Theos-Talk Archives (March 2004 Message tt00325)

In a message dated 03/12/04 9:13:47 AM, stevestubbs@yahoo.com writes:

>Believe what you wish. The entire book is about restraining the 
>wandering mind. The word "samyama" is often translated "restraint" 
>although it has a richer meaning than just that.
>

There is no question of arbitrary "belief," but only a question of knowing -- 
by both experience and logical semantics. The subtleties, however, are mind 
boggling. Restraining, hindering, constraining, curbing, thwarting, etc., the 
"wandering mind" (otherwise called "modifications of the thinking principle 
by WQJ's transliteration of Patanjali) -- refers solely to the runaway, 
uncontrolled lower mind that, by itself, engages in random thoughts that have no 
relationship with the true reality. It does not refer to the controlled or 
focussed mind that is meditating on something (or nothing) that is one or another 
part or "essence" of the true reality. That process of meditation means 
focussing one's awareness on one or another aspect of reality in a controlled and 
concentrated manner -- while trying to observe and understand its essential 
nature. That understanding is pure thought in itself, and is no different from 
being in the mind of God-nature itself. 

Therefore, no meditative yoga that is of any value considers that the 
individual ever has to stop thinking altogether -- no matter how far he is 
progressed. And, this applies especially to the Bodhisattva, who must maintain constant 
control of all his faculties of both mind and will. This self control is the 
meaning of "mindfulness" and "constant vigilance" spoken of by the Buddha (and 
also, not denied by Patanjali). So long as the thinker is awake, and 
mindful, he cannot stop using the mind or thinking of something -- even if that 
thought or "realization" is of the purest nature of emptiness. Thus, mindfulness 
and meditation must be synonymous. HPB said that the true Master never sleeps 
and is always awake in the higher mind. Therefore wakefulness and mindfulness 
implies that the mind can never be empty of one thought or another -- even if 
that thought is of emptiness, sunyata itself or nothing. To be entirely 
awake and conscious is the ultimate goal. Even ultimate "bliss" can only be a 
qualia or feeling or experience in the mind. Otherwise, how can we note it? This 
reverses the old saying that one must always "keep an eye on the donut and 
not on the hole" (whole? :-) Of course, one can only know this by experiencing 
it, and remembering that experience. 

All of the above is perfectly well expressed in the Zen koan of Ten Bulls.
http://www.cs.sfu.ca/people/ResearchStaff/jamie/personal/10_Bulls/1.html

>--- In theos-talk@yahoogroups.com, leonmaurer@a... wrote:
>Since that sutra is only the introduction to the first stage yoga practice
>of book 1... How come when the meditator arrives at the practice of book
>4, he/she is still thinking intuitively, after having gained Bodhichitta
>or discriminative mind? 
>
>As Patanjali says at the end of Book 4 (transliterated by WQJ) "it is then
>perceived that the moments and their order of precedence and succession
>is the same." How does one "perceive" such a recondite idea without it
>being a thought in the higher intuitive mind field? (Only those who don't
>know what it is made of, calls it "mind-stuff". :-) Actually, Theosophy
>calls it "The Thinking Principle."
>
>If you read further in Book One, it becomes obvious that the modifications
>referred to are only the random or discursive thoughts that are not directly
>controlled by the thinker and are based on false knowledge, or as the 
Buddhists
>say, "wrong view."
>
>Unfortunately, the dead letter reading of the Sutra's is the big problem
>in understanding what those "modifications" actually mean. The experience
>is simply watching the uncontrolled or discursive thoughts come and go
>while concentrating on the breath until they finally stop and the mind
>becomes calm, and you can start meditating (focussed thought, contemplating,
>reflecting, pondering, etc.) on right ideas with or without a seed.
> 
>But, all through the sutras, Patanjali makes it perfectly clear that 
meditation
>is and active process of thinking or concentration of the mind on right
>views of the true nature of reality and one's place in it. 
>