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Mantra and Mind

MantraandMind
SwamiSatyanandaSaraswati
GivenattheYogaTeachersSeminar,CollbatoinAug.
Intantricphilosophy,mantraisaforcewhichcanbeusedfortheawakeningofourspiritual
consciousness.Thebasisofmantraissound,whichrangesfromgrosstosubtle.Throughoutthe
cosmosthereareslow,mediumandfastsoundwaves.Themediumwavesareperceptibletous,
buttheslowandfastwavesarenot.Whenthesoundofmantraisproduced,ithasamediumrange
offrequencywhichisknownasperceptibleorgrosssound.Butwhenthemantraissilentlyintoned,
ithasafasterrateoffrequencyandbecomesimperceptibleorsubtlesound.
Therefore,amantraworksontheearthlyplaneandalsoonthehigherplanes.Whenyouproducea
soundandacceleratethefrequency,itaffectstheinnerrealmofconsciousness.Justaswhenyou
pickupapebbleandthrowitintoacalm,quietlake,theimpactcreatesripplesandtheripplesform
circleswhichexpandwiderandwideraccordingtotheforceandweightofthepebble.Inthesame
way,whenyourepeatamantra,thesoundhitsthehomogeneityofconsciousnessandcreates
rippleswhichhelptoexpandthemind.
Thebarrier

Themindhastworangesindividualanduniversal.Infact,inthewholeuniversethereisonlyone
mind,butthismindbecomesindividualisedaccordingtoeachseparatecircuit.Forexample,your
mindandmymindarenottwomindsourmindsaredifferentcircuitsofonemind.Sothetruthis
thattheindividualmindispartofthehomogeneous,universalmind.Therefore,individualmindcan
alwaysbeconnectedwiththeuniversalmindifweknowhowtodoit.Wemustrememberthisasa
law,foritisofutmostimportanceinspirituallife.
Whenwebegintopractisemantra,wecreatevibrationsintheoutermind.Asthemindbecomes
calm,quietandconcentrated,thesevibrationsaretransferredtotheuniversalareaofthemind.
Thenthebarrierbetweentheindividualanduniversalmindisbroken.Becauseofthisbarrier,our
mindsarecutofffromoneanotheryoudon'tknowwhatIthinkandIdon'tknowwhatyouthink.But
whenthisbarrierisbroken,yourmindandmymindbecomeonemind.
Themindisauniversalmotheranditsnatureisthatofthethreegunassattwa(equilibrium),rajas
(dynamism),andtamas(inertia).Accordingtothemanifestationofreality,mindisknownasbuddhi
(discriminativeintellect),chitta(mindcontents),andahamkara(ego).
Wehavealwaysunderstoodthemindasaprocessofthinking,butaccordingtotantra,mindisnot
thought.Thoughtsandfeelingsareexpressionsofthemind,andnottheminditself.Justasthe
wavesoftheoceanareanexpression,amanifestationoftheoceantheyarenottheocean.
Thoughtandemotionarethevrittis(patterns)ofthemind.Anger,passion,greed,jealousy,love,
memory,judgment,areallpatternsandnotthemind.
MindishomogeneousawarenessThisawarenessistwofoldexternalandinternal.Whenyou
havesensualperceptions,thenyouknowthattheawarenessisexternal.Whenyoudissociatethe
mindfromthesenses,theawarenessbecomesinternal.Themindcanturneitherway.Whenthe
mindbecomesextrovert,ithastheexperiencesofform,sound,touch,tasteandsmellthroughthe
fivedifferentsenseorgans.Thesensualexperienceisthegameofthemind.
Ifthemindisintroverted,thesensesareinertandlifeless.Thenonedoesnothear,see,smell,
speakortouch.Thisiscalledpratyahara.Whenthemindturnsinwards,youapproachthebarrier
andbegintoseethecosmos,whichisaninfiniteexperience.Ithasnobeginningandnoend,no
circumferenceandnocentre.
Wedefineawarenessasexternalorinternalmaterialorspiritual.Thematerialawarenessisan
externalexperienceofthemind.Spiritualawarenessisaninternalexperienceofthemind.When
themindhasabarrier,itislimitedtomaterialexperience,butwhenthebarrierisbroken,thenithas
spiritualexperience.Inyogicphilosophy,thisbarrierisknownasavidya(ignorance)ormaya
(illusion).Bythepracticeofmantrathisbarrierisbroken.
Formationsofthemind

Everymantrahasaspecificsound.Wedonotknowallthesounds,butwedoknowthatthereare
certainsoundswhicharemilderandotherswhicharestronger.Whathappenswhenasoundis
produced?Scientistshaveseenthatthebrainwavepatternsarealtered.Tantricssaythatwhena
soundisproduced,italterstheformationsofthemind.
Themindisnotoneunit.Justaswaterisformedbythecombinationofhydrogenandoxygen,the
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mindisacombinationofnumerousformations.Inyogaandtantra,theseformationsareknownas
samskaras.Theyaretheresidueofindividualexperiencethroughmanyincarnations.
Themindworkslikeacamera.Whateverhasbeenknownandexperiencedthroughthesenses
remainsimprintedinthesubliminalpartofthemind.Theseimpressionsorformationsareso
numerousthatyoumayneverbeabletoknowthemall,anditisnoteasytoclassifythem.Some
areweakandinsignificant,whileothershaveapowerfulinfluenceonthecharacter,habitsand
nature.Somearecasualandperiodical,whileothersaccompanyyouallthetime.
Itisunderstoodthatpowerfulthoughtslikeanger,passion,jealousyorfearcomeintothemindfrom
timetotime,butduringmeditationmanyinsignificantthoughtskeepcomingandgoing.This
happensbecausewehavenotcleanedtheformationsofthemind.Thatiswhythefirstprerequisite
tomeditationischittashuddhi(mentalpurification).Thisshouldnotbeunderstoodasareligious
affair.Chittashuddhimeansfixingtheformationsofthemind.Otherwise,whenyousitfor
meditationsomanylittlethoughtsconstantlycomeintothemind,causingrestlessnessand
disturbance.Thepracticeofmantraisoneofthebestmethodsofchittashuddhi,ifitisdonewith
awarenessofallthethoughtsthatenterthemindasthemantraisbeingrepeated.
Theformationsofthemindhavethreerangesvikshepa(distraction),vikalpa(onepointedness),and
laya(totaldissolution).Thefirstrangeoccurswhenthemindiscontinuallyjumpingfromonepointto
anotherandisneverconstant.Forexample,whenyouareconcentratingontheflameofacandle
andadistractingthoughtpassesthroughyourmind,itiscalledvikshepa.Thisisoneformationof
themind.
Thesecondformationiscalledvikalpa.Whenyouhaveestablishedpratyahara,dissociatedyour
mindfromthesenses,onepointedawarenesstakesplace.Thenyoubegintoseevisions.Youmay
beconcentratingontheflameofalamp,butyoubegintoseetheinnertelevision!Thesepsychic
formationsofthemindarecalledvikalpa,andtheyareextremelydifficulttobreak.Indhyanayogaif
athoughtcomestoyourmind,youcandefinitelyforceitoutbyyourownwill.Butwhenvikalpa
comes,youarehelpless.Theseareinvoluntaryexpressionsofthepsychicformationsandyouhave
nocontroloverthem.Howareyougoingtodestroyorfixtheseformations?Herethemantrawillbe
veryuseful.Mantraiscapableofdestroyingthepsychicformationsknownasvikalpa.Thereisa
thirdandpowerfulformationofthemindcalledlayawhichmeansdissolution,suspension.Atthat
timetheconsciousnessiscompletelyeliminatedandthereistotalshoonya(voidness).Youhave
beenconcentratingontheflameofalampandsuddenlyeverythingisswitchedoffthereisno
flame,thereisnothing,andyouaretotallyhelpless,lost.Thisisaveryobstinateformation.
Sotherearethreetypesofsamskaras:distraction,psychicvisionsandsuspensionof
consciousness.Howareyougoingtofreeyourselffromtheseformations?Mantraisaveryvaluable
toolforthispurpose.Whenyouarepractisingmantra,itisabsolutelynecessarytouseamala.
Mantraandmalatogetherwillfixtheformationsofthemind.Forexample,whilepractisingOm,Om,
Om,yourmindsuddenlydropsandvisionsappear.Theturningofthemalawillinterferewiththe
visionsandreviveyourconsciousness.Itwillreversetheprocessofmentalawareness.Thisisthe
importanceofmantrainrelationtodhyanayogaandtheawakeningofspiritualconsciousness.
Bijamantras

Thebija(seed)mantrasareverypowerfulsoundswhichhavesignificantandinstantaneouseffects.
Therearemillionsofbijamantras,butweonlyknowafewofthem.Eachbijamantrahasitsown
elementandeachelementisassociatedwithacentreinthebody.Forexample,Ombelongsto
ether,themostsubtleelement.Theseatofetherisajnachakra.Therefore,Omisthemantraof
ajnaandisconsideredtobethefather,themostpowerfulofallbijamantras.Thosewhoareserious
seekersoftheabsoluterealityusethemantraOm.
Thisisjustoneillustrationofthebijamantraanditsassociatedelementsandchakras.Inthesame
way,thebijamantralambelongstotheearthelement,theseatofmooladharachakra.Vambelongs
tothewaterelement,swadhisthanachakra.Rambelongstothefireelement,manipurachakra.Tarn
belongstotheairelement,anahatachakra.Hambelongstotheetherelement,vishuddhichakra.
Bijamantrasaredefinitelyahighpotencydose.Thoseaspirantswhohavenotfixedtheirmental
formationsshouldpractiseanordinarymantraratherthanabijamantra.Whenyouuseabija
mantratheawakeningofpranaisuncontrollable.Thatiswhysomanypeoplehaveexperiences
withintheseconddayofpractisingthebijamantra.
Necessityofguruandpractice

Mantrashouldbereceivedfromaguru.Abookcannotdeterminethecorrectmantraforyou.Justas
acartridgeneedstobestruckbythehammeroftheguninordertofire,sothemantraneedstobe
struckbythehammeroftheguruinordertoexplodetheconsciousness.Therelationshipbetween
theguruanddiscipleisonlythemantra.Whengurugivesmantratotheaspirant,hebecomesa
disciple.Onewhoisworkingwithanddevelopingthemantraisadisciple.Withthehelpofthe
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mantra,heistryingtofixthesamskaras,thedifferentformationsofthemind.
Theguruhastodecidethemantraforyouonthebasisofyourzodiacsign,temperament,illness,or
spiritualpath.Afterreceivingthemantrafromyourguru,youmustpractiseiteverydayforfivetoten
minutes.Nomatterhowpowerfulyourmantrais,unlessyoupractiseit,youwillgainnothing.
Themantrahastoberepeatedthousandsoftimes.Inthebeginningyourepeatitontheaudible
plane.Thevibrationsareexternalandtheeffectsaregross.Butgradually,asyourmindbecomes
quieterandquieter,thevibrationsgrowmorepowerful.Themantrathengoesdeeperintothe
consciousness,piercesthroughtheconsciousmindandthesubconsciousmindandpenetratesinto
theunconsciousmind.Oncethemantraentersintotheunconsciousmind,itdestroysallsamskaras
andmentalformations.Therefore,themantramustberepeatedregularlywiththemala.Ifyour
mantraisOm,practisefivemalaseveryday.Ifyoudon'thavetimeinthemorning,doitatnight.
Manyhouseholdersneverpractisemantraatnightbecausetheyareconfusedaboutcertaintaboos.
Theyfeelthatitisnotpropertopractisemantraaftermaithuna,butaccordingtotantra,theeffectof
mantraisfargreateratthistime.Soifyouhavefixedfivemalaseachnight,youmustdoit.
Regardlessofwhatsortoflifeyoulead,practisefirstandthensleep.
Themantraisapurifyingforce.Nothingintheworldcanpollutethemantranothingcanmakeit
impure.Mantracanpurifyallcorruption.Itissuchagreatpurifierthatnomatterwhatyoueat,how
youlive,whatyouthink,orwhichreligionyoubelongto,itwilldominateanddestroyallthe
samskaras.Whenthesamskarasaredestroyedandtheveilissplitasunder,youwillseethedivinity
shininglikethesunbeforeyou.Whatyouhavebeensearchingforisnotfaraway.Thereisonlya
veilbetweenyouandme,whichhastobedestroyedbythemantrashakti,mantrayoga.Omisthe
mostpowerful,themostbenignofallthemantras.
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