On tranquillity of mind..

[Guest guest]

... "From Mind to Supermind," Rohit Mehta.

 

The Gita says: "Tranquility of mind, gentleness, silence, self-control, purity

of

thought- this is called the austerity of the mind."

 

It is interesting to note that the Gita speaks of silence with reference to

mind, and not

to speech. Very often, one practices silence of words but the mind continues

with its

chatterings. Such silence is of no avail. In fact, in the background of a

chattering

mind, the silence of words is dangerous, for, when it is broken the words that

eminate are likely to be unpleasant, causing much annoyance to those who hear

them. Here in the above five-fold characteristics of the austerity of the mind

are

shown the increasing depths of the mind. Tranquility represents the quiet of the

conscious mind. When the agitations of the conscious mind cease then there comes

a

gentleness which has its charm and grace. The conscious mind always resists--

for,

through resistence it seeks self-preservation. But, when the conscious

resistence has

ceased then the mind becomes very gentle. In that gentleness there comes a

silence

which belongs to a deeper layer of the mind. When the conscious mind is bereft

of

resistence then the unconscious too becomes quiet, for it is the resistence of

the

conscious mind that gives vitality to the unconscious. When both the conscious

and

the unconscious mind are quiet then there is true self-control. Self-control as

to

mind is verily a condition of absolute freedom. It is only the free mind that is

truly

controlled. It can move anywhere and everywhere without being tied or tethered.

It is

a free mind that is pure in the true sense of the term.