Nature of the mind
[2nd President and Spiritual Head: the Ramakrishna Centre of South Africa]
DAILY READINGS
From Mother Radha's recordings of Swamiji
724
[Swamiji reads and comments]
. . . the mind must again and again be brought back to the Atman. It is the nature of the mind to be fickle and restless.
Do not ask the question, 'Why is my mind doing this?' Because its nature is to be fickle and restless – like a naughty child.
. . . but the mind, at last, will come under your control and remain calmly fixed on the Atman. At first you are to transcend tamas [sloth, idleness]. . .
To transcend tamas means: no oversleeping, no laziness. A lot of sannyasis [Hindu monks, Swamis] rely on their disciples. In other words when the poor disciple leaves him, he is disabled.
That is why Guruji – Swami Purushottamananda – at the age of eighty nine, would slowly take his dhoti [wearing cloth] to the [river] Ganges, wash it, dry it, put it on, and then come back. Like this the disciples could not take advantage of him, he was independent of their effort or help. And perchance if the disciples did something for him they felt very privileged.
Devotee: What does the word 'love' signify in the scriptures?
Swamiji: In short: yama and niyama [the do's and dont's of spirituality] . Do not do those things that are not supposed to be done by a sadhaka. 'Love' here simply means love the Atman in everybody or love your deity in everything. Love here also means: do not take very drastic action otherwise the mind will become more agitated. Take a drunkard for instance: If you grab him and dry him out suddenly, instead of slowly, then he will be thinking more about drink than before.
Devotee: I would imagine that at Master's [Sri Ramakrishna's] level there would not be any 'wicked' and there would not be any 'good'.
Swamiji: Master was an acharya, he was teaching, do not forget that. He had not only to realise the Soul; he had to teach the world; he had to set the entire law right.
1) Care should be taken by the reader to understand and take Swamiji's words in these postings, in context. Every teaching or instruction that he gave was specific to the people who were with Swamiji at the time. 2) Mouse-over the words highlighted in red in the posting for further explanation or links.
There are currently available, over 100 different CDs or DVDs with mp3 files, of Swamiji speaking. Please email timhoare@webmail.co.za to order. Click HERE for the second website on Swamiji's life and teachings.
Sri Ramakrishna Sri Sarada Devi Swami Vivekananda
Swami Nischalananda Swami Shivapadananda
The Gospel of Sri Ramakrishna - read online
Reference websites – please mouse over the name and click to connect:
Ramakrishna Math and Mission Ramakrishna Centre of South Africa Ramakrishna Dham