The Necessity of Contemplation

Mere reading or superficial thinking will not help. The yearning for self-realisation must arise from the depth of your existence. The soul must become immensely significant, which can happen only when the value of wealth, power, and status reduces. Just as reading a menu card does not appease hunger, mere reading of scriptures without inner work cannot give the bliss of the self.

On listening about the nature of the soul from the Guru, the earnest seeker comes to the stage of contemplation. But it must be true listening – without bias and with intention, attention, and affection. He contemplates on what he has listened to and by developing conviction of the fundamental principles, he becomes doubtless. In such moments when the Divine seems far away, the Sadguru becomes the link because He seems like you. He is somewhat like you – a human with a body made of bones, flesh and marrow. And unlike you – He has known what is unknown to you. He is the gateway to your possibilities.

Three Levels of Life
The body is dependent and cannot become independent. Mind is dependent but it can become independent. The soul is independent and is incapable of becoming dependent. Only that mind which is independent can know the invariably independent and immortal soul. If the mind is dependent, it cannot know anything other than the body. And, in that state it considers itself as the body. When the mind is independent, it begins to focus on the soul that is independent. So, it is neither related to the body nor the soul; it is related to the mind. If the mind is dependent, then one cannot rise above the body. And if the mind is independent, then one’s focus flows towards the soul.

At the level of thinking, we are followers, and those who follow are dependent. At the physical level we are dependent, but we can leave the slavery of the mind. Check your thoughts. Are they all self-generated or borrowed from others? As birds come and perch on trees, so it is with thoughts that come into our minds; they are from other people. Like the birds are not created by the tree, the thoughts we have do not arise from within. The thoughts are of others, are borrowed. Only the one who is capable of thinking on his own can be called a human being. In him independence begins to awaken.

The whole mankind is dependent. Humans have simply accepted and believed in the thoughts of others. For thousands of years, we have been taught to believe, not think. As a result, we have become dependent.

Just a Repetition
We never think for ourselves. We accept the views of others and believe in them. Our minds are in chains. Our thinking is also just a repetition, not reflection or contemplation. Let alone the knowledge of the pure soul, our worldly life experiences are also not ours. If you are asked how a rose seems to you, you will at once say, beautiful. But check if that is your independent opinion, or you are just repeating an opinion that you have read or heard. Someone you love feels that the rose is gorgeous, so upon seeing a rose, such an opinion comes out effortlessly.

How can one without individuality reach immortality? Do you have any thoughts that you can claim are originally yours? Everything has come from outside, and what comes must go. Is there anything that has risen within you, created by you? Something that is authentic and original?

Doubt Awakens Power of Thought
To reach the truth, you must reflect on what is listened to and read. And for reflection, a questioning attitude is essential. The power of thought manifests when doubts arise. It is not that you are doubting or disbelieving great beings, but believing without thinking is incorrect; this habit is wrong. If you accept without thinking, you will never understand what the great beings have said. But if you question, your quest will reveal the truth to you.

Doubt breaks thoughtlessness, and belief strengthens it. But, thinking may cause pain as it is an austerity. Not eating food is considered an austerity, but passing through the thought process by doubting is a great austerity. Doubting means having the preparedness for a feeling of insecurity, admitting your ignorance, leaving all known support and to walk on your own feet for your awakening. By depending on a stick, your legs will remain weak. When you leave the support, you will see how strength appears from that insecure state.

When a man is without support, his inner powers get awakened. Doubting gives you a chance to awaken your latent powers. Blind belief is spiritually suicidal because it does not allow you to reflect, and so discretion does not arise. If you challenge all your beliefs and question them, the spell of ignorance will break. You will achieve discernment, your life will be revolutionised, you will experience an awakening and the door to peace shall be opened.

Courage will Arise from Helplessness
When you create doubt, raise questions to break free from mere belief and kindle independent thinking, all your supports begin to drop. You might fall, but so what? After a fall, will you stay there? Would you not do something to rise? Accepting something based on others is cowardice. Feeling helpless by doubting is also an adventure. Such a state kindles the power of thought and generates original thinking.

Our mind always wants support. And it is this desire that enslaves and hinders its growth on the path of truth. For centuries, we have lived in slavery. Chains feel pleasant, and one is afraid to break them. The greatest obstacle to ending slavery is that the slave himself begins to love slavery and may even give up his life to continue slavery.

There are chains even at the level of the mind. The problem is that one does not like without these chains of the mind and of sectarianism. But, you can attain truth only through original thinking, freedom of mind, and courage to be free from the herd mentality. Only a free mind can know freedom. Only an independent mind can see an independent soul.

Thoughtlessness, Thought, No-thought State
If you want to be free from slavery of the mind, start today. First, it is necessary to know that your mind is dependent. This awareness will create a need for freedom. As we begin to become independent through reflection and contemplation, the vision will become clear, and glimpses of the truth will appear. When the mind becomes completely independent, it will reveal the ultimate truth.

Thought is like a ladder. To ascend to the terrace, you must climb the ladder. Without
its help, you can’t reach. But having climbed it, without leaving it too you can’t reach! One must go from thoughtlessness to thought to know the truth. One must give up blind faith and embrace the path of thinking. But clinging to thought too will fail to make you reach the truth. To be in the no-thought state, the support of thought must also fall away.

Authored by: Pujya Gurudevshri Rakeshji