Summary:

Lesson 167 revises all divine-traits we learned so far, and mentions two more; prominently compassion (natural human state before mind distortions).

Source: Bhagavad Gita, Chapter 16, Verse 2

Revision:

• So far, divine-traits:
  • abhayam : Fearlessness.
  • sattvasaṃśuddhiḥ: Mental purity.
  • Jñāna-yōga-vyasthitiḥ: steadfastness in these divine-virtues, by deliberately bringing them into our way of conduct.
  • Dānam: Charity. Spirit of monetary contribution (to lesser privileged / institution). Fastest way to shake-up the sense of “my-ness (my hard work, my money, my energy, my effort)” (ahamkara).
  • Damaḥ: Sense control. Mindful exposure of senses.
  • Yajñaḥ: Isolated rituals. Or using moment-to-moment circumstances to bring in presence of the Order.
  • Svādhyāyaḥ: Attending to an uncontradictable means-of-knowledge to help align my buddhi to realities.
  • Tapaḥ: Austerity. Intentional exposure to unpleasantness to increase body-mind’s tolerance. Less complaints.
  • Ārjavam: Straightforwardness. Being sincere and open (nothing to hide). What one says, is how one actually behaves or follows-up. It’s what causes us to trust another.
  • Satyam: Truthfulness in words. Also:
    1. Appropriate: timely + consider their mood. Sometimes involves not saying anything.
    2. Pleasant: right tone vs taking-you-for-granted-voice
    3. Beneficial: informative and useful to the needs to the total (not just you).
       
  • Akrodhaḥ: Control of anger by means of keeping a bigger picture in mind.
  • Tyāgaḥ: Silent renunciation towards everything. Renunciation is only possible if understand:
    1. The Intelligent web is already facilitating everyone’s unique karma. If we forget about the order, then we have a need to “step in”.
    2. According to śāstra, the only reason you’re given this life is for moksa. There is only one purusartha; moksha.
  • Śāntiḥ: State of mind enjoys a degree of tranquillity, relaxation. How?
    • By bringing daiva-sampat into your life.
    • Karma-Yoga: CH3:30 (mayi sarvāṇ karmāṇ…): Renouncing all actions onto Me, with a discriminating mind, devoid of expectations of future, devoid of sense of “mine-ness” , fight (act).
    • By means of meditation…
• MEDITATION:
  • 3 purposes of meditation (per BG): (a) improve focus (b) convert mechanical to deliberate thinking (c) develop relationship “with” ishvara.
  • Process can be divided into 2 major roles:
    1. Acquire depth of perception.
    2. Convert those new-found insights into behaviour/feeling.
  • ACQUIRE DEPTH OF PERCEPTION:
    • Step 1: Posture.
      • Sit upright. Scan body and relax limbs. Face limp. Close eyes. Focus between eye brows.
    • Step 2: Japa.
      • Repeat a mantra Any language, long as mantra words reminds you of Ishvara. EG: “Om namaḥ śivāya”.
      • Focus on the silence between each mantra. Will learn that thought needs effort, but silence is effortless.
      • You come to appreciate that thought depends on silence for its existence. And silence depends on you (the knower of silence) for its existence.  
    • Step 3: Connect to Ishvara.
      • Think about how the order put you in THIS position.
        • EG: Parent selected your school. We choose workplace, but don’t choose who else works there. One chooses to have children, but don’t choose their features. We can choose to partially extend our life, but don’t choose the genetics (which are stronger).
      • Think about how the Order had given you the family, siblings.
      • CONCLUSION:
        • Because everything is governed by Order, it means your fundamental relationship is to this Order. That’s why we always invoke the Intelligent Order to get over our hurdles.
        • EG: If family tension, then mediate on the Order (which is also putting them in their situation in reference to you).
  • CONVERT THOSE NEW-FOUND INSIGHTS INTO BEHAVIOUR/FEELING:
    • Step 4: Revisit past events that have created emotional wounds, to free oneself from their hold.
      • Every emotion (even if mithya) can’t be dismissed or merely replaced by japa mantra, because it continues to rule out being.
      • How to work with emotions?
        • Seeing their cause in light of the Order.
        • Understand you too played part in that manifestation.
        • CONCLUSION:
          • Past events can certainly have unavoidable discomfort.
            • EG: Forced to change a job, family disputes. But we still have control how much that discomfort gets to us.
          • The Ishvara-Order has it’s say. Jiva also has it’s say. Forgetting the later = victim/blame mode.
        • If don’t address, Order will keep showing external events that reflect the issues we’re nursing in our psyche.

Resuming: Bhagavad Gita, Chapter 16 Verse 2:

• Apaiṣunam: Avoidance of slander/backbiting (defamation).
  • Paiṣunam: Is speaking ill of others, exposing their vulnerable secrets and faults. Apaiśunam is absence of this unfair treatment.
  • In Rāma-carita-mānasa (Lake of the deeds of Rama); a person is compared to cotton which undergoes many stages of difficulty before it can be woven into cloth (hence able to give back to society).
    • So it serves others by hiding their faults and giving them protection from the vicissitudes of the seasons they’re going through.
• Dayā bhūteṣu: Kindness to all beings (owing to sense of compassion).
  • Imagine being in other’s position. Take a moment to consider their standpoint.
  • Compassion exercise: Helps you relate to strangers. While focusing on the person…
    • Just like me, this person is seeking some happiness for his/her life.
    • Just like me, this person is trying to avoid suffering in his/her life.
    • Just like me, this person has known sadness, loneliness and despair.
    • Just like me, this person is seeking to fulfill his/her needs.
    • Just like me, this person is learning about life.
    • [Source: ReSurfacing – Techniques for Exploring Consciousness: 30 Mind Expanding Exercises].

Keywords:

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Credit for help in Bhagavad Gita teaching given to Swami Dayananda (Arsha Vidya), Paramarthananda & Chinmaya Mission.

Recorded 19 April, 2022