Yog Vaasishtha Part 01

Here's a comprehensive summary of the provided Jain text, "Yog Vaasishtha Part 01," authored by Anil Pravinbhai Shukla, based on Valmiki's Yog-Vashishtha:

Overview:

This first part of "Yog Vaasishtha" by Anil Pravinbhai Shukla, based on the revered text of Valmiki, serves as a simplified Gujarati explanation of the initial three chapters: Vairagya (Detachment), Mumukshu (Seeker of Liberation), and Utpatti (Creation). The book aims to make profound spiritual principles accessible through relatable examples and a straightforward narrative style, drawing parallels to the Ramayana.

Key Themes and Content:

The text explains that "Yog Vaasishtha," also known as "Yog Vaasishtha-Maharamayan" or "Uttar Ramayan," is a discourse delivered by Sage Vashishtha to Lord Rama. It delves into how one can live in the world, perform worldly duties, yet remain detached and experience liberation (life-liberation or Videha state). The book emphasizes that the "Vairagya" (Detachment) chapter, in particular, is essential reading, even if the entire text cannot be covered.

A crucial distinction is made between the "Purva-Ramayan" (Valmiki Ramayan, detailing Rama's life from birth to Ravana's defeat) and "Yog Vaasishtha" (Uttar Ramayan), which focuses on the advice given to Rama during his intense dispassion. The text highlights a unique perspective: while the Bhagavad Gita features God (Krishna) advising the soul (Arjuna), "Yog Vaasishtha" presents the soul (Vashishtha) guiding God (Rama) on matters of spiritual realization.

The Core Narrative of Part 1:

The initial chapters revolve around Lord Rama's profound detachment from worldly matters after completing his education and undertaking a pilgrimage. He becomes indifferent to worldly affairs and even food, growing weak and emaciated. This deeply concerns his father, King Dasharatha.

The arrival of Vishwamitra Muni, who seeks Rama's help in protecting his sacrificial ritual from demons, sets the stage. King Dasharatha, hesitant due to his affection for Rama and his son's delicate state, explains Rama's disinclination towards worldly matters. Vishwamitra summons Rama, inquires about his inner turmoil, and Rama eloquently describes his disillusionment with the impermanence and lack of lasting joy in all worldly possessions, states of life, and pleasures. He attributes this to his 'vasana' (desires/tendencies) and expresses a yearning for freedom from them. Rama then prays to the assembled sages, including Vashishtha and Vishwamitra, for guidance to cross the ocean of sorrow. Consequently, Vishwamitra instructs Vashishtha to impart this profound wisdom to Rama, leading to the creation of the "Yog Vaasishtha-Maharamayan."

Detailed Breakdown of the Six Chapters (as introduced in the text):

The text outlines the scope of the six chapters of the full "Yog Vaasishtha":

1. Vairagya (Detachment): Focuses on cultivating strong detachment from worldly pleasures, childhood, youth, old age, wealth, and women, using vivid metaphors and examples to help even the most attached individuals become desire-less.
2. Mumukshu (Seeker of Liberation): Emphasizes that liberation is the renunciation of vasana, and clinging to worldly desires is bondage. It stresses the power of personal effort (purushartha) over relying solely on destiny (prarabdha) to overcome all obstacles and attain self-knowledge and liberation.
3. Utpatti (Creation): Explains that the mind, through its resolutions (sankalpa), causes the world to grow or diminish. The mind's intention is the root of the world's creation and sustenance, but it derives its power from the underlying reality, Brahman. The conviction "I am not Brahman" leads to bondage, while the firm resolve "All this seen is Brahman, and I too am Brahman" leads to liberation.
4. Sthiti (Sustenance): Attributes the perceived separation between Brahman and the individual soul (Jiva) to mental projections. It advises abandoning the mind's creations and dwelling in one's true nature (self-realization). Achieving equanimity in all things leads to a supreme state of mental peace. It advocates abandoning the egoistic identification with the body and resting in the supreme state.
5. Upasham (Quiescence): States that sorrow persists as long as the mind's power exists. Subduing the mind and destroying vasanas through self-realization leads to the destruction of sorrow and attainment of the supreme state. The destruction of vasana, mind, and self-realization are interconnected. It clarifies that attachment to the world, not the world itself, causes suffering. Renouncing attachment to the world from the mind is the key to liberation.
6. Nirvana (Liberation): Declares that scripture study and gurus are external aids, but true liberation comes from inner purity and clear intellect. The ultimate realization is "Nothing exists other than myself; this cyclical world of existence, ongoing since time immemorial, is not different from Brahman and myself. I am Shiva-like, the seer." This knowledge leads to the abandonment of all ego, and even while alive, such a knowledgeable person attains a state of being without a body (Videha Mukta).

Content of the Chapters Covered in Part 1:

The provided text includes detailed summaries and discussions of the following sections:

• Vairagya Prakaran (Chapter on Detachment):

  • Dialogue between Valmiki and King Arishtanemi.
  • The qualification for liberation, the composition of the text, and the state of a Jivanmukta (liberated while living).
  • The means to negate the perceived world, the nature of vasana, and Rama's pilgrimage.
  • Rama's return from pilgrimage and his daily routine.
  • Description of Rama's detachment.
  • Vishwamitra's arrival.
  • Vishwamitra's request for Rama.
  • King Dasharatha's grief.
  • Vashishtha's description of Vishwamitra's tapas (penance).
  • Rama's state.
  • Consolation of Rama by King Dasharatha and the sages.
  • The sorrowful nature of enjoyment, the untruthfulness of sensual objects, and the futility of wealth.
  • Description of Lakshmi's faults.
  • Condemnation of the life of a fool.
  • Condemnation of ego.
  • Description of defects of the mind.
  • Disdain for craving.
  • Condemnation of the body.
  • Condemnation of childhood.
  • Condemnation of youth.
  • Condemnation of the female body.
  • Condemnation of old age.
  • Description of Time.
  • Description of Time as a prince.
  • Description of Time as destiny and action.
  • The pitiable state of the world.
  • Description of the faults of objects.
  • Description of the changing nature of all things.
  • Description of detachment and the request for instruction.
  • Request for instruction on rest.
  • The question of happiness in a short life.
  • Praise for Rama's words.
  • The arrival of Siddhas in the assembly.

• Mumukshu Prakaran (Chapter on the Seeker of Liberation):

  • Shukadeva's peace through King Janaka's words.
  • Vashishtha's command to instruct Rama.
  • Attribution of the world in the Supreme Self and its negation.
  • Jivanmukti (liberation while living) and Videhamukti (liberation after death).
  • The strength of personal effort and the inviolability of destiny.
  • The weakness of destiny and the strength of personal effort.
  • Praise for personal effort.
  • The falsehood of destiny.
  • Consideration of Karma.
  • The process of knowledge descending to Earth.
  • The expansion of knowledge on Earth.
  • The greatness of knowledge and Rama's suitability.
  • Description of detachment and other virtues, and quiescence.
  • Praise for contemplation.
  • Description of contentment.
  • Description of Satsanga (good company).
  • Classification of the text.
  • Qualities of the text.
  • The meaning of examples and the investigation of the ultimate reality.
  • Types of intellect and characteristics of a great person.

• Utpatti Prakaran (Chapter on Creation):

  • Liberation is attained only through knowledge, not through karma or yoga.
  • The story of the Brahmin named Akashaja, the knower of truth.
  • The world born from the mind's resolve is illusory.
  • Description of evening, night, and morning, and the commencement of instruction.
  • The fundamental reality of the world and the mind.
  • Attainment of the true Self through knowledge and the order of the means to knowledge.
  • The attributeless reality of the Supreme Self (Brahman).
  • Attainment of true knowledge through listening to excellent scriptures.
  • Characteristics of a Jivanmukta and the nature of the Self.
  • Doubt regarding the definition of Brahman and its resolution.
  • The reality of the world is not different from the reality of the substratum (Brahman).
  • Adhyaropa (superimposition) and Apavada (negation).
  • Attainment of the state of Brahman by the Jiva.
  • Description of Brahman's reality.
  • The story of Mandapa, King Padmaraja, and his wife Leela.
  • Leela's penance and the appeasement of Saraswati.
  • New and ancient creation are mere mental projections.
  • Dialogue between Leela and Saraswati – similarity in both creations.
  • The example of a Brahmin named Vashishtha.
  • Leela's past life's firm conviction.
  • Dialogue between Saraswati and Leela.
  • The means to reduce vasanas and the practice.
  • Leela and Saraswati's journey into the sky.
  • Description of the wondrous sky filled with variations and pleasures.
  • Description of oceans, islands, and the earth's covering of the universe.
  • Leela's vision of her relatives in her home.
  • Leela's recollection of her past lives through knowledge.
  • The illusory nature of the visible and the description of mountains and mountain villages.
  • Leela's recollection of past events and her return to the sky.
  • Leela sees infinite universes in the Chid-akasha (consciousness-space).
  • Description of King Padmaraja's inner palace – characteristics of a hero – and the ready army.
  • Description of two ready armies poised for battle.
  • Description of the battle of two armies.
  • Description of the battle's wonders through people's utterances.
  • Description of the battle.
  • Description of the duel and the names of supporting kings and countries.
  • Description of victory and defeat of warriors in the duel.
  • Description of the retreating army and the battlefield.
  • Description of sunset, twilight, and the gruesome battlefield.
  • Depiction of the subtle body.
  • Description of the lineage of King Viduratha and the self-knowledge imparted by Saraswati.
  • The truth of dreams in a state of ignorance.
  • Viduratha's boon – the army's attack and the burning of the city.
  • Viduratha's departure for battle and the description of Leela's essence.
  • The realization that beings attain fruits according to their intentions.
  • Description of the army's entry into the battlefield and the battle.
  • The battle of King Sindhu and the description of the battlefield.
  • The conflict of Viduratha and King Sindhu – description of various weapons.
  • Description of mountain weapons, Vajra weapons, Brahma weapons, and Pisacha weapons.
  • The death of King Viduratha.
  • The chaotic state of a kingless country and its subsequent restoration.
  • Viduratha's death, the illusoriness of the world, and Leela's vasana.
  • Leela's path to her husband and the obstruction to sky-travel due to ignorance.
  • The process of death – the measure of enjoyment and lifespan according to karma.
  • The strange movement of beings.
  • The power of destiny (prarabdha).
  • The indistinguishability of power and the powerful.
  • The soul's experience of being the enjoyer.
  • The creation of duality and intellect from the mind, and the destruction of the mind through knowledge.
  • The destruction of ignorance and vasana through the means to curb the mind.
  • Description of the true nature of reality.
  • The means to destroy ignorance.
  • The description of the "Bore" species of creatures.
  • The description of the simultaneous creation of karma and the doer for the ignorant to gain knowledge.
  • Description of the nature of the mind.
  • Description of the three skies.
  • The story of Chitta – description of the forest.
  • The principle of Chitta.
  • Brahman is all-powerful, and bondage and liberation stem from ignorance.
  • The story of the child.
  • The means to destroy ego and resolve.
  • Description of the defects of the mind.
  • The story of Lavana – King Lavana's situation due to illusion.
  • King Lavana's recovery from delusion.
  • The king's account – marriage with a Chandala girl.
  • The suffering the king endured in the Chandala state.
  • The country's plight due to drought.
  • The king's worry over his son's suffering and his enlightenment.
  • The glory of the mind and its pacification.
  • The means to conquer the mind and concentration on the Self.
  • The description of the destruction of mental tendencies and the renunciation of vasana.
  • Description of the attainment of true knowledge.
  • The means to overcome ignorance.
  • The description of the cosmic order.
  • The nature of destiny (prarabdha).
  • The unity of power and the powerful.
  • The soul's experiencing itself as the enjoyer.
  • The creation of duality and intellect from the mind, and the destruction of the mind through knowledge.

Key Takeaways from the Summary:

• Simplified Spiritual Concepts: The book aims to simplify complex Jain and Vedanta philosophies.
• Practical Application: It emphasizes how to live in the world while achieving spiritual liberation, focusing on detachment and inner peace.
• The Power of the Mind: A significant portion of the initial chapters focuses on the mind's role in creating reality, experiencing suffering, and its ultimate potential for liberation.
• Personal Effort: The importance of 'purushartha' (personal effort) over mere destiny is a recurring theme.
• The Nature of Reality: The text explores the illusory nature of the perceived world and the ultimate oneness of the Self with Brahman.
• Narrative Structure: The use of stories and examples, like Rama's dispassion and the initial chapters' focus on his seeking, makes the teachings relatable.

The provided text is a detailed chapter-wise summary, offering extensive insight into the initial stages of "Yog Vaasishtha" as presented in this simplified version.