Samkhya Yoga - Part 13 - Sense Control

Chapter 2 Part 13

The Bhagavad Gita: Controlling Five-Senses

'Sthitha Prajna' continues:
Those who have no affection for anything and do not have appreciation or aversion in good or bad things, their prajna is firm.

Affection is always towards "me and my" body, wealth, wife, children etc. This feeling governs the karma followed. The liking feels towards some objects becomes desire latter. If something stands against that desire or when that desire cannot be achieved then the desire turns to anger. When someone does not like a thing, he keeps a feeling of aversion. One who aims at self realization should abstain from all these emotions. Such a person does not have appreciation towards favorable matters or aversion for unfavorable matters. The prajna of such a person is called sthitha prajna.

Sense Control and Sthitha Prajna

When one completely withdraws senses from sense subjects, as tortoise withdraws its limbs, then prajna of such a person is considered firm. Here the importance of sense control is discussed, as it is helpful for a spiritual seeker. First of all, one learns from books or from a guru the importance controlling senses. Then he practices controlling senses. When spiritual practice is progressing the senses become controlled much. But even after getting self realization, the seeds of senses may lie deep inside. Only after complete control of senses, one can get the moksha or liberation. The senses of a sthitha prajnan is completely in control or when all the senses are completely in control that person can be considered as sthitha prajnan.

 

Because of the absence of attachment or liking, the senses and sense subjects become in control even in case of a spiritual seeker who leaves all sense subjects. For a sthitha prajnan, even the seeds of senses go away by the realization of Brahma. If there is no liking towards any worldly matters, then the sense control becomes easy for a spiritual seeker who leaves all sense subjects or matters. When he passes through self realization the senses become completely controlled. When even the seeds of senses are removed completely, he is considered as sthitha prajnan.

Even at the stage of attaining athma jnana, senses do not come in complete control. If the senses do not come in complete control, it will be very difficult to attain the state of sthitha prajna. Sense control is very important. First abstain from sense subjects or take a control over the sensual matters. So the senses lean to withdraw its wandering over sense subjects. Through this way when senses come in control, the mind also shrinks. When the mind becomes calm, budhi stays firm. Then prana spandana also will be slow. In this still state the soul starts to shine.

Experience the ananda of  Brahma  by restraining all such sense matters and by finding the soul by the soul. Because, for whom the senses become in complete control, the prajna or consciousness of such a person become steady. While controlling senses, make the mind stay in the thought of soul. Imagine soul in the soul. Fill the mind with all the knowledge about the absolute soul. Be affixed in thatwa bodha.

Fall of a person with no sense control

For those who ponder about sense subjects, forms attachment. Because of attachment forms desire. Desire leads to anger. A person who always wander after worldly pleasures, forms a kind of attachment or liking towards that thing. Then he thinks that  it should be achieved however, that is desire. If some obstacles come in front of that desire then there forms anger. Because of  anger or 'krodha' forms 'sammoha'. Due to this happens 'smruthi vibhrama'. This destroys budhi. This leads to total ruin.

Because of anger one looses discrimination. This leads to loss of memory. Loss of memory destroys faculty of reasoning, the intelligence. This causes total ruin. The order in which a person falls, who thinks only worldly pleasures and forgets the soul truth - 1.thinking about sense subjects 2. attachment 3. desire 4. anger 5. in-discrimination 6. loss of memory 7. destruction of intelligence 8. total ruin .

One can indulge in sensual pleasures if the senses are in complete control. The mind of such a person with thatwa vichara (thinking about the soul principles) and thatwa bodha (awareness of the soul principles) becomes soulful-delight always. The soul or athma is always blissful. But the feeling of attachment and aversion stops from enjoying the ananda. One who aims at self realization should control senses while engaging in worldly matters and should free the mind from likes and dislikes. This will give a delightful experience of soul. This is the inner coolness which indicates the advent of self realization.

Because of soulful delight, all sorrows are destroyed. Because a person with delighted mind,  soon feels the soul truth surrounding everywhere. Those who without soulful delight and soul observance, cannot feel soul truth. For those without soul observance cannot think about the truth and cannot experience it. Without soul thinking no one gets peace. Without peace there is no happiness. Controlling senses leads to single-pointed mind. This causes budhi to know truth. Then comes imagination of truth (soul) everywhere. This leads to peace. Peace leads to happiness.

Samkhya Yoga - Part 4 - Controlling Senses

Chapter 2 /part 4

Happiness and Sorrow in life

Controlling five senses and Eternal Bliss

Through Bhagavad Gita, Krishna teaches the true nature of sense pleasures and gives a way to overcome it. Krishna continues to say that if it is overcome then that person can achieve permanent happiness and avoid sorrow in life.

The senses and sense objects are those which give feelings of cold and heat, happiness and sorrow. They come and go and it is transitory. The only way to overcome it is to tolerate courageously. Senses and sense objects are those which produce opposite and dual experiences like heat and cold, sorrow and happiness. Sometimes heat gives us happiness. Sometimes heat gives us sorrow. Similarly the senses and sense objects give different experiences that may be contradicting and with a dual nature. It is their habitual nature. No one can change it. The senses cannot be experienced in the absence of sense objects and the sense objects cannot be experienced in the absence of senses. Above all, if there is no consciousness or soul then the senses and sense objects cannot be experienced.

So Krishna urges Arjuna to tolerate everything courageously. Krishna tells that there is only one way to overcome sorrow in life and that is practicing life tolerance. There is no point in showing anxiety and lamentation. If so, that may create likes and dislikes which in turn produces karma vasana. By practicing tolerance one can develop mental equilibrium. This enables us to face life situations courageously.

He continues to say that to whom the contradicting and dual sense experiences does not give agony and who he considers happiness and sorrow equally and withdraws intellect from sense matters, that person becomes deserving the eternal bliss or brahma-ananda.

Brahmananda or eternal bliss. This is the supreme state of joy. Every human being is searching and trying for this bliss or true happiness throughout life. He thinks the pleasures he enjoys through senses is the true happiness. We saw that sensual pleasures can only give temporary happiness. This happiness comes and goes as it is its nature. The fifteenth verse of the Bhagavad Gita says that to whom the contradictory sense experiences do not gives agony that person is entitled to experience the eternal bliss. One should consider happiness and sorrow equally. Do not feel anxiety or lamentation towards agony of life. One will be known courageous or bold when he withdraws his intellect from sense subjects. Here the emphasis goes to the senses and sense matters. By practicing life tolerance one can gain true happiness. By running after worldly pleasures no one can achieve true happiness. Control the senses and achieve the eternal bliss. There lies peace and ananda.

The Bhagavad Gita: As I See

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