of the mountains, after their wings were
mutilated by the thunder bolts of Indra.
4. Its mental faculties fly away from it, and there remains only its
pure consciousness in it; which <is> irrepressible and indivisible and
full with the supreme soul in itself.
5. The mind being roused to its reasonableness (from its former state of
material dulness); now rises as the sentient soul, and dispensing its
clear spiritual light, from its identity with the increate and endless
One.
6. It then remains in that state, in perfect freedom and from all wishes
and attempts; it is assimilated with the everlasting spirit of God, in
its form of eternal contemplation.
7. Until the great Brahma may be known, and our rest may be found in
that Blessed state; so long the mind remains a stranger to meditation,
by reason of its dwelling on other thoughts.
8. After the mind has obtained its union with the supreme One, we know
not whither the mind is fled; and where our wishes and actions, our joys
and griefs, and all our knowledge fly away.
9. The yogi is seen to be solely absorbed in his meditation, and sitting
steadfast in his contemplation, like a wingless and unmoving mountain.
10. Loathe to his sensual enjoyments, and blunt to all sensibilities;
averse to the various sights and objects of senses, the yogi is pleased
only with himself.
11. With his sensations numbed by degrees, and his soul resting in
tranquility; and his mind dead to the enticements of wealth and
sensible objects; the yogi is pleased with himself.
12. All men of right understanding, are fully aware of the tastelessness
of the objects of sense; and remain like human figures in painting,
without doting or looking upon them.
13. The man that is master of himself, and has mastery over his soul and
mind; disdains to look upon earthly treasures, for his want of desire
for them; he is firmly fixed in his abstraction, as if he were compelled
to it by force of another.
14. The soul immerged in meditation, becomes as full as a river in the
rainy season; and there is no power that can restrain the mind, which is
fixed in its meditation.
15. When the mind is immerged in deep meditation, by its cool apathy to
all sensible objects, and feels an utter indifference to all worldly
affairs, it is then said to be in its samádhi and no other.
16. It is a settled distaste to the objects of sense, that constitutes
the pith and marrow of meditativeness; and the maturity of this habit,
makes a man as compact as adamant.
17. It is therefore the distaste to worldly enjoyments, that is the germ
of meditation, while it is the taste for such pleasures, which binds a
man fastly to it.
18. Full knowledge of truth, and the renunciation of every desire at all
times; lead men to the nirvána meditation, and to the infinite joy of
the divine state.
19. If there is inappetency of enjoyments, why think of anything else?
and if there be no such inappetency, what avails any other thought or
meditation?
20. The well intelligent sage who is freed from his relishing the
visibles, is situated in his position of unflinching meditation, and in
the enjoyment of his continuous reveries.
21. He whom the visibles do not delight, is known as the most
enlightened man; and he who takes no delight in the enjoyables, is
deemed as the full wise man.
22. He who is disposed to repose by nature, can have no inclination to
enjoyments; it is unnatural to indulge in carnal enjoyments, but the
subdued nature needs nothing to enjoy.
23. Let men resort to their reflection, after their hearing of a
lecture, reciting the scripture, and muttering the mantras and uttering
their prayers; and when tired with meditation, let them return to their
lectures and recitals.
24. Sitting in meditation in an indefatigable mood, and resting at
agreeable ease with freedom from fear and care; remaining in rapturous
hypnotism, with a quiet and composed mind, likens the fair autumnal sky
with its unclouded and serene aspect.