What is mind?
[2nd President and Spiritual Head: the Ramakrishna Centre of South Africa]
DAILY READINGS
From Mother Radha's recordings of Swamiji
762
Continued from posting 761
[Pravrajika] Atmaprana [the first Sannyasini (Hindu nun) of the Ramakrishna Centre of South Africa]: As the body is forming it comes to a certain pitch, maybe there is a magnetism that is formed . . .
Swamiji: Let's use the term 'degree of vibration'. We can understand it very well from a scientific point of view if we use the word 'vibration.' This table is vibrating at a certain rate, your body is vibrating at a certain rate and the mind becomes material at a certain rate.
Swami Vivekananda [lead disciple of Sri Ramakrishna - pictured above] very openly says, 'From the mind down, everything is material.' The part that displays intelligence is called intellect which is also part of the mind. Someone asked Swami Vivekananda, 'What takes birth and what dies?' He said, 'The mind.'
Swami Sarada(prabh)ananda: How would you talk about the individual soul in relationship to an Incarnation?
Swamiji: That which remembers for and against, and can free itself when it feels like it, knows that it is not the mind, (therefore not the body, not the intellect) but yet attaches itself.
Why? Different levels of people will give you different answers. In the Bhagavad Gita it says: 'I incarnate myself when unrighteousness prevails.' But I think the bhaktas [devotees] give it beautifully, they say it is a lila. Because it is Its nature to play – not purposeful playing as you would call it – but it is just Its nature to play. Nature is different from your playing.
A poet sitting somewhere doesn't want to say poetry but poetry just comes out of him. It's his nature. Other people who are trying to become a poet will think about words and try to rhyme them.
Swami Sarada(prabh)ananada: So the mind of the Incarnation, where is that coming from?
Swamiji: The mind of an Incarnation is pure sattvic quality, ours is mixed up.
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