== SIGNIFICANCE OF THAT LINE ==
Namaskar,
After each and every dharmacakra, we always repeat the Supreme Command. And
one of the very special teachings of our Supreme Command is: "Without Yama
and Niyama sadhana is an impossiblity".
About this people have their various perspectives. In a quick & superficial
way some sadhakas think: 'Yama and Niyama is very easy, I am certainly
following that'. Or, in contrast, others think, 'Yama and Niyama is
impossible to follow; it is too vast'.
Whatever the case may be, here the main question is why Baba has given so
much emphasis and importance to yama and niyama and given the warning that
"Without Yama and Niyama sadhana is an impossibility".
The question naturally arises, 'What does yama and niyama have to do with
sadhana'.
HOW YAMA AND NIYAMA ARE LINKED WITH SADHANA
Altogether, as we know, there are many points in yama and niyama, ten in
total. But here we are primarily concerned with one central aspect. Namely,
how is yama and niyama so deeply interlinked with success in sadhana.
As an experiment, let's take the point of Santos'a. This practice of
santos'a (mental contentment) is very important for doing proper sadhana.
Why? Because when one starts their sadhana then the mind must be calm,
quiet, and tranquil. The mind should have only one single desire: To reach
Parama Purusa. So if prior to sadhana the mind is flickering here and there
and the nerve cells and nerve fibres are conveying an unfavourable
vibration to the mind and passing feelings of discontentment etc, then the
mind will obviously be disturbed.
HOW MUNDANE DESIRES DISTURB THE MIND
For example, suppose the mind receives the message that you need something
or that you do not have such and such thing, then in place of getting
Parama Purusa one gets stuck with thinking about that mundane object.
Ironically, however, these "needs" which distract us from our sadhana are
usually just superficial things. Because often we do not really need those
things-- just they are things imposed from the society. As people latch
onto the desire to accumulate more and more. All this Baba has beautifully
described at length in various darshans and discourses.
One other interesting feature is this: Those living in so-called poor
countries "need" less than those living in so-called rich counties. Reason
being that they are content with what little they have; whereas, people in
so-called wealthy have what they need but side by side think they need 20
times more.
BABA'S SPECIAL TEACHING
To teach sadhakas Baba has given the following example of animals and
insects.
Day and night bees collect honey, they do not need such a massive amount of
honey-- as the honey is just oozing out from where it is stored. There is a
huge overflow but even then the honey bees are always restless and
desperate to collect more and more honey.
In contrast, dogs are easily satisfied with what food they get and become
quite happy. They do not spend their life collecting food which they will
never use.
HUMAN BEINGS ALWAYS WANT MORE
As human beings, we need actually very few things to survive. After all how
much can one eat? But people collect thousands of varieties of food items
and those things just sit and get rotten.
Likewise on the point of living, just a small place is needed. The human
body is 6 feet long and certainly not more than 7 feet tall. But people are
restless to get bigger and bigger houses. For that they are willing to do
cheating, deception, and even murder. Or they just waste their whole life
hankering for that big house and in the end they die.
The basic theorem is that in such cases the nerves send negative vibrations
to the mind. Such as 'I am hungry, I need more'. This type of unfavourable
message gets sent to the mind-- thus making the mind restless,
uncomfortable, and unhappy.
Those who are not intuitive persons may not understand so easily how this
happens. But one can look at those running after worldly objects like a mad
dog. And by seeing their mental status one can easily comprehend how
restless and uncomfortable their mental state is. In such a wavering &
flighty condition, sadhana is completely impossible.
WHAT IS NEEDED TO BEGIN SADHANA
To start sadhana, the mind needs a basic level of tranquility and
composure. It needs to be balanced. This is the prerequisite factor. The
message from the nerves should be given to the mind: 'I do not need
anything, I have enough. What material things I have is enough-- more than
that I do not need. I need only Parama Purusa.'
When the mind gets this type of message from the nerves then the mind feels
calm and quiet and it is ready to do sadhana. And in the opposite case the
mind remains is restless & disjointed.
So to do proper sadhana the mind should be fed a positive message. And that
positive message is only possible when one has santos'a.
RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN SANTOS'A & APARIGRAHA
One interesting thing which Baba tells us is that without aparigraha then
achieving a state of santosa is just a dream-- i.e. it is highly
impossible. So we can say that aparigraha and santosa are intimately linked
together.
If one wants to follow santos'a then they have to follow aparigraha
strictly. And if one is already following aparigraha then maintaining
santos'a is easy.
So one has to train their mind that, 'I do not need useless things; my
needs are limited'. Sadhakas should not blindly copy people from the
general society on the point of mundane acquisition. If one keeps the Goal
in the mind that we are human beings and that we have come here to reach
Parama Purusa then success in sadhana is sure. And to do that we must
remember that (a) life is very short, (b) material possessions are not the
aim of life, (c) there are two more fields: psychic and spiritual, (d)
spiritual wealth is the most significant attribution, (e) because only
spiritual wealth remains with you life after life. That is the special
nature of spiritual wealth.
If this type of idea is fed to the mind by auto-suggestion then the
practice of aparigraha becomes far easier. And when aparigraha is easy and
attained, then that means one does not unnecessarily run to accumulate more
and more useless worldly things at the cost of their spiritual practice.
In that case naturally the feeling of santosa will arise and if santosa is
comes then instantly the mind will receive the favourable message-- 'I am
satisfied I do not need anything, I need only Parama Purusa'.
With this strength and pointedness the mind will then rush towards Parama
Purusa and sadhana will be blissful.
UNIQUENESS OF SANTOSA
The conclusion is that to do proper sadhana, then Yama and Niyama is
needed. And although all the points are very important but santosa has its
own special beauty.
Real satisfaction in life comes with the wealth of santosa. Devoid of this
wealth even a king becomes like a beggar: Always terribly hungry, desiring
more and more material things.
So this is the secret. That is why Baba says, 'Who is rich? Those who have
santos'a. And who is poor? Those who do not have santosa'. That is the real
definition. But those who are confused calculate on the point of their bank
balance.
But the spiritual calculation of wealth is based on who needs how much. If
you do not need anything then you are the most wealthy person. And if you
need more and more things then you are a beggar. That is a beautiful
definition.
So we should never forget Baba's special teaching that santosa and
aparigraha are inextricably linked together and both are highly needed for
doing better sadhana.
Namaskar,
Shivadayal
Note 1: THE EQUATION FOR TRUE SANTOS'A
When one is truly established in santosa, then all mundane things become
like the dust of the earth. One must not forget this guideline from Baba.
By this way one can really understand if one has a deep sense of santosa or
not. If one has true santosa then this idea must come.
Note 2: SOME OF BABA'S TEACHINGS ON SANTOSA
Here Baba says that without santosa-- if one is recklessly running after
crude desires-- then one cannot have a peaceful or balanced mind.
Baba says, "Santos'a, therefore, means a state of proper ease. Contentment
is not at all possible if the individual is running after carnal pleasures
like a beast. As a result of extroversal analysis, the objects of
enjoyments go on increasing both in number and abstraction and that is why
one's mental flow never gets any rest. Under such circumstances how can one
attain perfect peace of mind?" (GHC)
In the next quote Baba shows how without aparigraha one cannot achieve a
state of mental ease and satisfaction.
Baba says, "Millionaires want to become multimillionaires, because they are
not satisfied with their million. Ask the millionaires if they are happy
with their money. They will say, 'Where is the money? I am somehow pulling
on'. This answer indicates their ignorance of aparigraha. But such feelings
have another adverse effect on body and mind." (GHC)
And if anyone reads 'A Guide to Human Conduct", they will find countless
quotes on the importance of both santosa and aparigraha.
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