Day 178: The Story of Uddalaka - Part 3

Day 178: The Story of Uddalaka - Part 3

The Path to Pure Consciousness

Today, we delve into the final part of Uddalaka's transformative journey, exploring his meditation practices and the ultimate state of pure consciousness he attained.

Uddalaka's Meditation Practice

Vasistha describes Uddalaka's profound meditation technique:

  1. The Sacred OM: Uddalaka intones OM, filling his entire being with its vibrations.
  2. Breath Control: He practices a form of pranayama (breath control), but without the forceful methods of Hatha Yoga.
  3. Three Stages:
    • Exhalation: His life-force seems to roam in pure consciousness.
    • Equilibrium: A spontaneous breath retention occurs.
    • Inhalation: The life-force spreads out as a cool breeze.
  4. Body Transformation: Symbolically, his body is reduced to ashes and then reconstituted as a radiant, divine form.

The Journey to Pure Consciousness

Uddalaka progresses through several stages of consciousness:

  1. Sensory Withdrawal: He withdraws his senses from external objects.
  2. Mental Purification: He becomes aware of and releases mental conditioning.
  3. Energy Control: He closes the body's outlets and directs energy inward.
  4. Overcoming Obstacles: He faces and transcends darkness, sleep, visions, and inertia.
  5. Pure Awareness: He reaches a state of pure, objectless awareness.

The State of Liberation

Vasistha describes Uddalaka's enlightened state:

"Uddalaka was enlightened. He enjoyed the supreme bliss that gods like Brahma enjoy. His state was beyond description. He was one with the ocean of bliss."

Uddalaka attains "liberation while living" (jivanmukti), a state where one is free from delusion while still embodied.

Beyond Bliss

Interestingly, Uddalaka moves beyond even the experience of bliss:

"He was completely transmuted into bliss itself and hence he had gone beyond the realm of bliss. He experienced neither bliss nor non-bliss. He became pure consciousness."

This points to a state beyond all duality, including the duality of bliss and non-bliss.

Living as a Liberated Being

After his enlightenment, Uddalaka:

  • Avoids the temptation of psychic powers
  • Declines invitations to heaven
  • Roams freely, often meditating in mountain caves
  • Engages in ordinary activities with perfect equanimity
  • Sees all with equal vision

The Nature of Pure Being

Vasistha explains pure being as:

  • The state when the mind ceases due to absence of notions of material existence
  • Consciousness existing in its own nature, devoid of objectivity
  • The merging of all external and internal objects in consciousness

Uddalaka's Final Liberation

Uddalaka eventually chooses to leave his body:

  1. He enters a mountain cave and assumes a meditation posture
  2. He withdraws his senses and life-force
  3. He establishes himself in pure consciousness beyond bliss
  4. His body remains in this state for six months
  5. The goddess Parvati honors his body by placing it on her crown

Advisory for Modern Society

  1. Cultivate Inner Silence: Practice meditation techniques that help quiet the mind and access deeper states of consciousness.
  2. Transcend Sensory Distractions: Learn to withdraw attention from external stimuli to focus on inner awareness.
  3. Overcome Mental Obstacles: Recognize and transcend mental states like dullness, agitation, and excessive thinking.
  4. Seek Beyond Pleasure: While positive experiences are nice, true fulfillment lies beyond the duality of pleasure and pain.
  5. Live with Equanimity: Strive to maintain inner balance regardless of external circumstances.
  6. Embrace Non-Attachment: Practice non-attachment to worldly achievements and psychic experiences.
  7. Explore Pure Awareness: In meditation, aim to experience consciousness itself, free from objects of perception.
  8. Integrate Wisdom: Like Uddalaka, learn to balance deep spiritual states with engaged living in the world.

Uddalaka's journey reminds us that the highest states of consciousness are attainable through dedicated practice and inner transformation. While most of us may not reach such exalted states, incorporating elements of this wisdom into our daily lives can lead to greater peace, clarity, and fulfillment.

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