Question 209: The Story of Muni Vitahavya

The Story of Muni Vitahavya The young Rama asks Sage Vasishtha about true knowledge or non-dual cognition. This gives the sage the opportunity to narrate the story of Muni Vitahavya and is interior dialogue with his mind. It is a tour-de-force instruction of the mind (chitta, consciousness) that it has no basis, no reality and the only reality that is, is that of the Atma. Thereafter, one has non-dual cognition, samyak-jnana, samyak-drishti.

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Question 208: What is the heart?

Question 208: What is the heart?Many seek the heart, and many have tribulations of the heart – yet, where is this heart? Where is this place called the “sky of the heart”? There is the physical heart, enlivened by the atma, the power of the soul. What of the spiritual heart? What is this heart?

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Question 196: How is ignorance destroyed?

lily pad and lotusRama asks ‘How to destroy ignorance?’ The sage replies that knowledge, self-enquiry, enquiry into the nature and purpose of this world is the needful. Wisdom exposes the attraction to material gratification. When this is lost, and body-ego is gone, then knowledge of the Atma arises. This is how the sage explains.

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Question 194: How does a wise one participate in Society?

pocket watchRama asks how is it that some of the wise, ensconsed in samadhi, realisation of the Absolute, can remain in society. The Sage tells the story of King Suraghu of Kranti Desh, and how he eliminated the problem of punishing criminals. The outward going mind has to be managed, the impulses or desires that disturb the mind have to be eliminated. How? 75% of our time ought be spent in self-inquiry, and inquiry into the vagaries of the mind.

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Question 189: How does one attain boons from the Lord?

How does one attain boons from the LordThe young Rama seeks elimination of doubt from the Sage, Vasishtha. How does one obtain boons from the Lord? The sage explains that boons are won by dint of spiritual effort and endeavour toward this end. Higher knowledge and spiritual wisdom are only bestown upon those who make effort, and struggle to realise the Atma, the Self.

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