Reality 92:  Faith  shraddha

The final of the "6 Essentials" is profound Meditation. What is implied is an inwardly concentrated Meditation. What is explicit is that it is a formless Meditation. It is sometimes referred to as a practice of samadhi, a state of intense absorption in the Absolute.

Sri Shankara has defined this as the perfect establishment of the Mind (buddhi) always in pure, nirguna (attribute–less) Brahman (the vast Absolute).

Meditation is invaluable for discovering & securing for oneself experiences of deeper spiritual states & for Self­Inquiry of Self-Knowledge.

In a path of Knowledge, Meditation consists of Knowledge & the primary means of experiencing such Knowledge is Self-Inquiry. Knowledge is formless. It is ignorance when one mistakes sensations, moods, emotions, thoughts, & any other mental phenomena for Knowledge. When one believes that such are knowledge, one is prejudiced by the unexamined beliefs in the Reality or truthfulness of the senses (the process of sensation) & of the objects of those senses; one also believes something is so because one has thought of it.  Self-Inquiry reveals the invalidity of such & their utter non–dependability for discerning Reality. Indeed, for purposes of fine Discrimination, that which is conceivable or an "object of thought," has the characteristic of un-reality. Therefore, for Real Knowledge, one must know That which is not an object of the senses or thought, & the means of knowing must not be a mere sensation or thought construct. So, the Meditation must necessarily be of this same nature of formless Knowledge if it is to be fruitful. If your Meditation itself assumes the existence of the ignorant limitations that your are attempting to transcend, how can it be of much help ?  If your Meditation is that of Self-Inquiry, it is not concerned with the products of the Senses or of thought, & it is not relying on such for Knowledge. Only Self­Inquiry to know oneself can be regarded as truly inward, &, as such, it is preeminently useful for Self–Realization. Self-Inquiry is the significance of this deep Meditation.

Concentration per se is not Deep Meditation. Deep Meditation, though, implies being concentrated. If one's attention is usurped by every wayward thought, is compelled to run with every idea & whim, & is caught up in every day-dream the Mind can imagine, when will there be the opportunity to meditate in order to gain Knowledge of the Self ?  When one is aware of the purpose of life & aware of the purpose of Meditation, concentration manifests. It is just as, when one's Life is in jeopardy, one does not at that moment become lost in idle day-dreams or meaningless mental imagery. Similarly, when the aspirant is aware of the importance of Realization & the importance of Meditation, aware of how to fulfill life's purpose within the ever-narrowing window of time left for it & aware of how precious is the opportunity to meditate on Truth & set oneself free, concentration is present in the Meditation. Tracing & holding the sense of "I" as taught in Self­Inquiry will simultaneously produce one-pointed concentration & Deep, Profound Meditation. The concentration is, ultimately, actually derived from the undivided intensity of Reality itself & the Self's innate Transcendence of all thought.

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"There is no Creation, no Destruction, no Bondage, no longing to be freed from Bondage, no striving for Liberation, nor anyone who has attained Liberation. Know that this to be Ultimate Truth." 

 –  the "no creation" school of Gaudapada, Shankara, Ramana, Nome – Ajata Vada

for very succinct summary of the teaching & practice, see:  www.ajatavada.com/