The Jumbled Thoughts

Ramana Maharshi

-Staff

By Staff

Monday, April 28, 2008, 15:37

M: Yoga teaches chitta vritti nirodha (control of the activities of the mind). But I say Atma-Vichara (self-enquiry). This is a practical way.

Our minds are crowded with thoughts. Sometimes it is like a railway platform or airport lounge when the trains or planes are running behind schedule. At other times it is like a traffic jam when the traffic policeman is temporarily off duty. It is such a pell-mell – a regular free for all. Each set of thoughts keep competing with the other groups for the attention of the individual. Isn't this a sorry state? Why is it that our minds are so cramped, so overcrowded? Why have we reduced our mind to a basti? Why have we allowed ourselves to become slum dwellers so far as our mind is concerned? There is dirt and pollution all around.

In contrast, the mind of a Jnani is free, completely free of thoughts. There is a vast space which enables him to unction in freedom. It is not that he cannot use thought. Indeed he must. How else can he communicate? All the mental faculties, memory, reasoning, interference are there. Though the Jnani's mind is ordinarily free from thoughts, whenever necessary the related thoughts come up. When the purpose of those thoughts is done the thoughts too cease. Once again the mind is free, not limited and constrained by thought pressures, free from the 'tyranny of thoughts'.

What does it imply? Jnanis are in a position to switch off and switch on thoughts whereas we are pestered by them. We cannot get rid of the unwanted thoughts and keep holding on to wanted thoughts. Say, for instance, while meditating we have set apart time for God. Do we succeed or do we get up in disgust at the intrusion of so many 'other thoughts'? All this is to point out that we must find some means by which our minds would come under control.

It is here that we find Ramana's contribution most significant. He points out that unless you understand what the mind is, unless you know its nature you cannot control it. Do we know what the mind is? We assume it to be a separate entity like the body. We call it a subtle body. But, says Ramana, there is no such separate entity at all. That which we call the mind is only a collection of thoughts centred round a thinker. To illustrate, take away all thoughts. Then what remains? Can you point out to anything as the mind? Again in deep sleep there are no thoughts and the so called mind also ceases to be.