About Aurobindo's Yoga

November 13, 2009

Dear All,

It is a nice point you have raised about the writings of Sri Aurobindo. This is something I have always found quite perplexing, his claim on "descent of supermind" which, supposedly no one has ever tried before.

In the volumes he has written - which are fascinating stuff no doubt - he has intellectually tried to grade different aspects of matter, life, spirituality and God.

IN my limited understanding, I find all of it to be intellectually fine except this idea of the supramental descent, or why and how it is really different from a Sahaja Samadhi or the Kundalini coming down from Sahashra chakra.

If someone could explain to me in simple terms who his Yoga is any different from what has been achieved by Nath Yogis of old, I would be highly indebted.

Interestingly, Sri Ramana Maharishi was asked about this by one of Sri Aurobindo's disciples and rejected the idea of Supramental Descent.

Also, Sri Aurobindo considered the path of Dattatreya (Aghora) to be deluded and insufficient. He says so during a conversation.

Sometimes I feel, the only one having real fun is Mahamaya. Even the best can be deluded by Her.

-Regards

Rajarshi

The upsurge (of consciousness) is Bhairava - Shiva Sutra--- On Tue, 10/11/09, Narasimha P.V.R. Rao <pvr wrote:

Narasimha P.V.R. Rao <pvr Re: On Sahaja Samadhi (Re: AOL: Seamless blend...) Date: Tuesday, 10 November, 2009, 9:16 AM

Dear Utpal,Even Vasishtha says there is a state beyond sahaja samadhi in Yoga Vaasishtham, but does not describe it. However, he does not say that it cannot be achieved on earth.Bhava samadhi, savikalpa samadhi, nirvikalpa samadhi etc can be intellectually understood and appreciated even without experiencing them. But other samadhis cannot be understood intellectually.Best regards,Narasimha------------ --------- --------- --------- --------- --------- -Do a Short Homam Yourself: http://www.VedicAst rologer.org/ homamDo Pitri Tarpanas Yourself: http://www.VedicAst rologer.org/ tarpanaSpirituality: http://groups. / group/vedic- wisdomFree

Jyotish lessons (MP3): http://vedicastro. home.comcast. netFree Jyotish software (Windows): http://www.VedicAst rologer.orgJyotish writings: http://groups. / group/JyotishWri tingsSri Jagannath Centre (SJC) website: http://www.SriJagan nath.org------------ --------- --------- --------- --------- --------- - - "vedic_pathak" <vedic_pathak@ ><>Saturday, November 07, 2009 12:59 AM On Sahaja Samadhi (Re: AOL: Seamless blend...)> Jai Guudev Siva ji,>>>Sri Aurobindo and the Mother maintained that while not yet achieved >on >>earth, it is still possible to reach a stage beyond even Sahaja >Samadhi..>> This is extremely perplexing.>> *THERE is a stage in spiritual realm which is not yet achieved on Earth. > It means that Rama, Krishna, Ramakrishna, Mahavatara Babaji, Raman > Maharashi, vivekananda, Gnyaneshwar, Adi Shankaracharya. .. also could not > achieve THAT state.>> *Stage beyond sahaj samadhi...>> would you please elaborate on the above when you

find time. i am really > eager to know of this.>> Best Regards,>> Utpal>> , "schinnas" <schinnas@.. .> wrote:>>>> Very well said.>>>> Those that are in Sahaja Samadhi are embodiment of God in human form and >> are Avatara purushas. They can be worshiped directly as we worship God.>>>> Below link is what Ramana Maharishi (one who was established in Sahaja >> Samadhi himself) had to say about this.>>>> http://www.messagef rommasters. com/Enlightenmen t/Ramana_ Samadhi.htm>>>> Sri

Aurobindo and the Mother maintained that while not yet achieved on >> earth, it is still possible to reach a stage beyond even Sahaja Samadhi. >> That is maintained as Supramental transformation, where not just the >> consciousness is established at once in both the Absolute and the >> relative but all other grosser levels of existences including the body >> "transform" and become direct manifestation of the absolute without any >> distortions as is currently the case. People took some of his words on >> physical transformation or bodily immortality out of context and >> misrepresented this as Sri Aurobindo wanting physical immortality in the >> ordinary sense of the term, etc.>>>> Anyways, all of this is mental concepts to me right now, and I will sign >> off this thread.>>>> Regards,>>

-Siva.>>>> , Narasimha PVR Rao <pvr@> wrote:>> >>> > Namaste Hari,>> >>> > Samaadhi is sam+aa+dhi. It is a state of intense mental concentration >> > on something.>> >>> > Kalpa means create or perceive (the word kalpana is from the same >> > root). Vikalpa means existence of variety. Savikalpa means "with >> > vikalpa". Savikalpa samadhi is a state of intense concentration of the >> > mind, while creational variety or objectification still exists in the >> > mind. One perceives that there is an "I" and there are "other" objects >> > (e.g. deities, demons, people etc). But one

is able to focus the mind >> > intensely on one object (e.g. a deity) and able to achieve oneness with >> > that object. Even reaching savikalpa samadhi is a tremendous thing and >> > many great yogis also cannot go beyond savikalpa samadhi.>> >>> > In nirvikalpa samadhi, the creational variety and objectification >> > ceases (nirvikalpa= nir+vikalpa, nir=devoid of). Mind reaches a state >> > where there is no perception of I and "other" objects. One's >> > consciousness is absorbed in supreme consciousness (Brahman or Aatman), >> > without any perception of a variety of objects. This state is reached >> > by very very few yogis.>> >>> > Sahaja samadhi is a state where the mind is *simultaneously* perceiving >> > a variety of objects *and* absorbed in the supreme

consciousness!>> >>> > * * *>> >>> > When one is normally perceiving a variety objects, one's mind is >> > absorbed in an *individualized* consciousness that is colored with the >> > conditioning of that individual's experiences over various lives. When >> > one sees a beautiful person, one's mind may get certain thoughts >> > (depending on the experiences, values and desires accumulated from many >> > lives). When somebody is praising one, one's mind may get certain >> > thoughts. When somebody is criticizing one, one's mind may get certain >> > thoughts. And so on. One's mind has likes, dislikes, attractions, >> > repulsions etc, based on the accumulated experiences, values and >> > desires of that individualized consciousness.>> >>> > In sahaja samadhi, one

has no individualized consciousness and one's >> > mind is absorbed in the infinite supreme consciousness that is not >> > colored by the experiences and conditioning of a single individual. One >> > is actively living in the material world; one's mind is perceiving >> > various objects of various attributes through jnanendriyas; and, one's >> > mind is engaging in various actions in the material world though >> > karmendriyas. Yet, one has no individualized conditioning or I-ness.>> >>> > Very very very few beings, mostly re-incarnations of rishis and gods, >> > can reach that state. For most others, that state is not really a >> > possibility.>> >>> > * * *>> >>> > I gave an analogy earlier to explain various aspects of consciousness, >> > using parts of a

computer.>> >>> > ahamkaara (I-ness) - CPU>> > chitta (conditioning) - DRAM>> > buddhi - ALU or logic coprocessor>> > manas - I/O controller>> > jnanendriyas - input channels>> > karmendriyas - output channels>> > praanas - on-board power supply>> > deha (body) - mechanical parts, chassis etc>> >>> > Normally, CPU is running a complex program where a lot of input >> > channels and output channels are active. DRAM has a lot of stored data >> > and CPU is refreshing it frequently. ALU is running several algorithms >> > based on stored data and a lot of I/O data gets stored/retrieved from >> > DRAM all the time. This is analogous to a person's normal state.>> >>> > Nirvikalpa samadhi is like a state where the computer is in a power

>> > standby. On-board power supply is hardly supplying any power, all input >> > and output channels are turned off, I/O controller is turned off and >> > ALU is not running any algorithms. If a computer goes into power standy >> > and exits it quickly, it will resume what it was doing before. >> > Similarly, a person reaching nirvikalpa samadhi and leaving it quickly >> > will resume previous activities. If a computer stays in the power >> > standby for too long, it will be turned off and its state may be lost, >> > i.e. it cannot resume. If one stays in nirvikalpa samadhi for too long, >> > one will simply merge in Brahman and cannot resume previous activities.>> >>> > Sahaja samadhi is akin to a computer running a bare minimum program >> > that accesses a program running on a central super

computer on a >> > network. CPU, ALU, memory etc are running on a central super computer >> > and our individual computer's CPU simply has a small routine that >> > accesses the results of the algorithm running on the super computer and >> > controls the local I/O controller accordingly. There isn't much data >> > stored locally and there is no algorithm running locally. One's praanas >> > are supplying power, one's jnanendriyas are getting inputs and one's >> > karmendriyas are engaging in actions, one's manas is controlling this >> > Input/Ouput activity and ahamkara (CPU) is controlling all this by >> > running a small program that accesses a super computer that is >> > monitoring all the computers of the world and deciding what this >> > computer should do.>> >>> > * * *>>

>>> > As I said, very very very few beings can reach sahaja samadhi and it is >> > beyond the reach of even the greatest yogis. As I said, most yogis >> > cannot even reach nirvikalpa samadhi. Some reach nirvikalpa samadhi, >> > come back to regular consciousness after a while and start to >> > accumulate conditioning again (chitta, i.e. DRAM). The CPU is running >> > some program or the other, however small, and accumulating more data in >> > DRAM and building up an algorithm in ALU. Minimization of I-ness is >> > possible, but elimination of I-ness while embodied is very difficult! >> > If any limited I-ness is left and any conditioning (I am this, I need >> > this, I like this etc) is left, then it is NOT sahaja samadhi. Sahaja >> > samadhi is a lack of limited individual I-ness and connecting the

>> > supreme universal I-ness directly to one's mind and body.>> >>> > I cannot make judgments on individual claims, as it is none of my >> > business. I will take on individuals only when they interfere with my >> > dharma and my sense of dharma dictates that I should take them on.>> >>> > But the bottomline is that sahaja samadhi state is no joke and only >> > yogis of an absolutely tremendous caliber reach it. Those who reach >> > this state are like the god - supreme cosmic being - himself.>> >>> > * * *>> >>> > Let me give another analogy. This life is like a long dream. Saviklapa >> > samadhi is like wakig up *within* the dream. Nirvikalpa samadhi is like >> > waking up from the dream. Sahaja samadhi is like being in the dream and >> > yet

being awake.>> >>> > This may confuse people, but this analogy shows how complex and >> > difficult sahaja samadhi is. The previous computer analogy highlights >> > how things work in a sahaja samadhi, but does not show why and how >> > difficult it is.>> >>> > Best regards,>> > Narasimha>> > ------------ --------- --------- --------- --------- --------- ->> > Do a Short Homam Yourself: http://www.VedicAst rologer.org/ homam>> > Do Pitri Tarpanas Yourself: http://www.VedicAst rologer.org/ tarpana>> > Spirituality: http://groups. / group/vedic-

wisdom>> > Free Jyotish lessons (MP3): http://vedicastro. home.comcast. net>> > Free Jyotish software (Windows): http://www.VedicAst rologer.org>> > Jyotish writings: http://groups. / group/JyotishWri tings>> > Sri Jagannath Centre (SJC) website: http://www.SriJagan nath.org>> > ------------ --------- --------- --------- --------- --------- ->> >>> > > Dear Narasimha, namaste and pranaams>> > >>> > > What is sahaja samadhi and how is it different from nirvikalpa >> > > samadhi?>> >

>>> > > best regards>> > > Hari>> > >>> > > > Sri Sri Ravishankar is a fully Enlightened Master living in>> > > > Sahaj Samadhi all times.

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