Mahavir Vani Lecture 17 Samayik Samay Me Thaher Jana - Book Summary

Here's a comprehensive summary of Osho Rajnish's "Mahavir Vani Lecture 17: Samayik - Samay me Thaher Jana" (Samayik: Remaining in One's Nature), based on the provided Jain text:

This lecture, the seventeenth in the Mahavir Vani series, delves into the concept of Samayik, which Osho translates as "remaining in one's nature" or "staying in one's own being." He emphasizes that the true meaning of Samayik is often misunderstood, and the lecture aims to clarify it, contrasting it with what he terms "wrong meditation."

The Essence of True Meditation (Samayik):

Dwelling in the Self: Osho defines Samayik as the state of "staying in one's own nature." It is about being present in one's own being, living within oneself, and not going outside.
Consciousness as Time: Drawing parallels with modern science, particularly Einstein's work, Osho suggests that consciousness, or the soul (atma), can be understood as a fourth dimension, akin to time. Samayik then becomes the stillness of this temporal consciousness.
The Goal of Stillness: The ultimate aim of this meditation is to achieve a state of absolute stillness within consciousness, where all movement of the mind ceases. This is contrasted with the physical stillness of asana (posture), which is seen as secondary.

Critique of "Wrong Meditation" and External Practices:

Love and Swimming as Analogies: Osho uses the analogies of love and swimming to illustrate that meditation, like these experiences, can only be truly understood through personal practice. While descriptions can be offered, the direct, existential experience is paramount.
The Danger of External Focus: Many practices labeled as meditation are, according to Osho, "wrong meditation" (galat dhyan). These are characterized by focusing one's consciousness outward on something external.
- Examples of Wrong Meditation:
  - Intense Anger: When one's entire life energy is concentrated on anger, it can lead to a form of wrong meditation. While this can be a gateway to true meditation if redirected, it's still a misdirection of energy.
  - Passionate Love (Majnu): The extreme obsession of someone like Majnu for Laila, where Laila becomes the sole focus of his consciousness, is cited as another example. This creates a narrowed consciousness, incapable of seeing anything else, leading to a state of "headstand meditation" (standing on the head), which is seen as unproductive and ultimately decaying.
  - Focus on God/The Other: Any meditation focused on God, a deity, or any external entity is considered wrong meditation because it treats the divine as an "other." This is a form of outward-flowing consciousness. Even focusing on the concept of God is seen as an externalization, akin to the Madman focused on Laila.
Prayer vs. Meditation: Osho distinguishes prayer from meditation. Prayer is seen as a request or supplication to an external entity, while meditation, in its true sense, involves no requests and no external focus.
The Futility of External Acquisition: Anything received from another, whether it's material possessions, knowledge, or even spiritual attainment, is considered temporary and will eventually lead to suffering. True fulfillment comes from within.
The Pitfall of "Relaxation" as Meditation: Osho criticizes many Western meditation techniques, particularly Transcendental Meditation (TM) as taught by Maharishi Mahesh Yogi. He argues that these are essentially "murcha" (unconsciousness or stupor) practices, a way of inducing sleep or dulling the senses. While they might provide temporary peace or help with insomnia, they are not true meditation and do not lead to inner transformation.
- The "Brahmanical" vs. "Shramanic" Approach: He contrasts two main approaches: the "Brahmanical" (or relaxation) path, which aims to surrender and relax, often leading to sleep; and the "Shramanic" (or effortful) path, championed by Mahavir, which involves conscious exertion and tension.

The Mahavirian Path: Effort and Inner Awareness:

"Shram" (Effort) in Meditation: Mahavir's method is characterized by "shram" (effort). Instead of relaxing into sleep, one is advised to create internal tension, stretching one's consciousness to its limit, like tightening a guitar string.
The Paradox of Effort Leading to Rest: This extreme tension, when pushed to its peak, paradoxically leads to a state of deep rest, but it's a rest that doesn't lead to sleep. It's a conscious rest, free from unconsciousness.
"Kaayotsarg" (Abandonment of the Body): This peak of effort leads to Kaayotsarg, where the body's presence becomes insignificant. The focus shifts from the physical form to the underlying consciousness. Osho explains that the body of Mahavir, even after his physical death, was a manifestation of his Kaayotsarg, his body having been transcended.
"Bhed Vigyan" (Science of Division/Discernment): The core of Mahavir's practice is Bhed Vigyan, the science of discerning and separating. This involves clearly recognizing the distinctions between the self, the body, and external phenomena.

Practical Steps Towards Samayik:

Osho outlines three essential practices for entering Samayik:

Evening Practice: Reliving the Day:
- Smriti (Remembrance): Start by remembering the events of the day from morning to night, even if it's an incomplete recollection.
- Pratikraman (Returning): Progress to remembering the entire context of each event – the sounds, smells, emotions, and thoughts. This is about reliving the full situation.
- Reliving (Jati-Smaran): The ultimate stage is to "relive" the day, experiencing it again as if it were happening in the present moment, but with full awareness. This practice, when done consistently for nine months, is believed to lead to profound inner changes.
Morning Practice: Waiting for the First Thought:
- Upon waking, consciously wait for the first thought to arise.
- The more you try to catch it, the longer it may take. This deliberate stillness, this interval without thoughts, is crucial.
- This period of thoughtlessness allows for the shift from "headstand" consciousness to "foot-standing" consciousness, moving from an external focus to an internal one.
Continuous Practice: The Witnessing Stance (Sakshi Bhav):
- Throughout the day, maintain a state of witnessing. Be aware of what is happening without identifying as the doer.
- Recognize the triad: the food, the body eating, and the true self separate from both. This awareness of being distinct from both the action and the actor is the essence of Sakshi Bhav.
- Bhed Vigyan (discernment) is the key here: understanding that "I am not the food, and I am not the eater. The food is food, the body is the eater, and I am beyond both."

The Nature of Consciousness and Gestalt:

The Illusion of Dualities: Osho explains that our understanding is often based on dualities (light/darkness, good/bad, thought/no-thought). However, true reality, as experienced in deep meditation, transcends these dualities.
Gestalt Shifts: He uses the analogy of Gestalt images (like the old woman/young woman illusion) to explain how our perception changes. When you are focused on one aspect (dust particles), you miss the other (the stream of light). True meditation allows for a shift in focus, where consciousness itself becomes visible, and thoughts fade into the background.
Consciousness Beyond Thought: The goal is to become aware of the consciousness that perceives thoughts, rather than being absorbed in the thoughts themselves. This shift is what leads to true inner freedom.

Conclusion:

The lecture emphasizes that Mahavir's Samayik is not about passively relaxing or escaping reality, but about actively engaging in an inner effort to stabilize consciousness in its own true nature. It is a path of self-discovery through intense self-awareness, leading to a state of being where one is no longer enslaved by thoughts, external influences, or the limitations of the body. The key is to understand the difference between genuine meditative states and mere unconsciousness or external focus, and to cultivate the inner effort that leads to the realization of one's true, unchanging self.