D.: The mind is not steady in meditation.
M.: Whenever it wanders, turn it inward again and again.
D.: When misery overpowers me, enquiry is impossible.
M.: Because the mind
is too weak. Make it strong.
D.: By what means?
M.: Sat-sanga, Isvara Aradhana, Pranayama (association with the wise, worship of God,
breath control).
D.: What happens?
M.: Misery is removed; our aim is removal of misery. You do
not acquire happiness. Your very nature is happiness. Bliss is not newly earned.
All that is done is to remove unhappiness. These methods do it.
D.: Association with the wise may strengthen the mind. There
must also be practice. What practice should be made?
M.: Yes. Practice is necessary too. Practice means removal
of predispositions. Practice is not for any fresh gain; it is to kill the
predispositions.
D.: Abhyasa (practice) should give me that power.
M.: Practice is power. If thoughts are reduced to a single
thought the mind is said to have grown strong. When practice remains unshaken
it becomes sahaja (natural).
D.: What is such practice?
M.: Enquiring into the Self. That is all.
Fix the mind on the SELF.
D.: What is the aim to be kept in view? Practice requires an
aim.
M.: Atman is the aim. What else can there be? All other aims
are for those who are incapable of atmalakshya (having the Self for the aim).
They lead you ultimately to atma-vichara (enquiry into the Self). One-pointedness
is the fruit of all kinds of practice. One may get it quickly; another after a
long time. Everything depends on the practice.
D.: Peace is extolled more than anything else. How shall we
gain it?
M.: It is your very nature. Forgetfulness never overtakes
the Self. The Self is now confounded with non-self and that makes you speak of
forgetfulness of the Self, Peace, etc. Oblivion will never rear up its head if
this confusion is put an end to.
D.: How is that done?
M.: Enquiry into the Self. One-pointedness means cessation
of mental
activities. Forgetfulness must be for the self - well, of
what? Of the Self? Are there then two selves? Practice removes the samskaras.
D.: But samskaras are infinite and eternal - from
beginningless time.
M.: This itself is a samskara. Give up that idea and all
samskaras will disappear at once. That is visranti (repose), santi (peace).
Peace is ever present. But you hold it down and rise over it and thus disturb
it. Then you say, “I want Peace”
