== DISASTROUS EFFECT OF BUDDHIST MEDITATION ==
Namaskar,
As the title suggests, Buddhist meditation is more than a little
problematic. Here is the underlying logic.
Manaeva manus'ya'n'a'm'
Baba says, "This human mind is a peculiar entity. It is the cause of all
our sorrows and predicaments, and it is the cause of our supreme bliss.
It is the cause of bondage, and it is the cause of liberation." (AV-30)
So our mind is the determining factor of our movement in life - either
towards liberation or bondage. Here is another way of thinking about it.
Ya'drshii bha'vana' yasya' siddhirbhavati ta'drshii
“As you think, so you become.” (DT-1)
In a nutshell, since Buddhist meditation focuses on "nothingness" or
"emptiness" then the practitioner will become one with nothingness. Or
in a phrase, they will get turned into microvita like vidhealiina.
Baba says, "A spiritual aspirant attains the state of videhaliina as a
result of shunya dhya'na or ideation on nothingness. Through such
ideation a sa'dhaka develops a psychic pabulum of nothingness. Yet even
in this state there remains the possibility of rebirth. Those who
embrace nothingness as their absolute goal develop a void in their citta
in the absence of Cognitive Faculty. As a result they are unable to
establish themselves in the Supreme Cognitive Stance and attain
salvation. The spiritual cult which encourages this practice is
certainly defective." (AMIWL-9)
So the practitioner of Buddhist meditation is marching straight toward
the unfavourable destiny of becoming videhaliina - inviting all kinds of
pain and suffering.
Baba says, "People with this type of psychology attain the state of
videhaliina after their demise – an unbearable condition." (MVNS)
The entire outcome of Buddhist meditation is not at all good.
WHY SUCH A CRITICAL POINT RIGHT NOW
The question then is why raise the point here and now. As Ananda
Margiis, in our sadhana, we channelise the mind toward the Supreme in
which case there is no question of falling into the trappings of
Buddhist meditation or becoming microvita.
However the point hold great relevance for us.
A growing phenomenon seems to be on the move these days. The world over
people are resorting to yoga to stretch and tone their bodies yet they
are turning toward Buddhist meditation to calm and steady their minds.
In the popular culture, many do not seem to equate yoga with meditation
- they see it only as a form of exercise and they then turn to Buddhist
and pseudo-Buddhist principles for their psychic thirst.
One clear cut proof of this is that a famous so-called yoga teacher
wrote a book titled, "Yoga Body - Buddha Mind."
And indeed all over the contemporary yoga movement or fake yoga movement
that is attracting millions and millions of people around the world,
there is a fascination toward Buddhist meditation and its related themes
like watching the breath and "mindfulness" etc.
Thus, as ineffective and as harmful as it is, Buddhist meditation has
become the fashion these days. As quickly as the population is turning
towards yoga asanas, at a similar rate they are turning toward Buddhist
meditation.
As Ananda Margiis, we should be aware of this trend - have our logic
firmly in mind - and be ready to steer this hungry mass toward AM sadhana.
ONE OTHER POINT OF CONCERN
Here is one other point to keep in mind. Nowadays, so many margiis are
teaching yoga and meditation in the general society. This manifests in
all kinds of ways. Some do it openly under the banner of AM, some not.
Since much of the general population may not be ready for tantric
diiksa, then some may be teaching other techniques of meditation and
relaxation etc. What we're getting at here is that some in AM, knowingly
or unknowingly, may be using the principles of Buddhist meditation in
their yoga classes with the general public.
Some margiis may be saying, 'Become one with your breath', or 'Empty the
mind of all thoughts', or 'Still the mind', or 'Be mindful' etc. These
are all related with the defective approach of Buddhist meditation.
Yet this is what is popular these days and some margiis might be doing
this as well in order to skirt the issue of mantra, or Parama Purusa, or
God.
Here then is just a reminder that no one in our Marga should resort to
the misguided ways of Buddhist meditation in their yoga preachings or
classes with the general public.
FREE WILL: PROS & CONS
We must remember that every human being has the freedom to do what they
will on this earth. All have the power to choose. Most live life in an
ordinary way and are subject to inchworm like progress along the path of
pratisaincara, staying far from the Cosmic hub.
Those who pointedly goad the mind in a particular direction, move in one
of two ways: Toward the Supreme or toward degradation.
As Ananda Margiis we are speeding toward Parama Purusa, but those
practicing Buddhists are not. With their practiced and pointed mind,
they are moving toward nothingness, nihilism, and degradation. They will
become microvita. That is Baba's exact teaching.
In this regard, having free will becomes a liability if one acutely
guides the mind in the wrong direction. Of course we all know that
thievery is bad and that such bandits & hardened criminals will suffer
the consequences. But what people often fail to realise is that Buddhist
meditation will also lead one in the wrong direction. It is not a joke -
that is the reality.
Yet right now, hoards of people are innocently embarking on this dark
pathway thinking it will bring them into the light.
Once this point is crystal clear in our own minds, we will best be able
to help and serve the general populace. We must not watch idly as they
transform themselves into microvita - suffering endlessly in that way.
BEAUTY OF MANTRA MEDITATION
In Ananda Marga, our approach is to positively goad the mind toward
Parama Purusa and the main technique is the use of mantra.
Baba says, "You cannot call all the sounds of the world mantras. Why?
Because they do not possess the capacity to liberate a person from
bondage. There are so many sounds, so many syllables and so many words
in this universe...but only that sound whose acoustic expressions or
acoustic waves have the stamina to goad the subtlest portion of the
human mind unto the supreme stance can be a mantra." (SS-24)
We do not subscribe to the theory of nothingness, rather we knowingly
fill the mind with a divine thought in the form of our ista mantra or
dhyana mantra.
And by His grace with that mantra we can become one with Ista. Buddhists
have no Supreme Ista. Their meditation leads to a total void. But in AM
we move towards our Ists with love and sincerity by His grace. That is
our Goal and that is what clearly separates AM sadhana from the
trappings of Buddhist meditation.
Baba says, "You are all spiritual aspirants. You are yogiis and you
should know that the only interpretation of yoga is “Samyoga yoga
Ityukto Jiiva'tma' Parama'tmanah”. All other interpretations are
baseless. And you should also remember that for your movement toward
your Is't'a, you have only to practise, your unification with your
Is't'a is your only goal." (SS-12)
BABA'S BLESSING
By Baba's grace He has given us the correct approach in meditation and
He has also directed that "it is the bounden duty of every Ananda Margii
to being all onto the path of bliss." Thus we should be cent per cent
involved in not allowing the general people to fall prey to the
nothingness of Buddhist meditation. We should guide and teach them to
move towards the Supreme, lest they become microvita.
Baba says, "As a yogic practice, pratya'ha'ra means “withdrawal of the
mind from external objectivity and goading the withdrawn mind toward
Parama Purus'a”." (YP)
Namaskar,
Jayanta
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Crow and Cuckoo
Baba says, "It is said that there is a particular species of the cuckoo
bird that is incapable of nesting and raising its own offspring. So to
protect and save her babies, the mother cukoo gently places her own eggs
in the crow's nest, even though the crow is her dreaded enemy. But since
the eggs of both the birds looks the same, the crow carefully cares for
those cuckoo eggs which were placed in her nest-- thinking them to be
her own. At the time of birth, the newborn birds of both species are
black; so seeing the baby cuckoos, the mother crow does not initially
realise that the baby cuckoos are not her own offspring. It is only when
the baby birds become a little bigger and start to call out and cry,
that the crow realises those are not her babies. Then and there the
mother crow becomes very angry, suddenly understanding that it has
gotten duped. But because of having given long-term care and developed
sincere love for the baby cuckoo, the mother crow gives up the idea of
attacking and killing the cuckoo. And instead the mother crow raises the
baby cuckoo as one of her own." (SC-10)
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