When we look at a very young child, wandering (crawling) about its place, it reaches out to take whatever it sees (and usually puts it in the mouth). We are seeing – metaphorically – our own self and our own minds in action: it is outward-going in nature, and the young Rama asks the sage, “How does one stop this?”.
Question 123: Why is the Sky blue?
The youthful Rama asks – as everyone does at one time or another in their life – “Why is the sky blue?” The sage responds that the akash (the ether, the space, the void) has no shape, form, nor colour. It is a form of ignorance to say the sky is blue. Those who have wisdom know that the sky is a glamour of atma and ideation.
Question 122: The management of ignorance.
The youthful Rama recognises that ignorance creates the world and that focussing on the Atma or reciting “I am Brahman” or ayam atma brahma resolves such illusions. The sage gives the advice.
Question 120: The management of tendencies, desires
Young Rama asks Sri Vasishtha about tendencies and desires that arise in the mind – usually unbidden. There are also intentions that arise from desires generated by this world of illusion. The sage instructs young Rama on attaining desirelessness.
Question 119: The instability of the mind
Young Rama asks Sri Vasishtha about the instability of the mind. The sage guides him to contemplation, which brings the mind to rest. When the mind is at rest, we have interior and exterior peace.
Question 118: The body is imaginary
Sri Vasishtha narrated the story of King Lavan to young Rama. This story illustrates the strength of the mind to create illusion and separation from Brahman. Everything in this world, including the body, is an illusion. The Atma passes from body to body. Lord Krishna taught that the mind accompanies the Atma to the new body. This is the point Vasishtha is making to young Rama. The mind causes the illusions.
Question 116: The three types of Akasha
Rama asks about the nature and cause of reality that is experienced. The Sage replies, explaining the nature of the three types of akasha.
Question 114: Is the Mind Sentient or Insentient?
Each day we pass through all four states: the waking state, the dream state, the deep sleep state, and the turiya, when the Atma is itself and no object nor ideation. Young Rama asks if this mind – a bundle of thoughts brought across to the new body with the Atman, the Soul – young Rama asks if the mind is sentient or insentient. Is this a question about self awareness? Consider Vasishtha’s response.
Question 113: Ego is the false conviction of a self in a body
The young Rama what is the cause of the illusion and how is it sustained in the akash, the formless?
Question 112: The Form the Mind takes
The young Rama asks “What form the mind takes?”. This leads to a terse reply from the Sage. There is more, when we unpack the terse reply and examine what is involved when the mind perceives illusion, maya.