Day 270 -Manki’s Realization: The Illusion of Desire and Suffering
Day 270 -Manki’s Realization: The Illusion of Desire and Suffering
Manki’s Struggle with Desire
Manki, a pilgrim, wandered through the world in search of someone who could relieve him of his doubts. Despite his efforts, he found no one capable of helping him. Upon meeting the sage Vasistha, he realized that he had obtained the highest blessing of finding wisdom.
Manki expressed his anguish: the world, full of temporary pleasures and sorrows, ultimately leads only to suffering. Even those who experience prosperity eventually fall into misery. His mind was filled with delusions and sinful tendencies, driven by an insatiable craving for pleasure that never found fulfillment. Despite recognizing the futility of these desires, his heart remained restless, plagued by ignorance and confusion. Manki lamented that the knowledge of the scriptures had failed to dispel the darkness within him, and he sought Vasistha's guidance on what would truly be beneficial for him.
Vasistha’s Response: The Path to Liberation
Vasistha began by explaining that sense experience, thoughts, and mental conditioning are meaningless and only lead to psychological distress. All sorrows in life stem from our identification with sense experiences and the thoughts that arise from them. For the awakened, this illusion of the world, known as samsara, ceases once the mental conditioning is dissolved.
Vasistha emphasized that the division created by objective consciousness—our perception of "I" and "the world"—is the root of all suffering. When the indivisibility of consciousness is realized, these divisions cease to exist. He explained that objects are not different from consciousness, much like a pot is not different from the clay it's made from. The notion of an egosense creates the illusion of division and diversity, and this egosense is the source of bondage. When the egosense is dissolved, liberation is attained.
Vasistha further clarified that consciousness cannot become unconscious. The concept of the material world is born from this self-limiting illusion, and once a person falls into this illusion, countless others arise, just as insects multiply after rain. The mind, dense with thoughts and concepts, perpetuates the cycle of pleasure and pain.
Self-Enquiry and Liberation
Vasistha continued by likening the sage to the moon, which radiates peace and joy, whereas the ignorant are driven by whims and fancies, unable to reflect on the past or future. He pointed out that control of the mind is the only path to supreme peace. By simply investigating the nature of bondage, it ceases to bind.
He explained that the world is an unreal appearance, created by a mere agitation of the cosmic mind. It is as if the world is a painting on the canvas of Brahman—without colors, instruments, or any material substances. The self, or infinite consciousness, is unlimited and free from desires, attachments, and movement. When one rests in the fullness of self, all desires cease.
As Vasistha concluded his teaching, Manki entered into deep contemplation. He abandoned his delusions and lived performing spontaneous, appropriate actions, fully liberated from the illusions of the world.
Vasistha’s Teachings on Unity and Diversity
Vasistha explained that in the self, there is both unity and diversity, but not in opposition to each other. The self is subtle and omnipresent, undivided by the birth and death of bodies. The notion of "I am the body" is a delusion, and one must recognize the self as pure consciousness. All divisions—subject, object, and observation—are simply modifications of the mind, while the truth or self remains undivided.
This understanding leads to the realization that there is no real world; the world itself is an illusion. Once this illusion is dispelled, there is no longer any reason to suffer from bondage. In both prosperity and adversity, the liberated live free of egosense and desire.
Karma and Divine Will
When Rama inquired about the nature of karma (action) and divine will (fate), Vasistha explained that both are simply movements in consciousness. When consciousness moves, the world-appearance arises, and when it ceases, the world-appearance also ceases. This movement is inseparable from the consciousness itself, and there is no distinction between a person and their actions.
Vasistha emphasized that self-limitation or conditioning is the seed from which the world arises. To attain liberation, one must burn this seed through non-attachment and freedom from desires. This non-volitional action is the path to freedom, and it is achieved through self-effort. By uprooting the conditioning of the mind, one attains the ultimate liberation from the illusion of the world.
In summary, Manki’s journey from delusion to enlightenment mirrors the universal struggle with desire, suffering, and ignorance. Through Vasistha’s teachings, he learns that the world and its pleasures are illusory, and true liberation comes from dissolving the egosense and embracing the unity of consciousness.
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